Garden Fresh Frittata with Zucchini, Chard, Kale and Basil

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. . . plus eggs from my backyard chickens and fresh farmers market garlic from Claudia's Herbs.

Yesterday I picked the first two zucchini from our garden.  Now, that may be ho-hum to the rest of the northern hemisphere but to me, in my very coastal-cool-weather garden, it's something to crow about.

Chard and kale I've got growing out my ears.  Basil is slowly making its way to picking size.

The tomatoes?  Hmpf. Ask me in September.

This tasty frittata comes together quickly. The longest wait time is when it's in the oven, as it has to cook slowly to stay moist.

Eggs from my chickens, produce from my garden - how happy can one cook get?

Garden Fresh Frittata with Zucchini, Chard, Kale and Basil

Christine's original recipe

Ingredients:

2 medium-small zucchini (green or yellow), sliced thin

4 cloves fresh garlic (see cook's notes), peeled, finely chopped

3-4 cups coarsely chopped chard and kale, stalks removed

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil

10 medium to large eggs (see cook's notes)

1 tablespoon water

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

butter and olive oil for the pan

Preparation:

Heat the oven to 325-degrees.

Using a 12-inch skillet over medium heat, sauté the zucchini in a small amount of butter and olive oil - about 1 teaspoon each - until beginning to soften.  Add the chopped garlic, salt and pepper to taste, and sauté, stirring, until just tender. Do not allow to burn. Remove from the pan and set aside.

Put the skillet back over the heat and toss in the chard and kale, stirring to sauté until wilted. Remove from the skillet and set aside - the greens should be dry; if they are not, drain them through a strainer.

Put about 1 teaspoon each of butter and olive oil in the skillet and place back over the heat on medium-low.

Beat the eggs with the water until fully broken up and creamy, add salt and pepper to your taste.

Pour the eggs into the skillet (if the eggs bubble and sputter, turn the heat down a bit) then add the zucchini and spread out evenly. Next, add the greens and spread evenly.

Sprinkle the basil over the top and push into the egg mixture a bit.

Put the skillet in the oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.  Do not overcook or the frittata will be dry.

Remove from the oven, let cool for a few minutes. Serve and enjoy.

Fresh garlic is still moist both outside and in. The skins peel easily and the garlic clove is very white. I hope you're lucky enough to have some growing or can get some from your local farmers market.

My hens' eggs range from small to jumbo. When I use them for a dish such as this, I mix the sizes so it all comes out to about "large" - so use large eggs for this.

I don't use much salt these days, if at all, which is why I don't give measurements so please salt away, or not, as you wish.  I will encourage you to use natural sea salt (the gray kind that is somewhat moist) as that seems to be the most healthy.  I use Telicherry peppercorns in my pepper mill.

Photos of my vegetable garden may be seen on my garden blog, Raven Ridge Gardens.

Copyright © 2005-2011, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Farmers Market Fresh Frittata with Corn and Zucchini

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Fast, fresh, easy.
Creamy and delicious.
20 minutes prep time, 30 minutes cook time.
Serve as part of a special weekend brunch or whip up for a quick weeknight dinner.
What are you waiting for?
It's Saturday and I'm off to the farmers market for more.

Farmers Market Fresh Frittata with Corn and Zucchini
Christine's original recipe
(print recipe)
Ingredients:
8 large eggs
water
4 medium zucchini cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 ears corn, shucked, kernels cut from cob
1 cup shredded white cheddar
1/2 teaspoon Benson's Supreme Garlic and Herb Seasoning (to taste) and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil for the pan
a sprinkle of finishing salt (optional)
Preparation:
Crack eggs into a large glass dish and whisk gently with a fork until blended.
Add about 1/4 cup water and stir until blended.  Eggs will be thick.  Set aside.
To prep the zucchini, cut off the stem and flower ends, slice lengthwise in half and then lengthwise again into quarters. Cut the zucchini crosswise into 1/4 to 1/2-inch pieces.
To prep the corn, remove the husks and silk. Place the corn cob standing up in a wide bowl and, using a sharp knife, cut down the cob, releasing the kernels into the bowl.  Do not cut too deeply into the cob.
Sauté garlic over medium heat in about a teaspoon of olive oil until softened and aromas rise.
Add zucchini and sauté until it is just tender. Do not allow to burn.
Add the corn kernels, the Benson's seasoning (or salt), and a few grinds of pepper and stir to combine.
Allow most of the water that the zucchini will throw off to evaporate, but not all of it.
Pour the eggs over the vegetables and mix oh so gently with a fork.
Allow to cook for 3 minutes to set the bottom.
Sprinkle the grated cheese over the top of the frittata.
Going around the edge of the skillet, lift the edge with a spatula to allow uncooked egg to run into the space created.
 Keep lifting and turning until only the middle of the frittata jiggles when you shake the pan, adjusting the heat so the bottom doesn't burn.
Transfer to a 325-degree oven and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, or until the middle is softly set.  A knife inserted into the center of the frittata should come out clean.
Remove from the oven, sprinkle with finishing salt if desired, and let sit for about 5 minutes.
Cut into wedges and serve.

