Tag Archives: breakfast

Sunday Brunch: Chinese Style Shrimp and Eggs

Posted on February 8, 2015 | 1 comment

Brunch

Sunday brunch is one of my favorite meals! I have such fond memories of preparing late morning (or early afternoon) omelets, French toast or pancakes for my daughters as they were growing up. Nowadays it just Kat and I most weekends but that hasn’t diminished the joy of getting in the kitchen with a hot cup of coffee and whipping up something tasty and interesting on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

I had bought some amazing looking shrimp earlier this week so today I was looking for recipes with shrimp and eggs. I had thought of egg fu yung but that would mean a trip to the store. A frittata sounded interesting too but with ginger and garlic on my mind I found this recipe on one of my favorite web sites!

Using Shao’s recipe for inspiration I added potatoes for substance and a little Sriracha for warmth and came up with an interesting dish that would even make for a light and easy weeknight dinner. Served with a simple slaw of mixed cabbage tossed with a little rice wine, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil this was a satisfying and delicious Sunday Brunch.

Notes: This recipe serves two. A wok would be a perfect cooking vessel for this, especially if you were going to double the recipe. Be careful not to over beat the eggs, there should still be some separation between the whites and the yolks. And, do add a little more Sriracha at the table for a great boost of flavor to wake up your taste buds!

Chinese Style Shrimp and Eggs

4 – Large Eggs
8 – Fresh Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Cup – Yukon Gold Potatoes, cut in ½ to ¾ inch cubes
1 Tbsp – Baking Soda
2 Tbsp = Kosher Salt, divided
Fresh black pepper
Cold Water
1 ½ Tbsp – Low Sodium Soy Sauce, divided
½ Tsp – Chili Sauce
1 Tbsp – Unsalted Butter, divided
1 Tbsp – Sesame Oil, divided
1 Tsp – Fresh Garlic, minced
1 Tsp – Fresh Ginger, minced
½ Cup – Fresh Scallions, green parts only, cut in approx. 1 inch pieces

In a bowl (or a zip lock bag) add 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and the baking soda to 2 cups of water and stir (or shake) to dissolve. Add the shrimp and chill in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes.

Meanwhile in a small saucepan over high heat bring 3 cups of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon of kosher salt and the potatoes. When the water reaches a boil reduce the heat to medium and cook until the potatoes test “almost” tender. About 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes into a strainer and shake to remove excess liquid. Set the strainer, with the potatoes, back over the saucepan to allow the potatoes to steam dry.

When you are ready to cook the eggs, remove the shrimp from the brine, rinse in cold water, and pat dry.

Place a 10 inch non-stick pan over medium heat and melt ½ of the butter with ½ tablespoon of sesame oil. Add the potatoes and cook, shaking the pan and stirring to turn only every couple of minutes. Cook until the cubes are nicely browned on all sides.

Add the shrimp, shaking the pan to evenly distribute. Cook the shrimp for about 1 minute on each side before adding the garlic, ginger, and a splash of the soy sauce (about ½ Tbsp.). Shake the pan and gently stir to distribute the ingredients and cook 2 minutes more, stirring gently only 2 to 3 times. Toss with the scallions, remove from the heat, and transfer the mixture to a bowl. (There is no need to wipe the pan.)

Gently beat the eggs together with the remaining soy sauce, the chili sauce, and about 1/8 teaspoon each of kosher salt & fresh ground pepper. Add the pan back to medium heat and melt the remaining butter with ½ tablespoon of sesame oil.

Swirl the pan to distribute the oil then add the eggs. Cook 30 seconds then shake the pan a little to loosen the eggs. Continue giving the pan and occasional shake while using a rubber spatula to break up the curds moving them towards the center of the pan.

When the eggs are mostly cooked with some still a little loose, gently stir the shrimp mixture into the pan. Cook no more than one more minute as you gently stir to combine.

