Parsi Zucchini Frittata

Based on Madhur Jaffrey's Parsi Omlate, this egg, um ... pie... thing... miracle! is a fluffy, flavorful pan-full of heaven. The browning hides a flavorful soft middle of almost cake-like texture.

1 lb zucchini, grated
3⁄4 + 1 tsps salt
1 medium onion, finely chopped (170g) (or 1 cup finely chopped chives, see NOTE)
1 medium potato, diced 1/4 inch pieces (8oz)
2 + 1 Tbsps. vegetable oil
1 hot green chilli pepper, minced
1 large tomato, chopped (8-9oz)
1 1⁄2 tsps. ground cumin
1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper
ground black pepper
9 eggs
3 Tbsps. fresh parsley or 3 Tbsps. cilantro
1⁄4 tsp baking powder

1. Grate the zucchini and mix with 3/4 tsp of the salt. Leave in a collander for 30 minutes, then squeeze all the liquid out. 
2. Meanwhile, chop and measure out the remaining ingredients - it makes the rest so much easier: prepare the onions and the potatoes; chop the tomato; mince the chili; measure out the cumin, cayenne, black pepper; break the eggs in a bowl; measure out the salt and baking powder.
3. Now that everything is chopped, measured and squeezed, heat some oil in an 10 inches fry pan. 
4. Fry the onion and potato and chilli over medium heat until potatoes become just soft. 
5. Add the squeezed zucchini, tomato, cumin, the rest of the salt, cayenne, and a generous amount of black pepper (if using chives, add now). Stir until tomato becomes soft. Set aside.
6. Whisk the eggs until frothy, then dump in the cooled vegetables along with some finely chopped parsley or cilantro. 
7. Sprinkle in the baking powder, making sure it dissolves completely.
8. Wipe clean your fry pan, add the last tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, set the temperature to med-low, pour in the egg mixture. Cover the pan and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the centre gels. 
9. (Optional) Here's the tricky part. You have to flip the whole pan over to slide the omlate back into the pan to cook the top. To do this, use a dinner plate, place it over the pan, holding it with one hand, and use the other to lift and flip the pan. The bottom of the omelet should be a beautiful brown. Now, slide the omelet back into the pan so that the browned part is on top and cook another 5 minutes or so, uncovered. Flip it onto a plate again to serve.
10. NOTE: If using optional chives, fry the potatoes and chilli (add more chilli if you want it hotter) and fry until potatoes become just soft. Add the chives to the ingredients in step 6.

Anda Karee (अंडा करी) or Egg Curry

6 Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs , cut in half

¼ cup oil

2 bay leaves

1 cinnamon stick

1 green cardamom pod, lightly crushed

3 to 4 cloves

1 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp paprika powder

Salt

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, pressed (or garlic scapes, chopped fine)

½ tsp turmeric powder

¼ tsp cayenne pepper

1½ tsp coriander

1 tsp cumin

¼ + cup water (optionally, use coconut milk if you live where coconut trees grow)

½ tsp Garam masala powder

1. Boil the eggs in advance at least to allow them a little time to cool before shelling them.
2. Heat the oil; stir in the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, cumin seeds, paprika powder and mix in the finely chopped onions.
3. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook onions for almost 10 minutes, adding the salt, or until it is gently brown and very soft.
4. When the onion is brown add the ginger and garlic; continue cooking until the sharp smell of fresh ginger and garlic sweetens and smells cooked, about a minute or two.
5. When the garlic and ginger are fragrant, add turmeric, cayenne, coriander, and cumin powder, mixing well. Add the water so that the spices do not burn and are nicely mixed, cook until fragrant (if using the optional coconut milk add now).
6. Increase the heat to medium and boil the sauce for 5 to 8 minutes, covered, then cooking down to achieve the desired sauciness.
7. Add the garam masala and stir it in.
8. Immediately afterwards, cut the eggs in half and add them to the pan, spooning over the sauce, and cook a few more minutes, just to heat through.
9. Serve immediately with the cut side facing up. It's recommended to serve with a raita or plain yoghurt.