Please use no more than medium to medium-low heat to prepare this dish otherwise the eggs will turn out rubbery.
The cheese may be combined with the eggs prior to pouring over the vegetables if desired. This will result in a more homogenous egg-cheese mixture, but, hey, I was playing.
Fresh chopped herbs may be used with abandon.
The Benson's salt-free seasonings are one of several that I've been experimenting with. A subject for another post. Substitute sea salt if desired.

Copyright © 2005-2010, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Savory Three Cheeses Flan with Homecured Applewood Smoked Diced Bacon and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette on a Bed of Baby Arugula

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To be quite honest, I had a hard time deciding which photo to lead with here.

I've got three things going on, not the least of which is homecured, applewood smoked bacon made by son Josh in his Sacramento backyard.

I think that's worthy of a post all its own and I've been bugging him to be a guest blogger.

Anyone want to chime in and nudge him a bit?

I mean, the guy goes out and bags an elk, a deer, a couple of pigs, some ducks, a few geese, brings them home and makes his own steaks, roasts, sausage, bacon, confit . . .

Josh's home cured bacon is a beautiful thing

He asked me a while back if I knew a good book on curing meats. Charcuterie was the first one that came to mind so he went out and bought a copy and now there's no stopping the man.

Not that I'm complaining; I've got his pork bacon and duck breasts in my freezer. You will hear no complaining from this mom.

Then there's the flan.

Oh my. Can I toot my own horn?

Ricotta, chevre, and parmigiano reggiano cheeses bound together with a few of my hens' eggs and some lightly sautéed leeks, sitting on a bed of baby arugula, drizzled with - number three! - a warm bacon vinaigrette, then topped with bits of Josh's homecured bacon.

Heaven on a plate.

You see my dilemma. I couldn't divide them up into their separate recipes. Hence the long title.

Make this for dinner some night. It takes very little time to prepare (except for the bacon curing part) and it's elegant as all get out.

And if you're not as lucky as I am to have a meat curing son, a good bacon such as Niman Ranch will do as a substitute. (But really, it won't be the same.)

Savory Three Cheeses Flan with Homecured Applewood Smoked Diced Bacon and Warm Bacon Vinaigrette on a Bed of Baby Arugula
Christine's original recipe with gratitude to her son Josh and his charcuterie skills
(print recipe)
Ingredients:
1 15-ounce tub fresh organic ricotta cheese
4-ounces fresh chevre (goat cheese)
2/3 cup parmigiano reggiano, finely grated
1 3/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
generous grinds of black peppercorns
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 fat leek, white and light green part only, about 6-inches long, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced
1-2 tablespoons dry white wine
Olive oil and unsalted butter for the pan
6 pieces thick bacon (homecured is best), 2-inches in length
1 teaspoon (heaping) good Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon golden balsamic vinegar
2 cups baby arugula, washed and spun dry

Preparation: (See Cook's Notes)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with a rack positioned in the center of the oven.

Spray the insides of 6 4-ounce custard cups with a thin film of non-stick spray then wipe with a paper towel. Set in a large roasting pan.

Heat about a teaspoon each olive oil and unsalted butter in a skillet over medium-low flame.

Add the sliced leeks and sauté gently until they are softened. Adjust the heat so they don't burn.

Allow the leeks to cook until they are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add the white wine to the skillet, stir and sauté until the pan is just dry. Remove from the heat and toss with a pinch or two of kosher salt.

Remove the cooked leeks to a plate to cool a bit.

Meanwhile, combine the three cheeses, pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt by hand in a medium bowl until blended.

Add the beaten eggs and stir until they are fully incorporated.

