Flan — why mess with the classics?

One of my favorite desserts is a simple flan (or crème caramel, if you're French). Yes, you can alter the flavorings, add some citrus, or some herbs (thyme, lavender, lemon verbena, etc.) but how about just leaving it alone and making it perfectly? (Okay, maybe add an edible flower on top.) You can't beat that! This makes 6 servings

Ingredients
1 3/4 cups heavy cream
1 cup full-fat milk
pinch salt
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise with seeds scraped out and saved
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup water
3 large eggs
2 large yolks
7 Tablespoons sugar

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350 and position rack in the center of the oven. Combine cream, milk and salt in a medium-size sauce pan. Add the vanilla seeds and the scraped vanilla bean pod. Bring to a simmer over medium heat then shut off and let steep for 30 minutes. Remove the vanilla pod.

Meanwhile, combine 1 cup sugar and the water in a small sauce pan and cook until sugar liquifies and turns a deep amber color. Be careful, if it gets too dark it gets real bitter, which nobody wants! Carefully pour about a tablespoon of this hot caramel into the bottoms of six 3/4-cup ramekins and swirl around to cover bottom. Set ramekins into a large roasting pan (13 × 9 × 2 inches).

Whisk eggs, egg yolks, and 7 tablespoons of sugar in a medium bowl until blended. Gradually and gently, whisk cream into egg mixture. Strain the egg mixture into a large measuring cup and carefully divide mixture among the ramekins. Open the oven door, pull the rack partially out to make the filling process easier. Now add very hot water into the pan, until the water level is halfway up the ramekins. Be careful not the splash water into the ramekins! Then slowly push the pan onto the rack then into the center of the oven.

Bake until centers are set and are jiggly, about 40 minutes. Remove from water bath and let cool, then refrigerate covered overnight.

To serve, run a small sharp knife around the edge, cover with a plate, give a little shake and turn over. If all is right with the world the flan will fall out onto the plate covered with a nice pool of caramel. And you will be a superstar.

  

Salvadorian Quesadillas (a.k.a. Quesadillas)

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This is a really simple brunch recipe to start the new year right. It's for these heavenly cakes from El Salvador which they call quesadillas, who knew? Even if you are severely hung over (and you wouldn’t be if you showed some moderation or had a few packets of Emergency C before you went to bed) you could still make this.

Ingredients
1 cup rice flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 pinch salt
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup grated hard cheese, such as Cojita or Parmesan
sesame seeds, to taste

Procedure
Preheat the oven to 350F. Whisk together the rice flour, baking powder, and salt. Then, in the bowl of a standing mixer, cream the butter with sugar. Drop in the eggs, one at a time, until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Next beat in the sour cream, cheese, and rice flour mixture until a smooth batter forms. Spoon into greased muffin tins, filling each one about 80% of the way up (this batter does not rise much). Sprinkle on the sesame seeds. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. This recipe makes 18 small cakes.

Ekoori: Indian-Flavored Scrambled Eggs

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
I love Indian food, and I sometimes forget that it has applications outside of dinner. What I love is the complicated mixture of flavors. Really, the hardest part of cooking Indian cuisine is gathering the ingredients. But now that we have Talin in Santa Fe, the shopping is much easier. Indian food is always a refreshing change of pace for me. So when I was thinking about brunch, I remembered this dish from my past.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons of butter
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon peeled, very finely grated fresh ginger
1 green chili, finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small tomato, peeled and chopped

6 large eggs, lightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
Melt the butter in a medium sized frying pan, over medium heat. Put in the onion and sauté until soft. Add the ginger, chili, fresh coriander, turmeric, cumin, and tomato. Cook, stirring, for 3-4 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft. Add the beaten eggs, salt and pepper. Stir the eggs very gently until they form soft, thick, curds. I like to use a heat-proof rubber spatula. Remember, less is more when it comes to scrambling! Cook the scrambled eggs to any consistency you like. Sometimes if I am being real fancy, I make this mixture, put it in a colander and let it drain a little, and then I make phyllo dough pastry triangles which I fill with this egg mixture. You can make these ahead of time and freeze them then bake when needed. Serve with some warm garlic naan and maybe some fresh tomato sauce with a little curry in it. Brunch has arrived!

