Category: Eggs

How to Make Eggs for a Crowd

September 20, 2009

Recently I was reading about how to give credit to a cookbook or magazine when you are writing a post about it. It seems that if you have made a few changes, you say “Adapted from…”. If you have made more than 3 changes and they are substantial, you say “Inspired by…”. Any more than that and you can call the recipe your own.

I think those “rules” are fair and I adhere to them. What do you do when you take a recipe that you have made before and completely change it, but you still have to credit the original recipe for giving you an idea in the first place? I think I’ll call it “With many thanks to…”

We had some family and some friends over for brunch today. For me, brunch = potatoes. If I am going out for brunch I will order an egg dish so I can have potatoes and if I am making brunch at home, I stick with egg dishes so I have an excuse to make a huge pan of roasted potatoes. My original intention was to make a scrambled egg dish with poblanos and cilantro and served with a warm tomato salsa of sorts. As our invite list grew longer, I realized I didn’t want to be chained to the stove turning out dishes of scrambled eggs for people. Enter the grits frittata.

I know, grits frittata? That is what I mean when I say I have to give credit to the original recipe for the idea because I would certainly never think of putting the two together. But long ago, I made this grits frittata and it was insanely good. It also fed a lot of people (I made a special note in my book saying so). A dish like this is so company friendly because you assemble it and then it bakes in the oven with no more effort needed from you. You can also roast those beloved potatoes in the oven while the frittata cooks.

Because I already had poblano chiles, cilantro, and cotija on hand from my previous recipe idea, I decided to change the recipe up quite a bit. I put it in a larger pan, added more eggs, used breadcrumbs instead of Parmesan cheese to line the springform pan. In short, I made it my own. I paired it with a warm sauce which just put the whole thing over the edge. Grits purists may scoff and frittata purists may scoff, but that’s fine. More for me.

One Year Ago: What do you know? Another frittata! Frittata with Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Basil

Grits Frittata
With many thanks to Food and Wine
Serves 8-10

This frittata bakes for a long time in the oven so be sure to plan accordingly.

3 tbsp. butter, divided
1 bunch scallions, sliced
2 large poblano chiles, stems, seeds and membranes removed, diced
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 large bunch spinach, washed well and spun dry, leaves torn into 2 inch pieces
1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
1 1/2 cups instant grits
6 cups water
Salt
6 eggs, lightly beaten
1 8 oz package Cotija cheese, crumbled (or substitute equal amount of Monterey Jack, grated)
Freshly ground black pepper

Butter a 10 inch springform pan and dust with breadcrumbs so the whole surface has a light coating. Preheat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the topmost position.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter then add the scallions and poblano chiles. Sprinkle with salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the ground cumin, stir well, then add the spinach in batches, mixing it in and allowing it to wilt before adding the next bunch. Reserve 1/4 cup of the cilantro for the tomato sauce, then add the rest to the spinach mixture. Cook until wilted. If the mixture is very wet, allow to cook for a few minutes longer to remove most of the moisture. Set aside. (This part can be made one day ahead. Allow to cool to room temperature and then cover and refrigerate.)

Fill a large pot with the 6 cups of water and a large pinch of salt then bring to a boil. In a slow steady stream, add the grits. Stir well, turn the heat to medium-low, and cover the pot. Allow to cook, stirring occasionally for 6-8 minutes. Pour the grits out into a large bowl and allow them to cool to warm. Stir in the spinach mixture, all but a small handful of the cheese, the eggs and a pinch of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to mix well.

Pour the grits mixture into the prepared springform pan. Melt the remaining tablespoon of butter and brush over the surface. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and place in the oven. Bake for an hour and 15 minutes. If the frittata is still very jiggly in the middle, allow to bake for another 15 minutes. Add more time as necessary so that it is just slightly jiggly. Remove the frittata from the oven and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Carefully remove springform ring. Cut into slices and serve with the warmed tomato salsa.

Warm Tomato Salsa
Makes enough for Grits Frittata

2 tbsp. butter
1 large onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 14-ounce cans petite diced tomatoes
1 tsp. chile powder
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the chile powder and then the tomatoes with their juices. Cover and cook for 15 minutes with the heat turned to low. Add the cilantro and stir well to combine. (Can be made one day ahead. Allow to cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate.)

