Green Eggs and Ham (a.k.a. Pesto Eggs & Prosciutto)

In an effort to get children to eat something green (haha!), I thought I’d try this Dr. Seuss connection.  While it didn’t work for the kids, (yuck!) it did work deliciously for the adults (yum!).

For each serving:

• 1 egg
• about 1 tsp olive oil or butter for pan
• salt to taste
• 1 Tbsp basil, pine nut, and romano or other pesto
• 1 slice ham or prosciutto
• 1 english muffin or slice toast or slice polenta

You have some assembly options…

Sunny Side Up, Over Easy, or Fried Eggs:  Fry an egg in the pan with olive oil and salt until done to your liking.  Toast the english muffin, bread, or polenta slice.  Add the ham or prosciutto on top, followed by the egg, and top with the pesto.

Scrambled Eggs: Scramble an egg with pesto and fry in a pan until done to your liking.  Place atop the toast along with the meat or serve separately.

Below is a photo of an over easy version, which I like best because the basil retains its bright green color and contrasts beautifully with the golden egg yolk.

Pasta alla Carbonara

The eggs and cheese create a luxuriant, rich, and creamy pasta sauce.  Bonus:  Leftovers can be refrigerated in a baking dish and baked the following day, the result which tastes like the world’s best baked mac n’ cheese.

• 3 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup grated romano cheese, at room temperature, plus more for serving
• 1 Tbs. olive oil (If you have a particularly fatty cut of pancetta you may not need the oil at all)
• 1/4-1/2 lb. diced pancetta, guanciale or bacon
• 1 lb. pasta, cooked in salted water according to directions until “al dente” (Our favorite is fresh fettucine)
• Approximately 1/2 cup reserved pasta water (You may need to add more or less liquid; add slowly until the sauce reaches a creamy consistency)
• Optional:  1/2 cup white wine (If you use the wine, cut out the corresponding amount of pasta water)
• Optional:  1-2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced if sautéing or minced if adding raw as a finishing ingredient
• Optional:  handful chopped Italian parsley
• Optional:  black pepper to taste

Heat the olive oil and sauté the meat until until it is browned and the fat has rendered. If you want the optional garlic cooked, you can add the slices once the meat is nearly finished.  Set aside.  Ps. I’ve seen recipes that the include the hot cooking fat as part of the cream sauce; others only using the pancetta bits at the end:  Your choice.  Personally, I find this dish to be heavy enough so I only use the browned pancetta bits.

In a large bowl, mix together the eggs and cheese. Set aside.

Cook the pasta in salted water according to directions until “al dente.” Working quickly, start by adding about 1/2 cup of the pasta water or wine into the egg-cheese mixture until a creamy sauce forms.  Using tongs, remove the pasta from the boiling water and immediately add to sauce.   Toss until coated along with the meat and any other optional ingredients. If the sauce it too thick, add some more of the reserved pasta sauce.  Serve immediately and pass additional cheese alongside.

Ps. This is one of those raw or undercooked egg recipes.  You know the risks and warnings, right?

The Workout Smoothie or Sneaky Veg For Kids

This smoothie is perfect for either a pre- or post-workout boost.  It’s filling, yet leaves you feeling light.  Best yet, it’s a fabulous raw food nutritional powerhouse that even kids will love.  Instead of a recipe, it’s more of a formula that can be played with as fruit comes into season.

In a blender, add:

• 1 cup liquid (Choose from unsweetened soy milk, kefir, yogurt, water & ice, etc.)
• 1 banana (I know that this is so not local, but it’s my weakness!  I think smoothies just scream for that creamy texture they impart.)
• 1 cup (or the equivalent) local fruit in season (This morning I used a single large nectarine.)
• Handful of greens (This morning I went into the garden and harvested some red Swiss chard)
• 1 Tbsp flaxmeal

Simply puree until smooth and serve.  Just don’t tell the kids that there is anything green in there until after they’ve enjoyed it!

Egg Drop Soup

The eggs form beautiful ribbons in this quick Asian-inspired soup.  To make a complete dinner, serve alongside rice and stir-fried bok choy.

• 2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (If you don’t have homemade, use 1 14-oz. can)
• 1 8-oz. pkg. baked teriyaki tofu, sliced into 1/4×1/4×2″ pieces (You can substitute plain firm or extra-firm tofu, or 1 7.75-oz. can chickpeas)
• 1 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp sesame oil
• 2 eggs, whisked
• 1 small bunch chives or 2 scallions, chopped

Heat the stock, tofu, soy sauce, and sesame oil to boiling.  Reduce to bare simmer.  Slowly pour in the eggs in a thin stream, stirring constantly so that they form “ribbons” while they cook in the hot liquid.  Remove from heat, garnish with onions, and serve.

Purslane Summer Salad (Help! There are Weeds in my CSA Share!)

I opened my CSA share this week to find a bunch of weeds, literally.  What??? I grow these babies in my garden, yank ’em out, and chuck ’em to the chickens.  However, having paid for this particular bunch of organic weeds, I was determined to give them a try.  Oh, and I also had less than 10  minutes to do so because husband made most of the dinner, I had only to make some veg,  I was dallying about, and completely lost track of time.  Having never cooked with Purslane before, a quick Internet search pulled up this 2002 Gourmet recipe, and here’s how I modified it:

In a saute pan on medium high, quickly sauté:

• a drizzle of olive oil
• 3 summer squash, sliced
• dash of salt

While that sears, in a salad bowl whisk the dressing together:

• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped vidalia onion
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Add to the salad the squash (let it cool a bit) plus:

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 bunch purslane, thick stems removed
• 1 cup pear or cherry tomatoes, halved lengthwise

Toss and serve.  And the result?  A good salad, but I think I’d use a different green next time.  The purslane was kind of tough and bitter.