Two Naan Pizzas: Indian-inspired and Breakfast

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Pizza — it's not just junk food anymore! A few weeks ago, I took my two Monte del Sol mentorship students out to dinner at Raga. This is a great Indian restaurant on Agua Fria which serves really well-prepared and tasty Indian food. They do the best and most reasonably priced lunch buffet in town. Anyway, we basically stuck to the classics but we did try one of the special appetizers of the night which was a naan pizza. This was the only disappointing thing we had. First of all, it was served cold. Second, it was not that interesting. But the idea was great so I worked on developing it in a way that worked for me, and this is what I came up with.

Indian Pizza

Ingredients
1 small block paneer cheese, about 1 cup, chopped into small pieces
3/4 cup plain yogurt
1/2 tsp curry paste or powder
1 clove garlic, minced

2 tsp ginger, minced

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 cup pizza sauce seasoned with 1 tablespoon of Harissa

1/4 cup mango chutney
1/2 cup wilted and chopped fresh spinach
4 frozen naans
Handful cilantro, chopped

Lime wedges to finish

Procedure
Start by making the sauce. Combine the tomato sauce with the yogurt and the chutney. Add the curry, garlic and ginger. You can add some heat at this point if you want. Put the naan straight from the freezer onto a sheet pan. Top with sauce, then add the cubed cheese, some dabs of spinach and some cilantro. Put in 400 degree oven for 7-10 minutes, till the cheese melts. Then when it comes out, sprinkle with more salt and pepper, fresh chopped cilantro, and a squeeze of lime juice. Yum!

Breakfast pizza

Ingredients
1 naan or flatbread
1/2 cup puntenesca sauce, or any other red sauce you prefer
1 cup shredded cheese (I used 1/2 Gruyere and 1/2 parmesan)
1 egg
a few thinly sliced rings of onion
1 teaspoon canola oil
a few shakes of hot sauce
salt & pepper to taste
chopped fresh basil for garnish

Procedure
Preheat oven to 500 degrees. In a skillet, heat oil on medium heat and fry up onions with a pinch of salt till translucent. Set onions aside. In a skillet on medium heat, cook the naan on both sides lightly. Place naan on a baking sheet. Spoon sauce on top to your liking and cover with cheese & fried onions. Crack an egg gently on top of the pizza. Make sure the oven is at 500 degrees, then place baking sheet with naan in the center. Bake the pizza for about 8-10 minutes total, and rotate 180 degrees halfway through. Take it out when the cheese is melted and the egg is cooked. Garnish with chopped fresh basil and let the pizza cool slightly. Add salt & pepper and hot sauce to your taste.

Tortilla Española

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This is a classic tapas from Spain, but there is no reason you can't make it where ever you live. And chances are you have all the ingredients right now, so what are you waiting for? Start scrambling!

Ingredients
3/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups sliced yellow onions
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
6 whole eggs
1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Procedure
Heat the oil in a 10-inch nonstick skillet or cast iron pan over medium-low heat, add the potatoes, and cook, turning frequently, for 10 minutes. Stir in the onions and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Continue to cook for 25 more minutes until tender. Drain all but 2 tablespoons of the oil and transfer the onions and potatoes into a bowl. Wipe the skillet clean.

Beat the eggs, paprika and remaining salt and pepper together and stir in the onions and potato. Heat 1 tablespoon reserved oil in the skillet over medium-low heat. Pour the egg mixture into the skillet. Cook until just set -- 5 to 7 minutes. Loosen the sides with a spatula, place a heat-proof plate facedown over the skillet, and invert the tortilla. Heat remaining oil in the skillet over low heat. Slide in tortilla, cooked side up. Cook for 3 more minutes. Slide tortilla onto a plate. Cool slightly cut into small squares and serve warm. This is also a great brunch item, when should I come over?

Swiss Chard with Pancetta and Hard Boiled Eggs

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Here is a great way to serve Swiss Chard that even your kids will eat, must be the pancetta. Pancetta is like Italian bacon and you can substitute bacon or even diced prosciutto, or even dare I say smoked tofu of you like, but then you will need to up the oil a little.

