Fresh Tart

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.

I posted this recipe a few weeks ago at Dara & Co./Minnesota Monthly Magazine.  If you'll have a housefull of guests this coming holiday weekend, keep this easy eggs-for-a-crowd dish in mind.  For Turkey Day ideas, see Herb-Roasted Turkey & Gravy and Brussels Salad with Pancetta & Cranberries.  Yay for Thanksgiving!

An egg baked in a cup.  You can do that.

While you're at it, you had might as well add a few seasonings (although you don't need much - an egg baked with a sprinkle of salt & pepper is a fine thing).  I added fresh herbs and crispy prosciutto to this version, because that's what I had on hand.  But you could add a little spinach and a sprinkle of cheese, or whatever combination of flavors you like with scrambled eggs.  They all work here.

I do suggest that you try crispy prosciutto at least one time if you never have.  Roasting a thin slice of prosciutto transforms it from silky to shatteringly crisp, intensifying its salty, porky essence.  Try a few shards crumbled over a green salad - or in baked eggs.  Make a big batch, it keeps nicely.

As you can imagine, this is a great dish for a crowd - no flipping, no scrambling, leaving plenty of time to make toast while you sip hot coffee (or champagne!).

Baked Eggs with Herbs & Crispy Prosciutto
Serves 4

4 thin slices prosciutto
4 tsp. heavy cream, divided
1 small clove garlic, minced, divided
2 tsp. minced fresh herbs, divided (thyme, basil, rosemary, alone or in combination, whatever you like)
4 organic eggs
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Lay prosciutto slices on a baking sheet so that pieces aren't touching.  Bake for 7-10 minutes (depending on the thickness of the slices) until prosciutto is lightly browned and crisp.  Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then crumble prosciutto and set aside.

Place four 4 oz. ramekins on a baking sheet.  Put 1 tsp. of cream in each of the ramekins.  Divided minced garlic among the ramekins.  Sprinkle in a little crumbled prosciutto and minced herbs (save some of each to sprinkle on top of the eggs as well).  Crack an egg into each ramekin, top with the remaining prosciutto and herbs, and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Bake eggs for 15 minutes, or until whites are set and yolks are still soft.  Serve immediately (the eggs will continue to cook when you take them out of the oven) with hot buttered toast.

Do you cook with creme fraiche?  Non?  Oh, you should, you should, it's a breeze to use and makes everything it touches absolutely luscious.  Creme fraiche is technically French-style cultured cream, somewhat similar to sour cream, but easier to cook with because it can be whipped as well as boiled without curdling.

Even better, it's as lush as Angelina Jolie's lips, with a softly nutty flavor that beautifully elevates...eggs, for instance.

I'm going to focus on creme fraiche for a few days, to give you a reason to buy a small container and then use it all up.  I'm starting with scrambled eggs because you'll never make them without creme fraiche again.  (OK, you probably will, but you'll wish that you'd made them with creme fraiche.)

I am ridiculously picky about scrambled eggs.  I like them soft, but they repulse me if undercooked.  I've tried stirring cream cheese into them as they finish, but for my taste that takes the temperature down too far, because they also repulse me if they're not piping hot.

Annoying?  No!  Not if the scrambled eggs are made with a generous dollop of creme fraiche!  Beat it into the eggs with lots of chives, scramble slowly in a spot of butter, cook them until they're nicely done yet still soft.  Creamy, fluffy, lush scrambled eggs, every time.

The picture of my dog?  Gratuitous cuteness.  (He's getting a hair cut on Monday!)

Softly Scrambled Eggs with Chives & Creme Fraiche
Serves 1

1/2 Tbsp. butter
2 large, organic eggs
1 Tbsp. creme fraiche
1 Tbsp. minced chives
1/4 tsp. salt + more to finish
freshly ground black pepper

Put butter in a large nonstick skillet and set over medium low heat.  While the butter melts, in a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, creme fraiche, chives, salt, and a grind of black pepper until uniform.  When the butter is melted, stir in the egg mixture.  Slowly cook the eggs, stirring with a rubber spatula the whole time, until eggs are just set (if they're cooking too quickly, just pull the pan from the heat and continue stirring).  Serve immediately with a bit more salt & pepper.

