As I am currently in two plays and fighting a cold and alone for the evening, I did not feel like taking on anything too complicated. Fortunately, the book I used from last week had some simple breakfast dishes to prepare.
The menu for the meal consisted of
• apricot omelet
• fried ham
• orange juice
Sadly, I again forgot to take pictures. I really need to get the hang of this!
Apricot Omelet
This was a standard three-egg omelet with a filling consisting of 1/2-cup of apricot preserves blended with 1 Tbl of kummel (a German liqueur flavored with caraway). Believe it or not this is not only the first time I made and omelet, but the first time I had ever eaten one. With no point of reference, I'm not sure I made it properly and found following the cooking instructions tricky. I found the result tasty although I still think I prefer my eggs scrambled to omeletted.
Fried Ham
I had leftover ham from last week so I decided to pan fry a piece and use the same sauce from last week. It really is a delicious glaze and this time around I was wishing I had gone with a thinner cut of ham as suggested by the book.
Orange Juice
Still not fresh squeezed...just call me lazy!
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Breakfast in the Old Brownstone
As my first effort in a couple of years at real cooking, I bought a cookbook based on a favorite mystery series featuring the detective Nero Wolfe. Fine food is a centerpiece of the detective's life and the author issued a cookbook of the foods referenced in the novels. After eating the meal, which I served as a dinner, it is quite easy to see why this detective is described as weighing a seventh of a ton. Because of the amount of butter in the meal, it should definitely be one that is left for a special treat.
Since these recipes appear in a copyrighted work, I will not reproduce them here but for anyone who cares to hunt it down the book is "The Nero Wolfe Cook Book" by Rex Stout. The copy of this out of print book that I acquired through Amazon was the second printing published in 1973 by The Viking Press (SBN 670-50599-4).
The menu for the meal consisted of
• eggs au beurre noir
• broiled Georgia ham
• hashed brown potatoes
• blueberry muffins
• orange juice
Sadly, I forgot to take pictures. I hope not to make this omission often.
Basic Preparation
As with any complicated meal, I find it helpful to read each recipe multiple times. Next I actually write out a time sheet with major milestones; the trick being to make sure that everything finishes at the same time. It is also a good idea to get out all the cookware you will need and place them on the cooking surfaces they will require. This will quickly show you if you have made the simple mistake of expecting more burners than your stove provides.
Eggs Au Buerre Noir
These are a type of shirred egg. Don't worry, I had to look it up too as it requires a special cooking dish called a shirred egg dish. I found it particularly hard to find. For such things, I suggest you buy from a restaurant supply house that sells to the public. You will wind up with more than you need but will spend the same as if you bought them individually from a specialty store. A basic shirred egg is cooked under a broiler in the dish in which it is served. They are usually cooked in butter and have a sauce of butter and vinegar or sherry lightly added after cooking. I am not convinced I did this dish justice as I am not sure I cooked the yolk to the right consistency. They were quite good all the same and reminded me of a cross between a poached and a fried egg.
Broiled Georgia Ham
This was simply quickly broiled ham served with a sauce made from vinegar, mustard, current jelly, and fresh cracked pepper. The recipe called for thinly sliced ham but I accidentally got my ham thickly sliced. I think I preferred it this way because otherwise I suspect the sauce would have overpowered the flavor of the ham. I also did not use Georgia ham as requested by the recipe but Boar's Head Deluxe which is excellent. Needless to say, care should be taken when broiling any meat to prevent drying out...unless your intent is to make jerky. I also found out that when doubling this kind of recipe it is a bad idea to double the butter as it prevented the potatoes from holding together as expected. Finally, I suggest that there is no substitute for a well seasoned cast iron skillet and will choose one over a non-stick any day.
Hashed Brown Potatoes
Forget what you know about hash browns as these are not so much fried as browned in butter. A word about butter versus margarine: in my mind there is no substitute for real butter when cooking. The flavor and moisture content of butter simply cannot be replaced. If you are concerned about the health implications then simply don't cook this kind of meal that often, eat smaller portions, or make an extra trip to the gym. Personally, I find that enjoying a fine rich meal every so often makes it easier to eat healthy the rest of the time. As this dish is made with shallots, you should remember to wear gloves unless you don't mind the persistent smell on your hands. I don't and even after a shower and multiple hand washings, my fingers still smell of shallots.
Blueberry Muffins
These were made from scratch and were surprisingly easy to prepare. I will likely never make them from a box again as these were, hands down, the best muffins I have ever eaten.
Orange Juice
With everything else to make I was too lazy to squeeze my own!
Since these recipes appear in a copyrighted work, I will not reproduce them here but for anyone who cares to hunt it down the book is "The Nero Wolfe Cook Book" by Rex Stout. The copy of this out of print book that I acquired through Amazon was the second printing published in 1973 by The Viking Press (SBN 670-50599-4).
The menu for the meal consisted of
• eggs au beurre noir
• broiled Georgia ham
• hashed brown potatoes
• blueberry muffins
• orange juice
Sadly, I forgot to take pictures. I hope not to make this omission often.
Basic Preparation
As with any complicated meal, I find it helpful to read each recipe multiple times. Next I actually write out a time sheet with major milestones; the trick being to make sure that everything finishes at the same time. It is also a good idea to get out all the cookware you will need and place them on the cooking surfaces they will require. This will quickly show you if you have made the simple mistake of expecting more burners than your stove provides.
Eggs Au Buerre Noir
These are a type of shirred egg. Don't worry, I had to look it up too as it requires a special cooking dish called a shirred egg dish. I found it particularly hard to find. For such things, I suggest you buy from a restaurant supply house that sells to the public. You will wind up with more than you need but will spend the same as if you bought them individually from a specialty store. A basic shirred egg is cooked under a broiler in the dish in which it is served. They are usually cooked in butter and have a sauce of butter and vinegar or sherry lightly added after cooking. I am not convinced I did this dish justice as I am not sure I cooked the yolk to the right consistency. They were quite good all the same and reminded me of a cross between a poached and a fried egg.
Broiled Georgia Ham
This was simply quickly broiled ham served with a sauce made from vinegar, mustard, current jelly, and fresh cracked pepper. The recipe called for thinly sliced ham but I accidentally got my ham thickly sliced. I think I preferred it this way because otherwise I suspect the sauce would have overpowered the flavor of the ham. I also did not use Georgia ham as requested by the recipe but Boar's Head Deluxe which is excellent. Needless to say, care should be taken when broiling any meat to prevent drying out...unless your intent is to make jerky. I also found out that when doubling this kind of recipe it is a bad idea to double the butter as it prevented the potatoes from holding together as expected. Finally, I suggest that there is no substitute for a well seasoned cast iron skillet and will choose one over a non-stick any day.
Hashed Brown Potatoes
Forget what you know about hash browns as these are not so much fried as browned in butter. A word about butter versus margarine: in my mind there is no substitute for real butter when cooking. The flavor and moisture content of butter simply cannot be replaced. If you are concerned about the health implications then simply don't cook this kind of meal that often, eat smaller portions, or make an extra trip to the gym. Personally, I find that enjoying a fine rich meal every so often makes it easier to eat healthy the rest of the time. As this dish is made with shallots, you should remember to wear gloves unless you don't mind the persistent smell on your hands. I don't and even after a shower and multiple hand washings, my fingers still smell of shallots.
Blueberry Muffins
These were made from scratch and were surprisingly easy to prepare. I will likely never make them from a box again as these were, hands down, the best muffins I have ever eaten.
Orange Juice
With everything else to make I was too lazy to squeeze my own!
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