Serve immediately garnished with a few sprigs of scallion and a little hot chili sauce on the side.

Enjoy!

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Yard Sale Brunch: Personal Frittatas with Shrimp, Bacon, and Smoked Gouda

Posted on April 26, 2014 | 1 comment

Shrimp & Bacon Frittatas

My wife Kathy and some of our friends had another yard sale today. As usual, once the tents and tables were up, I wanted to make a brunch treat to go along with their requisite mimosas. I had a shrimp and bacon frittata in mind based loosely on a pizza we’ve had at one of our favorite haunts in the Florida Keys. Trouble is, after picking up all of my ingredients last night I realized this morning that our oven is broken!

I was contemplating how to do a frittata on the grill when Kathy suggested I use the toaster oven and a muffin tin to make mini (personal) frittatas. What a novel idea! You don’t have to make yours in a muffin tin but they really were great for an outdoor brunch. They went perfectly with chilled fresh cantaloupe and the banana muffins someone else made…not to mention those mimosas!

I make frittatas often, sometimes even for dinner, and I always use this web article as a  guide: http://www.finecooking.com/articles/cyor/frittata.aspx. I know I’ve posted it before but really can’t recommend it enough…we have yet to be disappointed.

Shrimp and Bacon Frittatas with Smoked Gouda

24 – Medium Shrimp
8 – Large Eggs
6 slices – Thick Sliced Uncured Applewood Smoked Bacon, cooked (2 Slices Reserved)
1/2 Cup – Smoked Gouda Cheese, Grated
1/2 Cup – Heavy Cream
3 – Green Onions (about ¼ cup sliced)
1 Tbsp. – Unbleached All Purpose Flour
1 Tbsp. – Unsalted Butter, Melted
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground Pepper
Olive Oil Spray

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. To prep the shrimp, dissolve 2 Tbsp. kosher salt in 4 cups of water. Peel and devein the shrimp and soak them in the salty water for a few minutes while preparing the other ingredients. Place another pan of water on the stove and start bringing this to a boil.

Slice the green onions diagonally into roughly 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices then cut 4 slices of bacon in half first lengthwise, then into ½ inch pieces. Grate the cheese and place together in a bowl with the onions and bacon.

When the pan of water has come to a boil strain the shrimp, blanch them in the boiling water for one minute, then strain them again. Toss these in a bowl with the melted butter then, when cool enough to touch, cut each shrimp crossway into 2 -3 bite sized pieces.

Whisk the eggs in a separate bowl with the cream and the flour, adding fresh ground pepper to taste. Then gently fold in the cheese, onion, and bacon mixture. Lastly, gently fold in the shrimp and you are now ready to make your frittata!

If you are going to use a muffin tin, line each cup with paper muffin cups. Give each cup a good spray of olive oil then using a very large spoon distribute the egg mixture as evenly as possible into twelve cups. Place the muffin tin carefully in the oven (or toaster oven) and bake 20 minutes, checking often after 15 minutes to make sure the tops don’t get too brown. Allow these to cool a few minutes before serving.

Before serving slice the remaining bacon pieces on an angle and garnish each personal frittata with a piece poked into the top.

Alternative cooking method: Heat 1 Tbsp. of olive oil in a 10 inch non-stick pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, pour in the egg mixture evenly, reduce the heat to low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes until the eggs begin to set and finish in a 325 degree oven until set, 15 – 20 minutes.

Allow the pan to cool a little before carefully sliding the frittata onto a cutting board, cool a few more minutes, slice and…

Enjoy!

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A Healthier Hash – Ground Turkey Hash

Posted on April 14, 2012 | 1 comment

Photo by KathyHuntPhoto.com

I think I have mentioned before how much I loved my Mom’s corned beef hash (topped with poached eggs) when I was a kid. She pretty much always prepared it with the canned version and even as an adult I’ve made it quite often. As my eating habits have become more conscientious though, I’ve felt more and more hesitant to use the canned stuff, especially corned beef hash. Sure, I’ll eat fresh corned beef, steaks and burgers too, all in moderation of course. But when I open that can of corned beef hash and see all that greasy looking congealed fat I can almost feel it clogging my arteries as I cook it.

