Spanish Tortilla (or at least as Spanish as I get)

Some days, I leave space in my menu for an "Iron Chef" day.  I purposefully plan no meal and decide I am going to figure out something to cook just using the ingredients from my pantry/fridge.  

For this addition, I had a ton of potatoes and was hoping to avoid using meat (we have a meat heavy menu the rest of the week).  Spanish tortilla came to mind and I started googling recipes.  I decided quickly that I didn't want to make an authentic tortilla because of the amount of olive oil and flipping the entire tortilla and getting it back into the pan.  Amanda Hesser and food52 came through for me.

We topped it with salsa and we mostly liked it.  Curtis and I thought it should have Manchego with it, but that would have defeated the Iron Chef aspect (and involved a trip to the grocery store).  I had this the next morning for breakfast as well.  

Serves 4 - 6

Spanish Tortilla

adapted from Amanda Hesser at food52

2 lbs potatoes

salt

1 medium onion, chopped

3 T olive oil

8 eggs

1 t smoked paprika

1/3 c Parmesan, grated (or Manchego would be wonderful)

1 1/2 T butter

Boil the potatoes in a pot of salted water until they are just tender, about 20 - 25 minutes.  When they are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into thin, 1/8" slices.

While potatoes are boiling, heat 1 1/2 T of olive oil in a skillet (I used my all clad skillet).  Saute the the onions with a little salt until they are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.  Place in a large bowl and let cool.  Preheat the oven to 400.

In a bowl, beat the eggs until they are frothy and well blended.  Set aside.

Put a layer of potato slices over the onions in the large bowl.  Make sure each slice is separate.  Pour a little egg over top and stir gently to make sure each potato slice is coated.  Repeat the process until all the potato slices have been added and each slice is coated with egg.  Gently fold in 1 t salt and smoked paprika.

In the same skillet you sauted the onions in, melt the butter and add remaining olive oil over medium heat. When butter is melted, gently pour in the egg and potato mixture.  Even out the top with a spatula and sprinkle with cheese.  Cook over medium high heat until eggs are set at the edges.  Transfer the pan to the oven and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until the center is set.

Remove from the oven, let cool for a bit, and invert on a plate if desired.  We took the easy way and serve it straight out of the pan (watch for the handle! It's hot).  Top with salsa with good green olives on the side, if desired.

Tale of Two Shakshuka's

Sometimes owning two cookbooks by the same author is a problem.  For example, last night, after a week of eating lots of meat and "fancy" (although not really fancy, just different than what we eat) food, I wanted comfort food.  I remembered the velvety warmth of Ottolenghi's Shakshuka---roasted red peppers with an ample dose of seasoning which cradled soft cooked eggs.  Although the red peppers aren't in season, this dish screams winter comfort food.

I am usually a mostly organized person.  I can find what I need and I have things arranged that make sense for me.  Usually.  When I make new recipes, I make annotations in my cookbooks, so I can remember how I made it or what I would do differently next time.  Usually.  Once I decided to make shakshuka last night for supper, I looked first in Jerusalem and then in Plenty.  In Jerusalem, I saw no notes, in Plenty, there were notes.  I proceeded to make the recipe from Plenty, thinking as I went, that this recipe seemed different.

When I was just a couple of minutes out from finishing the dish, I read the note I had written in Plenty.  The note said, "Curtis and I love the version in Jerusalem."  What???  Turns out, I never had made this version before.  Why in the world would I write a note on the recipe I didn't want to make?

Thankfully, this story has a happy ending, Curtis and I loved the Plenty version of shakshuka too.  I fed the kids plain fried eggs, along with roasted root vegetables and orange slices.  It was a wonderful winter, light meal and I am looking forward to recreating it this morning for breakfast.

Here are the two versions.  They're both good.  Choose the recipe you want to make based on the ingredients you have or the time you have (the version from Jerusalem is just a hair faster).  Each recipe will serve 4.  To adjust the serving size, just change the number of eggs you use--for just the two of us, I make a full recipe, but only use two eggs.

The First Shakshuka

adapted from Jerusalem

2 T olive oil

+/- 2 T harissa (I use store bought--this is the spiciness in the dish)

2 t tomato paste

2 lg red bell peppers, diced (about 1/4" pieces)

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 t cumin

2 (14-oz) cans diced tomatoes or 5 c fresh tomatoes, chopped

4 eggs

crusty white bread (toasted if you feel like it)

Heat the olive oil in a large pan over medium heat.  Add the harissa, tomato paste, bell peppers, garlic, cumin, and 3/4 t salt.  Stir and cook over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes, until the peppers have softened.  Add the diced tomatoes, simmer, and cook for another 10 minutes, until the sauce is thick.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

Make 4 little holes in the bell pepper/tomato sauce.  Gently break each egg into a hole.  Simmer gently, covering with a lid, for 8 - 10 minutes until eggs are at your desired doneness (I like a runny yolk, Curtis doesn't.  I try to customize, but have yet to been successful.  If you are more adept with eggs than I am, this shouldn't be a problem).  Remove from heat and serve with bread--I like my eggs and peppers on top of bread, Curtis likes the bread on the side.

