Eggs Over Smoky Potatoes

Easy, fast, and highly seasoned, this one is good for a weeknight. I think it would be excellent for brunch as well. To make this you have to invest in some pimenton (Spanish smoked paprika), but it's worth it because it is great in so many things. I got a small tin of it for about $5.00 at Sur La Table, but I think you can find it for less elsewhere. I've seen it at Andy's Market.

To get started, cut up a couple pounds of potatoes into bite sized chunks. I peeled a big russet and left the skin on 3 smallish red potatoes. Any kind of potatoes will do. Heat 2 T. olive oil over medium heat. Fry the potatoes for 15 minutes or so. Turn them every once in awhile so they brown on all sides.

While they're cooking, mince 1 garlic clove and slice 3-4 scallions. You can also make a salad or whatever else you'll be eating with this dish. When the potatoes are tender, stir in some salt and 1/2 to 1 t. pimenton. I used a half teaspoon and I think I'll use more next time. Also stir in the garlic and scallions, for 30 seconds or so.

Break 3 or 4 eggs over the top of the potatoes, turn down the heat to medium-low, and cover. Cook for 5 minutes until the whites are set. If you want the yolks to set, too, then cook it longer. Instead of cooking the eggs over the potatoes on the stove, you can transfer the potatoes to a terra-cotta dish (which I don't have), break the eggs over them and bake them in a 375 degree oven (15-20 minutes).

Garnish with parsley and serve. I like it with the yolks running in to the potatoes. A nice crusty bread from your local bakery would be lovely with this.

Things I'd do differently next time: Get brave and use a whole teaspoon of pimenton.

Cost to prepare:

2 pounds potatoes - $2.00 (80 cents if you don't use organic)

green onions - $.30

4 eggs - $1.60 (less if you use conventional eggs, mine come from the farm

salt, garlic, pimenton, parsley - $.30

TOTAL - $4.20 for 2 people. We had leftovers, too.

Deborah Madison recommends a Spanish wine to go with the spanish paprika.

Potato Skillet Pie

This potato skillet pie is kind of a cross between mashed potatoes and a frittata. It's fast and easy to prepare, though it needs 45 minutes in the oven and 10 minutes to cool before serving. It's much prettier than I expected it would be for such a simple dish. This would be great to take to a potluck.

It is also yummy. We ate less than half of it in the first sitting and we enjoyed the leftovers for the next few days. It was even good for breakfast. It's a great dish to make on a winter evening (or a cold, rainy spring evening) when all you can find in your pantry is some potatoes, some eggs, some onions, and some butter. You could even do without the onions.

There are several variations suggested, and I chose to top mine with caramelized onions. You could also saute some artichokes and cook them in with the potato mixture. You could add any kind of cheese you like, or chop up some green garlic, simmer in a little water, and then add to the potato mixture before baking.

Begin by preheating the oven to 375. Put an oven-proof skillet (such as cast iron) in the oven with 1 tablespoon of butter until melted. Slosh it around the pan, then scatter 1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese over it to make a crust for the potatoes. (Bread crumbs would work instead of the parmesan.) Peel and cut 2 pounds of yukon gold potatoes into chunks. Put them in a big pan, cover with cold water, add a teaspoon of salt, and bring to a boil. Simmer until potatoes are soft - about 20 minutes.

While they're cooking, finely chop a couple cloves of garlic with 1/2 t. salt until a paste forms. Drain the potatoes, return them to the pot, add the garlic paste and 3 T. butter and mash the potatoes. Taste for salt and pepper, making sure the potatoes are highly seasoned. Stir in 4 eggs (lightly beaten), and 3 T. chopped sage. (I used dried sage, so I cut it back to 2 teaspoons or so.) When nicely mixed, transfer the whole mass to the skillet, smooth the top, and bake until golden - about 45 minutes. The edges should be dry and pulling away from the pan. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes or so. Run a knife around the edge of the pan and unmold onto a plate.

