Breakfast :: Poached Eggs, Crispy Prosciutto & Cheddar Polenta

For valentine's day, I wanted to surprise A. with breakfast!  One of A.'s breakfast favorites:  poached eggs.  Well, this is a bit of a problem, considering I am the world's worst egg poacher, ever.  No, I'm not exaggerating.  I've tried.  Every couple of months I try to convince myself that it can't be that hard, so I try again.  I bring water to a soft simmer, I add vinegar, crack an egg into a ramekin, and then slowly pour it into the water.  I cross my fingers... but then, a few seconds later, there it is:  a pot of mudied egg white water.   Oh well.  Until I found this little invention:  silicone egg poachers.  Perfectly poached eggs every time!  

I woke up craving something sweet and salty....and we had beautiful San Danielle prosciutto in the fridge.  Let's face it, you can never go wrong with prosciutto!  So for breakfast:  poached eggs, a top a honey sweet, cheddar polenta, with crispy prosciutto. The polenta is sweet and cheesy, and goes perfectly with the salty prosciutto, all topped with a delicious poached egg, with a soft yolk.  It was delicious!  I'll definitely be making this again (often!), and not just for breakfast. 

Oh and don't worry about having too much polenta, spread the leftovers in a greased baking dish (small size, I used a 4x4) and place in the fridge.  Let it harden for a couple of hours and then cute into triangles (more pics in this post).  It'll be a perfect to-go breakfast the next day, or a side for dinner.

Hope you had a wonderful Valentine's Day and are enjoying President's Day! 

POACHED EGGS w/CRISPY PROSCIUTTO & CHEDDAR POLENTA

Eggs (1 per person)

Sliced prosciutto (2 slices per person)

Cheddar Polenta (recipe below, about 1/2 cup per person)

Preheat the oven to 500F.  On a parchment lined cookie sheet lay the slices of prosciutto and cook in the oven until crispy (about 3-5 minutes).  

Cook the polenta, and poach the eggs.  If you are using an egg poacher, simply bring a large saucepan with water to a boil.  Butter each egg dish and add the cracked egg.  Place in the water, floating, and cover the pot.  Cook for 5-8 minutes and scoop out of the dish and serve.

(Or follow these egg poaching instructions)

To assemble, serve about 1/2 cup of cheddar polenta on each dish.  Top with the crispy polenta slices, don't worry if they break.  Layer the poach egg on top and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cheddar Polenta

2 cups of water

1 cup of milk

1 cup dry polenta

sprinkle of salt

teaspoon of honey

1/3 cup cheddar

tablespoon of butter

In a medium saucepan, bring the water and milk to a boil with a sprinkle of salt.  Add the polenta in a steady stream mixing will you pour to prevent lumps.  Lower the heat and continue to mix the polenta until it has a smooth texture.  Add the cheddar and honey, and taste for salt.  When it is fully combined, remove from heat and serve immediately.

Happy New Year :: Fried Egg B.L.T. w/ Lemon Aioli

Happy New Year!!!  Can you believe it, 2010?  

A. and I spent the holidays, rang in the new year, and celebrated my b-day (yay! happy b-day to me!) in Miami.  Two weeks of lounging around, lots of eating (way too much!), time with both of our families... and of course: a little sun!  

But after a wonderful vacation,  we are back in NYC in the most frigid weather I can remember. Boohoo :-(   

Well today, my wonderful friends - S. and D. - took me on a birthday lunch to The Smith.  It was the perfect post-vacation cheer-up!   :-)  And I had the most delicious sandwich: a BLT.   Not a regular BLT... it was topped with a fried egg, smothered in a lemony aioli, all on a sourdough bun.  Egg on a BLT?  Yum!!!  ...And the lemon aoili was so perfect, much better than plain mayo.

It was so delicious, I came home and decided to re-create it for A.  He loooved it!  What's not to love about crispy bacon?  I added a little extra lemon to my aioli recipe, and it came out perfect.  The recipe will make about half a cup of ailoi, it keeps well in the fridge so you can enjoy it on other sandwiches or as a dip for fresh veggies.

