ORTILLA PAISANA
1. Prepare the potato gratin if you have not done so already, and set aside to cool. (This should be done at least 4 hours ahead of time).
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat a large skillet and add 1 lA tablespoons of the olive . oil. Add the diced onion and saute until soft. Remove and set aside.
3. Turn the potato gratin out onto a cutting board and cut into slices 1 inch wide by 2 inches deep. Lay all the strips out on a flat surface (do not stack) and cover them.
4. Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat and add the remaining Уг tablespoon of olive oil and the butter. Allow it to foam shghtly and pour in the beaten eggs and cream; add salt and pepper. Quickly lift up the eggs from the bottom of the pan, allowing only a portion of them to set.
5. Add the sauteed onion and diced chorizo. Then quickly arrange 4 to 7 sections of the potato gratin like the numbers on a clock around the surface of the eggs. Place the pan in the oven for a few minutes.
6. Place a heavy plate on your cutting board. Remove the skillet from the oven, put the plate on top of the pan, and quickly and carefully invert the tortilla onto the plate. Now slide the plate into the skillet, put back in the oven, and cook 30 more seconds.
7. Remove the skillet from the oven. Turn the tortilla right side up and allow to cool. Cut into wedges and serve.
with Caviar, Hard-Cooked Eggs, and Brioche
Food historians debate the origin of the term carpaccio; no one debates its appeal. Of course, in the old days it was only beef that received this treatment-but once again we see the Japanese influence as salmon replaces the meat in this interpretation.
ALMON CARPACCIO
Serves 4
pound extremely fresh salmon, skin
and bones removed
hard-cooked eggs
tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
tablespoons caviar (let your budget
decide, but it should at least be sturgeon)
slices Cracked Black Pepper Brioche (page 209)
tablespoons butter, softened tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley, squeezed dry and set aside lemon, cut into 4 w1. Slice the salmon thin, approximately 1 ounce per slice. Put onto a plate and chill, covered.
2. Shell the eggs and finely dice the whites. Set aside, covered. Sieve the yolks and set aside, covered.
3. Lay the slices of salmon, one by one, between two pieces of plastic wrap. Gently pound them with the side of a large knife to make them paper-thin. Arrange three slices on each of 4 cool plates, and lightly brush each slice with olive oil.
4. Arrange the caviar, egg white, and egg yolk in 3 concentric circles over the salmon. Start with the caviar as the outside ring, then egg white, then egg yolk as a "bull's-eye." Set aside in a cool place.
5. Toast the brioche and spread each slice with butter. Cut the toast in half diagonally and tuck toast slices between salmon slices. Scatter the chopped parsley over the salmon. Garnish with lemon wedges and serve.edges, seeds removed
HOT APPETIZERS
[RILLED MARINATED SHRIMP AND CHORIZO with Spanish Sherry Vinegar
The inspiration for this dish comes from the Four Seasons restaurant in New York City. I have been serving this version at Louie's since I began. Every week, almost without fail, it is ordered by our customers more than any other hot appetizer. The combination of pork and shellfish works as well here as it does in many dishes, such as clam chowder. I see this preparation as conceptually Spanish in tone, so I use Spanish sherry wine vinegar to splash on the vegetables at the end. While the recipe is simple to prepare, do note that the shrimp must be marinated overnight.
Makes 8 appetizer servings or 4 light entrees