While it is cooking, you can chop 3-4 onions and fry them in some butter. Ten minutes should be enough time, but if you keep cooking them over low heat, they'll just get more and more sweet. I added a little sage to mine. Season with salt and pepper and spoon over the potato pie. I garnished with chopped parsley, which was a fresh and festive addition.

Things I'd do differently next time: I'd like to experiment with this one some more. I like the idea of the green garlic, if I can find it at the farmers market.

Tofu and Sugar Snap Peas in Lemon Grass Broth

My friend, Pat and I made this dish on the same night that we had the lemony croquettes. This was our starter. I've been thinking about this dish ever since we made it. It was so flavorful and light and delicious -- I've been craving it ever since. It was pretty to look at, heavenly to smell, and scrumptious to eat. We all wished there had been more of it. Next time I make it, I will definitely double or triple the recipe.

Start by making the broth. For those of you that have never used fresh lemon grass, you want to use the inner tender part of the stalk. Take off any tough outer leaves. Cut off the bottom of the stalk and look at it. There are rings of white on the inside. You want to use the inner tender part of those rings.

Combine 3 T. chopped lemon grass, 2 slices fresh ginger, the grated zest of 1 lime, 2 cilantro sprigs, and a good sized pinch of salt in a sauce pan. Cover with one and a half cups of water. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered for 15 minutes until reduced to 3/4 cup. Strain out the solids, reserving the liquid. Add 1 T. soy sauce and 1 T. brown sugar or maple syrup. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed.

While the broth is simmering, drain 1 package soft tofu and cut into cubes. (I used firm tofu and it tasted great.) Thinly slice 2 garlic cloves, 1/4 red onion, and 2 scallions. Finely dice 1/2 jalapeno chile. Heat a medium skillet, add 1 t. peanut oil, and fry the garlic, scallions, onion, and chile. Stir fry for 30 seconds, then add 1 handful of sugar snap peas or edamame or asparagus tips. Also add 1/2 teaspoon turmeric and the tofu. Pour in the broth and simmer until the peas are bright green and the tofu is hot - a couple of minutes. Taste for salt. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve with lime wedges.

That's how I made it and it was fabulous. You're supposed to also add 1 cup sticky rice or dry somen noodles.

Things I'd do differently next time: I would definitely add some sort of Asian noodles. I would also check the package ahead of time, because I found out at the last minute that the bean thread noodles I had on hand needed to soak for 15 minutes, which would have been perfect if I'd started soaking them when I started the broth. I would also double or triple the broth recipe.

I just noticed that this recipe is only supposed to feed 2 or 3 people. I stretched it to feed 4, but we all could have eaten much more of this.

Approximate cost to prepare:

I don't have this right now, but I'll add it soon.

Lemony Risotto Croquettes with Slivered Snow Peas, Asparagus, and Leeks

We had our friends Pat and Timothy over to watch the Oscars with us, and together we made this dish and another one from the Vegetarian Suppers book. Asparagus was just coming into the market and I was craving spring food. This was perfect for my craving. This dish is a little bit complicated to make, but it was worth it. You can make the rice croquettes ahead of time so that when it is time to eat, all you have to do is fry up the croquettes and and saute the veggies.

Start by heating to a simmer 1 quart of water in a 3-quart pan. Thinly slice 3 bunches of scallions. Melt a tablespoon of butter in a large skillet, and when sizzling, add the scallions and saute for about 1 minute. Then add 2 cups arborio rice and stir to coat the rice and brown it a little. Add the rice to the simmering water, cover, and cook for 16 minutes. Set the timer so you can forget about the rice while you prepare other stuff.

Finely zest 2 lemons, chop 2 T. of basil, grate 1/2 cup of parmesan, and dice 1 ball of mozzarella. When the rice is finished cooking, stir all that into the rice, along with some salt and pepper. Then stir in 1 beaten egg. Let the rice cool while you chop the vegetables for the stir fry.

Wash and trim 2 big leeks, 1 pound asparagus, and 2 handfuls sugar snap peas and 2 handfuls snow peas. Sliver all the vegetables and set them aside for sauteeing later.

