best cooking: eggs

Showing posts with label eggs. Show all posts

Shakshuka Pizza

I had my first shakshuka when I was in Israel a few years ago at this restaurant I'll never be able to find again. I'd heard of the dish--eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce--before and was very curious about how it'd taste. I found it to be warming and comforting without being heavy.

It's pretty easy to make at home, but the limiting factor for me is always not having any bread to eat along with it. But then one day I had an extra ball of pizza dough and thought, why don't I just cook the eggs and tomato sauce on top of it? And thus shakshuka pizza was born.

The first time I made it I wasn't sure if the 7 minutes in the oven would be enough to cook the eggs so I made sure the tomato sauce was still hot when I topped the pizza. I guessed wrong, though, and the yolks ended up setting by the time I took the pizza out of the oven. I prefer my yolks still runny while the whites are set so the next time I refrigerated the sauce first and they came out perfect.

I like to scoop up all the runny yolk and spread it all around the top of the pizza. It might not be pretty, but it sure is yummy!

Shakshuka Pizza
makes two 10" pizzas

2 balls of pizza dough
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1 cup tomato sauce
Salt, to taste
4 eggs
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Parsley, chopped

Place a pizza stone on an oven rack set at the top 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 550°F.

In a small saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium. Add the chopped onions and saute until starting to soften. Add the garlic and continue to cook for another minute or two until the garlic has lost its bite. Add the cumin, chili powder, and red pepper flakes and cook until the spices are toasty and fragrant.

Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 15 minutes. Add salt to taste. If you want your egg yolks to be set, use the sauce while it's still hot. If you want your egg yolks to be runny, cool the sauce down and chill in the fridge before using.

Stretch the dough onto a parchment paper-lined flexible cutting board.

Spread half a tablespoon of olive oil on top of the dough. Top with half of the tomato sauce.

Crack two eggs onto the pizza. Top with half of the feta cheese.

Slide one of the pizzas and parchment paper onto the pizza stone and bake for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, turn the oven to broil and broil for 1-2 minutes. Bake until the eggs are set to your liking and the crust is golden with spots of brown and a few small spots of char.

Use tongs to slide the pizza with the parchment paper from the pizza stone onto a cutting board. Top the pizza with the chopped parsley. Slice and serve!

reade more...

French Toast Face Off

I was now down to a little over a foot-and-a-half left of my once four foot baguette, and the bread was now sufficiently stale to make French toast. But which French toast?

Molly from Orangette swears by frying her French toast in oil whereas the popular consensus is to use butter. I decided to compare the two for myself, taking the extra step of browning the butter first for some added flavor. And since I had some leftover bacon fat from making the BLTs, I figured I'd try frying some French toast in that as well. What we have now, my friends, is a French Toast Face Off.

As you can see, isn't a lot of difference in the three visually. But once I started eating them, there was a world of a difference. The browned butter-fried French toast was the most unremarkable of the three. It didn't taste bad, it just didn't shine, and I couldn't even really taste the browned butter (although that might just be me because I can almost never taste browned butter).

The winner of the three in terms of flavor was definitely the bacon fat-fried French toast. This may come as no surprise since I love bacon, and you could definitely taste the smoky, salty flavor come through in full force here.

But the overall winner for me was the oil-fried French toast. This was the only French toast that developed a really nice crispy crust while retaining a soft, custardy interior. For me, texture trumped flavor. And if I really wanted bacon flavor with my French toast, I could just, you know, eat it with bacon. =)

French Toast (adapted from Orangette)

Serves 1-2

1 egg plus 1 egg yolk
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
6 to 8 day-old baguette slices, cut on the diagonal, about 3/4 inch thick
Canola or other flavorless oil
Pure maple syrup, for serving

Whisk together the first five ingredients in a wide, shallow bowl.

Place a large skillet, preferably cast-iron, over low to medium heat, and add enough oil to completely cover the bottom of the skillet.

Two or three at a time, add the bread slices to the egg mixture in the bowl, allowing them to rest for a minute or two on each side. They should feel heavy and thoroughly saturated, but they should not be falling apart.

When the oil is hot, place the slices in the skillet. They should sizzle a bit, and the oil should bubble lightly around the edges of the bread; take care, however, that the oil is not too hot, lest the egg mixture burn.

Cook until the underside of each slice is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Turn the bread, and cook until the second side is golden, another 2 minutes or so.

Remove the bread from the skillet to a plate lined with a paper towel, allow to rest for 30 seconds or so, and serve immediately—with maple syrup, of course.

Next, and last in the use-up-a-four-foot-baguette series: Martha Stewart's Perfect Macaroni and Cheese
Previously: Panzanella

reade more...