What's this?  Why, it's the best (insert your favorite curse word) breakfast you've had, like, ever.  You'll see the list of ingredients, and you might freak out a little bit, thinking that it's awfully rich for breakfast.  But bear with me, as I'm a big fan of small jolts of dear ingredients, the best possible way to eat healthfully without dying of boredom.

This baby has it all, and I'm not just talking a nice balance of protein, carbohydrates, and fat.  I'm talking crunchy, creamy, salty, spicy, even a hint of sweetness from the tomatoes.  I realize that I'm claiming no new territory here - huevos rancheros fans will be all over this.  But I might be able to shake you egg-&-buttered-toast fans out of a rut, and for that I'd be thrilled.  (This totals around 250 calories, for those who care, and in my experience will leave you nicely satisfied until lunch time.)

Best part - ready in 10 minutes or less.  Yes!  I say breakfast, but I make this for lunch (and dinner!) all the time too.  I'm not sure why I haven't shared it with you before, probably because it feels like sharing a bowl of yogurt, as in, I eat this all the time.  But there was something about the way this morning's gorgeous fall sunlight fell on that equally golden yolk that made me think, Hey, this is blog worthy!  Right?

Oh, I keep forgetting to say (because I keep forgetting that I'm going)...  I'm heading to San Francisco later this week for BlogHer Food '10, a big annual food bloggers conference.  Food bloggers know all about it but the reaction from family and non-blogging friends has been mostly pleasant confusion.

Oh cool.  Wait - why?

I can't say exactly, yet - I've never attended a conference like this before - but I'm expecting serious networking as well as conversations about photography, writing, social marketing, monetizing, recipe writing, web design, niche/audience, on and on.  And on.  This will be two full days of conversation with hundreds of assertive, talented, successful, motivated women, after all.  (There are male food bloggers of course.  Food Wishes, David Lebovitz, Michael Ruhlman, Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, and Amateur Gourmet are all favorites of mine.  But as the world goes, so does blogging...  Women are taking over.  Just kidding.  A little.)

John is going with me, so I'm not sure how much blogging I'll do from San Francisco.  We have drives to take and restaurants to scope!  Also, I'm the type that needs to mentally digest a bit before I summarize.  But despite prolonged exposure to excellent food and wine, I'll most certainly glean nuggets of wisdom which I'll be anxious to share.  Stay tuned for raves...  (And if you're going - email or DM me!  I'd love to meet you!)

Fried Egg Tostada with Sausage, Spinach & Tomatoes
Serves 1

Note: If you're avoiding grains, just skip the tortilla and serve the egg over the spinach & sausage, with the slice of avocado as garnish.  Delicious.

1 small, fresh corn tortilla
olive oil
1/2-inch-thick slice of ripe avocado, mashed lightly with a pinch of salt (about 1 Tbsp.)
1 oz. (about the size of a 1-inch meatball) of pork breakfast sausage (I love Blue Gentian, available at Minneapolis Farmers Market)
3 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 c. spinach leaves
chipotle chili powder
1 large, organic egg
salt & freshly ground black pepper

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Rub a few drops of olive oil into both sides of the tortilla.  Toast the tortilla in the hot skillet until lightly browned and crispy on both sides.  Set tortilla on a plate.

Crumble pork sausage into the hot skillet and stir around until nicely browned, about 3 minutes.  Add cherry tomatoes, spinach, a sprinkle of salt, and a dash of chipotle chili powder and stir until spinach is wilted.  Remove pan from heat.  Spread avocado on tortilla, then top with the spinach mixture.

Return pan to heat.  Add a a few drops of olive oil if there is no fat in the pan, then crack egg into the pan.  Sprinkle egg with a little salt and pepper and fry egg to desired doneness (I like an over-medium egg).  Nestle egg on top of tortilla and serve immediately.

I'm supposed to be preparing for a dinner party we're hosting this evening, so this post is going to be short-n-sweet!  Which is fine, since these quiches are short-n-sweet too, and really, what's to say about quiche?  Eggs + cheese = heaven.  There you go.