Ok, so I know that this isn't exactly new years diet friendly recipe, but try using turkey bacon and a sliced hardboiled egg white (instead of fried egg), for a lower fat version.

Enjoy!

FRIED EGG B.L.T. w/ LEMON AIOLI

Fried Eggs (I like the yolk slightly runny)

Crispy Bacon

Sliced Tomatoes

Fresh Sourdough Rolls, lightly toasted

For Lemon Aioli:

2 egg yolks

2 garlic cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons lemon juice

3/4 cup olive oil

Combine the egg yolks, garlic cloves, salt, mustard, and half the lemon juice.  With an immersion blender  or food processor, pulse until creamy and garlic is finely chopped.  While continuing to mix, add the olive oil a few drops at a time, then continue to add in a steady, slow stream.  The mix will start to thicken.  Continue to process until fully combined.  Taste, and season with remaining lemon juice to taste.  Keep in the fridge for 1 week.

To assemble the sandwich, spread the aoili on both sides of the bread.  Layer the fried egg, bacon, tomatoes, and lettuce. 

Sunday Morning :: Egg & Black Truffle 'Brouillade'

It's A.'s birthday next Sunday!  In celebration of the start of his b-day week I wanted to make a delicious breakfast this morning.  And what better way to start the day than with fresh black truffles?

I went on a bit of a truffle frenzy the other day when walking around Chelsea Market.  I walked out with a jar of truffle butter, truffle ricotta raviolis from Boun Italia, and my very own black truffle!  Isn't it lovely? I'm so in awe of where these little things come from and their rarity.

The price of truffle by the pound is pretty intimidating, but you can buy one truffle (roughly: 1 ounce) for around $20 - $25.  Or truffle butter for around $10 for a 4 ounce container.  There are also a great variety of affordable truffle flavored oils which are great for risottos or pastas.

Excited with my little truffle, I started doing some research on potential dishes.  I saw mention of a french dish called a "Brouillade" (which means 'scrambled') of eggs and black truffles.  So tempting... and you can't ask for more luxurious breakfast!  I ran out for a fresh baguette and started cooking. 

It's traditionally one of the first dishes served from the truffle harvest. You allow the eggs to sit overnight (up to 2 days) with the truffles so that the aroma starts seasoning the eggs.  Then the eggs are slowly cooked with the shaved truffle, heavy cream and butter over a 'bain marie' to create a a creamy, smooth, aromatic scramble.  

It's so delicious, and elegant!  The slowly cooked eggs are velvety smooth, and the truffle taste is delicate but distinctive.  Perfect!!!  ...I might start serving this as a dinner appetizer.  

Enjoy!  

EGGS with BLACK TRUFFLES "BROUILLADE"

(serves 2)

6 large Eggs

1 ounce Truffle

2 tablespoons of Heavy Cream

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or Truffle Butter for a stronger taste!)

Salt & pepper to taste

This recipe is all about the few ingredients, so use good quality eggs.  I always buy free-roaming eggs.  

Clean the truffle by running it over a gentle stream of cold water to remove any dirt, pat dry.  Store the eggs in an airtight container with the cleaned truffle in the middle overnight or for up to 2 days.

When you are ready to prepare the eggs.  Crack the eggs open and whisk with salt.  Shave the truffle thinly, set aside a few whole shavings for garnish, and finely chop the others and add to the egg mixture.  Store the eggs and truffles in an airtight container in the fridge for 2 hours.

Bring the water in the 'bain marie' bottom pot to a boil. (Note: I do not have a 'bain marie' pot so instead I use a stainless steel mixing bowl that fits perfectly atop one of my sauce pots.  In a pinch, use a non-stick skillet over the lowest heat).  