So this past weekend I had a package of ground turkey that needed to be used and being that it was Super Bowl Sunday I wanted a “Super” brunch. Hence what I’ll call “A Healthier Hash” using the ground turkey along with a few other things from the pantry. In order to replicate the corned beef hash flavor I started with a few ingredients common to corned beef including allspice and bay. Then, for the sake of either color or flavor I got a little creative with the mixture.

Cooking down the broth step by step not only ensures that the potatoes get cooked through; the flavor of the dish really gets a nice boost from the broth. During the last 10 minutes of cooking, be sure to let the hash cook without stirring as often. This allows for some nice browning to form on the bottom; those crunchy bits are packed full of flavor. Lowering the heat a little will help keep it from burning as it browns. The whole process takes about an hour but for all that flavor and a whole lot less fat; I thought it was well worth the effort. I hope you do too!

Ground Turkey Breakfast Hash

1 Lb – Ground Turkey (97% Lean)
1 Cup – Yukon Gold or Red Bliss potatoes, diced ¼ to ½ inch
1 Cup – Homemade or lower sodium chicken stock, divided
1 – Medium yellow onion, chopped
1 Clove – Garlic, minced
3 – Whole allspice berries
1 Sprig – Fresh rosemary
1 Star – Star anise
1 – Bay leaf
1 Tbsp – Ground turmeric
1 Tsp – Paprika
Kosher Salt & Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp – Olive Oil
¼ Cup – Fresh Italian parsley, chopped

Pre-heat a 12” non-stick pan over med-high heat and when the pan is hot add the olive oil and swirl in the pan to coat. Stir in the potatoes, onions, and garlic then add the allspice, rosemary, star anise, and bay leaf. Cook while stirring often until the onion begins to become transparent (about 5 minutes). Add the ground turkey, breaking it up as much as possible as you add it to the pan. Stir the mixture and continue to cook about 10 minutes more, stirring often and breaking the turkey into smaller pieces as it cooks.

When the turkey is nearly cooked lower the heat to medium and add about ¼ cup of the broth along with a few grinds of ground black pepper, the turmeric and the paprika. Stir the mixture well then cook, stirring less frequently until the pan is nearly dry (about 8-10 minutes). Continue this process, adding ¼ cup of broth at a time, until all of the broth has been cooked down, the potatoes are cooked through and some browning has begun. Before finishing, remove and discard the bay leaf, rosemary sprig, star anise, and allspice.

To finish, taste for seasonings and add kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper to your taste. Stir in the chopped parsley and served topped with eggs cooked to your liking.

Enjoy!

Randy

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Mother’s Day Brunch – Tuna Soufflé Bake

Posted on May 4, 2011 | Leave a comment

Photo by KathyHuntPhoto.com

For my third installment in the Mothers Day brunch series I am revisiting my youth once more. The recipe I’m posting below is verbatim from an old, yellowed, newspaper clipping I found in one of my mother’s recipe boxes:

I remember the recipe well and I loved it as much for dinner as I did (leftover) for breakfast. So as a nod to my mom and her wonderful ability to always provide us with the tastiest meals, even when times were a little tight, I felt this one very appropriate.

The dish is definitely a budget meal like so many of the recipes from that era, and it’s more of a “strata” than a “soufflé” as it contains more bread than eggs but I don’t think they were shooting for gourmet status when they published it so many years ago. Rest assured, it was gourmet to me back then and today I still enjoy it exactly as written.

