Breakfast Eggs with Kale

Whoa, hello, world. Sorry I've been MIA. Too much weekend travel for this food blogger. After my college reunion this weekend, I look forward to spending more time cooking in Cambridge. Last weekend I was in the Berkshires to celebrate my dad's 60th birthday. My parents' garden is looking lovely: vibrant beds of young lettuce, lots of potato plants, tracts of garlic shoots. Much to my surprise, their kale was ready of picking. I associate kale with the beginning of autumn -- it's a hearty vegetable meant for darker, colder nights. I brought a large bag back with me and have been amazed at the tenderness of the leaves. You don't have to cook the life out of this kale. Rather, you can just saute it a little longer than you would spinach leaves.

I also had Berkshire free-range eggs and fresh ciabatta bread. I've been jonesing for Sunday brunchy eggs and so decided to make a healthful eggs benedict-like lunch dish. Toasted ciabatta is topped with sauteed kale, followed by a runny fried egg and a sprinkling of cheese. I added garlic, chili flakes, and red onion to the kale of a little extra kick. Some nice variations on this might be: adding chopped kalamata olives to the kale or replacing the ciabatta with a toasted slice of your favorite bread.

Breakfast Eggs with Kale
serves 2

• 4 T olive oil
  
• 5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
• 1/4 t. red chili flakes
• 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
• 5 c. chopped kale (I used cavalo nero), large stems removed
• 2 slices toasted ciabatta
  
• 2 eggs
• Parmesan for sprinkling

In a large frying pan, heat 2 T of oil over med-high heat. Add garlic, chili flakes, and onion, sauteing until onion is soft, about 4 minutes. Add kale and continue to saute. Using tongs makes it easier to evenly cook the kale until wilted, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove kale from pan and set aside. Stick bread in the toaster. Over high heat, heat another 2 T of oil in the same pan. When hot, add eggs and fry 2 minutes per side so that yolk is still runny.

To assemble, place one slice of toast on a plate. Top with half of the kale, followed by an egg. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and eat immediately!

Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich

I've never been a big fan of breakfast. I rather sleep 10 more minutes and just grab a cup of coffee on my way to school or work. But I've been trying to reform and the only way to do that is to have breakfast become so enticing that I wake up looking forward to it. Here's my favorite of late: avocado, tomato, and lemon mayo with a fried egg. Not only does this sandwich always feel a bit indulgent, but it only takes 5 minutes to make and the price is right. Mere dollars for such a satisfying start to the day.

On that note, I'm going to start adding tags about time and price for the dishes. When I think about the student budget, it encompasses more than just a frugality of funds, but also a squeeze on time. I hope none of the dishes I include on the SE will ever be more than $20 total and will never take more than 30 minutes of active time. Enjoy!

Egg Breakfast Sandwich with Tomato, Avocado, and Lemony Mayo

For each sandwich you will need:

• 1 English muffin, toasted
• 1/2 avocado
• 1 fried egg
• 1 thick slice tomato
• 1 T mayo
• zest of 1/2 lemon
• ample salt and pepper
• olive oil for cooking the egg
  

If you don't have a toaster, throw the English muffin under the broiler in your oven. Meanwhile, heat a small skillet over high heat. When hot, pour in about 1 T olive oil. When the olive oil is shiny hot, break in the egg. Cook until whites have thickened but top of the egg is still runny, about 2 minutes. Flip egg and turn off heat. In a small bowl, mix together mayo and lemon zest. When muffin is toasted, use a knife to spread the avocado on one side. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with egg, followed by the tomato slice. Salt tomato slice too. Spread lemony mayo on the top muffin half. Voila!

A Simple Chinese Dinner

Although I lived in China for two years, I am always embarrassed to admit that I didn't learn to cook many Chinese dishes while I was there. There were too many delicious and cheap restaurants to make cooking and washing dishes even vaguely appealing. However, I wanted to make sure I had some favorites under my belt, so I arranged for our ai-yi (housekeeper) to show us how to make some classics: eggs with tomatoes and baby bok choy with mushrooms and oyster sauce. These recipes are simple and quick, as well as perfect for the student budget. The only crazy ingredient involved is the oyster sauce, which can be found at Whole Foods or an Asian market. It's also delicious drizzled on steamed broccoli or stir fried bean sprouts with a fried egg on top. In a pinch, you can omit the oyster sauce and season the vegetables with a little soy sauce and sesame oil to taste. My best advice to you is to eat the dishes hot hot hot -- Chinese food just doesn't do well when served cold. The quantities below serve two people. You might also want to make some rice to go along with everything. I recently discovered that Trader Joe's sells brown rice frozen that cooks in 3 minutes in the microwave.