The Second Shakshuka

adapted from Plenty

1/2 t cumin seeds

2 T olive oil

1 large onions, sliced

2 red (or a combination of red and yellow) bell peppers, cut into 3/4" thickness

2 t sugar

1 bay leaf

3 thyme sprigs, leaves picked and chopped

2 T fresh parsley, chopped

2 T fresh cilantro, chopped (optional if you don't have it)

1 (15-oz can) diced tomatoes (or 3 ripe tomatoes, chopped)

a pinch of saffron threads

a dash or two of cayenne, depending on your heat tolerance

4 eggs

crusty white bread

In a large skillet, dry roast the cumin seeds on med-high heat for a couple of minutes.  Add the oil and onions and sauté for 5 minutes.  Add the peppers, sugar, bay leaf, thyme, parsley and cilantro and cook for another 5 - 10 minutes on med-high heat until the peppers are soft and the onions have a nice brown color.

Add the tomatoes, saffron, cayenne, and salt and pepper.  Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes.  Add a bit of additional water at a time to achieve and maintain a pasta sauce consistency.  Taste and adjust seasonings (salt and cayenne primarily).

Make 4 little holes in the bell pepper/tomato sauce.  Gently break each egg into a hole.  Simmer gently, covering with a lid, for 8 - 10 minutes until eggs are at your desired doneness (I like a runny yolk, Curtis doesn't.  I try to customize, but have yet to been successful.  If you are more adept with eggs than I am, this shouldn't be a problem).  Remove from heat and serve with bread--I like my eggs and peppers on top of bread, Curtis likes the bread on the side.

Ginger Scallion Fried Rice

I am branching out from my weekend of exceptional eating to pull in a recipe from earlier in the week.  This one will also be repeating itself frequently in menu rotation.

I remember eating a dish growing up called Vietnamese Fried Rice.  It was made using leftover rice, peas, and pretty much whatever else my mom could find in the fridge.  I had mixed feelings about it.  I think I once loved it, but as I got older, I appreciated it less.  I have never made that recipe myself, despite knowing exactly what cookbook it is in and what side of the page it is on.

Then I stumbled across this recipe.  The pictures promised me amazing things.  If I ate this recipe, it would invoke the setting and feelings represented in this magnificent picture.  Well, unfortunately I was not transported to snowy Yellowstone National Park Lodge in the middle of winter.  However, I did find a new recipe that I love.  It was a hit with everyone in the family and slight step up from the fried rice of my youth.

This is a good recipe to have everything mise en place (also known as prepped and ready to go before you start cooking).

Serves 4 - 5

Ginger Scallion Fried Rice
adapted from The Year in Food

4 T sesame oil
6 scallions, sliced, white and dark green parts kept separate
1 medium carrot, julienned or cut into matchsticks
1/2 c shelled, frozen edamame
3 T minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 oz mushrooms, shiitakes are preferable, but white button mushrooms will do
2 medium eggs, beaten
3 c cold, cooked brown rice (white will do if you have no brown)
5 T tamari or soy sauce
1 c cooked, shredded chicken or tofu

Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the 1 T of sesame oil.  Toss the white parts of the scallions and stir for about a minute.  Add the carrots, edamame, ginger and garlic and stir to combine.  Saute, stirring occasionally, for five minutes.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In the same pan, add another T of oil.  Add the mushrooms and saute until soft, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Remove and add to carrot/edamame mixture.  Increase the heat slightly, add another T of sesame oil and add the beaten eggs.  Cook as if you were making scrambled eggs.  When just cooked/scrambled, remove and add to carrot/edamame/mushroom mixture.  Add remaining 2 T of sesame oil and the cooked rice.  Spread rice evenly throughout pan and cook, stirring a little.  Sprinkle some black pepper over top.  After about five minutes (if rice seems to be sticking a lot to the pan, you can add some canola oil to the pan), add the tamari or soy sauce.  Stir to combine.  Add the bowl of cooked veggies and eggs and cooked chicken/tofu.  Saute, stirring frequently, until hot, about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat, sprinkle with dark green parts of scallions and serve.

Caramelized Onion Spinach Salad

It was a good eating weekend.  Some weekends are like that, some are more of a flop.  This was a good weekend.  I tried four new recipes over the course of the weekend:  a dessert, a decadent breakfast, a salad, and a vegetarian main dish, plus homemade Hawaiian pizza and homemade beef pho.  Yep, we ate well.  It was one of those weekends that made me wonder why we ever eat out.  I guess because there aren't as many dishes to wash.  However, it's not because the food is better in a restaurant.

My first dish I am going to share from our weekend of blissful eating was the last one I made.  It is also one that fits perfectly with the produce to be found in Central Texas this time of year---spinach.  We didn't offer this dish to the kids, Curtis and I were content to eat it all by ourselves.  It was a side salad for our pizza, but we both agreed it could easily be the main course.  It was also one of Curtis's favorite Spinach salads.  Ever.  That says a lot because that man loves salads.

A few notes on the recipe:  When you caramelize the onions, if possible, don't use a cast iron pan.  I tried out my new stainless saute pan I got for Christmas from my parents (By the way, I love it, Mom and Dad!).  It's easier to caramelize them and a bit faster.  The poached egg is optional.  I am still working on mastering the poached eggs, I overcooked mine for my tastes (but Curtis thought his was perfect).  I also had to throw one out in the process too because the yolk.  Here's a hint:  You can't poach an egg if you accidentally break the yolk trying to get a small piece of shell out of the whites.

Enough said.  My notes are going to be way longer than the recipe itself!

Caramelized Onion Spinach Salad
adapted from coffeefoodwritergirl on food52.com

4 - 8 oz spinach, torn into manageable sized salad pieces
1 large yellow, thinly sliced
2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 t sea salt
1/2 t ground pepper
one egg per person eating

Wash and dry spinach.  Place in a salad bowl.  Over medium heat in a stainless pan (not nonstick, not cast iron if possible), heat the olive oil.  Add the onions and a 1/4 t salt and saute until they are beginning to caramelize (some will be light brown in color.  They will be very soft and pliable).  Add the balsamic vinegar and continue until caramelized completely.  At this point the onions will be very dark brown, rather shrunken, and very soft.

