More Spring Chicken

Spring chicken was such a popular post, I'm adding to it. Just be sure you have a nontoxic bird in hand. Given all the mislabeling, lack of regulations and inspections and global processing, your local farmer is the safest bet.

Spanish Saffron Almond Chicken

not my photo

This is fairly typical Catalan homecooking, a quick, tasty dish flavored with garlic, saffron and toasted almonds. Plus yesterday's bread chopped up to thicken the sauce. (I just made this and it was delicious but my photos were terrible.)
serves 4

4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c slivered almonds
2 c crustless bread in cubes or raw marcona almonds
4 lg garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
2 c chicken broth
2/3 c dry Sherry
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp saffron threads
4 chicken quarters, leg and thigh
1 onion, minced
chopped flat leaf parsley for garnish

In a large heavy lidded skillet or pan, heat 3 tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add the slivered almonds and sauté until golden, 2-3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel. 

Add the bread cubes or raw almonds and garlic cloves to the pan. Stirring, sauté until golden brown and crisp, 4-5 min. With a slotted spoon transfer the bread/almonds to a blender or food processor. Add half the slivered almonds if you are using bread. Add chicken broth, sherry, lots of freshly ground black pepper, saffron and a salt to your taste. Process into a smooth sauce.

 Season the chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Add 1 tbsp olive oil to the pan/skillet. Over medium high heat, brown the chicken on both sides, 12-15 min. Lower heat if necessary to prevent burning. Add the onions to the pan and try to get them on the bottom so they brown. Cook 5-6 minutes more to brown them. Pour in the sauce, smothering the chicken. Over medium heat, bring to a simmer so you see tiny bubbles. Cover the pot, reduce heat to low and cook 20 min until chicken is cooked thoroughly. Adjust salt and pepper to your taste.

To serve: plate the chicken, top with the slivered almonds, chopped parsley and a spoonful of the sauce.


Circassian Chicken

not my photo

This chicken walnut dish from the Caucuses has variations but I'm partial to chopping up the chicken to make a nicer more portable presentation perfect for potlucks, picnics and parties.  if you want to mold this like "paté" just put the chicken in the food processor with the pita and walnuts. Serve warm or room temperature.

One 4 lb chicken, quartered

1 onion, halved

4 allspice berries or 1 tsp ground allspice

4 whole cloves

4 black peppercorns

3 bay leaves

1 tsp coriander seeds

Water

Salt to your taste

1 pita bread, torn into pieces

1/2 c milk or half-and-half

2 cups walnuts (6-7 ounces)

2 garlic cloves, smashed

Freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro leaves

1 tsp ground Turkish red pepper, such as Aleppo or Urfa or ½ tsp chili powder

   

Put the chicken in a large soup pot. Add the onion, allspice, cloves, peppercorns, bay leaves and coriander seeds. Add enough water to cover the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot and simmer until the chicken is tender, 30-40 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and when it is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and pull the meat off the bones in shreds. Put the shredded chicken in a large bowl.

   

Strain the fragrant chicken broth and transfer 3 cups to a small saucepan. Boil until it’s reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Season with salt to your taste.

In a small bowl, sink the pita in the milk and mash it down until it is completely soaked. Transfer the pita to a food processor. Add the walnuts and garlic and process to a thick paste. While the machine is on, slowly pour in a thin stream about 1 cup of the reduced chicken broth until a sauce as thick as Greek yogurt forms; add more broth if necessary. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

Fold half the walnut sauce into the bowl with the chicken. Add the cilantro and half the ground red pepper. Mound the chicken on a plate, sprinkle the remaining Turkish red pepper all over and spread half the remaining sauce on top.  Garnish with a few whole walnuts and pass the extra walnut sauce at the table.

It isn’t authentically Circassian but you could but the chicken on a bed of arugula for a dazzling presentation.