Ingredients
2 bunches Swiss Chard
salt and pepper
1/4 pound pancetta or bacon or prosciutto
3 tablespoons evoo
1 clove minced garlic
4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
5 peeled, hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Procedure
Cut the ribs out of the chard then chop the ribs and the leaves. Blanch the ribs in boiling water with a good dose of salt in it and cook about 7 minutes till tender. Using a slotted spoon remove the ribs and now add the leaves and cook briefly 3-5 minutes till tender then drain well and rinse under cold water till cool. Squeeze out the excess water and chop a little finer and squeeze out again. In a frying pan cook the pancetta or bacon about 5 minutes. If you use bacon pour off the fat at this point. Now add 1 tablespoon olive oil and garlic and continue to cook till golden. With a slotted spoon remove pancetta pieces and garlic to paper towels and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons balsamic to the same pan and de-glaze it which means using a wooden spoon scrape all the burnt bits from the bottom and sides of the pan. Now pour this yummy mix into a bowl. Into this same bowl add 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, 1 tablespoon red wine or sherry vinegar and the 2 remaining tablespoons of olive oil to the bowl and mix well. Now add the chard, pancetta and garlic, parsley, and remaining oil and vinegar. Season to taste. Gently fold in the eggs, garnish with a little more parsley and a pinch of cayenne pepper. This recipe makes 4-5 servings.

Harissa-Pancetta Breakfast Pizza

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Frankly, I don't like pizza because it's often really greasy and I am not a big fan of melted, stretchy, sticky cheese. But! with a few tweaks and the addition of smoked meat — like bacon or chorizo, or you-name-it — I am hooked! Also, I changed the cheese to goat cheese, which you could spread on cardboard and I would eat. This recipe makes 4 individual pizzas.

Ingredients for crust
1 cup warm water (between 110°F and 115°F)
1 teaspoon active dry yeast (about half of a 1/4-ounce packet)
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus about 1/4 cup more for oiling the bowl and the baking sheets and for drizzling

Ingredients for topping
6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta or bacon or Serrano ham or prosicutto or chorizo
4 tablespoons harissa
2 cups crumbled goat cheese or Feta
4 large eggs
4 scallions, thinly sliced

Procedure
Place water in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a hook attachment, sprinkle yeast on top, and let rest until mixture is bubbling, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, place flour, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. When yeast mixture is ready, add flour mixture and 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and mix on low speed until flour is moistened and dough starts to come together, about 2 minutes. Increase speed to medium and mix until dough is smooth and stretches 3 to 4 inches without breaking, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, coat a large bowl with oil. Transfer dough to the oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel or plastic wrap, and set in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. (Alternatively, let the dough rise in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 2 days.)

Heat the oven to 450°F and arrange one rack in the middle and another rack in the lower third of the oven. Place pancetta in a single layer on two baking sheets and bake one sheet on each rack, rotating the sheets halfway through the cooking time, until pancetta is browned and crispy, about 15 minutes. Remove pancetta to several sheets of paper towels and let drain briefly. When cooled, break into small pieces and place in a small bowl; set aside. Wash the baking sheets and return them to the oven (one on each rack) to heat, at least 10 minutes, while preparing the dough.

Once the dough has risen, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly oiled surface. Divide it into four equal pieces and cover with plastic wrap. Shape two of the pieces into 7-inch rounds. Remove the hot baking sheet from the middle rack (leave the other one in the oven) and drizzle with olive oil. Carefully place the rounds side by side on the baking sheet, not touching each other. Evenly spread 1 tablespoon of the harissa on each round, then scatter a quarter of the cheese and a quarter of the reserved pancetta over each. Bake on the middle rack until the dough just starts to puff and is barely golden in a few spots, about 5 minutes.

Remove pizzas from the oven, carefully crack an egg into the center of each, and drizzle with about 1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil. Return the baking sheet to the middle rack and bake until pizza crusts are crisp and browned and egg whites are set, about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle each with a quarter of the scallions. Season with salt and pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

The Incredible Egg

Excellent Ingredient of the Week
Farm fresh eggs! This is what Wikipedia says:

Eggs are laid by females of many different species, including birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish, and have probably been eaten by mankind for millennia. Bird and reptile eggs consist of a protective eggshell, albumen (egg white), and vitellus (egg yolk), contained within various thin membranes. Popular choices for egg consumption are chicken, duck, quail, roe, and caviar, but the egg most often consumed by humans is the chicken egg, by a wide margin.

Egg yolks and whole eggs store significant amounts of protein and choline, and are widely used in cookery. Due to their protein content, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) categorizes eggs as Meats within the Food Guide Pyramid. Despite the nutritional value of eggs, there are some potential health issues arising from egg quality, storage, and individual allergies. Chickens and other egg-laying creatures are widely kept throughout the world, and mass production of chicken eggs is a global industry. There are issues of regional variation in demand and expectation, as well as current debates concerning methods of mass production, with the European Union planning to ban battery farming of chickens from 2012.