When the leeks aren't screaming hot, add them to the cheese mixture and stir well.

Divide the mixture evenly between the 6 cups.

Place the cups in a large roasting pan and pour hot water into the pan so that it comes to about halfway up the sides of the custard cups.

Bake in the oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a flan comes out clean and the top is lightly golden brown.

Remove the flans from the water bath and allow to cool on a wire rack until they can be handled easily.

While the flans are enjoying their hot tub, heat a skillet (cast iron can't be beat for this) on medium high then add the pieces of bacon and let them sizzle until they are cooked through and a beautiful mahogany brown on both sides.

Remove the pan from the heat and use tongs to remove the bacon to paper towels to drain. (Reserve the bacon fat in the skillet, off heat.)

Stack the bacon pieces on top of each other and cut into 1/2-inch dice (see photos above). Set aside.

Whisk the mustard into the bacon fat in the skillet then whisk in the vinegar until the mixture is smooth and thickened.

To assemble:

Divide the arugula between 6 plates.

Run a knife around the edge of a flan then place a spatula over the flan while tipping the cup over the center of the arugula. Give the custard cup a shake, allowing the flan to drop onto the spatula. Gently position the flan on the arugula. Repeat with the rest of the flans on their individual plates.

Drizzle the vinaigrette here and there on the arugula and over the top of the flan then garnish with the bits of bacon.

What a way to have your bacon and eggs.

Cook's Notes:

Aside from the oven baking time, none of the tasks above takes much time to prepare. Keeping the individual parts warm before assembly is key to the success of the dish so work as quickly as you can when the flans come out of the oven.

Enjoy!

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Eggs and Spinach Breakfast

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No recipe this morning. Just pure gratefullness.

Freshly laid eggs, still warm from the nest . . .

Juicy spinach leaves, just picked from the greenhouse.

Put them gently together, garnished only by a light sprinkling of sea salt.

Words simply cannot describe.

To see more about our backyard chickens, click here and here, and here.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Eggs, Cardamom and a Recipe for Sugar Free Cardamom Custard Cups

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My chickens just won't stop laying eggs.

I'm not complaining. I love our eggs and I love our sweet hens. There's not a crabby one in the bunch.

I'm rather astounded, actually. Out of 12 laying hens, I regularly get 6 to 10 eggs a day - in the coldest and darkest days of winter!

I consider myself one very lucky cook.

Still, this is far too many eggs for 2 people to consume. I sell them to friends. This Christmas I gave some away as gifts. And I've still ended up with too many eggs.

Now, Mr CC luvvvs custard - which he gets fairly often in the form of home made ice cream. But when I was moaning about what to do with so many eggs, he asked would I make cooked custard - you know, in cups? Right there I was off and running . . . mentally using up as many eggs as I could manage.

Not content to make just any custard, my nose went hunting through the spice closet and came up with - cardamom.

Cardamom is such a regal spice. Kind of citrus-y, minty, licorice-y . . . no, that doesn't really describe. It has a flavor all its own: deep and warmly aromatic when crushed; a bit ethereal thereafter, leaving you wondering just what was that perfume?

Traditionally used in sweet breads and cakes, cardamom is also an ingredient in many types of chai. It's also used medicinally as a digestive aid in many parts of the world.

In my humble opinion, one should only buy cardamom from an organic source and in its cute little green pod. The flavor and freshness will last longer. For me, ground cardamom is for garnish only.

Christine's Recipe for Sugar-Free Baked Cardamom Custard Cups
(print recipe)
Recipe may be cut in half

Ingredients:
10 egg yolks (see Cook's Notes)
4 cups 2% milk
7 packets of Splenda (or more to your liking) (equals approx. 4 1/2 tablespoons sugar)
16 cardamom pods, split, seeds removed (yields 1 scant teaspoon seeds)
Ground cardamom for dusting
Preparation:
Place cardamom pods in a mortar and pestle and lightly pound until pods open.

Remove the seeds and discard the pods. Set the seeds aside in the mortar.

Lightly whisk the egg yolks then add the milk and the Splenda, whisking to blend.

Crush the cardamom seeds until they are broken up and their aroma is released then whisk into the milk mixture.

Allow the mixture to steep for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 275-degrees.

Lightly spray 6 to 8 4-ounce custard cups with non-stick spray. Wipe each cup with a paper towel to take up the excess and evenly distribute the spray.

