Breakfast Skillet

Breakfast Skillet via A Thought For Food

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I haven't worn a jacket at all this week. Or a scarf. Or mittens. Despite the rain, I'm close to pulling out my shorts and flip flops, but I know that as soon as I do we'll get nailed with a blizzard.

Y'all might be wondering how I can handle 40 or 50 degree weather without a coat. Well, let me tell you, I'm kind of weird. Unlike other Bostonians who bundle up in enormous puffy jackets fit for a trip to Antarctica, I have been sporting a five year old smoker's jacket from H+M. I like to think that it makes me a stronger person, someone who can handle anything... the freakin' Polar Vortex.  But the jacket is barely a jacket anymore.  There are holes all over... and I know it'd probably be a good idea to upgrade to something more substantial.  I'm just hoping it'll last until spring.

This breakfast skillet came about an in attempt to use up some root vegetables from our CSA (It didn't quite work... we still have a few bags of potatoes).  There have been a few alterations that I've made since the first time I tried it a couple weeks ago, but overall the concept has remained the same: a ton of sautéed veggies, a couple of eggs cracked on top, and then loaded with avocado and fresh herbs.  I decided to include some (very slightly) pickled jalapeños on top, but, of course, those could be left off. Or you can just douse it with hot sauce if you don't feel like going to the trouble of cutting up jalapeños.

Breakfast Skillet

Vegetable and Egg Breakfast Skillet

Yield 2 servings

Ingredients

1 jalapeño pepper red wine vinegar 2 parsnips, peeled 2 carrots, peeled 1 large (or two smaller) red potato, peeled 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 pint cherry tomatoes, cut in half 1/2 onion, sliced lengthwise salt pepper butter 3 eggs 1 avocado, pit removed and flesh sliced Cilantro Bread Lime

Instructions

1. Cut stem end off of the jalapeño.  Using a paring knife, scoop out the seeds and veins from the jalapeño.  Once this is done, slice the jalapeño into rings (approximately 1/4" wide).  Place rings into a bowl and cover with red wine vinegar.  Set aside.  

2. Cube the parsnips, carrots, and potato.  Transfer to a bowl.

3. In an 8" inch skillet (preferably a cast iron skillet), heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat.  Once the pan is hot enough, add the sliced onion and season with salt and for a minute.  Add the root vegetables to the pan, season with additional salt and black pepper and cook for 3 minutes, making sure to stir often.  Add tomatoes and celery and stir to combine.  Cook for 2 minutes and then add 1/4 cup of water to the pan. Season with salt and black pepper and let cook for another minute.

4. Make a well in the center of the pan and add the three eggs.  Cover pan and cook for 8 minutes, or until the egg whites have set. (Note:  You may want to check the eggs after 5 minutes and, if necessary, reduce the heat to low).

5. Once the eggs are cooked, season the dish with salt and pepper and top with avocado slices, jalapeño slices, and cilantro.  Squeeze some lime juice over the dish and serve.

Silent Sunday: Eating Our Way Through Austin, Texas

In order of appearance:

Sway Torchy's Tacos Second Bar and Kitchen Weather Up Dai Due La Barbecue drink. well. Sugar Mama's Jo's Red Rabbit Cooperative Bakery

Other Silent Sunday posts from Texas:

El Naranjo Ramen Tatsu-Ya Trio at the Four Seasons Hotel CBD Provisions (Dallas, TX)

Cumin Roasted Carrots and Meyer Lemon

The holidays felt like they were never-ending.  By the time Friday rolled around, I started to go a little crazy. Apparently, I have trouble relaxing (a freelancer thing?).  The first week without projects and inquiries, without a constant stream of messages hitting my inbox, was refreshing.  I spent time with my parents, my sister and her family, my in-laws.  I got to see friends in New York and check out some museums (a highlight being an exhibit of Dutch paintings, including Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring, at the Frick. If you are in New York, it's there until the 19th) We even saw movies... in a theater!

On the few days that Eric went into work these last couple of weeks, I'd use the time to photograph some recipes. I didn't realize how much I'd missed picking up my camera.  For me, cooking and photography are two great forms of creative expression.  There are so many ways to capture the beauty of food. Not just the final dish, which, in the case of this roasted carrot dish, was surprisingly challenging (cooked carrots are funny looking things), but the whole process.  I spent over four hours shooting this (for those out there wondering how much time it takes to do a post... let's just say I need to block out a full day to complete a single one).

We acquired a plethora of carrots from our CSA last week and I thought there was no way I'd get through all of them.  Between soups and stews and assorted other dinners, we still had a full bag.  I looked around our kitchen and my eyes honed in on two very lonely (and very ripe) Meyer lemons. Until this point, I've actually only cooked with Meyer lemons once or twice.  I knew that they were less sour than regular lemons and I thought they would actually be delicious roasted.  Half of this dish turned into lunch while the rest was served at dinner with a platter of baked salmon and couscous.

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Cumin Roasted Carrots and Meyer Lemon

Yield 2-3 as a side

Ingredients 1 1/2 - 2 lbs of carrots (or approximately 10 medium-sized), peeled 1 Meyer lemon cut crosswise into 1/8-inch-thick slices, seeds removed 6 tablespoons olive oil 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon paprika 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper Kosher salt and black pepper 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking pan with aluminum foil.

2. In a bowl, toss the carrots with four tablespoons of olive oil, cumin, paprika, and cayenne pepper.  Add the sliced Meyer lemon and toss with the carrots.

3. Spread in an even layer on the baking sheet and sprinkle 2 teaspoons of Kosher salt over the carrots and lemon slices.

4. Roast for 20 minutes.

5. Rotate carrots and flip lemon slices, and season with another sprinkle of salt.  Roast for another 10-15 minutes, or until carrots are golden brown.

6. Transfer to a serving plate and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over them.  Finish with Kosher salt, ground black pepper, and chopped parsley.

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