Omani Chicken Qabooli (pilaf)

not my photo so it may look different

This is a dazzlingly fragrant dish rich with cardamom, saffron and raisins soaked in rose water. 

serves 4 

3 cups rice
1 whole medium chicken (medium)
½ cup raisins (washed and soaked)
½ cup cooked chickpeas
1 Cinnamon stick

4 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
3 cloves

5 whole black pepper corns

pinch of saffron dissolved in 1 tbsp rose water
¼ cup ghee
Salt to taste

Wash, then soak the rice in salted water.
Clean the chicken and cut into pieces.
Boil chicken in 8 cups of water with the spices and salt, removing foam as it appears. Cook until chicken is tender. Remove chicken, strain broth and return to the heat. Add enough water to have eight cups again and bring to boil. Add the rice and cook it halfway, about 8 minutes. Drain.
In a large skillet coated with the ghee, sauté chickpeas and raisin over medium heat until soft and slightly brown. Remove and keep aside. Place the chicken pieces in the same cooking pot to brown. If it sticks, add a bit more ghee or oil. Add boiled rice. Sprinkle with saffron rose water. Stir in chickpeas and raisins.
Simmer 15 minutes.

Indian Butter Chicken

not my photo

This is a Westerner's favorite form of Indian food. It's served of course with steaming basmati rice and a fruit chutney. You can add steamed greens or saag paneer to round out the meal.

serves 6

1 1/2 cups full-fat Greek yogurt

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 1/2 tbsp ground turmeric

2 tbsp garam masala

2 tbsp ground cumin

3 lbs chicken thighs, on the bone

1/4 lb unsalted butter

4 tsp neutral oil, like vegetable or canola oil

2 medium-size yellow onions, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

4" fresh ginger, peeled and grated or finely diced

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 cinnamon stick

2 medium-size tomatoes, diced

2 red chilies, like Anaheim, or 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced

Kosher salt to taste

2/3 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 cups cream

1 1/2 tsp tomato paste

3 tbsp ground almonds, or finely chopped almonds

1/2 bunch cilantro leaves, stems removed.

Whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, turmeric, garam masala and cumin in a large bowl. Put the chicken in, and coat with the marinade. Cover, and refrigerate10-24 hrs.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter in the oil until it starts to foam. Add the onions, and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic, ginger and cumin seeds, and cook until  onions start to brown. Add cinnamon stick, tomatoes, chilies and salt, and cook until the chiles are soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the chicken and marinade to the pan, and cook 5 minutes. Add  chicken stock. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes more or less. Stir in the cream and tomato paste, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Add the almonds. Cook 5 more minutes, then remove from the heat. Garnish with cilantro leaves.

Moroccan chicken salad with green olives
This is not the ordinary chicken salad of deli sandwiches. It's a tagine variation (meat and fruits together) that's a wonderful warm weather luncheon dish served with crusty bread and sliced tomatoes.

serves 4
1 lb chicken breast meat, poached, skinned, boned and cut into 1" cubes
1 tbsp freshly aqueeze lemon juice
4 scallions, cleaned and diced
12 lg green olives, pitted is helpful
12 dried prunes, pitted
1/4 c toasted almonds
6 dried apricots, halved
1 sm carrot, peeled and grated
1/2 tsp cumin seed, toasted is best
2 tbsp white raisins plumped in 1 tsp rosewater 

Soak the chicken in the lemon juice 30 min. Drain
Combine everything in a serving bowl and mix it up. 

Dressing
4 oz lemon yogurt
pinch of ground cloves
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp lemon zest
pinch sea salt

Whisk all ingredients together and blend into the chicken salad.
Garnish with chopped fresh cilanto leaves.

Afghani Chicken in Yogurt

This is a qorma lawand, a fragrant Afghan curry thickened by nuts, made creamy by yogurt that's naturally sweetened by carrots (native to Afghanistan) and raisins.

serves 4-6

1/2 cup almonds

4 garlic cloves

2" fresh ginger root, peeled and sliced

1/2 c water or chicken broth if you prefer

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (breast meat won't be as tasty or tender)

1/4 ghee or unsalted butter

2 tsp ground turmeric

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp ground cloves

1 tsp ground nutmeg

2 yellow onions thinly sliced

1 Serrano pepper, seeded and minced (2 if you like hot food)

2 med carrots, peeled and sliced in thin disks

1/3 cup dark raisins

1 heaping cup plain thick yogurt

salt and black pepper to your taste

1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro leaves

In a food processor purée the nuts, garlic, ginger and water.

Put this into a large bowl.

Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, stir into the marinade.

Marinate at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.

Melt the ghee in a large heavy gauge lidded casserole over medium heat. Add the spices and sauté about 30 seconds until they are fragrant but not brown. Stir in the onions and chili pepper. Sauté until the onions are soft and starting to brown, maybe 7 minutes.