Gently whisk the milk-egg mixture then pour through a fine mesh strainer into each custard cup to within 1/2-inch of the rim.

Transfer cups to a large baking pan and pour hot water into pan to come halfway up the custard cups.

Dust the tops of each custard with ground cardamom, if desired. (See Cook's Notes)

Bake in the oven for 60 minutes or more, or until a knife slipped into the center of a custard comes out clean.

Remove from the cups from the water bath (bain marie) and place on racks to cool completely.

Refrigerate for up to two days.

Cook's Notes:

Ten egg yolks to 4 cups of milk will make a very soft, creamy custard. If you prefer yours firmer, use 8 egg yolks instead.

To dust the custards with the ground cardamom, place a teaspoon or so of the ground spice in a small, fine mesh sieve. Prior to baking, hold the sieve over a custard and lightly tap the side of the sieve. The spice will fall to the top of the custard. Repeat for all the cups then bake.

The ultimate comfort food, my mother would make us kids baked custard when we were recovering from colds, flu, measels, and mumps. I can still smell the aromas of the cinnamon and nutmeg that she sprinkled over the top of each cup and that permeated the kitchen as the custards were baking.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Scrambled Eggs with Herbs

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Not just any eggs... these come from my own free-range hens who are currently sleeping in the greenhouse but who will be moving just as soon as the chicken house is finished.

And not just any herbs... these herbs are field-grown in France, flash frozen within hours of harvest and are available here in the States from Darégal, a company with roots going back more than 100 years in the Darbonne family of Milly La Forêt.

Those who know me might wonder what I'm doing promoting frozen herbs in a container when I'm such a proponent of growing one's own or at least buying them fresh from local farmers markets. It's true, what I just said: growing herbs is easy, healthy, and very satisfying, especially when you can chop them, fresh-picked from your garden or windowsill, and sprinkle them on your scrambled eggs, or in your pasta sauce. But I also know that not everyone has the wherewithall to grow their own herbs. And not everyone is near a farmers market. And not everyone can afford to buy a $5 bunch of fresh herbs only to put a tablespoon of them in a recipe and then watch the rest slowly become so forlorn as to be quite inedible. I know I can't.

I've just had a most delightful conversation with Charles Darbonne, great-great-grandson of Armand Darbonne who started the herb business in 1886. Charles is the U.S. representative for Darégal, and after talking with him for quite some time, I decided to write about this convenient line of fresh frozen herbs for the home kitchen.

Darégal offers finely-chopped single-note herbs like parsley, dill, basil, oregano and cilantro, all to be kept in your freezer between uses, but it is the blends that speak to me. The Italian Blend has a mix of finely chopped red onion, flat-leaf parsley, basil, garlic, oregano and thyme. I used a heaping teaspoon for six eggs in this scramble. The Original Blend is made up of basil, onion, oregano, garlic, rosemary and thyme and is delicious in stews and braises.

Seems to me if you're in a hurry or don't have fresh herbs on hand, chopping such a small amount of herbs, to say nothing of peeling and mincing a tiny bit of red onion, to say nothing of going to the market and purchasing the bunches it would take to make up that heaping teaspoon, makes the convenience-in-a-container worth it right there.

Don't get me wrong. I'm still a very strong advocate for growing your own herbs and think everyone should give it a try. But the fresh taste and convenience of Darégal Gourmet Herbs is worthy of your freezer pantry when you need fresh herbs in a hurry.

Scrambled Eggs with Herbs

Christine's original recipe

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon butter

6 fresh large to X-large eggs

2-4 tablespoons water

pinch kosher salt or sea salt

1 heaping teaspoon Darégal Gourmet Herbs Italian Blend

Preparation:

Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the butter and turn the heat to medium-low.

Crack the eggs into a large bowl and gently beat with a fork until the yolks and whites are just blended.

Add water and salt and beat gently to mix thoroughly.

Add the herbs, allow to sit for a minute to soften then beat gently to incorporate.

Pour the egg mixture into the skillet and allow it to cook, undisturbed, for 1 minute.

Using a wooden spoon, begin pushing the egg mixture from the sides of the pan into the middle, allowing the uncooked egg to flow into the space provided. Do this slowly and gently. Allow the eggs to cook for 15 seconds between pushing them toward the middle.

