Baked Eggs with Two Kales

What you see here, is yet another way for me to get my weekend eggs on. Baked eggs might be my new favorite breakfast food. Like with omelettes or frittatas, the options are limitless with this very tasty and easy dish. The egg's versatility never ceases to amaze me. And the horror of now knowing that I've missed out on the delight of baked eggs for so many years. Well, I don't even know what to say. Thank God it's behind me now.

What you see here, are several layers - the first: toasted whole grain triangles, the second: green and red kale leaves, and the third: three eggs cracked into little "nests" between the leaves. Any number of greens could be substituted here. Spinach, escarole, chard. Whatever sounds good to you (or whatever you happen to have picked up at the market) will most likely work. I chose to use individual stoneware plates, but you could also do family style in a bigger baking dish instead. Either way, these are great because they all come out at the same time, and you don't have to worry about someone's eggs (yours) sitting on the counter while you finish cooking someone else's.

                    1 tablespoon olive oil

                    1 small clove garlic, minced

                    1/2 bunch red kale, washed, stemmed, and torn into leaves

                    1/2 bunch green kale, washed, stemmed, and torn into leaves

                    salt and freshly ground black pepper

                    1-2 slices whole grain bread, cut into small triangles

                    butter for greasing the plate(s) and buttering the bread

                    6 large eggs

                    2 tablespoons cup creme fraiche (or heavy whipping cream)

                    1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and when it shimmers, add the garlic. Cook the garlic until fragrant and golden, about 3 minutes, then add the green kale (which will take a bit longer to wilt than the red). Reduce the heat to medium, add a pinch of salt and a few turns of freshly ground pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, for a couple of minutes. Then add the red kale, and continue to cook and stir until the leaves are just wilted. Transfer the kale to a bowl to cool (it does not need to cool completely before you proceed, but you don't want it so hot it will start cooking the eggs before they get into the oven).

Toast the triangles in a toaster oven (or the slices before cutting if you're using a toaster) and butter them as they are done.

Lightly butter two oven-safe plates or a baking dish large enough to hold the toasted triangles in one layer. Arrange them on the bottom of the dish(es) and evenly scatter the wilted kale over the top, making rough little nests to hold the eggs in place. Crack the eggs into the kale nests and season them with salt and pepper. Drizzle a tablespoon creme fraiche or whipping cream  (or two if using one dish)

over the dishes. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and set on the lowest shelf of the oven. Cook until the whites are just set but the yolks are still runny, about 12 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings.
 

Adapted from Marc Meyer and Peter Meehan, Brunch: 100 Recipes from Five Points Restaurant.            

Midday Meal: Cannellini Beans and Tuscan Kale

Lunchtime! After taking inventory of the refrigerator's contents, I settled on making use of some leftover cannellini beans and a bunch of beautiful Tuscan kale we picked up from the farmers' market Sunday. Inspired by Heidi Swanson's "Giant Crusty and Creamy White Beans" recipe from her book Super Natural Cooking, but short on time (and not feeling the whole buttery sauteed onions and garlic bit), I first lightly browned the beans in a pan with some olive oil, salt and pepper, and then threw in the kale. The beans had some great texture and a drizzle of olive oil and some freshly grated parmesan were all this quick lunch needed to feel special and yummy. Quick, easy, satisfying.

Kale Chips

 

I've been reading the hype about "kale chips" on foodie sites and blogs for a while and decided it was time to try it when Dan came home with two bunches of kale on Monday night, not one. I mean it was obvious, right? Clearly, the time to make the kale chips had arrived...... "Okay, universe! I get it!"

I am so thrilled with these. They were extremely quick, easy, and truly delicious. We ate the whole batch while making dinner. Silly me for thinking they'd be a healthy snack to have around for today. Call me insane, but I can honestly say that I would rather munch on these than potato chips. I'm not kidding. They are light, thin, crispy, and delightful. I think I could eat them every day. And no guilt! Someone pinch me.

After tearing the kale leaves into bite sized pieces, I tossed them with some olive oil and salt, the way I would a salad but with a little more oil (and salt!). Then I transferred them to a baking sheet and popped them in the oven for 10-15 minutes at 350, checking a couple of times and stirring to even the crisping. Many of the recipes out there suggest drizzling the oil over the kale on the baking sheet. I thought tossing would make for a better chip.

Please. Try these.

Brown Rice Medley with Winter Greens

Last night when Dan asked me what we were making for dinner, I thought "Alright, Trader Joe's Brown Rice Medley. Now that you've cajoled me into throwing you into my shopping cart with your colorful alluring ways, let's give this a whirl and see what you've got." And the medley did not disappoint. He had been waiting all week for his moment to shine, after all. The mix is a combination of long grain brown rice, barley, and daikon radish seed. I decided on using some kale and collards from the fridge, and Dan got right to work on making tofu matchsticks. Finished with a poached egg on top, the meal was satisfying and delightful.

                         1 cup Trader Joe's Brown Rice Medley
                         8 1/2 cups water
                         2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
                         1/2 bunch kale, coarsely chopped or torn
                         1/2 bunch collards, coarsley chopped or torn
                         1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
                      
                         1 package extra firm tofu
                         1 tablespoon sesame oil
                      
                         2 poached eggs
                         salt and pepper to taste
                      
Rinse and drain the rice. Combine rice, 2 1/2 cups water, and 1 teaspoon salt in medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, and simmer 35 minutes or until the water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes.  

Bring 6 cups water to a gentle boil. Add rinsed collards and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring occasionally over medium-low heat for 3-5 minutes until collards begin to soften. Add kale and cook for 5 minutes more. Remove from heat when greens are at their greenest. Drain well and toss with sesame oil.

To make Heidi Swanson's tofu matchsticks: Drain the tofu and pat it dry. Cut the block of tofu lengthwise through the middle to make four 1/4-to 1/2-inch thick sheets of tofu. Two at a time, cook in a dry skillet or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high for a few minutes until browned on one side. Flip gently, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy. Let cool, enough to handle, then cut crosswise into matchsticks (see photo). Repeat with the remaining sheets.

Add greens to rice medley and combine well. Serve matchsticks over rice and greens and top with a poached egg.

Makes 2 servings.