Shortcut: Eggs Florentine

22 Jun

eggs florentine

This is a shortcut version of Eggs Florentine—which would traditionally be like eggs benedict (poached egg & hollandaise) w. spinach. But instead of bothering w. a hollandaise- this recipe is essentially like a quick creamed spinach (without the cream) topped w. a fried egg—could also poach an egg. I am always amazed how it works- but the cream basically comes from a roux- flour and butter- with milk & Dijon.

It is a Martha Stewart recipe- she calls it an eggs Florentine breakfast sandwich

Here is a recipe for 2 people.

2 tsp unsalted butter [see note at whole milk]

2 tsp all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons whole milk [didn’t have whole milk- used 1%  and added 1 extra tsp of butter- so 3 tsp butter total]

1 ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard [i didn’t have so used dried mustard and dialed back to 1 tsp. those are the only two that would work]

4 cups roughly baby spinach (or regular spinach)

English muffins or bread

Optional- 1 oz slices of Canadian bacon

Eggs. (recipe calls for 1 each- I made 2 per person)

In a small saucepan (or skillet) melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until bubbling- about 20 seconds, then whisk in milk, mustard and 1 tablespoon water (I did a little less- 2 tsp- because figured 1% milk was a little watery). Cook, whisking until mixture is thickened and smooth, 1 minute. Add spinach and cook until spinach is wilted and coated (1 to 2 minutes). Season w. salt and pepper.

Cook bacon in skillet until crispy.

To fry eggs. Heat oil in pan. Crack eggs. [My method- when whites start to appear, sprinkle w. salt & pepper- and cover w. lid—I do this right until the yolk starts to cloud over. I like them just cooked- still runny.]

toast bread. spoon on spinach. then bacon. then egg. enjoy.

Fast & Easy: Miso Salmon

11 Apr

miso salmon2Let’s just call this the fastest, easiest & tastiest salmon recipe out there. Thought i’d share it–  just as I received it.

miso salmon recipe

I add all those ingredients in a bowl first- whisk together. then pour over salmon. My 8oz piece of salmon took about 8 minutes in the broiler (remember to use broiler safe pan- pryrex is not broiler safe!) I used a small bread loaf pan—then to reduce the extra glaze- I put the loaf pan directly on my stovetop flames. Only reduce for a minute or two- you want it just thick enough that when you run the back of a wooden spoon across it—it leaves a path.

Amazing(ly) Simple Roast Chicken

1 Apr

roast chicken

I’m not quite sure what just happened in my oven, but I am pretty sure it was magical. Lest we think I am not humble— let me explain the sensation—outer super crispy skin—and fall-off the bone succulent meat. How is this even possible? High heat, apparently. Welcome to the tastier and faster way to make chicken. Sam pointed me to this recipe— which gives us the method. She also said- sometimes when she runs out of lemons- she puts orange in the cavity. So, I took this idea- and used orange—and added that extra amazingness of Five Spice. If you don’t have/know this—it is an amazing Asian spice blend—that is warm and delicious- made from Szechwan pepper, star anise, fennel, cinnamon and cloves. You can find it most places- or you can mix up your own (which I once did in a pinch in Andorra to make some of Sydnie’s Taiwanese stew.) Other than that, I was mostly faithful to Thomas Keller’s method. One super genius move- that I think gets you’re the extra crispiness- not butter or oil on the skin. Instead, a pat of butter melting over it after you take it out of the oven- amazing! Now of course, the take-away here is the method- feel free to experiment w. spices- or keep even more faithful to the original recipe.

ALSO- I did these on a bed of roast potatoes. Which amazingly- with the high heat and the chicken drippings- turned into a fry-like texture. I had small potatoes, a i chopped into big chunks, coated w. olive oil, salt & pepper. placed at bottom of the pan.

Thomas Keller’s- My Favorite Simple Roast Chicken from Epicurious.

1 2-3 pound chicken [mine was 3 1/2 pound]

salt & pepper

Keller- 2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional)

tessa- five spice & 1 orange

Preheat to 450.

Rinse chicken. Dry well (!) this gives you crispier skin. Salt and pepper the cavity. Keller says truss the bird (which I didn’t). Sprinkle bird generously with salt.–he  rains the salt over the chicken to get an even coating (about a tablespoon, he says). Season with pepper to taste. Cut orange in half (mine happened to be juiced- because I needed it for some cranberry chutney.) Sprinkle chicken lightly with a big pinch of five spice, if using.)

Now. Keller says:

“Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone—I don’t baste it, I don’t add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don’t want. Roast it until it’s done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.”

And perhaps with a sauté pan- or  if you use a rack- your bottom half of the chicken would get nice and crispy too. But because I was on a bed of potatoes, this made steam. So after 30 mins, I took the chicken off, moved around the potatoes, and placed the chicken upside down for 15 mins (this gave color to the very pale underside). Then, I flipped back over- moved the potatoes one more time- for the last 15 minutes. I cooked mine for 60 minutes, because it was just larger than what the recipe calls for. Let rest.

Keller continues:

“Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I’m cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip—until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook’s rewards. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be superelegant. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You’ll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it’s so good.”

Note: The more weight the bird is- longer it takes to cook- so pay attention to the size of your bird. As a frame of reference- and not too far off- Ina Garten roasts her chicken (5-6 pounds) at 425 for 1 ½ hours, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh. I don’t want to confuse things. I just want to tell you people are always way more nervous—about not cooking the chicken enough- when you really could be worried about not over-cooking it.

K for P

26 Mar

Happy Passover, kids.