While the onions are caramelizing, poach your eggs.  I could give you a long detailed explanation on my attempts.  Since I still have varying degrees of success, I thought instead I would provide you to a link with step by step instructions and beautiful pictures.  Here's how to poach eggs, thanks to Deb of Smitten Kitchen.  To serve your salad.  Pour the hot onions and olive oil that remains in the pan over the spinach.  Season with the remaining 1/4 t salt and 1/4 pepper.  Toss completely.  When the salad is tossed, gently lay the poached eggs over the salad.  Eat immediately.

Asparagus with Poached Eggs

Supper tonight was enough to motivate me to post again. It tasted like spring in our house this evening---asparagus with poached eggs, chard and dried fruit linguini, and oatmeal raisins cookies. It really doesn't get much better than this.

This dish was the show stopper. Yes, it was just a side, but that didn't matter. I found this recipe in Food and Wine Magazine on Wednesday and envisioned it again on Saturday as I walked through the Farmers Market on Saturday. I went straight to the guy with the asparagus and knew that this week, asparagus was getting a makeover.

I used about 4 oz of asparagus. I had bought 8 oz, but my kids love asparagus. Seriously, J and M fight over it. It worked out perfectly because it meant Curtis and I both had our own asparagus, which the kids wouldn't touch and they had theirs.

Asparagus. Sigh. It will be a glorious spring with asparagus to eat every week.

To make this use 2 oz(4 oz if main dish) of asparagus per person/serving and 1 egg. Multiply as needed. This can also be a brunch/breakfast dish. Serve with toast in that case.

The recipe in these proportions will serve 2.

Asparagus with Poached Eggs

from a Gwyneth Paltrow recipe in Food and Wine

4 oz thick asparagus trimmed

1/2 T butter

salt and pepper

2 T freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 T white wine vinegar

2 eggs

Preheat the broiler. (My broiler has a hi and lo setting--it confuses me. For the record, I preheated my broiler to hi and set the rack in the top 1/3 of the oven--about 6 inches from the heat source.) Blanch the asparagus in a large pot---a large deep skillet will also work--of boiling, salted water until crisp-tender. Watch carefully, especially if using Farmers Market/homegrown asparagus, which will cook more quickly than grocery store asparagus. Meanwhile, cut the butter into pieces and put in a long, shallow, broiler-safe dish. Transfer hot asparagus with a slotted spoon to dish with butter. Roll the asparagus in the butter until butter has melted and coats the asparagus. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with cheese. Broil until golden.

Meanwhile, add the vinegar to the asparagus blanching liquid and return to a simmer. Crack the eggs into a small cup and then gently pour into simmering water, one at a time. If the whites kinda run away, use a spoon to gently bring them back to the yolk. Poach until the whites are set, but the yolks are runny, about 3 minutes or so. Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove each egg from the water. Set on the asparagus. (If your egg looks less than beautiful, try gently flipping it over. The bottom often looks better.) Sprinkle eggs with a little salt and pepper and serve.

Polenta with Fried Eggs and Garlicky Swiss Chard

Having been a CSA member for almost 4 years now has definitely expanded my eating, and not only with vegetables. In the past, I wouldn't touch grits--a good Southern food my family didn't eat much of, being more of German/Pennsylvania Dutch persuasion than Southern. I tried them, I just wasn't sold. Then I started with the CSA and found recipes for my veggies over polenta, tried them, and liked them. Maybe it was the fancy Italian name of Polenta, maybe it was just that I was more adventurous eater than during my Virginia days. Whatever, the reason, I am a polenta convert.

Although Curtis and I liked this recipe, it was a fail in the eyes of my kids (who ended up eating a fried egg and leftovers from other meals). M especially isn't a polenta fan. I'll probably make it again, because thinking of this recipe makes me happy and hungry.

This serves 4. This is supposedly a breakfast for supper recipe. I am sure it would be delightful any time of the day, but it's perfect for a Sunday evening supper on a cold day.

Polenta with Fried Eggs and Garlicky Swiss Chard
adapted from In the Kitchen with a Good Appetite by Melissa Clark

4 1/2 c water or chicken or vegetable broth
1 1/2 c polenta (or grits), the slow-cooking, not quick cooking kind
3/4 t salt
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated
2 bunches chard, stems removed, sliced into 1/4" strips
2 - 3 T extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
red pepper flakes, to taste
4 eggs

The easiest way to cut chard or other leafy greens (including herbs) is to make a stack of all the leaves.


Then, slice it into thin ribbons.


Bring the water or broth to a simmer in a large pot. Stir in the polenta and 3/4 t salt. Simmer the polenta, stirring frequently until it is thick (your discretion on how thick you would like it), somewhere between 5 - 20 minutes, depending on your polenta. Once the polenta is thickened to your taste, stir in butter, cheese, and a dash of black pepper, remove from heat, and cover to keep warm.

While the polenta is bubbly and thickening, heat 1 T oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and saute until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the chard and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt. Set aside until ready to eat.

Meanwhile (since we have three hands, right?), heat 1 T of olive oil in a large skillet or comal over medium heat. Fry the eggs until the edges are crispy and the yolks are still runny (you can break the yokes if you prefer them that way, like my family does).

To serve. Scoop some polenta onto plates. Top with chard, and then the fried egg.

