Eggs - what's your favourite preparation (dinner)

[grandgourmand]

This week's NY Times Topics is on eggs. I love eggs, but don't care much for breakfast. One of my faovurite preparations is egg poached in tomato sauce in a ramekin, with wilted spinach at the bottom. What are your favourite methods of preparing eggs, where it is the star of the show?

[another_adam]

One of our standby quick weeknight suppers is omusoba: a large omelet, cooked in a large pan so that it's quite thin, filled with yakisoba, rolled up, and served with a healthy dollop of mayo and ketchup :) An even more popular variant is omuraisu (with rice, often chicken flavor rice, instead of yakisoba)

[kchurchill5]

Breakfast pizza:

I use a store bought crust or fresh from my pizza place. Either or, spread with olive oil and oregano, them creme fraiche, then some cheese, just a bit, then scrambled eggs on the very soft side, then a little more cheese and top with sauteed pancetta or bacon and onions and peppers and diced small tomato. Bake and slice. This is a great dinner with a nice side salad or grilled asparagus.

[Gio]

Frittatas are my favorite way to cook eggs. So many variations on a theme there.

This morning I read a great and different way to make eggs:
Chinese Tea Eggs from the Nook & Pantry blog. Not only are they gorgeous to look at they are incredibly easy to make. I'm dying to follow her recipe.

http://nookandpantry.blogspot.com/200...

[dxs]

I like to do a simple omelette fried in olive oil with a little less than a teaspoon of zaatar sprinkled on before folding. If I have some feta and some spring onions hanging around I'll throw those in too, but really it's the zaatar that makes the dish.

[jhfinxy]

i would love to read the articles from that week's Dining section, but I can't seem to find any recent articles on eggs in the NYT online! can someone maybe post a link with one of the articles??

[grandgourmand]

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/referen...

[burlgurl]

I've been having this recipe from Ina Garten at least once or twice a week since I tried it! With a side salad and crusty bread, it's absolutely delicious!

Oven Baked Egg Souffle:
Put oven on broil
In a ramekin put tbsp butter and dollop heavy cream under broiler until melted
Crack 2 or 3 eggs into mixture
Immediately top with 2 heaping spoons parmesean cheese, tbsp chopped thyme, tbsp chopped rosemary, salt, pepper
Place under broiler about 9 minutes

[Jane917]

I am sure my house would burn down if I put something under the broiler for 9 minutes! How far from the heat did you put the ramekins? Was it really for 9 minutes? This sounds so good and easy.

[burlgurl]

I do three eggs with this for 9 minutes..in my middle rack, not the top one.
I've tried this recipe on a bake setting and the results aren't the same..the broil setting creates a slightly crusty top, but lightly set interior..

[Pappardelle]

My favorite egg dish is braised lentils - just sauteed aromatics and rosemary - in beef, chicken, or vegetable borth - with poached eggs on the top.

[Cebca]

Ooooooohhhh, I'm all over that.

[umbushi plum]

i just wrote a recipe in that one pot healthy meal thread for a cabbage omlet, its simple and i love it!
shred cabbage saute in olive oil and salt and pepper whisk up eggs (two to a person) make as you would a normal omlet and add a large handful of corrinader whilst it cooks and serve with more corrinader and soy sauce mmmm happened when all i had in the fridge was cabbage and eggs
another thing that happened because i hated beef was when very occasionaly my dad would make burgers i would just have a fried egg burger no actual burger just the egg and lettuce tomato salt and pepper on a burger bun its really just a variation on the fried egg sandwhich isn't it but dad would lightly grill the bun so i always thought it was special

[Cebca]

That cabbage omelet sounds awesome. I've been trying to figure out how to incorporate more cabbage. Cheap and healthy!

[umbushi plum]

yeah its a really tasty way of having cabbage i highly reccomend it

[chef chicklet]

Very close to egg foo yung, and I am so agreeing with you about cabbage eggs, soy sauce and cilantro. Very good at any time!

