25 March, 2012

All Day Breakfast: Eggs and Greens

The delight of the first meal of a weekend day keeps me coming back to a dish like this.  Crispy, tender greens weighed down only by the glory of a perfectly cooked egg.  I don't always enjoy the feeling of the end of a good day.  Afternoons lead to evenings, and to night.  Mornings have alway invigorated me and I savour the (memories) of the days I woke up (alert) before 8am.  This childlike morning time has always been my master, my teacher of joy.  There is so much hope and potential.  So much I could do with this day.  I don't want it to end.  And yet.  Afternoons lead to evenings, and to night.  One solution could be eggs and greens cooked together as if they were always meant to be this way. So comforting and easy to prepare, even at night.

(recipe follows)

Jen's All Day Breakfast

I usually prepare this for two people, two eggs each.  The onion and greens cook in the pan first then the eggs are added.  The egg whites hold the greens together and when you serve it everything is easy to transfer to the plate with a spatula.  

1 bunch of kale
4 eggs
1-2 shallots, sliced
1 sweet potato
salt and pepper
paprika
olive oil
(mushrooms, optional)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cut the potato cubes, toss with a bit of oil, paprika, salt & pepper. Roast on a baking tray in the oven, stirring occasionally. Stem the kale and slice into ribbons.  Slice the mushrooms (if using).

Heat a small cast iron pan over medium heat; pour a bit of oil in when it's hot.  Saute the shallot until almost lightly browned.  Add mushrooms (if using) and cook until softened.  Add the kale (it may seem like there are too many greens for the pan at this point, but don't worry they cook down pretty fast). Season with s&p and cook until the greens are vibrant and semi-tender (careful not to overcook at this point, as there is still cooking time for the egg).

Make an impression where each egg will go (four corners of the pan).  Crack the eggs and place them on top of the greens, continuing to cook everything until the eggs are sunny side up ready.  I usually place a large cover over the eggs to speed the process a bit.

Serve with some of the potatoes.