Joy vs. the Four Foot Baguette

Last week as a thank you gift, I received a four foot baguette from Iggy's. Four feet. Of bread. FYI, I'm only five feet tall. It was a lot of bread, especially for someone who doesn't usually eat that much bread. But I decided I was going to challenge myself to use it all.

The first thing I knew I wanted to make was Zuni Cafe's eggs fried in bread crumbs. I found this recipe years ago, and every time I end up with some leftover bread I find myself making this. It's the ultimate comfort food: crispy, crunchy bread crumbs topped with a fried egg that oozes golden yellow yolk, cut with a drizzle of warmed balsamic vinegar dressing.

I used to always flip the eggs over at the end so that the top wouldn't be raw but I never liked how they looked when I did that. Then one day I saw my friend Kay making perfect sunny side up eggs that were set on top without having to flip them over. I asked her how she did that, and she told me she just put the lid on when she fried her eggs so that the steam would cook the tops of the eggs. The solution was so simple and brilliant!

Zuni Cafe's Fried Eggs in Bread Crumbs (adapted from The Zuni Cafe Cookbook)
serves 1

6-8 inches French baguette, or another chewy, white peasant-style bread (enough to make 3 packed tablespoons of crustless breadcrumbs)
Salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Thyme leaves or coarsely chopped rosemary (optional)
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Tear off the bread from the crusts and add to a food processor or blender.

Grind into rough, uneven bread crumbs.

Place the crumbs in a 6- to 8-inch nonstick pan, sprinkle with salt to taste, and then drizzle with the olive oil. Set the pan over medium heat.

Let the crumbs warm through, then swirl the pan as they begin drying out -- which will make a quiet static-like sound. Stir once or twice.

The moment you see the crumbs begin to color, quickly add the herbs if using, then crack the eggs directly onto the crumbs. Cover the pan with a lid and cook the egg until the top is just set.

Slide onto a warm plate, then add the vinegar to the hot pan. Swirl the pan once, then pour the drops of sizzling vinegar over the eggs.

Next up: BLT with Avocado and Basil Mayonnaise

Four years ago: Curried Carrot Soup

reade more...

Spaghetti Carbonara for One

Our first stop in Rome was the Piazza Navona, known for its beautiful Bernini fountains, artists plying their wares, and the overpriced cafes lining the square. Even though we were hungry, I didn't want to just settle for a potential tourist trap, so I asked one of the artists for his recommendation for lunch.

Him and his friends pointed us towards Ristorante Corallo, just a couple of blocks away from the piazza. He mentioned that it was better than "baffeto" which at the time I thought meant "buffet" but later on realized was a reference to Pizzeria Baffeto, often listed as one of the best places for pizza in Rome and right around the corner from Corallo.

I really wanted to try a pizza in Rome, which is known for having an ultra-thin crust, so I ordered a pizza margherita to share. Seeing another Roman specialty on the menu, I suggested that Ces order the spaghetti carbonara for us to share as well. The pizza was good, although I noticed a distinct lack of basil. It came without basil when I ordered it from a different restaurant the next day, too, so I guess that's just how pizza margherita is served in Rome.

I knew carbonara meant a bacon and egg sauce, but I was unprepared for how it would actually taste. It was oh so silky and creamy without actually containing any cream, but the highlight was definitely the bacon. It tasted different from the bacon I was used to having back in the States. I knew I had to try to recreate the dish at home, but lamented to myself that I probably wouldn't be able to find the same type of bacon there.

After a little more research, I found out that the type of meat used was actually guanciale, made from cured pig jowl vs. traditional bacon, which is made from pork belly. Luckily in Boston, there are quite a few places that carry guanciale including Formaggio Kitchen and Savenor's. If you can't find it, you can try substituting pancetta, and if you can't find that, bacon.

On a recent night, I was really craving some spaghetti carbonara for myself so I googled "single serving carbonara" and this was the first link returned. It looked simple enough and made a pretty tasty dish, but I modified it just a little the second time I made it so it was more like what I remembered tasting in Rome.

There's a lot I like about this recipe: it falls under the category of comfort food and comes together rather quickly with a minimum of ingredients, most of which you probably already have on hand. You do need to serve and eat this immediately, but since you're just making it for yourself, that's not a problem!

Spaghetti Carbonara for One (adapted from Greg's Food)
makes 1 serving, duh

2 slices guanciale, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 serving uncooked spaghetti (for me that's a between a dime and a nickel's circumference of pasta)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 egg
1 tablespoon fresh grated parmesan, plus more to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley (optional)

Bring a pot of salted water to boil. In the meantime, chop the guanciale and mince the garlic.

Once the water has reached a rolling boil, add the spaghetti and cook for 9 minutes, stirring occasionally so the pasta doesn't stick to itself.

