1. Fill a mug 1/3 to 1/2 full with tap water (closer to 1/2 if you want the yolk to stay soft)
2. Gently crack an egg into the mug, being careful not to break the yolk.
3. Place the mug in the microwave, and set it to run a minute on high power. Stay by the microwave.
4. Listen carefully. Very soon, you will hear a soft “popping” sound: This means the egg is done! Stop the microwave right away, or you will have a horribly overcooked egg!
5. Carefully (the mug may be hot!) remove the mug from the microwave. Use a soup or serving spoon to gently scoop your poached egg out.
If your mug is too narrow, it will be hard to scoop out, but in that case, just decant off most/all of the water as I showed you.
Also, I didn’t notice any “popping” sound, but maybe a wider, more traditional coffee mug would lead to some popping…
Happy poaching! Bye bye Teflon and grease! It is fun to use water as a cooking solvent. Green chemistry.
A step-by-step slideshow for those visual learners.
He cooked fresh kale with garlic and shallots in a cast iron pan with olive oil. It was simple and scrumptious! See the full process in this slideshow.
The following info is based on recipes from Joy of Cooking:
General info: Collard greens have large, smooth, dark green leaves and a flavor similar to cabbage, kale or turnip greens, which are all members of the Mustard family. Collards are superb seasoned with only vinegar and hot pepper sauce, but they also have affinities with garlic, onions, chili peppers, lemon and other piquant flavors.
Suggested recipe:
1) Rinse in lukewarm water, strip the leaves from the inedible stalks.
2) Stack leaves, roll them up and slice into very thin strips for fastest cooking. Then chop.
3) Bring 4 cups water and 1 tsp salt to boil in a medium skillet with a lid. Add 1 lb. collard leaves and turn them with a pair of tongs until they wilt down and fit easily in the pan. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally until greens are tender but not mushy (9-11 min. depending on age and thickness). Drain water. Serve with seasonings suggested above.
Daikon radish (and radish greens):
Daikon radishes are harvested in autumn. Unlike spring/summer radishes, daikon radishes are milder in flavor and often pickled, added to soup or grated and cooked with other vegetables and spices. To prepare, trim the leaves from the roots and store separately in perforated plastic vegetable bags. Radish leaves have a shorter keeping life than the roots. The leaves are as tasty and nutritious as turnip greens. Cook them the same way or add them to a tossed salad.
A few daikon radish dishes my family enjoyed:
Daikon cake (beware: complex ingredients)
Mushroom and daikon soup (we ate daikon with beef bones, but I imagine this recipes is similar)
Good luck with your cooking endeavors, Ben!
The first two recipes are adapted from the Joy of Cooking. The common theme in these recipes is a lemon that can be used for all three recipes. While you’re at the store, you should also pick up a shallot.
I. Swiss Chard Sauteed with Garlic:
Ingredients:
1 bunch of swiss chard
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
salt
1/2 lemon
Instructions:
1) Cut stems of chard into 1/2 inche pieces, Coarsely chop the leaves; rinse well but do not dry.
2) Heat olive oil in pan over med-low heat.
3) Add garlic and heat for 1 minute until garlic is beginning to color.
4) Add chard stems (ONLY stems, not leaves).
5) Season with salt (maybe 1 tsp)
6) Cook, stirring occassionally until stems are nearly tender (2 min).
7) Add chard leaves and cook, partially covered until both the leaves and stems are tender (3-5 min more)
8) Season with juice of 1/2 lemon.
II. Sauteed beet greens
Ingredients:
beet greens
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot (finely diced)
salt
lemon wedges (garnish)
Instructions:
1. Remove the stems and wash the greens.
2. Leave greens whole if leaves are small. Otherwise, cut them into wide ribbons.
3. Shake off as much water as possible.
4. Heat olive oil in large skillet.
5. Add shallot and cook over medium heat until softened (2 min).
6. Add beet greens and sprinkle with salt to taste (approx. 1 tsp).
7. Cook greens, tossing in pan until wilted and tender (3 min).
8. Serve with lemon wedges.
III. This beet recipe is adapted from Annie Somerville’s Everyday Greens:
Roasted beets
Ingredients:
beets
Instructions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 deg F.
2) Trim off greens and use for recipe II above.
3) Rinse beets under cold water and place in a small baking dish with 1/4 in. water.
4) Cover with foil and roast until tender (35-40 min, depending on size).
5) When you test for doneness with paring knife or skewer, there should be no resistance. If there is, they will be difficult to peel.
6) Cool and peel. Then slice them into wedges. To make peeling easier, set up a small bowl of water and wet your fingertips. Then use your moistened fingers to slip the skins off the beets.
7) Seasonings you can use if desired: salt or ground pepper to taste. You can also toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp chopped fresh parley and lemon juice to taste.
Powered by WordPress
