If I only ever ate one breakfast food forever, it would be eggs. They are so versatile and perfect. Fortunately, though, I don't have to pick just one breakfast food and neither do you. The important thing, as studies have shown, is to eat a good breakfast to start your day off right--fueled and nourished. Breakfast is also the perfect place to start cooking if you're a novice and still learning the basics. I'm always surprised when I meet people who don't know the basics of cooking, which is why I am writing this book. There is no shame in not knowing. In fact, I believe that life should be shame-free, especially in the kitchen. It's one of the most intimate places in our homes, the place we can be our true selves, having just woken up with messy hair and not even brushed our teeth . . . it's the place where our day begins. The truth is, almost every recipe in this cookbook could be breakfast. Given their druthers, my kids would have soup every morning. Often, they prefer leftovers to traditional breakfast foods, or for that matter repurposing their leftovers into a breakfast dish, such as hard-boiled eggs in leftover marinara sauce. Having said that, we do love the classic breakfast stuff, too. silky buttered eggs Ever since having really good buttered eggs at the Trapp Family Lodge in Stowe, Vermont, decades ago, I have sought to re-create their delicious silkiness. This recipe is from that memory. I once made these for my daughter's British future father-in-law and he assured me I was making them the proper British way, which made me feel rather good. But what makes me feel even better is that my whole family loves them. SERVES 4 2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter 4 to 6 large eggs, lightly beaten Salt Buttered toast, for serving 1In a medium cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over low heat. 2Pour the eggs into the skillet and let them set slightly, about 20 seconds. Use a spatula to gently and slowly lift and drag the egg across the skillet (no need to stir, just a gentle folding). Repeat until big, soft curds form. 3Cook the eggs slowly and stop when they are cooked to your liking. Some people like their eggs runny (but not me!), though make sure they don't dry out. Season with salt to taste and serve with toast, if desired. TIP: You can embellish your eggs any way you like. My former mother-in-law would sprinkle them with grated Romano cheese and chopped mint. You can sprinkle them with chopped chives or parsley and serve with smoked salmon, too. my flat omelet My brother made this omelet for me once and I've never looked back. Think of it as more of an egg crêpe than an omelet. It's how I make my eggs all the time. And it's how my kids ask me to make eggs all the time. My favorite way to eat this is to fold it between two slices of soft (and preferably squishy) untoasted bread. MAKES 1 OMELET 1 tablespoon butter 2 large eggs, lightly beaten Salt 1In a medium cast-iron skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. 2Pour the eggs into the skillet, swirling and tilting it so the egg covers the bottom of the skillet in a thin layer. Cook for a few minutes until the egg has set and is cooked around the edges. 3Flip the egg and cook a minute more. Season with salt to taste. TIP: You can fill this with anything you please after you have flipped it. Simply line one side with cheese, ham, or whatever you fancy and fold in half. What's the Deal with Eggs Before you can truly understand my philosophy on food, you must understand how I feel about the five important things about eggs: their color, their health benefits, how the hens are raised, storage temperature, and cooking style. Eggs are like a microcosm of my whole approach to food. 1.COLOR: When I was a kid growing up on an organic farm, eggshells were brown and the yolks were orange. But any time I went to a friend's house, the eggshells were white and the yolks were pale yellow. So I developed an inferiority complex about my family's eggs. It wasn't until I was in my early 30s and I read Masanobu Fukuoka's The One-Straw Revolution that I realized a truly healthy egg has orange yolks. 2.HEALTH BENEFITS: Remember when people used to demonize eggs? Too high in cholesterol, they said. Too much fat! Salmonella! Only eat the whites because the yolks are bad for you! I never bought into that. My theory is that if nature makes a chicken and that chicken makes an egg, and the egg has both yolks and whites and it tastes really good when cooked, then it must be good for you. Plus, eggs are high in omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for you. 3.HOW HENS ARE RAISED: The only way to truly know if you are eating a healthy egg is to buy organic, raise your own, or buy from someone you know. Why pay more? Because you are paying for happiness--organic does no harm to people, chickens, or nature--it's worth it. USDA guidelines guarantee that eggs that are certified organic come from cage-free, pasture- raised hens that have outdoor access and are treated humanely. 