How to Boil an Egg

There is more than one way to boil an egg. Some people swear by poking a pinhole in the top of an egg before boiling. Others say to bring the water to a boil first, and then add the eggs.

I consulted two hard-boiled experts, my mother and grandmother. This is how they cook them:

Place eggs in pan, cover with cool water.
Bring water to a gentle boil. Cover and remove from heat.
Let sit for 12-15minutes.
Plunge cooked eggs in ice water to cool.

I found this egg peeling tip on www.deviledeggs.com (yes, there is a website just for deviled eggs). Once the egg has cooled, gently crack it all around, and then reemerge it in the cold water for a few minutes. The shell should come off easily.

Eggs!

Eggs are nature’s perfect little package of protein. At around 70 calories each, eggs are also a good source of vitamins (B, A, E) minerals (selenium), choline (linked with preserving memory) and carotenoids. And you’ve got to love the price. A dozen of regular eggs check in under $2. So called “designer” eggs run as much as $5, but are still a bargain considering a family of four can get two meals out of a carton.

The breed of a hen determines the color of the eggshell. Ashley Loeher of Germantown Community Farms in New York said it is their Araucana hens that are responsible for the beautiful blue eggs they sell (no Easter egg dye needed for these).

Katie Bogdanffy of Feather Ridge said they primarily raise Rhode Island Reds, which produce brown eggs. They also have Leghorn chickens, (now I know how Foghorn Leghorn got his name) which produce white eggs.

What a hen eats determines the color of the yolk. A free-range hen’s egg yolk will change with the seasons. In the spring/summer free-range hens’ yolks are bright orange in color and especially tasty (and packed with more vitamins than a pale-yellow yolk).

I think it is important to pay attention to what our food is being fed—garbage in, garbage out. Conversely, good stuff in, good stuff out. Case in point, the farmers at Feather Ridge feed some of their chickens flax seeds. The result: eggs that have 350 mg of Omega 3’s per egg. Feather Ridge also mills all the grains they feed their hens. I like that.

Health wise, eggs sometimes get a bad rap. The thinking on the health value of eggs has flip-flopped. Once deemed a cholesterol-raising nightmare, scientists are now telling us that eggs may not be the culprit (trans fats are the offender du jour). Stick around a few more years, and I’m sure we’ll hear something else. Everything in moderation is my motto, though this week, my husband and I have not been moderate about our egg consumption.

Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution

I’m not much for reality TV, but I do plan to watch Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Friday night.

From Oliver’s site, “I believe that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food. Too many people are being affected by what they eat. It’s time for a national revolution. America needs to stand up for better food!”

If you have a second, go to his site, sign his petition and support his healthy eating initiative.

Sign the Food Revolution petition here.

Korean Scallion Pancake With Soaked Flour

I’ve been soaking almost all my flour these day. Apparently it neutralize phytic acid, which interferes with the absorption of certain minerals and vitamins. Read all about it here.

This recipe is adapted from http://koreanfood.about.com.

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups water
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
1 teaspoon sea salt
Olive or coconut oil for cooking


Method

  • In a large bowl, mix flour, yogurt and 1.5 cups of water.
  • Cover and place in warm place for 12-24 hours. (Your counter top will do).
  • Add eggs. This is a little tricky, since the flour mixture has already bonded together. I just use my hands, though a mixer would probably do the trick. The batter should be a bit runny so that it will spread evenly in the pan. If it is too thick, add water.
  • Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and coat with a thin layer of oil.
  • Pour batter to fill pan in a thin layer.
  • Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until set and golden brown on bottom.
  • Flip and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add more oil for each pancake, if necessary.
  • Serve with spicy dipping sauce.

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer.

Spicy Scallion Pancake Dipping Sauce
This is as basic as it gets. Mix equal parts of soy sauce and hot chile sauce like Sriracha. If you want it less spicy, cut back on the Siracha. Dip away!?