Spinach and Cheddar Strata

I must admit, this recipe is very similar to another recipe I have for a baked chard dish. However, I liked this because it popped up in my inbox and dealt perfectly with the 5 oz of fresh spinach that was long overdue being eaten. It also made good use of a chunk of several day old white artisan bread that traveled from Houston to here upon my husband's return from a business training.

All but M enjoyed this. I think part of my favorite part of this dish was being able to make it in my small, red gratin dish that normally stays tucked away under my other casserole dishes. The fact that I used a shallow dish also meant that it baked faster.

As a side dish, this will serve 3 - 4. For a main dish, double the recipe to serve 4. If you use a deeper pan, you will need to increase the baking time.

Spinach and Chard Strata
from Martha Stewart Everyday Food

1 t olive oil
5 oz spinach
1 1/2 c day old bread, cut into 1" cubes
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 c whole milk
3/4 c grated cheddar

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted. Use a spoon or rubber spatula to press as much liquid out as possible (either in a colander or in the pan--I found tilting the pan worked just fine). Place the bread in a small (1 qt) gratin dish or a small casserole dish. Spread the spinach evenly over top. Set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, and 1/2 c cheddar cheese. Pour evenly over top the bread and spinach. Sprinkle remaining cheddar over top. Bake in a preheated 400 degrees oven for 20 - 25 minutes, or until set and golden brown on top.

Savory Leek and Gruyere Souffle

Sigh. When I think of this dinner, I sigh a little. The souffle was fabulous. It rose perfectly, it didn't fall and it tasted divine. However, while the recipe said it would take 25 minutes to cook, my souffle took closer to an hour (thanks to a deep souffle dish). It worked out just fine--I knew the kids wouldn't eat it anyway so they enjoyed a dinner of cooked beets, sweet potato biscuits, and cucumber and tomato slices. I held out for the souffle and it was worth the wait!

May I just mention again my achilles' heel of cooking---biscuits. I managed to make a perfect souffle without deflating egg whites or having the souffle fall. The simple biscuits however just barely rose. The taste was wonderful, they were flaky enough, and the texture was great. They just didn't rise. I just don't understand it. Someday maybe I will figure out the secret. Until then, I guess I'll just be content with flat biscuits and perfect souffles. This recipe serves 4 - 6 as a main and 6 - 8 as a side.

Savory Leek and Gruyere Souffle
tweaked slightly from Williams-Sonoma Cooking from the Farmer's Market

2 T olive oil
4 leeks (about 1 1/2 lbs), dark green parts trimmed, washed well, and chopped
1 t fresh thyme, chopped
salt and freshly ground pepper
5 T cold butter
5 T flour
2 1/2 c half-and-half, warmed
6 large eggs, separated
2 c (approx 8 oz) Gruyere cheese, grated

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the leeks and thyme until leeks are tender, about 12 minutes. Season with salt. Set aside to cool. While leeks cool, melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 1 minute, until combined. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half. Cook, whisking, until sauce is smooth and thick. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir in 1 1/2 c Gruyere and cooled leeks. Season with salt and pepper (even though the Gruyere tastes salty, it needs more salt).

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Gently fold in 1/4 of whites into leek mixture with a rubber spatula. Quickly, but gently, fold in the remaining egg whites until no white streaks remain. Prepare a large (14-inch) gratin dish or large souffle dish. Butter gratin dish or souffle dish well and sprinkle with 1/2 c of the cheese. Pour leek and egg mixture into prepared dish. Bake in a preheated 400 degrees oven until top is golden brown and a knife inserted in the center is not wet (a little moist is ok). Depending on depth of dish, it will take 25 - 60 minutes. Serve immediately.

Broccoli Garlic Quiche

Ok, this tasted great, but I totally butchered the pie crust, thus no picture. I think for the first time ever, I had a pie crust that ended up oblong in the pan. Very sad indeed. It was one of those things that as I was making the crust, I just knew it wasn't going to turn out like I wanted it to. Sure enough---pathetic pie crust.

It tasted great though! We enjoyed this and it made a great breakfast leftover the next day too. This will serve 4 - 6 adults as a main course. Be sure to allow yourself 20 minutes of cooling time before serving this.


Broccoli Garlic Quiche
from Gourmet

1 9-inch pie crust (large enough to fit in a deep dish pie plate or fluted tart pan)

2 large garlic cloves
6 lg eggs
1 1/2 c half and half
1/4 t grated nutmeg
1/4 t cayenne or milder chili powder
2 c Swiss or cheddar cheese, grated
1/4 c Parmesan, grated

Roll pie dough into a 13" round. Fit into pie plate or tart pan, letting excess hang over edge. Fold overhang inward and press against side of pie plate to reinforce edge. Prick bottom all over with fork. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Line pie shell with foil and fill with pie weights of dried beans. Bake in preheated 425 oven for 10 minutes, or until pastry is set and edge is pale golden. Remove foil and weights. Bake an additional 8 - 10 minutes, or until shell is a deep golden all over. Remove from oven. (Reduce oven temp to 375 degrees).

While pie crust pre-bakes, cook broccoli in a pot of boiling salted water 4 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Pat dry. Mince and mash garlic to a paste with a generous pinch of salt. Whisk together garlic paste, eggs, half-and-half, nutmeg, cayenne, and 1/4 t slat in a large bowl until smooth. Pour filling into pie shell. Add broccoli, then sprinkle with cheese. Bake in preheated 375 degrees oven until custard is set, 45 - 50 minutes. The center should tremble slightly. The filling will continue to set as it cools). Cool at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Awesome Homemade Ramen

The bok choy has been collecting in my refrigerator. Despite having lots of bok choy recipes, I have felt at loss lately about what to do with it. I am all out of beef (what a bummer!! Come on steer--fatten up already!), and was needing a break from stir-fry. I haven't been terribly into bok choy salad this year, but am finally starting to get a hankering for it. I needed a new bok choy and I needed it fast!