Gruyere and Sausage Omelette

Butter, for greasing baking dish

2 Tbsps olive oil

1 small onion, diced

8oz to 1lb pound mild Italian sausage, casings removed

8 large eggs

½ cup whole milk

½ to ¾ tsp salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 + ½ cup (4oz) grated Gruyere cheese

1⁄4 cup chopped fresh parsley or lovage (optional: + 2 Tbsps to sprinkle on top) 

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Lightly butter an 8 by 8" baking dish.
2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft. Add the sausage and cook until starting to brown. Set aside to cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, salt and pepper. Add 1 cup of Gruyere cheese and ¼ cup of parsley. Stir in the onion mixture. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Sprinkle with remaining parsley before serving.

Brown Rice Mujadara Bowl with a Fried Egg

A 'mujadara' is a classic Arabic dish. Apparently, the word translates as 'pockmarked'. A bit of a strange reference to food, but the lentils make the dish look like it has pimples, or so it did to those who named the dish. For me, it's a delicious accompaniment to eggs and harissa.

Serves 4

For the mujadara:
1 cup brown basmati rice
1 cup French lentils
4½ cups vegetable broth
2 + 1 Tbsps olive oil
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp ground cumin
½ cup parsley leaves, finely chopped
Salt

For the bowl:
Olive oil
4 large eggs
Salt
Freshly cracked black pepper
Paprika
2½ Tbsps harissa (spicy or mild)
(optional) ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted

1. In a large saucepan, bring the broth to a boil. Add the brown rice, lentils, and a hefty pinch of salt. Reduce the flame to a simmer and cook for 40 minutes, uncovered, or until the rice and lentils are cooked through (add more liquid as needed). Once the rice and lentils are fully cooked, turn off the heat, put the lid on and set aside. Let sit for another 10 minutes.
2. In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsps of olive oil over medium heat. Cook the sliced onions until deeply browned and beginning to caramelize, about 20 minutes (TIP: add small amounts of water when you feel the need, to prevent the onions from burning; you can also continue cooking the onions for as long as the rice and lentils cook for a deeper caramelization). When the onions are nicely browned and almost finished, add in the minced garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
3. When the rice and lentils have finished cooking, gently mix in the cumin, parsley, half of the onion mixture and the remaining 1 Tbsp of olive oil. Reserve the rest of the onions for serving.
4. Wipe clean the skillet used to cook the onions, lightly grease with olive oil, and return to medium heat. Crack the eggs into the pan and cook to your desired doneness. Sprinkle the tops of the eggs with salt, pepper, and a dash of paprika.
5. Divide the mujadara equally between 4 bowls and place a fried egg into each bowl. Garnish with the remaining caramelized onions, harissa, and toasted pine nuts.

Frittella Di Spaghetti Fritti

A fantastic way of using up leftover pasta dishes. The trickiest part is the get the right balance of salt, which is dependent on the saltiness of the original dish. Was it already salty? Is there cheese in it that make it salty? The uncertainty is worth it, given the lovely crunchy browned crust that develops thanks to the parmesan-laden egg. Dairy free if you omit the cheese and use olive oil instead of butter.

LHSS Score 7.7 / 10

With Wheat Berry Salad - LHSS Score 8.6 / 10

8 oz dried pasta OR 16 oz of leftover pasta dish

2 whole eggs

1 to 2 oz grated Parmesan cheese

¼ to 1 tsp salt, to taste

½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 Tbsp (½ oz/14gr) + 1 Tbsp (½ oz/14gr) butter + more to grease the plate

OPTIONAL - 1 tsp minced garlic

1. If using leftover pasta, skip this step. If starting from scratch, cook the pasta and drain well, letting cool a bit before using.
2. Meanwhile, mix the eggs, Parmesan, salt, and pepper (and optional garlic) in a large bowl. 
3. Add the cool/cold pasta to the egg mixture and toss well. 
4. Heat a 6" (preferred but not essential) frying pan over medium low heat with one tablespoon of butter. When it's sizzling, about 5 minutes, add the pasta mix. Let it cook for about 5 to 7 minutes until a nice brown crust has formed.
5. Meanwhile, lightly grease a dinner plate with a bit of butter for the next step.
6. When the bottom of the pancake is brown, make sure it's loose from the pan. Upturn the plate on top of the pancake, hold the plate firmly in place with your hand, grab the handle of the pan and flip the pancake onto the plate, and remove the pan. It should just drop onto the plate. Set aside for a moment.
7. Set the pan back on the stove-top, add the remaining Tbsp of oil and slide the pancake back into the pan. Cook the second side for about 5 minutes to get another nice brown crust. 
8. Once browned on both sides, flip back onto the plate and serve immediately.
9. And you're done. 
10. This should make a dinner for two people, or side dish portions for four.