Bi Bim Bop

My husband and I moved from Brooklyn to the Hudson Valley a few years ago. We traded the plethora of ethnic food restaurants for rolling hills and fresh air. We’ve been trying to fill that void by making many ethnic meals ourselves. This dish is a combination from my taste memory for our favorite place in Koreatown and what we happen to have in the fridge. Feel free to substitute the vegetables with whatever you have on hand.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds ground beef (local and/or grass-fed preferred)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
2 cups kale, chopped
1 cup zucchini, chopped to match stick size
5 to 6 garlic cloves
1 to 2 tablespoons fresh grated ginger (Tip: I keep ginger in a plastic bag in the freezer. It never clogs up the grater when it is frozen.)
1 cup bean sprouts
1 teaspoon turmeric (optional, I just add it to most things)
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 to 3 teaspoons chili sauce, such as Sriracha
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame seeds (toasted)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 cups cooked rice
4 eggs
Sea salt

Method

  • Preheat oven to 400º F, place large, heavy pot with a lid (cast iron, enamel or ceramic) in oven while preheating.
  • Add a pinch of sea salt to ground beef and brown in a large sauté pan, drain grease and set aside.
  • Add olive oil and onions to sauté pan. Add kale and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes.
  • Add mushrooms, zucchini and garlic, continue to sauté.
  • In a small bowl, mix together turmeric, soy sauce, honey, chili sauce and vinegar. Add mixture to vegetables.
  • Remove the now hot pot from the oven and add 2 teaspoons of sesame oil to it and then add the cooked rice. You are trying to get a nice crust going on the rice.
  • Place the pot back in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Add the ground beef over the rice, then the vegetables. Be sure to get all of the sauce from the sauté pan.
  • Cook for 15 minutes.
  • Crack four eggs over the top of the dish, return to oven, cover and cook for 5 to 8 minutes (or until the egg whites are opaque).

Serve with homemade kimchi and Sriracha.

Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

This is a modification of my husband’s recipe. For one, he would never use brown rice in jambalaya (or gumbo). I like making dishes more nutritious when I can, so I always like to use brown rice. He also always uses Tony Chachere’s Seasoning. I used plain old cayenne pepper, black pepper and salt. He also uses fewer tomatoes. Other than that, the recipes are exactly the same!

Ingredients

1 pound of andouille sausage sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, chopped
1 medium green bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I like a bit of spice, so I use 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt
6 to 8 cloves of garlic, minced
26 ounces of chopped tomatoes with their juice (or two cans)
3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups of shrimp stock or water
1 pound of medium shrimp, peeled
2 cups of long grain brown rice

Method

  • Brown sausage, set aside.
  • Place oil and onions in a 6- or 7-quart Dutch oven or large pot (with a lid). Cook onions over medium heat until translucent. Add bell pepper, celery and seasoning and cook for about 5 minutes.
  • Add garlic, tomatoes and tomato paste, continue to cook over medium heat and stir until combined.
  • Add 3 cups of shrimp stock or water and bring to a boil.
  • Add sausage and shrimp and stir.
  • Stir in rice, cover and turn down heat to medium-low to low.
  • Keep covered and simmer for 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender.
  • If there is still liquid in the dish, remove lid and continue to cook, stirring often until the liquid has reduced.

Serve with large slab of cornbread. Yum!

Serves four to six.

Maple Syrup Bread Pudding

Often referred to as “Poor Man’s Pudding,” bread pudding is the epitome of a frugal cooking. Rather than throwing stale bread away, it can be transformed to a wonderful ending to a meal.

Ingredients
5 cups of bread (any bread will do but a stale rustic loaf is best)
1 cups of milk or cream
1 cup of maple syrup
3 tablespoons of butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup of walnuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
dash salt

Method

  • Preheat oven to 375º
  • Butter a 9″ x 5” loaf pan.
  • Cut bread into one-inch cubes.
  • Add bread to pan and dot with 3 tablespoons of butter.
  • Bake for 15 minutes.
  • Mix milk, maple syrup, eggs, cinnamon, walnuts and salt and pour over heated bread.
  • Return to the oven and bake again for 30-40 minutes

Serve warm or cold, as is or top with fresh whipped cream.