Add the guanciale to an unheated saucepan and place on medium heat. Once some fat has rendered out and the guanciale is starting to look translucent, add the olive oil and minced garlic. Continue to cook until browned but not burnt, lowering the heat if you have to.

In the meantime, break an egg into a large soup bowl. Add the tablespoon of parmesan cheese and whisk until well mixed.

Once the spaghetti is done, use a pasta scoop to transfer the pasta to the saucepan with the bacon and garlic in it, letting most of the water drain off while you do so. Lower the heat under the saucepan and toss the pasta around to cover it with the hot grease.

Whisk the egg and cheese again real quick and then carefully add the contents of the saucepan into the bowl. Start tossing the spaghetti with the egg mixture to cook it without curdling.

Once the sauce comes together, add salt and pepper to taste and top with any guanciale left in the saucepan and additional parmesan and/or parsley if you like. If the sauce is too thick for your liking, add a little of the pasta water to thin it out. Serve immediately.

Four years ago: Kale Chips

reade more...

Miso Ramen with Marinated Soft-Boiled Egg

Now that we've made the ramen noodles, it's time to make some ramen broth! Some broths take hours if not days to make, but fortunately, it only takes a few minutes to make the broth for miso ramen. There's two ways you can make this broth: either add instant dashi and miso paste to chicken broth, or add chicken bouillon and miso paste to dashi stock. I chose to do the latter because dashi is a lot easier to make than chicken broth, and the two ingredients (kombu and bonito flakes) are shelf stable.

Kombu is a type of seaweed, and bonito flakes are made from smoked, shaved fish. You should be able to find both in an Asian grocery store, but I've also found them in the ethnic section of grocery stores. They both are very high in umami, which is why such a simple preparation can produce so much flavor.

Dashi Stock
makes 1 quart, enough for 2 bowls of miso ramen

4 cups water
2-3 strips of kombu
1/2 cup loosely packed bonito flakes

Place the water and kombu in a medium pot and let soak for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, place the pot on medium heat. Just before it boils, remove from heat and sprinkle the bonito flakes over the surface of the water.

After 3-4 minutes, strain through a fine mesh strainer.

Now let's talk toppings: my absolute favorite is a marinated soft-boiled egg. It's similar to lu dan, except the yolk is barely set, and the marinade only penetrates the outer surface of the egg. It took me a few tries to get it right because the recipe I was using called for the egg to be boiled for only 6 minutes, but my eggs were still too soft at that point. You want to cook it just long enough so that the egg white is set. If it's too soft, it's almost impossible to peel, which I found out the hard way. Eventually, through trial and error, I found that 7 and a half minutes was the ideal amount of time that I needed to cook my eggs to that point.

Marinated Soft-Boiled Eggs (adapted from Serious Eats)
makes 3 eggs (you only need 2 for 2 bowls of ramen, but you might as well make the third since there's enough marinade for 3 eggs)

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rice wine
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1/4 cup sugar
3 eggs

Combine water, rice wine, soy, mirin, and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until sugar is dissolved. Set aside.

Bring 1 quart of water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Carefully lower eggs into water with a slotted spoon. Reduce heat to maintain a bare simmer. Cook for exactly 7 minutes and 30 seconds. Drain hot water and transfer eggs to a bowl filled with ice water. Cool for 3 minutes and then carefully peel eggs (the whites will be quite delicate).

Transfer eggs to a bowl that just barely fits them all. Pour marinade on top until eggs are covered or just floating.

Place a double-layer of paper towels on top and press down until completely saturated in liquid to help keep eggs submerged and marinating evenly.

Cover and refrigerate at least four hours and up to 12. Discard marinade after 12 hours. Store eggs in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

As for the rest of the toppings, I didn't have any roast pork on hand, or else I would have used that, but I did have some fried tofu, which worked well with the miso broth. Other possible toppings include corn, bean sprouts, chopped scallions, nori, cooked spinach, bamboo shoots, etc. You don't want anything too strong to mask the flavor of the broth, but it's nice to have a few different textures in each bite.

Miso Ramen
makes 2 bowls

4 cups dashi stock
1 chicken bouillon cube
3 tablespoons frozen corn kernels
1/4 cup fresh bean sprouts
8 pieces fried tofu
2 tablespoons white miso paste
1/2 recipe ramen noodles, cooked
2 marinated soft-boiled eggs, sliced in half lengthwise
4 four inch-square sheets nori
2 teaspoons scallions, chopped

Add the dashi stock, bouillon cube, corn, bean sprouts, and fried tofu in a medium pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove the corn, bean sprouts, and tofu with a slotted spoon and set aside.