SUMMER LUNCH CHALLENGE DAY 1 - OMELETTES WITH CHILLI TOMATO SALSA AND CHEESY AIR FRIED POTATOES

I have challenged myself to make three days of low-cost lunches, using only what we have grown, been given or had left over (along with a few store cupboard essentials).

DAY 1
From the garden:
cherry tomatoes
basil
Donated:
6 eggs from a neighbour with chickens
Left over:
red pepper
old potatoes
red onion

First make the salsa.

CHILLI TOMATO SALSA

Place the following into a blender:
1 red onion, peeled and chopped
1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
handful of fresh basil leaves
grinding of black pepper
8 – 10 fresh small tomatoes

Whizz until finely chopped.
Add 2tsp olive oil and blend again.
If it looks a little runny, place over a sieve and allow some of the moisture to drain off.

Place in a container and keep in the fridge.

Then, make the potatoes.

CHEESY AIR-FRIED POTATOES

Grate a large chunk of cheddar cheese.
Peel and cube 2-3 medium potatoes.
Spray with oil and sprinkle with a little salt.
Place in air fryer.

Cook at 180C for 10 minutes.
Shake and cook for about 5 minutes more until soft inside and crispy on the outside.

Add the cheese and cook for a further 5 minutes until the cheese is oozy.

Finish with the omelette as it will only take a few minutes.

SIMPLE PLAIN OMELETTE

Break eggs in a bowl (use 3 per person). Beat gently but not too much.
Heat a large knob of butter until it starts to froth.

Pour the eggs into the pan and swirl them around.
Tilt the pan slightly to ensure all the egg can cook.

When just set, fold in half.

Slide the omelette onto a plate. Add the potatoes and a spoonful of the salsa.

Fantasy Veggie Dinner Guest - LOIE FULLER

Loie Fuller was an American actress who became famous for her modern dance interpretations, incorporating silk costumes and revolutionary lighting techniques.
In the 1890s, she found recognition in Paris and performed regularly at Folies Bergère.

Here is a beautiful film (Pathe 1905) of her in action.

Her dancing at Folies Bergère was discussed in this amazing book I had for my birthday this year.

I don't know of any existing menu for Folies Bergère, but the book contains one for the other famous French cabaret club, Le Chat Noir.

This one calls for classic French recipes, (tweaked to make them vegetarian). Each serves 2. 

Tonight, Zelda and Loie will be eating these items from the menu:
Soupe a l'Oignon
Gruyere Sandwich
Omelette aux Fine Herbes
Pomme de Terre Frites

Soupe a l'Oignon - French Onion Soup

3 large onions
1tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves
1tsp sugar
2tsp fresh thyme chopped + 2 whole sprigs to garnish
1tbsp plain flour
1½ litres vegetable stock
dash of white wine
2 slices French bread
50g gruyere cheese, grated

Peel 2 of the garlic cloves. Finely chop with the thyme.

Peel and finely slice the onions.

Heat the oil in a large pan and add the onions.
Cook over a very low heat for about 10 minutes (until soft).

Stir in the chopped thyme, chopped onions and sugar. 

Continue to cook (for as low and long as possible) until golden.
Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, for a minute or so. Then add the wine and the stock.
Bring to the boil. (If any scum comes to the surface, skim it off.)

Reduce the heat to very low again and simmer gently for about 45 minutes.
Toast the bread on both sides under the grill. 

Rub the toasted bread with the remaining peeled garlic clove.

Ladle the soup into heat-proof bowls.
Float a piece of toast in each bowl and divide the grated cheese between each piece.
Grill for 2-3 minutes until the cheese has melted.
Serve with the remaining thyme.

Gruyere Sandwich - see Croque Monsieur

Omelette aux Fines Herbes

6 free range eggs
100g butter
½tsp chopped chives
½tsp fresh flat-leaf parsley
½tsp chopped chervil
salt and black pepper
additional chopped chives to garnish

Mix the chopped herbs together.
Break 3 eggs into a bowl and beat with a fork. Add half of the chopped herbs and season well.