Eggs in Marinade Oil

As many hardboiled eggs as will fit in your jar, covered with the marinade (at least 6)
2 cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup tomato paste
1 cup finely chopped parsley
½ to 1 head of garlic, peeled and minced
5 anchovies, minced 

1. Boil the eggs to the hard-boiled stage (see Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs). Allow the to cool completely, ideally immersed in water in the refrigerator, overnight.
2. Peel the shells from the eggs.
3. In a large jar with a lid, place the peeled eggs. 
4. In a bowl, beat the tomato paste and oil together, then stir in the garlic and anchovies, and finally the parsley. Pour this concoction over the eggs.
5. Screw on the lid and refrigerate overnight.
6. Eat the eggs with the oil, preferably with some crusty bread. It's best to let the concoction come up to room temperature if the oil has congealed in the refrigerator, and to let the aroma blossom as it should when you serve it. Excellent with crusty bread, recommended with cheeses and fresh fruit.

Chicken Omelette for Two

Dorothy Hartley, in her book Food in England, calls an omelette a 'friendly dish', easy to make quickly for unexpected guests. I like this very much, and I think of it a lot. While the following recipe is a large omelette meant to feed to healthy appetites, it can easily extend to three people for a light lunch. I like to make it in a stainless steel pan (now that I've learned how to cook eggs in one without sticking).

1 Tbsp (½ oz/14gr) butter
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
5 eggs
A pinch of salt
A pinch of pepper
1 tsp minced fresh herb such as tarragon, thyme
OPTIONAL
- a small handful of chives, minced
- ¼ cup minced fresh lovage (or ¼ tsp celery seed)
10 oz cubed cooked chicken
4 oz gruyere cheese, grated OR 4 oz chèvre cheese OR any cheese you like, really

1. Melt the butter with the oil in a 10" oven-proof fry pan or omelette pan, and let it heat up for 5 minutes at medium-low (in a stainless steel pan, this will prevent sticking).
2. Whisk the eggs with the addition of the salt and pepper until they are frothy.
3. Pour the eggs into the hot pan; you may want to increase the heat to medium. Sprinkle the chopped herbs over the liquid egg. As the egg cooks, lift the edges and tilt the pan to let uncooked egg get underneath.
4. With the oven rack in the middle, turn on the broiler to heat up (or use a salamander if you're so lucky to have one).
5. When the egg has half cooked, spread the chicken evenly over it. While the egg is still a little under-cooked on the surface, (not just slithery but actually jiggly), spread the cheese and slip the pan into the oven to broil
6. When the egg is set and the edges puff up a little, take it out of the oven and carefully fold the omelette, plate and serve as you will.

La Pescajoune Savoureuse au lardons

A peasant recipe from the Languedoc region of France, the records I found are all for a sweet apple dish. I reasoned that, since one of the essential ingredients for the real deal recipe was lard, that it would lend itself to a savory version. And we quite like it. Loads of variations are possible, but this is the basic recipe for the savory version. Parmesan is an important ingredient, for its strong, sharp flavor that gives the dish the spike of flavor that ignites the rest.

¾ cups flour
2 tsps baking powder
1 tsp salt
¾ cups milk
6 eggs
1½ cups (total 6oz) grated cheese (a mix of ⅓ Parmesan and ⅔ Gruyere is very nice)
3 slices bacon (115 g), cut into lardons
1 onion ((6oz/170gr) sliced thin

1. Mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and cheese. In a large bowl whisk the eggs; add the flour mix and combine until there are no lumps, then add milk and mix until perfectly smooth. Let the batter sit for at least the time it takes for you to prepare and cook the rest of the ingredient.
2. Heat an 8 to 10" pan and add the bacon. Just when it starts to release its oil, add the onion and cook together over medium low heat until the onion becomes quite soft and brown. The browning is very important - the more caramelized, the better.
3. Once cooked, drain from the oil and add to the batter; mix thoroughly. 
4. Pour the batter into the oily pan (you can remove all but about 2 tsps of the oil if you want, or leave it all in). Cook, covered, over incredibly low heat until the underside lightly browns and the top becomes firm.
5. Meanwhile, lightly grease a dinner plate for the next step.
6. Upturn the plate on top of the pancake, hold firm with your hand, grab the handle of the pan and flip the pancake onto the plate. Set the pan back on the stove-top and slide the pancake back into the pan to finish cooking, just enough to lightly brown.
7. Once browned on both sides, flip back onto the plate and serve immediately.

