Summer Baked Eggs

Lets talk about eggs. And how much I ADORE eggs, especially at dinnertime.  Most people don't think to cook eggs for any meal besides breakfast, but they ought to. Eggs are satisfying, accessible, versatile, nutritious and affordable, averaging a mere 20 cents per egg. And did I mention quick? It takes under five minutes to create a perfectly cooked egg.

Most summer recipes call for no real cooking at all; mostly they consist of throwing together a salad or quickly grilling a piece of meat. However, no matter the season, we all still have those nights where we want to come home after a long day, put our feet up and tuck into a bowl of something warm, comforting and a little gooey (yes, I just said "gooey").

This dish was something I threw together last night, pretty last minute because I hadn't done any food shopping for the week. I leave Friday for a week-long vacation at my parent's beach house on Cape Cod (thank God!!), and since I despise wasting food, this week is going to be all about improvising. So, on my way home, I grabbed some summer vegetables from my "man on the corner" and went to town in the kitchen. As one of my food idols Alice Waters once said, "if you have eggs, then you always have something to eat!"

Summer Baked Eggs
Loosely adapted from my good friend, Jackie, who makes variations of this dish religiously (thanks, Jax!!)
Serves 1

One small summer squash or zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch- thick disks
A few handfuls of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
A few handfuls of thin asparagus, ends snapped off and cut into thirds
One egg, cracked into a small bowl (make sure not to break the yolk)
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt, pepper, fresh basil, and fresh parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Season zucchini with chopped garlic, salt, pepper and a touch of oil, and roast for 10 or 15 minutes, until soft but not crispy or brown. Remove from oven.

In a small, deep baking dish or large ramekin, layer zucchini with tomatoes and asparagus, and drizzle all with a little more oil, salt and pepper. Bake in oven for 10 minutes and remove. The vegetables should be warm and starting to cook at this point.

Make a small hole in the middle of the pan that goes about halfway down to the bottom, and very carefully pour the egg into the hole. Bake for another 10-15 minutes, or until the egg whites are white, and the yolk is set, but still looks soft.

Garnish with fresh basil and parmesan cheese and serve immediately.

Note: Please feel free to experiment with different vegetables here. There's really no limit on what you can do with this one!

Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad with Carmelized Lemon

I feel like people are afraid of carrots.

I don't mean really AFRAID, but afraid to cook with them. Most people think of carrots as those baby vegetables that we eat out of the bag with hummus, or boiled to death in steamed vegetable mixes. Carrots are actually incredibly versatile in the kitchen if you know how to use them. They are delicious pureed in soups (carrot dill), in fruit salsas, and they are wonderful when grated into a summer slaw.

Exhibit A - roasted carrots. My favorite. When roasted, the sugars in carrots release and they come out sweet as candy, similar to a sweet potato. Yum!!

I am really loving this salad right now. The sweetness of the carrots, the creaminess of the avocado and tartness of the lemon is an incredibly satisfying trio, and it is super simple to make. And again, since these ingredients are so seasonal and fresh, you don't have to do much to make them tasty.

Roasted Carrot and Avocado Salad with Carmelized Lemon
Loosely adapted from Smitten Kitchen, inspired by The Spotted Pig, NYC

1 pound carrots, scrubbed or peeled and cut into two-inch segments
A few tablespoons olive oil, divided
Few pinches of ground cumin
1/2 an avocado, pitted and sliced
Juice of half a lemon, plus 2 thin lemon slices
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Toss the carrot chunks in a medium bowl with a couple tablespoons of oil, cumin, salt and pepper.

Spread them on a roasting sheet and roast for about 30-40 minutes, or until tender and browned.

Now, carmelize the lemons. Heat a tiny bit of oil in a small nonstick pan, adding a touch of lemon juice one the pan gets hot. Throw in the lemon slices, and cook each side for a few minutes until they look browned. Remove from heat and set aside.

Once the carrots are roasted, arrange them on a serving platter with slices of avocado on top. Drizzle the salad with lemon juice and extra cumin, salt and pepper if it needs it. Garnish with carmelized lemon slices.

ENJOY!

Green Bean, Cherry Tomato and Basil Salad

Okay - I am SO EXCITED and you guys are among the first to know. I have written a bit about CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) in previous posts, but I have finally decided to go for a version of it! Today I joined Urban Organic, a NYC home delivery service that delivers organic seasonal produce and groceries to your door weekly. From week to week, you get different items (they post weekly box contents on their website); everything is in season and they bulk-buy their produce, groceries and dairy goods from organic farmers' cooperatives, distributors and individual farmers. They offer several different box sizes at different price points, and I am sharing it with my friend Jamie to make it more affordable for us. She is actually the one who found it and came to me with the idea, so thanks Jamie!! I can't wait to see what comes in our first box! Stay tuned...

Now back to business: today's recipe.

To me, summer = fresh, colorful, YUMMY produce.

When the weather starts getting warm and balmy, who wants to stand over a hot stove, slaving away in the kitchen?? Definitely not me!!! In spring and summer, I crave refreshing, simple food that takes almost no time to prepare. Produce is so wonderful this time of year that you barely need to do anything to your fruits and vegetables to make them delicious. This salad is perfect for summer barbecues, a picnic in the park or even a simple, no-fuss dinner for two (with leftovers for lunch the next day!!).

