t e m r u o G y Everyda The EG Always Free Issue 47: Eggs No.3 Published by: Chef Kirk Leins Welcome to the Everyday Gourmet – a sometimes bi-weekly newsletter dedicated to foodies (and the foodie-curious) with a busy schedule. Think long-term with recipes Hello again, Here we are with yet another issue of the Everyday Gourmet. Forty-seven issues in and we are still going strong. I want you all to know it is your interest in cooking, your interest in re-establishing the family dinner table which keeps this newsletter thriving. KL I want to briefly address last issue’s topic. Make no mistake, both chicken salads put forth can be prepared on any weekday, as long as you have 90 minutes or so. If not, I suggest you save the recipes for the weekend and use the leftover chicken meat for some stellar, yet quick weekday dinners – chicken tacos, chicken salad sandwiches, and chicken soup just to name a few. Enchiladas is one of the most Adding to that list is this popular foods on the planet. And, leftover chicken can be issue’s bonus recipe. It’s used as its staple ingredient. actually more of a method than a recipe, per se, but you’re gonna love it regardless. I am talking about chicken enchiladas, and honestly speaking I don’t really know of anyone who dislikes them. In my opinion, chicken enchiladas absolutely rule. Served alongside a green salad, enchiladas not only make a delicious dinner but they’re also a great lunch or even breakfast. That’s right, breakfast! Heat them up and serve alongside fried eggs. You can’t go wrong. A family dinner doesn’t have to be a memory of the past. Everyday Gourmet gives you tools to make it a reality today. The following is what I call “bomb shelter” enchiladas. Reason being, aside from tortillas, cheese and of course the chicken, bomb shelter enchiladas can be made with ingredients kept in your pantry. Enjoy the recipe! 1 Issue 47: Eggs No.3 Bomb Shelter Chicken Enchiladas Bonus Recipe Bonu Re c ip s e! Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine leftover chicken meat with desired amount of canned black beans (drained) and canned corn (drained). Don’t fret if there isn’t a ton of chicken meat on hand. Simply use more beans and corn in the mix. It won’t be bad. To the mixture, add several tablespoons of a good-quality green enchilada sauce (canned) and toss to combine. Using another 2 Tbsp of the enchilada sauce, coat the bottom surface of an appropriate-sized glass baking dish. Pour the remainder of the enchilada sauce into a separate bowl. Utilizing a small package of corn tortillas, dip tortillas one at a time into the sauce, completely coating both sides. Shake off excess sauce and lay onto a cutting board. Spread tortillas with 2-3 Tbsp of chicken mixture and top with a desired amount of any white cheese. Roll up the enchiladas and place them into the baking dish, lining them up perpendicular to the dish’s length. Top the enchiladas with the remainder of sauce and sprinkle liberally with cheese. Bake enchiladas in the oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes and serve. Great condiments to serve alongside would be sour cream, hot sauce, cilantro, sliced scallion or sliced black olives. 2 This recipe serves 2 to 4 people. Issue 47: Eggs No.3 Main Recipes Eggs at dinner a low cost, high protein fixin’ If you’ve been a fan of this newsletter for any length of time, you know my love for eggs as a dinnertime protein. They’re inexpensive, fast and most of all, really good. In America, eggs are more traditionally eaten for breakfast. But when it comes to the rest of the world, they are much more popular for lunch or dinner. fridge, a few key ingredients in your pantry and a little creativity, you can make either of these meals any night of the week. The second commonality is the style which they are served. Nowadays it seems you can’t go anywhere without seeing some version of an Asian “bowl” dish. Usually bastardized, the common denominator is the Throughout Europe, various egg dishes such large scoop of rice which lines the bottom. as omelets and frittatas are menu mainstays They are unceremoniously topped off with in many small eateries. The East is no some kind of charred meat, an assortment of different as the various Asian cultures also veggies and teriyaki sauce. Both of the offer many dishes, from soups to noodles, upcoming egg dishes are served bowl-style featuring eggs. Many of these dishes are but will far exceed anything you’ve gotten sold by street vendors who offer quick dinners from any fast food joint. for late working The first dish is a businessmen and Hawaiian favorite. It’s people on the go. called a Loco Moco The popularity of and if you’ve ever had eggs makes perfect one you know just sense as they are how good it is. ubiquitous. Chickens Served as a breakfast can be raised dish in Hawaii, it is a anywhere in the morning favorite for world and doing so the party animal yields a secondary crowd. The Loco Eggs for dinner is a good way to keep the doctor