Fresh Tart

Recipe for Bacon Jam at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.

It's Sunday, you're feeling organized, you're even willing to cook ahead a bit to make dinner easier during the week.  What to make?

A pot of soup is always a winner - always.  But if you're like me, you eat it for a couple of meals and then you're ready for something new.  (In that case - freeze the rest!  Ladle into individual portions, grab-n-go for work, or reheat on a cold day when you're home late and starving.  Happiness.)

Another option is to simmer a big pot of beans and enjoy a variety of meals from it, all week long.  The beans you simmer yourself are so much more flavorful than the canned variety (although I eat plenty of those too) and are as easy as a slap to make.  Choose whichever variety you like best - garbanzo, pinto, navy, flageolet, cannelini, black, lentils, etc. - and simmer away with some garlic, onion, and thyme.  When they're just-tender (you want them to hold their shape), into the fridge they go, ready to become lunches and dinners all week long.

This week, I simmered a pot of Beluga lentils.  Tiny and glossy black, they do indeed resemble their namesake caviar - I oohed and ahhed over them at the Minneapolis Farmers Market this summer.  Aren't they so pretty?  They have a lovely fragrance and flavor as well, and hold their shape nicely, rather like French green lentils.

But for this recipe, Part I of Using a Pot of Beans, any bean will do.  This dish, like so many that I post, is really about the bacon.  What can I say?  I bow to the power of pork fat.  Bacon in particular is my favorite, since a small amount of it packs so much...everything.  In fact, you could stop with just bacon, beans, and cabbage and enjoy a nice lumberjack of a dish - hearty, rough around the edges, nicely appealing.

But nestle a girlie, pretty poached egg on top and witness a full-on flavor romance, rarrr.  Salty, sweet, creamy, crunchy.  Everything.

With pre-cooked beans on hand, this dish is on the table in 10 minutes.

Pot of Beans

1 lb. bag of your favorite dried bean variety
1/2 c. olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 large shallots (or 1/2 medium onion), chopped
1 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. salt

Follow package directions for pre-soaking, usually along the lines of rinse and pick over beans, place in a large pot with water to cover, bring to a boil, turn off heat, cover, and allow beans to soak for an hour or so.  Drain and rinse beans in a colander.

To cook the beans: In the same large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic, shallots, and thyme and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Stir in the beans to coat with oil.  Pour in cold water to cover by no more than an inch.  (Do not add salt - yet.)  Bring to a boil, turn heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add a little more water if the beans start to become dry.  Add salt and continue simmering, another 30-45 minutes, or until beans are just tender.  Cool to room temperature, cover, and chill (or freeze).

Poached Egg Over Lentils, Bacon & Cabbage
Serves 1 (recipe can be doubled or more quite easily)

1 slice bacon, chopped
1/2 large shallot, sliced
1/2 c. thinly sliced cabbage
1/4 c. cooked lentils (or any cooked beans)
1 egg
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Set a saucepan 1/2 filled with salted water on to boil.

Put bacon in a large skillet and set over medium heat.  Fry bacon until crisp (do not drain), then add shallot and cabbage to the pan.  Saute the shallot and cabbage with the bacon until just tender and wilted, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the beans and saute for 3-5 minutes.  Remove from heat, season with a little salt and pepper, and leave in the hot pan.

The water will likely boil as you're preparing the cabbage and beans, which is great.  Turn heat down so that the water is barely simmering - small bubbles should barely break the surface.  As soon as the beans are done, crack one egg into a small dish and slide it into the water.  Set the timer for 3 minutes.  The egg white will look shredded, but that's OK.

Just before the timer goes off, transfer the beans to a plate.

When the timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to scoop the egg out of the water.  Tilt the spoon so the water drains completely off, then place the egg on top of the beans.

Add a light sprinkle of salt and pepper to the egg and serve immediately.

Back at you with more eggs...

John and I love a good brunch, especially with a glass of champagne.  Perhaps it should be, but the Saturday after a holiday is no exception.  Remember Poached Eggs over Potato-Green Pepper Pancakes from this summer?  Well, this recipe is a lower carbohydrate - but every bit as delicious - riff on that favorite.

Instead of potatoes, I grated celery root for the pancakes, adding a bit of green pepper and onion, as well as an egg to bind them together.  (Celery root has little starch - thus the lower carbohydrate count - so needs the egg to hold a pretty shape.)  They look and taste so much like potato pancakes, it's difficult for even the cook to tell they're made of celery root!

Like potato pancakes, celery root latkes are fabulous topped with a poached egg.

But then everything is fabulous topped with a poached egg.