Fried Egg Sandwich

Be prepared with napkins and access to soap and water after eating this delicious, gooey, goopy mess of a meal. You could cook the egg to rubbery solidity, but I prefer the yolk saucy and runny. Simple and quick and delicious!

1 large egg
salt and pepper
1 thin slice cheese (Asiago strongly recommended)
1 of your favorite buns (sliced bread works, too)
Butter
Dijon mustard

1. Fry the egg sunny-side down until whites are solid but yolk is still gooey.
2. Salt and pepper to taste.
3. Turn off heat and put the slice of cheese on top; it will melt a little.
4. Meanwhile toast the bread lightly.
5. Spread the butter on one side of the bun and mustard on the other.
6. Place the egg between them and enjoy!

Oeufs brouillés (Gourmet scrambled eggs)

The real star of this dish are the scrambled eggs. The croutons and everything else are optional, but to elevate the eggs even more, are a great addition. When I make this it's always to great acclaim. The idea for the recipe come from Monet's Kitchen; I often find in the recipes from this book that there's some important detail missing. It just so happened that I was also looking at egg recipes in Anne Willan's Country Cooking of France, an author whose recipes I also find miss important details. In this instance, the two complimented each other famously. Fried croutons instead of dry croutons are the perfect accompaniment to the eggs - when I make the whole recipe, I doubt it would elicit the same levels of enthusiasm from my diners.

Butter Croutons
2 slices of crusty bread (about 1 cup)
2 Tbsps (1oz/28gr) butter
Scrambled eggs
8 eggs
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
¼ to ½ cup butter, cubed (55 to 114gr)
OPTIONS
2 Tbsps minced fresh herb OR
2 Tbsps minced truffles OR
½ cup chanterelle OR morel OR oyster mushrooms sautéed in butter for about 10 minutes WHICH YOU MUST DO FIRST (read instructions)

1. Cube the bread to make croutons.
2. Over medium heat melt the 2 Tbsps of butter in a small pan (level of butter should be 1/4 inch) and allow it to heat up completely so that when a cube of bread is put in, it will quietly sizzle.
3. Add the bread cubes and fry, stirring constantly so they brown evenly, about 30 seconds to 1 minutes. 
4. Burns easily!
5. Strain off the extra fat. 
6. With a slotted spoon remove the croutons and divide croutons between two plates.
7. If using mushrooms, use the remaining butter to cook them and set them aside.
8. NOTE: A bain-marie is the usual way of preparing this dish, but a fry pan can be used - it should take about 5 minutes until the eggs just begin to thicken. If using the fry pan, it is VERY IMPORTANT that it be cool before putting in the eggs - if the pan is too hot, the eggs will start to scramble before you can incorporate the butter and it will not be as creamy. The secret is not the bain-marie but to cook the eggs very slowly, therefore a heavy fry pan over very low heat will work as well, but the eggs will likely be a bit chunky instead of creamy, which is just different.
9. If using a bain-marie, bring the water to boil.
10. Break the eggs into a bowl, and carefully remove the threads of the whites without mixing the eggs too much. Add the salt and pepper and beat lightly, as for an omelet. 
11. Grease the inside of the bain-marie with a cube of butter before pouring in the eggs (or, if using, a cool fry pan, which can be the fry pan you've used before but cooled enough to touch). 
12. Beat the eggs well with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes, until the mixture begins to thicken.
13. Add the remaining cubes of butter, beating constantly after each addition. When the eggs are on the point of setting, you may add your optional ingredient.
14. As soon as the mixture becomes grainy, remove the saucepan from the heat and pour the contents over the croutons and serve.

Potato Quiche

It sounds boring. It sounds plain. It's nothing short of surprisingly delicious! So few ingredients, and so simple, yet it makes a lovely, surprisingly light quiche.