benefit – the egg. Moco’s ability to away. Dr. Atkins, that is. When you look at the absorb anything you price tag for raising drank the night before meat, eggs are a cost effective way to provide is only outshined by its overall deliciousness. your family with a nutritious protein. Next up is a Korean dish known as Bibim Bap In my past egg issues, I provided you with (bee-bim-bop). Translated into English, the recipes for dishes like huevos rancheros, the title means mixed rice. Throughout Korea, perfect omelet, an herb frittata, egg Bibim Bap can be found at sit down bruschetta, poached eggs and even an egg restaurants, street stands and in the average casserole. This time out I will be giving you home. I especially love making this for dinner two more recipes that have a couple of traits when I have either leftover veggies or grilled in common. Both dishes you are about to steak on hand. The combination of receive are perfect for using up a wide array ingredients, however, is only limited by your of leftovers. As long as you have eggs in the own imagination. 3 Issue 47: Eggs No.3 Main Recipes Loco Moco (Serves 2) Ingredients 1 C brown gravy (preferably leftover homemade gravy but you can cheat and use a good quality jarred gravy in a pinch) 2/3 lb ground beef 2 Tbsp vegetable oil 2 extra large eggs 3 C steamed, short-grain white rice kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Can a million Hawaiians all be wrong? Taste fried eggs with seasoned hamburger over rice and you be the judge. Directions Heat gravy in a small pot over a low heat and keep warm. Meanwhile, form the hamburger meat into two equally-sized patties. Be careful not to over pack the patties or the meat will toughen. Imperfect patties sometimes yield juicier burgers. Liberally season both sides of the patties with salt and pepper. In a skillet, heat 1 Tbsp of oil until it is hot and shimmering. Add hamburger patties and fry approximately 3 minutes per side for medium rare. Remove burgers to a plate and loosely cover with foil. In a non-stick skillet heat remaining Tbsp of oil until hot. Crack eggs one at a time into skillet about 3 inches apart and fry over a low heat for about 2 minutes. Divide rice among two wide but shallow bowls. Top each mound of rice with a hamburger patty and ladle generously with gravy. Top each with a fried egg and serve with Tabasco sauce. A perfect side dish would be a simple green salad. 4 Issue 47: Eggs No.3 Main Recipes Bibim Bap (serves 2) Ingredients ½ lb sirloin steak, sliced very thin 3 Tbsp dark soy sauce 2 cloves garlic, chopped fine ½ C carrots, thin julienne 2 C romaine lettuce, shredded 3 Tbsp vegetable oil 2 extra large eggs 3 C steamed, short grain white rice Asian chili sauce Directions In a Ziplock bag, combine sirloin, soy sauce and garlic, and marinate for at least 30 minutes. Heat 2 Tbsp of the oil in a skillet until hot and shimmering. Drain Eggs for dinner is a concept understood around the world. Several of the dishes on this Tokyo meat completely and fry on high restaurant’s menu feature the egg. heat until fully cooked and Say, do you think America could ever adopt the fakeplastic-food menus? They’re pretty cool. slightly charred. Remove to a plate and loosely cover with foil. In a nonstick skillet, heat remaining Tbsp of oil until hot. Crack eggs one at a time into skillet about 3 inches apart and fry over a low heat for about 2 minutes. Divide rice among two wide but shallow bowls. Top each with equal portions of lettuce, carrot and cooked sirloin in that order. Top each with a fried egg. Garnish with chili sauce and serve. No need for any side dishes here. This is a complete meal. 5 Issue 47: Eggs No.3 Le Sommelier Le Sommelier / Tips and Adaptations In lieu of a wine selection for either of these egg dishes I’ve chosen a pair of libations, or mixed drinks. That’s right, cocktails! I really don’t think wine necessarily matches well with the Loco Moco, but I do know two adult-style drinks in particular which hold up quite nicely with both dishes. For the Loco Moco, I’d like to suggest a Mimosa but not the regular kind. Instead of mixing orange juice with a medium-grade Champagne or sparkling wine, how about mixing Prosecco (Italy’s take on Champagne) with Orangina, the Euro version of orange soda? The taste is not only fantastic but the combination of sweetness and bubbles perfectly compliment the overall richness of the Loco Moco. For the Bibim Bap, I’m offering up a Korean favorite: Soju mixed with iced tea. For those unfamiliar, Soju is the Koran version of vodka and is starting to become quite popular here in the States. I’ve seen it in bars, high-end grocery stores and it can be found in any BevMo or Vendom Liquor. In Korea, soju is mixed with cold Oolong tea and served over lots of ice. If bottled Oolong tea is too hard to find, brew your own tea (Oolong or domestic) and flavor it with sugar and lemon. You’ll be glad you did. The soju buzz is quite a happy one. Tips and Adaptations For