Weird egg facts:

• To tell if an egg is raw or hard-boiled, spin it. Because the liquids have set into a solid, a hard-boiled egg will easily spin. The moving liquids in a raw egg will cause it to wobble.
• Double-yolked eggs are often produced by young hens whose egg production cycles are not yet completely synchronized. They’re often produced too, by hens which are old enough to produce Extra Large-sized eggs. Genetics is also a factor. Occasionally a hen will produce double-yolked eggs throughout her egg-laying career. It’s rare, but not unusual, for a young hen to produce an egg with no yolk at all.
• An egg roll can be any one of three very different things: 1) an Asian specialty, usually served as an appetizer, in which a savory filling is wrapped in an egg-rich dough and then deep-fat fried, 2) an annual Easter event held in many places, including the White House lawn and 3) an elongated hard-boiled egg made for the foodservice industry. When the long egg roll is sliced with a special slicer, every piece is a pretty center cut.
• It is said that an egg will stand on its end during the spring (vernal) equinox (about March 21), one of the two times of the year when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are of equal length everywhere. Depending on the shape of the egg, you may be able to stand it on its end other days of the year as well.
• Long before the days of refrigeration, the ancient Chinese stored eggs up to several years by immersing them in a variety of such imaginative mixtures as salt and wet clay; cooked rice, salt and lime; or salt and wood ashes mixed with a tea infusion. The treated eggs bore little similarity to fresh eggs, some exhibiting greenish-gray yolks and albumen resembling brown jelly. Today, eggs preserved in this manner are enjoyed in China as a delicacy.
• You really can have egg on your face. As egg white tends to be drying, it has long been used as a facial. Egg yolks are used in shampoos and conditioners and, sometimes, soaps. Cholesterol, lecithin and some of the egg’s fatty acids are used in skin care products, such as revitalizers, make-up foundations and even lipstick.

Nutrition Nuggets:

• The egg has a high nutrient density because it provides a wide range of nutrients in proportion to its calorie count (about 70 calories per Large egg). Nutrient-dense foods help you get the nutrients you need without excess calories.
  A Large-sized egg supplies 12.6% of the Daily Reference Value (DRV) for protein. A little over half of the egg’s protein is in the white and the rest is in the yolk. The egg’s protein is the highest quality protein of any food. One egg of any size equals one ounce of lean meat, poultry, fish or seafood in the food groups.
• High-quality protein, like the protein in eggs, can benefit people of all ages in many ways, including forming muscle tissue, building muscle strength, repairing muscles after exercise and warding off the loss of muscle tissue as we age.
• High-quality protein also helps in weight management. Eating more high-quality protein foods, such as eggs, and fewer carbohydrates helps preserve lean muscle tissue and increase fat loss during weight loss. Research has shown that, compared to bagel eaters, when overweight and obese people ate a breakfast including eggs, the egg eaters’ appetites were satisfied longer and they ate fewer calories the rest of the day. Studies have also shown that those who eat more protein foods lose slightly more weight and maintain better blood lipid and glucose levels than those who eat a high-carbohydrate diet.
• Egg yolks are an excellent and important source of choline. A Large egg yolk contains 125 mg of choline and provides 23% of a pregnant woman’s daily needs. Choline intake during pregnancy may be a key factor in the development of infants’ memory functions and, later in life, choline may improve memory capacity.
• The yolk gets its color from the yellow-orange plant pigments called lutein and zeaxanthin. Lutein and zeaxanthin have been shown to reduce the risks of cataracts and age-related macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness in those 65 and older. Research has shown that, due to the egg yolk’s fat content, the yolk’s lutein and zeaxanthin may be more easily absorbed by the body than the lutein and zeaxanthin from other sources. A Large egg yolk contains 166 mcg of lutein and zeaxanthin.
  Incredibly, eggs are also a good source of vitamin B12 (10.8 % of the DRV) and riboflavin (14% of the RDI) and supply varying amounts of many other nutrients, including a wide variety of other vitamins and minerals. The yolk contains a higher percentage of the eggs’ vitamins than the white, including all of the eggs’ vitamins A, D and E. Egg yolks are one of the few foods that naturally contain vitamin D.

So I say less is more, poach it, scramble it, enjoy it!

Eggnog Two Ways

Refreshing Beverage of the Week
I did this 5 years ago on the show, when I was just a baby but I think it bears repeating, and I love the skin cream option. First, the drink:

eggnog to drink!

This is the classic, booze-filled beverage. Note this is the real deal recipe made with raw eggs, so be careful. Make sure you buy fresh eggs (organic would be good) — and don’t serve to any pregnant women. DUH!