Oh wait, I do have one note of explanation: I love pie crust as much as the next person, but one of many great things about quiche is that the filling alone is so delicious - and satisfying - that it's damn tasty without the crust.  What a nice way to enjoy something pretty and even celebratory without sweating the calories.

Of course if you can't imagine quiche without the crust, absolutely include it.  The filling below nicely fills a pie shell, or a pie plate if you want to bake it crustless in one dish, or as I wrote it below, baked in 6 4-oz. ramekins (cool leftovers and chill; micro reheat).  Really, whatever you like best.

These quiches come together in about 15 minutes, which means dinner (or brunch) on the table in less than an hour. Tonight's dinner, on the other hand, requires a bit more effort, so I'd best get chopping!  If you're interested, I'm making steaks with herb butter, Swiss chard sauteed with pancetta, raisins, & pine nuts, roasted new potatoes, and light (eggless) chocolate puddings.

Crustless Spinach & Leek Quiches
Makes 6 individual quiches

4 oz. cream cheese, softened (I use Neufchatel/light cream cheese)
1/4 c. milk
3 eggs
freshly grated nutmeg
salt & freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. butter
1 leek, white & pale green part only, halved lengthwise & sliced thin
1 5 oz. package fresh spinach
1/2 c. grated cheddar
1/4 c. grated Parmesan

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Grease 6 4-oz. ramekins and set them on a baking sheet.

Beat cream cheese in a mixing bowl until light and fluffy.  Slowly beat in milk, then eggs.  Add a few gratings of nutmeg, 1/2 tsp. of salt, and a few grinds of pepper.  Set aside.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add butter and when it melts, stir in leeks.  Add a sprinkle of salt and saute leeks for 5 minutes, until softened.  Add spinach all at once, another light sprinkle of salt, and cover.   Let spinach steam for 3-4 minutes, or until spinach is wilted.  Saute for another 5 minutes or until most of the liquid is evaporated.

Divide leek-spinach mixture among the 6 ramekins.  Top each with cheddar cheese.  Top with egg mixture and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until eggs are set and golden brown on top.  Let cool for 5 minutes, then serve.

Happy Labor Day!  Are you stopping by for a little last-minute holiday cooking inspiration?  I have to confess that this day rather snuck up on me too - denial that summer is ending, I suppose.  If you're running to the market today, wanting to pull something festive together for later this evening, here are some quick-to-make ideas:

Pork Tenderloin Tacos, easy to pull together, fun to eat, great for a crowd
Souvlaki, more pork (as you know, I do love pork), packed with flavor and everyone's favorite, especially with copious amounts of grilled naan or pita bread
Perfect Burgers, topped with whatever your heart desires, nothing more to say
Summer Tomato Soup, since it's a bit chilly out there, alongside Grilled Corn - a meatless meal, straight from the farmers market
Grilled Steaks with Herb Butter feel decadent and celebratory, but are really easy and fast to make (shhh!)
Farmer's Market Potato Salad, substitute green beans for asparagus, enjoy the delicious basil vinaigrette for weeks on everything
Gazpacho with Poached Eggs Over Potato-Green Pepper Pancakes, my personal fave lazy-day meal of the season

And for dessert, Blueberry Kuchen, baby, The Dessert of Summer 2010! It's my dear friend Susie's recipe, and won the Kingfield Market Berry Bake-Off when I submitted it earlier this summer.  Substitute other fruit for blueberries (as my friend Kelli at I Had A Delicious Time beautifully did) if you like.  Plums, peaches, apples...just don't forget the whipped or ice cream to melt over the top, mmm.

No matter what you make or eat, enjoy the end of summer, friends. Here's to a lovely fall!

I'm a bit ahead of the curve here, assuming that you have leftover roast of any sort in early September.  (Reveals my fatalistic if-summer's-over-then-it-must-be-winter attitude.)  But just in case...

I personally had a few lovely slices of leftover boneless, skin-on turkey breast, which I'd rubbed with herbs and olive oil and grilled until nicely crispy.  John and I hardly made a dent in it, but that's OK. We enjoyed hearty sandwiches and then...heavenly hash, God's gift to leftovers.  Yeah.

