Welcome home

          In honor of finally finding an apartment, with an actually quite lovely kitchen and equally pleasant roommates, and then having schlepped clothing, furniture, and one of the heaviest mattresses ever manufactured up three flights of stairs, it seemed only right that dinner be something special. Actually, the first meal eaten in the new apartment was a conglomeration of everything I had moved from home -- rice noodles tossed with a few grapefruit sections, some canned beans, and the dregs of several condiments from the refrigerator door, most of them of the Asian theme, followed by strawberry yogurt for dessert. Having eaten only Clif Bars for two days during the move, the noodle dish went down fine (I think the yogurt helped), but I’m not proud of it, and so I’m pretending it didn’t count. Therefore, the first real deal meal in the new apartment is as follows -- a throwback to my favorite late night meal in Madrid, and a perfect bowl of comfort food to make anywhere feel just like home.

What it was:

The free meal that came with your purchase of a drink if ordered after 7pm at the bar down the street from my hotel in Madrid.

What it consisted of:

1 large beer (house draught)

1 huge, steaming bowl of slightly soggy but wonderfully salty French fries

Several pieces of thinly sliced, cured and curling at the edges Serrano ham

1 fried egg, served over easy, on top

What it is now:

The perfect way to make your new apartment feel like home.

What it consists of:

1 sweet potato diced into thick chunks

1/2 a medium onion, also diced thickly

1 tsp. fresh rosemary and several leaves of fresh sage, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

1 slice prosciutto, sliced into small strips

1 egg

2 cups fresh kale

Olive oil

1 glass delightful red wine

Chunk your sweet potato and onion, pitch them into a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with seasonings and herbs, and toss to coat, then roast in the oven at 350 degree for about 45 minutes (to speed the process along you can also roast for 30 minutes at 350 and then turn on the broiler for a final 5-10 minutes, which will also finish your veggies with a slight crisp). Meanwhile, when the potatoes are nearing done, begin lightly sautéing the greens in a bit of water in a frying pan. When the kale is nearly fully wilted and tender, and the water has been cooked down with the greens, season the kale lightly and push the greens to the side of the pan. Add a few drops of olive oil to the pan and crack in the egg. Cook the egg gently, sunny side up, or over easy. Plate the potatoes on the bottom of a bowl, cover with the strips of ham, top with the egg, and place the greens on the side. When you’re ready to dig in, break the yolk and enjoy. The glass of wine is great with dinner, and even better while you’re cooking.