I eat fish a lot...

As a waitress, my "weekends" tend to be on random weekdays.  So, this happened to be my Tuesday night off dinner celebration.  I often buy tilapia as my star protein for meals and vary between more and less creative ways to prepare it.  I walked through the produce section of Kroger that afternoon looking for the best-looking veggies.  I initially picked up some pretty lame-looking asparagus, but, since it's in season, I figured it would taste the best.  After a little more wandering I discovered bundles of broccolini and bulk carrots on sale!  So, I ditched the asparagus and decided on a side dish of garlic carrots and broccolini.   I love cooking fresh veggies, but I like to be cost-conscious about it, otherwise I buy frozen.

 2 Tilapia fillets (I cut the thinner sides of two fillets off and froze them, leaving the two thicker pieces above)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup crushed crackers (I had some leftover club crackers, but any type would work fine as long as they're crushed fine)
1 tsp Adobo seasoning
Black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

1 bunch of broccolini
3 carrots 
Salt for seasoning the water
3 cloves of garlic minced
2 tbsp olive oil

Slice the carrots to a similar thickness to the broccolini, put in a pot, and cover with water.  Add some salt to the water and boil until you can stick a fork into the veggies without too much effort.  Drain and set aside while you prepare the fish.

Mix the parmesan cheese, cracker crumbs, Adobo, and black pepper on a plate.  Dip fillets in a little milk and dip into the breading mixture.  Try to pack as much of the breading onto the fish as you can with your hands so you'll have a nice crust.

Preheat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat (non-stick is best to keep the crust on the fish instead of in the pan!).  Cook fish for about 4 minutes on each side.

To finish off the veggies, add the other 2 tbsp of olive oil to the same pan you boiled in.  Add the minced garlic until right before it starts to brown on medium-high heat.  Add the veggies and saute for 3-4 minutes just to get the veggies good and garlicky, not to cook them any more.

I served up our fish and veggies with a lemon wedge than added a nice little bit of acidity to counter the salt and the garlic in the dish.  As you can see, we ate this dinner with some cider.  Overall, a fairly quick and easy Tuesday dinner.

Recuerdos de Tortilla

   The tortilla española is a food that is particularly close to my heart.  Some of my fondest memories have revolved around this very food, and cooking it causes those times flood back into my consciousness.  The photo above is from Valentine's Day 2008, which I shared with my gorgeous and quintessentially Spanish roommates and Brazilian classmates during my 6 months abroad in Galicia.  
   We had a little tortilla fiesta during which I had the pleasure learn from the girls how each of their families traditionally made tortillas.  The gallegas debated the austurianas intensely over how many eggs to use and whether it was okay to add onions.  I learned the answer to a very important question that day.  Who makes the best tortilla in the world?  Your mom does.
 
   Going out for tapas and drinks with friends is most definitely my favorite Spanish ritual.  It was during those times that I learned the most when I was studying abroad.  It's about conversation, good food, and just generally enjoying the little pleasures of life.
   The following are some photos of my best times munching on tortilla, queso, pulpo, y más with my Spanish, Greek, English, Turkish, American, German, Brazilian, Japanese, and Swedish compadres in Spain.  Food and drink brought us together from all corners of the globe in a particularly unique way that I can barely describe in writing.

I love drinking wine out of tiny bowls.

And finally, since this post is about tortillas, here is my recipe for Tortilla Española.

4 small to medium-sized Yukon Gold potatoes peeled and chopped into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup olive oil
4 medium eggs
1 small onion diced
1/2 cup sliced button mushrooms (optional)
Salt and paprika to taste

Fry potatoes in olive oil until golden brown.  Remove from frying pan with slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.  You'll want enough potato chunks to make an even layer in your frying pan.  Reserve the frying oil in a cup for cooking later. **A non-stick frying pan makes this recipe a LOT easier!**

Cook onions and mushroom in some of the leftover oil until just softened.  I don't always add mushrooms to a tortilla, but occasionally I like to add them for texture.

Whip up the eggs and mix with the potatoes, mushrooms, and onions in a bowl.  Add a little of the olive oil to your frying pan (you can use the same frying pan you have been using through this recipe).  Add the egg mixture to the pan. Shake the pan to keep the tortilla from sticking to the bottom.  You can also use a rubber spatula and run it around the edges of the tortilla to ensure that it is not sticking.

Okay, here comes the tricky part.  Flipping.  This is one of the main things that makes a tortilla different from a frittata.  Take a plate that is larger in circumference than you frying pan and place it upside down over the pan.  Hold the pan in one hand and place your other hand on the plate.  Flip the entire pan over onto the plate so that the entire tortilla is sitting on the plate, cooked side-up. Slide the tortilla back into the frying pan and continue to cook and shake until it feels firm to the touch. 

Once cooked, flip the tortilla onto a plate or a cutting board and you'll have a nice little potato cake.  Sprinkle a bit of salt and paprika over the top while it's still warm.

You can slice it up into triangles or squares and eat it right away while it's warm.  Or, and this is how I prefer it, chill it in the fridge and eat it cold.  Purists may eat it plain, but plenty of us eat it with a healthy squeeze of ketchup on top.