In the top portion of the double boiler pour the egg mixture and the cream.  Whisk the eggs continuously as they start to cook and thicken.  Do not allow the eggs to scramble.  You want a creamy consistency instead of large lumps.   As the mixture starts to thicken, add the butter and more salt to taste.  Continue to whisk until cooked but remain creamy.  The total cooking time will be no longer than 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately.  Garnish with truffle shavings and accompany with fresh baguette or country bread slices.

Saturday Brunch :: Eggs en Cocotte & Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Hope you are enjoying the weekend!  I am getting ready for a busy day!  We are having friends over for both brunch and for dinner. Yes, twice in one day!  I can't wait... it's freezing here in NYC (40's in October!) so I can't imagine anything better than staying in and cooking.  :-)

So first: breakfast!

Our friend E. has her wonderful friend Simon visiting from London.  They stopped by for brunch on their way to the MOMA this morning.  With 3 dozen farm fresh eggs from our CSA last week, I decided to make Eggs 'en cocotte'.  This is a classic french dish where eggs are baked individually in ramekins in a 'bain marie'  in the oven until the white is no longer runny.  You can top them with cheese or veggies (whatever you think of!) and serve with toast for dipping.  I paired it with sweet and savoury rosemary roasted sweet potatoes.   What a yummy way to start the weekend... with friends and plenty of food!

Ok, so on the BRUNCH MENU:

- English Breakfast Tea (of course!)

- Scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam (I ♥ freezing scones... fresh scones whenever you crave them!)

- Roasted Rosemary Sweet Potatoes

- Eggs 'en cocotte' with whole wheat bread toast

- Plenty of crispy Bacon

Oh ps:  I was, of course, very embarrassed to serve Simon my scones , but A. finally convinced me.  So into the oven they went:  Raisin and Lemon Zest scones with clotted cream.  Well, he seemed to really, genuinely enjoy them ... or at least was not completely offended with my attempt at this British classic, phew!  :-)  

EGGS EN COCOTTE (1 per person)

2 Eggs 

1 tablespoon buttermilk (or whole milk)

Sprinkling of cheese

Salt & Pepper

Fresh Chives, chopped

6-8 oz ramekins

Preheat the oven to 350F.  Butter the ramekins.  Sprinkle cheese into the ramekins (about a tablespoon).  Crack the eggs into the ramekin, being careful to keep the yolks whole.  Pour the milk on top of the eggs.  Do not mix.  Sprinkle with more cheese if desired, salt and pepper, and chives.

Place the ramekins in an oven dish.  Fill the dish with water, enough that it covers at least half the ramekin height.  Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the eggs are cooked.  Serve with toast cut in strips for easy dipping!  

ROSEMARY ROASTED SWEET POTATOES

3 Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2" squares

2 springs of rosemary

Olive Oil

Kosher Salt

Pepper

Preheat oven to 400F.  Line a large baking dish with parchment paper (for easy clean up!).  Add the sweet potato pieces.  Sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper and add the rosemary springs.  With your hands mix the potatoes to make sure they are all coated.  Don't worry if the rosemary starts to break.

Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Enjoy!

Cleaning the Fridge :: Zucchini & Ham Fritatta

A.'s office is having a 'Healthy & Quick Weeknight Dinner' contest this week!  The winner's recipe gets served at the office cafeteria.  It may not sound like a big prize, but apparently sitting next to 'Freddy's Famous Jerk Chicken" is a big honor.  Oh, I can attest to the fame of Freddy's (the cafeteria chef) chicken ... A. counts the day's to Wednesday's chicken special!   So there's a lot of pressure!  :-) 

After much thought, I decided:  how about a quiche?  I love eggs and veggies for dinner, but the quiche crust is a bit to heavy for everyday eating.   So then I thought: crustless quiche!  By removing the crust, you are losing the fat and carbs and keeping the healthy eggs and veggies.  It's a delicious meal when served with a fresh tomato salad paired with a bit of fresh cheese.  You can use the whole egg, or use half yolks, half whites; and you can replace the vegetables with whatever you have handy... a perfect plate to clean out the fridge with.  Oh, and it stores well overnight.  What else could you ask for? :-)

I'll keep you posted on whether we win, enjoy!