Poached Eggs Over Celery Root Latkes
Serves 2

1/2 c. safflower, canola, peanut, or other high-heat oil (I prefer almond or avocado oil)
1 celery root, peeled and shredded
1/2 green pepper, shredded
1 small onion, peeled and shredded
1 tsp. salt
1 egg, lightly beaten

2-4 eggs to poach

Set a saucepan 1/2 filled with salted water on to boil.

Heat oil in a large (preferably nonstick) skillet over medium-high.  While the oil heats, stir together the potatoes, green pepper, onion, salt, and egg.  When the oil is hot, scoop up a small handful of the celery root mixture, squeeze it (over the bowl to catch drips), flatten with your hands into a 3-inch pancake, then slide into the hot oil.  Fry three pancakes at a time until golden brown, then turn pancakes over and brown on the other side.  Drain on paper towels.  Fry remaining pancakes; drain.  Place one or two pancakes on each plate.

The water will likely boil as you're frying pancakes, which is great.  Turn heat down so that the water is barely simmering - small bubbles should barely break the surface.  As soon as you're done frying the pancakes, crack one egg into a small dish and slide it into the water.  Quickly do the same with the second egg.  Set the timer for 3 minutes.  The eggs whites will look shredded, but that's OK.  When the timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to scoop one egg out of the water.  Tilt the spoon so the water drains completely off, then place the egg on top of one of the plates of hot potato pancakes.  Repeat with the second egg and second plate of pancakes.  (Poach additional eggs if desired.)  Top eggs with a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of black pepper each.  Serve immediately.

It has bothered me that I didn't snap a pic of The Pioneer Woman Crash Hot Potatoes I made on July 4th.  I know...I'm weird.  But there it is, and here I am, and now I have a pic of the potatoes.

Which is good, since I've made them three times since July 4th.  What can I say?  They're addictive.  Especially with the minced preserved lemon I added to the basic recipe.  Really anything with preserved lemon is delicious, but crunchy, salty potatoes with preserved lemon?  The Kill.  Here's the recipe for the version I put together.

If you recall, on the 4th I served them alongside no-fail pork ribs and mini burgers.  I've since served them with grilled steaks with herb butter, grilled lamb chops, and tonight's version - greens dressed with a harissa vinaigrette, topped with olives and almonds, and finished with a poached egg.

That's right, another poached egg.  Some people eat chocolate several times per week.

I eat poached eggs.

In fact, if you're new to reading Fresh Tart, courtesy of Food News Journal, Minnesota Public Radio, Minnesota Monthly magazine, Twitter, or Facebook - thank you for stopping by.  I'm honored that you clicked through.  And I hope that you find tasty things!

Have I got a gazpacho recipe for you.  This version is smooth and creamy (without cream), made crunchy with a garnish of minced cucumber, green pepper, tomato, and croutons.  Serve it icy cold for summer in a bowl.

Or cup - sip it while you fry a few potato pancakes, poach a few eggs.  That's what I did, while John worked on his 9,500-song - no lie - iTunes library and read me raves from the newspaper.  I cook, he sits with me, that's our thing.

I picked up the tomatoes and cucumber at the Minneapolis Farmer's Market yesterday.  Real garden gazpacho.  Nice.  I plan to sip more later for an afternoon snack.  It's light yet filling, perfect for a hot, sunny Saturday.

Or ooh, pour the gazpacho into a thermos and take it for a bike ride-picnic, with good bread and cheese, cold white wine, and fresh cherries or berries.  Damn, I wish I were doing exactly that right now.

But then I would have missed making the second course...  I know, I know, yet another poached egg dish, sorry for the redundancy.  But poached eggs are so easy and delicious, I can't help myself.  They just make everything special.  Agree?

What are your plans for Independence Day?  We're having our Annual Super Duper Shubert Coopster 4th of July Celebration, including my sister Stacey, and hoping it won't rain all day so we can be in and around the pool.  I'm making the no-fail pork ribs and crunchy, creamy coleslaw I posted on Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly magazine blog, as well as mini-burgers and boiled new potatoes with olive oil, garlic, parsley, and preserved lemon.

Suz is bringing blueberry kuchen, which we'll top with a scoop of homemade strawberry-rhubarb ice cream.  Red, white & blue, woo hoo!  Have a Bangin' 4th everyone!

Andalusian Garden Gazpacho
Adapted from www.latimes.com
Serves 6-8

Author's note: the gazpacho should be the consistency of light cream.  If it is to be served for sipping, thin with additional cold water.  Lemon juice can be a substituted for the vinegar.

Stephanie's note: I used both a food processor and blender - food processor to puree the bread and tomatoes, blender to puree the gazpacho itself so it would be as smooth and creamy as possible.