Category: Brunch,Eggs
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Poached Eggs in London

May 18, 2009

The first time I ever had a poached egg was in London. We lived there from July of ’03 to July of ’04 and before we moved over, his company sent us on a househunting trip. (And in typical Randy fashion, he finagled a side trip to Dusseldorf.) We went around London with three different real estate agents trying to figure out if there was a decent place to live in a decent neighborhood, that was even marginally in our budget.

Over the course of the frantic three days that we were being driven all over town, here is what we saw in a nutshell.

1) Horrible places in good neighborhoods.
2) Basement flats with almost no daylight whatsoever.
3) Decent places with awful furniture.
4) Kind of nice places that were way beyond our budget.

It was, to say the least, a little discouraging. We had just bought a new-to-us house in Seattle which I loved. Living somewhere awful, even if it was in London, seemed very depressing to me.

As we inched our budget upward, we started to see places that were slightly less awful. A few I could even imagine myself living in. And then we found our flat. It was in Kensington on a dead end street (dead end street = less street traffic = quieter). The lovely street housed the Estonian and Fijian embassies. Up and across the street was the glorious Hyde Park. We could walk in one direction to Notting Hill and in the other to the Victoria and Albert Museum. The building was Virginia Woolf’s childhood home – our flat was the floor which had been her bedroom. The flat was nicely furnished with charming toile wallpaper and it was filled with light. It was expensive. It was perfect.

After seeing it, Randy and I had lunch at a little place on the Kensington High Street. We talked about whether we could afford it – whether it was worth it to spend so much on rent. I had my heart totally set on it and he knew it. We ordered our lunch and when my salad came, I was dismayed to see what I thought was a giant hunk of cheese among the arugula (or rocket as they say there) leaves. But as I cut into it, I realized that it must be a poached egg – the likes of which I had never seen much less tasted.

When I was a kid, my mom used to make us fried eggs over easy. I never liked them but, being the well-behaved child that I was, I ate them. One day she made scrambled eggs instead and I liked those so much better that I never made or ordered eggs any other way. I knew you could poach an egg – but why? I never thought of eggs as anything other than breakfast food. My poached egg revelation was not so very long ago and I was, at that time, a very good cook. I just had narrow views about some things. London helped with that.

For breakfast, I still love my eggs scrambled (the exception would be a toasted English muffin, a few leaves of spinach, a thin slice of tomato, and a poached egg). But you will often find me topping things with poached eggs for dinner. So much so that a year and a half ago, I bought an egg poacher. I find the put-them-in-simmering-water-with-a-bit-of-vinegar-and-swirl method a bit stressful. The egg poacher takes the stress out and gives you practically perfect looking eggs every time.

I made this dish for dinner last week with a bowl of tomato soup and a cheese panini. I roasted the asparagus at high heat, drizzled it with tarragon and lemon juice right after taking it out of the oven, and topped it with the egg, followed by a bit of Parmesan cheese. I’ve been craving it ever since. Last night we had a friend of ours over for dinner. Randy picked up some salmon for the two of them and I made that amazing flatbread . I wanted a green salad but I also wanted this asparagus dish. So I made both.

Of course, we took the flat in London. Randy got his company to help us out a bit with the rent. And then he got them to help out again when the dollar started to really tank against the pound. We spent twice as much on rent on an 800 square foot flat as we did on our mortgage for our 2,000 square foot house. But I loved living there. It felt like home in a giant city where we knew virtually no one. It was worth it.

One year ago: Brown Rice Revisited

Roasted Asparagus with a Poached Egg
Dana Treat Original
Serves 2

When roasting asparagus, I always get the thicker spears. If yours are thinner, they will not need as much time in the oven. Below I link to egg poaching instructions from Gourmet which are the ones I used before the egg poacher entered my life. If you want to make this dish more of a main course, serve two eggs per person and include some grilled crusty bread.

1 large bunch of asparagus
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 poached eggs, see here for instructions, or check this out for an easy way to do it in plastic bag
Chive blossoms, for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Meanwhile, snap the ends off the asparagus and give them a good wash. Lay them out on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and mix to coat the asparagus evenly. Roast in the oven until a fork comes out easily of the thickest spear and they are starting to brown, 15-20 minutes. Shake once or twice during roasting process. Remove from the oven and immediately toss with the lemon juice and the tarragon. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Divide the asparagus between two plates. Top with a poached egg and a shower of Parmesan cheese. Garnish with chive blossoms, if desired.