1 blind baked pie crust, completely cooled
2 Tbsps (1oz/28gr) butter (or ham fat for a bit of a smoked flavor)
8 to 10 oz potatoes, skin-on, grated
1 bunch chives, chopped fine (about 1 oz or 40 to 50 grams)
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated (optional, substitute 1.5 oz of the cheddar for parmesan for an added kick)
3 large eggs

1 cup coffee cream OR ½ cup heavy cream + ½ cup milk
1 tsp Dijon mustard

1. Blind bake the pie crust if it isn't already.
2. Pre-heat the oven to 375°F.
3. In a non-stick pan melt the butter and fry the grated potato over medium heat until just al dente. VARIATIONS - you can gently cook the potato and avoid browning it which will make for a very light quiche, OR cook the potato at a higher temperature to whichever degree of browning you want for a deeper flavour, a little like hash-browns.
4. Add the chives and turn off the heat, only slightly cooking the chives. Set aside.
5. In a bowl, whisk the eggs then add the cream, milk and mustards. Mix well.
6. Put the potato at the bottom of the crust. Make sure the potato is in small pieces so that the custard can seep into it; it may have glommed together into masses while pre-cooking. 
7. Following the potato is a layer of the grated cheese, and finally pour the egg mixture over all.
8. Bake in the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the center is set, the custard is puffed up and browned.
9. To keep the quiche warm, cover it with aluminum foil and bake it in a preheated oven at 200-250F.

Egg and Chips

This is such a simple recipe, so few ingredients, and so very delicious. If you have a wood stove, the heat it makes is perfect. If you're looking for more greens in your diet, this is not the recipe for you! Lard is the fat of choice for making this, too. The runny egg yolks are all the sauce you need to flavour the potatoes, I swear. At least, that's how we eat this dish.

¼ to ⅓ cup lard
1 lbs potatoes, diced (optional - peeled)
6 eggs
Salt and pepper

1. Melt the lard in a cast-iron pan at least 10" wide. Turn the heat down to low-to-medium-low.
2. Spread the potatoes in one layer in the melted oil, powder with salt and pepper, and turn frequently until golden brown. Remove and set aside.
3. In the remaining oil slowly fry the egg, powdering them with salt and pepper - cooking the egg at low temperatures allow the whites to remain softer and custard-like. If you prefer the crispy edging, turn up the heat. Flip the eggs for a couple of second if you want to.
4. Pile the eggs on top of the potatoes and serve immediately.

Simple crèpe omelette

Eggs are a delicacy unto themselves. Sometimes, I just want a simple egg dish, and Laura Calder's French-Style Omelette is exactly what will satisfy. There is nothing I feel needs altering about this recipe, in all its glorious simplicity. I like to have it on a slice of lightly toasted Commons bread.

French Style Omelette

1 tsp (4.7gr) butter

2 eggs

1 tsp chopped fresh herbs (such as basil, dill, thyme, chervil or parsley)

Salt and pepper

1. Melt the butter in an omelette or crêpe pan. 
2. Lightly whisk the eggs and pour them into the hot pan. 
3. When the bottom has just set enough to be lifted, gently lift up the edges, here and there, and, tilting the pan, let some of the runny part on top spill underneath. Do this until the top is set, but still a little slithery. 
4. Sprinkle with chopped fresh herbs. Season with salt and pepper. 
5. Then roll the omelette into log like a crepe and slip it onto a plate (or fold it a couple of times into a squarish slice and slip onto a lightly toasted piece of bread). 
6. Brush the top with extra butter, if you like, to make it nice and glossy. Serve.

Pasta Frittata

8 oz/4 cups cooked pasta (preferably fresh)
2 strips bacon cut into lardons (2 oz)
3 onions, chopped (16oz)
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
½ cup milk or crème fraîche
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese + ¼ cup
2 Tbsps chopped fresh parsley
2 tsps chopped fresh thyme or basil (or ¼ tsp dried sage)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil

1. Heat an 8" nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon and when it just starts to sizzle, lower the temperature and add the onion. Cook stirring occasionally until the bacon just starts to brown and the onion is mostly caramelized (this can take a while). Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F.
3. Whisk together the eggs, egg whites and dairy in a large bowl. Stir in the Parmesan, herbs, salt and pepper. Add the onion mixture (if it's still hot simply add a little at a time and stir constantly to avoid the hot onions cooking the eggs into clumps). Add the pasta. Mix it up well to evenly distribute the onions, bacon and herbs.
4. Oil the pan, pour in the frittata mixture and place over medium heat for about 6 to 7 minutes. Sprinkle over it the additional ¼ cup Parmesan and bake for 20 minutes or until the custard has set.
5. Put under the broiler until the top starts to brown and bubble. 
6. OPTIONAL - flip over onto a plate to serve - if it doesn't stick, you'll have a lovely browned dome, like a pie, to cut into.
7. Serve immediately.