Then, a couple of weeks ago, I saw a recipe on thekitchn.com for an easy bok choy/poached egg noodles soup. I stored the info somewhere in my brain where it didn't get lost (for a change) and remembered it last night when I was contemplating serving my kids hotdogs and white rice for supper (which I must confess, I did. They also ate lots of peas). My husband obviously wasn't home for supper. I couldn't bring myself to eat hotdogs and white rice. Although the kids thought it was fabulous for a change, I wasn't impressed. Then, I remembered this recipe.

I love this recipe. It is so good and so easy! I used dried udon noodles, but you can use prepared udon noodles as well. I also found some chicken stock from an asian/orange-spiced roasted turkey I made after Thanksgiving (ok, way after Thanksgiving, like in January. It was a rough November) and used that. I didn't use much other seasonings, but if I use less flavorful stock next time, I probably will season it. I very gently eased my egg into the soup and it poached perfectly--I was so pleased with myself, my first poached egg. The amounts are kinda loosey goosey because this is one of those recipes that is a base--adapt to your likes. I used about 1 c of bok choy and thought it needed more.

I begrudingly shared a bite with M, after she had filled up on her rice/pea/ketchup concoction she created on her plate. She also enjoyed it. It's funny, I've made a bunch of "fancy" recipes lately, but this simple comfort soup, that reminded me of eating ramen noodles in college, has been my favorite new recipe of the last two weeks. This will serve two ravenous adults as a meal.

Awesome Homemade Ramen
adapted from thekitchn.com

4 -5 c chicken broth
2 whole star anise (opt)
1 stick cinnamon
1/2 pkg dried udon noodles (about 5 oz) or 2 7-oz pkgs pre-cooked udon noodles
1 -2 c bok choy leaves, sliced into ribbons
2 green onions, thinly sliced
soy sauce, to taste
1 t garlic powder (opt)
sesame oil, to taste

Bring the broth to a simmer in a medium sauce pan. Add the star anise and cinnamon, if using, and simmer for 5 - 10 minutes. If using dried udon noodles, add them to the broth and cook until they are pliable (very bendy, but not fully cooked). Crack the eggs into separate measure cups and slip them one at a time into the broth. Cook for two minutes. Add the bok choy and stir very gently so as not to disturb the eggs. Cook for an additional two minutes, until the egg whites are completely set, but the middles are still loose (cook an extra minute if you want your yolk set). Remove from heat and add garlic powder (if using) and green onions. Add soy sauce and sesame oil to taste. Eat immediately.

Split Level Puddings

As those of you who have been following the blog for a while know, I love homemade chocolate pudding. The only thing I don't love is all the standing at the stove stirring. This past week I decided to try a vanilla pudding recipe (don't be too shocked, the vanilla pudding sits on top of chocolate ganache) that you don't stand over the stove and stir (nor do you use a microwave or a box). I now love vanilla pudding as well and see no reason not to make pudding a lot more often.

Needless to say, these were a hit with my family. Curtis liked to heat his up for 15 - 20 seconds in the microwave before eating it. I liked to allow mine to warm just to room temperature. However you like them, they are good! The chocolate ganache (which is chocolate melted in hot cream) is wonderful on the bottom--a little surprise (unless you use glass ramekins like I did and can see it lurking on the bottom). I used semisweet chocolate instead of bittersweet. I also have both pulsed the vanilla and butter in the food processor and stirred it in on the stove (and not putting back into the food processor). I almost liked just stirring it on the stove better, but you can experiment and see what way you like best (because you will want to experiment with this recipe just so you can make it more than once!). Like all pudding, you can also use skim, it just won't be quite as rich.

Split Level Pudding
slightly adapted from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

2 oz (1/3 c) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/2 c heavy cream

2 1/4 c whole milk
6 T sugar
3 T cornstarch
1/4 t salt
3 large egg yolks
2 T unsalted butter, cut into pieces,
1 T vanilla

Put the chocolate in a glass measuring cup. Heat the heavy cream to boiling and pour over the chocolate. Allow to stand for almost a minute and then gently stir to melt chocolate. Divide chocolate into 6 ramekins or pudding cups (each cup should hold 1/2 - 3/4 c). Set aside

Bring 2 cups of milk and 3 T sugar to a boil in a heavy saucepan. Meanwhile, pulse the cornstarch and salt in the food processor. Remove from bowl (pouring onto a small piece of parchment paper works well). Put egg yolks and 3 T sugar in bowl and blend for 1 minute. Add the remaining cup of milk and pulse to mix. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the cornstarch and salt, and pulse a few times to blend. With the machine running, very slowly pour in the hot milk (doing it slowly will prevent the eggs from scrambling for the sudden heat). Pulse a few seconds and pour back into a saucepan. Bring the mixture to close to a boil (large quarter size bubbles should barely break the surface---kinda like the stinky swamp place in the Princess Bride), stirring constantly. Once it begins to boil and thicken, cook for one more minute, lowering heat if necessary to prevent a fast boil from occurring (and scorching the pudding). Remove from heat. Either 1) stir in butter and vanilla or 2) scrape pudding back into the food processor and pulse a couple of times. Add the butter and vanilla and pulse until everything is blended.