A special thanks to my friend Chrissy for being a wonderful Chef #2 last night!

Egg and Tomato

Staples: salt, pepper, vegetable oil (peanut or canola). Olive oil is OK too in a pinch.

• 4 eggs, whisked with a fork

I usually opt for 4 egg whites and 2 yolks to tame the cholesterol.

• 1 t dry vermouth
• 1/2 t sugar
• 1 c chopped tomato, about 2 plum tomatoes
• optional: MSG
  

Whisk vermouth into eggs. Set aside. Heat a large frying pan (or wok, if you have one) over high heat. Add 2 T oil and heat. When oil is hot and shiny, but not smoking, pour in eggs. As soon as eggs begin to set, push them to the side of the pan and pour the tomatoes into the empty space. Sprinkle on sugar and MSG, if using. Give the tomatoes a few stirs and then fold into the eggs, flipping over once or twice to fully cook. If not using MSG, season with salt now. Remove eggs and tomatoes to a bowl and cover with a plate to keep warm.

Baby Bok Choy with Mixed Mushrooms in Oyster Sauce

Staples: vegetable oil (peanut or canola). Olive oil is OK too in a pinch.

• about 8 baby bok choy, washed well and cut in half or into quarters wedges
  
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1/2 lb mixed mushrooms, I used a combination of oyster and button
• 1 1/2 T oyster sauce

Rinse out the pan used above and wipe down with a paper towel. Return to heat and over high heat again add 2 T oil. When oil is hot and shiny, but not smoking, add garlic and stir for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add baby bok choy and reduce heat to medium, stirring to incorporate garlic. Cover and cook for about 2 minutes, checking to make sure nothing is burning. Now add the mushrooms and stir a couple of times. Cover again and cook until baby bok choy is tender and the mushrooms have released their moisture. Remove from heat and pour on oyster sauce. Serve immediately.

Shakshouka!

Whoa, that's a mouthful! I first discovered this Middle Eastern breakfast staple at the inimitable Sofra Bakery and Cafe in Watertown, MA. I worship the chef Ana Sortun and this wonderful dish only adds to her allure. The recipe came by way of Libya and consists of tomatoes, onions, garlic and spices in which whole eggs are poached until just cooked. This version is inspired by the recipe I found on Saveur , though I have amended it to more closely resemble the version at Sofra by pureeing the vegetables before poaching the eggs.

I love to eat this for dinner, though obviously it is delicious for any meal of the day. I add a little Sriracha for some heat, but you can also try fresh or pickled jalapenos or a dash of cayenne. If you want to include some more vegetables, add some diced green bell pepper after you have browned the onions. This dish is quite dramatic served in a skillet at the table with some warm pita bread. (TIP: if you freeze fresh pita and then toss it back into the microwave for 30 seconds you can really stretch its longevity.) If you aren't cooking for anyone but yourself, you can also freeze half of the tomato mixture and use it another time.

My mother brings me amazing multicolored eggs from The Berkshires. If you can find a source for local eggs, buy them! Trust me, you can taste the difference.

Shakshouka
after Saveur

Staples: olive oil, salt and pepper
Special equipment: a frying pan, skillet, or small pan that can be put in the oven

• 1 small-medium yellow onion roughly chopped
  
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled and whacked a couple of times to squish
• 1 t cumin
• 1 T paprika
• 1 can diced fire roasted tomatoes
• fresh local eggs

In a large skillet (cast iron is amazing, if you have one), saute the onions in 3-4 T olive oil over med-high heat until soft. Add the garlic and continue sauteing until fragrant. Add the cumin and paprika and keep stirring for another minute. Add the tomatoes with all their juice. At this point, you can also add your spice of choice if you want some heat. Reduce heat so that the mixture simmers gently until it has thickened (about 15-20 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Scoop everything into a blender and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

Return puree to the skillet and over medium heat bring the it back to a simmer. Turn on the oven broiler. Make as many small wells in the bubbling sauce as eggs you plan to use. Make sure to space them so that the eggs do not run together, though it isn't the end of the world if they do. Gently crack eggs into wells. Simmer until eggs begin to set. You will see the whites start to thicken after about 4-5 minutes. Place skillet under the broiler for 1-2 minutes or until desired doneness is reached. Spoon the eggs with sauce into small bowls and serve with warm pita.