4 slices bread, crusts removed (4 oz.); plus 2 slices bread, diced and fried in a little olive oil (for garnish), divided (Stephanie's note: I used the bread crusts to make the croutons)
water
5 tomatoes (2 lbs.), cored and roughly chopped; plus 1 small tomato, finely chopped (for garnish)
1/2 green pepper, cored and roughly chopped; plus extra finely chopped (for garnish), divided
1/2 cucumber, peeled and roughly chopped; plus extra finely chopped (for garnish), divided
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. salt
1/4 c. plus 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 1/2 c. ice cold water

Break the 4 slices bread into chunks and soak it in water to cover until softened.  Squeeze the water from the bread and place it in a food processor with the garlic.  Process until smooth.  Transfer to the bowl of a blender.

Without washing the food processor, add the chopped tomatoes and process until smooth.  Press the tomato juice and pulp through a sieve or colander, discarding the skin and seeds.  Add the tomato juice and pulp to the blender.

Add the green pepper, cumin, and salt to the bread and tomatoes in the blender.  With the blender running, add the oil in a slow stream.  Blend in the vinegar and some of the cold water.  Transfer the gazpacho to a large pitcher and stir in the remaining water.  Serve immediately or chill until serving time.  (Stephanie's note: I like to leave a couple of hours for it to chill and for the flavors to blend.  It's best icy cold.)

To serve, pour the gazpacho into individual bowls.  Place each of the garnishes (finely chopped green pepper, cucumber, tomato, and crispy bread) in small bowls.  Pass the garnishes with the gazpacho and allow guests to serve themselves.

Poached Eggs Over Potato-Green Pepper Pancakes
Serves 2

1/2 c. safflower, canola, peanut, or other high-heat oil
1 large russet potato, peeled and shredded
1/2 green pepper, shredded
1 large shallot, peeled and shredded
2 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. salt
2 eggs

Set a saucepan 1/2 filled with salted water on to boil.

Heat oil in a large (preferably nonstick) skillet over medium-high.  While the oil heats, stir together the potatoes, green pepper, shallot, flour, and salt.  When the oil is hot, drop 2 or 3 large spoonfuls of the potato mixture into the oil.  Use a spatula to flatten and spread the potatoes a bit, into pancake shapes.  Fry until golden brown, then turn pancakes over and brown on the other side.  Drain on paper towels.  Fry remaining pancakes; drain.  Place one or two pancakes on each plate.

The water will likely boil as you're frying pancakes, which is great.  Turn heat down so that the water is barely simmering - small bubbles should barely break the surface.  As soon as you're done frying the pancakes, crack one egg into a small dish and slide it into the water.  Quickly do the same with the second egg.  Set the timer for 3 minutes.  The eggs whites will look shredded, but that's OK.  When the timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to scoop one egg out of the water.  Tilt the spoon so the water drains completely off, then place the egg on top of one of the plates of hot potato pancakes.  Repeat with the second egg and second plate of pancakes.  Top eggs with a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of black pepper each.  Serve immediately.

As you might have noticed, I'll eat eggs with pretty much anything.  Polenta, potatoes, bread, bread crumbs, salad, tomatoes, soup, on and on.  Take it from a former egg hater - eggs elevate all of these dishes from something ordinary to sublime.

For pennies.

For around 75 calories.

So lovely.

This dish is a sort-of take on spaghetti carbonara, the classic bacon-n-egg pasta.  Instead of tossing the pasta with raw eggs, cream, and lots of bacon, this version is instead tossed with a little bacon, garlic, herbs, and Parmesan cheese, then topped with a poached egg.  Yeah.  Gorgeous and delicious.  Salty, chewy, creamy. (Without cream.)

In other words, completely party worthy.  Or quick weeknight dinner worthy.  You decide.

Sort-Of Spaghetti Carbonara
Serves 2

2 slices bacon, chopped
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
8 oz. dried spaghetti
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Set a large pot of salted water on to boil.  Set a small saucepan of salted water on to boil. 

Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium heat.  Add bacon, saute until just crisp, then stir in garlic and fresh herbs.  Remove from heat and set aside.

When the large pot of water boils, add pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.  Before draining, reserve 1/3 c. of the pasta cooking water.  Drain pasta and return to the pot.  Add the bacon, herbs, pan drippings, cheese, and pasta cooking water to the pasta.  Add a generous sprinkle of salt and freshly ground black pepper, and toss to coat.  Divide between two plates.

Turn heat down on the small saucepan of boiling water so that the water is barely simmering - small bubbles should barely break the surface.  Crack one egg into a small dish and slide into the water.  Quickly do the same with the second egg.  Set the timer for 3 minutes.  The eggs whites will look shredded, but that's OK.  When the timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to scoop one egg out of the water.  Tilt the spoon so the water drains completely off, then place the egg on top of one of the plates of pasta.  Repeat with the second egg and second plate of pasta.  Top eggs with a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of black pepper each.  Serve immediately.