Serves 6

Maple Pralines (without white sugar)

If you are in Louisiana, you call these “praw-leens.” I’m from Virginia with parents from Georgia and Alabama and I say “pray-leens,” which makes my husband wince. Originally from France and made with almonds, these addictive treats are ubiquitous in the French Quarter. There, they most certainly say “praw-leens.”

I’m on a bit of a no refined white sugar kick. That certainly doesn’t mean that I’m not eating anything sweet! I’ve been substituting maple syrup and honey whenever I can. Using maple syrup is not a free license to scarf the whole batch. Each candy contains about 65 calories, so don’t go overboard like I did. I made a batch to send to my sister-in-law for her birthday. After I got through my “quality control” tasting, I realized there wasn’t much left! Oops.

The New Orleans style pralines are made with pecans, but substitute other nuts if you like. You’ll need a candy thermometer for this. You can pick up one at a kitchen supply store or, if your grocery store has a kitchen tool section, you can often find them there. I saw one the other day for $7.

Click here for a maple turtle recipe.

Ingredients
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup of pecans, chopped
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Method

  • Combine the cream, butter and maple syrup in the saucepan. Stir until well mixed.
  • Cook over medium heat. You may gently swish sauce, but don’t stir. Heat until temperature reaches 240º F, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • Line a sheet pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it.
  • Remove saucepan from the heat and let the mixture stand for a couple of minutes. Stir in pecans.
  • Drop small spoonfuls of mixture onto parchment. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Cool. Eat, yum!

Makes 18.

Maple Turtles (without white sugar)

Recently, I was very happy to discover that you can make caramel using maple syrup and no refined white sugar. Yippy!

I also found out that the only different between my maple turtles and my maple pralines, is in the stirring. When you stir caramel, it crystallizes and changes the texture. If you don’t stir, it remains smooth.

You’ll need a candy thermometer for this.

Ingredients
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup of pecans or walnuts
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Method

  • Combine the cream, butter and maple syrup in the saucepan. Stir until well mixed.
  • Cook over medium heat. You may gently swish sauce, but don’t stir. Heat until temperature reaches 245° F, 10 to 15 minutes.
  • While the mixture is heating, line a sheet pan with parchment paper and lightly grease it.
  • Arrange pecans or walnuts in groups of three or four on the lined sheet pan.
  • Remove saucepan from the heat.
  • Drop small spoonfuls of caramel over the pecans. It will spread, so do a little at a time. You can go back and add more caramel once the first spoonful has set. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Cool. Eat, yum!

Makes 18.

Pan Roasted Pork Chops with Maple Orange Sauce

If you haven’t noticed, it’s maple syrup season around here. I am very excited about this. I am awed by the fact that you can make something so delicious from tree sap. Did you know it takes 30-40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of syrup? Lucky for you we have lots of local farmers who take care of that part.

Ingredients
4 pork chops, 1 inch thick (I use bone-in but boneless is fine)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/4 cup orange juice
Salt, pepper

Method

  • Mix orange juice, minced garlic and 1/4 cup of maple syrup. Pour over pork and marinate for at least 20 minutes.
  • Heat olive oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add pork chops (reserve marinade), salt and pepper each side.
  • Cook for a minute, turn and cook other side for a minute.
  • Turn heat down to medium-low. Cover and cook for 3-5 minutes a side until internal temperature reaches 140º to 150º
  • Remove from skillet and set aside.
  • Add marinade to skillet.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of maple syrup
  • Heat over medium-high heat until sauce reduces and starts to thicken about 3-4 minutes, stir constantly. It will be a nice dark brown color.
  • Pour sauce over pork chops. Serve with a fresh salad or roasted vegetables.

Serves Four.

May Y’all: Chicken Gumbo

This is my husband’s recipe.