Too many people picture hash from a can, I think, and assume that they don't like it.  But really, what's not to like about aromatic vegetables slowly sauteed with a lovely bit of roast?  The whole emerges crusty and tender and pretty much to die for, especially topped with a poached egg (which I did not include in the pic, my apologies).  Hello Brunchy Autumn, aren't you a handsome fella?

I picked up parsnips today at Kingfield Farmers Market so in they went.  Fresh parsnips are sweet and rich-tasting, snag a few if you see them.  Roasted, mashed, tossed into stew (or hash!) the way you would potatoes.  Outstanding.

A Good Hash
Adapted from The Tenth Muse, My Life in Food by Judith Jones
Serves 2

2 Tbsp. butter
2 fat shallots or 1 small onion, chopped
1 rib celery, chopped
½ large green or red bell pepper, chopped
2 or 3 small mushrooms (optional), chopped
2 medium russet potatoes, diced small (1/4 inch)
About 8 oz. cooked beef, lamb, pork, corned beef, or poultry, cut into small dice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ c. lamb, beef, veal, or chicken stock (or even better, gravy)
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
salt and freshly ground pepper

Optional: 2 poached eggs

Melt the butter in an 8-9-inch skillet and sauté the shallots, celery, bell pepper, and mushrooms (if using) until almost soft, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the potatoes and the meat, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  When everything is beginning to sizzle, pour in the stock (or gravy), and cook over low heat, partially covered, about 10 minutes.  Turn the hash over with a spatula, and cook, uncovered, another 5 minutes or so.  By now the liquid will have evaporated and a crust should be forming on the bottom.  When it is browned to your liking, turn the hash over again and brown the other side.  Serve topped with a poached egg (if using) and parsley.

Judith’s note: it is always important to include some aromatic vegetables, to lend moisture and just a touch of sweetness, which helps to encourage the glazing.  I sometimes include a little finely chopped carrot or parsnip or white turnip – whatever I may have on hand.  It came as a surprise to me to learn from Julia (Child) that a good hash needs some stock or even gravy, if you have it, not only to keep it from drying out but, as with the vegetables, to form the slightly crusty glaze.

It's traditional to serve corn pudding alongside a crusty roast or ham, and of course it's delicious that way.  But I like it best as the star of the meal, served like a souffle with simply sauteed vegetables.  (Try diced zucchini, sauteed in a little butter with garlic, with halved cherry tomatoes and fresh thyme stirred in at the end to just warm through; oh what a meal!)

Or keep it beautifully simple with a plate of sliced garden tomatoes.  Golden yellow corn pudding against bright red tomatoes.  Fluffy, creamy, juicy all together.  A hint of sweet and salt.  Sigh.  Unbearably good.

Corn pudding made with fresh, just-picked corn is the best of all.  I've even used leftover cooked corn with scrumptious results (the pudding pictured is made with the corn I grilled for dinner last night).

My version isn't nearly as heavy as others you'll see.  Some are so loaded with cream, cheese, sugar, and butter, I'm not sure how you even taste the corn.  Fresh sweet corn is the star here.

What to have for dessert?

Fresh figs, which are obscenely good right now.  Maybe a few almonds too.  This time of year is heavenly.

Fresh Corn Pudding
Serves 4

1 lb. fresh corn kernels (from 4-5 ears of corn; cut the kernels off very close to the cob, scraping the juice/milk from the cob along with the corn)
1/4 c. half-n-half
3 eggs, separated
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tbsp. butter, softened
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. minced scallions (optional)
1/4 c. cheddar cheese (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a souffle dish (approximately 8 inch x 3 inch round dish). An 8-inch square pan could work too.

Puree corn kernels and half-n-half in a food processor until smooth.  Add egg yolks, sugar, butter, and salt and continue to puree.  Set aside.

Beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Fold pureed corn mixture, as well as scallions and cheese if using, into the egg whites.  Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, until lightly browned on top and set.  Serve immediately.

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.