[eeejo]

if avoiding breakfast preparations, baked eggs with some cheese and creme fraiche are pretty lovely for any meal.
i love eggs for b-fast though, so my real favorite is two eggs over easy with cholula and bacon, forked onto crusty white toast with apricot jam.. this is the breakfast that will make me a very chubby old lady someday, and that's ok with me.

[Pegmeister]

For me it's lobster eggs benedict with a side of asparagus and a nice glass of wine.

[sfumato]

Avgolemono! This recipe in particular:

http://tinyurl.com/5gyz9p

THIS is what I want when I'm sick, too.

[Caroline1]

Interesting recipe and it looks pretty authentic, but....!!! When I lived in Greece, avgolemono soup was always made from the chicken stock that resulted from boiling the chicken it was served with. Meaning a whole plump chicken was boiled to create the broth, usually with carrots and possibly onions, then removed to a dish and the skin was crisped by baking in a very hot oven while the soup was made. And the rice ratio was closer to rissoto than what we would call "soup". Never had it made with orzo, but I DO love orzo so I'll give that a try. Oh, and the carrots were served as the vegetable with the meal. This version was always served in homes. I never had avgolemono soup in a restaurant while I lived in Greece.

There is also a very popular avgolemono sauce that doesn't have the rice in it, and can be used as a finishing sauce for more than chicken.

[Demented]

Savory French Toast

6 – 8 slices French or other crusty bread
3 Large eggs
3 oz. Light cream (half & half)
1/8 t. ground sage
fresh rosemary, minced
2 - 4 T. extra virgin olive oil
Pinch kosher salt
White pepper, freshly ground
Italian parsley

Slice the bread ½ inch thick, set so it stands on end and will dry evenly on both sides at least 6 hours.

Whisk eggs, cream, sage and rosemary together, place in a covered container for 6 hours.

Heat a pan over medium-low heat, add oil, when oil shimmers it's ready to cook.

Lay the bread in the egg, give it a slow count to 15 or 20 before turning it over do the same on the other side before placing it in the pan, cook for 3 minutes on each side.

Remove to a plate in a warm oven until all the toast has been cooked.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley and serve.

[Sharuf]

We haven't heard from the Hawaiians yet. Loco Moko is what my Big Island musician friend makes when he gets home from a gig.

http://www.bigoven.com/107177-Loco-Mo...

[Katie Nell]

Just got the Williams Sonoma catalog, which I only use for the free recipes, since that's all I can afford! ;-) At any rate, we're going to try this recipe for their Breakfast Tart some night this week for dinner: http://www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe... It looks so good, and I just love a runny yolk!

[c oliver]

That sounds great, doesn't it? I've done a few of their recipes over the years.

[chef chicklet]

mmm. favorite? Toss up between the warm spinach salad with poached egg, nice thick bacon, , and a poached egg, with homemade croutons, or.... shrimp egg foo yung with sauce (which I loooove for breakfast most of all).

[lergnom]

Any soup or stew with an egg or two dropped gently in. Common Italian method.

[kchurchill5]

Never had that, one day would like to try it. Seen recipes but a new idea for me.

[kattyeyes]

Oh, right! Greek Avoglemono is good, too--instead of the more stringlike eggs, it makes the soup almost custardy. I love the stuff! I love regular eggdrop as you say, too (e.g. escarole and eggdrop). My uncle used to make that all the time.

[jhfinxy]

oh wow, i love Avoglemono! I tried making it once from a very simple recipe, where i whisked together an egg, lemon juice and pecorino. i then tempered the mixture with, and eventually added it to, simmering chicken broth, and finally added orzo. it was ok, but nothing like the avoglemono i've had in an actual greek restaurant. anyone have any suggestions?

[sfumato]

YES. Try this recipe: http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/20...

I could eat it every night.

