Top Five Egg Dishes

In 2008 my mom and I became the proud of owners of two chickens, which we raised in our backyard. We spent many wonderful afternoon watching the birds run around the yard, scratching for worms and generally behaving like goofballs. The eggs were amazing - and plentiful, even in the winter. Sadly, those chickens met their eternal reward in the jaws of a raccoon a year and a half later.

After an extended period of mourning, we're finally back to chicken raising. Two weeks ago my mom got six adorable baby chicks (pictured above). There's an Ameraucana, a Buff Orpington, a Rhode Island Red, a Black Australorp, and two Sex Links (their unfortunate name comes from the fact that boys and girls are different colors when they're born). Even though I'm not living there anymore she's letting me participate as a part-time chicken mama.

At some point, six chickens will mean a lot of eggs. Combine that with the fact that Easter is just around the corner, and our little furry 'n' feathered friends got me thinking about ways to use a lot of eggs. Here are five ideas:

Growing up, our favorite egg dish was Chili Cheese Egg Puff, an amazing recipe from a friend of my mom's. It's a perfect breakfast or brunch item and is good served hot or room temperature. To make a full meal out of it, serve it with freshly cooked black beans, salsa and sour cream.

Toto Vo was one of my cooking buddies in Portland. He introduced me to Robert Rodriguez's Breakfast Tacos. Rodriguez directed such epic movies as Sin City and From Dusk till Dawn. One of the "extras" on all his DVDs is a 10-minute cooking lesson. They're hilarious, and he's a really good cook. The cooking school on the Sin City DVD gives instructions for Breakfast Tacos, which are good any time of day. You can check it out on YouTube.

Spanish Tortilla is another great way to use eggs. Quite different from tortilla wraps, this dish consists of fried potatoes and onions cooked with beaten eggs. Super simple and surprisingly delicious. The first time I enjoyed this dish it was prepared by Alex Province, Christopher's brother-in-law, who was previously introduced to you as the Paella Master. My recipe, which I've used several times since, is below. The trickiest thing about it is flipping the tortilla when it's time to cook the other side. It may take you a couple times to get the hang out it. Flipping the tortilla over the sink will catch any egg that might run out of the pan. If you really can't get the hang of it, make your tortilla in a cast iron pan and finish it in the oven.

My newest egg concoction is Double Mustard Strata, which I made for our annual Spring Brunch this year. It has prepared mustard and mustard greens (thus the name), but you could substitute other types of greens (such as spinach) in the recipes. See below for the recipe.

Finally, forget about all these savory dishes. If you really want to impress people, check out Martha Stewart's recipe for Chocolate Pavlova. I don't usually care for meringue, and I'd never liked pavlova - until I tried this one. It will knock your socks off, especially if you're a chocolate lover. Even my sister, who doesn't have much of a sweet tooth, loves this dessert.

Happy egg dying, cooking and hunting! I'm looking forward to the time several months from now when we're hunting freshly laid chicken eggs in the backyard.


Double Mustard Strata
Makes 12 servings
4 slices day-old white bread, cubed
4 slices day-old wheat or rye bread, cubed
1 c. Gruyere cheese, grated, divided
1/2 onion, chopped
2 c. chopped mustard greens
7 eggs
3 c. milk
3 t. Dijon mustard
1 t. salt

Layer bread in bottom of a 9" x 13" dish. Layer with 3/4 c. cheese, onion, greens, and remaining cheese.

In a separate bowl, combine eggs, milk, mustard and salt. Pour over bread mixture. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until browned and bubbly. If desired, turn oven to broil and cook until cheese is lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Spanish Tortilla
Makes 6 servings
1 pound potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 T. olive oil
4 eggs

Heat oil in a non-stick or well seasoned cast iron pan over low heat. Add potatoes and onions and cook, stirring frequently, until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes.

In the meantime, break eggs into a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Pour eggs over potato mixture. Cook until eggs are mostly set, about 10 minutes.

Place a plate on top of pan and carefully flip tortilla over. Slide tortilla back into pan. Place pan back on heat and cook until egg is set, 2-3 minutes. Place on a clean plate and cut into wedges.

Explore the Amazing World of Indian Food

My first introduction to Indian food came while I was living in England. “Curry houses,” as the British call them, can be found all over the United Kingdom.

India was a British colony for roughly a century. As a result, many Indians immigrated to the United Kingdom. Today Indian restaurants are as common in Britain as Mexican restaurants in western America.

I knew good Indian food places would be few and far between when I got back home, so I learned as much as I could about Indian cooking while living overseas. It continues to be one of my favorite cuisines to make at home. Indian food is delicious, different, and relatively inexpensive. After you purchase your cut of meat, the remaining ingredients (such as spices, lentils, yogurt, and vegetables like potatoes, onions and tomatoes) are quite affordable.

Understanding Indian food is largely about understanding the spices involved in cooking it. Garam masala and curry powder are among the most common ingredients in Indian recipes. Both are spice blends whose contents vary by region. Black pepper, cumin, coriander (cilantro seeds), and cinnamon are common ingredients in garam masala. Curry powder almost always features turmeric, a bright yellow spice that will stain your clothes and kitchen towels.

Recipes frequently call for whole (not ground) spices as well. Cumin and coriander seeds are commonly used. So is whole cardamom in its green or black pods. The crunchy yellow or black seeds that have a starring role in many recipes are mustard seeds. In some cases the recipe may direct you to lightly fry the seeds in oil first to bring out their taste and aroma.

Saffron, the world’s most expensive spice, makes an appearance in many Indian dishes. Saffron comes from a particular breed of crocus and is native to southeast Asia. It imparts a unique, almost bitter flavor.

A good starting point for Indian food newbies is Chicken Korma. The creamy dish is easy to make and has a mild flavor. The recipe calls for Greek-style yogurt, which you can easily make yourself if you can’t find it at the store. Line a strainer with cheesecloth or a clean linen napkin. Place the strainer in a small bowl. Add the plain yogurt, then cover it and set the strainer and bowl in the refrigerator for a few hours. Some of the moisture will drain off, leaving you with a thicker yogurt that will work well in this dish.

Pilau Rice, an Indian-style rice pilaf, will add a special touch to many of your Indian food creations. You can substitute white or basmati rice as a side dish.

If this meal piques your interest, keep exploring! There is a wide world of tandoori, rogan josh, tikka masala, naan, aloo gobi, and other dishes that awaits you.

Chicken Korma
Makes 4 servings
3 chicken breasts, cut into cubes
1 T. butter
1/2 onion, finely chopped
4 t. garlic, minced
2 t. garam masala
1/4 c. cream
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. plain Greek-style yogurt
2 T. ground almonds
4-5 saffron strands
Cooked rice

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown chicken in butter. Add onion and sauté until onion begins to soften. Add garlic and garam masala and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add cream, milk, yogurt and almonds. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add saffron near the end of cooking time. Serve over rice.

Pilau Rice
Makes 4 servings
2-1/2 c. chicken stock
4-5 saffron strands
2 T. butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
4 green cardamom pods
1-1/4 c. jasmine rice

Heat chicken stock in a small saucepan. Add saffron and set aside.

Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft. Add garlic and spices and cook for 2 minutes, stirring often.

Add rice and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes or until rice grains are thoroughly coated in butter. Add hot stock and bring to a boil. Stir once, cover, and turn heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove cinnamon stick and bay leaves before serving.