Category: Appetizer,Dana Treat Original,Eggs,Quick and Easy,Travel
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Nicoise Salad

April 30, 2009

This past Saturday, we had people over for both brunch and for dinner. Because the week before included me catering a dinner party, cooking for my regular clients, and teaching a cooking class, I thought take-out would be a good option for our dinner guests. Until I realized that really, I have a reputation to uphold and I can’t serve friends take-out – no matter how good our local Thai food is. I decided to spend time on the dessert and to make something more simple for dinner. Sometimes simple doesn’t necessarily mean quick, but in the case of this salad, you can get a wonderful and satisfying meal on the table pretty fast.

I make this Niçoise Salad a lot in the summer when we want something good but light. Randy will throw a can of tuna on his portion and I will take extra egg, or will add some chickpeas or other white beans to mine. For our guests, Randy grilled some fresh tuna and I just ate extra salad. I also made some tartines which are like giant crostini. I slathered them with olive tapenade and topped them with peppers and onions cooked down with lots of smoked paprika.

This salad lends itself to lots of different interpretations. What I included Saturday are the things I always include – olives, green beans, hard boiled egg, potatoes, and olives. Sometimes I add white beans, sometimes I roast the potatoes instead of boiling them, sometimes I use Kalamata olives and sometimes I just use whatever is in the refrigerator. Feel free to experiment. I used a (gasp!) bottled dressing on Saturday, but I would advise tossing everything with something lemony with a mustard kick – homemade preferably.

Niçoise Salad
Serves 6

This is the veg version. If you want to top it with fresh tuna, figure on a 3-4 ounce piece per person.

2 big handfuls green beans, ends trimmed
1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes
6 large eggs
1 lb. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large handful Kalamata olives
10 oz. pretty bagged lettuce
Dressing of your choice

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with ice water. Add the green beans to the pot and cook until crisp-tender, about 2-3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, scoop the beans out and immediately place them in the ice water. Wait until they feel cool to the touch and then scoop the beans out to drain in a colander. Meanwhile, add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until the tip of a knife slides in and out easily, 15-20 minutes. Drain.

Rinse the pot in cold water to cool it down, then fill with cold water. Add the eggs and bring to a boil. Cover and turn off the heat. Add more ice to the ice water. Allow eggs to sit for 12 minutes, then scoop them out and into the cold water. Allow to cool then drain.

Toss the lettuce with some of the dressing in a large bowl then place on a serving platter. Cut the potatoes into halves, quarters if large. Peel the eggs and quarter or slice them. Arrange the potatoes, eggs, beans, olives, and tomatoes decoratively around the platter. Drizzle a little dressing over each component.

Category: Eggs,Main Course,Salad
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Thank You Jeanne Lemlin

February 4, 2009

I often get asked for cookbook recommendations. Usually it’s for someone who is new to cooking or new to vegetarianism or both. I never hesitate. Quick Vegetarian Pleasures is the one to buy. If you are just going veg, it is a wonderful book because nothing is aggressively vegetarian – that is to say, nothing too weird. Everything will sound good to you. If you are new to cooking (vegetarian or not), it is a wonderful book because everything is easy, everything comes out exactly as promised, and – true to the title – everything is relatively quick.

I credit the author, Jeanne Lemlin, with putting me on the path of being a good cook. Quick Vegetarian Pleasures was the first book I bought after college and once I knew that if I wanted to eat well, I was going to have to make the food myself. I knew what I liked (almost everything), but didn’t know how to make it. I picked up this book because every recipe looked like something I wanted to eat. I slowly but surely worked my way through the book and every single thing I made turned out. It gave me a lot of confidence and made me want to branch out and try more and more ambitious dishes.

Fast forward 16 years (yikes) and I am a personal chef. I have around 80 cookbooks. They are spread throughout my kitchen on shelves and in cabinets. I have my “heavy rotation” shelf and the three Lemlin cookbooks I own are permanent residents. I still use her books on an almost weekly basis. This week alone, without meaning to, all the main courses (and some of the side dishes) I made are from her books. I don’t worry when I make something new that it won’t turn out or the proportions will be off. Her servings are generous – just like I like them – and her recipes are foolproof.