[Tom P]

These egss, with breadcrumbs, from Zuni Cafe's Judy Rodgers, are one of my favorite dishes of all times. I make them constantly:

http://www.culinate.com/books/collections/all_books/The+Zuni+Cafe+Cookbook/fried_eggs_in_breadcrumbs

Seriously, if you like eggs for dinner, give it a try. Also, I have recently become addicted to Ina Garten's Oven Baked Omelet:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/in...

Weird thing for me, I don't like quiche, but this tastes nothing like a quiche. And it is just a base to add any and everything to it. You can 'dinner' it up with all kind of combos of ingredients.

[kchurchill5]

I have about don't how many versions of eggs benedict, with crab, lobster chorizzo, ham, avacado, croissants, polenta, and the traditions. I know it isn't the same I but I call it that for my sake. Poached egg, meat, bottom and hollandaise ...

My chicken has which I love with 4 poached eggs nestled in.

Oh yeah, but not all eggs. My past with eggs, bacon and cream, a all time favorite, put not all eggs, sorry

Omlettes, asparagus, good cheese and mushrooms a fave.

Or just a good scrambled. Not much else. Don't like lots of sauce. I like the egg as an egg. On the hash in compliments it. Not all eggs either, but the eggs make the dish.

An egg wrapped in puff pastry with a pancetta cream sauce. Really decadent and not hard.

[Sharuf]

Ina Garten's omelet looks like a slight variant on a Bauern Omelet. This is about the cheapest thing on the mittag essen menu in casual cafes in Germany.

http://www.recipecottage.com/breakfas...

[Sharuf]

Let us not forget spaghetti carbonara.

My mom, rest her sweet soul, used to do a supper dish with poached eggs in white sauce (Danes put generous amounts of white sauce on just about everything). When you cut into the egg, the yellow yolk billows up through the sauce and makes a colorful display. She sometimes did a variant of that dish by currying-up the sauce.

I make a mighty fine egg taco (my invention), using a crisped-up folded flour tortilla containing melted cheese, scrambled egg, roasted bell pepper, and salsa fresca (red or green). Black refried beans makes a nice accompaniment. Pass the Tapatio, por favor.

[chefathome]

Softly scrambled with freshly-grated white truffle. Less often, of course, many types of souffle...

[cettlinger]

Scrambled eggs with smoked salmon...or hard boiled eggs turned on their side in the middle of a meatloaf (surprise!).

[soypower]

I like to make korean rolled eggs...I usually put in some sake, green onions and jalepenos. Also like to coat it in a little sesame oil at the very end...Here's a video tutorial that I found which is similar to how I do mine: http://www.maangchi.com/recipes/egg-s...

Also love scrambled eggs and asparagus. It's a magical combination.

[Boccone Dolce]

I throw a whipped egg into leftover potatoes, leftover pasta, leftover rice.... My husband really likes ground beef/scrambled eggs/potato hash- lots of Rooster Sauce (I can't spell Sirrachia) and I usually have sliced fresh tomato salad with mine.

[grandgourmand]

Does anyone know of any applications using hard boiled eggs in a spicy broth or curry? When I was in in India, I saw some people eating it this way. And there are some south asian stews that include hard boiled eggs.

[dxs]

Grandgourmand, it's interesting that you mention this, because when my mother makes chicken curry she makes it with hard boiled eggs, and I've never seen this done outside of her kitchen. I'm not sure where she picked this up (she's not Indian) but I'll make a note to ask her...

[grandgourmand]

google 'hard boiled egg masala" and you'll see what I'm thinking about.

[dxs]

Yes, that looks very similar to what she makes, spice wise - but try to imagine it with chicken, potatoes, eggs, and served with rice (it's definitely a filling meal!)

[another_adam]

Yes, there are many versions of egg curry! my favorite is a bengali version of very spicy "thrice-cooked egg curry": the eggs are hard boiled, then they are peeled and deep fried until they are golden brown (sometimes cut in half first, which requires great care in frying; sometimes just left whole) and then they are simmered in a curry sauce of tomatoes, onions, and chilis. It's quite delicious, especially if the eggs were fried to get sort of crispy first!

