with a name like that it couldn't fail...

We are in the kitchen often, but most recipes don't make it onto the blog because Brian has an aversion to food photography, which I can understand. I put in the same category as my aversion to pants...it's just not the right fit. But, thanks to my recent foray into the 21st century (iphone), I am able to at least take a photo (baby steps). In this case, the end result was just too tasty not to share. Plus, most ingredients you probably have at home and eggs for dinner is a no-brainer.

Here is my tweaked version based off of this recipe (thanks to karen for the head's up!):

Mario Batali's Spicy Eggs in Hell
2 -3 tbsp olive oil
2 jalapenos + 2 serranos diced (seed if you don't like heat, keep some seeds if you do)
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 clove garlic, diced
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup tomato sauce (we used Rao's Spicy Arrabbiata)
1 tsp red chili flakes
salt, pepper
parm or pecorino, shredded
basil, chopped (the more, the better)
Baguette (we used a garlic rosemary baguette).

Step 1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees, cut baguette into 1 in. thick slices, drizzle both sides w/olive oil & sprinkle w/salt and pepper. Put in sheet of aluminum foil and loosely seal sides. Bake until fragrant and toasty.

Step 2. In a cast iron pan bring oil to almost smoking, over med-heat. Saute onions, peppers, garlic & chili flakes and season w/salt & pepper, 6-7 min until softened.

Step 2. Add tomato sauce and bring to a simmer, a few minutes. Crack in 4 eggs, season w/salt and pepper and lightly scramble it all together (take care not to overcook eggs). Toss in lots of shredded cheese of choice and basil.

Step 3. Use bread in place of spoon and devour! Seriously...we ranked this in the top three dishes we've made.

(brian) sorg mcmuffin

There was a time when I ate egg mcmuffins more times a month than I'd like to admit...I was helpless; they're the perfect size & I love every component. I eventually became aware of factory farming, over-crowded chickens, food inc, etc & swore off mcdonalds (and meat) for life. I haven't hit the golden arches since & just assumed I was destined to live an egg mcmuffin deprived existence. 

Luckily the universe had other plans...while you may be thinking all egg mcmuffins are alike, this just isn't true. I would beg, borrow & steal for brian's version. Like all great things, it takes time & a lot more dishes to clean but I think I prefer it this way. It's special & therefore always appreciated.

Sorg McMuffin (serves 2)

3 eggs from Vital Farms, Irv & Shellys (or any other free-range, pastured hen eggs)
1/2 shallot, diced
1 heaping spoonful of sour cream
Slices of high-quality cheddar (+ extra for snacking)
2 cloves garlic, minced & mixed w/1 tbsp melted butter
salt & pepper (preferably the grinders from trader joes)
2 Bay's English Muffins 

Heat small skillet over low & whisk together eggs, shallot, sour cream, salt & pepper, pouring mixture into skillet. Treat these as if you were scrambling eggs, stirring, eventually separating into two formed patties & laying cheese on top of each, covering the pan so it begins to melt. Turn off heat while they are still loose (you don't want to overcook).

While this is happening...

Toast english muffins in toaster oven on low, pull out when lightly toasted and brush generously with melted garlic butter. Add egg 'patties' to make sandwich, then toast a couple more minutes, keeping a watchful eye out so they don't get burnt.

Pull out and devour.

Bacon is of course, optional, but either way I promise these to be 100 times better than that 'scottish fine dining breakfast establishment' as referred to by the comedian for which these sandwiches are named. 

Photos © Brian Sorg

no soup for you...(not)

You know you're a lentil soup junkie when the taste of lebanon's owner jokes that he'll have to give you the recipe & your boyfriend remarks that you should be a lentil for halloween. I just can't help myself; soup season is here & I'd eat theirs everyday if I could. 

While I wouldn't dream of trying to recreate it, tomato soup seemed like fair game. I prefer thick & hearty over pureed & cream-based so worked w/Ina Garten's pappa al pomodoro, adding & eliminating per my taste (for example, I don't see the appeal of mushy bread chunks, so those were history).

I do love a good dipper however...the taste of lebanon provides a super thin pita, so I followed suit & featured some of life's (my) simple pleasures, bread & cheese. 