Ingredients
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar, divided into two 1/4 cups
1/2 cup white rum
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups bourbon
1 cup heavy cream, divided in two 1/2 cups
Ground nutmeg

Procedure
Separate the eggs. Put yolks into the bowl of your electric mixer and beat with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites, gradually sprinkle in the other 1/4 cup of sugar, and whip till stiff. Gently fold together whites and yolks. Gently stir in rum. Then stir in milk. Then stir in bourbon. Now stir in half the heavy cream. Whip the other 1/2 cup of cream and fold into mixture. Serve topped with a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg.

eggnog for your face!

And now for something completely different. If the thought of this beverage turns your stomach, here’s a recipe for an Eggnog Skin Cream from a book called Natural Beauty for All Seasons by Janice Cox.

Ingredients
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon rum
1/4 cup canola, almond, or walnut oil

Procedure
Put everything but the oil in the blender. Then, while mixer is running, slowly pour in oil to thicken mixture. This creates a “...light lubricating lotion. A real skin saver during the holiday season.” It’s great for the skin because eggs are naturally rich in lecithin, which is often called nature’s emulsifier. Also great to add to your bath water. Careful — you’re soaking in it! This would be a fun gift item.

Guests Bram and Monica Meehan: Breakfast for Dinner

Special Guest Bram and I had a great time on the show (as always) sharing our favorite breakfast-for-dinner recipes. Thanks, Stacy! As promised, here's the roundup, with links:

Cheddar and Green Chile Waffles with Thyme Maple Syrup

This recipe is adapted from Nora Singley's recipe at The Kitchn. It's supposed to serve 4 to 6 people, but we normally halve this recipe and it easily makes 8 or 9 waffles in our waffle iron. Also, the original recipe has you sauteing Serrano chiles to add to the batter, but we raid our stash of frozen, roasted green chile. The thyme syrup is a nice touch but plain maple syrup is great, too.

Ingredients for waffles
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups medium cornmeal
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
3 1/2 cups milk
2/3 cup olive oil
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
5 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 11 ounces)
1/4 cup roasted green chiles

Ingredients for syrup
2 cups maple syrup
thyme sprigs

Procedure
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and cayenne pepper. Add milk, olive oil, eggs, and maple syrup, whisking to combine. Do not overmix; batter may be lumpy. Fold in the cheddar cheese and chiles. Let batter rest at least 30 minutes at room temperature, and up to one hour.

While batter sits, combine maple syrup, thyme sprigs, and a pinch of salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring up to a simmer and cook, 3 to 4 minutes, to infuse syrup. Keep warm.

Heat up waffle iron, spray with cooking spray if yours isn't non-stick. Pour batter into waffle iron and cook until golden brown, about 6 minutes, depending on your iron. Carefully remove waffle from iron and repeat process with remaining batter. Keep waffles warm in 200 degree oven, or serve immediately with thyme maple syrup.

Cheesy Bacon Grits with Egg

You can get quick grits in pretty much any bulk food section; for small amounts of chopped bacon, try Trader Joe's Uncured Bacon Ends & Pieces. This recipe is from Radically Simple: Brilliant Flavors with Breathtaking Ease by Rozanne Gold, via Relish.com. Serves 4.

Ingredients
5 1/2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick grits
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for frying eggs
1/3 cup finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions, white and green parts
4 slices crisply cooked bacon, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground black pepper
8 eggs

Procedure
Combine water and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook, whisking often, until thick and creamy. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter, cheese, green onions, bacon and pepper. Cook 5 minutes longer.

Melt additional butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry eggs until whites are set and yolks are still runny. Or poach eggs in boiling water 3 minutes.
Spoon grits into bowls. Top with eggs.

You'll probably want to have some sort of vegetable side; or, try this similar recipe from The Kitchn that incorporates the greens:

Fried Eggs and Collard Greens over Polenta

Ingredients
olive oil
4-5 strips of thick cut bacon (you can also use about 1/2 pound of pancetta)
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1 large bunch of collard greens, leaves stripped and chopped
1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth
2 cups whole milk
2 cups water
1 cup yellow corn meal
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
8 eggs
freshly grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Procedure
Roughly chop the bacon into chunks. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil over medium-low heat in a large sauce pan with a lid. Add the bacon and begin to cook. After about 5 minutes, add the onion. Continue to cook both until the bacon is crispy and the onion is soft and beginning to caramelize, about 8 to 10 more minutes.