[Sam Fujisaka]

1. Caviar and homemade yogurt omelet wrapped in a locally available thin, pliable flat bread and served with a lightly dressed arugula salad.

2. Egg broken on top of the beans in a bowl of previously cooked black beans and rice when heated in the microwave.

3. Cooled and julienned Japanese omelet in makizushi

[monavano]

Fritattas are among the best way to make an egg dinner and use up anything and everything that's leftover in the fridge. I basically saute up my leftovers to reheat them, pour about 6 beaten eggs over (with a little cream or milk) and cook until the bottom sets and making sure to see that the sides don't stick.
Then the fritatta goes under the broiler to finish the top and make it golden brown.
I let it set for a couple minutes before turning it out onto a large serving plate.
My husband absolutely loves each and every one, and the leftovers reheat beautifully.
www.houndstoothgourmet.com

[kattyeyes]

I love "taco eggs"...whenever we have leftover taco meat, I enjoy making cheesy (cheddar) scrambled eggs and serving them in a warm corn tortilla with taco meat and salsa.

[c oliver]

Do you ever get the uncooked flour tortillas at Costco? They're great with all your taco fixin's. They're almost as thin as a crepe.

[kattyeyes]

I haven't. Wonder if Sam's carries them, too. Is there a brand name or are they Costco's?

P.S. New addition to raclette grill--mini chicken sausage patties. I made them small like mini-sliders. Very cute.

[kchurchill5]

Sams has them, I get mine there

[kattyeyes]

Thanks, will pick some up next time we do a Sam's run! :) Happy weekend!

[kchurchill5]

you to

[Will Owen]

I have always disliked the browned, puffy omelets of the sort my mom made, nor do I care for soufflés, but a plain cheese omelet of the French kind with a simple green salad and some wine is about as good as a simple supper gets. A poached egg over a frisée aux lardons salad is pretty damn good, too. Another egg dish of my childhood was baked corned beef hash with eggs, which we never had for breakfast, but always for dinner, and invariably with spinach on the side - I loved that and still do. Oh, and creamed chipped beef with sliced hardboiled egg over toast was another supper thing, though nowadays I want either a good toasted English muffin or a biscuit under there. Good variation on that theme is curried eggs on rice.

[c oliver]

We travel a good bit and the last few years have either rented apartments or done house exchanges. An omelet like you describe is a frequent dinner for us at those times. We will usually have had a more substantial meal at lunch with wine and a nice little cheese omelet with salad is just perfect.

[yamalam]

Most all pizzas, especially those involving prosciutto, are great with a few eggs on top. Make a nook in the toppings so the raw egg doesn't slide away and bake pizza as usual.

It's simple comfort food for sure, but I love adding an egg to ramen and other noodle soups for a little extra protein.

[Caroline1]

I love omelettes. Not the classic French pale omelettes that look like an undernourished enchilada sitting in the middle of your plate. Mine are the folded in half, wrinkly like a brain, lightly browned omelettes filled with all sorts of good things and sometimes topped with more of the same or with butter, or for a dessert omelette maybe a chocoloate suace or berries. Some of my favorite fillings, besides any kind of cheese, are ratatouille, just about any kind of leftover Chinese food with lots of sauce and ingredients, all of the pasta sauces ranging from marinara to al fredo,... whatever. For dessert, just about any kind of macerated fresh fruit, anything that is good. I've also been known to cook the omelette minimally so it isn't thoroughly set (I believe the French call it "baverse"), then fill it with a chocolate or other flavor souffle batter, fold it and bake it in the oven until the souffle is set and serve with a sauce. I can't really remember an omlette I didn't like! Well, unless it was overcooked. I also love making my own egg fu yong, which is a variation of an omelette.

I also love huevos ranchero. Lightly fry two or three corn tortillas per serving in a bit of fat of your choice, fry a couple of eggs per serving (I prefer sunny side up), then either make your own or use a really good quality store bought salsa and toss it in the pan to heat through and reduce a bit, top your eggs with it, top the salsa with a wee bit of sour cream, and voila! Delisioso! And a side of refried beans is a nice addition too.

