Poached Egg with Piperade over Pan Fried Potatoes

 A piperade is a Basque dish, which according to La Rousse Gastronomique is “rich stew of tomatoes and sweet (bell) peppers, sometimes seasoned with onion and garlic, cooked in olive oil or goose fat and then mixed with beaten eggs and lightly scrambled.” This version will include some poached eggs instead. In a dishes where there are subtle tomato flavors and the tomato is a highlight, I like to prepare a tomato concassée. This removes the skin and seeds. The olive oil taste comes through this dish, so use a good quality.

• ½ pound (roughly 2 medium tomatoes) tomatoes concassée
• 4 oz of julienned roasted sweet peppers (with the red tomatoes I prefer green, yellow or orange peppers)
• 2 tbsp garlic minced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ¼ cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp fresh chopped thyme
• 1 tsp fresh seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 poached eggs

To prepare the tomato concassée, use a paring knife and mark on “X” on the bottom of the tomato just deep enough to penetrate the skin. Blanch the tomatoes in boiling water for 20-30 seconds. Quickly refresh in an ice bath. Using the paring knife again, cut out the core and peel the tomato. Cut the tomato in half. Squeeze the juice and seeds into a bowl. Chop the tomatoes. Pour the juice through a fine mesh strainer and reserve the juice. Roast the peppers then place in a plastic bag for several minutes. This will make them easier to peel and remove the skins. Do not forget to seed and remove the inner membrane when preparing the peppers for slicing. Heat a medium pan over medium heat with some olive oil. Add the chopped onions and garlic and cook until the onions become translucent, and then add green peppers. Add the thyme and cook until any liquid has evaporated. Add tomatoes, bread crumbs and reserved juice to the pepper mixture. The mixture should be left to cook until it has thickened slightly. While this is thickening, poach 2 eggs. Plate by putting the vegetables on the bottom and the poached eggs on top and season with salt and pepper. Serve with warm bread.

Somen Noodles with crispy Tempura Vegetables

It’s that time of year and Mother Nature knows it. On the  eve of the Global Warming Summit she slams a huge fierce snowstorm across the Eastern U.S. just to remind us that She need not be all warm and fuzzy all the time. We did not get the snow, but we got cold (very) rain. The sort of dreary cold damp that aches your bones and instinctively has you seeking some warm comfort food. I always wonder when and where we decide what food to fall back on for comfort. It seems a lot of that comes from our childhood, when maybe the world seemed an easier place. It is that way for me, with an additional exception. I was able to travel extensively to Japan during my formative years, and I return back on a regular basis. Often, it  is inclement weather at the times I am there. Alone in a strange  country, unable to read the signs, and not proficient at the language (although able to converse enough to get by for food and drink, etc.) can make for somewhat wistful moods. Heading to the noodle shops for a big bowl of noodles and broth, and a little people watching is like landing on “Go” in Monopoly, a safe haven for a spell. People watching is universal, we’re a goofy species worldwide and in any language. But back to the noodles. At the shops you can get from scratch noodles (somen, ramen or a number of different kinds), usually served in a broth with some veggies, seafood (both of those usually tempura) or maybe some roast pork slices. I am always on a budget over there, so it is an economical way to get a “Happy Belly” as well. So with that in mind, I heated up some nage broth, cooked the noodles, added some tempura veggies and with a glass of wine watched the cold rain drop…but with a smile.

Japanese Noodles

• 3 cups of vegetable nage (or light chicken broth)
• Somen, Ramen or other Japanese noodles
• Tempura fried mixed veggies (see tempura batter recipe)
• Tofu sliced into bite size bits
• For topping: a few drops of toasted Sesame oil, Soy Sauce, chopped cilantro or green onion, and hot sauce if desired (I use Sriracha)

Heat the broth up to a boil and add the noodles, reduce to a simmer and cook like any other dried pasta to desired consistency. Pour noodles and broth into a bowl. Add veggies and toppings. In Japan, slurping indicates a delicious dish so eat the noodles and bits and if you enjoyed, slurp up the broth.

Oishi! (Japanese for delicious)