This dish came to be one night when I just didn’t feel like going to the grocery store and decided to make something from ingredients that we already had.  There was a package of Trader Joe’s Soy-Chorizo (tastes like regular pork chorizo, but it’s made from soy…personally, I like it better than regular chorizo) that had been in the fridge for a while.  There was a little leftover arugula, some eggs, a lot of cheese and a couple potatoes.

I remembered that my friend Jessica had posted a picture on Facebook of a Spanish tortilla she had made.  (A Spanish Tortilla, btw, has nothing in common with the Mexican tortilla except its shape and its name.  Basically, it’s an open-faced potato and egg omelet.)  I tried to find Jessica’s post, but couldn’t, so turned to Google.  I found a recipe from Food Network’s Tyler Florence that looked good and easy.  His version calls for Spanish chorizo, which is more like a hard salami, but all I had was that soyrizo, so that’s what I used.

It turned out to be a really wonderful, light and easy dinner that I’ll definitely make again.

Potato and Chorizo Tortilla

(adapted from Tyler Florence)

INGREDIENTS

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 ounces (about half a 12-oz package) Soy-Chorizo (sometimes called Soyrizo)

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 medium onion, chopped

4 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 cup arugula (or baby greens) for garnish

1/2 lemon, juiced

1/2 cup Cotija cheese (or feta cheese), crumbled, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375°.

Pour 2 tablespoons olive oil into a non-stick, ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the potato and onion and fry until the onions start to soften, about 5 minutes.  Reduce the heat and cover the skillet; cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.  Remove the cover, raise the heat, and cook until the potatoes are brown and crispy, about another 5 minutes.

Remove the chorizo from the casing and crumble into potato-onion mixture and stir a couple minutes, just until heated through.  Note:  if you are going to use regular (not soy) chorizo; it will have to cook longer;  so cook it from the beginning with the potatoes and onions.

Meanwhile, break the eggs into a large bowl, add the milk, season with salt and pepper, and whisk until frothy.  Pour the egg mixture into the pan, shaking the pan to distribute the eggs evenly.  Put the pan into the oven and cook until puffy and set, about 12 to 15 minutes.  Turn out onto a cutting board and let it cool a little.  In a bowl, toss the arugula with the remaining oil and lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.  Place the greens on top of the tortilla.  Crumble the Cotija cheese over top.  Cut into wedges and serve.