Pour the pudding into the cups. Allow to cool (however cool you like your pudding. I personally love warm pudding). If saving for later, press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. To serve cold, refrigerate at least 4 hours.

Gratin de Pommes de Terre et Saucisson

I don't even pretend to pronounce the name of this dish. I just whip out my fake Texas accent and say we're have Potato, Onion, and Sausage Gratin for supper. As you probably can figure out, this was another recipe from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. I think I am finding all the easy recipes. :)

We all enjoyed it. Despite Julia instructing us not to, I think next time I make this I will try substituting milk for cream to cut down a little bit on the calories/fat. The filling was very, very light and the consistency was wonderful, which I suspect will change with milk. I probably didn't use the sausage she had in mind either (she suggested Kielbasa/Polish sausage). I had philly cheesesteak sausage on hand, so that's what I used (and man was it yummy!).

Gratin de Pommes de Terre et Saucisson
from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

2/3 c onions, minced
2 T butter
1/2 lb raw potatoes, thinly sliced
1 sausage (about 4- 6 oz)
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c whipping cream
1/2 t salt
1/4 c Swiss cheese, grated

Cook the onions slowly in butter for 5 minutes or until tender, but not browned. Meanwhile, cook the sausage (grill or in pan) and slice once cooked. Drop potatoes in boiling water and cook for 6 minutes or until just tender. Drain. Butter the bottom of a 9" pie plate. Spread half of the potatoes on the bottom, then half of the cooked onions. Over them spread the sausage, then the rest of the onions, and finally the remaining potatoes. Beat the eggs, cream, and salt together. Pour over teh potatoes and shake the dish to send liquid to the bottom. Spread on the cheese. Bake for 40 minutes in a preheated 375 degrees oven on a rack in the upper third of the oven, until top is nicely browned.

Spanish Frittata

This is a great way to use some bell peppers, potatoes, and eggs that accumulate. Curtis and I enjoyed it. The kids didn't eat it, mostly because they ate too much of the bread they were supposed to be feeding the ducks earlier in the afternoon. I've been enjoying the leftovers for breakfasts this week.

Spanish Frittata
from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics
2 -3 c sliced potatoes (1/4 inch thick)
3 T olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 T paprika
2 c onions, thinly sliced
2 c bell peppers, sliced
1/8 - 1/4 t cayenne (optional)
6 eggs
3 oz Neufchatel or cream cheese
1 T flour
1 1/4 c milk
1/2 t salt
1/2 c Spanish (green) olives, chopped
1 c grated Cheddar cheese

In a bowl, toss the potatoes with 2 T oil, 1/2 of garlic, all the paprika and a dash of slat. Spread evenly onto a baking sheet and roast in a preheated 400 for 20 minutes, or until tender and golden brown. In the same bowl, toss the onions and peppers with the cayenne and remaining oil and garlic. Spread evenly on a second baking sheet and roast about 15 minutes, until tender and brown.

Meanwhile, combine eggs, cream cheese, flour, milk and salt in a blender or food processor and puree to a smooth custard. After the vegetables are roasted, reduce the oven to 350. Layer the roasted potatoes in a greased 7 x 11" or 9" square baking pan. Spread the onions on top, sprinkle with olives and grated, and pour the custard all over. Bake for 45 minutes, until custard is set and top is golden brown. Serve hot or at room temperature

Zucchini Quiche

I think I have found another zucchini recipe that is worth repeating. I loved this quiche. It has bacon in it, and really, where can you go wrong with bacon? Bacon makes almost all vegetables more palatable and it doesn't take much to season a whole dish (only two strips of hearty farmer's market bacon in this dish--for six servings, that's 1/3 a strip a bacon each, not bad...). Curtis and I liked this. M ate the crust, not surprised because she hasn't been a big quiche fan lately. J ate some of his, before deciding he just wanted crusts too. We served it with some small tomatoes cut into wedges that we had gotten in our box. I will definitely make this again!

A note on the filling--it acted differently than what I expected. Trust the baking times and if a toothpick comes out basically clean, call it done. It didn't get as firm as some of the other quiches I've made, but I really enjoyed the consistency.

Zucchini Quiche
adapted from Gourmet

1 (9-inch) pre-made pie crust
1/4 lb sliced bacon (use a lot less if you are using good Farmer's Market bacon)
2 medium zucchini (3/4 lb total), halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/8" thick slices
3/4 c heavy cream
3/4 c milk
1/4 t black pepper
3 large eggs
1 c grated Swiss cheese (or Gruyere)

Prick pie crust all over and bake in preheated 450 degrees oven for 10 minutes. Let cool on a rack. Reduce oven temperature to 350.

While crust bakes, cook bacon in heavy 12" skillet (I used my cast iron black skillet) over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Remove all but 1 T bacon fat from skillet. Add zucchini and saute in 1 T bacon fat over medium high heat, stirring frequently until zucchini is tender and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Heat cream, milk, and pepper in a small saucepan until mixture just begins to simmer, then remove from heat. Whisk together eggs in a large heatproof bowl, then gradually whisk in hot cream mixture until combined. Stir in bacon, zucchini, and cheese and pour into pie crust. Bake in preheated 350 degrees oven until filling is just set,, 25 - 30 minutes. Let cool (in the pan) on a rack about 20 minutes. Serve.