This pie is one I have made over and over and just love everytime I make it. It is kind of like a quiche, but over the years I have tweaked the recipe so that my version is more like a bunch of vegetables held together by a few eggs. You could certainly increase the eggs to 4 and reduce the veggies to make it more quiche-like. One of the things I like best about this is that there is a minimal crust which requires nothing more than buttering your pie plate and sprinkling it with breadcrumbs. This is a real time-saver and very non-intimidating for those who are scared of making crusts.

Broccoli and Red Pepper Pie
Adapted from Main Course Vegetarian Pleasures
Serves 3

Olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Sea salt
1 small red pepper, cored and diced
1 large bunch of broccoli, cut into small florets
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 of a 14 oz. can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp. butter, softened
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp. bread crumbs
3 eggs
1/2 whole milk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup grated cheese (DN: The recipe calls for Muenster but I usually use what I have on hand.)

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onions and red pepper plus a good pinch of salt, and saute until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for another 2 minutes.

2. Stir in the broccoli, crushed red pepper flakes, and chickpeas. Pour on 2 tbsp. of water, cover the pan, and cook for about 7 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender yet still bright green. Remove the cover and cook away any remaining liquid. Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool.

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. To make the “crust”, butter a 9-inch pie plate with the butter. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs on the bottom of the pie plate. Rotate to cover the bottom and sides of the plate with the crumbs.

4. In a large bowl, beat the eggs. Beat in the milk, Parmesan cheese, oregano, a good pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir in the vegetable mixture. Spoon half the mixture into the pie plate. Sprinkle on the 1 cup of cheese. Spoon on the remaining mixture, then sprinkle the remaining tablespoon of bread crumbs over the top.

5. Bake 35-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center of the pie comes out clean. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

(Vegetable mixture can be made one day ahead and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Pie can be made 4 hours ahead and served at room temperature.)

Category: Brunch,Cookbooks,Eggs,Main Course,Quick and Easy,Tart
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You Say Frittata

September 22, 2008

I have these on-going lists rattling around in my head. Top 10 Kitchen Tools I Can’t Live Without. Top 10 Kitchen Tasks I Hate. 10 Cookbooks I Would Take to a Desert Island. Top 5 Things I Am Afraid to Do (in the kitchen.) On that last list, I would have to rate turning out a frittata pretty high. A frittata is kind of a crust-less quiche and it is made mostly on the stovetop with just a few minutes under a broiler to finish it off. If you are not afraid to do it, you then run a spatula around the edges and slip it out onto a plate to be cut into perfect looking wedges for your guests to ooh and aah over.

Now here is a big problem: I don’t have a non-stick pan. After reading things like this, I threw away my one non-stick frying pan. I’m sure it is possible to get a frittata out of a regular pan – Italians have been doing it for years, right? But taking the time to make something only to have it fall completely to pieces is not my idea of a good day. So here is my solution: just serve it directly from the pan. I just take a big spoon and scoop out a pretty little piece and no one knows (or cares) that it isn’t supposed to be served that way.

(For another favorite frittata recipe, check here. For some thoughts on sun-dried tomatoes, check here.)

Frittata with Cheese, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, and Basil
Adapted from Bon Appetit Magazine
Serves 4-6

The original recipe called for much more butter in the pan and much more feta cheese. I find the butter is not necessary (it sticks anyway) and too much feta overwhelms the other flavors, but add as much as you like.

10 large eggs
1/4 cup whipping cream
3/4 cups crumbled feta cheese (about 3 oz.)
10 sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/3 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. salt
Black pepper
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup pitted Kalamata olives, thinly sliced
3 tbsp. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat broiler. Whisk eggs and cream in a large bowl to blend. Stir in feta cheese, tomatoes, onions, basil, salt and grind in some pepper. Melt butter in large oven proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add egg mixture; do not stir. Cook until eggs start to firm and sides and bottom begin to brown, lifting sides occasionally to let uncooked egg run underneath, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle with olives and Parmesan cheese. Transfer skillet to broiler and cook until eggs start to puff and brown, about 2 minutes. Serve directly from pan either warm or room temperature.

Category: Brunch,Eggs
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