Cozy is a wooly hat & a mug of soup. Lentil or tomato, washed or unwashed locks...it's all good. 

Spicy Tomato 'Soup'

2 yellow onions, diced

3 carrots, diced (skin on is fine)

6 cloves garlic, minced

2 - 28oz cans San Marzano tomatos (diced if available)

4 cups stock (publican quality meats sells homemade stock, much to my delight)

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 c red wine

1/4 tsp cayenne (or more, although I predictably got carried away...I'd start here)

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (opt)

1 tbsp salt + more to taste

1 tbsp pepper

Parmesan Dippers

Fresh loaf of french/sourdough/ciabatta sliced 1/4 - 1/2" thick

1/2 c freshly grated parmesan-reggiano

Olive oil

1. Heat 3 tbsp olive oil in pot over med-high. Add onions, garlic, carrots and sauté for 10 minutes.

2. Add tomatoes, stock, wine, cayenne, red pepper, salt, pepper & simmer for 45 minutes, partially covered. Season to taste. Seriously, it's that easy.

While this is happening...

3. Preheat oven to 250, lay bread slices on pan in single layer, drizzle w/olive oil, generously sprinkle w/parmesan and cook 10 min, or until cheese is melted (as melted as parm gets).

Serve with a glass of wine, sans spoon & get dippin'!

Photo © Brian Sorg

tank x young, fabulous & broke, hat x eugenia kim via shopbop

not ratatouille (part two - the eats)

The hardest part about the market is restraining myself from buying every vegetable in sight...seriously. I think of this as a kind of market anxiety and while my counterpart can usually snap me back to the reality of what we actually need, he can vouch that I suffer from this very real disorder. 

Not really blending in, but I think I prefer it that way. I was inspired by this recipe, because it isn't as labor intensive and decided which vegetables to pick up depending on what looked best that day (which was pretty much everything) 

So seasonal, pretty & fresh. And now, the recipe.

Not Ratatouille - serves 4
*I recommend tweaking to feature whichever vegetables you prefer, are ripe and in season.

2 med eggplant, diced, tossed w/2 tsp salt & set in colandar to drain for 20 min. Pat dry w/paper towels
3 sm sweet market peppers, diced
 sm ripe market tomatoes, diced
1 lg squash, halved, seeded (run a spoon down the stringy/seed part and discard), diced
2 sm yellow onions, diced
1 bunch basil tied with kitchen twine (I was told this was the last week for basil...got lucky)
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp red pepper flakes (I use 1+ tbsp, but prefer a kick...so use to your taste)
1 tbsp butter
4 tbsp olive oil, divided in half
3/4 c freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

The nice thing about this recipe is the chopping can be done in advance, and the dish improves with age. The chopping takes some time so factor that in, and you need to be over the stove a good 30 min. It's all worth it!

1. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a cast iron skillet over med-heat. Add patted dry eggplant to pan & cook, stirring frequently until golden (4-5 min). Season with salt. If eggplant sticks to pan, add a bit more oil (but you don't want to make it soggy). Remove eggplant when done and set aside.

2. In the skillet, pour in 2 more tbsp olive oil. Add onions & garlic & sautee until translucent (~5 min). Add garlic, basil bunch, chili flakes, and 1 tsp salt. Cook for a few more minutes, add peppers and cook a few more minutes, then add squash and cook 2 more minutes.

3. Add tomatoes & 1 tsp salt, cook around 10 minutes, add eggplant and cook 10-12 min more (at this point, season with chili & salt to taste)

4. Remove basil & stir in butter & parmesan until melted  & blended. Taste & season if needed. Server warm or room temp.

Photos © Brian Sorg

Of course, a meal celebrating summer deserves a special bottle so I used the occasion for one I had saved from lancaster estate wineries, bringing back fond memories of their gorgeous winery & a wonderful family trip. Even my soph wanted in on the festivities.

**Extra thanks to three sisters garden & iron creek farm  because it was their tasty vegetables that really made this dish shine!

my risotto brings all the boys to the yard (hopefully)

"This is one of my favorite recipes to make with a new girlfriend...works everytime" - Peter Maki Jr (family friend/love dr)

On a vacation in chilly Monterey Bay this summer, Peter whipped up his famous risotto for the group. I was skeptical, until I tasted it and had to admit that I too, would be starry-eyed over such a dish. I filed it away for a fall night in chicago.

