eggs

Entrée, Breakfast, Spring, Summer, Gluten Free

HUEVOS A LA PLAZA DE MERCADO

Sara Forte · April 27, 2015

There has been some well-deserved chatter about Tara's book. I'm adding my cheers and high-fives and big hugs because it is remarkable and sincere and just dang good. You see, Tara and I were working on our books at the same time, and I felt like I had a pal struggling along side. Thousands of miles away she may be. But I knew then, in those texts, that this girl cared far too much to be producing anything less than wonderful. She took this project seriously and it comes through on each and every page. It's not just that the recipes are unique, but she writes head notes and directions more beautifully and thorough than any I've seen. I feel like I can hear her talking me through it - anticipating my questions. That is what makes a great cookbook author. I skimmed through the book soon as it came and am currently spending evenings doting over every word because I just love how she writes. I'm throwing down a good amount of praise but this book deserves it. I have made the raspberry rhubarb rye crumble twice now, subbing strawberries in for the raspberries on her forewarning that it is quite tart and I wanted to reign that in a bit. This may be her debut in the cookbook world but it sure doesn't read like it's Tara's first rodeo by any stretch.

I can make a breakfast tostada. I know my way around an egg and a good sauce but these! These were just really special and have me jonesing to host a backyard brunch. I generally don't go futzing with charred vegetable sauces and fresh salsas first thing, but think these are the perfect to make the night before. Even a few days prior. You can't shortcut this step because the sauces are what make these exceptional. I've been thinning out the charred green onion one with more citrus and using it as a green salad dressing and am using some of the salsa for a brothy tortilla soup tomorrow night. I'm just saying they're really great.

So proud of you, Tara. xo

HUEVOS A LA PLAZA DE MERCADO // Serves 4

Recipe from Seven Spoons: My Favorite Recipes for Any and Everyday by Tara O'Brady

The sauces took a bit more time than I would spend on an average morning breakfast but are worth every moment. Consider making one or both the evening before and this dish will come together in minutes.

/ RED SAUCE /
Small bunch of cilantro, leaves and tender stems
2 shallots, chopped
1 clove garlic, smashed
1 jalapeno, mostly seeded and chopped
1 can (15 oz) whole, fire roasted tomatoes
(4-6 ounces chorizo or sausage - this is included in Tara's recipe but we skipped the meat here)
Salt and pepper, as needed

/ CHARRED GREEN ONION DRESSING /
6 green onions
2 serrano or jalapeno chiles
generous pinch of smoked paprika
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt, not nonfat
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (or more greek yogurt but the mayonnaise makes for great texture)
small bunch of cilantro, leaves and tender stems
zest and juice of one lime
1 Tbsp. agave nectar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
sea salt and fresh ground pepper

/ EGGS + TOPPINGS /
mild olive oil or ghee for cooking the tortillas and egg
8 small corn tortillas
4-8 eggs
2 avocados pitted and diced small
baby tomatoes, halved
4 ounces queso fresco
Mexican-style hot sauce
2 limes, cut in wedges

To make the red sauce, in a blender, combine the cilantro, shallots, garlic, jalapeno, tomatoes and their liquid and buzz to make a puree.

Tip the tomato puree into a hot pot with a generous pinch of salt and pepper and bring it to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring regularly, until the sauce is thickened and tastes cooked. Around 30 minutes. Check for seasoning and keep warm.

For the green onion dressing, heat a large, cast-iron skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat. Cook the green onions and chiles, turning often, until charred all over. About 10 minutes. Let the vegetables cool on a plate. Trim the roots off the onions, as well as any leathery parts of the green end. Stem the chiles and remove some, most or all of the seeds depending on your spice preference.

In a blender or food processor, buzz the green onions, chiles, paprika, yogurt, mayonnaise, cilantro, lime zest and juice, agave and oil until smooth. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed. Chill for at least an hour for flavors to develop.