4.STORAGE TEMPERATURE: This may come as a surprise, but many countries outside of the United States do not refrigerate their eggs! Turns out refrigeration came from fear of salmonella. But neither way of handling eggs is right or wrong, it's just different. An egg is laid with a protective coating, and as long as that egg isn't washed, it's safe to store at room temperature for about 20 days. If that egg is washed, the protective coating is removed and the egg must be refrigerated, where it will last up to 50 days. 5.THE COOKING STYLE: Here is where things get emotional. Everyone from chefs to home cooks have very strong feelings on how eggs should be cooked. Runny or well-done, over-easy or sunny-side-up. But it doesn't really matter, does it? It's what you like that matters. That's why this chapter covers even the most basic ways to cook an egg. foolproof poached eggs Poached eggs are one of my favorite breakfast memories from childhood. The eggs were poached in water with a dash of vinegar and the toast still had lumps of butter on it that hadn't melted yet. Plus, my mom would cut it up into little bite-size pieces. This is my re-creation of that memory. SERVES 1 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 2 large eggs Buttered toast, for serving Salt and freshly ground black pepper Chopped chives, for serving (optional) 1In a small saucepan, bring 4 cups of water to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and add the vinegar. (The vinegar will help the eggs set.) 2Crack an egg into a small bowl. When the water is at a simmer, slip the egg into the water and gently stir the water (this will help create a nice round shape). Repeat with the second egg. 3Cook the eggs for 2 minutes for cooked whites and runny yolks. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve the eggs on buttered toast and season with salt and pepper to taste. You can sprinkle some fresh chives on them, if you like. huevos rancheros If for some reason I had to choose one breakfast dish to live on forever, it would be huevos rancheros. I have a rule that when I travel, if I see huevos rancheros on the menu, I must order it. Consequently, I've eaten all styles and types, from a delicate diet version in one of LA's boutique hotels (not my favorite) to the green salsa-slathered mess at an awesome diner in Wilson, Wyoming (now we're talking!). SERVES 4 Extra virgin olive oil, for the skillet 4 corn or flour tortillas (see page 339) 4 large eggs Mexicali Beans (page 256) 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack or Colby cheese Fresh Salsa (page 172) Guacamole (page 173) Hot sauce and sour cream, for serving (optional) 1Lightly oil a large cast-iron skillet and set it over medium-high heat. Cook the tortillas on both sides until warmed through. Transfer to a plate and cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm. 2Lightly oil the skillet again, crack in the eggs and fry to your liking. 3Transfer the tortillas to serving plates. Divide the heated beans among the tortillas, sprinkle with the cheese, and top with an egg. Serve with salsa, guacamole, and, if desired, hot sauce and sour cream. green eggs This recipe is a simple and easy way to get more greens into your diet. It works with kale, chard, wild mustard greens, spinach, collards, or any other good dark, leafy green you can think of. To turn this into green eggs and ham, just add some chopped cooked ham to the egg mixture before you pour it on the greens, or serve with some slices of cooked smoked ham. SERVES 2 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 1 cup firmly packed fresh greens, chopped 4 large eggs, lightly beaten Salt and freshly ground black pepper Buttered toast, for serving (optional) Finely grated Romano cheese, for serving 1In a medium cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the greens and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until wilted. 2Season the eggs with salt and pepper to taste and pour over the greens. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 8 minutes, or until the eggs have set. 3Flip the eggs over and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer, until puffed. Serve with buttered toast, if desired. Pass Romano at the table. classic french toast When my youngest was 3 years old, she would always ask for French toast with "makeup syrup." That's maple syrup to the rest of us! The good thing about French toast is that it's just fine if the bread is a little stale, and whole grains get covered with so many other yummy things that kids never complain if you make it with hearty bread. SERVES 2 2 large eggs 1/3 cup whole milk 2 tablespoons butter 4 slices whole-grain bread Pure maple syrup and fresh berries, for serving (optional) 1In a shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk. 2In a large cast-iron skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium- high heat. 3Dip half of the bread slices into the egg mixture, shaking to remove the excess. (Don't let them soak too long, or they will be soggy!) Cook the bread 2 to 3 minutes per side, until golden. Repeat with the remaining butter and bread. If desired, serve drizzled with maple syrup and sprinkled with berries. eve's crêpes My daughter Eve loves crêpes. She loves them so much that she is the one who always makes them. She procured this recipe at school during International Week. Of course, you can fill them with anything you want, but these usually don't last past a sprinkle of sugar and a squeeze of lemon juice. MAKES 15 TO 20 CRÊPES 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup whole milk 4 large eggs 1/4 cup water 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1 tablespoon butter, melted, plus more for the skillet Powdered sugar and lemon wedges, for serving 1In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, milk, eggs, water, granulated sugar, and melted butter. 2In a small cast-iron skillet, melt a little butter over medium heat. Ladle in enough of the batter to thinly coat the base of the skillet and cook until set, about 1 minute. Flip and cook for another minute. 3Repeat with the remaining batter (you can keep the crêpes warm in a low oven). Dust with the powdered sugar and serve with the lemon. breakfast sausage patties My quest for a quick breakfast patty my teenager could heat up before school resulted in this recipe. I couldn't find delicious, organic breakfast patties in our supermarket, so I made them myself. Being the forward-thinking, slightly lazy mom that I am, I make them in big batches and freeze them. I haven't been able to perfect the flat, round shape of the commercial ones, but then these aren't made by a machine! MAKES ABOUT 24 PATTIES 4 £ds ground pork 1 tablespoon dried sage 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon dried marjoram 1 teaspoon dried thyme 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Extra virgin olive oil, for cooking 1In a large bowl, combine the pork, sage, salt, marjoram, thyme, and pepper and mix with your hands to combine. 2Shape the mixture into 1/3-inch-thick patties 3 inches in diameter. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat a little oil over medium heat. Working in batches, add the patties and cook about 5 minutes per side, until browned and cooked through. TIP: To freeze the cooked patties, let them cool to room temperature, freeze them on a baking sheet, and then and pop them in a freezer container. FROM THE BLOG "Since I am trying to 'watch it' with the cholesterol, and I don't eat pork anymore. I use turkey sausage meat already prepared, seasonings and all. All I have to do is bring it home, make the patties, and drop it in the pan. The source is from a sustainable farm in Maryland that treats its animals kindly and feeds them with organic feed." --DONNA IN DELAWARE pancakes in a pinch One morning after a sleepover, my daughter's friends asked for pancakes. I had run out of my usual organic mix and their parents were coming over in 25 minutes to pick them up. Shoot! So I pulled out The Joy of Cooking and made pancakes from scratch and it reminded me just how easy they really are, no mix necessary. I have since adapted the recipe. SERVES 4 2 cups all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 13/4 cups whole milk Butter, for cooking Pure maple syrup and fresh berries, for serving (optional) 1In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add the eggs and milk and whisk until smooth and combined. 2In a large cast-iron skillet, melt a little butter over medium heat. 3Ladle the batter by 1/4 cup into the skillet (I can usually fit 3 pancakes at one time) and cook for 3 minutes, or until bubbles appear on the surface. Flip and cook about 2 minutes longer, until the bottoms are golden. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining batter (you can keep the pancakes warm in a low oven). 4If desired, serve with maple syrup and berries. FROM THE BLOG "Served these over the weekend for my nieces and nephew--they were a huge hit! Thanks for sharing. I second the use of real organic maple syrup--we grew up with the commercial stuff and the real stuff is so much more amazing." --JEN sour cherry breakfast parfait Sour cherry season is so short, you need to make the most of it. If you see them, grab as many as you can, and plan to spend the afternoon pitting them and making the most beautiful magenta cherry sauce, which you can use for pies, dessert sauces, or my favorite, breakfast. Pitting them is messy work, so grab your kids, pull a stool up to the counter, and make it a family affair. SERVES 1 SOUR CHERRY SAUCE 1 quart sour cherries, pitted 1/2 cup sugar (or to taste) PARFAIT Excerpted from Scratch by Maria Rodale All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.