the Loco Moco, don’t be afraid to make it your own. There are all sorts of extras one could add to this dish while not straying from the spirit of authenticity. Grilled onions are absolutely amazing atop the burger and underneath the gravy and egg. The protein component could be a turkey burger, sausage patties or a grilled chicken breast. The sky’s the limit. The most important thing is to look at what’s in the fridge and see if you can make it fit. For the Bibim Bap, the same sort of creativity applies. Leftover steak, chicken and grilled veggies scream to team up with steamed rice and a fried egg. Greens such as spinach or micro greens can serve as substitutes for the romaine lettuce. Heck, if your feeling really lazy, pick up a jar of kimchi (Korean-style, spicy fermented cabbage) and use generous portions of it in place of the veggies. Bibim Bap is the Korean homemaker’s way to use up leftovers. I suggest you do the same. 6 Issue 47: Eggs No.3 But I Digress But I Digress Useless Crap Welcome to an installment of But I Digress I’m calling “Useless Crap.” No secrets here. Useless crap is exactly that, culinary products I consider to be useless … and crap. First up on the list is a huge pet peeve of mine. I’m talking about jarred, processed garlic. I absolutely hate this stuff for a variety of reasons. For starters, it is a totally inferior product to fresh garlic. I’ll make anyone a bet. Cook two versions of the same dish, one using fresh garlic, the other utilizing the jarred stuff. I’ll not only be able to tell you which is which, I’ll do it merely using my sense of smell. To me, jarred garlic has a metallic taste and an almost rancid stench. “You know that processed garlic you get in a jar? I wouldn’t feed it to my dog.” - Chef Kirk Leins, while cooking fresh pesto on The Mike and Maty Show, circa 1995 The next reason I hate this stuff is it’s just another way to rip off the consumer. For the time you save by using jarred garlic, you could be spending pennies on the dollar by using fresh “stinking rose.” Garlic is such a wonder ingredient, not only in the way it makes food taste but with the nutritious elements it adds. Why would anyone want to sacrifice either of those things for the sake up picking up a few seconds during prep time? Next up on my list of useless crap are blended spices. You know what I’m talking about. It’s the stuff you find in the spice aisle which combines several spices and calls itself something like “steak seasoning” or “Jamaican jerk blend.” Jamaican jerk blend, my butt. Real Jamaican jerk is obtained by utilizing a fairly complex marinade made from a wide array of aromatic vegetables, pungent acids and exotic seasonings. Trust me, it’s not something you buy in a jar. I have no problem with combining spices to make spice blends, but that’s what you have a spice cabinet for. Stock your kitchen with quality spices and herbs and make your own blends. The stuff you buy in the store is made mostly of inferior quality ingredients - and salt. You can do much better on your own. 7 Issue 47: Eggs No.3 But I Digress / Shout Out And another thing, these “spice blends” are way overpriced. You’ll stretch your dollar further and wind up with better tasting food if you do it my way. One exception I will make, however, is herbs d’ Provence. One ingredient used in that product is dried lavender, something you can’t easily find. Last up for this issue of useless crap is a “2 for 1” because I put both of these products in the same category. I’m referring to bottled dressings and marinades. If I’ve taught you anything over the last two years it’s the importance of keeping a variety of oils and vinegars in your cupboard. Combine ’em and guess what? You just made salad dressing. Same thing applies for marinades. Heck, I did a full issue on great marinades for the grill. But my biggest problem with bottled dressings and marinades would have to be their taste. To begin with, most of them are artificially emulsified. Blah! That’s why you have a whisk. Second, they don’t taste real. You know how a cherry Lifesaver doesn’t taste like a real cherry? That’s how I feel about bottled dressing. I’ll tell you what. Once they come up with a bottled dressing that tastes like something I can make, and they charge a fair amount (under a buck sounds right), maybe, just maybe I’ll buy it. The “jerk” in Jamaican Jerk Seasoning stands for the way a consumer should feel after they buy this useless product. Shout Out Coming Soon Coping With Terminal Illness Calligraphy elegant. ! perfect. ! cheap. Every bride needs a break when planning her wedding. Everything is too pricey, and only used once. Let me hand-address your wedding invitations and RSVP cards in elegant black ink. A Web site for the terminally ill, their loved ones and their caregivers. Witness something that will change lives, and deaths. Last-minute changes OK !"#$#%& $80 for 200 guests Vellum OK All pricing is negotiable. 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