Ingredients
2 pounds of chicken thighs (skin on/off and boneless choices are up to you)
2 pounds andouille or hot smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup oil (either use the drippings from the sausage or add olive oil)
1 stick of butter
1 cup flour
2 large onions, chopped
2 bell peppers, chopped
4 ribs celery, chopped
4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
4 quarts chicken stock
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, or cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 bunch scallions, chopped
Filé powder (dried sassafras) to taste
Cooked rice (enough for 12 servings)

Method

  • In a large heavy gauge pot, brown the sausage, drain off most of the drippings and reserve. Keep a little in the pan for the chicken. Set sausage aside.
  • In same pot, over medium-high heat, brown chicken thighs for 7 to 8 minutes each side. Set aside.
  • For your roux, heat the oil and butter until melted and then slowly add flour. Stir constantly over medium heat, until the roux reaches a dark brown color (this may take 20 to 30 minutes). If it burns even slightly, throw it out and start over again.
  • Add the vegetables and stir quickly. Continue to cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes.
  • Add the stock, vinegar, seasonings, chicken (you can either add the chicken thighs whole, or cut them into pieces) and sausage. Simmer for about an hour. Try not to let the gumbo boil, or the roux might break (separate) and nobody wants a broken roux.
  • Add the chopped scallions and heat for 5 minutes.
  • Serve over rice in large shallow bowls.
  • Sprinkle filé powder in each bowl.

Accompany with crusty French bread.

Serves 12.

Basic Cajun Roux

In Cajun country, roux making is apparently a sign of prowess. In college, my husband’s friend, Brian, was accosted by a couple of drunken fellows looking to cause trouble. They hurled insults and Brian did his best to ignore them. Then, they finally struck a nerve, “May, I bet you don’t even know how to make a roux.” In Cajun country, my friends, those are fighting words.

A good roux is the basis for many Cajun dishes. Ask any Cajun and they will give you a detailed description of how they make it.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter or oil
1/2 cup flour

Method:

  • Heat oil (or butter) in a heavy skillet over low heat.
  • Slowly sprinkle the flour in a little at a time, stirring constantly.
  • Stir constantly until it turns a deep chocolate brown (this may take 20 to 30 minutes). If it burns even slightly, throw it out and start over again.
  • Use in dishes that call for basic roux.

Preserved Lemon Mini Biscuits

I got the idea to add preserved lemon to biscuits from the Serious Eats blog. They did a wafer version with parm cheese. I made more of a biscuit. I made some biscuits with blue cheese and some with cheddar. I couldn’t decide which I liked better. The blue cheese ones are saltier, but also more complex. The cheddar ones are a bit lemonier. I say make a batch of each.

These make great hors d’ouves.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon (about 1/2 small preserved lemon)
2 cup grated cheddar or crumbled blue cheese
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour.
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Method

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F.
  • Place the chopped preserved lemon pieces in a mesh strainer, and rinse. Be sure to remove seeds.
  • Mix together the lemon pieces, cheese, and parsley. Knead until it forms a well-mixed dough ball.
  • Break off small pieces (about a teaspoon) and roll into bite-size balls. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and press down on each ball slightly.
  • Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden.
  • Allow to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes about 16 mini biscuits.

Preserved Lemons

Preserved lemons are my new favorite things. They are much lemonier than a regular lemons and have a mildly tart and lightly salty taste. They are traditionally used in Moroccan cuisine but I’ve been throwing them into about everything from soup to birthday cakes!

This recipe is modified from Epicurious.com

Ingredients
5 organic lemons (use myers lemons if you can find them)
1/4 -1/2 cup salt
Freshly squeezed lemon juice (you may need a little extra)

1-quart mason jar

Method

  • Cut 1/4 inch off the tip of each lemon. Quarter the lemons from the top to within 1/2 inch of the bottom (keep the lemon attached at the base). Sprinkle salt inside the lemon.
  • Place 1 tablespoon salt on the bottom of a 1-quart mason jar. Add a couple of lemons and pack down. Sprinkle with salt, then add more lemons. Press the lemons down to release their juices. Once all the lemons are added and pressed, if there isn’t enough lemon juice to completely cover the lemons. Add more.
  • Set the lemons in a warm place and shake the jar each day to distribute the salt and juice.
  • Let stand for 30 days, yep, one month. Remember, patience is a virtue.
  • Rinse each lemon before use.
  • Preserved lemons will keep for up to a year. I keep mine in the fridge but apparently they are fine at room temperature.