Sweet is good, but savory is better.
Doesn't it seem like nowadays every modern U.S. holiday is dominated by sugary treats and candy?
From shiny Snickers bars on Halloween to candy canes and cookies on Christmas and foot-tall chocolate bunnies on Easter, high-fructose corn syrup and artificial syrups continue to win the top spots in consumer hearts and pockets.
What's more, it's not enough to buy candy on Feb. 14; it's available at grocery stores and gas stations well over a month in advance.
This Valentine's Day, do something different.
Break up with those chalky candy hearts and give some love instead to the goddess of umami.
Show your honey you care by making them this wild Alaska smoked salmon Spanish tortilla. Featuring Alaska grown potatoes and wild salmon, they'll never have to know how easy it was. A staple tapas in Spain, it's kid-friendly snack meets decadent comfort food.
Team savory forever.
Wild Alaska smoked salmon Spanish tortilla
Serves 3-4
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 medium Alaska grown Yukon gold potatoes sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 medium onion, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/8-inch thick
Coarse sea salt, freshly ground pepper and parsley for garnish
6 large eggs
1/2 pint or pint of smoked and/or canned wild Alaska salmon
1. Add olive oil to a medium-size mixing bowl. Add sliced potatoes and onions and use your hands to mix -- coat everything in oil.
2. Pour everything into a large frying pan on medium heat and cook partially covered until the potatoes are really soft, about 15-20 minutes. Make sure to stir often so nothing sticks.
3. Using the same mixing bowl, crack eggs and whisk gently. Once the potatoes and onions are cooked, pour into a sieve set over a medium bowl and set the leftover oil aside. Add potato and onion mixture into the egg bowl, being careful to not break the potatoes. Stir in the smoked salmon.
4. Use the saved oil to coat the bottom of a nonstick frying pan (whatever size you want your tortilla to be). On medium-high heat pour everything in. This part is like cooking an omelet -- spread the mixture in an even layer then reduce the heat to medium-low. Wait until the edges start to cook, then use a rubber spatula to gently pull them away from the sides, letting the raw egg run behind and underneath, until bottom is set and just pale golden (and top is almost set), 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Place a plate, upside down, over the pan (use a plate with a diameter larger than the pan); invert tortilla onto the plate and slide the uncooked side back into the pan (add another teaspoon of reserved oil if needed) and cook a few more minutes pressing down on the tortilla and tucking in edges to shape the sides, until completely cooked through. Or if you are using a cast-iron skillet, you can broil the top until set and avoid having to flip the tortilla.
6. Slide on to a plate or cutting board and cool for 5 minutes before serving warm or at room temperature, cut into wedges.
Enjoy with a bottle of Spanish wine; both white and red pair well.
Shannon Kuhn lives in Anchorage and is co-founder of the Anchorage Food Mosaic. She writes about food and culture and can be reached at play@alaskadispatch.com (subject line: Shannon Kuhn).