Now it's time to shape the rice into croquettes, coat them in egg, and then in bread crumbs to get ready to fry them. Whisk 2 eggs in a pie pan. Put 3 cups bread crumbs in another pie pan. Scoop out 1/3 cup rice mixture at a time and shape into oval croquettes. Using your left hand, dip the croquette into the egg mixture. Then, using your right hand, dip the croquette in the bread crumbs. That way you won't get your eggs in your crumbs and vice versa. Set the croquettes on wax paper until you're ready to fry them.

Get out 2 skillets. Put olive oil in one and butter in the other. Fry the croquettes in the olive oil, removing them to a plate when golden on all sides. Sautee the veggies in the other, for only a minute or 2 with some sea salt. Add 2 T. lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons basil to the veggies.

Divide the veggies among warm plates, then arrange the croquettes on top, allowing 3 per serving.

Note: Since I only needed 3 croquettes per person, I ended up with quite a bit of leftover rice. We ate some for dinner a couple nights later, but we didn't like it much. I put it in the freezer to make more croquettes sometime in the future, since they were delicious prepared that way.

Things I'd do differently next time: I'd make the rice earlier in the day and then take a break.

Cost to prepare - I didn't save my receipt from this one, so I don't know the cost, but here is the list of ingredients.

Butter (1/2 cube)

Scallions, 3 bunches

Arborio rice, 2 cups

2 lemons

Basil

Fresh mozzarella, 1 ball

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

3 eggs

3 cups bread crumbs

2 fat leeks

1 pound asparagus

2 handfuls snowpeas

2 handfuls other edible-pod peas like sugar snap peas

Strawberry and Rosemary Scones

I got this recipe from Giada de Laurentiis of the Food Network. These scones are tender and flaky and so yummy. The rosemary in the scone itself is flavorful and fragrant without being overpowering. They are topped with a dollop of strawberry jam, and then topped with a lemon glaze which gives it a sweet-tart tang. I even made a few of them with Chipotle Jam instead of the Strawberry Jam. They were terrific, too. The glaze recipe makes way too much glaze for the number of scones, but since it is just lemon juice and powdered sugar, I used the leftover glaze on breakfast crepes.

I can't wait to make these again. They are fast and easy. I used a heart shaped cookie cutter and served them to my sweetheart with champagne.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/strawberry-and-rosemary-scones-recipe/index.html

Worcestershire Sauce from Scratch

I've really been into making my own ingredients from scratch lately. I got inspired by the homemade mustard and the homemade butter, so I decided to try to make a vegetarian version of worcestershire sauce that leaves out the anchovies.

I found a recipe online that I decided to try. It turns out to be somewhere between A-1 steak sauce and worcestershire sauce. It is a wonderful marinade for tofu and tempeh. I'm sure I'll use it a lot for grilling this spring and summer.

I've used it for 2 different recipes now, both of my own devising. (This is a big step for me!) The first was vegetarian Rueben Sandwiches, which was super tasty. The second was marinated tofu cubes served warm over greens with a chipotle dressing. It was one of the best salads I've ever had.

Here's the link to the worcestershire sauce recipe, although if you're a friend of mine, come get some from me before you make some of your own. This made over a half gallon of sauce! It keeps really well and freezes well, too, but it will take me years to use it all. Good thing I really, really like it!

http://www.foodista.com/recipe/3FNMGZFY/worcestershire-sauce-from-scratch

This was the first time I've ever worked with tamarinds, which are an Asian dried pod. Inside is this sticky fruit with several hard stones inside the sticky stuff. I bought a one pound box at my local Asian market for a little over $3. The recipe also calls for 10-12 medium apples, so I may try this again when the apples in my orchard are in season. It also uses a lot of vinegar, loads of spices, coffee (that was a surprise), and a bunch of salt. It called for corn syrup, but I used agave nectar instead. The recipe doesn't say how much apple cider vinegar to use. I used 4 cups and that worked out ok.