Stir the chicken into the pot with all its marinade. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to your taste.

Stir in the carrots and raisins and yogurt, blending everything. Add 1/2 c water or chicken broth to make gravy. Bring to a boil,then reduce heat to low simmer, cover the pot and simmer 40 minutes, adding water or broth if the dish seems to be drying out. Most important: keep heat low to avoid curdling the yogurt.

Serve with the chopped cilantro on top as garnish. Serve with rice, roasted potatoes or naan and perhaps a simple spinach salad.

 

Spring greening

Mother Nature has handed us a green new deal: lots of nutrition loaded greens rising to the occasion of warmth. With stamina to survive a chill and the energy to push through cold, thawing earth, these plants are the perfect tonic. And they're numerous: dandelion greens, pea shoots, shell peas themselves, new spinach, arugula, mustard greens, carrot greens, asparagus, fiddlehead ferns (in a few spots), nettles and parsley. So here are a few timely ways to eat and be well: (Also see the eatin' o the green post for St Patrick's Day and the spearhead asparagus post three weeks ago for more recipes.)

Spring greens with lamb and rice 

This is a quintessential now concoction of newly sprouted greens flavored with bits of ground Spring lamb and fortified with rice. The kiss of fresh lemon juice makes this "health food" bright and tasty to boot. Plus it's relatively fast food--made in 30 minutes. You can use any of the greens mentioned above as well as chard and miner's lettuce, mostly thought of as an annoying lawn weed. The result makes for a light supper.
 serves 4 or more
1 lb mixed spring greens (mustard, spinach, arugula, dandelion, etc) stems off
salt
1-2 tbsp olive oil
1 med onion, diced
1/2 lb ground lamb
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon (a pinch)
1 tbsp tomato paste
Freshly ground black pepper (be heavy handed)
1/2 tsp ground allspice
1 tsp dill seed
1/4 c long grain rice
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Wash the greens and while still wet put the in a heavy gauge lidded pot with 1/2 c lightly salted water. Cover. Over medium high heat, cook until the greens wilt--about 5 min. Remove from the liquid and save the liquid. Let the greens cool down.  Squeeze as much water as you can out of them and chop.

greens and lamb before rice

In the same pot or a lidded skillet, heat over medium enough oil (1-2 tbsp) to cover the bottom. Add the onion and sauté until soft, 2-3 minutes. Add the lamb, breaking it up and keep cooking until the lamb is lightly browned, another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste, lots of ground black pepper, dill seed, allspice, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Cook stirring another 2-3 minutes. Stir in the chopped greens and rice. Add 1 1/4 cups of the greens cooking liquid. Cover the pot and reduce hat to low. Simmer until the liquid is gone and the rice is cooked, 15-20 minutes. Check occasionally to be sure there is enough liquid in the pot and add more cooking liquid or water by the tablespoon if necessary. Blend in lemon juice. Check and adjust salt and pepper and serve hot.

 Carrot top pesto with pecans and lemon zest
This is me using up the gloriously fresh ferny greens on a bunch of carrots. It took under 5 minutes to make and made me feel virtuous  creating nutritious food from what most people would trash. I used this on pasta and put a dollop on a baked potato. With the pasta, just for the fun of it, I would serve a carrot salad. I've previously posted two of them: my French mother's simple grated carrot and parsley salad and the more flavorful and colorful Korean carrot salad.

1 bunch carrot greens, rinsed off and shaken as dry as possible
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
6-8 toasted pecans
handful of fresh cilantro leaves
2 thin strips of lemon peel, cut in thirds
1 tsp dill seed
Freshly ground black pepper
Sea salt to your taste
2 heaping tbsp grated Parmesan, asiago or Manchego cheese
1/2 c good quality olive oil

Remove stems from the carrot greens.
Put everything but the olive oil in a food processor and blend into a paste. Gradually add the oil to loosen it into a sauce. That's it! Store in an airtight container in the fridge if not using right away.
 

