Tag Archive for 'eggs'

Crustless Quiche

Published on July 14, 2011 in eggs and Main Courses. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , .

My lazy-cooking-style summer continues…the other day, I felt like quiche (eating it, not actually *like* it, as if I were quiche). Anyway, I felt like having quiche, but those frozen crusts (and all their fat/lard content) were putting me off and the thought of making my own was making my head hurt, so I did the next best thing, which was to just forget about the crust. Genius! Of course, then, technically, it’s not quiche anymore, but I was okay with that. Plus I got to use my spankin’ new ramekins. So they had now become individual-serving crustless non-quiches. Who doesn’t love a little individual serving type deal? No one, that’s who.

And while I used broccoli and cheddar because that’s what I had lying about, you can really mix things up here and try a spinach/feta combo or a zucchini/mozzarella/Parmesan combo or hey, why not a mushroom/roquefort combo to really jazz up your life? (Yes, the fact that the use of a blue cheese is what I consider to be something that could possibly “jazz up” one’s life is quite pathetic. In my defense, it’s summer and it’s hot. And I’m trying to plan a 3-year old’s birthday party, which is and will be a story for another day).

So, go with what you have. Don’t worry about it. And don’t worry that this isn’t really quiche either. Just be glad you don’t have to make a crust.

Crustless Quiche

Adadpted from Martha Stewart

Butter (for ramekins)
1-1/4 cups (10 ounces) fresh or frozen broccoli florets
6 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup (3 ounces) sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350º/180ºC. Butter four 8-ounce ramekins (or a 9-inch pie dish). Bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil; add salt and broccoli; blanch for one minute. Drain well, blot dry and give it a coarse chop.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, thyme and nutmeg. Stir in broccoli and cheese.

Ladle the mixture into ramekins and bake on a small rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the tops are a nice golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.

Granola

Published on May 23, 2011 in Breakfast and Kids. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .


I’ve been meaning to post this for awhile now. Especially in the summer months when you don’t much feel like eating a heavy breakfast, granola mixed in with some Greek yogurt (which gives you a good dose of protein to start the day) and fresh berries is delicious, healthy and light. Many years ago my oldest sister, Alicia, who has coined many words and expressions (yes, my family has our own language; is that weird?), dubbed this concoction “grunge.” FYI, this was pre-Nirvana, so don’t look for any Seattle-based tormented rock star connection because there isn’t one.

Anyhoo, the great thing about this is that it’s super healthy (low-fat, oil-free, maple syrup-sweetened), but it doesn’t sacrifice flavor because of all the goodies in there like walnuts, coconut and cranberries. And you can whip up a big batch, store it in an airtight container and you’ve got breakfast locked up for a few weeks (or a couple days if my husband gets ahold of it for a little late-night snacking). And it’s great for kids too.

And like so many things I make, you can tailor it to your likes and/or cupboard contents. Some other ideas: almonds, pecans, dried apricots, banana chips, dried strawberries, dried cherries, sesame seeds; spices like nutmeg, ginger or even a little black pepper; replace some of the maple syrup with honey, blackstrap molasses or brown rice syrup. Just mix it up (literally) and make it your own.

Low-Fat Coconut Cranberry Granola

2 cups organic oats
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pepitas
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup ground flax seed
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut (I used reduced fat because that’s what I had)
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 300ºF/150ºC. Mix the dry ingredients (with the exception of the coconut) in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites, water, vanilla and cinnamon. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix well. Spread the mixture on a Silpat- or parchment-lined cooke sheet. Toast for 35-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to break up the mixture. In the last 5 minutes, add the coconut, stir to combine and return to the oven. It’s done when everything is lightly browned and crunchy. Remove and cool. Store in an airtight container. Will keep for a couple weeks.

Meet Me in Paris

Published on May 10, 2011 in Chocolate and Desserts. 0 Comments Tags: , , , .

I hosted book club last Wednesday night, and we had a big French feast in honor of the book we read, The Paris Wife. I may not have mentioned this, but our book club (now in its third incarnation) has a history of cooking in the style of whatever the subject of the book is. So, when we read The Master and Margarita, it was Russian food. Snow, Turkish. You get the gist.

So, I lucked out with The Paris Wife. It’s the fictional autobiography of Ernest Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley Richardson — sort of the flip side of A Moveable Feast (my all-time favorite book, which has been completely re-edited which I had no idea about* and am really miffed that whoever borrowed my copy of the old version has not returned it so I can do a side-by-side comparison…sorry, had to get that off my chest), although not remotely as good or written by, you know, a genius.

It doesn’t really matter though because we hardly talked about the book; it was just nice to catch up with old friends and have a few glasses of wine and some hearty French fare.

