Bread…

Cheese:

and Garlic

and one or two other things to get us through the weekend, including black pudding and chorizo. But more about them later.

Now, I don’t like eggs. But I love Spanish Omelette (tortilla).

There’s something about its simplicity, and the whole being many, many times the sum of the parts. There’s nothing particularly special about this recipe, indeed its source is Delia Smith (Delia’s How to Cook Book One), of all people (I must write about my relationship with Delia sometime in the future (her cooking, I must clarify, before you start jumping to conclusions)).

I make it with an optional taster of thyme, with six eggs, rather than five, and like to cook the potatoes just until they start to show the merest hint of caramelization. Otherwise, this is one of those recipes that even I haven’t felt the need to mess with (too much)!

• Around 600g of (preferably) new potatoes (I leave the skins on if they’re nice skins), washed and sliced thinly – go on, do it by hand. It’s miles more satisfying than getting the food processor out
• 2 or 3 medium onions, finely sliced
• A little fresh thyme (optional), just the leaves
• 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil – extra-virgin is great, but not the unfiltered stuff
• Maldon sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat two-thirds of the oil in a frying pan until it’s almost smoking. Tip the potatoes, onion and thyme (if using) into the oil, turning the heat down to low/medium. Turn the vegetables in the oil until they’re well coated and season well with salt and pepper.

Put a lid on the frying pan, and cook for 20-40 minutes, depending on the potatoes, and how thickly you’ve sliced them.

Don’t aim to colour or crisp the veg, just sweat it until the potatoes are tender, and the veg is starting to catch or just turn a hint of golden.

Now break the eggs into a basin and stir until just a uniform colour.

Tip the veg into the eggs, and stir around until coated.

Return the frying pan to the heat and add the rest of the oil.

When hot, add the egg mixture and cook slowly, uncovered, for perhaps 25 minutes. The omelette should be just set at the top and definitely golden underneath.

Put a plate (the same size as the frying pan) on top of the omelette and turn the whole lot over carefully with a cloth or oven glove. Slide the omelette back in the pan for a few minutes to finish the uncooked side.

Serve with salad, red wine (it deserves a good Rioja) and even some crusty bread.

Perfection!

• 1.5kg organic chicken
• 4 pickled lemons
• Pack of fresh thyme
• 1 head of garlic
• 125ml dry vermouth
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Serves 4.

Heat the oven to 190 deg C or Gas 5.

Open up a pocket between the breast skin and meat on each side of the chicken. Chop up the pickled lemons roughly.

Put half of the lemons and one-third of the thyme into each pocket. Then put the remaining thyme and the garlic in the body cavity.

Rub the chicken all over with good quality olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Place the chicken breast-side down in a roasting pan and put in the pre-heated oven. After 30 minutes, add the vermouth, and cook for a further 60 minutes. Turn the chicken over for the last 20 minutes.

Let the chicken sit for 20 minutes before carving. Reserve the pan juices.

Pour off any fat from the pan juices, and bubble to reheat. Stir to incorporate any roasted or sticky bits, adjust seasoning and pour over the carved chicken.

Serve with a mashed root vegetable – celeriac, swede or potato – and a steamed green vegetable. Take the roasted garlic from the chicken’s cavity and squeeze two or more garlic cloves into the vegetables during mashing.