Liam Tomlin - Tapas with Liam Tomlin

CONTENTS

Tapas illustrates the style of food I like to cook and the way I like to eat, with lots of different tastes, textures and cooking styles.

After so many years working in professional kitchens, I wanted to move away from the formal structure of restaurants with reservations, stuffy service and fixed menus that are repeated day after day.

I wanted to create a relaxed and casual space where guests dont have to make too many decisions or listen to long-winded descriptions of every dish. I also wanted to offer good value, not aiming to be an occasion restaurant, but rather a place where people are happy to come and eat two or three times a week.

At Canteen we change our dishes daily sometimes even during the course of service and by offering tapas selections we get to cook many different styles of food, taking influence from all our favourite cuisines of the world, such as Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

We work with a small group of suppliers and producers, all of whom take great pride in their products and craft. Many of these people have over time become very good friends and dining companions.

I have moved away from food with too many layers, as well as components added simply for the sake of adding them. My way of cooking is focused on technique and on extracting as much flavour as possible to create tasty and well-balanced dishes.

Food, for me, is about the enjoyment of the whole process, from the sourcing of the ingredients to the preparation and the cooking.

And above all the eating!

Liam Tomlin

Cape Town, South Africa 2020

SERVES 6

1 kg floury potatoes, peeled and cut into paper-thin slices

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped

4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 litre olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

8 free-range eggs

100 g chorizo, sliced

Place the potatoes, onion, garlic and thyme in a heavy-based saucepan. Cover with 950 ml of the olive oil and lightly season with salt and freshly ground pepper. Place over a medium heat until the oil just starts to warm, then reduce the heat to low and gently cook the potatoes until they are completely cooked and soft (3035 minutes).

Place the potatoes into a chinois to drain the oil. The oil can be strained and used another two or three times.

Whisk the eggs and season lightly with salt and freshly ground pepper. Reserve 150 ml of the egg mixture in a separate bowl. Add the potatoes and chorizo to the remaining egg and gently mix so that the potatoes are evenly coated with egg.

Heat enough olive oil to cover the base of a 28 cm non-stick frying pan over a medium heat. Pour in the tortilla mix. As the mixture begins to set, shake the pan in a circular motion to ensure even cooking. Using a wooden spatula, shape the tortilla into a thick disc shape. Cook for a further 2 minutes, then cover the pan with a large, flat plate and flip the tortilla onto the plate. Gently slide the tortilla back into the pan, uncooked-side down, and reduce the heat to low.

Smooth out any imperfections on the cooked surface of the tortilla by pouring over a little of the reserved beaten egg and smoothing it with a wooden spoon.