Last weekend, a freezing morning inspired me to attempt risotto. River Valley Kitchens has a stand at the market with an incredible selection of fresh & dry mushrooms, among others. I asked the 'risotto expert' and she recommended oyster mushrooms & dry porcinis.

I decided to test this on two men who didn't need to be won over, but whom I did hope would fix my leaky sink afterwards. I got the basic gist from various recipes, then created mine to be vegetarian & mushroom focused.

River Valley Kitchens Mushroom & Pea Risotto (makes 2 heaping portions)

1 bunch fresh oyster mushrooms (or other variety of choice), torn into small pieces, 4 - 6 oz total

1 1/4 tbsp dried porcini mushrooms ground up

1/2 c thawed or fresh peas (thank you to brian for this suggestion)

1 c carnaroli rice (or arborio)

6 - 7 c vegetable stock

1/4 c shallot, diced

2 - 3 cloves garlic, diced

1/2 c dry white wine

3/4 c freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano, smallest grate size, plus extra for topping off servings

4 1/2 tbsp butter

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat skillet over med-high and add 1 1/2 tbsp butter; saute fresh mushrooms, garlic and one tsp salt until slightly browned. Set aside.

2. Bring stock to a simmer in a large pot; while this is happening, heat separate skillet over med-high, add 2 tbsp butter, olive oil, shallots & dried mushroom powder. Saute 2 - 3 min then add rice and stir frequently, about 2 minutes to crisp rice.

3. Add white wine and stir until evaporated, around 2 minutes. Add 1/2 cup broth time, allowing rice to absorb completely before adding next cup. Stir constantly so that rice does not burn. Continue this process, until 5 cups have been absorbed completely. 

4. Add 1/2 cup broth, mushrooms, peas, parmegiano-reggiano cheese, and final tablespoon of butter. Then add last 1/2 cup broth & season with salt & pepper to taste. You may need more or less broth at this point, depending on consistency. Risotto should be creamy & thick (all in all, this process took around 35 - 40 minutes). Serve immediately, finishing with a generous sprinkle of cheese on top.

***Risotto is time-consuming & can be tempermental...best to accept that it will probably be different each time & go with the flow (when in doubt, it's impossible to go wrong with extra cheese & butter). That's why I recommend opening that bottle of wine upon completion!

Photos © Brian Sorg

No meal is complete without, so we paired a spooky syrah blend by twisted oak wineries recommended by the sommelier of the family, my dad. Cheers ;)

Summer Vegetables + Pantry Staples

I made a huge batch of quinoa a month ago by accident (wasn't paying attention to directions), so after consulting google, determined I could freeze it & have since realized this is a great time saver for when I want to easily add some grain to a dish.

I had been wanting to utilize summer vegetables & cannellini beans on hand, so was inspired here

Spicy Kale, Tomatoes, Quinoa & Cannellini Beans (+ a few more) - serves 3 - 4

1 cup cooked quinoa, my favorite is red quinoa

1.5 cup cooked cannellini beans or 1 can cannelini beans drained/rinsed

1 bunch kale, washed, & ripped into 1" pieces (discard stems)

1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, rinsed, cut in half

2-3 clove garlic, diced

1 small yellow onion, diced

2 tbsp olive oil
1 lemon, juiced

1/4 tsp Salt, 1/4 tsp Pepper, 1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes (more or less depending on taste)
1/4 cup nuts of choice, toasted or raw (sunflower seeds, chopped walnuts, chopped almonds, pine nuts)

1/4 cup feta or goat cheese (optional)

1. Heat 1/2 olive oil in saute pan/cast iron skillet over med-heat. Once oil is shimmering, add onions, garlic, salt, pepper, red pepper flakes & cook until translucent, stirring frequently (3-4 min)

2. Add kale pieces & remaining olive oil & toss together, stirring frequently (5 - 7 min), until kale is bright green & slightly wilted

3. Turn down heat to low, add cherry tomatoes & toss gently (1- 2 minutes)

4. Toss beans, quinoa & sauteed vegetables together with the lemon juice, top with nuts & cheese if desired, serve warm or room temperature. Enjoy!

Photos (c)  Brian Sorg