Tomato Chèvre Omelette

As Dorothy Hartley says, an omelette is a friendly dish. I've tried, every so often over the years, to make the perfect folded omelette only to have it split along the side when I'd try. I'm not sure where or how, but I made the connection between omelettes and antique cooking salamanders, which are a device heated over the fire and placed over the dish to finish cooking from above, which in modern North American ovens is called the broiler. And voila, the recipe below describes how to make the perfect omelette, where the bottom isn't overcooked and the top is just cooked enough to allow for perfect folding.

1 Tbsp (½ oz/14gr) butter
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
6 eggs
A generous pinch of salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
⅓ cup (2.7oz/76gr) chèvre cheese
5 large cherry tomatoes (100g) in thick slices (approximately 4 slices)
1 Tbsp minced fresh Oregano
½ cup (1 to 2oz or about 30-50g) grated Gruyère cheese

1. Melt butter with oil in a 10" oven-proof fry pan or omelet pan.
2. Whisk eggs with salt and pepper until frothy.
3. Pour eggs into hot pan and start cooking at medium heat. Lift the egg and tilt the pan to let uncooked egg get underneath.
4. With the oven rack at the mid-way setting, start the grill (or use a salamander if you're so lucky to have one).
5. Crumble to chèvre across the surface of the omelette, then do the same with the tomato.
6. Sprinkle the oregano over all of this, followed by an evenly distributed layer of Gruyère.
7. With the egg still uncooked on the surface, (not just slithery but actually jiggly), slip the pan into the oven and broil.
8. When the egg is set and the edges puff up a little, take it out of the oven and carefully fold the omelette (I do this by first cutting the segments and then folding - more manageable size).

Deviled Eggs

A classic! How could I not have a recipe for this when we've got chickens!

6 large eggs
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 to 2 dashes Tabasco sauce, to taste
Salt, to taste (I never add it because the mustard and mayo is enough)
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp snipped fresh chives
3 Tbsps mayonnaise
Paprika, for garnish

1. Rinse eggs with warm water, and place in a small saucepan. Cover with cold water, place the pan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Turn off heat, cover and let sit for 10 to 12 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water and peel. Cool in the refrigerator, loosely covered, for 15 minutes.
2. Halve eggs lengthwise, and carefully scoop out yolks. Place yolks in a bowl, and mash with a fork. Add mustard, Tabasco, salt, pepper and snipped chives. Stir in mayonnaise.
3. Fill each egg white with about 1½ teaspoons of the egg-yolk mixture and dust the top with paprika. 

Fried Egg Pesto Pasta

It's all about the timing which makes it a bit tricky. I finally got it right, and it's really all about getting the pan off the heat at the right time - when the yolks are still runny and glistening.

Number of portions: 4
Serving size: 425 g
Calories per serving: 787 kcal
Speed: Everyday Dish
Experienced cook (active time): 20–25 min
Novice cook (active time): 30–35 min
Total elapsed time: ~30 min
LHSS Score: 4/10

1lb/454g dry pasta

2 Tbsps (30g) olive oil

¼ tsp crushed red pepper, or to taste

Pinch of salt

¾ cup (6oz/170g) + (42g) ¼ cup pesto = 212 g total

6 eggs

1. The watchword for this recipe is 'timing'. Things need to be lined up just right for the recipe to work, otherwise you get scrambled egg pasta instead of a silky pesto sauce.
2. Cook pasta with a pinch of salt until just al dente. This is important because overdone pasta will be too soft and break easily.
3. Get a large serving plate ready.
4. Break the eggs into a bowl and set aside.
5. When the pasta is almost cooked, heat the oil in a pan on low temperature for a couple of minutes. Add the crushed pepper and a generous pinch of salt.
6. Just before draining and adding the cooked pasta turn up the heat to medium or medium high depending on your stove.
7. Add the pasta - it will snap and crackle! Quickly pour over the ¾ cup pesto and toss well to combine and to get the pesto nice and hot.
8. Pour the eggs over the hot noodles and very gently stir to preserve the yolks and allow the whites to start mixing and cooking onto the noodles for about a minute.
9. Turn off the heat and start to stir more vigorously, flipping the noodles and breaking the yolks to create the sauce. Do this quickly to avoid cooking the yolks too much, or at all if that's your preference. 
10. Immediately slide onto a large plate and pour over the remaining ¼ cup of pesto, and  and serve. The egg should be soft and creamy.

