Put An Egg On It

Over easy, poached, or sunnyside up, putting an egg on it elevates so many dishes to new levels of satisfaction.  Remember that Sunday morning bacon cheeseburger with sautéed onions and an over medium egg back in college?  Try an over easy egg on a warm mushroom or spinach salad, or smothering a mound of leftover pasta.  How about a couple of poached eggs cradled in a pile of corn beef hash or spicy polenta.  Take your spaghetti carbonara to new levels of decadence with a sunny side egg, or lay one over a grilled steak or chicken breast.  Rice and beans, steamed asparagus, potato soup, pancakes, schnitzel, a lentil salad, or smoked salmon, there’s no end to it….go ahead, put an egg on it.  You won’t be sorry.

Lamb Shanks with Olives and Oranges

Everyone seems to have lamb on the brain this time of year and these braised lamb shanks will definitely please.  While preheating your oven to 375 salt and pepper four to six shanks and brown in a Dutch oven or roasting pan on the stove for about fifteen minutes, turning occasionally.  Set the shanks aside and add a chopped onion, carrot, a couple celery stalks, a whole orange sliced in half then into eights, and 12-15 peeled garlic cloves.  Sauté for 10 minutes.  Add a couple sprigs of chopped fresh rosemary and a cup each of black Greek olives, tomato sauce, chicken stock, and white wine if you have a bottle open otherwise just double up on the stock, then bring to a boil.  Put the shanks back in then cover tightly and cook in the oven for an hour and a half or until the lamb is tender.  Amazing family dinner and also a great dish if you’re entertaining as you can keep it on hold in the oven on low heat until you’re ready to serve.

Warm Spicy Tofu

This is one of the quickest, easiest, and tastiest ways I’ve discovered to prepare tofu...all it takes is simmering water.  Start by taking your extra firm tofu out of the package and stand it up on a plate to allow the water to drain out.  Meanwhile, fill a wide pot or sauté pan with a couple inches of water and bring to a gentle simmer.  For the sauce finely chop two garlic cloves, half a bunch of scallions, and mix in a bowl with a half cup of soy sauce, a few tablespoons of rice vinegar, a tablespoon of sesame oil, a handful of sesame seeds, a teaspoon of sugar, and some red pepper flakes or a generous dollop or two of your favorite hot sauce.  The sauce can even be made a day or two ahead of time.  Ten minutes before serving cut your tofu block in half, then into quarter inch slices before sliding them into the hot water.  After five minutes drain thoroughly then toss them gently with the sauce and serve with rice.

Warm Mozzarella

About a year ago I was buying a fresh ball of mozzarella in New York City before getting into my car to head back to Vermont.  The Italian man behind the counter who told me he had been making mozzarella for over fifty years gave me a tip.  While still wrapped, he said, put the mozzarella into a bowl of very warm water for 45 minutes before serving, maybe change the water a couple of times to keep it warm.  Did he ever know what he was talking about.  The warm bath literally brings the cheese back to the moment of its peak freshness, so soft, so perfectly chewy, and oozing all of its creamy nectars.  Go get yourself a ball of fresh mozzarella and you’ll see what I’m talking about.  Serve it with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a sprinkle of kosher salt, and fresh chopped basil…or just the oil and salt.  Incredible!

Tostadas

Pretty much anything tastes better when you put it on a fried corn tortilla, and with a bit of salsa and melted cheese you can’t lose.  Heat up an eighth of an inch of vegetable oil in a frying pan, slide in a whole corn tortilla, give it a minute, flip, and when slightly brown remove and drain on a paper bag.  Last night I created tostada magic from leftovers with some thinly sliced pork, caramelized onions, chopped basil, salsa verde, and a slice of mozzarella by stacking them in that order on a cookie sheet and reheating until the meat was warm and the cheese melted.  You don’t have to get that fancy, the tortillas are just as good topped with your favorite salad, scrambled eggs, sliced sweet potato, or can of beans….but that pork combo was pretty amazing!

Dijon Crusted Salmon

This surprisingly simple Dijon crusted salmon can be on the table in less than fifteen minutes.  Coat the bottom of a nonstick fry pan with oil and put over medium heat.  Cut your salmon filet into single size portions, sprinkle with more pepper than salt, dust with flour, and set on a plate skin side up.  Dollop a tablespoon of Dijon mustard onto each piece and spread evenly with a rubber spatula before placing the fillets into the hot frying pan mustard side down…tongs works best.  After five or so minutes spread the mustard the same way on the exposed side, flip, and in another five minutes remove and serve.  Add some minced garlic to the mustard for even more flavor.