Heat a touch of oil in a large cast-iron skillet. Working in batches, warm the tortillas (or over an open flame if you prefer). Keep the tortillas warm in a preheated oven. Cook your eggs to order. Assemble your eggs over a warm tortillas with some of the red sauce, avocado, sliced baby tomatoes, queso fresco and some fresh cilantro. Drizzle on the green onion sauce and hot sauce if using. Tara suggests throwing them under the broiler for a quick minute just to give everything one last char. Serve the eggs right away with lime wedges on the side.

The sauces can be kept covered in the fridge for a week.

Print This Recipe

Entrée, Breakfast, Fall, Gluten Free, Spring, Winter

CHARD + LEEK FRITTATA

Sara Forte · May 22, 2014

I am supposedly having a baby today, though I'm aware that date is flexible. It has been the strangest week of waiting for this huge thing to happen. I made sure the plants got extra water, haven't left the house without my phone, washed my hair a little more frequently because I will have this first picture of us forever. I wanted to prep a lot of food for us to have at the ready or in the freezer but I just couldn't do it. It felt like I was writing off all signs normalcy by hoarding food for when life changes maybe tomorrow or maybe in a week or so. All I could muster up this week besides a loaf of berry flecked banana bread was this frittata. I hesitate to post it as I know I am not showcasing anything particularly creative or unique here, but when you are waiting for something huge to happen, all you can really do is normal - the tasks or food or errands you don't even have to think about, and for me, that includes frittatas and banana bread. I sauté up what looks egg-friendly from the crisper drawer, whisk a few eggs and whatever cheese needs to be used and it's the perfect little protein cake to warm up with a piece of toast. Something simple and predictable - just about all we're up for until not given the choice.

There will be a bit of silence around here but we'll pop in with a few pictures of the wee one when he decides he's fully cooked. Big hugs.

CHARD + LEEK FRITTATA // Serves 4

I used chard and leeks because it was what I had, but any green or onion could work here. I prefer a thicker frittata slice, so I go with eight eggs in an 8" pan. You could get away with six eggs but note it will be even more veggie packed.

1 leek, halved and cleaned
1 small bunch swiss chard, stem and ribs removed (or 5 cups chopped dark leafy green of choice)
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
8 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream or creme fraiche
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 cup feta cheese
sea salt + pepper

Preheat the oven to 375'. Warm 1/2 Tbsp. of the oil in a pan over medium heat. Slice the leek into thin half moons and add it to the pan. Sauté for 5 minutes until well softened.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and cream well with the cayenne and generous pinch of salt and pepper. Add the leeks into the bowl.

Warm another 1/2 Tbsp. of the oil and sauté the greens with a small pinch of salt until wilted, about 3 minutes. Allow them cool slightly, releasing the steam pockets. Add the greens to the egg bowl along with half the feta and stir everything to mix.

In an 8" pan, preferably non-stick, warm the remaining Tbsp. of olive oil over low heat. Add the egg mixture to the pan, sprinkle the top with the remaining feta and cook for about 5 minutes until the edges start to look cooked. Transfer the pan to the oven and cook for about 15 minutes until you jiggle the pan (with a mitt, it'll be hot) and the center of the frittata is slightly soft. It will set as it cools. Slice the frittata into wedges and serve with warm buttered toast.

Frittata will keep covered in the fridge for a week.

Print This Recipe

Breakfast, Entrée, Fall, Winter, Gluten Free

SLOW-COOKED KALE OMELETTES

Sara Forte · December 13, 2013

My parents have lived in the same house for 28 years. I have spent nearly every Christmas morning in that living room. I recall being deterred from peeking over the stairs when my sister and I woke up as to not see the gifts that Santa didn't wrap. One year there was a foam-top surfboard and another a swivel desk chair. Yes, I always peeked. I had to! My mom would start the heater, coffee, and holiday tunes, and get the camera ready so my sister and I could prance downstairs in our coordinating pajama sets. I still can't keep track of the names of people I have worked with for three years, but I have vivid, sweet memories of Christmas with my family. Selective, I suppose.

