Fried Eggs + Shallot-Thyme-Chili Crispy Potatoes

If you ask me, eggs couldn't be happier than when they're sitting beside shallot, thyme and chili. For that reason, I've made about a million variations on breakfast using these few ingredients (example 1, example 2). As much as I do love a couple of scrambled eggs cooked with caramelized shallots and spicy chilis, I chose to jumble up the equation yet again yesterday morning.

Fried is my number one favorite way to cook eggs. I like them cooked on super high heat in olive oil until the edges get crispy, over-medium in the center and sprinkled with salt and pepper. Nothing could be better. Except for maybe the eggs with a side of crispy potatoes that have been smothered in my favorite egg accompaniments.

To begin, I par-boiled the potatoes in some salted water until they were about 10 minutes away from being perfectly cooked. I drained the potatoes and sliced them in half lengthwise. In a big frying pan that could fit the halved potatoes in one layer, I briefly fried a smashed clove of garlic and a few sprigs of thyme in some butter and olive oil. After the oil had become fragrant from the garlic and thyme, I spread out the potatoes in the pan with the cut side facing down. This next step is an important one - don't touch the potatoes for about 5 minutes so they can start building a golden crust. Around 5 minutes into the cooking, I added in a sliced shallot and some sliced chili (as much as you think you can handle!). Season with salt. Flip the potatoes so they can get a little crispy all over. In the last few minutes of cooking, throw in a little more butter and sprinkle in some extra fresh thyme leaves.

On the side, I made the same radish and arugula salad as my last post. It was so delicious with a big bite of the potatoes and egg.

Scrambled Eggs with Shallots, Chili and Chives +Toast

This is a very delicious and easy breakfast to make. The recipe is for 2 people.

Ingredients:

- 1 small/medium shallot, diced
- 1 small red or green chili (serrano, jalepeno, whatever you want) seeded and diced
- About 1/4 cup of chopped chives
- 5 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons of cream
- Salt and Pepper to taste
- Olive oil + butter for cooking

In about a tablespoon of butter and a bit of olive oil, sautée the diced shallot and chili over medium-high heat. Season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream and chives and season with salt and pepper. Once the chili and shallot have cooked for about 4-5 minutes,turn the heat very low and pour in the egg mixture. Stir frequently-ish until the eggs are done. Serve with buttered toast!

Feast: Warm Potato Salad w/ Chives, Shallots, Tarragon + Fried Okra + Spoon Bread + Swiss Chard

I had a few friends over last weekend and for some reason I felt like making a big old feast.

Potato Salad:
Cut potatoes into equal bite sized pieces and bring to a boil in salted water. Cook until tender. Make the dressing in the meantime - first, sautée a shallot in some olive oil for about 4 minutes. In a large bowl, mix together a teaspoon of dijon mustard, a handful of chopped chives and tarragon, any vinegar really besides maybe balsamic which might dominate the other flavors too much, olive oil, the shallots and of course salt and pepper. When the potatoes are ready, combine everything together! This can be served warm or at room temperature.

Swiss Chard:
Sautée a little garlic in some olive oil, add in the lightly torn up chard (the stems get tender so you don't have to get rid of those as you would with kale). This cooks down to almost nothing, so be sure to buy a lot more chard than you think you'll need! Cook until the bitterness of the greens is mild and finish with some lemon juice.

Spoon Bread:
This is an old family recipe that my great-grandmother serves with her AMAZING crab cakes. I've chosen not to publish the recipe on here, but if you really want to know how to make it just ask! It's incredibly simple to prepare and tastes like a corn custard or savory pudding.

Okra:
I made fried okra again - I could really eat it every day. Here's the recipe from an earlier post.