I worked out this decadent, completely over-the-top (gluten-free!) dish with the help of friends Andrew Zimmern, Scott Pampuch, and Ken Okumura.  A delicious, collaborative blast.

Recipe for Poached Egg, Crispy Pork Belly, & Watercress on Rice Flour-Potato Pancake with Bacon-Maple Vinagrette (whew!) at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.  Have at it!

PS I realize that's two poached egg posts in a row.  I'll give it a rest for awhile, I promise.

I'll keep this simple.  I made this version of Salad Lyonnaise for dinner tonight, for John, for Father's Day, and it was sublime.  If you want to go to the recipe after the video, click on the "article" link.  If you take nothing else away from this demonstration, let it be how incredibly easy it is to poach eggs.  A breeze.  And oh my, so delicious, especially atop crispy bacon, pleasantly bitter greens, all cloaked in a warm, tart vinaigrette.  Thank you Mark Bittman.  Enjoy!

Make the Chicken with Taklia (Coriander Seeds & Garlic Toasted in Butter) and Sauteed Spinach (posted below) for dinner, then have poached eggs for breakfast the next day.  That's pretty much the routine in this house.  In fact, I saved the chicken pan drippings and used them to saute the cabbage and spinach in this dish.  (Don't let delicious pan drippings go - so much flavor!)

Because we were going chicken-to-the-max, I also poached the eggs in chicken stock.  You don't need to do that.  Although if you have it around...very worth it.  Yum.

The crunchy-garlicky taklia makes the dish.  I left a little texture in the cabbage as well; against a pillowy-soft egg, the bite of the taklia's garlic and coriander is fresh enough to counter the pretty big hit of chicken-before-egg richness.

Poached Eggs with Vegetables & Taklia (Coriander Seeds & Garlic Toasted in Butter)
Serves 2

2 c. chicken stock or (generously salted) water
2 Tbsp. chicken fat or butter
1 large shallot, sliced thin
1/4 small head green cabbage, trimmed, sliced thin/shredded
2 c. spinach leaves, sliced thin
salt & freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp. chicken pan juices or chicken stock
2-4 eggs

taklia (room temperature)

Put 2 c. chicken stock (or generously salted water) in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add chicken fat or butter and when it is melted and hot, add shallot to the pan.  Saute for 5 minutes, then stir in cabbage and spinach leaves with a generous pinch of salt.  Stir to coat the vegetables in the chicken fat (or butter), then stir in the 2 Tbsp. pan juices (or stock).  Saute until wilted and just-tender.  Taste and add a little salt if needed.  Divide vegetables between two plates.

The stock (or water) will likely boil as you're sauteeing the vegetables, which is great.  Turn heat down so that the water is barely simmering - small bubbles should barely break the surface.  As soon as you're done sauteeing the vegetables, crack one egg into a small dish and slide it into the water.  Quickly do the same with the second egg.  Set the timer for 3 minutes.  The eggs whites will look shredded, but that's OK.  When the timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to scoop one egg out of the stock/water.  Tilt the spoon so the liquid drains completely off, then place the egg on top of one of the plates of warm vegetables.  Repeat with the second egg and second plate of vegetables.  (Poach additional eggs if desired.)  Top eggs with a teaspoon of taklia and a few grinds of black pepper each.  Serve immediately.

Given that everything is better fried - everything - it will come as no surpirse that root vegetables make utterly dreamy latkes. I like celery root in particular for its slightly sweet flavor.

These latkes are delicious as is, fresh out of the fat with a dab of sour cream, but my favorite way to eat them is topped with a poached egg. I know: Everything is Better Fried and Just Put an Egg On It, two of my favorite food credos, together in the same post? Out of control.

This same technique works nicely with zucchini as well. I particularly like a mix of zucchini and green pepper, in the summer when both are abundant, topped with Greek yogurt and scallions. Or a fresh tomato sauce. Or ooh, with Molly Herrmann's tomato jam! So lovely. We'll have to wait a few more months to play around with all that fun, however.

For now, fry your root vegetables and be very happy.

And then join the Minnesota Food Bloggers for a Saturday, January 21, viewing of TEDxManhattan: Changing the Way We Eat webcast, 9:00 am, at the Minnesota History Center. The webcast will be followed by a discussion and reception sponsored by Minnesota Monthly Magazine. The event is free of charge.

And join Jason DeRusha and me next Monday evening, January 23, as we assist Chef Scott Pampuch for Chef's Night Off cooking class at Kitchen in the Market. I hope that you can be there with us for food, hands-on cooking, wine, and FUN!

Recipe for Celery Root Latkes at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.