Continue to push the cooked eggs toward the center of the pan until they are all softly cooked with a glossy sheen. Be careful, once that sheen is gone, you've overcooked your eggs.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow to set for an additional 10 seconds.

Spoon immediately onto warm plates, garnish with freshly cracked black peppercorns and serve with your favorite toasted bread and a few strawberries.

Cook's Notes:

You will be able to read about my hens, and the rooster, whose name is Butthead most of the time, and the chicken house on my garden blog soon. I'll leave a link here when it's up.

Happy chickens make wonderful eggs with hard shells and deep orange yolks.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Asparagus, Chard and Bacon Quiche With A Barley-Chevre "Crust"

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Inspiration for this crustless quiche came from two places: Several weeks ago I prepared a vegan rice dish that my son Jeff gave me and a few nights later I put the leftovers in a pie plate, piled roasted winter squash over it, heated it in the oven and took it to Simona's for dinner (that recipe will appear on this blog soon, I hope); today yesterday my friend Leslie was coming came over for a late lunch. I wanted to make a quiche using our backyard chicken eggs but didn't want to make a crust. Cooked barley from the previous day was tossed with some local herbed chevre and made a grain crust that, along with the layers of crispy bacon, vegetables and cheese, created a dish that was exactly what I was trying to achieve. The egg custard finds its way to the bottom of the plate enclosing the barley in its eggy creaminess, and makes a most delightful platter for the quiche.

Making the layers

Ready for the oven

Asparagus, Chard & Bacon Quiche with Barley-Chevre Crust

Christine's Original Recipe

Serves 8-10 as a brunch course

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cooked barley, cool
4-ounces plain or herbed chevre, crumbled
pinch kosher salt
oil for the pie plate
1 bunch organic asparagus, rinsed, tough ends snapped off
4 strips Niman Ranch Uncured Bacon
6-8 small chard leaves, multi-colored is good
1 cup Lamb Chopper Sheep's Milk Cheese, grated
1 cup good Gruyère cheese (if you can't find Lamb Chopper, substitute another cup of Gruyère), grated
6 eggs (large)
2 cups half n half
1/2 teaspoon jarred mustard like Grey Poupon
a few pinches of kosher salt
Preparation:

Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a 12-inch glass pie plate. Wipe with a paper towel.

Toss the barley and crumbled chevre together and place evenly on the bottom of the pie plate, gently pushing it up the sides.

Bake in a 250-degree oven for 15 minutes or until the cheese melts somewhat. Remove from the oven, set the oven temp to 500-degrees.

With a large spoon, push some of the barley mixture up the sides of the pie plate and tamp it down a bit all over the bottom to make a crust. Set aside to cool.

Cut about 3-inches from the tips of each asparagus spear and reserve. Cut the remaining asparagus stems into 1/2 to 1-inch pieces.

Place asparagus on a very lightly oiled baking sheet and roast in the 500-degree oven for 10 minutes, shaking the pan as needed. Remove from the oven, turn the temperature down to 350-degrees, and allow the asparagus to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon strips in a heavy skillet on medium-high until crisp. Remove to a paper towel to drain and then tear or cut into 1/2-inch pieces.

Lay the chard leaves atop each other then roll up length-wise like a cigar. Cut off the stem ends cross-wise and save for another dish. Thinly slice the remaining chard roll cross-wise into very thin strips. Set aside.

Combine the eggs, half 'n half, mustard and salt in a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly blended.

Assembly:

Put the bacon pieces over the barley crust followed by the cut asparagus stems (reserve the tips for the top of the pie).

Sprinkle the cheese over and then spread the chard chiffonade over the cheese.

Pour the egg custard slowly over and around everything, allowing it to settle.

Place the asparagus spears in a pattern of your choosing and it's ready for the oven.

Bake at 350-degrees for 30 to 40 minutes or until the top is golden brown and barely jiggles in the center.

Remove from the oven and cool for about 15 minutes before serving.

Cook's Notes:

I served a very nice, very affordable white wine from La Vieille Ferme that complemented the quiche to perfection. It's a bargain at $7 a bottle and also went well with the pear avocado salad that accompanied the quiche.

I realize that I used 3 different kinds of cheeses in this dish and I promise that they are very complimentary to each other.

Aside from putting the bacon on top of the barley, the rest of the ingredients can layer whichever way you want. Just be sure to put the asparagus on top after pouring in the custard.

