Fresh Peas & New Garlic Spanish Omelette
spring into summer + some exciting news! ✨
Allô! 👋
Ah, late spring! A time for exuberant, frenetic activity and growth — everywhere you look, plants are getting greener, flowers are blossoming (then retiring for the year) at record speeds, and days are gaining minutes like no other time of year, all while each passing night feels distinctly warmer than the last. Much like the plants and the birds and the bees, you too may be finding that life seems to be getting increasingly busy at the moment. Summer's right around the corner, but we're not quite there yet (although, depending on where you are in the world, it might already be very much feeling like it), so best enjoy what's left of spring while it lasts.
Speaking of summer, mine just got a whole lot busier. Breaking news, you heard it here first:
I'm moving to London!!!
It'll just be for a couple of months, but it's still very exciting news (at least to me!!). It's also a major contributing factor as to why I've been so occupied lately — I need to find a flat. Stat! No easy feat in a busy city like London, especially over the summer..., let me tell you.
That being said, I decided this month to present the newsletter in menu format, with ideas to sample for a late spring fling (perhaps in a park), drawing from previous posts and recipes, old and new. As I've been so busy, I ended up not having time to fully develop a new dessert in time for this edition — but worry not, that hasn't stopped me from suggesting sweet treats (and drinks) for you to make.
So, whether you have time to read through it all, or all you can manage is a cursory skim (I know I'm not the only busy one around here), I hope you'll enjoy this month's menu!
And remember: keep cool, don't forget the sunscreen, and stay hydrated.
See you in again in the summer (in London, baby!) and wishing you all the best 'til then,
👋simone
simple, green and fresh:
starter ideas for late spring
🌱
Vibrantly pink rhubarb and deep red strawberries may be getting lots of attention these days, but this time of year is still very much a celebration of all things fresh and green! The best part? Young crops and new season varieties rarely require much preparation.
•••
A PEA SALAD MOUNTAIN — WITH MINT, CRESS, LEMON & STRACCIATELLA
A NO-RECIPE RECIPE
Pod some fresh peas, then blanch them for a minute or two until plump and vibrant. Drain. Toss with freshly picked mint leaves and watercress* that have been washed and spun dry. Drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil, freshly squeezed lemon juice, and flaky salt crystals, and layer everything into a pile on a plate. Scatter bits of stracciatella cheese throughout, then finish with lemon zest and an optional dusting of freshly cracked black pepper. Enjoy!
*if you have some pea shoots and tendrils on hand, feel free to swap or add them in here, along with (or instead of) the watercress!
•••
More ideas for late spring starters, from Instagram and the site:
one of everything, please
Rocket, fennel, radish, fava, asparagus, burrata, and so much more.
keeping cool
Fresh mint, peas, and pistachios. A simple and easy recipe for a sweltering spring day.
better with butter
Asparagus, almond cream, brown butter, and toasted almonds — what more could you want?
mains:
risottos, omelettes, and pies, oh my!
🍲
Spring is peak egg season, so you'd be forgiven for serving omelettes, frittatas, and quiches at every opportunity. It's also the time for new potatoes and young spring onions which, in my mind, makes it a marvellous time of year to serve up and savour a classic: the tortilla española.
Seeing as wild garlic (AKA ramps or ramsons, depending on the subspecies) was as abundant as new potatoes, onions and eggs when I decided to make this dish, it seemed a no-brainer to throw some in. And what a result. Simply too good not to share!
Now, don't be disheartened if you can't find any wild garlic near you I do realise that it can be hard to find and, what's more, its season is coming to an end in most parts of the world...! This version goes just as well with green onions (scallions), green garlic, spring onions, and garlic scapes alike.
•••
A SPANISH OMELETTE — WITH GARLIC, YOUNG OR WILD
makes enough for approx. 4 (or 2 hungry people), served with a salad
INGREDIENTS
• 4 medium or 6 small waxy potatoes
• 1 large onion, yellow or white
• 1 large handful garlic (wild, new, or green if you have some)*
• 4 eggs
• extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt
• optional: chili flakes & fresh parsley (for garnish)
*if you don't, no worries! 4 large or 6 small cloves of garlic will also do — if using, crush, peel, and thickly slice each clove
METHOD
note: if you want to watch this being made before attempting it yourself, head over here
1. Cut the onion in half from root to shoot. Peel it, then thinly slice across each half. Then peel and thinly slice the potatoes across lengthwise.
2. In a small frying pan (about 20cm/8in diameter) on medium heat, add enough olive oil to generously coat the bottom of the pan. Once the oil is hot, add in the onions and a pinch of salt. With a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, gently stir the onions around so as to coat them in the oil.