To recap, here’s the menu:

  • Lillet & soda with a twist of lime
  • Cheeses:  Fourme d’Ambert (a classic mild blue cheese from the Auvergne region) Abbaye de Tamie  (a raw cow’s milk cheese; creamy, but with a nutty complex flavor) and Comte (hard cow’s milk cheese made in the Swiss style in honor of the time they spent in Switzerland in the book), Nicoise olives and cornichons
  • Shaved Fennel, Apple & Parmesan Salad
  • Boeuf Bourguignon with Roasted Rosemary Potatoes
  • Chocolate Mousse

    • Let’s start with dessert, shall we? It’s my favorite part, especially if it involves chocolate. Chocolate mousse is one of those recipes that has many different versions. Some have butter, some don’t. Some, whipped cream; some not. The recipe I’ve always used is one from my sister’s French teacher (the same lady who bestowed this gift on us), so I’m assuming it’s authentic, well, because she was French. Of course, Julia Child’s recipe is completely different and while she wasn’t French, she certainly was schooled in the art of French cooking (get it? That was a cookbook joke. Cookbook jokes? How sad.).

    But this go around, I actually ended up revising the recipe. I used dark chocolate with 70% cacao instead of the semi-sweet chocolate chips it calls for. This ended up making things a bit heavier, so I felt rather than just use whipped cream as a garnish, I’d take a page from Julia and mix some into the chocolate mixture to lighten things up a bit. I also should’ve melted the chocolate first instead of just breaking it up and adding the hot espresso mixture to it (with the chips, the heat of the espresso is sufficient to completely melt the chocolate, but that wasn’t the case with the 70%, which left a bit of texture in the mix, which everyone actually liked, but bothered me to no end).

    Despite my nitpicking, I will say it tasted great — rich, dense, very chocolatey, but not too sweet. A perfect way to end a perfect night with friends. Can’t wait for the next meal…I mean, book.

    Notes: This makes six semi-restrained servings or four big ones, but after the meal we had, semi-restrained was perfect. If you don’t have the creme de cacao, don’t worry. It’s fine without.

    Chocolate Mousse

    6 ounces 70% cacao dark chocolate, melted
    1/3 cup very hot espresso (or very strong coffee)
    2 tablespoons creme de cacao
    4 eggs at room temperature, separated
    Pinch of salt
    1 cup heavy whipping cream
    Sugar, to taste

    In a blender or with a hand mixer, mix chocolate and espresso at high speed for 30 seconds. Add liqueur and yolks. Blend 30 seconds.

    In a clean, dry bowl, beat egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Fold chocolate mixture into the egg whites carefully.

    In metal bowl, beat the whipping cream until fluffy. Fold most of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture, reserving about 1/2 cup for garnish. To the reserved cream, blend in sugar to taste; cover and refrigerate.

    Spoon the mousse into glasses or ramekins. Chill for at least two hours or overnight. Serve garnished with remaining whipped cream.

    * This new version is not necessarily the “correct” version or Hemingway’s true vision, as it was edited by the grandson of his second wife. Some say it’s been edited to shine a more favorable light on her. Hmm. I’ll still probably read it.

    Leek & Goat Cheese Tart

    Published on March 21, 2011 in eggs, French and Main Courses. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , , .


    I have an announcement to make. I’ve signed up for this, well, I don’t what else to call it except a diet competition. It’s called Game On, and a bunch of my friends have played it a few times. I never have, but as a part of my “health kick” (see here and here; yes, that’s about as far as I got), I’ve decided I’ve got to mix things up a bit. So, yeah, the whole controlled food intake thing is about to start happening around here — controlled being the operative word. The good news it’s only for four weeks. The bad news is butter is not allowed.

    So what better way to kick off a serious health kick than with a last supper, so to speak? One that involves copious amounts of butter. I’ve been itching to make my own savory pie crust (or pâte brisée, which can be made with or without sugar, fyi), but have either been too lazy or intimidated. Well, I’m here to tell you that it’s freakishly easy. Admittedly, I had to make it in two batches because I only have a Cuisinart Mini Prep (and not a full-sized food processor), but it turned out great. You do have to keep an eye on the dough as it’s coming together as you don’t want too much water and you don’t want to overmix it. But it’s really really easy and takes about 5 minutes to make. Flour, butter, salt + ice water = MAGIC.

    And then there’s the filling. I went just a little crazy with the butter here, but I’m thinking you could easily cut the butter in half and/or substitute some olive oil (although not all because you really need some butter in there). And did you notice my restraint in using whole milk rather than heavy cream? The leeks just kind of melt down into mellow stewy deliciousness. Combine that with the tangy bite from the goat cheese and the flaky, crumbly crust, and you’ve got a killer combination of goodness. And not a bad way to kick off a butter-free existence for the next four weeks.

    Don’t worry, I won’t bore you with recipes for salad. I’m actually hoping I’ll come up with some new and healthy recipes that will still taste good (plus, you get one meal and one day per week “off,” so there will be opportunities for naughtier fare). Wish me luck!

