4 posts tagged “eggs”

 

The Kitchn's

most recent newsletter featured a recipe for Huevos Haminados, and reminded me of something we do every year at Angeli.  We stand over a cauldron of eggs bubbling in a soup of water, onion skins and oil.  The eggs simmer for up to 4 hours and end up with a hint of onion flavor and a gorgeous mahogany color.  It's one of the highlights of the season.  Here is the Kitchn's recipe:

Onion-Skin Easter Eggs
makes one dozen

12 medium eggs at room temperature
12 onions

Clean the eggs so there are no particles sticking to their shells.

Chip or peel away the dry skins from the onions. Reserve onions for another use. In a stainless steel saucepan, boil 4 1/2 cups water, 3 tablespoons white vinegar and the onion skins. When it boils, turn heat down to low and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature (I put the pot on my fire escape and it cooled off in about 20 minutes.)

Pour mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into another stainless saucepan, or into a bowl then back into the original pan if that's all you have. For the dying, it's best to use a pan with a 9" diameter, like a Dutch oven. Remember to use a stainless steel pan to avoid staining. Arrange the room-temperature eggs in the pan in one layer and carefully pour the cooled dye over them.

Bring liquid to an easy boil over medium heat. Then reduce to low and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes, then start checking for color by gently raising an egg out with a slotted spoon. It may take up to 20 minutes to get the right color. Do not cook for more than 20 minutes. (If, after 20 minutes, the eggs are not a deep enough color, remove pot from heat, cool to room temperature, then place in refrigerator until desired color is reached.)

Remove eggs with a slotted spoon and cool on racks. When cool enough to handle, massage in a little olive oil to each, then polish with a paper towel. Keep in refrigerator until time to eat (or hide).

Actor, chef and Good Food guest blogger, John Pleshette shares with us his meal of the week.  This time, it's Eggs Benedict:

"I made this again last weekend for my sisters who were in town to see Mammals and substituted thick slices of toasted cheese bread (Alpine loaf) from the Bread Bar.  Try it.  You'll like it!"

Serves 2-4

2 Thomas’ English muffins
white vinegar
8 paper-thin slices of proscuito (about 1/4 pound)
1 stick of butter
2 whole eggs (4 if you’re really hungry)
2 egg yolks
1 lemon
fresh chives or chervil

Melt 3/4 stick of butter in a small saucepan.  Pour into a measuring cup.  Allow to stand until the white butterfat rises to the surface.  Skim it off.  reserve clarified butter in a warm place.

Split the English muffins using a dinner fork.  

Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer on top of the stove.  Add 2 Tbsp of white vinegar.

Separate eggs.  Beat the yolks in the top of a double boiler off the heat.  Season with salt and white pepper.  Whisk in a few Tbsp of lemon juice.  Dot with 1/4 stick of cold butter.  

Fill the bottom of the double boiler with an inch or two of water.  Bring to a simmer.  

Toast the English muffins under the broiler or in a toaster oven set to “top brown”.  Brown the bottoms first.  Turn over.  Butter and lightly brown top-side up.  

Place the muffins on two warm plates.  Arrange proscuito on top of the muffins.  

Fill the sink with cold water.  

Set the egg yolk mixture in the double boiler and whisk until it attains a custard-like consistency.  Remove frequently from the heat and test the bottom with your hand to make sure it doesn’t get so hot that the eggs scramble and curdle the hollandaise.  To cool down, dip the bottom in sink full of cold water.  

When the hollandaise is thick enough, remove from the heat.  Whisk in the clarified butter in a thin stream, slowly at first.  As the butter is emulsified and the sauce thickens, you can add more butter, stopping at the milky residue on the bottom.  Taste for seasoning.  Add more salt or lemon juice if you wish.

Break the whole eggs into a cup one at a time and slip into the simmering water.  poach for about three minutes.  The whites should be set.  The yolks, runny.  

Remove poached eggs with a slotted spoon and place on top of the English muffins.  

Nap generously with hollandaise.  Garnish with chives or chervil.

CellarWise Wine Pairing

The traditional choice for this elegant breakfast is champagne, but champagne is expensive.  I prefer the clay-like minerality of Cavas, which are made in Spain using the methode champenoise, but are sold widely at a fraction of the price.  Rose Cavas  are more robust in flavor and several nationally-distributed brands, like Freixenet, Cristalino, Codorniu, and Segura Viudas are now producing excellent Cavas.  Explore your local wine store for lesser-known brands and tell me what you find.

Just add eggs, scramble and make an omelette pie.  Watch Good Food producer, Bob Carlson's home movie on learning how to cook.  Here Evan has assigned him to make a frittata. First, he had to figure out what a fritatta was. 

Zucchini and Basil Frittata
Serves 4

1 lb small, firm zucchini
Coarse salt
4 Tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
6-8 eggs
¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves (or 2 tsps dried basil leaves, crumbled )
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Trim the ends off the zucchini. Grate on the largest hole of 4-sided grater. Salt the zucchini, place in a colander, and let drain for 30 minutes. Press out the liquid.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small nonstick skillet. Sauté the garlic briefly. Add the zucchini and sauté 5 or 6 minutes over high heat until the excess moisture evaporates and the zucchini turns bright green. Let cool.

Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the Parmesan, basil, cooked zucchini, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.

In a small, nonstick, oven-proof skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Swirl the oil in the skillet to coat all sides. Add the egg-zucchini mixture. Lower the heat. Cook slowly, stirring frequently, until the eggs have formed small curds and the frittata is firm except for the top. To cook the top, place the skillet under a hot broiler or into a preheated 400°F oven until the frittata browns lightly. Remove the skillet from the broiler or over. Let cool in the skillet 1 or 2 minutes. Place a plate over the top of the skillet and invert the frittata onto it. Serve at room temperature, cut into wedges.

Pasta Frittata
Serves 4

6-8 eggs
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped
2 cups cooked pasta with marinara or other red sauce

Lightly beat the eggs with the Parmesan, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Heat the oil in a small, nonstick, oven-proof skillet. Sauté the garlic briefly. Add the pasta and heat through. It is all the better if some of the noodles get crispy; it improves the texture.

Beat the eggs briefly again and pour over the pasta in the skillet. Lower the heat. Cook slowly, stirring frequently, until the eggs have formed small curds and the frittata is firm except for the top. To cook the top, place the skillet under a hot broiler or into a preheated 400°F oven until the frittata browns lightly. Remove the skillet from the broiler or over. Let cool in the skillet 1 or 2 minutes. Place a plate over the top of the skillet and invert the frittata onto it. Serve at room temperature, cut into wedges.