Copyright © 2005-2009, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Lamb And Rice Leftovers Fritatta

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Remember this lamb? Having saved some in the freezer for winter cooking, we roasted a small piece of this several nights ago (which was as succulent as the kabobs were last summer) - remember last summer? - sigh, then, when later in the week we were faced with one of those nights where making a full-on dinner just didn't fit in with life, the leftover lamb got cubed up and tossed in a skillet with some leftover rice and turned into a fritatta frittata.

I love to make fritattas frittata. Better known in our house as Cassidy Lane Pizza, a name adopted from those made by my dear friend Erika who taught me how to do it, they are a quick and easy way to use up leftovers. As long as you have some great eggs, a bit of (optional) cheese if you wish, you're good to go.

Lamb and Rice Leftovers Fritatta Frittata
Christine's original recipe with inspiration from Erika, always
Ingredients:
8 large organic eggs
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup low-fat milk
olive oil spray for the pan
2/3 cup cooked rice (see Cook's Notes)
1 cup (or more) leftover roasted lamb, cut into cubes about 3/4-inch square, or smaller if you desire
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
paprika de la vera (Spanish smoked paprika)

Preparation:

Crack the eggs into a large bowl, add the stock and milk and whisk well.

Spray a heavy skillet with olive oil spray and heat on medium-high.

Add the lamb and the rice and stir until hot.

Turn the heat down to medium, pour in the egg mixture and allow to cook 2-3 minutes.

Using a spatula, lift a portion of cooked eggs at the edge of the skillet and tilt the pan slightly to allow the runny uncooked egg mixture to flow into the space you created.

Continue around the pan, lifting, tiling, cooking, lifting, tilting and cooking until there is no more runny egg mixture except in the very middle of the skillet. Be sure to do this gently - adjusting the heat lower if necessary.

Sprinkle the smoked paprika over the top of your fritatta frittata and place in a 350-degree oven for 10 minutes or until the middle is just set.

Remove the skillet from the oven and allow it to cool for just a few minutes to make cutting it easier.

Cut a slice and serve it with a green salad for dinner. Cut a slice the next morning and eat it out of hand as you dash off to work.

Cook's Notes:

Our eggs come from "down the road" (about 15 miles) courtesy of Tule Fog Farm. The home of pasture ranged, hormone and anti-biotic free, very happy chicks.

I love the brown rice medley from both Indian Harvest and Trader Joe's and use it almost exclusively.

2-17-08: During my downtime this past week (damn nasty flu!), it was gently and lovingly pointed out to me by my friend Simona that I had spelled frittata incorrectly - first you have 2 t's then 1 t, not the other way around. :)

Copyright © 2005-2008, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved

Oatmeal And Eggs For Brunch

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There are folks who love me despite my predilection for culinary weirdness. Those are the dishes you will seldom see on this blog. And then again, sometimes they're just too weird to not show you.

Take today's brunch: Every morning Mr CC leaves oatmeal in the pot for me to have for breakfast. And like a good girl I almost always eat it, breakfast being "the most important meal of the day..." blah, blah, blah, and oatmeal (in our case, steel-cut oats) being so very good for you, blah, blah, blah. All very true and, sometimes, all very boring.

On days when I don't have to get up early and run off to work, the oatmeal will often sit in the pan until mid-morning, me not being a breakfast eater at heart. So as I walked into the kitchen sporting a few hunger pangs an hour ago, there sat the oatmeal, in the pan, with the requisite chunks of apple. And me craving eggs.

Now you can see where this is going, right?

Place your significant other's lunch taco skillet over medium low heat and toss in a teaspoon of butter or Earth Balance (which is what I use almost exclusively).

When the butter starts to sizzle, plop in the cooked oats and spread them around in a circle about 6-inches in diameter and make a hole in the center that will hold 2 eggs.

Break your eggs into the center, sprinkle the whole thing with freshly ground black pepper and some luscious coarse sea salt such as Sel de Guerande, place a lid over the pan and gently cook until the eggs reach your desired consistency of doneness.

Top with a dollop of your favorite salsa, I used Amy's Organic Black Bean & Corn.

Weirdness factor: high. Delicious and satisfying factor: Very high.

The apples? I ate them while the eggs were cooking.

I think this pretty much covers all the food groups with the exception of dairy. Drink a glass of milk.

Copyright © 2005-2007, Christine Cooks. All rights reserved