FRESH ZUCCHINI & HAM FRITATTA

6 Eggs (or use 8 eggs - 4 whites, 4 whole eggs)

1 large zucchini

4 slices, turkey or ham - chopped

1/2 white onion, sliced

2 tablespoons skim milk

olive oil

salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a non-stick skillet with a bit of olive oil, quickly saute the sliced zucchini, onions, and ham/turkey.  Continue to saute while stirring for a couple of minutes.  Remove from heat.

In a bowl mix the eggs and milk.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the eggs into a  quiche pan (or 9" pie pan).  Add the vegetables and ham/meats.  Arrange the zucchini to make sure they are spread evenly through the pan.

Place in the oven (middle rack) for about 20 minutes, or until thoroughly cooked.  You will see the edges puff up and lightly brown.

Allow the eggs to cool for 5 minutes before you slice.

Serve with a side salad of chopped tomatoes with Olive oil, salt & pepper, chopped basil and a dollop of mascarpone (or goat cheese... even fresh yogurt of that's what you have handy) and enjoy!

Breakfast in Bed :: Egg, Tomato & Goat Cheese Tartines

 

It's a dreary, rainy Sunday morning here in NY so I decided to surprise A. with breakfast in bed.  There's nothing better than staying in bed on a gloomy morning. 

We went to the farmer's market yesterday and bought a deliciously tart fresh goat cheese so I came up with this breakfast treat.  A lightly toasted whole wheat sourdough bread, generously slathered with fresh goat cheese, with quickly sauteed tomatoes, all topped with a fried egg and lemon basil leaves.

... my take on a breakfast egg and cheese sandwich. 

EGG, TOMATO, & GOAT CHEESE BREAKFAST TARTINES

2 Eggs

1 large tomato, or a few small heirloom tomatoes (I used 4)

Basil (I used lemon basil)

2 slices of lightly toasted bread

a generous amount of Goat Cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

In a non-stick pan over medium/high heat, quickly saute the tomato slices with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Simultaneously, fry two eggs in a little bit of butter to prevent sticking. Cook the eggs until the whites are fully cooked, but the yolks are still runny (I love the how the yolks will run over the entire bread when you bite into it, but you can cook the yolk through if this isn't something you want).

Spread fresh goat cheese (or ricotta if that's what you have) on your lightly toasted bread - be generous with the cheese!  Top the bread with the sauteed tomatoes, place the fried egg on top, then sprinkle the basil over the egg.  Enjoy!

5 Days of Lunch :: Spanish Tortilla

We have dozens of farm-fresh, organic eggs from our CSA share this week!  

I love eggs... scrambled, hard-boiled, fried, soft-boiled, or baked.   Baked eggs (in a quiche or frittata) store nicely in the fridge and can be easily reheated the next day.  A veggie frittata or quiche stays fresh about 3 days.  So what better recipe to make for dinner, and have lunch the next day than the Spanish Tortilla. 

DAY 2: SPANISH TORTILLA

I'd never made a Spanish tortilla before... but figured it couldn't be all that different from a frittata (which I make all the time as a way to use up leftover veggies, meats or cheeses on a Sunday morning).  

8 eggs beaten (I like to limit the amount of yolks usually using a 1:2 ratio - but here I feel the yolks are necessary, so I used 6 of the yolks)

2 tbsp milk

2 red potatoes thinly sliced (finally! a chance to use my new mandolin)

1 large white onion

plenty of olive oil

I used these instructions from the NY Times and topped with sliced tomatoes, a little ricotta, and basil.  

We ate half the tortilla, and saved the rest for the next day. I paired mine with an heirloom tomato salad and took to work.  A. ate his slice for breakfast :-) ...it's actually got me thinking about making muffin-cup size frittatas and storing as a quick 'on the go' breakfast.