Eggs in a Nest

Recipe from Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver with Steven L. Hopp and Camille Kingsolver

(This recipe makes dinner for 4 but can easily be cut in half.)
2 cups uncooked brown rice
Olive oil – a few tablespoons
1 medium onion, chopped, and garlic to taste
Carrots, chopped
1⁄2 cup dried tomatoes
1 really large bunch of chard, coarsely chopped
8 eggs

Cook rice with 4 cups water in a covered pot while other ingredients are being prepared. Saute onions and garlic in olive oil in a wide skillet until lightly golden. Add carrots and tomatoes and saute for a few more minutes, adding just enough water to re-hydrate the tomatoes. Mix chard in with other vegetables and cover pan for a few minutes. Uncover, stir well, then use the back of a spoon to make depressions in the cooked leaves, circling the pan like numbers on a clock. Break an egg into each depression, being careful to keep yolks whole. Cover pan again and allow eggs to poach for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat and serve over rice.

Potato, Leek and Fromage Blanc Frittata

Recipe from Food and Wine, February 2007

(serves 6)
2 medium potatoes, unpeeled (3/4 pound)
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
2 leeks, white and tender green parts, halved and thinly sliced
salt and freshly ground pepper
10 large eggs
1/3 cup whole milk
4 ounces fromage blanc (or crumbled feta or goat cheese)

Preheat the oven to 375˚. In a medium sauce pan, cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Boil until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and cool slightly then cut into a quarter-inch dice.

In a 12-inch skillet, heat the butter over moderate heat and saute the leeks until tender, about 4 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook for 3 minutes more. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl with milk salt and pepper. Pour the eggs over the leeks and potatoes and cook for 5 minutes without stirring. Dollop the top with cheese and transfer to the oven. Bake until the eggs are set in the center, about 18 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve.

Mexican Scrambled Egg Tacos

Recipe by Rick Bayless, Mexican Everyday

3 garlic cloves
fresh hot green chilies, stemmed, seeded and cut into 3-4 pieces
1 medium white onion roughly chopped
2 Tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
1 pound ripe tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/4-inch cubes
8 eggs, salt
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
1 ripe avocado, pitted, flesh scooped from the skin and cut into
1/4-inch pieces (optional)
12 warm corn tortillas
About 3/4 cup of your favorite (homemade?) salsa

In a food processor, chop garlic, chilies and onion. Pulse until
onion pieces are no larger than 1/4 inch. Heat oil in a very large
skillet over medium and add onion mixture. Cook stirring frequently
until starting to brown. Raise the heat to medium-high
and add the tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently until the liquid
evaporates and the oil separates out again. While the tomatoes
are cooking, whisk together eggs and salt with a fork to blend.
Pour the eggs in the skillet and cook, stirring slowly and scraping
the cooked eggs from the skillet until they are done as you like.
Scoop into a large bowl and sprinkle with cilantro and avocado if
you desire. Serve with warm tortillas and salsa to make soft tacos