Raise the heat to medium-high and add the collard greens. Stir and toss until the greens are coated in the oil and bacon fat and beginning to wilt. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken broth, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the heat slightly and cover the pan. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, adding more chicken broth if the mixture gets dry, until the collard greens are dark green and soft.

Meanwhile, cook the polenta. Bring the milk and water to boil in a medium sauce pan. Add the corn meal in a steady stream, whisking as you go. Season with salt and pepper (about a teaspoon of salt and a few grinds of pepper to start, then taste). Continue to cook, whisking, until the polenta begins to thicken. Reduce the heat so that the polenta bubbles slowly and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes. The cooking time may vary, depending on how coarse the corn meal is, but the finished polenta should give some resistance when you stir it with a whisk. Add the butter and more salt and pepper to taste. You can turn off the heat and cover the pan to keep the polenta warm. When you are ready to serve it, stir to loosen it up and add a bit more milk if necessary.

Add a bit of butter or olive oil to a non-stick skilled and fry the eggs, two by two if necessary. To serve, put a big scoop of polenta on each plate and top it with the greens and bacon mixture and two fried eggs. Sprinkle with parmesan, salt, pepper, and hot sauce, if desired.

Basic Frittata, with variations

This basic recipe comes from our dog-eared, food-spattered, falling-apart, much-loved copy of Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter or oil
5 or 6 eggs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or other cheese
salt and pepper, to taste
minced fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350. Put the butter or oil in a medium-to-large, ovenproof skillet, preferably non-stick, and turn the heat to medium. While it's heating, beat together the eggs, cheese, salt and pepper. When the butter melts or the oil is hot, pour the egg mixture into the skillet and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook, undisturbed, fro about 10 minutes, or until the bottom of the frittata is firm.

Transfer skillet to oven. Bake, checking every 5 minutes or so, just until the top of the frittata is no longer runny, 10 to 20 minutes more. Garnish with the parsley and serve hot or at room temperature.

Variations
You can add almost anything you think would be tasty to the basic frittata recipe, just mix into the eggs with the cheese. The basic proportions are 1 to 2 cups filling for every 4 to 5 eggs. Basically don't make so much it won't fit in your skillet. Also, keep in mind that add-ins won't cook through in the time it takes to set the eggs, so pre-cook raw meats or sauté/steam veggies if needed. Some ideas:

• sautéed broccoli, asparagus, spinach, chard, kale
• chopped fresh herbs
• bacon with pan-fired apple and onion
• minced salami, cooked sausage, ham, cooked or smoked fish
• sautéed onion, fresh tomato, and basil
• cooked potato cubes
• grated, salted and quick-cooked zucchini
• sautéed mushrooms
• goat cheese

Bruncheon Eggs

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This week we are concentrating on the wonderful idea of having breakfast for dinner. This is one of my favorite and super-easy ways to make eggs.

Ingredients
8 ounces grated Gruyere cheese
4 eggs
2 slices bacon, crisply cooked and crumbled
1 teaspoon chopped chives or scallions
1/4 cup Panko

Procedure
Place one ounce cheese in the bottom of 4 individual buttered ramekins. Break one egg into each dish. Top with bacon, chives, and remaining cheese. Sprinkle bread crumbs over the top. You can actually do this way ahead of time and refrigerate. Bake in a preheated 300 degree oven for 15 minutes or until the egg sets. You can then throw them under the broiler to brown the crumbs a little and serve immediately. Things you could add are goat cheese, avocado, some chorizo or sausage, a splash of hot sauce, the list goes on and on!

Puffy Eggs in Casserole

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
This recipe from Around the Table by Ellen Wright is super easy, but must be started the night before. So if you are thinking Mother's Day brunch — get busy!

Ingredients
1 loaf French bread (I like sourdough)
2 tablespoons softened butter
12 eggs, room temperature, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
6 strips cooked bacon (cook crisp and crumbled) for garnish

Procedure
The night before, cut the bread into 1 inch thick slices and spread with the softened butter. Butter a round or square baking dish that is 2-3 inches deep and cover the bottom of the pan with bread slices. Now combine the egg, cheese, milk, and melted butter and pour over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, remove dish from fridge and let sit at room temperature for 1 hour. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake until golden brown and puffy, about 50-60 minutes. Garnish with crumbled bacon and parsley and serve immediately.

Here are some variations that would be delicious: turkey sausage, or chorizo mixed in; spread butter on one side of the bread and raspberry jam on the other; add sautéed veggies like asparagus or sautéed spinach as a middle layer. Try goat cheese instead of cheddar. Really, the possibilities are endless!