Oh, and eggs Benedict, as well as variations on the theme. Sometimes I like Bearnaise instead of Hollandaise. Or cheese (Camembert or Brie?) instead of Canadian bacon. All sorts of fun variations on this theme.

I seem to like eggs every way except raw. But that was a favorite of my grandfather. He used to crack them into a tea cup, then sit and drink them down with a cup of scalding hot coffee. They probably ended up poached in his stomach.

[c oliver]

We go to a restaurant occasionally and they have a dish called Bakers Benedict. Instead of Canadian bacon, they use a sausage patty. It's hugely better than the traditional.

[Caroline1]

I think I want mine with sweet Italian sausage.... '-)

[Katie Nell]

My usual at our favorite breakfast spot is the Irish Benedict- corned beef hash instead of the canadian bacon! It's sooooooo good!

[helena handbasket]

I adore lobster benedict... I can feed 2-3 on one chicken lobster and hollandais is perfect on lobster! Decadent, but perfect.

[TomDel]

If you’re ever in a New Jersey diner, try Eggs Benedict with Taylor Ham or pork roll instead of Canadian bacon, much better.

[jen kalb]

my favorite dinner preps of eggs are egg foo young (dead easy) and spinach and feta cheese omelet. Indian scrambled eggs (with fresh ginger, cilantro, green chile and cumin) is also super but tends to be more of a quick improv for one than a real family meal. Really fresh eggs make all the difference.

I also like bibim bop and caesar-type salad with a half cooked egg on it, but dont make these so much.

[smtucker]

I tried something new last night, inspired by Pepin's CREATE show, using four ramekins.

Had a leftover baked potato in the fridge which I shredded and then cut in some cold butter. I gently pressed the potato mixture in the bottom of each ramekin. I then wilted some spinach and again, divided between the four ramekins. Sprinkled some salt and pepper before cracking an egg into each one. Then cooked on the stovetop in just bubbling water for 6 minutes (covered), until the egg whites were set but the yolks were runny.

We each broke our yolks so that they became a sauce, dipping into the mixture below. I served this with home-smoked haddock, and DC had some toast. It was delicious!

Pepin included some cream in the ramekins, but I decided save the calories. In the future, I might actually add the fish to the ramekin. I was just worried that I wouldn't have enough room.

[c oliver]

That sounds incredible, fish or no fish. Wow.

[grandgourmand]

does sound great. obviously, there are many possible variations. but a slice of crispy pancetta served with it would be good.

how'd you home smoke your haddock?

[smtucker]

Found a cast iron Emeril 5-in-1 smoker at a Williams Sonoma for 75% off to start with!

I usually do four haddock fillets at a time. To create the brine, I dissolve just under a half cup of kosher salt and 1/4 cup of brown sugar in 1 quart of water, submerge the fish and refrigerate for 2- 6 hours depending on my day.

The fish is then placed on a rack to air dry. The length of drying time depends on the temperature and humidity of the day. I am looking for a sticky, yet glossy patina. I then smoke the fish, two fillets at a time, with one tablespoon of apple chips. I get the chips started with a medium flame. When the chips begin to smoke, I place to fish in the smoker, cover with the top, and reduce the heat to a very low temperature. Generally takes between 30-40 minutes for the fish to become firm, but not overcooked.

I have smoked at higher temperatures as well, but don't find the texture to be as enjoyable.

(Though this cast iron smoker claims I can smoke other meats, we use the charbroil with smoker outside for that.)

[tiramasue]

I love a fried egg on top of a fried corn tortilla, topped with red and green salsa ...

[rochfood]

Eggs scrambled with surimi (fake crabmeat, which is just flavored fish). Saute the whitefish in a little butter to get it golden, add the eggs, scramble until a bit crispy and even chewy. The sweetness of the fish and eggs combined make a good easy dinner, me and my wife both enjoy. I call them "seafood eggs". They are both sweet/salty, chewy and fluffy.