Last year I made cinnamon rolls for the family and they turned out great - tender, extra pecan filling, cream cheese glaze - I'd declared them a new tradition. I don't get baking right most times, but the stars had aligned just long enough for that breakfast treat. This year there is request for waffles and eggs, which would make that cinnamon roll "tradition" short lived. The eggs, despite the pastry decision, need to be something besides the ordinary. I came across this kale recipe with suspicion as I generally prefer my vegetables on the raw or al dente side. Cooking the greens for 30 minutes?!? That sounds so... brown. But Suzanne Goin has an impressive handful of very successful restaurants and cookbooks so it's likely not prudent to question the recipe against the basis of my raw kale salad habit. You just follow the directions and realize doing things someone else's way is often times the fresh perspective you needed. I may have heightened senses at the moment, but sizzling rosemary, garlic and onions have never smelled so incredible. I could have stood over the pan and finished it, just myself, the fork and that glorious kale. I saved a handful for omelette filling and I believe it will be the perfect thing to dress up holiday morning eggs. Even on its own as a side this would be great, and I would assume it's enough for four if they aren't quite as greedy with their greens.

Wishing you and yours a sweet holiday.

SLOW-COOKED KALE OMELETTES / Makes 4

Kale recipe adapted from Suzanna Goin via Bon Appetit and likely in her latest a.o.c cookbook

I use a 10'' non-stick for a one-person omelette. I think you could make a frittata in a 12'' if you weren't up for making individual omelettes. You want a really hearty sized bunch of kale as it shrinks down significantly after the blanch. Too little and you'll only wish you had more, too much and there won't be enough room in the pan for it to fully crisp up on the edges. You'll want to weigh the bundle to get this just right and use your largest pan either way.

1 heaping pound kale, ribs removed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 sprigs rosemary
1/2 teaspoon sea salt, or more to taste
1 dried chile de arbol, broken into pieces OR 1/2 teaspoon red chile flakes
1 cup sliced yellow onion (about half a whole onion)
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp. ghee (or more olive oil)
fresh ground pepper
8 extra-large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
6 ounces soft goat cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the kale for 1 1/2 minutes, drain, let it cool, and squeeze out excess water. Chop it up and set aside.

In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium heat. Add the rosemary sprigs and chile and cook for one minute. Reduce the heat to low, add the onion and salt, cook for two minutes, and then add in the garlic slices and stir. Cook for about 8 minutes until the onions are soft and starting to brown.

Turn the heat to medium-low, add the kale and ghee or oil, stir to coat. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally until the kale is almost black and charred at the edges. Remove the rosemary sprigs and chile de arbol, if using. Pepper flakes stay. Sprinkle some fresh ground pepper, taste for salt, and set aside.

Heat a 10'' pan over medium-low heat with a small pat of butter or ghee at the bottom. For each omelette, beat 2 extra-large eggs with a Tbsp. of milk. Add the eggs to the pan and let them cook for about a minute and a half. Use a spatula to lift up one corner of the eggs, tilt the pan, and let the liquid egg on top, run underneath. When the top is still soft but the omelette mostly set, put a few spoonfuls of the kale down the center and a generous sprinkle of goat cheese on top. Gently fold the omelette into thirds, like an envelope, and slide it onto a plate. Repeat with remaining omelettes.

* For the frittata, preheat the oven to 425'. Warm the kale in a 12'' skillet over low heat. Whisk the eggs and milk in a bowl and pour them on top of the kale. Cook on the stove for about 4 minutes. Crumble the cheese on top and finish it in the oven for another 6-10 minutes until you shake the pan (careful, hot handle) and the center looks just a tad jiggly. It will set as it cools.

Serve with a handful of fresh greens on top and some crusty toast.

Print This Recipe

SPROUTED KITCHEN COOKBOOKS

cooking club