Arugula Bread Pudding

I was excited about my little bag of arugula, but was tired of all my usual arugula recipes. I went to Epicurious in search of a new arugula recipe and decided tonight would be a good night to have breakfast for supper. To see the recipe, click here. Instead of typing out the whole recipe, just few notes on it. The recipe called for shallots. I very, very rarely use shallots, so I used an onion instead and just browned it for longer than the recipe suggested. I put in about a 1/2 c of onion. Next time, I think I will use more like 1 c--I really liked the flavor it gave. I also didn't have 7 oz of arugula (they said that would be 6 1/2 c). I suspect I had more like 3 c worth. More arugula would be better to give it the nice peppery arugula flavor. I also substituted good ole Swiss cheese for Gruyere.

Everyone enjoyed it. M dove right into it, even eating the arugula. Best of all, I can eat leftovers for breakfast tomorrow!

A Somewhat Cobb Salad

I got a pound of free marinated herb-dijon chicken breasts last week at the grocery store and decided it would make a good addition to a salad meal. I thought off a Cobb salad and found a recipe on Epicurious that I promptly revised and turned into a Somewhat Cobb Salad.

I baked the chicken breast (one full) in the oven and cut it in half. Half went into the salad, the other half was reserved for M and J who I knew probably wouldn't eat the lettuce. Sure enough, M and J avoided the leafy greens (which didn't worry me too much, particularly for M because I knew she ate only fruits and vegetables for lunch today and scoffed at the carbs and protein). Curtis and I thought the salad was great with the adaptations (mostly omissions) that I made. I will include the recipe for the whole salad, but feel free to leave things out if you don't have them or like them. The things I left out I am labeling as optional. The dressing recipe was great--a little oilier than I usually make dressings, but it had wonderful flavor. The dressing recipe makes twice as much as necessary for the salad (because I halved the salad recipe when making it). Store the leftover dressing in the fridge and use it whenever you need salad dressing.

Somewhat Layered Cobb Salad
for the dressing:
3 T red wine vinegar
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 t Dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, minced
1/2 t salt
1/2 t sugar
1/4 t black pepper
1/2 c extra virgin olive oil

for the salad:
1/2 lb boneless chicken breast, cooked (about 1 breast), and cut into 1/2" cubes
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/2" cubes (optional)
1 head lettuce, washed and torn into bite sized pieces (I used red leaf lettuce, probably 4 c or so)
3 bacon slices, cooked until crisp, drained, and crumbled
1 medium tomato, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (optional)
1/4 c feta cheese (recipe calls for Roquefort or other bleu cheese, I had none so I substituted feta)
1 bunch watercress, coarse stems discarded (optional)
1 hard boiled egg, diced
2 T fresh chives, finely chopped (optional)

Whisk together all the dressing ingredients except the oil in a bowl. Add the oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified (until the oil molecules have been broken and incorporated into the other liquid).

Spread lettuce in bottom of a large salad bowl (I actually used our pasta bowl tonight) and top with an even layer of chicken. Sprinkle bacon over chicken, then continue layering with tomatoes, cheese (to taste), avocados, watercress, eggs, and chives. Serve the dressing on the side and add as desired (the recipe says to add to salad and mix--we prefer to each add our own because Curtis and I like different amounts of dressing).

Ham and Asparagus Quiche

Generally speaking, it really hurts to cook asparagus in a recipe. Asparagus is such a treat and we get so little of it, I feel like it's waste to hide it's crisp-goodness with other lesser ingredients. This one of the few recipes I feel is asparagus worthy. When cooking the asparagus for the recipe, it only needs to be cooked for 2 - 3 minutes (if you are using local asparagus) to avoid getting the mushy asparagus that tends to give asparagus a bad name. I made my own pie crust, but a store bought pie crust would cut the time needed to make this in half (but wouldn't be nearly as good!).

The whole family enjoyed this. J ate a whole piece and M ate two, although she was hesitant when I was describing it to her before supper. She said she'll make it again sometime for her kids (her highest compliment). I served it with a side of beets, just for a little extra color to the meal. It was asparagus worthy.

Ham and Asparagus Quiche

1 9 -inch pie crust
3 eggs
1 c evaporated milk
1/4 t pepper
1 T fresh rosemary, chopped (1 t dried)
1 - 1 1/2 c asparagus, cooked and chopped
1 c Swiss cheese, grated
1/2 c cooked ham or bacon, diced
1/4 c green onions, chopped (optional)

Combine eggs, evaporated milk, pepper, and rosemary in a bowl. Set aside. Mix together asparagus, cheese, ham and onions. Spread evenly into prepared pie crust. Pour egg mixture over top. Bake at preheated 425 degrees oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and bake until browned on top and set in the middle, another 25 - 30 minutes. Allow to cool 10 - 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Basic Pie Crust (For a 9 inch crust)
1 c flour
1/3 c butter
2 T ice water
1/2 t salt (if using unsalted butter)

Cut the butter into small pieces and sprinkle onto flour. Working quickly so that butter will remain cold, use a pastry cutter, knives, or your fingers, to cut the butter into the flour until the butter pieces are pea sized. Sprinkle the ice water over the flour, a little at a time, as you turn the dough with a wooden spoon. As the water is incorporated, a ball of dough will form. Add a little more ice water if the dough fails to come together. Roll out the dough immediately on a lightly floured board or chill until firm before rolling.

Chard Cheese Bake

This became a combination of chard/spinach cheese bake. I am scraping the bottom of my CSA box and used the chard/spinach from the CSA plus half of the spinach I got at the Farmer's Market to make this. We all enjoyed it, Curtis and I with a little bit of Chipotle Tabasco sauce on top. It was an easy Sunday evening meal without a lot of clean up. I served this with some cooked beets.

