Chef Tom – A Potato Chip Omelet, a Plum loco Chicken, and Musica desde la calle

This recipe, adapted from the cookbook “The Family Meal: Home Cooking With Ferran Adrià” (Phaidon, 2011), is a study in simplicity. The chef of El Bulli, the famous Spanish restaurant, Mr. Adrià created an omelet reminiscent of a Spanish tortilla that comes together in minutes using only eggs, salted potato chips and olive oil. As with any recipe calling for just a few ingredients, quality truly matters here, so opt for the best potato chips, the finest olive oil and the freshest eggs.

Potato Chip Omelet

There’s no need to season the dish with salt, Mr. Adrià advises, since the chips are already salted, but serving the omelet with salt and pepper adds nuance. If you like, add finely sliced chives, a handful of grated Manchego or perhaps a pinch of piment d’Espelette or paprika like a true tortilla Española. —Alexa Weibel

Ferran Adrià’s Potato Chip Omelet

Serves 4

Ingredients:

12 large eggs

6 ounces potato chips (about 6 cups)

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and black pepper, for serving (optional)

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Directions:

Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and whisk vigorously until frothy and lightened in color, about 4 minutes. (If you have a balloon whisk, now is the time to use it: It will aerate better than a standard whisk, and should take half the time and effort. Either way, your arm will burn by the end of this, but a fluffy, puffy omelet will be your reward.)

Add 1 tablespoon oil to a 10-inch nonstick skillet and heat over medium.

Add the chips to the eggs. Using a plastic spatula, gently fold a few times to ensure chips are coated. Let the chips soak for 1 minute.

Pour the mixture into the skillet, using the spatula to spread the potatoes into an even layer, then to loosen the omelet from the sides of the pan.

After the bottom of the omelet is just about set — it should barely take on color but the top isn’t completely set — 3 to 4 minutes, cover the omelet with an upside-down plate or a large, flat lid. Holding one hand flat against the plate and holding the skillet by its handle, gently flip over the omelet to release it onto the plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the skillet, then carefully slide the omelet from the plate, uncooked-side-down, into the pan and cook for about 2 minutes. Slide the omelet onto a plate, slice and serve immediately.

Sheet Pan Dinner

Sheet-Pan Chicken With Roasted Plums and Onions
4 to 6 servings

Beautiful to behold and easy to make, this sheet-pan dinner combines sweet plums and soft red onions with crisp-skinned pieces of roasted chicken. Toasted fennel seeds, red-pepper flakes and a touch of allspice add complexity while a mound of fresh torn herbs crowns the top. If good ripe plums aren’t available, you can substitute another stone fruit including peaches, nectarines or pluots, though if your fruit is very sweet, you might want to add a squeeze of lemon at the end. Serve this with rice pilaf, polenta or warm flatbread for a festive meal. – By Melissa Clark

Ingredients:
2 teaspoons fennel seeds

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon grated lemon or orange zest

4 garlic cloves, finely grated

2 teaspoons honey

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

Large pinch red-pepper flakes, or to taste

1 chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds), cut into parts

Kosher salt and black pepper

2 cups ripe, soft plums, pitted and cut into 3/4-inch thick slices

6 fresh thyme sprigs

1 medium red onion, peeled and sliced from root to stem in 1/2-inch wedges

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

2/3 cup torn mint, basil or cilantro leaves (or a combination)

Flaky sea salt, for serving

Directions:

Toast the fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour seeds into a mortar and pound with a pestle until coarsely crushed (or lay seeds on a cutting board and pound them with a can or jar).

Put the seeds into a large bowl and stir in lemon juice, zest, garlic, honey, allspice and red-pepper flakes.

Season chicken generously all over with salt and pepper and add to the bowl, turning the pieces to coat them with marinade. Mix in plums and thyme sprigs.

Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

When ready to cook, heat the oven to 425 degrees. Put the chicken pieces, plums, and thyme sprigs on a rimmed baking pan. Add onions, spreading them out around the chicken and plums. Season plums and onions lightly with salt. Drizzle everything with olive oil.

Roast until chicken is golden and cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes, removing the white meat if it’s done before the dark meat.

Transfer chicken pieces as they are done to a platter. Spoon the plums and onions around the chicken. Drizzle a little of the pan drippings over the chicken and serve, garnished with the herbs and flaky salt.

ON THAT NOTE

Spontaneous Combustion: Borja Catenesi

Busking Borja

Love this cat’s videos from all over the planet. A Busker from Valencia. He’s often joined by people from the street. I really like the rawness of his performances.

Quarantine Rooftop Session in Delhi, India

Professional Dancers join Street Performer – Entre Dos Aguas

On the Street – Johnny B. Good – feat. Shorty

Blues Improvisation on the Street – Harmonica & Guitar

BONUS TRACK – Never seen this before. Genius.

Silent Busking in Eindhoven, Holland

=CTH=

Chef Tom is currently transitioning from Personal Chef to Private Chef. He also teaches cooking classes, caters small parties and leads overseas culinary tours. His specialty for the last twelve years has been cooking for people with food allergies and sensitivities. His motto is “Food should give you pleasure, not pressure.”

Check him out at www.hippkitchen.com