Heat half of the butter in a pan until it froths.

Pour in the egg mixture.
As it starts to set, draw the outsides to the centre and allow the raw egg to move to the edges. 

Cook for about half a minute more so that the underneath is golden. Allow the top to stay creamy.

Tilt the pan and roll the omelette into a cigar shape and onto a plate.
Garnish with more chopped chives.

Repeat for the second omelette.

Pommes de Terre Frites

4 large potatoes 

lots of oil – I used sunflower oil 

Peel the potatoes and slice into chunky chips.
Leave in a bowl of cold water for about ten minutes. 

Drain and dry well. 

Heat the oil in a deep pan.
When very hot, add the chips in two batches.

Stir a little if needed to allow all to fry freely for about 6 minutes.
Remove, using a slotted metal spoon and allow to cool.

When ready to eat, reheat the oil and cook for another 5 minutes.

Place on absorbent paper to remove any of the remaining oil.

Serve sprinkled with salt. 

Serve with a cheeky little bottle of French wine and some appropriate music:

A Meal For... MEMORIES OF WINTER SUN

Zelda has just returned from a very lovely week, enjoying the sunshine in Lanzarote.  


Now, back home, with the snow outside, she is inspired to cook some of the food she enjoyed in the Canary Islands.

SPANISH OMELETTE

500g new potatoes

1 onion, peeled and sliced

150ml olive oil

3tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

6 eggs

salt and pepper

Peel potatoes if required or give them a quick scrub and then slice.

Heat oil in a pan and add the potatoes and onion and season.

Cover.

Turn down to a very low heat and allow to stew gently for about 20-30 minutes, turning a few times as needed.

Meanwhile, whisk the eggs gently, season and add the parsley.

When cooked, drain the potatoes and onions through a colander, retaining the leftover oil.

Add the potatoes and onions to the egg and stir until coated.

Return the oil to the pan and heat, then add the egg mixture.

Make sure the pan is on a very low setting. Draw the edge in with a spatula to make sure that all the liquid egg from the surface has been cooked. 

When set, cover with a plate, invert and replace in the pan.

Cook for a couple of minutes on the other side.

Repeat if needed.

Then turn the heat off and allow to settle for about 5 minutes.

CANARIAN POTATOES (PARAS ARRUGADAS)

500g small potatoes (all as similar in size as possible)

2tbsp sea salt

Wash but don’t peel the potatoes.

Place in a pan and just cover with water.

Add the sea salt.

Boil for 15 – 20 minutes (until a soft knife can be inserted easily).

Drain any excess water and then leave in the pan until all the remaining moisture has evaporated. 

Serve with Mojo 'sauces'

MOJO PICON

(This is a really spicy version. For a milder one, use fewer chilli peppers and scrape out the seeds)

5 cloves garlic, peeled

4 red chilli peppers, heads removed

1 red pepper, deseeded and chopped coarsely

1tsp ground cumin

pinch of salt

2 tbsp white wine vinegar

5 tbsp olive oil

Place garlic, peppers, cumin and salt in a blender.

Whizz until you have a paste.

Add the white wine vinegar.

Then, with the motor whirring on the slowest setting, add the olive oil a bit at a time.

To make a thicker sauce, add a handful of fresh breadcrumbs and whizz again until combined and fairly smooth.

MOJO VERDE

2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 green pepper, deseeded and chopped coarsely
1tsp ground cumin
large bunch of coriander, mainly leaves, ripped
pinch of salt
2tbsp white wine vinegar
4tbsp olive oil

Place garlic, pepper, cumin, salt and coriander in a blender.

Whizz until you have a paste.

Add the white wine vinegar.
Then, keep the motor on the lowest setting, and pour in the olive oil slowly.

Serve both sauces in bowls to accompany the potatoes, alongside the omelette.