Another beauty of the recipe is that the variations are endless; if you don’t want to use tuna, try crumbled and browned breakfast sausage, Italian sausage, or go meatless for that matter. Some of the combinations I can envision are Italian Sausage with fontina and swiss chard, feta cheese, with tomatoes and spinach, and how about chili & cheese? Yum! See what I mean? This is also a versatile and inexpensive weeknight recipe with many possibilities.

Getting back to the brunch though…I did substitute whole grain bread (crust included) and unsweetened almond milk in the soufflé pictured and it could have used a little more moisture. I think next time I would soak the bread in an extra ½ cup of the milk before assembly just to get the texture and moisture a little closer to the original. (If you use a white bread this extra step should be unnecessary.) Otherwise, use your imagination a little and have fun with the recipe. I’m sure your mom will appreciate the effort!

Photo by KathyHuntPhoto.com

 Tuna Soufflé Bake

8 slices – Day-old bread
1 Can (7 oz) – Tuna, drained
2 Cups (8 oz) – Shredded cheddar cheese
1 Can (4 oz) – Mushrooms, drained
3 – Eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon – Prepared mustard
1/2 teaspoon – salt
1/2 teaspoon – Onion salt
1/8 teaspoon – pepper

(Preheated 325 degree oven – 2 Quart Casserole / 6-8 servings)

Trim crusts from bread: cube. Place ½ of bread cubes in casserole: add tuna, mushrooms, and cheese. Top with remaining bread cubes: then remaining cheese. Blend together eggs, mustard, salt, onion salt, and pepper: add milk. Pour over casserole. Bake 60 – 70 minutes or until set.

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Weeknight Corned Beef Hash

Posted on March 10, 2011 | Leave a comment

http://www.flickr.com/photos/randy_lay/5513237025/

My mom used to make corned beef hash with poached eggs every now and then, always for supper. It was one of my favorite things in the world and to this day it is most definitely comfort food! I’m also fairly certain  that she is responsible for my current fondness for breakfast at dinnertime. This past weekend, not long after the corned beef brisket went into the oven and the house began to fill with that familiar aroma, my thoughts were again with her. I daydreamed of those evenings long past when I would rub my hands in anticipation of her wonderful meals.

As my sister and I were growing up mom cooked with love and she cooked with flavor and even though it was always with a nod to a tight budget, holy cow was it ever good! It is interesting to me how many of my current favorite dishes, and many that you’ll now see celebrity chefs cooking on TV, have their roots in such simple budget cooking.

Was the food of our youth so good because of the long cooking necessary to make the tougher cuts palatable?  Are the flavors that developed out of these techniques what makes meat loaves, chicken pot pies, stews and braises so popular even today? Or is it that these foods were prepared with so much love by so many of our moms that it touches our souls even today?

The brisket last Sunday was a small one and though I do love leftover corned beef on rye, I squirreled the leftovers away because there was just enough for a batch of my weeknight corned beef hash. This is a simple, peasant style recipe that I can make no claim to as it has been cooked for so long by so many. I only wish my mom lived a little closer so that I could have shared it with her.

Notes: It is not necessary to use leftover vegetables. If you do use fresh, pre-cook the potatoes by blanching the cubed potatoes until tender then drain and gently pat them dry. (Remember…the dryer you get them the better because moisture inhibits browning!) Optionally you may also use 1 cup of the leftover cabbage. Be sure to take a look at this Poached Egg video for a really simple way to poach an egg.

Weeknight Corned Beef Hash

2 Cups – Leftover Corned Beef Brisket, cubed, shredded, or chopped
2 Cups – Leftover cooked red bliss potatoes, cut in ¼” cubes
1-1/2 – Leftover cooked onions, cut in ¼ to ½ inch dice
1 Clove – Garlic, minced
¼ Tbsp. – Dried thyme
¼ Tbsp. – Fresh ground black pepper
1 Sprig – Fresh rosemary
1 Poached Egg per serving
Olive Oil

Warm 2 tablespoons of oil In a large pan over medium high heat. When the oil is shimmering add the garlic, thyme, and black pepper and cook stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring often, until the onions have just begun to brown.