Crispy Potato Slices

These crispy baked potatoes slices with a creamy center are embarrassingly simple but once you give them a try I’m certain they will become a go to favorite.  I’ve been making them for years but they got even better when I started using parchment paper a while back, I recommend it.  Preheat the oven to 450 and line a baking sheet with some parchment paper.  Wash your russets or other baking potatoes and cut them crosswise into quarter inch slices.  After tossing in a bowl with a little bit of olive oil, sprinkle with a generous amount of salt and pepper and lay them out side by side on the parchment.  Bake for twenty minutes, remove and flip, then bake for another twenty or until they start to brown.  It helps to rotate the cookie sheet after flipping so they brown more evenly.  Serve immediately with an extra dash of kosher salt if needed.

 

Spaghetti alla Carbonara

My favorite pasta dish without a doubt is Spaghetti alla Carbonara, and it couldn’t be any faster or easier.  Start by cutting two quarter inch slices of pancetta into little chunks and cook along with a couple of whole squashed garlic cloves until lightly browned, turn off heat and leave the pan to cool slightly.  While your spaghetti is cooking combine three egg yolks, two cups of parmesan cheese, and a generous grind of black pepper in a large bowl.  Next, drain your spaghetti making sure to reserve about three quarters of a cup of the water.  Quickly stir the noodles into the pan with the pancetta then transfer all into the bowl with the egg and cheese mixture.  While tossing pour the pasta water in slowly to create a creamy sauce…salt and additional black pepper to taste.  The best way to visit Rome without getting on a plane.

Roast Pork Loin

Tis the season of entertaining and I don’t think there’s a tastier bang for the buck than a large section of roast pork loin.  To impart the most flavor I have found no better way than to smear it in a flavored salt and garlic paste 24 hours before cooking.  You can make the paste with a lot of mincing but I recommend using your Cuisinart.  Start with a head of garlic, a tablespoon or two of kosher salt, and a splash of olive oil, you can add any additional ingredients once it’s finely minced.  For pork I often add rosemary or shallots, fresh mint for lamb, and a hefty grind of black pepper for beef tenderloin. The key is to cover the entire piece of meat with the paste before wrapping it in saran and putting it in the fridge overnight.  The roast meat will be amazing on its own but I often serve it with either a toned down version of the paste, more of a pesto using some sort of greens, or something complimentary such as an apple and onion chutney.  And if your entertaining all the work on this one is done ahead of time, just remember to set the timer so you don’t overcook it.

Cabbage, Mint, and Pistachio Salad

A raw cabbage salad is so underrated despite its amazing crunch, flavor, ease of preparation, and longevity in the veggie drawer.  I often eat it shredded with just kosher salt and extra virgin olive oil, sometimes a squeeze of lemon, but nearly as easy to jazz it up a bit more.  In this case in addition to the salt and olive oil I tossed it with some chopped fresh mint, pistachios, lime juice, and a generous sprinkle of my favorite Indian spice, garam masala.  Just as easy with cucumber, tomato, kalamata olives, and crumbled feta.  The point is, once you start eatting cabbage raw you’ll never be caught without one in the fridge again.

 

Parsley Pesto

After several days of sandwiches, turkey hash, and soup, a week after Thanksgiving the last thing left in the fridge last night was a nearly full bunch of parsley.  Instead of letting it sit there until it became one with the bag I opted for a parsley pesto.  In a Cuisinart start by mincing two garlic cloves and a teaspoon of kosher salt.  Add the washed parsley and a squeeze of lemon and while running drizzle your best olive oil in through the top until it’s finally minced and runny.  Add some grated parmesan, salt and pepper to taste, pulse, and toss with some raw vegetables.  It works especially well with mushrooms, this time around I also threw in a diced red pepper and some drained canned artichoke hearts in water.

Sausage, Kale, and White Bean Soup

There’s no better reason to keep a jar of chicken stock concentrate on the fridge door than these rainy forty five degree days.  For this Kale, sausage, and white bean soup I started by sautéing a chopped onion for about ten minutes in a large pot before adding my sliced sausage along with a chopped garlic clove.  I used a D'artagnan Andouille sausage but a chorizo or other spicy sausage would do just fine.  When the sausage was nearly cooked through I added my chopped kale, tossed until wilted,  then enough water to cover by at least an inch or two.  Once boiling I added the concentrated chicken stock a teaspoon full at a time, tasting in between so as not to overdo it.  Then it’s just a large can of drained white beans, a small can of chopped tomatoes, simmer, and salt and pepper to taste before serving.  This time around I dolloped it with a spoonful of arugula pesto and served with a toasted cheezy baguette.  Let it rain.