Italian Benedict

 

To me, Eggs Benedict is synonymous with brunch. The toasted english muffin and perfectly poached egg with a creamy, rich hollandaise sauce seals the deal for the end of a great weekend. I was feeling a little adventurous this morning [coughafternoon] and decided to explore my new love of eggs and marinara sauce. A while ago I came across a wonderful recipe for parmesan risotto topped with a fried egg and a dollop of marinara sauce. The flavors worked so perfectly together that I knew another combination had to be concocted. There are other variations of an "Italian Eggs Benedict" such as poaching the eggs in marina sauce or as a hollandaise replacement. In my opinion you can't have an eggs benedict without hollandaise sauce, so here is my take on a classic brunch dish!

Ingredients:

5 eggs with 3 of the yolks separated and put aside 

2 Tbs Marina sauce of your choice

1 English Muffin, sliced

1 Tbs lemon juice

1/2 cup [1 stick] firm butter (I cut this in 1/2 and is tasted just fine)

1 Tbs grated parmesan cheese

What to do:

1. Heat oven to 300 F degrees, put English Muffins on a baking sheet and toast until eggs are poached

Bring a medium sized sauce pan filled half-way with water to a boil

2. Reduce heat to med-low and crack eggs one at a time into a deep ladle

3. Slowly and carefully place the ladle with the egg into the hot water and gently tip to the side so the egg slide into the water. Repeat with 2nd egg

4. While eggs are poaching for the next 4-5 minutes, remove English Muffins from the oven and spoon 1 Tbs of Marinara on each toasted English Muffin on the baking pan

5. Remove poached eggs with a slotted spoon and gently place one on each English Muffin

6. Turn oven temperate to "WARM" and return the baking sheet to the oven to keep muffins and eggs warm.

7. Place the 3 separated yolks into another smaller saucepan and whisk together with the lemon juice

8. Once combined, turn the heat to low and add in the butter 1/4 cup at a time (or 1/8 at a time if cutting in 1/2 = 2 Tbs) 

9. Continue whisking the butter into the egg and let it melt gradually - you want the eggs to cook all the way through

10. Keep adding the butter in gradually and whisking until the sauce has become thick and creamy.

11. If curdles appear in the mixture, remove pan from heat and add a Tbs of boiling water to smooth it out

12. Once sauce is done, turn off heat, remove muffins from oven, pour sauce over each and sprinkle with the grated parmesan

Salmon and Chive Cream-Cheese Omelet

I bought NOVA cured salmon from trader joe's (5.99) and chive cream-cheese to make lox bagels, but decided to ease up on the bready-carbs and come up with something else to use the ingredients in.

The cream-cheese in the omelet makes the inside really fluffy with added flavor. If you like salmon, the cured kind is nice to keep on hand. You can use it in so many recipes - on bagels/sandwiches, in pasta with a white cream sauce - and in omelets! Since it's cured it's already been salted and prepared, which makes the assembly much easier. Peas were added for a little color and texture.

Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1/4 frozen peas. thawed
1/3 cup chopped cured salmon
1/4 milk/half & half
1-2 handfuls of parmesean cheese
2 Tbs chive-flavored cream-cheese
pepper to taste


* since the salmon, cream-cheese and parmesan cheese are all pretty salty anyways, you don't really need to add anymore salt.


what to do:
1. In a mixing bowl, wisk together the eggs and milk
2. Add in the cream cheese and wisk until combined
3. Add in the salmon and peas and pepper
4. Heat a smaller round skillet with oil or butter
5. Pour in the egg mixture and keep the heat on low-med
6. Sprinkle 1 handful of parmesan on the egg 
7. Use a rubber spatula to run along the edges of the omelet against the pan to make sure it's not sticking.
8. Once the egg has almost firmed on the top, very carefully flip one side over onto the other
9. Flip the omelet once so both sides are evenly cooked
10. Top with the rest of the parmesan cheese and pepper

Veggie and Goat Cheese Frittata

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I realized that I hadn't put up a breakfast post in a while, and felt it necessary to do so! This frittata is really easy to make, and can be used with all kinds of ingredients. For a non-vegetarian option you could add leftover chicken, shrimp, or holiday turkey!

Ingredients:
2 eggs
1 Tbs milk
1/2 zucchini sliced
1/4 red bell pepper chopped
1/4 sweet yellow onion chopped
1/2 tomato chopped
2 Tbs crumbled goat cheese



what to do:
1. Saute the onions in some oil in a medium sized frying pan.
2. Add the bell pepper and zucchini once the onion turns translucent (about 5 mins)
3. While those veggies are cooking, whisk together the eggs and the milk, set aside
4. Add tomato after all other veggies have finished cooking, continue to cook for 1 more min
5. Add in the egg mixture to the pan, and turn the heat down to med-low, and place a lid over the top
6. Let frittata cook covered for 5-7 mins, then sprinkle the goat cheese on top, replace cover and cook for another 3 mins until cheese has melted down