Green Bean, Cherry Tomato and Basil Salad
Loosely adapted from Chez Panisse Vegetables
Serves 6

1 pound fresh green beans
1 pound cherry tomatoes
1 large shallot
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
A few handfuls of torn basil

Cut beans into large segments. Boil the beans in salted water until just tender, about four to five minutes. Drain and immediately spread them out to cool. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half and set aside.

Peel and mince the shallot and put it in a bowl with the vinegar and salt and pepper. Whisk in the olive oil. Taste and adjust the balance with more vinegar, oil, or salt, as needed. Toss the cherry tomatoes in with the vinaigrette; this can sit for a while but do not add the green beans or basil until just before serving or they will discolor from the acid in the vinaigrette.

Just before serving, toss beans and basil with the dressed tomatoes, and serve.

ENJOY!!

Kasha, My Way

Happy Monday everyone!

Lately I have been really into experimenting with quick cooking whole grains. I find them to be hearty, nutritious and incredibly versatile. Keeping a variety of quick cooking whole grains in your cabinet, such as quinoa, barley, buckwheat kasha or brown rice, is a great idea; especially for those nights when you haven't gone food shopping and you feel like you have nothing to eat. With whole grains as a base, you can quickly create a healthy, creative and satisfying meal, just by combining ingredients you already have (leftover vegetables, herbs, spices, proteins, even a poached egg on top)!

This recipe for kasha is one I make a lot, with different variations based on what vegetables I have in my fridge that week, and with different grains as the base. Play around with this one and as always, make it yours!

Kasha, My Way
Serves 2

1/2 cup uncooked buckwheat kasha
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
2 handfuls fresh spinach leaves, washed
1 cup water or broth, plus some extra
Splash of olive oil
Salt, pepper and red pepper flakes (optional)
Fresh parmesan cheese, for garnish (optional)

Heat olive oil in a small pot or skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, sautee 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add mushrooms, sautee for another minute. Add liquid and kasha, stir to combine and cover halfway. Cook until all liquid has absorbed, adding more liquid if necessary until kasha is fluffy, around 10 minutes. Once kasha is done, remove from heat and stir in spinach until wilted.

Season to taste and serve, dusting with fresh parmesan cheese.

ENJOY!

If you only own one cookbook...

It should be "How To Cook Everything" by Mark Bittman.

You know that age-old question: "If you could have dinner with anyone living or dead, who would it be?"

Well... Mark Bittman is on the top of my dinner list. I really love this man. Not that I have ever met him, but I love him anyway. I have read this book cover to cover, many times (weird I know, but true). Bittman is best known for creating the highly regarded New York Times cooking column "The Minimalist", which ran for 13 years and ended this past January. Tear...

This guy and his book (along with my mom of course!!) taught me how to cook. The reason why this book stands out from all the others I have used is this: he teaches you HOW to cook - not just tells you what to cook. This book, in addition to having wonderful recipes that just about anyone can do, focuses on simple, EASY techniques and gives straightforward advice using accessible ingredients and simple equipment. Bittman always includes many variations along with his recipes, so you can easily make any of his recipes your own. The book also contains many helpful tips on food shopping, time-saving preperation and sustainability.

This amazing article was one of the last ones he wrote for "The Minimalist" earlier this year, and in it he chooses his favorite 25 recipes from over 1,000 in his column. Also, another one I adore and often refer back to his July 2009 "101 Simple Salads for the Season" article. Check these both out.. lots of amazing recipes there. 

So.. go get the book and start to love this guy as much as I do. And Mark, if you are reading this, how about that dinner? :)

Chili Roasted Salmon with Fresh Pico de Gallo

Many people tell me that they don't cook seafood at home because they are intimidated by the fish counter at their local market. I admit, it's a little scary your first time, but once you know what you're asking for, visiting this section of the store will open you up to many new, delicious (and healthy! and easy!) proteins to cook with. And don't forget that the clerk behind the counter is there to help you, so if you aren't sure what to get or how much, just ask!

Salmon is a good, basic fish to start with if you like it, because you can make it SO many different ways and it's pretty forgiving. Salmon has so much flavor that you don't need to do much to it if you're pressed for time- generally I roast salmon in the oven at 325 degrees with some salt, pepper, rosemary and lemon juice for about 15 minutes. That's it!!

For something a little more interesting, this dish has summer written all over it. It is refreshing and light with a bit of heat. Another plus to this recipe is once you make the pico de gallo (fresh salsa), you can save it for the week and eat it with chicken or eggs, put it in your salad, eat it with chips, whatever you want!

What is your favorite staple fish recipe?

Chili Roasted Salmon with Fresh Pico de Gallo
Serves 1, with leftover salsa

1 1/2 pounds plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped (about 5)

1 large chopped onion, or 2 small

1 big handful of chopped fresh cilantro

Juice of 2 limes

2 minced seeded jalapeño chilies

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 lb salmon, skin off

Chili powder, salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients (up to salmon) in a large bowl and refrigerate while the salmon is roasting.

Preheat oven to 325. Season salmon with salt, pepper and chili powder, wrap in foil, and roast for about 15 minutes. Once salmon is flaky when pierced with a fork, it is done.

Let salmon cool, then tranfer to a plate and top with pico de gallo.

Note: I also roasted up some asparagus for the base here, but you can use any vegetable/grain you want. I think roasted cauliflower or rice would be good too! ENJOY!