Special thanks to my friend Carla for supplying me with a quart of malt vinegar, which she made from scratch. I used almost all of it in this recipe.

Catching Up (AGAIN!)

I know I haven't been blogging much lately, but that doesn't mean I haven't been cooking! There have been some fairly complicated things going on in my kitchen, and in my life. I've been on the road a lot lately, including a trip to Arizona and Death Valley National Park for a week, so very little got done during that time. However, I made Worcestershire Sauce from Scratch which was a complex undertaking and quite messy. I've made lots of stuff from sources other than Deborah Madison, too, so there will be lots of new posts over the next several days. Stay tuned.

Black Beans and Yellow Rice (and a whole lot more!)

Who would have guessed that beans and rice could taste so good! Both the beans and the rice are flavored with coconut milk. The rice is made with saffron, which is fragrant and colorful. The beans get spiced up with chipotle, onions, green peppers, and cilantro. Topped with pickled red onions and cilantro, this dish is colorful and delicious. I thought it was going to need something to go with it, so I made simple cheese quesadillas, but it would have been just fine on its own. And the big bonus? It's fast and easy. The whole thing was ready in under half an hour.

Here's how to get going:

If you're going to make pickled onions to use as a garnish, start that first. Both the flavor and the color are fabulous with the yellow rice and the black beans. Thinly slice one red onion into rounds. Put it in a bowl, add a pinch of salt and a teaspoon of sugar. Stir and cover with apple cider vinegar. Let sit for 15 minutes or more. The onions will get soft and turn a beautiful dark pink color. Lift onions out of vinegar to serve.

Bring 2 cups water, 1/2 can coconut milk, a couple pinches of saffron and 1/2 t. of turmeric to a boil. Add 1 1/2 cups rinsed basmati rice. Turn down the heat to very low, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Fluff with a fork when finished.

Finely dice 1 small onion, 1 green pepper, and 1/3 cup cilantro. Heat a couple teaspoons peanut or olive oil and saute the vegetables and a bay leaf for 5 minutes. Add 1/4 t. (or more to taste) chipotle powder, 1 t. toasted, ground cumin seeds, and one minced garlic clove. Give it a good stir to combine, and then add 2 cans black beans and the rest of the can of coconut milk. (I used home cooked black beans because I forgot to buy cans of black beans. Lucky I had them in my freezer, just waiting for such a day. By the way, it takes very little effort to cook your own beans. Rather than soaking them overnight. I just rinse and drain them, cover them with boiling water and let them sit for an hour. Then I cover them with more water and cook for an hour or until tender. Last time I made some, I got them started and then went and sat in the hot tub for awhile. How's that for easy cooking? I then use an empty can (I happened to have a coconut milk can I had just used) to measure the cooked beans. I put them in a ziplock baggie, press out all the air, and put them in the freezer. They store flat, so you can stack a bunch of them. That way, when a recipe calls for a can of beans, I just grab one baggie and I'm ready to go. My favorite beans to have on hand are black beans, garbanzo beans, and cannellini beans.)

Bring it to a boil and then simmer until the rice is ready. Season with salt and the juice of one lime. Pile some rice on a plate, cover with black beans, and garnish the top with pickled onions and cilantro. So pretty. Serve with lime quarters.

Things I'd do differently next time: Nothing

Approximate cost to prepare:
coconut milk - $1.50 (less if you buy it at Trader Joe's)
1 1/2 cups basmati rice - $2.00 (cheaper if you buy it in larger quantities)
1 bell pepper -$1.00
1 onion - $.50
1/3 cup cilantro - $.15
2 cans black beans - $2.00
2 limes - $.50
1 red onion - $.35
saffron - $2.00 (the little container of saffron cost 5 dollars. 2 pinches was about 1/3 of it.)
Powdered chipotle - negligible (a small bag of it from Andy's cost $3.75, but I only used 1/4 teaspoon.)
garlic, oil, salt, bay leaf - negligible
Total - $8.00 for 4 very large, dinner size portions

I will definitely be making this again.