Stir in the potatoes and lower the heat to medium. When potatoes are hot; stir in the corned beef and the rosemary. Cook, stirring or shaking the pan occasionally, until potatoes and beef have browned and formed a desirable crust, about 10 minutes more. Remove the rosemary and discard before serving.

Serve topped with a freshly poached egg.

Enjoy,

Randy

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Frittata with Spinach and Tomato

Posted on November 30, 2010 | 1 comment

Frittatas are another very versatile and fast way to whip up a great dinner. This one calls for Spinach and Tomato but, like pizza, the ingredient list is limited only by your imagination. Some of our favorite combinations include tuna & scallions, diced ham & fontina with scallions, and asparagus, artichoke hearts, tomato, & onion. Fresh grated Parmesan cheese is a constant for me and I even sprinkle some over the top for an added flavor boost. Though I used Soy Milk in this recipe you can use skim milk, whole milk, or even half & half in yours. Get creative and have a little fun!

Frittata with Spinach and Tomato

1 package pre-washed fresh spinach, about 12 oz
2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise, rinsed well, patted dry, and sliced
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced large *See my note below
1 large tomato, peeled and sliced into 7 equal slices
2-3 med red bliss potatoes, sliced 1/8 to 1/4 inch-thick
8 large eggs
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 tbs whole wheat flour
1/4 cup part skim ricotta
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus about a tablespoon reserved
1 pinch fresh grated nutmeg
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil

Heat 1 tbs of the olive oil in a 10 inch non-stick pan over medium heat. When the oil is beginning to shimmer, add the leeks and about 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper. Cook, stirring often, 2 to 3 minutes until the leeks are just transparent. Remove them to a bowl to cool. Using the same pan, raise the heat to med high and bring 1/4 cup of water to a boil. Dissolve about 1 tbs of kosher salt, then carefully add the spinach. Cook 2 to 3 minutes until spinach is wilted then pour into a colander to drain and cool. When the spinach is cool enough to handle, in a dishtowel, gently squeeze out excess water. Hold the spinach in the same bowl with the leeks until ready to use.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl beat the eggs with the soy milk. Gently fold in the flour and the nutmeg, then the spinach, leeks, diced tomatoes, ricotta, and most of the Parmesan cheese, reserving about 1 tbs. Warm the same pan over med heat with 1 tbs of olive oil. Meanwhile carefully distribute the potato slices evenly around the pan trying not to overlap. When the potatoes begin to sizzle, pour the egg mixture into the pan. Use a spoon to make sure the ingredients are evenly distributed. Lower your heat to low, cover the pan and cook for about 10 minutes or until the eggs have begun to set and pull away from the side of the pan.

Remove the cover and evenly distribute the tomato slices around the top, sprinkle with the reserved Parmesan then carefully place the pan in the oven. Bake uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the eggs in the top center appear to be completely set. Remove the pan from the oven and using a thin spatula carefully loosen the frittata from the pan all the way around the edges. When the frittata is freed from the pan, gently slip it out of the pan and onto a cutting board to rest. Rest 10 minutes, then slice into pie shaped pieces to serve.

* Note: Tomatoes are easy to peel if you blanch them in a little hot water for a minute or two. For this recipe, slice about a 1/2 inch “X” in the bottom of your tomatoes (opposite the stem end). Gently drop them into a pan of water heated to near boiling and simmer for two minutes or so until the tomato skin at the “X” begins to pull away. Now removes the tomatoes and cover them in cold water to stop the cooking.

Once the tomatoes have cooled the skin will be very easy to peel; I use the edge of a knife to grab it and gently peel it away.

To remove the seeds, cut the tomato in half cross ways (midway between the stem and the bottom) and gently squeeze the tomato to force out the seeds  using the tip of your knife to remove any stragglers.

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