Scandinavian chicken in parsley sauce
This is an old recipe that never goes out of style for Spring chicken. Maybe because it also features spring onions, aka scallions. It takes about 5 minutes to prepare and cooks by itself for an hour. If you have a truly organic Spring chicken, this is very nutritious and low cal. Plus kids will like it.
serves 6

8 chicken thighs, skin off
1/4 c olive oil
3 lg garlic cloves, peeled and halved
20 lg parsley sprigs
5 scallions
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste

Arrange the thighs in a single layer in a deep wide skillet. Pour the oil over them and turn them so they are totally coated. Scatter the garlic around. Lay the scallions and parsley on top of the chicken, trying to smother it. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Cover the skillet and simmer over low heat 1 hour.  

Put the chicken on a serving platter. Put everything else in the skillet into a food processor or blender. Puree into a green sauce. Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Pour over the chicken and serve. Great with baked potatoes that go with the sauce and don't add too many calories.
 

Fresh pea "hummus"

You can make smashed peas that kids love, risi e pisi the Italian Spring favorite (rice and peas) or go for this reliably tasty and super easy "hummus" perfect for crostini plain or topped with smoked salmon, as a bed for chunks of ham or grilled swordfish, in a pita pocket with slices of poached chicken breast or leftover salmon and fresh pea shoots, or as a dip. More ideas at the recipe's end.

2 cups shelled peas (more or less 1 lb shelled peas)

2 bunches fresh green onions, roots off and stalks trimmed (do not remove all the stalk)

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tbsp olive oil 

1/3 c chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1/3 cup chopped fresh mint leaves, another 2 tbsp for garnishing

Freshly ground black pepper to your taste

Sea Salt to your taste

4 oz creamy soft unflavored goat cheese

1/2 cup cooked cannellini beans, drained

pinch of nutmeg

Chop the scallions coarsely.

In a medium/large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium flame. Add scallions and garlic and sauté 1 minute or until scallions start to soften. Be careful not to burn garlic. Lower heat if necessary. Add the shelled peas and shake the pan. If it's too dry and they want to stick add another tbsp olive oil. Add 1/2 cup water and cook over medium heat 3-4 minutes until peas start to soften. Add the parsley and cook another minute.  The peas should be soft but not soggy or losing color. Drain off any excess water and pour the contents of the pan into a food processor. (if you have an immersion blender you can keep the peas in the pot, okay). Add the mint, salt, pepper, goat cheese and beans. Quickly puree into a thick paste. If it's too thick, add a tbsp or two of olive oil. Sprinkle on a pinch of nutmeg.

That's it.  You can serve this with or on sliced cucumbers--a very cooling dish. You can spread more creamy goat cheese on a slice of baguette and top it with a smear of the pea hummus and a sprinkling of chopped mint leaves. You can use this to fill radicchio leaves--the lower half or smear it on a lavash, top with mascarpone and salmon roe, then roll up the lavash into a large cigar. Now cut it into serving size pieces. In a pinch you can just stick a spoon in and enjoy all the freshness of spring.

Spinach Pie (without the filo)

I created this about 20 years ago when I was invited to a flour free Seder. I had made hundreds of real Greek spanakopita in my catering years and always wanted to know if it could be made without all that butter and fussy pastry.  Well here it is! Everybody loves this.

Serves 8

10-12 oz fresh spinach leaves (2 bunches), stemmed, washed and dried

½ lb feta cheese

2 bunches scallions (12-14)

1 bunch dill, stems off

¼-1/2 tsp salt

¼ tsp freshly ground or cracked black pepper

6 extra large or 7 large eggs

1 tsp olive oil

¼ tsp flour or fine bread crumbs

¼ tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 350º.

In a food processor, chop a mixture of spinach, feta, scallions and dill into fine pieces. You will probably have to do this in batches.  Combine all batches in a large mixing bowl. Add salt (less if the feta is already salty) and pepper. Add eggs, carefully blending. Everything should appear to be wet.

Coat a 10” pie plate or other baking dish with olive oil. Sprinkle flour around the bottom to absorb any juices.  Pour in the spinach mixture and spread evenly, leveling the top. This should be even with the top of the pan. If there is extra, pack it into a small (3½”) Pyrex bowl coated with olive oil. Sprinkle the top with nutmeg.

Bake in the center of the oven at 350º 30-35 minutes, until the top is firm. (The mini will cook in 16-20 minutes.) Cool slightly before serving. You can also serve this at room temperature. Either way, cut in wedges. (Invert the mini and serve as an individual timbale, if you’d like.)

