In short, it’s eggs.
The expanded version? Eggs are really versatile, readily available for most of us, reasonably healthy (especially if you indulge in the good ones), and happy bearers of protein (so a worthy stand-in for meat). The best part of all is that they’re like your great-looking but also kindly pal—meaning, they bring out the best in nearly every other food they meet. Even a simple fry or semi-poach (think western PA’s dippy egg) can become a thing of wonder—when it meets the right friend.
I already told you about my fake frittata in the very first post of this blog. But that’s just the surface of the eggshell, my friends. Eggs make baked items better, richer, fluffier, can be used without flour if need be (as in those super-dense flour-less cakes I keep seeing), are the cornerstone of many delightful breakfasts, etc. Sadly, my silly backward little township does not permit me to raise chickens… I’ll be addressing that foolishness in an upcoming board meeting, I hope. In the meantime, I try to find homegrown (those are always best for you, with more of the good stuff than factory-farmed), or at very least I splurge on cage-free browns. Thankfully, my dearest shopping partner ALDI has a nice, organic cage-free brown egg for a reasonable price.
(Buy where the good food is cheap. DON’T buy cheap food. Two very different things, and too big a topic to tackle today. Thankfully, farmers’ market season is nearly upon us. Huzzah!)
Anyway, my very favorite go-to breakfast or brunch is egg-in-the-hole*. If you don’t know what it is, please take a minute to open a new window and google that.
Cool? Cool. Now that we’re all on the same page: egg-in-the-hole is old as the hills, can be made with any bread or muffin or biscuit, or can be made with polenta or cornbread or some other corn derivation, whatever you can imagine. It’s quick, easy, tasty, not bad for you, and extremely cost-effective.
But the fluffy meringue on this egg cake is that egg-in-the-hole is a fabulous way to use small amounts of leftovers.
Think about it: that last measly scoop of tuna or chicken salad, too small for a sandwich, can be a rewarding topping for your EITH. The bottom of the bag of arugula? Aru-gonna love it on EITH! And leftover Mexican fixings? Any and all go beautifully with EITH. I could go on all day singing the praises of EITH. Small homeless portion of avocado? It’ll positively hug your EITH. Cottage cheese? Yesssss. ANY cheese? Absolutely. But target the inconsequential amounts of leftovers that might hide until they’re too old. Like the last half-slice of deli ham, or the bottom of the bowl of panzanella (drained first)—make them feel loved again. And summer garden fare? I can’t even describe to you the bliss of EITH topped with freshly sliced cherry tomatoes, warm from the garden, with your fave cheese or even just a drizzle of olive oil and fresh basil. Likewise for zukes: divine.
The sky’s the limit. You determine whether you warm the EITH addition or glop it on cold. Sauté the zuke first? Or just use a bigger fry pan and toss it in with the cooking EITH? Many times, I finish cooking the EITH, turn off heat, top it with the desired leftover, and cover it with a plate for a couple of minutes. EITH is a very personal dish, but no matter your preferences, you’ll be reaching in the backs of crisper drawers to make sure you EITH is as divine as it can be.
There are far more possibilities with eggs and leftovers. Frittata and EITH are two of my near, dear regulars. I recently discovered another amazing way to use eggs and leftovers, but we’ll save that for next time.
Until then, remember: Eat it all! And the recipe is merely a suggestion!!!
* Please note, superb EITH demands real butter. Anything less is an insult, and your end product will not pass go nor will it collect $200. No substitutes here—get the butter. End of story.