Poached Eggs Over Braised Spring Greens on Multigrain Toast
Fantastic for lunch, brunch, a snack or supper!
Ingredients:
4 eggs
4 teaspoons vinegar
1 pound braising greens, such as a combination of this week’s pea shoots, spinach and salad mix
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Multigrain bread, sliced and toasted
Radish and sunflower microgreens, for garnish
Method:
1. To poach the eggs, half-fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to the boil. Add a hefty pinch of salt. Meanwhile, crack each egg into its own small bowl and add a teaspoon of vinegar to each. Stir the boiling water vigorously with a balloon whisk until you have a whirlpool then immediately (and softly!) slip the egg into the pot. Turn the heat down low, and cook for three minutes. Gently lift eggs out of the pot and drain on paper towels.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the greens and cook until all are just tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; set aside.
3. To serve, top a piece of multigrain toast with a hearty helping of greens and a poached egg. Season with salt and pepper, and garnish with microgreens.
Italian Fontina ‘Fonduta’
The classic Italian-style fondue, crafted with this week’s silky duck eggs.
Ingredients:
8 ounces Fontina-style cheese, cut into ½-inch pieces
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter,
cut into tablespoon-size pieces
1 duck egg yolk
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. In a large saucepan, combine the Fontina, milk and cream and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the cheese starts to melt, about 4 minutes. Whisk in the butter and egg yolk and cook over low heat, stirring, until very smooth, 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Transfer the fonduta to a warmed serving bowl or fondue pot and sprinkle with additional sea salt, if desired.
Cornmeal, Parmesan & Thyme Crackers
Crisp and crunchy, these crackers from PCC’s Cooking from Scratch cookbook are delightful served with a schmear of cream cheese on top.
Ingredients:
1 cup medium-grind cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
¾ cup warm water
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
Fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, divided
Method:
1. In the work bowl of a food processor, combine the cornmeal, flour, water, Parmesan, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and pepper. Blend until the mixture forms a ball. Remove the ball from the processor and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Let rest for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 400°. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Divide the dough into 4 portions, covering the pieces you are not working with in plastic wrap.
3. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll out one piece of dough to ⅛-inch thick. Sprinkle the surface with ¼ of the thyme and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Gently roll the dough to embed the toppings. Cut the crackers into your desired shape and size. (A chef’s knife, pizza cutter or cookie cutters all work well here!) Repeat with the remaining balls of dough.
4. Put the crackers fairly close together, but not touching, on the sheet. Bake until edges turn golden and crisp, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool completely; store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Roasted Cara Cara Oranges
These gorgeous oranges are a wonderful addition to a cheeseboard; or, remove the rinds and toss into a salad!
Ingredients:
3 Cara Cara oranges, sliced into thick wedges
½ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons honey
½ cup pistachios or other toasted nut of your choice, chopped
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet or roasting pan with foil or parchment paper and place the orange wedges on pan. Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over the top of the exposed fruit.
2. Place under a broiler for 3-5 minutes, until the brown sugar is bubbly and beginning to brown and the edges are caramelized. Remove from oven. Drizzle orange wedges evenly with honey and top with the nuts. Serve warm.
