Egg Addiction...first step is acceptance

If any one's reading, I was just curious your favorite accompaniment to eggs is? how you like them? etc.

I adore over easy eggs. The center silently bursts, the warm golden yolk deluges across the plate and melts me into a puddle of joy. Mushrooms and eggs are like bffs. They complement each other so grandly. Sometimes eggs have an affair with caramelized onions, almost as delicious, they meld together beautifully. When this trio converges, pure and simple magic, ymmmmmm.

So here is what I made the other day: Cut some fingerling potatoes into thin discs, goldened then up on the skillet and sauteed mushrooms with onion. I then cooked some frozen spinach with red pepper flakes and placed the delicate over-easy egg on top.

So please, comment and share your magic egg dishes (ps check out my Gourmet Egg Muffin recipe too)

The secret to Curry....

We ventured to one of our last trips to the Farmer's Market (frowny face). School is weighing heavy on my schedule and life running away from the carefree daze of summer.
On this last adventure to the market, prices were high and tomatoes were scarce but determined to reap the benefits of the escapade we found some key wonders: sharp bitter Arugula, green and purple string beans, stunning-ly yellow sweet corn, spaghetti squash, delicate little potatoes and creamy Gouda goat cheese (more for my parents then for me).

On this day I finally ventured into my Bon Appetit magazine and was inspired by this recipe: http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2010/09/summer_vegetable_ragout_with_exotic_curry_sauce

I was thrilled, I could use some of our over abundance of zucchini and yellow squash, almost everything we got at market, our nice curry power-wait...no carrot juice...what if...yes...it could work....The secret to a grand curry:

 that's right baby food.

Okay so the recipe:

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and cubed chuck-il-ly
• 1 stalk lemon grass, cut into large pieces so you can remove before serving
• 1 tbsp diced fresh ginger (more or less)
• 1 diced green apple (something more tart than sweet), diced
• 1 1/2 tbsp curry powder (Madras is a good quality)
• Not quite a tbsp of flour and oil (for a rue)
• 3 jars pure carrot baby food, plus additional water to get everything our of jar

Saute the onion and carrot with some olive oil until onion is almost clear, add ginger, lemon grass and green apple. Cook until carrot tender. Saute curry powder and then add oil and flour, stir. Add baby food and water, bring to a boil and simmer until the sauce is thick. Set aside.

Now the veggies:

• 1 medium-Small zucchini, diced chunky
• 1 medium-small yellow squash, diced chunky
• 1 medium-small eggplant, diced chunky
• 1 cup of frozen corn
• 1 cup or so green beans
• 1/2 16oz can garbanzo beans 

In another pan, heat the oil and saute the squash, zucchini and eggplant. Add corn and beans, cook until tender. Add chickpeas.

Combine sauce and veggie saute in one pan and bring back to a simmer.

Serve with a garnish of arugula and basil (the basil is a must, sooooo awesome!)

The combination of flavors is so abundantly thrilling, the sauce is a great standard to come back to and make curries with what ever veg is available for the season. I think in the winter I'll do a sweet potatoes curry.....*melting into a puddle of joyous*

Asian Food is the Ultimate!

Right here, right now, I am admitting to you all, I am an Asian food junkie. Acceptance is the first step... but I am not planning on giving up this addiction, sorry its way to scrumptious.
So to feed my hunger, we made a Stir-fry with pot stickers for dinner. We used deep purple bitter cabbage, crisp bean sprouts, earthy mushrooms, delicate green peas, crunchy carrots, the powers of garlic and magical ginger........................pardon me, my mouth was watering.

Cabbage Stir-Fry with Pot Stickers
serves 4-6

• 1/2 of a purple onion, diced
• 2 large heads of garlic
• 1 tbsp diced fresh ginger
• 1 cup of match-stick baby carrots
• Some mushrooms (optional, we had some from the market we needed to use)
• 1/2 a medium purple cabbage, sliced into ribbons
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1 cup frozen peas
• Sauce (recipe below)
• Desired amount of frozen pot stickers (we use Ling Ling)

Prepare your pot stickers according to the package and keep in the oven on warm while you prepare the stir-fry.

Heat a wok or large skillet with some oil over high heat. Sauteing the onions until clear and add the ginger along with the garlic. Cook until the garlic has a slight gold colour (if you begin to experience to much sticking to the point of burning, add water/ adjust heat).

If using mushrooms, add them now and saute until golden.Now add the carrots, allow them to stir-fry until they are tender yet still retain bite/snap. 

Next the cabbage and bean sprouts go in, cover the pot with a lid at this point until the cabbage has slightly wilted down (a few minutes). Lastly stir in your peas and sauce (recipe below). Cover and wait a few moments for the sauce to thicken and the peas/cabbage are cooked through.

Serve with pot-stickers and a cilantro garnish.

Sauce

 Mix the following:

• 
  
  1/4 cup soy sauce
• 
  
  Garlic Chili Paste (to taste) (Huey Fong Chili Garlic Sauce 8 Oz)
• 
  
  Pepper (to taste)
• 
  
  Scarce dribble of toasted sesame oil (this is very strong to be careful)