Chard (Spinach) Cheese Bake
1 pound chard or spinach (or a combination)
4 eggs, beaten
1 c milk
1 c cheese, shredded
1 c bread, cubed
1/2 c green onions, sliced (optional)
1/4 c Parmesan cheese, grated

Cook and thoroughly drain chard/spinach. Combine with remaining ingredients. Pour into greased 1 1/2 - 2 quart baking dish. Cover and bake in preheated 375 degrees oven until set, 30 - 35 minutes (it may take as long as 1 hour depending on your oven and the type of dish you use).

Easy Sunday Supper

Sunday suppers are one of two things---super easy or enough to feed an army so we have leftovers for the week. Tonight we went with super easy because I didn't feel like cooking and because we had a big lunch. The supper? Sandwiches, salad, and strawberries. Curtis and I had egg salad, resting on a bed of baby arugula and nestled between two pieces of toasted challah bread. The kids had PB&J because I didn't really want to encourage them to eat something I didn't want to share with them (plus they love PB&J so they were happy). I also pulled out some carrots I had in the fridge and some strawberries I had sliced for waffles this morning. I didn't have a lot of the ingredients I needed for the egg salad and I halved the recipe because I didn't want to use all our eggs for supper, but it was still great. I left out the basil, celery, and red bell pepper.

Egg Salad
8 eggs
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c red bell pepper, minced
3 T fresh basil, minced
2 T pine nuts, roasted
1/4 c celery, diced
1/4 c mayonnaise
1 t red wine vinegar
1/2 t salt
black pepper, to taste

Place the eggs in a saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer about 10 minutes. While the eggs cook, combine the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Submerge the cooked eggs in cold water and crack the shells to facilitate peeling (rolling the eggs gently on the counter helps a lot--older eggs also peel easier than just laid eggs). Peel the eggs as soon as they are cool enough to handle and transfer to a medium bowl. Mas the eggs with a pastry blender, potato masher, or fork. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir everything gently to combine and serve.

Strawberry Vinaigrette
1 c strawberries, sliced
4 t rice vinegar
4 t lemon juice
1 T sugar
1 1/2 t honey
1/4 t salt
1/8 t each garlic powder, onion powder, dried basil leaves, dried parsley flakes, pepper (all or any combination--I used garlic powder and fresh parsley I think)
1/4 c olive oil

Puree strawberries in a food processor or blender. Add remaining ingredients except oil. Blend, then gradually add oil while blending on low speed. Serve over salad and store in the refrigerator.

Sesame Mayonnaise

There are several things that continue to intimidate me in my cooking: 1) Frying things. 2) Sauces. 3) Thickening things with cornstarch (with the exception of pudding). This morning I decided to attempt a sauce--homemade mayonnaise.

At our last trip to the library I found a cookbook that really made me excited: Fresh from the Garden. This cookbook was published before the whole locavore movement took off--in the 1990's. The cookbook is organized by season that vegetables grow and give advice for how to pick vegetables and how to grow them. It's fun reading. Most of the recipes how easy to find ingredients and for the most part aren't too intimidating in their technique. It is also not a vegetarian cookbook, which I appreciate as well. The author was raised in Europe where some of our "strange" vegetables, like kohlrabi are commonplace so there is a larger variety for some "not as sexy" vegetables like kohlrabi, cauliflower and brussel sprouts.

I digress. I found in this cookbook a recipe for homemade mayo to top lightly steamed broccoli. It seemed like the perfect vegetable side for our picnic lunch for our playgroup today. If you are squeamish about raw eggs, this isn't a recipe for you. It does contain two raw eggs. I probably somewhat incorrectly tell myself that since the eggs are from free range, organic chickens, my risks of salmonella is lower than store bought eggs. Probably scientifically incorrect, but it works for me. I loved the final product--the garlic and sesame oil are wonderful flavors. I steamed the broccoli for 2 minutes before eating it, but that's just a personal preference. I think steaming takes away a little of the strong flavor of raw broccoli. I somehow managed to emulsify (break up the molecules of oil) into the eggs so it didn't separate. I think the key is adding the oil really, really slowly, even taking breaks to check on kids as you do it. I used a food processor to make this, although the recipe suggested a blender. Either will do. All in all, I must admit I am proud of myself for successfully conquering a sauce.

Sesame Mayonnaise
1/2 c olive oil
1 T sesame oil
1 extra-large egg
1 extra-large egg yolk
1 T rice vinegar (or cider vinegar)
ground black pepper
dash of salt
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 small garlic clove, minced
3 T scallions, finely minced (optional--I didn't have so I didn't use)
1 T sesame seeds, lightly toasted.

Combine the olive oil and sesame oil in a liquid measuring cup. Set aside. In a food processor or blender, combine the egg, egg yolk, vinegar, salt, pepper, and cayenne and blend at high speed for at least 30 seconds. With processor still running, add the oil mixture by droplets until the mixture begins to emulsify and thicken. Add the remaining oil in a slow steady drizzle until all has been incorporated. Take your time while doing this--take breaks, letting the processor run to check on the children, let the dog in, etc while adding the oil. The consistency of the mayonnaise should be sauce-like rather than a very thick store bought like mayonnaise. Remove from processor and stir in garlic, scallions, and sesame seeds. Adjust seasoning as needing, adding drops of lemon juice to taste if desired (I didn't do this, it tasted great as it was!). Serve drizzled over fresh veggies or use a dip for fresh veggies. (I prefer lightly steamed broccoli and raw carrots for this).