Archive for the ‘Late Night Supper’ Category

Kale with Kielbasa and Egg

November 8, 2014

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This is a meal I took from Nigella Larson’s book How To Eat back when I was first making up “Late Night Suppers” for times that Kathy would be getting home late. In this case we returning from Albany, New York on a cold winter day and wondering what’s for dinner and I said, “Hey I have the stuff to make this new dish with kale and chorizo.” Kathy quickly agreed. Actually I had kielbasa but that works too.

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I start with a precooked turkey kielbasa, you know, one of those horseshoe shaped plastic wrapped things in the refrigerated case. Feel free to upgrade if you like. We have found we prefer the lighter turkey version. Start heating up a 10″ non-stick skillet and slice the kielbasa on the diagonal. Puts some oil in the skillet, either plain olive oil or vegetable, no need for EVOO here and toss in the turkey slices. Add more oil if it is dry and lots of smoked paprika.  I like lots of color here but use your judgment. Let some color develop on the meat, the good tasting stuff. Set the heat to low to keep warm.

While that is working get out a couple of large eggs and the kale. Let the eggs come to room temperature.

Put a large pot filled with water on the stove to bring to a boil.

Slice the kale leaves from the thick skins. I hold the end of the stem and pretend I have a machete and whack down one side and then the other. It goes very fast. Then cross chop the kale about 3/4″.

Now is  good time to make sure you have some plates warm in the oven. Big bowl type are fun.

Add some salt to the water and the kale. Let it cook for about 6 minutes, turn off the heat and then remove to a strainer set over a bowl.

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Add a good glug of plain white vinegar to the pot. Crack each egg into a ramekin (techno speak for a small dish) and then gently slip it into the water. The vinegar makes sure it holds together. Really fresh eggs don’t need it so much, but older eggs that are still perfectly good do. Let them cook about 3 minutes and then remove with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

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Add the kale to the pan with the kielbasa and it it looks dry, add a bit of the reserved water back. You can be the judge.

Place the kielbasa and kale on the plate and top with egg. Salt and pepper the egg. You are done!

NOTE: You can use a lot more kale if you like, in this instance this was all I had from the CSA farm.

Bacon & Leek Risotto

March 30, 2011

Monday Night Supper

28 March 2011

Bacon & Leek Risotto with Fried Egg

Bacon & Leek Risotto

with

Poached Egg

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Recipe from Bon Appetit April 2011

I reduced the recipe slightly, to 1 cup rice an 3 cups broth. Used the big Calfalon skillet which was a bit too big.

Next time do the whole thing, its really delicious and I doubt it would serve six as they say. Maybe with a salad.  Really yummy.

I chose to soft fry the eggs in my CI omelet pan, on very low heat in olive oil, with a tight fitting glass lid, came out perfect and was easier than poaching. Might do poaching if I was doing many servings, and this could certainly be a meal for four or more.

Needs a good salad.

December 24, 2008

Friday Night Homecoming on Tuesday

Since Kathy has been away working in Albany I started a tradition of having some special but not too heavy meal that one could eat as much or little of on the nights that she comes home to Maine. These are are usually Friday nights, hence the name, Friday Night Homecoming. She gets in around 8:45 PM but last night was slower due to Christmas traffic on the Albany end and it was more like 9:45 PM.

Last year I found an interesting Food 911 menu that Tyler Florence did a few years ago cooking a Portuguese Fish Stew out on a frozen lake in Vermont with some friends. He did the whole thing in a turkey fryer sitting on an ice chest. I’ve made it several times now along with the herbed garlic bread and its wonderful. And, it freezes well.

Last week I made it again, this time with Wild Maine Shrimp which are in season now and plentiful, along with Johnnie’s Blues (mussels from JP’s Seafood, Elliot, Maine) and talapia. Tilapia because that what was available at the store. Note: Russets are the best potatoes to use. Hold up better than Yukon and Red. I froze portions and thawed a quart and a half for last night.

The bread is a necessity with this to soak up the sauce and with lots and lots of herbs plus the garlic and olive oil it is delicious by itself. I added to this a romaine salad with my own sorta Ceaser dressing, currently identified as David’s Dressing. I noticed last night a key ingreadiant is missing from my hand notes, the oil, but I guess I just figured that was obvious. I need to get it “cleaned” a bit and post it here.

An excellent dinner with Martin Codax Albarino wine from Spain.