Sunday, July 31, 2011

What do you do with 42 eggs? Add a pound of bacon!

Dear Kristin,

You ask what to do with 42 eggs, and quiche is definitely a worthy use of these little orbs of delight. When I discovered quiche back in the 70's, there used to be a saying that "Real men don't eat quiche." Well on a recent hectic weeknight, I enlisted your father's help in the kitchen. The result? Not homicide, not divorce, not even a heated discussion over whether to beat eggs with a whisk or a fork. No, we came up with a quiche that no man would be too proud to eat.

As I prepared the pie crust, whisked the eggs and shredded the cheese, your father cooked the bacon and onions. He asked if he should cook the whole pound of bacon, and not knowing exactly how much I would use, I said - "sure, cook the whole pound - whatever we don't use we'll just keep for another day." When the bacon was done, I asked him to put it into the crust. Well, being a guy who always follows my directions to a letter (yeah, right), he put the whole pound in the crust. Not wanting to hurt his feelings and risk future kitchen cooperation, I just swallowed hard and proceeded to assemble the quiche as if a pound of bacon was totally within the American Heart Association's dietary guidelines.

Well, let me tell you. This quiche turned out to be one of our best kitchen successes. Surprisingly, the bacon was not all that overwhelming. The smoked gouda chunks sort of melt into smokey little pockets of goodness that meld nicely with the bacon and cheddar. The gruyere on top? It adds a nice thin crispy top to the quiche that browns beautifully.

Well, I'll close now - I'm off to the store to buy more bacon!




Man Quiche

1 9" pie shell
6 eggs
1 cup plain yogurt (non-fat is ok, but heck, with a pound of bacon, who cares?)
1 lb. bacon
1/2 cup diced onion
1 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup smoked gouda cheese, cut into 1/4" cubes
1/4 cup shredded gruyere cheese

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Whisk eggs and yogurt together until smooth.

Cut bacon into 1" pieces and cook until slightly crispy. Remove from pan and drain on paper towels  Leave about 2 tblsp. drippings in pan. Sautee onion in the drippings until it just begins to get tender.

Sprinkle bacon and onion over the bottom of the pie crust.

Sprinkle first the cheddar, and then the smoked gouda over bacon and onions.

Pour egg mixture over cheese and bacon-onion mixture.

Top with thin layer of shredded gruyere.

Bake at 400 F. for 40 minutes, or until knife inserted half way between edge and center of pie comes out clean. Remove from oven, place on cooling rack and let rest 5-10 minutes before serving.

Sunday, July 24, 2011

too many eggs, too little time

Dear Mom,

So this is what happens to your fridge after you host a party and get your delivery from your CSA box.  
Note the three cartons of eggs.  Three...  And not just three cartons of a dozen eggs, but the clear carton at the bottom actually has 18 eggs in it!  Yes, indeed, that means our fridge currently is housing 42 eggs!  I'm sure you have already guessed what is going on here.  My husband and I have decided to quit our jobs and become urban farmers.  We have installed the closest urban chicken coop to Chicago's Loop! 

Just kidding, although I think I had you going there for a minute.  We ended up with all of these eggs after a recent egg drought in our fridge, which happens quite infrequently considering my husband insists on eggs prepared some way or another almost every weekend morning.  It started a week ago, a Friday evening when he stopped at his favorite butcher shop, and sensing the impending doom of waking up Saturday morning sans eggs, picked up a dozen locally raised, organically fed eggs.  Then, Sunday, we were at Costco, where we usually purchase eggs, and I suggested purchasing the 18 pack considering we may blow through the current dozen residing in the fridge.  And, finally, Wednesday's CSA box arrives at my front door with, you guessed it, the final dozen.  Voila, 42 eggs.

And what does one do with 42 eggs you ask?  You make quiche of course.  A very logical and fridge depleting endeavor I believe, and boy, does my fridge need depleting, stat.  Of course I adore, and grew up on your lovely Quiche Lorraine, but I have recently invented my own quiche that was inspired by a recipe that my husband discovered on Epicurious.  Truffled Cauliflower, Gruyere & Prosciutto Quiche is laborious, but well worth it.  With a nice green salad dressed in a light vinaigrette to help cut the richness of the quiche it makes a wonderful dinner.  If, however, you are hosting a fancy brunch, I think this would be killer with mimosas or just plain Champagne.  At any rate, whomever you serve this to, will leave impressed, I guarantee it.
The original recipe from Epicurious was actually a tart and it was extremely rich, but in a decadently, delicious way.  To lighten it up, I took the basic ingredients added more eggs and nixed the cream, sub milk, and ta-da: a stellar quiche.  Oh, and I added prosciutto, inspired by the bacon of your Quiche Lorraine and the fact that pork fat makes everything better.  I do have to say that the prosciutto was a bit of a stroke of genius, you just add a single layer to the top of the quiche which allows it to get a slight crisp/chew that adds some texture and a nice salty, almost crust-like top to the quiche.


truffled cauliflower, gruyere & prosciutto quiche

1 small head Cauliflower, florets only, broken into bite sized pieces
2 tsp. Truffle Oil
1 medium Onion, sliced
Pinch Sugar
1 Pie Crust
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
1 cup Gruyere, shredded
2 slices Prosciutto
5 Eggs
2 tblsp. Milk
1/4 cup Marscarpone
Salt & Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cooking Spray

Preheat oven to 400. 

Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.  On baking sheet mix together cauliflower, salt & pepper, and enough olive oil to lightly coat each floret.  Spread cauliflower out on sheet and roast in oven 10 minutes, stir, and return to oven for 10 minutes.  Cauliflower should be slightly browned.  Toss roasted cauliflower with truffle oil.  Set aside.

Prepare pie crust according to package to pre-bake crust, put the crust in for about 3/4 of the recommended time so that it is under baked.  Brush crust with dijon mustard.

Lower oven heat to 375.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tblsp. olive oil in a pan over medium heat, add onions.  Cook onions, stirring occasionally.  Add salt to taste and pinch of sugar.  Continue cooking until carmelized, about 20 minutes.

Whisk together eggs, milk, marscarpone, and S & P.  Keep whisking until eggs and milk are blended, and marscarpone is broken up into small chunks in the mixture, like small curd cottage cheese.

Assemble the quiche:  layer the carmelized onions at the bottom of the crust, then top with the cauliflower, and shredded gruyere.  Tear the prosciutto into strips and cover the top of the quiche in a single, loose layer of prosciutto.  Slowly pour the egg mixture over the other ingredients, allowing it to percolate to the bottom.  Be careful not to go over the edges of the pie crust and onto the underside of the crust.  
Place quiche on baking sheet and bake for 30-45 minutes, until set in the center (check with a butter knife).  Allow to cool for 5 minutes before slicing.

cosmo's cooking notes:
A lot of this recipe is in the preparation, but its worth it.  If you can find prepackaged cauliflower florets, it will save time.  If you want to make your own pie crust, it will not, but more power to you if you want to! 


Sunday, July 17, 2011

Easy as (peach) pie


Dear Krisitn,

Ah, the lazy, hazy days of summer. I wish.

I can usually gauge my stress levels by the amount of chocolate consumed. One or two Hershey's miniatures a day means life is wonderful, the birds are singing, and I'm feeling carefree. Five or six in a day means I'm a little busy but still sane, the birds have begun to squawk, and while life is not carefree, at least I can still take time to smell the proverbial roses.

Let's just say that I bought a four pound bag of miniatures last week and half of them are gone. Life has gone from carefree to chaotic, the birds are screeching, and I can't even find those darn proverbial roses let alone smell them.

So, I need a break from chocolate. Still craving something sweet, I decided to grab some peaches from the produce section and whip up a peachy summer dessert. This pie is super simple and quick, getting you in and out of a hot summer kitchen in no time. And, unfortunately, that is exactly what I have this week - no time!

So until next week, here's a little something to enjoy.







Peachy Custard Pie

1 9" pie shell
3 T. flour
3 T. brown sugar
2 1/2 lb. peaches (about 5 or 6), peeled and sliced
1 T. lemon juice
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 egg
2/3 c. granulated sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 T. flour

Preheat oven to 425F.
Mix 3 T. flour and brown sugar in a small bowl. Spread over bottom of pie shell.
Toss peaches with lemon juice.
Arrange peaches on top of flour/brown sugar mixture.
Whisk evaporated milk and egg together. Pour this mixture over peaches.
Mix remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Sprinkle this mixture over peaches.
Bake at 425F. for 30 to 40 minutes, or until knife inserted 1/2 way between edge and center of pie comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack, then refrigerate.

Cook's tip: To easily peel peaches, cover them with boiling water for about a minute. Drain. Peels will now slip off easily. (This tip only works if you have ripe peaches.)

Sunday, July 10, 2011

devil-ish pasta salad

Dear Mom,

That sounds like quite the family picnic!  I too despise the mayonnaise-like substance with zip, however I do love mayo.  I try to avoid it and opt for mustard on most sandwiches because mayo is just a boat-load of calories and fat (yum), but when it comes to pasta, egg or tuna salad, or a good BLT, its a go-to item for me.  I do respect your break from the traditional bonds of creamy, starchy salads, but I must propose a recipe that may make you reconsider.  This is actually a recipe that is a combination of John's mom's pasta salad and the deviled eggs you taught me to make.  Intrigued?

Well, last Christmas at John's parent's place I had the pleasure of eating copious amounts of ham studded with cloves and soaked in a Christmas ale slow roasted in an oven, gooey cheesy, crispy potato casserole, green bean casserole, and pasta salad.  Pasta salad?  Yep, pasta salad.  I was surprised as well, thinking that this is a dish typically reserved for the warmer months when one fires up the grill, but when I tasted it I understood why this simple dish was making an appearance at Christmas dinner.  Simple and straightforward, just like a pasta salad should be, starchy and creamy, but with the pop of fresh celery and onion.  But what I thought truly made it special was the addition of hard-boiled eggs, something I personally reserve for egg salad alone.  And yet there they were, the whites chopped up and added to the salad, and the yolks smashed and mixed into the mayo/mustard dressing.  In a word, yum! 

