Poached Egg on a Bed of Leeks

There are few things that I find as satisfying as a poached egg. The whites curl around the orange-yellow yolk like a perfect pillow or packaged present.

I get such pleasure of breaking the yolk, seeing its buttery gold run over the other ingredients, which is probably akin to breaking the crème brûlée crust for dessert lovers.

A typical Saturday breakfast for me is simple: toast, poached egg, and a guest ingredient. There are many delicious varieties to the guest attending breakfast: arugula, bacon, toasted nuts, or, of course, leeks. Leeks are mild cousins to onions and garlic and, like its relatives, best with butter.

Ingredients:
One leek
One tablespoon of butter
One slice of whole wheat bread
One fresh egg
Salt and Pepper (white and black, if you have both)

While I am making my stove-top coffee a la perculation, I get a small pot to simmer with a dash of salt for the egg. Then pop my bread to toast.

Leeks:
Cut the leek lengthwise to wash under cold water the grit and sand away in the drain. Then chop the leek into about 1/4 inch bits that look like stamps and confetti. I cut most of the white, tender green, and only a bit of the more fibrous dark green. Dispose the ends. Heat in a small skillet a tablespoon of good quality butter on a low heat and saute the leeks, making sure not to brown them, but slowly cook them. During this process I add a very little pinch of white pepper, which has a nice ashy taste, but not so nice if done in excess. Put the leeks on the toast, awaiting the egg.

The Egg:
Crack the new egg in a small bowl or container (I use a glass tumbler). When the small pot is simmering, take a slotted spoon and make a whirlpool in the pot by turning it clockwise or otherwise. While the water is still twirling, drop the egg into the center. The water should wrap most of the egg white around the yolk. (Mine often does not if the whirlpool is not timed right) Make sure that the water does not overboil. Wait about 2 minutes for the white to cook around the yolk, but for the yolk to remain uncooked. After examining it, take the little pillow poached egg with a slotted spoon and place it on top of the toast and leaks.

Finish with a bit of salt and black pepper on the egg. I like to cut into the yolk first with a dangerous knife.

Plum and Pecan Arugula Salad with Blood Orange Toss

I thought that I would do something special with these Chilean red plums that were speaking in tongues: "Eat me, Nicole..."

2 Red Plums

2 c. of Baby Arugula

Peppered Goat Cheese

Red Onion (less than half)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 Blood Orange

Spiced, Sweet Pecans [½ c. raw halved pecans, tandoori spice, sugar, and salt]

Salt & Pepper

Spiced, Sweet Pecans:

Dry roast the pecans in a sauce pan swirling it around until you can smell the nut. Sprinkle a bit of sugar and a dash of salt, swirl it around and avoid burning it outright. Dust it with tandoori spice. It should be a balance of sweet, salty and spicy that is light and not candied like caramel corn. Keep it simple.

Plum and Pecan Arugula Salad:

Begin with 2 c. baby arugula. I recommend organic baby arugula because it is peppery and not as green tasting as other arugula. Dice the red plums and add them to the arugula. Crush the spiced, sweet pecans in. Then, cut the blood orange in half and reserve the other half for the toss. With the other half, cut come slices that look like blood moons. Take apart the orange sections and add them to the salad. Cut some red onion and let them soak in water to mellow the taste. Add them to the salad. Then comes the toss:

Blood Orange Toss:

Squeeze the blood orange juice on top of the salad, add about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, and crumble peppered goat cheese. Toss it with your hands (or a spoon) and add salt and pepper to your taste.

Adjust anything as you see fit. These are approximate measures for an approximate world.

Cauliflower & Red Potatoes with Mustard and Goat Cheese

I made a pretty good side dish, so I thought that I would share it with you.

"What to do with you... what to do with you, Mr. Cauliflower?"

Cauliflower
Red Potatoes
Shallots
Dijon Mustard [2 Tablespoons]
Olive Oil [1 Tablespoon]
Salt & Pepper [to your taste]
Roast Seasoning [Dash]
Garlic Powder [to your taste]
Goat Cheese [Crumbles]

I tossed the potatoes and cauliflower with the mustard, olive oil, and seasonings. I put it in the oven at 400 degrees for about 40 minutes. After the first twenty minutes, I added the shallots (you can probably substitute with scallions). After the potatoes are tender and cooked through (and the cauliflower is roasted-crispy), add some goat cheese, toss it around with a tiny fork. Then, when serving, put some fresh, cool goat cheese crumbles.

Chicken Soup for the Sickly Soul

Just in time for being sick, I made some chicken soup earlier this week. My chicken soup is usually working with what I have on hand. Of course you can adapt it to what you have as well.

2 slices of chicken breast
Some rice with saffron seasoning (I measure with my hand)
3 medium carrots
1 large onion
Some celery
2-3 cloves of garlic
Tomato
Greek oregano
Garlic powder
Lowry’s salt
Pepper
Olive oil


POT: Do the mire poix shuffle: one tablespoon of olive oil to sautée onions, carrots, celery, and a hunky tablespoon of tomato paste after the veggies have sautéd a bit. Then add oregano, garlic powder, little bit of Lowry’s salt, and pepper. Add water on medium heat.

PAN: On a separate pan, I put sliced garlic with some olive oil until it lightly browns, take away the garlic and add it to the soup. Then use the remaining garlic olive oil to brown the chicken breast and cook it through. When rested, I strip the chicken and add it to the soup pot. Then I also add some rice with saffron seasoning (found at many stores) to the boiling pot of soup.

Back to POT: Add seasoning for appropriate taste. Also, in the last five minutes of cooking, add a diced tomato.

Bowl it up. Should make about 2 ½ quarts of soup or so.

I would have taken a picture but my camera has closed its shutter, fluttered, and died.