3. We don’t want to the onions to get too much colour on them, so as soon as you hear them starting to fry, add in a generous splash of hot water from your kettle and swirl it around. Repeat two or three more times as the water cooks the onion and evaporates away. This isn't traditional, but it helps cut down on how much oil you need to use!
4. Add the potatoes (and garlic cloves, if using) to the pan along with an additional glug of olive oil and small sprinkle of salt, topping up with a bit of hot water as it cooks the potato and evaporates (as in step 3).
5. While the potatoes and onion are cooking, crack and whisk the eggs in a large bowl along with a small pinch of salt.
6. Once the potatoes and onions are cooked (and all the water has evaporated), after about 10-15 minutes, remove them from the heat. Add a small spoonful to the eggs first – this will help warm them up and prevent them from scrambling when you add the rest of the hot ingredients. Add another spoonful of the potato mixture, stir it through, then pour in all the rest. Then add in the wild garlic raw, or, if using green onions/scallions, green garlic, or garlic scapes, sauté those in a bit more olive oil, until bright green and tender, before adding them to the bowl (note: if you want, reserve a few to place at the bottom of the pan before pouring in the egg mixture — this'll make a nice decoration once the tortilla is served, and it also is a useful way to let everyone know what's in their omelette!) . Gently stir together and let the egg and potato mixture sit for 5-15 minutes so the all the flavours have some time to get acquainted.
7. Return the pan to medium-high heat, and add enough olive oil to cover its bottom (note: if decorating the bottom of the pan, do so now!). Once the oil is hot, pour in the egg and potato mixture and use your spatula or wooden spoon to flatten and level the mixture into the pan. Season sparingly with salt. After a couple of minutes, reduce the heat to medium and let cook undisturbed until the sides have set and look golden, and the top is still slightly runny. This should take around 15 minutes.
8. To finish cooking the tortilla, it needs to be flipped. Cover the pan with a large upturned plate, hold the handle near the pan and press the plate downwards, then confidently flip the tortilla out of the pan and onto the plate before gently sliding it back into the pan. Use your spatula or spoon to tuck in the edges and let cook for a further 5 minutes or so until the bottom is set. Season lightly with salt again.
9. Flip the tortilla again to remove it from the pan. Garnish the top with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, and a final sprinkle of flaky sea salt, as well as some freshly chopped parsley leaves and dried crushed chili flakes if you like.
10. Cut into wedges and enjoy! Pairs well with a green salad, and can be enjoyed hot as well as cold, as a main dish, snack or appetiser, at any time of day.
•••
More ideas for late spring mains from Instagram and the site:
recipes from the site
+ some ideas from instagram
🌼
char(me)d to meet you
A velvety green chard risotto, balanced out by the toothsome bite of an al dente carnaroli and the fresh zing of an unwaxed lemon.
¿por qué no los dos?
Brothy beans or leeks vinaigrette. Why make a decision when you can have both?
easy as (onion) pie
All you need is pastry and an allium (or two).
from flower to fruit:
desserts & drinks
🌸🍓
I'm not going to lie, these days dessert is either fresh strawberries, straight out of the punnet, or a simple rhubarb compote — subtly spiced, and served with something cool and creamy. Why complicate when things can be easy?
Speaking of easy, a lot of edible flowers are in season at the moment, perfect for using in desserts... or making into drinks. Nothing easier than gathering some lilacs, elderflowers*, peonies or roses, making a lovely bouquet, and reserving a blossom or two for a sweet treat or special beverage. I'm no expert when it comes to drinks, but trust me: Google your favourite combinations. Then try it out!
If you're still looking for something more inspired, I promise I'll be posting exciting things soon. Though in the meantime, might I suggest using seasonal ingredients to make a humble crumble or a refreshing granita?
*please note that you do not want to consume elderflower raw
•••
For more ideas and inspiration, keep an eye on my Instagram page, and feel free to take a peak at these recipes from the site. This one especially is my favourite for late spring.
last... but not least!
the public health corner
a few parting links, as food for thought
This month's round-up of public health related links, as BBC Food Programme host Sheila Dillon is wont to say, “from culture to cooking” and “politics to pleasure”.
📺 ONE VIDEO
5 Ways to Identify Ultra-Processed Foods (Penguin Books UK)
🗒️ ONE ARTICLE
The ‘Good Food Good Farming’ Movement Campaigns for a Better EU Food System (Slow Food)
🎧 ONE PODCAST EPISODE
The health benefits of eating together (ZOE Science & Nutrition)
📘 ONE BOOK
Ravenous, Henry Dimbleby & Jemima Lewis (Profile Books Ltd.)
P.S. I always have a hard time just picking one of each, but in case you're interested, there's plenty more where that came from!
That's all from me this time!
See you next season 💛
This was a Substack edit of an archived newsletter. To read the newsletter in its original format, click here.