After Christmas, of course, I had to make it again at Easter when John and I had ham, and again for bbq, and again most recently to go with burgers and corn on the cob.  When I made it to go with Easter dinner, I was thinking about another traditional Easter dinner hors d'oeuvres that you and I used to put together: deviled eggs.  Ahhhhh!  (That was the sound of the glorious Easter dinner angles singing their praise of my divine and delicious inspiration.)  As you know, deviled eggs around our house used to be topped with dill and paprika, so to John's mom's pasta salad I tossed in some fresh dill and paprika.  And, finally, for my generation's contribution to the pasta salad, I've added some briny, salty capers.



devil-ish pasta salad

10 oz. pasta, cooked & cooled (farfalle, penne or elbow work well)
5 eggs, hard boiled & peeled
1/2 yellow onion, chopped fine
5 celery stalks, chopped fine
2 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
2 tbsp. capers
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp. dijon mustard
2 tbsp. spicy brown mustard (such as Gulden's)
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. granulated garlic
juice from 1/4 lemon
salt & pepper

Cut hard boiled eggs in half and remove yolks, place yolks in medium bowl and smash with a fork.  Roughly chop the egg whites and place in a large bowl, add pasta through capers to egg whites and toss well.

In medium bowl add mayo through lemon juice to the smashed yolks and stir until well combined.  Add more mayo if necessary to create a creamy texture.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Fold the yolk mixture into the pasta mixture.  Refrigerate at least three hours.  Before serving give the salad a stir & taste, you may want to add a little more mayo or another squirt of lemon juice as the pasta will absorb some of the creaminess while chilling.

cosmo's cooking notes:
It seems like every time I read a cooking magazine or watch the food network, I always end up reading or hearing about a quick tip on the best way to hard-boil an egg.  It seems like every one out there has a different technique...  Start the eggs cold, bring them to room temperature first, start them in cold water, start them in warm water, bring to boil quickly, bring to boil slowly, boil them for 5 minutes, boil them for 15 minutes, dunk them in cold water, keep them under running water, bring them to a boil and then dance an Irish jig for 5 minutes and do two hand stands, and voila! The perfect hard-boiled egg...  I never realized that it was such a daunting task!  So my two-cents on the whole hard-boiled egg issue is: buy one of those Egg Perfect Egg Timers.  You just throw your eggs in the cold water along with this little do-hicky, bring the pot to a boil, when the egg timer says its done, take off the heat, pour out as much of the hot water as possible and then just run cold water over your eggs until they're cool.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Happy Fourth of July!

Dear Kristin,
Ah...the Fourth of July! A weekend of picnics, parades, and potlucks. I grew up with an extended family on my Mom's side that included twelve aunts and uncles and over twenty cousins. Needless to say, our family picnics were boisterous affairs, with enough people for two complete softball teams, an ump, and a gaggle of fans in the stands. Grandma would ref, but she couldn't see too well. Not wanting to hurt anyone's feelings, she always erred on the runner's side, and ruled any runner safe who even came near a base (any base would do) sometime within five minutes of the ball.

We were a typical American clan, with typical American tastes. The food at these affairs was plentiful, if not creative; burgers, hots, beans and various mayonnaise-laden salads. Once in a while, someone would get exotic and bring a dish of canned fruit cocktail with cool whip - talk about haute cuisine!

Mom always made her famous potato salad for these gatherings. Now, some people claimed to have liked her potato salad, but I was always of another opinion, and groaned (out of earshot) when we would come home from these doings with about 8 lbs. of leftover potato salad. It contained just about every food that I hated;  cold, mushy potatoes, onions, olives, and a strange dressing that consisted of bottled Thousand Island dressing mixed with pickle juice and no, not mayonnaise, but that other dressing - you know the one with the zip?

Today I declare my independence. I will not make potato salad for the Fourth of July, and I will not bequeath my mother's recipe to the future generations of America. Here is my offering instead; no olives involved, and definitely no dressing with zip! Break free from the bonds of tradition - forge a new path with this healthy alternative to the mayonnaise bound salads of yesteryear.





green bean salad

1 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
1 small red onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips
3 large stalks celery, chopped
1/2 c. cider vinegar
3/4 c. sugar
1/3 c. extra canola oil
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 clove garlic
4-6 small thyme sprigs, bundled with kitchen twine

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add green beans, and cook for 5 minutes. Drain beans and immerse immediately in cold water to stop the cooking process.

Mix green beans, onion, green pepper, and celery. Place in refrigerator to cool.

Meanwhile, make the dressing. Mix vinegar, sugar, olive oil, pepper, and garlic in a small saucepan. Add bundled thyme. Heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. Remove thyme sprigs.

Pour dressing over chilled vegetables. Chill at least two hours before serving. This dish gets better the longer it chills, so it is perfect for making a day ahead.