Blog posts tagged with 'eggs'

OEUF MAYONNAISE
Happy spring! With Easter this weekend and Passover in April,  there are bound to be an abundance of fresh and hardboiled eggs gracing our kitchens.  For me, the egg is golden --it can be a valuable part of a recipe and it can be the recipe all on its own.
In the words of Oscar Wilde,
"An egg is always an adventure; the next one may be different."
 
In France, one of my favorite dishes is the very classic oeuf mayonnaise.  What makes it fabulous is the homemade mayonnaise dribbled over the top of the egg-- not mixed into the yolk.  This dish is considered somewhat old-fashioned by some, but there is a movement (so French!) in Paris to bring it back.  Claude Lebey, the doyen of restaurant critics, has founded ASOM (Association for the preservation of the Oeuf Mayonnaise).  The French take their food quite seriously! Here are Monsieur Lebey's suggestions on making the perfect hardboiled egg to be enjoyed underneath a cover of mayonnaise:
1) Start cooking the egg in fast boilingsalted water
2) The perfect cooking time is 9 minutes
3) Stop cooking 30 seconds before the finish time so the yolk is still a bit soft.
4) Always enjoy a glass of champagne with this dish--it goes perfectly.

On your next trip to Paris, here are Lebey's ASOM Prize winning restaurants for Oeuf Mayonnaise:  Chez Flottes, Brasserie L'Evasion, L'Auberge D'Chez Eux.
In the meantime, pour yourself a glass of champagne and have fun making the perfect hardboiled egg and homemade mayonnaise! Cheers! 

CARLA'S MAYONNAISE

Ingredients: 


2 egg yolks and 1 whole egg (organic)
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups high quality olive oil

Preparation: 

Put everything but the oil in a food processor for 10 seconds until creamy.  With the processor running, add your oil SLOWLY—droplets at a time!  It should be very thick. Once you have added 1 1/2 cups of the oil, stop the machine and check for thickness and taste. If it is too thick, add drops of lemon juice or continue to slowly add oil.  When I'm feeling extra ambitious, I make this using a bowl and a whisk (and some elbow grease!).

Keep refrigerated and use within 1 week. May be flavored by adding chopped herbs, roasted garlic,spices, or anything you can dream up.

SECRET: Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature to start and remember that patience is a virtue! 

 

xx Carla 

 

 

In 1977, I lived in Madrid, Spain and studied at the Instituto de Cultura Hispanica for my college year abroad.  I wanted to be in a language immersion program and I wanted to live with a Spanish family. As an enthusiastic  20 year old, I wanted to speak, eat and dance my way through this special moment in my life.  I lived on the Calle Flor Baja, across the street from Bar Raul.  My roommate and I played Carole King, Carly Simon, and James Taylor music loud while we hung out our bedroom window flirting tirelessly with Raul! What a time it was...  My Señora's name was Carmen Fernández Lobo-- she had long black hair that she mostly secured in a bun, wore high-luster pearl earrings (my fascination with pearls started here!) and had many friends in high government places.  We developed a friendship over time and she taught me a lot about Spanish men, dry sherry, and making the famous tortilla Española!  I have made many versions of her tortilla over the years and  to add to the nostalgia of it all, I listen to "You're So Vain" dedicated to Raul or Paco de Lucía dedicated to Carmen.  

 

TORTILLA ESPAÑOLA INSPIRED BY CARMEN

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 inch thick
1 onion, halved and thinly sliced thinly
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 
8 large organic eggs

INSTRUCTIONS

        Preheat the broiler. Heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a large cast-iron skillet. Add the potato and onion slices, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until the potatoes and onion are tender but not browned, about 15 minutes. Add a cover for faster cooking. When cooked, remove from heat.

        In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs and season with salt and pepper.  

        Return the skillet to the heat. Add the egg mixture, spreading it out in an even layer to cover the potatoes. Cover and cook over low heat until the tortilla is set on the bottom and the edges, about 10 minutes.  Periodically, life the sides of the tortilla and let the runny egg fold under to cook.Transfer the skillet to the oven and broil 8 inches from the heat just until the top is set, about 1 minute longer. Set a large plate over the skillet and carefully invert the tortilla onto the plate. Let stand for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature (can stand at room temp. for 3 hours).
Serve on top of sauteed spinach, kale and poblano peppers or serve just as it is and be sure to enjoy a glass of dry sherry!

xx Carla