Eggstravaganza

Spring has sprung, the joyous season of life renewed and life anew. Little wonder it's most beloved symbol is the icon of birth: an egg. People roll it, dye it, salt it, bake it whole into round bread and extol it many ways this week. So here are a few ways the world celebrates the egg.

Spanish Asparagus Revuelto
Revuelto means "scrambled" in Spanish and here's the NOW version with fresh Spring asparagus. 
Serves 4-6

3-4 tbsp olive oil

2 peeled garlic cloves, plus 1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 cups day old bread, cut in ½” cubes

Salt and pepper to your taste

2 oz Spanish chorizo, diced (you can use regular or picante)

1 bunch thin asparagus, about 1 1/2 pounds, cut in1½” lengths

1 bunch scallions, chopped

8 extra large eggs, beaten

1/2 tsp paprika (if you have Spanish so much the better)

¼ c milk

2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, chopped

Put 3-4 tbsp olive oil (enough to cover the bottom of your pan) in a cast-iron skillet over medium/high heat. Add peeled garlic and bread cubes, season with salt and pepper, lower heat to medium and gently fry until bread is lightly browned and crisp, about 2 minutes. With a slotted spoon or spatula, remove bread and garlic. Take away the garlic. Set bread aside.

Add chorizo to the oiled pan and fry lightly over med/low heat. Add the asparagus, season with salt and pepper, and stir-fry until cooked through but still firm, 3 to 4 minutes. Add scallions and minced garlic. Cook 1 minute.

Season the eggs with salt, pepper and paprika. Whisk in the milk. Pour the mix into the pan and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the eggs are soft and creamy, 2- 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Add parsley top with the fried bread cubes and serve immediately.

Persian Parsley Omelets

These are bright green pancake sized omelets. I included the useful recipe in Veggiyana, the Dharma of Cooking. If you are hamming it up on Easter, these will glorify the leftovers. And they fit perfectly in a toasted pita with sliced tomato. Other serving suggestion below.

Makes 15  2-3” “pancake” omelets

1 lg bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, cleaned

2 lg garlic cloves, peeled

¼ tsp fresh cracked or ground black pepper

6-7 scallions, cleaned

6 eggs

¼ tsp salt

3 tbsp olive oil

Put parsley, garlic, pepper and scallions in the bowl of a food processor and chop.  Or chop each individually, mincing the garlic, and combine.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl and blend in salt.  Whisk in the parsley mixture.

Heat a large flat skillet over medium heat and coat with 1 tbsp olive oil.  When oil is hot, put in 2 tbsp of egg mixture as though making a pancake. Scrap the ooze to try to keep a reasonably round shape 2-3 inches in diameter. Do this again 2 or 3 times until the skillet is full but there is space between the omelets. Cook until the edges start to brown and flip. Cook another minute and remove from heat. 

Continue making omelets until the egg mixture runs out.

Serve warm or at room temperature. 

They are delicious wrapped in lavash with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and thinly sliced cucumber.

Chinese Tea Eggs, aka 1000-year-old eggs

These marbled hard boiled eggs are a feast for the eyes and a taste sensation on the tongue. Put them out as party finger food, use them to decorate the Easter dinner table, or make them part of a picnic spread. They are healthy snack. Double this for a whole carton.

6 extra large or jumbo eggs

1 cinnamon stick


3 tbsp soy sauce

1  tsp sugar 


2  star anise 


2 tbsp tea leaves or 2 bags of strong black tea like

Russian Caravan, Labsang Souchong or best quality Darjeeling

In a large saucepan, cover the eggs with 2 inches of water, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and boil 3 minutes. Remove eggs from pan but do not discard water.

When eggs are cool enough to handle, with the back of
a teaspoon, gently tap the shells to delicately crack them all over while still keeping them intact. Return eggs to the water, and add the other ingredients. Bring to a boil and immediately reduce heat to simmer. Cover and simmer 40 minutes, turn off heat and let eggs steep for 4 hours.

To Serve: Remove shells and serve whole to show off the marbling.

Shakshuka

This is the beloved poached egg dish of the Levant (Lebanon, Syria, Israel/Palestine), also enjoyed in Egypt and Tunisia. It's vivid color brightens the table and its wealth of flavors delights the tongue. Be sure to serve it with warm pita or lavash or some crusty bread to soak up the marvelous tomato sauce. BTW: It's friendly food traditionally served "homestyle" right in the pan straight off the burner, although someone I know once baked it.

