The Wicked Good Egg...Get Crackin

Today was another one of those hectic work days where by the time I got home from work, walked the dog, ran some errands and did some chores, it was after 8, and I had yet to eat supper. On days like this I often turn to one of my favorite foods to bail me out, without compromising taste and nourishment....eggs. I love breakfast and brunch and unlike some people I have no issue with eating breakfast for supper/dinner. I've always been that way. I always thought it was a real treat when occasionally as a kid Mom would make eggs, fried bologna, hash browns, toast for supper, orange juice and all. That's still one of my favorite suppers. Needless to say I am also a fan of the diners and restaurants that serve an all-day breakfast.

So, back to my habit of weekday supper and eggs. With the voice of James Barber (The Urban Peasant) in the back of my head telling me to use what I have on hand and be creative with ingredients, I always seem to be able to pull together a satisfying supper. By using a combination of what I have in the fridge, whether it be bell peppers, hot peppers, mushrooms, onions, sweet potato, potatoes, garlic, herbs, cheeses, bacon or sausage, I am always able to make something unique and tasty without too much time or hassle. Sometimes I incorporate the eggs and the other ingredients together to make omelets or frittatas  (and my favorite...the skinny frittata), while other times I make a hash out of potato and veggies (with or without meat) and top it with fried or poached eggs. When I'm extra hungry and in need of some extra carbs I have a slice or two of toast with jam to go along side. You can't beat toast and strawberry-rhubarb or partridgeberry jam with savory hash and eggs.

  As you can see in the photos I like to have my eggs in a variety of ways. Over the coming weeks I plan to submit recipes for some of the specific combinations I have created. I have potato and bell pepper hash with chorico sausage and poached eggs, sweet potato hash with bacon,  a Mexican skinny frittata with salsa and hot sauce, a linguica sausage, potato and onion hash with fried eggs, and the list goes on. Stay tuned.In the meantime, the next evening you get home from work and are short on time and energy, give breatfast a try.

Corned Beef Hash

After last week's post about Diners and Ruben Sandwiches, it's only fitting that I continue with another diner staple this week...corned beef hash. To the best of my knowledge, you won't find too much homemade corned beef hash in Newfoundland, but you will find plenty of hash made from the leftovers of Jiggs Dinner. For myself growing up we usually had hash for supper on Monday nights. Mom would usually cut up the left over potato, carrot, turnip and cabbage, and throw in a bit of salt beef if there was any left, and give it a quick fry in the cast iron skillet in a bit of butter. When I started to get into cooking I took over the hash duties at our house, and I used to begin with frying onion, and then adding the potatoes. I would cook them until they got a bit crispy and then would add the remaining vegetables. I would also like to season my hash with salt and pepper, and sometimes some dry savory and paprika. The biggest difference in mine and Mom's was that I liked to have more of a crispy crust on mine. We'd usually have this with some Newfie steak...aka bologna. And not just any bologna mind you, it had to be Maple Leaf. Some of the other stuff really does taste like lips and ....well you know what. A bit of fried bologna (boiled if Mom and Dad were on a diet...that one I never understood), the hash and some ketchup and it was quite a feed.

Diner style corned beef hash is quite simple. Usually it consists of skin-on red potato pieces (usually pre cooked), a bit of onion and chopped corned beef, seasoned with paprika or seasoned salt, and cooked on the flat top. Some diners will make it with tiny diced potatoes, but I'm not a huge fan...it reminds me of the canned corned beef hash that many Newfoundlander's are likely familiar with. Some people love this stuff but I think it smells like cat food and has way too much salt.

As I said last week, I like to cook a corned beef brisket just for the sandwiches. That was a bit of a fib, as I also do it for the hash. Below are photos of two types of hash I made recently. The first is the more traditional diner style. For this recipe I used leftover new red potatoes, onions and chopped corned beef. It couldn't be simpler to make. Here is a recipe for 4 hearty servings for a brunch side dish

In a large skillet, over medium heat, add:
- 2 Tbsp oil
- 1 yellow onion, diced
Cook until the onion softens a bit, and add:
-  about 8-10 small cooked and cooled red potatoes, cut into 1 inch chunks
Season with a little salt and pepper and fry until crispy, about 5-7 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium low and add a good handful of chopped coked and cooled corned beef.
Cook for a couple more minutes in order to heat the corned beef through.
Serve onto warmed platter. Great with eggs cooked any style, and some hot sauce!

The second hash I made has the same ingredients, but was prepared differently. For this one I used my mandolin to make shoestring potatoes (raw) and cooked the potatoes first until they were tender and crispy, and then added minced onion (so it would cook faster) and then the corned beef. I finished it off with some green onion and seasoned salt. I have to say, I liked the second version a little better, but both are outstanding!

