Chorizo and Sweet Potatoes

I know that it’s summer, and typically roasted sweet potatoes are not a summer dish.  However, we had some pretty ferocious thunderstorms in Northeast Ohio this afternoon, and I wanted food that was warm and comforting – roasted veggies definitely fit the bill!

I knew I had some chorizo in the fridge, so on the way home from work I picked up some cipollini onions and sweet potatoes.  Plus, I wanted to try my sunny-side up egg technique again!

The avocado got thrown in because it needed to be used before it got overripe – I hate to waste them!  I sliced it, added some lime and a little salt, and it was actually a nice touch.

Now that I look at the picture, all of this stuff would probably be good as filling in a breakfast burrito!  Hmmmm….I do have leftovers, so maybe I’ll try it tomorrow.

Only one problem:  Now that I’ve eaten, I think I need a nap!

Chorizo and Roasted Sweet Potatoes   (makes 2 large servings with some leftovers)

• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped into 1″ pieces
• 1/2 lb cipollini onions, peeled
• 5 – 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• 1 lb chorizo
• 2 eggs
• 1 avocado, sliced (add some lime juice to keep it from browning)
• olive oil, salt, pepper
• butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Toss the sweet potatoes, onions and garlic with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Pour mixture into a casserole dish and bake for about 1 hour.

When the veggies are almost done, remove the chorizo from it’s casing and brown in a large skillet over medium high heat.  When the chorizo is cooked through, remove the veggies from the oven and add to the skillet.  Toss the chorizo and veggies together to mix them and get everything coated in the oil from the chorizo.  Remove everything from the skillet.  (At this point, I served myself a hearty helping.)

(I used the same skillet to fry the eggs – it’s a cast iron skillet, so I just turned off the burner and wiped down the pan with a paper towel.)  Add a bit of butter to the skillet and turn the heat back on to medium high.  Add both eggs, salt and pepper.  Cook the eggs to the desired degree of doneness.  (I went for sunny-side up because I wanted to try and get a perfect runny yolk.)

When the eggs are done, place an egg on top of the chorizo and sweet potato mixture.  Serve with half an avocado and dig in!

Brinner!

Brinner!  Otherwise known as “breakfast for dinner” – perfect for a quick, tasty meal after work.  Now, I may have cheated just a bit (I prefer to call it “creative license”).  Yes, technically this is eggs and toast.  But the toast is made with garlic scape butter, seared on both sides in a cast iron skillet (yum!!) and the eggs are sitting on sautéed garlic scapes and Swiss chard.

I think it’s time for me to admit something:

Until this year, I had never fried an egg.  Please don’t judge me!  I truly had no idea what I was missing.  I was convinced that I hated the squishy egg yolk and only liked eggs scrambled, so that’s all I ever made.  I wasted years of glorious yolk-dipping!  Years, people!  (The garlic scape toast was fantastic dipped in the egg yolks, by the way.)  The yolks on these got a little overcooked, but I’m getting better.  Part of my egg yolk conversion may be that I’m getting fresh eggs now, and the difference in taste is unbelievable.

Whatever the reason, I am now a sunny-side up fan!  That’s right, Mom.

The Swiss chard and garlic scapes are from my first CSA box from Basket of Life, picked up just hours ago.  Because I have no patience, I brought it home and immediately started cooking.  In my defense, I was hungry and the chard looked really good!

Swiss chard, Bib Lettuce, kohlrabi, spring onions and garlic scapes.

Box #1 for 2013:  A great start to the CSA season.  I already can’t wait for next week!

Are you a fan of brinner?  What’s your favorite way to cook an egg?  And how do I know when a fried egg is done?  Help! 

Egg Salad on Toast

Nothing too special about egg salad on toast, but it is the kind of food that can be counted upon if it’s made well. My ingredients were local (and personal), so it tasted good and also felt good to make, which is what I actually, very much needed. And for those reasons, it might have been the best thing I’ve eaten all summer. I’m not sure anyone needs a recipe for egg salad, but this is what to do just in case:

Just barely hard boil four free-range eggs from Black Dog Acres, then peel and chop.

Mix with one rib of celery (diced), one small jalapeno pepper (seeded and diced) and one quarter of a small red onion (shaved). All from farmer Bernie.

Stir in one or two generous tablespoons of  mayonnaise (just make your own like this or this with more of the trustworthy eggs). Add dashes of kosher salt, black pepper, and good amazing paprika (but only if you are lucky enough to have a friend who will wait patiently while you smell every paprika twice before you find the perfect one).

Pile half of the salad on a thick slice of crunchy toast (save the other half for your better half). Add chopped herbs from my garden, a sliced tomato from my mother’s. Add a little more Spanish paprika (in honor of the Spaniard who baked the bread).