DJ Olsen is the chef at Lou Wine Bar. He's currently serving Spanish-style tortillas with fava tendrils. He uses a small 8" sauté pan and 4 eggs. After the eggs set over the stovetop, finish the tortilla in a 500 degree oven. The eggs should soufflé.
Tortilla with Fava Bean Tendrils, Green Garlic, Piquillo Peppers
Serves 4, Keeps 1 day
3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large farmer’s market eggs, thoroughly whisked together
1 oz fava bean or pea tendrils (a good handful)
1 piquillo pepper (canned), drained, finely chopped
1 Tablespoons chopped green garlic, white part only
Garnishes:
1/2 Hass avocado, peeled, sliced lengthwise into four pieces
Rustic tomato sauce (recipe follows)
Salt, freshly ground pepper
Finishing quality extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 500°, or preheat broiler on oven.
1. Heat olive oil in an 6 or 8” sauté pan until hot--oil will be hot enough when it appears to ripple
2. Add tendrils, green garlic to pan; season with salt; quickly sauté, tossing pan until tendrils wilt slightly (30 sec.)
3. Pour whisked eggs over tendrils; immediately place pan in oven (or under broiler, placed at least 4" away from heating source)
5. Bake eggs 6-8min. until they’ve risen up, set, top has turned golden brown
6. Using a rubber spatula, remove tortilla from pan, slice into quarters
7. Garnish with avocado slices, drizzle of tomato sauce, finishing oil; season with salt, freshly ground pepper
Tortillas can be served hot, at room temperature, or cold. Once made they are best consumed within one day. They lend themselves well to almost any ingredients, asparagus, potatoes, sweet or pickled onions, scallions, shrimp, bacon, chorizo, to name but a few.
Tomato Broth
4 quarts
Keeps 10 days
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 medium yellow onion, coarse chopped
Good pinches of kosher salt
2 medium carrots, peeled, sliced in 1/4” circles
1 medium bulb fennel, cleaned, rough chopped
1 large leek, white part only, cut into 1/4” circles
2 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
5 bay leaves
Tied in a bundle:
1 small bunch fresh oregano
1 small bunch , fresh thyme
1 small bunch, fresh basil
Pinch of red chile flakes, or one chile de arbol
(1) bottle dry white wine
(2) 28 oz cans Italian tomatoes, crushed
(1) small btl, Italian tomato purée
Filtered water
Salt/pepper to taste
1. Sauté, hi-heat, onion, carrots, fennel in Extra-Virgin olive oil with salt until veg. begins to caramelize (3-4min.)
2. Reduce heat; sweat leek, garlic until softened (1-2min)
3. Add bay leaves, oregano, thyme, basil, chilies, wine; increase heat; reduce to almost dry
4. Add tomatoes, purée and enough water to make it look “saucy” (3-4qt.)
5. Raise heat until boiling; reduce heat and simmer two hours
6. Remove from heat; remove chilies, herb bundle, bay leaves
7. Food mill everything to make a sauce (small hole on food mill)
9. Season with salt and pepper to taste; refrigerate until needed
Fitz Kelly grows stone fruits just south of Fresno. He sells seasonally at the farmers market and is making his debut this week. He has yellow peaches, called Debutantes, nectarines and apriums, which are an apricot/plum hybrid.