Poached Eggs in Chickpea-Tomato Ragu

 

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 jalapenos, chopped (leave seeds out to make it less spicy)
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 (15oz) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. cumin, freshly ground
• 1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 cup feta, crumbled
• 4 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp. flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Pita Bread, for dipping

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425F.
2. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat.
3. Add onions and jalapenos until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic until fragrant, ~2 minutes.
4. Add garbanzo beans, paprika, and cumin until fragrant, ~2 minutes.
5. Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and allow to reduce by half, ~20 minutes.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste and add feta.
7. Make 4 indents in the mixture with the back of a spoon and crack eggs into each indent.  Bake until whites are just set.
8. Garnish with parsley and serve with warm pita bread.

 

Buttermilk Biscuits with Creole Sausage Gravy

Make sure you have time for a nice long nap after eating this.  It is very rich and filling.

Ingredients (for biscuits):

• 300g all-purpose flour
• 5.5 g salt
• 14g sugar
• 14g baking powder
• 100g butter
• 6 fl. oz milk

Ingredients (for gravy):

• 1 pound hot Italian sausage
• 2 Tbsp. flour
• 4 cups milk (2% or whole)
• 2 Tbsp. creole seasoning

Directions (for biscuits):

1. Sift dry ingredients to blend.
2. Cut cold butter into small chunks and add to the dry mixture.  The mixture should be mealy not over-mixed.
3. Add milk and butter and combine until dough holds together.
4. Flour work surface and knead dough until it forms a mass.
5. Roll out dough to 1/2 inch thick.  Cut with something round (I used a water glass) and place biscuits on a paper-lined sheet pan.
6. Bake 425F for 10-15 minutes until the tops are browned and interiors are still moist.
7. Place on wire rack to cool.

Directions (for gravy):

1. Brown Italian sausage in skillet over medium heat.  Remove sausage with slotted spoon keeping fat in skillet.  If there isn’t any fat add 2 Tbsp. butter to the skillet.
2. Add flour to skillet and stir constantly for 3 minutes over medium heat.
3. Slowly whisk in milk and stir over moderate heat until the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
4. Add sausage and creole seasoning.
5. Pour gravy over hot fresh biscuits and enjoy!

 

Poached Egg

Ingredients:

• Eggs
• White Distilled Vinegar
• Sea Salt, to taste
• Fresh Cracked Pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Crack egg and place in 1/4 cup vinegar for 5 minutes to firm up the egg white.
2. Bring pot of water to a rolling simmer.  Whisk water to form a vortex and pour egg into the middle of vortex.  Continue stirring around edges for 2 minutes.
3. Remove egg gently with a slotted spoon and season with salt and pepper.

Recipe adapted from Thomas Keller

 

Chicken and Waffles

Chicken and waffles are a classic soul food dish.  The salty, crispy chicken paired with sweet waffles is a perfect match!

Southern Fried Chicken

Bacon Waffles

Honey Butter