Hill Guides

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Sonoma Valley-The Secret Wine Country, 4th Edition

Below is a sample recipe from our Hill Guide to Sonoma Valley-The Secret Wine Country. Hill Guides are the only guidebooks that include rarely revealed recipes from chefs and winemakers from each region. We want you to be able to recreate a favorite dish you experienced in your travels. Check out our List of Recipes, as well as our List of Wineries and Sample Winery.

Basque Potato Omelet
from Françoise Guerra Hodges, Basque Boulangerie Cafe, Sonoma, California

Ingredients:

2 lbs red potatoes
12 whole large eggs
1 green bell pepper, sliced coarsely, discarding seeds and stem
1 red bell pepper, sliced coarsely, discarding seeds and stem
1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced coarsely
2-3 Tbs chopped garlic
salt and pepper
olive oil

You will also need a 10-inch oven-proof saute pan and food-release spray.

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a pot big enough to hold all the potatoes, add them and cover with water. Add 1 Tbs salt and bring to a boil over high heat, uncovered. Reduce to a simmer and gently cook the potatoes until a knife inserted into the thickest one comes out easily. Drain and reserve. Do the rest as the potatoes are cooking.

Spray or oil your 10-inch saute pan really well and set aside.

Crack the eggs and beat together well, but don't get them all foamy. You don't want a lot of air in them, just well mixed. Set aside.

Put about 2 Tbs of olive oil in the saute pan and heat. When oil is hot, add the sliced onions and both bell peppers. Saute for about 5 minutes til the onions begin to caramelize or take on a golden color and the peppers are softened. While the onions and peppers are cooking, shake them occasionally and slice the cooked potatoes into thick slices, cubes, or wedges. Reserve.

Add the chopped garlic to the onion mixture and saute for 2 more minutes. Pour the drained and sliced potatoes into the saute pan with the onions and immediately pour the beaten eggs over the top. The mixture should come right up to the top of the pan. If it doesn't, quickly crack a few more eggs and add them. Sprinkle with 3/4 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Don't shake the pan, but allow the ingredients and eggs to set for about 3 or 4 minutes over medium heat. Put the pan into a preheated oven and cook for approximately 45 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Let "omelet" come to room temperature before placing your serving platter on top of the saute pan and flipping it over to invert it for presentation. Serve as a luncheon entree warm with a green salad, as a dinner appetizer, or slice up when it's cold and use as a filling for a torte or sandwich. Serves 8-10 as a luncheon entree or an appetizer.