[gourmet wife]

I have a couple of favorites. One is to just regular pan fried it, place on top of rice with a splash of soy and serve it with pan fried spam (must have crispy edges). The other is to heat up some sun dried tomatoes, onion, basil, jalepeno pepper in pan then add eggs in and quickly scramble until soft but not runny. So delish.

[City Kid]

I like to make a huge fritatta, a version of which I made the other night, a sort of egg fu yung. Heated a couple of tablespoon of olive oil in a cast iron skillet and slighly sauteed some fresh bean sprouts, chopped scallion, and peeled cooked shrimp, salt and pepper. Beat several eggs, six in this case for four people, poured over the sautee mixture and put in a 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until the eggs are set. Serve in wedges. Leftovers are great in a sandwich.

[easily amused]

I love to whip a couple of eggs with a TBL of sour cream on high for a few minutes...then cooked as scrambled...very light and fluffy. You can add any of your favs once cooking...cheese, onion, veggies etc..

[Boccone Dolce]

You may find this funny (due to your name) but I used to make my scrambled like this all the time when I was low carb eating. During The Soprano's Ralphie (remember Ralphie?!?) whipped up 'Ralphie's Eggs' for Anthony and his secret was sour cream too.

[muffybear]

inspired by bibambap, i like to do an egg over easy on top of leftover grains. i often have veggie leftovers with quinoa, couscous, rice, even lentils in the fridge, so i get the grains/ vegetables hot and maybe a little crispy in a pan, then add the egg on top.

[grandgourmand]

that'd be a good combo with jungmann's fried egg version (i.e. with sauce, scallions, chilies).

[Cebca]

This is my favorite too! If I'm making from scratch I do polenta, but if I have leftover cooked grains I will use whatever is available - last night it was a wild rice mix. Often I do the egg over easy but if I'm really feeling into it I will poach it, serve with a side of garlicky kale . . . mmmmmm . . . (I have extolled the virtues of this dish on other topics as well, I cant get enough of it)

[JungMann]

Fried so that the bottoms are crisp, but the face is still soft and the yolk is runny. Drizzle with oyster sauce. Sprinkle with sliced scallions and chilies.

Hard boiled then wrapped in sausage, breaded and deep-fried.

Poached and served in a pool of yogurt mixed with minced garlic, mint and dill and topped with Aleppo pepper brown butter.

[c oliver]

I've made a tomato-y sauce in a skillet, cracked the eggs in, covered and poached. Thanks for reminding me. I haven't fixed that in quite a while. Also make omelettes with dinner type fillings, i.e., broccoli, tomatoes. But probably nothing better to me than soft-scrambled with buttered toast. Breakfast for dinner is such a comfort food.

[greygarious]

The eggplant-pepper tomato sauce in CH Recipes is a good vehicle for poaching eggs, because the eggplant contributes a meaty mouth-feel (I add a small amount of browned diced pancetta when I make it). Putting a slice of cheese atop the eggs to melt over them makes it extra-good.

[cheesecake17]

I make the tomato and egg dish often. Another way to do it is to saute onions, cook the tomato sauce, and scramble in some egg whites. The eggs thicken the tomato sauce and it's delicious served over rice.

[Gio]

co, gg, and cc..... Those egg coooking recipes are known as Eggs in Purgatory in Italy. I agree they are a delicious way to serve eggs. Sometimes I serve the eggs and sauce over a thick piece of Italian bread, toasted and then scraped with the cut side of a garlic clove....a la bruschetta.

[c oliver]

I love that name :) I also never thought about putting it all on toast. A definite improvement. Thanks,Gio.

[Harters]

Standard tortilla. - fried garlic, onion, potato and a couple of eggs per person.

[akp]

I love a poached or soft cooked egg on toast and with a red wine sauce spooned over the top...