Serves 4

3 tbsp fruity olive oil

3 lg garlic cloves, minced

1 lg red onion, diced

1 med green bell pepper, seeded and chunked

1 sm yellow bell pepper, seeded and chunked

1-2 hot chili peppers like Serrano or real jalapeno, seeded and minced

2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp caraway seeds, smashed or ground

1-2 tsp smoked paprika

¼ tsp dried mint leaves

¼ tsp turmeric

¼ tsp ground cayenne or arbol chili powder

pinch ground cinnamon

1 tsp wine/balsamic vinegar

½ tsp honey

1 tsp tomato paste

2-3 cups chopped tomatoes in their juice

salt

black pepper to taste

8 eggs

1 bunch fresh cilantro, stemmed, washed and chopped for garnish

optional add ons: feta cheese, pitted black kalamata olives, chopped spinach

In a large heavy-gauge sauté pan that has a lid, heat olive oil. Sauté onions, bell and chili peppers and garlic over medium heat til soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the spices—cumin through cinnamon—and heat until fragrant, maybe 60-90 seconds. Stir in vinegar, tomato paste, honey and tomatoes.  Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the sauce thickens, maybe 10-12 minutes depending on how juicy the tomatoes were.  Taste for flavor and add seasonings to your taste.

Get the sauce very hot and bubbly over medium heat and have the pan lid handy.  Carefully create 8 small pockets in the sauce and crack an egg into each one. Try to nudge a little sauce into the eggwhites.  Cover and continue cooking to poach the eggs to your liking.

Uncover the pan. Add the optionals you desire. Let them heat up 1 minute. Remove pan from heat. Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve right out of the pan.

Smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs

I've posted this before but it's a keeper so worth repeating because it works for just about any occasion. And May will bring plenty. This has become my go-to upgrade to the standard mayo/mustard versions.
I should admit the recipe amounts are flexible.

8 eggs (1 per person)

4-5 scallions, trimmed and minced

1 tbsp chopped fresh chives

2 tsp drained capers

8 eggs (1 per person)

4-5 scallions, trimmed and minced

1 tbsp chopped fresh chives

2 tsp drained capers

3 slices smoked salmon cut into bits

2 tbsp chopped fresh dill

½-1 tsp prepared horseradish, depending on your taste

¼ c whipped cream cheese, crème fraiche or sour cream

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to your taste

Boil the eggs 10-12 minutes. Drain, cool and carefully peel. Cut in half lengthwise and scoop out the yolks. Put them in a food processor, chopper, blender or mixing bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients EXCEPT for a bit of the dill or chives held out for garnish. Process into a smooth pate/puree.

Fill the egg whites with the pate and cover the white edges entirely so nothing shows but the filling. Arrange the eggs on a serving platter and garnish with a sprinkle of chives or dill. For color intersperse cherry tomatoes or olives or both.

Portuguese Migas 
Migas means crumbs in Portuguese, so this is eggs dressing up yesterday's bread reduced to crumbs and flavored with bits of meat. It's also a Spanish breakfast dish. In this version the eggs are sunnyside up.

Serves 4

1 medium loaf of stale white bread

 scant 1/2 good quality olive oil

4 garlic cloves, crushed with the skin on

½ lb morcilla, chorizo or pancetta, cubed

4 shallots, finely chopped

2 tsp smoked paprika

A small bunch of parsley, chopped

1/3 c raisins, soaked (either overnight or 2-3 hours before) in sherry

1 oz hazelnuts, toasted and crushed

2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

8 extra large eggs

Salt and black pepper

Remove the bread crusts and put the bread into a food processor. Blend into thick crumbs.

Warm the olive oil in a sauté pan over a medium/low heat. Add the garlic and cook until it's soft and golden. Add the meat. After 2 minutes, when its fat is released, stir in the bread and continually toss 3 minutes over a low heat. Add the shallots and smoked paprika. Add the chopped parsley, raisins, hazelnuts and pine nuts and toss again.

Cook just until everything looks crispy, 2-5 min.

Divide the mixture on four plates.

Add oil to the pan and fry the eggs until the white edges get crispy. Carefully place two on top of each plate. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.