Lobster Frittata

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
I love a good frittata. It’s the best and easiest way to serve eggs at a brunch. Here is a recipe from Sarah Leah Chase for a lobster Frittata that is a sure hit.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
2 cloves minced garlic
1 red, 1 yellow, and 1 green pepper, diced
6 large eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon saffron threads
3 tablespoons chopped basil leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
2 packages Boursin cheese (5 ounces each)
1 pound cooked lobster meat, cut into bite-size chunks
2 cups grated Gruyere cheese

Procedure
Preheat oven to 350. Butter the bottom and sides of a 10-inch spring-form pan. Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and peppers and stir often till cooked and tender, about 10 minutes. While the veggies are cooking, whisk eggs and cream together in large bowl. Whisk in saffron, basil, salt, and pepper. Crumble the Boursin cheese into the mixture. Now stir in lobster meat and sautéed veggies. Add the grated Gruyere cheese. Pour mixture into prepared pan. Place pan on baking sheet to catch any drips, and bake until just firm, about 45-60 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes then serve. Nice with some fresh greens and a light citrus vinaigrette.

Individual Serrano or Poblano Soufflés

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Individual Serrano or Poblano soufflés are the kind of simple, yet sexy items, which can make or break a salad course. This recipe is from another cookbook I borrowed from the library called Seasonal Southwest Cookery by Barbra Pool Fenzl. Not only does it feature some great creative recipes, the photos are amazing.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons panko
2 tablespoons finely chopped toasted Pine nuts
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
2 Serrano chilies or 1 poblano Chile, seeded and finely chopped
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup milk
2 egg yolks
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
6 egg whites

Procedure
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter eight 4-ounce ramekins. Mix breadcrumbs and finely chopped pine nuts and coat the inside of the ramekins. Set in the fridge till ready to use. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan and add shallots, chilies, and flour. Cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add milk and keep whisking until thick. Remove from heat ad add egg yolks and mix thoroughly. Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper. In the bowl of your electric mixer, whip room temperature egg whites till soft peaks form. Fold cheese mixture into egg whites. Divide mixture up into the prepared ramekins. Bake in a hot water bath, which goes 1/2 way up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until puffed and golden, about 15-20 minutes. These can be unmoulded and put right onto your salad plate or served in the ramekin. Ms. Fenzl recommends a salad of mixed greens, pear slices and raspberry vinaigrette, which sounds pretty good to me.

Indian Spicy Scrambled Eggs

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Eggs are a great source of mushy nutrition, and I like to make all kinds of combos with my scrambled eggs. This is a combination of an Indian version I have been making for years and a recipe from Madhur Jaffrey, which has more great stuff mixed in. To make it even fancier, I like to wrap this mixture in Phyllo dough and serve it at brunch with a cilantro chutney. This recipe makes 4 servings.

Ingredients
3 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, peeled and diced
1/2 teaspoon fresh chopped ginger
1 jalapeno, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon tumeric
1 small tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced
6 large eggs ,lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste

Procedure
Melt butter in a medium sauté pan. Sauté onions till soft and tender. Add spices and tomato and cook 3-4 minutes till tomato is tender. Now add eggs and salt and pepper and scramble. Don’t over cook, serve immediately. To make cilantro chutney you can cheat and in a blender blend 2 cups cilantro leaves with 1 cup Major Grey’s chutney, a little rice wine vinegar and a handful of fresh mint. It’s delicious!

Egg Fu (not so) Young

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Egg Fu Yung, does anyone still make that? And more importantly, does anyone still eat that? Hey, I had it last week at Bamboo and I loved it, but it got me to thinking, thinking about tarting it up a bit, if you know what I mean. After all, it is basically just an Asian flavored omelet so why not take it up a notch, if I might borrow the over-used and tired lingo of The Food Network. Bam! add some lobster Bam! add some duck and you have a gourmet retro party in your mouth. So here are the ingredients:

Ingredients for Sauce
2 cups strong clear chicken broth
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/4 cup cold water
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Ingredients for Pancakes
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
5 eggs lightly beaten
2 scallions finely chopped
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger
1 clove crushed garlic
2 cups bean sprouts
1 cup julienne of duck breast lobster meat or grilled shrimp

Procedure
To make the sauce, combine broth and soy sauce and bring to a boil. Combine cold water and cornstarch and blend till smooth. Combine with hot broth and whisk till smooth and thick, then remove from heat.