Pommes de terre en omelette (Potato omelette)

Although this is a simple recipe, it requires about an hour to complete, since each ingredient can only be cooked when the previous is done. It is a delicious brunch item.

A few strips of bacon (4oz/120gr) cut into lardons or paper clip-size pieces
1 Tbsp (½ oz/14gr) butter 
1 onion, chopped (6oz/170gr)
1 clove garlic, chopped
Splash of balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp (½ oz/14gr) butter (yes, another one)
4 medium potatoes (about 2lbs), peeled, quartered and thinly sliced
5 eggs
½ tsp salt
Pepper, to taste

1. Heat a cast iron pan at a medium-high temperature. Cook the bacon until just starting to brown. With a slotted spoon, remove the meat and reserve in a medium sized bowl.
2. Lower the temperature to medium, add a Tbsp of butter, and slowly cook the onion until soft and translucent. This will take a while, maybe something like 20 minutes. For the last minute of cooking, add the garlic. Strain out and add to the bacon bowl for set aside.
3. Splash the balsamic vinegar in the hot oil and cook until the spitting and bubbling almost ceases - this is when most of the extra water will have been cooked away.
4. Add the potatoes with another Tbsp of butter and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it is soft and starts to brown.
5. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, add the salt and pepper.
6. When the potatoes are cooked, use a slotted spoon to remove from the pan and pop into the bowl with the bacon and onion. Pour out all but 1 or 2 Tbsps. of bacon fat. 
7. Put the bacon, onion and potato back in the pan, stir to mix well, and then pour the egg on top, settling everything with the back of the spoon to make an even surface. 
8. Cover and cook at a low temperature until the egg sets, but the surface remains a little soft or runny or, conversely, cover and bake in the oven at 350°F until set.
9. Serve with cornbread muffins and a fresh salad or pickled onions and beets.

Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

There is no separation between art and science. The definitions may be distinct, but the relationship between the two is symbiotic. And so we come to the art and science of the perfect boiled egg. For yolks that are creamy and not dried-out, follow these instructions to the letter!

1. Place the eggs in a pan large enough to hold them, without crowding, in a single layer.
2. Cover the eggs with cool water—the eggs should have at least an inch of water above them.
3. Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil; a real boil with large bubbles coming up all over, not a little simmer with a few bubbles along the edges.
4. Turn off the heat, and let the eggs sit for precisely 14 minutes..
5. Drain the eggs and set the pot in the sink, running the cold water continuously until the pot feels cold. Alternatively, you can prepare an ice bath and pop in the hot eggs.
6. Peel and eat the eggs as soon as you can handle them for warm hard boiled eggs. Let them sit until cool (about 10 minutes) and chill for up to two days before using, if you prefer.

Asparagus Ementhal Quiche with Tarragon

1 blind baked pie crust, completely cooled
12 asparagus
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup crème fraîche
½ cup grated emmenthal cheese

1 tsp (0.02oz/4.7gr) butter
½ cup sliced mushrooms

1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp fresh tarragon
1 small red pepper, julienned
salt and pepper

1. You will need a need deep pie dish for this since the egg and cream mixture is quite plentiful.
2. Heat oven to 350°F
3. Blanch asparagus about 90 seconds in boiling water. Cool in ice bath and cut into ½" pieces.
4. Fry mushrooms in a little butter, and add minced garlic for the last minute.
5. Whisk eggs and cream, then add the grated cheese, mushrooms and garlic, and tarragon. Add asparagus and salt and pepper.
6. Pour the mix into the blind baked pie crust.
7. Bake for 20 minutes. Take out of the oven and add the julienned red pepper in a pleasing pattern on top. Return to the hot oven and bake an additional 30 to 40 minutes, or until the custard has set and the top has started to brown.
8. To keep the quiche warm, cover it with aluminum foil and bake it in a preheated oven at 200-250F.