I don’t generally repost things– but I thought– ’tis the season, everyone should have these recipes top of mind.

Rachel H.’s Flourless Chocolate Torte (originally posted November 2010)- but new pic! as just made it for tonight’s seder at the Weiner house.

flourless choc2

This is the fucking bomb.  Like seriously, one of the best.  If my memory serves me right, when we were kids- Rachel- the entrepreneur- would sell these for Passover.  So when Jess P. said this was her favorite cake– even though I haven’t had Rachel’s in over a decade probably- I knew just who to ask for the recipe.  The lovely Dolores lent me her springform pan for this- but it was so good- that after this, I went out and bought by own– so I can make this again and again.

1/2 lb. [2 sticks] unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
8 oz unsweetened chocolate
4 oz semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup water
1-1/3 cup sugar
5 extra large eggs at room temperature

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1. Grease 9″ cakepan or springform pan [springform works best], and place a circle of parchment or waxed paper  on the bottom that has been cut to fit.  If waxed paper is used, grease that too- parchment paper doesn’t need greasing.
2. Chop both chocolates and set aside.
3. Combine the water w. one cup of the sugar in a heavy 2-quart saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat, and cook about 4 minutes, or to a temperature of 220 degrees.
4. Remove the saucepan from the heat, and immediately add the chocolate pieces, stirring until they are melted and smooth.  The mixture may “seize,” but that is all right.  It will blend once the butter is added.  Immediately start adding the butter, stirring gently until it is all melted in
5. Place the eggs and the remaining sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Start beating on high speed and continue until they are quite thick and pale yellow, and tripled in volume.  This takes about 15 minutes [watched some madmen to occupy myself through this]
6. Start mixing egg and sugar mixture at slow speed.  Add the chocolate mixture, stirring only until fully incorporated.
8. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan.  Set the pan inside a slightly larger pan, and pour boiling water around it.  Do not let the sides of the pans touch.
9.  Place in the oven and bake 25 minutes.  Insert a cake tester or point of a knife into the center of the cake.  If it comes out clean, the cake is done.  If not, continue cooking for up to 10 minutes longer.  Do not cook longer than a total of 35 minutes.
10.  Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes.  Run a sharp knife around the edge of the cake and unmold onto a cookie sheet.  Invert a serving plate over the cake, and turn it right side up.

Dust w. confectioner sugar.

Note: This cake may be eaten warm or cold, w. whipped cream and fresh fruit, or w. creme anglaise.

The texture of the cake will change if left overnight.  It is still good- but firmer.

 

(i should probably take a sexier picture of this— but really– what’s sexier than matzoh brei??)

Original Post- April 2011: Matzoh Brei. Takes about 5 mins to make. This passover dish– need not just be for holidays nor just for breakfast.  In fact, I enjoyed it for dinner a couple times last week. Top with whatever you like. Personally, I like cinnamon sugar, strawberry jam and maple syrup.  Yup, all three together.

3 eggs
3 sheets matzah- i like egg matzah

Break up the matzah into a colander.  Run it under hot water for 10-15 seconds. Press to get out excess water. Crack eggs in a medium bowl, whisk up. Add salt & pepper.  Add matzah into egg bowl. Mix up.  Heat skillet. Add tablespoon of butter.  Add egg/matzoh. Flip after a minute or so. Flip again. Might fall apart but just scramble around until eggs look done- just takes a few minutes.

Spaghetti Carbonara

15 Mar

carbonara_good

I last made this dish– and started a post on November 6, 2010 (ah, drafts box).  But, as tasty as this dish is, I was wholly unsatisfied with the picture– and it took me, oh, a few years to remake and reshoot. This dish is made to share— because it is basically a vat of bacons, egg and pasta– mmmm… Come to think of it– why isn’t this a more standard brunch dish?  What is great about this America’s Test Kitchen recipe– is that it does not use cream– it is has this ingenius method of heating a bowl, mixing in raw eggs, which cook as you mix them. Very clever guys.

America’s Test Kitchen recipe

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil [i know oil and bacon seems gratuitous but just do it]

1/2 pound bacon (6-8 slices), halved lengthwise, then cut crosswise into 1/4 inch pieces. [I only used 7 oz, because that’s what I had]
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 large eggs
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese [I really wanted to use both, but I am cheap and only bought Parm. Used 1 cup]
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese
3 small cloves garlic, minced
1 pound spaghetti
sea salt
ground black pepper
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set [big] heatproof serving bowl on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Bring 4 quarts water to rolling boil in large stockpot.

While water is heating, heat oil in large skillet over medium heat until shimmering, but not smoking. Add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and crisp. about 8 minutes. Add wine and simmer until alcohol aroma has cooked off and wine is slightly reduced 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. Beat eggs, cheeses, and garlic together with fork in small bowl; set aside.

When water comes to boil, add pasta and 1 tablespoon kosher salt; stir to separate pasta. Cook until al dente; reserve 1/3 cup pasta cooking water and drain pasta for about 5 seconds, leaving pasta slightly wet. Transfer drained pasta to warm serving bowl; if pasta appears dry, add some reserved cooking water and toss to moisten. Immediately pour egg mixture over hot pasta, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes or 3/4 teaspoon table salt; toss well to combine. Pour bacon mixture over pasta, season generously with black pepper, and toss well to combine. Garnish with basil and serve immediately.

[it starts to clump if don’t serve immediately. My serving bowl was way too small so mixed in the big pasta pot—which I figured was just as hot as the bowl I had sitting in the oven.]

 

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