To make pancakes, combine eggs, scallions, celery, soy, ginger, and garlic. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Ladle in a big scoop of egg mix. Brown on both sides. Saute up your fancy filling in another small pan. I like to sauté my duck breast in a little Hoisin sauce or Oyster sauce. Then I add the sprouts. Then I layer my fillings and pancakes and pour the warm sauce over the top. Serve with Jasmine rice and enjoy. Remember, all Chinese food tastes better when you use chopsticks!

Eggnog, Two Ways

The Attitude Adjustment Section
For today, and today only, this segment will be called the “attitude” adjustment section, because I know I have a bad one and I think a little booze might help, and my skin is dry. Don’t worry, I will explain in a minute. Today it's all about the wretched Eggnog, what to do with it. There are a million recipes on the Internet for eggnog from an eggnog martini to a banana eggnog smoothie to an eggnog cheesecake to vegan eggnog, but I have narrowed it down to 2 recipes.

First, the Classic Booze-filled Beverage. Note this is the real deal recipe made with raw eggs, so be careful. Make sure you buy fresh eggs $#151; organic would be good — and don’t serve to any pregnant women. DUH!

Ingredients
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup sugar, divided into two 1/4 cups
1/2 cup white rum
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups bourbon
1 cup heavy cream, divided in two 1/2 cups
Ground nutmeg

Procedure
Separate the eggs. Put yolks into the bowl of your electric mixer and beat with 1/4 cup of the sugar. Set aside. In a separate bowl, whip egg whites, gradually sprinkle in the other 1/4 cup of sugar, and whip till stiff. Gently fold together whites and yolks. Gently stir in rum. Then stir in milk. Then stir in bourbon. Now stir in half the heavy cream. Whip the other 1/2 cup of cream and fold into mixture. Serve topped with a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg.

And now for something completely different. If the thought of this beverage turns your stomach, here’s a recipe for an Eggnog Skin Cream from a book called Natural Beauty for all seasons by Janice Cox.

Ingredients
2 egg yolks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon rum
1/4 cup Canola, almond, or walnut oil

Procedure
Put everything but the oil in the blender. Then, while mixer is running, slowly pour in oil to thicken mixture. This creates a “...light lubricating lotion. A real skin saver during the holiday season.” It’s great for the skin because eggs are naturally rich in lecithin, which is often called nature’s emulsifier. Also great to add to your bath water. Careful — you’re soaking in it!

Champagne Sabayon

The Altitude Adjustment Section
Here is Susan Purdy's recipe for Champagne Sabayon. This recipe is not really altitude-affected, but it's a great one to have in your repertoire when baking seems too complex and you need a great dessert.

Ingredients
8 egg yolks
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup champagne

Procedure
Put the yolks in a metal bowl. Bring a pot with 3 inches of water to a boil. Set egg bowl on top, and whisk the sugar into the yolks, beating hard. The mixture will foam, and after 2-4 minutes it will start to expand in volume. At this point, gradually drizzle in the champagne, whisking constantly. After whisking for 6-8 minutes, the mixture will have tripled in volume and be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Now place bowl in a bowl of ice water and whip until cool. Put some in the bottom of a Martini glass or goblet, then add some berries then more sabayon, and so on till you get to the top. I like to top with an amarretti cookie. You can use Marsala (Italian style), or white wine and triple sec, or probably anything!

Avocado Baked Eggs

Seasonal Recipe of the Week
Avocado baked eggs from the "Silver Palate" ladies of NYC. Sheila Lukins and Julee Rosso — two women who changed the concept of take-out food as best friends, and who now don't talk to each other. Oh well! Here's the recipe:

Ingredients
2 ripe plum tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 thin slices baked ham
2 teaspoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 ripe avocado peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons sour cream
4 eggs
Freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons chopped cilantro

Procedure
Slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch slices and place on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Let drain for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 450. Bring a kettle of water to the boil.

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a sauté pan and sauté ham till lightly browned. Place 2 slices ham in the bottom of 2 oval ramekins 8x6x2 inches tall. Pat tomato slices dry and place over ham and sprinkle with parm. cheese. Scatter avocado pieces and dot with sour cream. Break 2 eggs in each ramekin. Sprinkle with black pepper and dot with remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. Sprinkle chopped cilantro on top. Place ramekins in baking dish and add boiling water to go up to 3/4 of the way up. Bake till eggs are milky white and yolks are set, about 12-14 minutes.

Eat immediately. Yum! Don't forget some good toasted bread for dipping.