    Leek & Goat Cheese Tart

    Crust:
    1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
    1/4+/- ice water

    Filling:
    2 large leeks, white and light green parts only
    3 tablespoons butter
    1/2 cup whole milk
    1 large egg
    1 large egg yolk
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup crumbled goat cheese*

    Combine flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor (or you use a pastry blender). Add the butter cubes and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds. With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky, no more than 30 seconds. To see if it’s ready, squeeze a bit between your fingers. If it’s crumbly, add more ice water, a tiny bit a time. If it holds together, it’s ready. Flatten the ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill in the fridge for at least one hour before using.

    While that’s chilling, start the leeks. Cut the leeks in half lengthwise and soak them in cold water, then rinse under running water spreading the layers to make sure any dirt is rinsed off. Cut again in half lengthwise (if they’re really thick) then into 1/4″ slices. Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and stir to coat them in the butter. Add a sprinkle of salt and about a tablespoon of water. Turn the heat down to low, cover and cook, stirring regularly, until leeks are tender (about 20-25 minutes).

    Preheat oven to 375ºF/190ºC. On a lightly floured surface, roll out slightly softened dough to a thickness of 1/8″. Roll the dough over the rolling pin and unroll it into a 9″ round tart pan (with removable bottom). Push the dough into the bottom and up the sides. Using the rolling pin, roll the excess dough off the top of the pan. Line the pan with a circle of parchment and add either dried beans or pie weights (if you’re serious and have things like pie weights). Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until the crust turns a light golden color.

    While the crust is cooling a bit, whisk together the milk, egg, egg yolk, salt and pepper. Dot half of the goat cheese in the bottom of the warm crust, then add the leeks. Top with the remaining half of the cheese, then pour the egg mixture over the top. Bake until the top is golden in spots and the liquid is set, about 40-45 minutes. Let cool slightly; remove the top part of the tart pan. Serve warm or at room temperature.

    * You can also use an aged one, like Bûcheron; if you do, cut off the rind

    Quinoa Spinach Casserole

    Published on March 14, 2011 in Beans + Legumes. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .


    Ryan has been reminding me about the fact that I haven’t been making much quinoa lately, and he’s right. I was all jazzed up about switching over to quinoa for breakfast from our usual oatmeal, just for a change of pace, but then never really got around to doing it. I hate when that happens.

    But as part of our “health kick” (see here for the first and last post about that…whoops) and because it’s the beginning of the week and we need to atone for our weekend sins, I thought a nice, clean quinoa recipe would be a great idea. I’ve been buying these giant vats of Earthbound Farm organic baby spinach (which keep surprisingly well, by the way), so I went hunting for ideas out there in Webland and prompting fell hard for a quinoa casserole recipe from the NY Times, which of course, has cheese in it. Not exactly part of the “clean” plan, but I figured that, for Ryan, I’d take half the recipe and do a non-baked version without cheese (and the kiddo and I can hoard all the cheesy goodness of the other half).

    You can go in a lot of different directions with this dish too, which is nice. I used feta, but Gruyère, which is what the original recipe calls for, would be really nice and melty. You could also do chickpeas or another bean or cut that out altogether. Yet another flexible dish — this is becoming a habit (a good one though). Now if I can just keep up the healthy theme…

    In the interest of my health (and bikini season, which is fast approaching), I’d love to hear about your favorite clean and healthy dishes. Me and my thighs thank you.

    Quinoa Spinach Casserole

    4 cups/6 ounces baby spinach*
    1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    1 medium onion, chopped
    2 garlic cloves, minced
    4 cups cooked quinoa, (1-1/3 cup uncooked)
    3 large eggs
    1 cup black beans, rinsed
    3/4 cup (3 ounces) feta cheese, crumbled (3/4 cup)
    2 teaspoons chopped fresh sage or thyme (or whatever you have on hand)
    3 tablespoons Parmesan, grated or a few slices of fresh mozzarella

    Preheat the oven to 400ºF/204ºC. Oil a 2-quart gratin or baking dish.

    Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Wash the spinach and without spinning dry, add to the pan and wilt in the liquid left on the leaves after washing (you may need to do two batches). When the spinach is wilted, take off the heat and rinse it in a colander with cold water. Squeeze out as much water as you can and give it a rough chop. * If you use frozen chopped spinach, you can skip this step. Just thaw and squeeze out the liquid.

    Wipe the pan out and heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic cook for about a minute. Add the spinach and season with salt and pepper.

    Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl. Add the quinoa, beans, cheese, herbs, the onion and spinach mixture, and black pepper and stir to combine. Pour into a gratin dish and sprinkle with Parmesan or mozzarella, which is what I used this time. Bake until browned on top, about 20-25 minutes. Let it sit for a few minutes before serving.