eat and greet: soft boiled eggs

Showing posts with label soft boiled eggs. Show all posts

Monday, November 9, 2009

DIY sunday brunch

After a relatively low-key night on Saturday, I was up and at 'em early on Sunday morning after a deliciously gorgeous nights sleep. So off to the produce market I ran to pick up some potatoes and an onion to make a slightly boozy brunch for myself and two friends. Soft boiled eggs with velvety runny yolks, slightly spicy and uber flavorful chipotle-onion home fries, and buttered toast. Obligatory screwdrivers were most definitely poured as well. Is there any better way to start the day? I think not. As the rest of the afternoon was spent roaming around the city, sitting and staring (in a completely ok way) at little kids carelessly running around with glee in a no longer in service Washington Square Fountain, a late afternoon stop at 'ino, and a wind down evening filled with two of my favorite gals, vino, and leftover pork tenderloin translated into gyro's (whole wheat pitas, homemade tzatziki, lettuce, red onion, tomato, bam). Sometimes, I really, really love Sunday's.

Friday, October 9, 2009

the perfect (hard or soft boiled) egg

Well, if you were ever wondering what the exact science behind the perfect hard or soft boiled egg, look no further. SeriousEats has done the work for you. They've also gone so far as to provide us with the exact times to produce the most perfect eggs possible. And since soft boiled eggs are my breakfast of choice during the week, this article nearly brought a tear to my eye. The picture above, my friends, is borderline genius. Solid whites and silky yolks.

Happy Friday.

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

6 (sometimes 7) minute eggs

Now, I love eggs. They're a perfect protein and they're down right delicious. And my new found favorite way of cooking them? Bring a small pot of water to a boil, then gently lower the egg in its shell into the boiling water. Lower the heat to a simmer and set a timer for 6 minutes, 30 seconds for a large egg, 7 minutes for a jumbo. When time's up, dump out the water, run cool water over the egg then gently tap the egg on all sides and peel with caution. Place on plate, sprinkle with salt and fresh cracked pepper and enjoy the simplicity and perfection that will be this egg. Fully cooked white with a silky, thick, and runny yolk. It's better and far easier than poaching an egg and far healthier than a good ole fried one. Try one with some fresh grilled asparagus and a luxurious drizzle of truffle oil and sea salt.

who i am

When faced with the question of what food means to me, conversation inevitably shifts to my Mor-Mor (Swedish for Grandmother): A phenomenal cook who refused help in the kitchen and didn't believe in recipes. The real deal, if you will.

Mor-Mor had a seriously strong hand with garlic (surprisingly for a Swede) and an innate knack for making anything taste implausibly delicious. There was always a jar of homemade garlic oil in her fridge which found its way drizzled on top of almost everything. Like one of her breakfast treats: homemade bread slathered with garlic oil, a few slices of granny smith apple, and topped with extra sharp cheddar. Into her beloved toaster oven they'd go until the cheese had just melted, lovingly, over the apples. The salty-sweet combination could make your head spin—a beautiful cohesion of flavors and textures from such an unexpected pairing.

And then there were her meatballs. With her homemade tomato sauce made from tomatoes grown in her garden, picked when perfectly plump and warm from the summer sun, a ladle of garlic oil, and tons of parsley (Mor-Mor may or may not have been secretly Italian), they sent eyeballs rolling to the backs of people’s heads. The thought alone of her in that kitchen makes my heart long, once again, for her cooking. For her.

Now when I'm cooking, I finally understand her insistence on navigating the kitchen alone. There's something about getting in there and winding down and having your own personal space to create that’s beyond therapeutic—it’s wholly fulfilling and soul-satisfying.