Sunday Breakfast. Poached Eggs and Chorico Hash

This past weekend, my wife and I watched "Julie and Julia", the new hit movie about the life and times of famous American chef Julia Child and the birth of her revolutionary cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking". But that's only half the story. The other side of the movie follows the modern true story of Julie, a bored government worker who takes on the daunting mission of cooking every recipe from Child's book in a single year, posting the whole thing on her blog.

The movie was quite enjoyable. For foodies I'm sure it was especially fun. I found myself laughing and craving butter throughout the film, long after I had devoured my popcorn. When I woke up Sunday morning I was ready to cook. For beakfast I whipped up a quick potato and Portuguese chorico hash with a poached egg and toasted French bread. The poached egg was inspired from a scene in the movie, plus my wife loves them.

Later that day I tackled Julia's "Boeuf Bourguignon, a delicious rich stew with carrots, pearl onions, mushrooms and a lot of red wine. First I share the eggs and hash with you, and the boeuf will follow soon.


In a large non-stick skillet or wok pan, heat:

1 Tbsp of olive oil
Dice 2 medium potatoes, and saute over medium heat.
When cooking hash browns like these from raw potato, I find that it is best to keep the heat on medium so the potatoes have a chance to cook through....about 10 minutes. Once they are nearly cooked (taste one), add
1 2-3 inch piece of Portuguese chorico sausage, diced.

Saute together for a couple of minutes, season with salt, pepper and a few shakes of paprika and a dash of cayenne if you like some extra heat. Keep the hash warm while cooking the eggs.

Poached Eggs
For the eggs, fill a flat bottom pan with two inches of water and bring to a simmer. Crack eggs individually into a small bowl, and slide one at a time into the simmering pot. It is important to use fresh eggs so they do not spread throughout the pan. Gently give the water a swoosh to create a slight whirlpool action and the eggs will begin to set and gather themselves. Some of the whites will escape, but don't worry. Using a spoon or spatula, gather the edges of each egg to encourage it staying in one place. Keep a gentle motion in the water so the eggs swim to doneness. In no time, you will have a delicate, runny egg. By all means cook longer for preferred doneness. Remove with a slotted spoon and pat let air dry for a few seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve atop the hash with a nice slice of toasted bread and butter.

Bon appetit!

Quick Monday Night Omelet

If there's a type of meal I never tire of, it's breakfast. Breakfast for breakfast, lunch or dinner, or even a late night snack, are all fine with me. For a quick busy workday meal, eggs and an assortment of stuff I have in my fridge and/or pantry let me have a healthy, satisfying dinner, without a lot of fuss or time consumption. In particular I'm a fan of omelets/frittatas (both are cooked in a skillet, but omelets are served folded while frittatas are partially cooked on the stove top and finished under the broiler). As you folow this blog, you will see many recipes for both, as I commonly cook themed dishes such as Southwest Frittatas with sweet potato, chilies, peppers and jack cheese, or Portuguese omelets with chorizo.

The following recipe is for a "Farmer's Omelet", made with eggs, a leftover baked/boiled potato, onion, scallion, parsley, bacon, and sharp cheddar cheese.

Farmer's Omelet

Preheat a 10 inch skillet over medium heat.

Add two slices of bacon (applewood smoked is a favorite), halved, and cook until crisp on both sides (alternatively, you may cook your bacon in the oven on a baking sheet and reserve in the refrigerator for use on sandwiches or adding to dishes such as this one).
Drain on a paper towel and reserve.

While bacon is cooking, beat 2 eggs, and mince a little onion and one scallion (green onion), some parsley, and grate 1/4 cup of sharp cheddar cheese

Drain most of the bacon fat, leaving 1 Tbsp in the pan.
Thinly slice 1 medium leftover baked potato and add enough to cover half the skillet. Season with pepper and cook until crisp. Turn, keeping all spuds on half of the pan.
Add:
1 Tbsp onion, minced
1 tsp of reserved bacon fat or butter
2 eggs (I use large, cage free organic), beaten with a tiny splash of milk and a dash of hot sauce
Swirl the pan to evenly coat the skillet and to surround the potatoes.
Use a wooden spatula to push down the edges of the omelet, and re-swirl the pan to ensure even thickness.
Sprinkle the omelet with the cooked, crumbled bacon, a little fresh chopped parsley, and half the green onion.

Once the eggs are set, and nicely browned on one side, flip the pototo-less side over onto the potato side (the potato side is heavy and difficult to flip.

Add cheese to the top of the folded omelet and placed under the broiler until the cheese bubbles.
Top with remaining green onion and season with a little salt and pepper.

Serve with some good toasted bread, a glass of juice, and your favorite hot sauce and your are good to go...anytime of the day!