smoked salmon – And What I Ate

California Eggs Benedict

You guys, I think this might be my new favorite breakfast. Poaching eggs is apparently the easiest thing in the world and they look so impressive. Take some avocados, smoked salmon, and the The Best Dressing Ever for a little heat, put them on whole-wheat English Muffins, and you have an unbelievably delicious, healthy-ish, completely filling breakfast that – honestly – puts just about every weekend brunch you could pay for to shame. Brendan and I had these for breakfast this morning, and both of us were taking our sweet time finishing them because we didn’t want to get to that last bite. SO GOOD.

CALIFORNIA EGGS BENEDICT (serves 2)
– 4 fresh eggs
– 3/4 avocado, sliced
– 4 oz. smoke salmon
– 2 whole wheat English Muffins
– a little bit of butter
– a little bit of kosher salt (optional)
– The Best Dressing Ever

1. In a smaller sauce pot, heat about 6 inches of water over medium high heat. The temperature here is key – you want it to be bubbling but not boiling. Add a little white wine vinegar and a little kosher salt.

2. Crack 1 egg into a concave ramekin. If the yolk breaks, toss it and start again.

3. When the water is ready, swirl it with a spatula into a little tornado of water. Gently spill the egg from the ramekin into the “eye” of the tornado.

4. Let the egg cook for approximately 3-4 minutes. You want the egg yolk to be a little bit set but mostly runny, not firm. When yolk is ready, remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel. Repeat with the other 3 eggs, one at a time.

5. Meanwhile, slice the avocados and get out the smoked salmon.

6. When you add the last egg to the poaching pot, lightly toast the English Muffins. When toasted, add a little butter to melt.

7. Remove the last egg from the water, turn off the stove, but leave the water on the stove.

8. Have your super talented boyfriend get out his bad-ass camera to take the following pictures.

9. Top English Muffins with smoked salmon and avocado slices.

10. To reheat the first few eggs, add them back to the poaching pot for a minute to reheat in the warm water. Remove and drain.

11. Top smoked salmon and avocado slices with poached eggs.

12. Get out the Best Dressing Ever, and drizzle over the eggs.

13. Top with a sprinkle of Kosher salt (optional).

14. Cut into the middle of the yolk so it spills over the English Muffins. Brace yourself for enjoying one of the best breakfasts you’ll ever have.

Breakfast Bake: Leeks, Smoked Salmon, Cheddar & (a little) Cream Cheese

So…I guess you can make things that are full of eggs, and still have them be kind of healthy? This recipe uses local/organic eggs (mostly whites), leeks (which are one of my favorite foods), cheddar, smoked salmon for some flavor, cream cheese, dill, etc. It was delicious, looked pretty fancy, and actually kept really well for a couple of days. And, was surprisingly really light – not to mention carb-free – for how much went into it!

BREAKFAST BAKE: LEEKS, SMOKED SALMON, CHEDDAR & (A LITTLE) CREAM CHEESE (serves 4-6)
– 12 eggs – 5 yolks & whites, 7 whites
– 2 bunches of leeks (white parts only), washed and cut into half moons
– 1/2 vidalia onion, cut into half moons
– 1/3 C. smoked salmon (approx. 4 oz), roughly chopped
– 1/4 c. milk
– 1 tbsp dill (or less, if you don’t love dill as much as I do)
– 1 c. grated cheddar
– 1 tbsp butter
– 3 tbsp. cream cheese, cut into little dots
– kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 375.

2. Wash the leeks – these are kind of tough to clean, because all the dirt from the ground gets in between the little sections. The easiest way to clean them is to lop off the green parts and the very end of the white parts, cut them in half lengthwise, and submerge them in water for a little bit, kind of flipping through the sections of them as if they were a deck of cards. This will loosen and release any dirt hiding in them.

3. Over medium heat, melt the butter. Chop the onion and the washed leeks, then add to the pan when butter is melted and cook until wilted, approx. 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, add eggs, smoked salmon, cheddar, dill, milk, salt & pepper. Mix to combine well.

pre-mixed

5. Lightly grease a larger pie pan or casserole dish (either with butter or cooking spray), then add the leek/onion mixture to form a base for the Breakfast Bake.

6. Add the egg mixture on top of the leeks, and kind of bang around the pan so the mixture gets in between the cracks of the leeks and onions, and combines with everything.

7. Bake for approx. 15 minutes, until it starts to set. Remove from oven and dot with the cream cheese. Put back into the oven and bake for another 30 minutes or so, or until the dish is set and fluffy.

8. Remove from oven and let sit to cool for 15 minutes. Cut and serve. We had this with a Shaved Asparagus Salad, and it was a perfect little brunch. Happy 4th of July!

Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon, Creme Fraiche, & Chives

Ah, breakfast for dinner. This is indulgent enough for suppertime, served with some good sourdough, or a real treat for breakfast. If you can’t find creme fraiche, just substitute cream cheese, which is also awesome (so awesome, in fact, that I used to eat it by itself as a snack when I was a kid. I know).

SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH SMOKED SALMON, CREME FRAICHE, & CHIVES (serves 2)

– 6 eggs (3 yolks, 6 whites)

– 1/4 C. roughly chopped smoked salmon (approx. 2 oz.)

– 2 tbsp. creme cheese or creme fraiche

– 2 tbsp. half & half or heavy cream

– 1 tbsp. butter

– really good quality sourdough (or whatever kind you’d like)

– chopped chives

– kosher salt & freshly cracked black pepper

1. In a smaller saucepan, melt the butter over medium low heat.

2. Whisk the eggs lightly together with the half & half (or cream), salt, & pepper.

3. When butter is melted, pour the eggs into the saucepan. The key to cooking them is to use a wooden spoon, and kind of push the uncooked parts around the pan so they can get some heat, not letting the cooked parts stay on the heat too much. Keep a pretty close eye on these until they’re finished (approx. 5-7 minutes). You want them to be soft & creamy, not overdone.

4. When eggs are almost finished, add salmon & stir to heat.

5. Remove eggs from heat, add the cream cheese or creme fraiche in little dollops, and stir to combine all of it. The heat from the eggs will melt the cream cheese a bit, which is perfect.

6. Top with torn chives. Serve with toasted buttered sourdough.

— My new little indoor herb garden!!! I love springtime. This has been a really transitional 6 weeks or so, but the gorgeous new apartment and the new experiences – and cooking in the new kitchen! – are all helping, a lot. It’s a watershed moment in my life, and I’m really looking forward to everything that’s yet to come.