Biryani Omelette - Testing

We had a potluck and someone left biryani. What to do? Throw an egg on top!

Per Single Serving

1 cup leftover biryani rice (ensure it is cold)

2-3 large eggs

1-2 tbsp chilli oil or ghee (ghee enhances the biryani flavor)

1 tbsp spring onions, chopped (optional)

Salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil/ghee in a 8" oven-proof fry pan. 
2. Add the leftover biryani rice and spread it in a thin, even layer. 
3. Press it down with a spatula to help it form a crust. 
4. Let it cook undisturbed for 5-6 minutes until golden and crispy.
5. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with a pinch of salt and pepper until frothy. 
6. Pour the whisked eggs directly over the rice, ensuring it covers the rice completely.
7. Immediately sprinkle the spring onions over the eggs. 
8. With the egg still uncooked on the surface, (not just slithery but actually jiggly), slip the pan into the oven and broil.
9. When the egg is set and the edges puff up a little, take it out of the oven and carefully fold the omelette before serving.
10. Fold the omelette in half and serve immediately with hot sauce or yogurt.

Mushroom Omelette with Cheddar and Tarragon - Test 1

https://simmeringstarfruit.com/2025/03/28/cheddar-tarragon-mushroom-omelette/#mushroom-herb-cheddar-omelet-recipe

3 servings

1 Tbsp (½ oz/14gr) + 1 Tbsp (½ oz/14gr) butter

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

6 eggs

A generous pinch of salt

½ tsp ground black pepper

150g mushrooms, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

(2.7oz/76gr) cheddar cheese, grated

½ cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves

1. Melt the first Tbsp of butter in a 10" oven-proof fry pan or omelet pan and bring to a froth, swirling occasionally, until the butter stops crackling and starts to foam and smells slightly nutty, this should take about 3 to 4 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and browned, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and allow to cook for another minute.
3. Clean the pan and reheat, melting the second Tbsp of butter with the oil.
4. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the salt and pepper until frothy.
5. Pour eggs into the hot pan and start cooking at medium heat. Lift the egg and tilt the pan to let uncooked egg get underneath.
6. With the oven rack at the mid-way setting, start the grill (or use a salamander if you're so lucky to have one).
7. Evenly spread the cheese across the surface of the omelette, then do the same with the cooked mushroom.
8. Sprinkle the tarragon over all of this.
9. With the egg still uncooked on the surface, (not just slithery but actually jiggly), slip the pan into the oven and broil.
10. When the egg is set and the edges puff up a little, take it out of the oven and carefully fold the omelette before serving.

Matafans - Testing

This is a bunch of Matafan recipes. They are pancakes from the Loire in France, and like pancakes appear to have endless variations. I'm saving a bunch of them here to try them, maybe get a better sense of the basics to make my own combinations or adopt some of the following.

https://www.susanmckennagrant.com/2013/12/04/hunger-killers-matefaim-from-the-haut-jura/

https://www.theramblingepicure.com/what-to-eat-in-france-matafans/

1 - This was very good! I used the 1/2 cup measure to dole out the batter in the hot pan. The potato seems to make it a savory pancake, it was very good with red pepper jelly, grated gruyere and yogurt topping.

https://kitchen-notebook.blogspot.com/2010/02/le-matafan-french-savoyard-staple.html

½ cup flour

2 cold potatoes which have been steamed or boiled in their skins

½ tsp. salt

½ cup warm water

6 eggs, separated

2 Tbs. bacon fat or melted butter

1. About the warm water: Mme Kamman says that the use of warm water is a Savoyard grandmother’s trick to make the matafans fluffier. 
2. Peel the skins off the potatoes. 
3. In a large bowl mash the potatoes into the flour (hands? Masher? fork? what works best?). A few potato lumps are ok. 
4. Dissolve the salt into the warm water. 
5. Add the salted water, the 6 egg yolks, and the bacon fat to the flour potato mixture. Mix it well into a batter with a spoon or a whisk.
6. Beat the 6 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Fold the egg whites into the initial batter, lightly turning it together just until incorporated, don’t stir too much or the egg whites will deflate and you will defeat the purpose of having whipped them.
7. Put a cast iron crepe pan or griddle onto a hot stove and melt a couple of teaspoons of butter on it. Cook the matafans on the stovetop as you would a pancake, flipping them over with a spatula once the underside turns brown. 
8. Transfer the cooked cakes to a 300F oven. This treatment makes the edges take on a delightful crisp texture.
9. Serve with an array of savory things, tuck into them by folding the cake over, like bacon or gruyere. 
10. Or sweet like jelly or maple syrup.

Mushroom and Chèvre Dutch Baby - Testing

https://www.livebest.info/mushroom-goat-cheese-dutch-baby/

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/23898/dutch-babies-ii/

1 - This was good, and a bit heavy, I thought. I definitely needs a salad to go with it. I'm curious to look at other savory dutch baby recipe.

2 Tbsps. butter

2 tsp oil

2 cup (75g/2.6oz) sliced mushrooms

6 eggs

1 cup milk

1 cup flour

2 Tbsps. hot sauce

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground pepper

½ tsp dried thyme

4 Tbsps. (40g) crumbled goat chèvre cheese

1. Beat the eggs, milk until frothy, add the Siracha, flour, salt, pepper, thyme and continue to whisk for a few more minute (until frothy?).
2. Place butter, oil and mushrooms in 9- or 10-inch oven-proof pan and put in the oven. 
3. Turn on the oven to 425°F. When oven reaches temperature, swirl the pan and cook the mushrooms for another 5 minutes until (what am I looking for?).
4. Remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside, leaving as much butter mixture as you can. 
5. Pour egg mixture into the hot buttered pan and bake 15 minutes. 
6. Sprinkle the mushrooms and the goat cheese over the pancake and return it to the oven to bake another 5 minutes. Cut into large wedges to serve.

Landimolles ou Andimolles (apple crêpes picardes aux pommes) - Untested

https://philandcocuisine.canalblog.com/archives/2024/02/01/40191065.html

Pour une vingtaine de crêpes, il vous faudra :

500 g de farine

6 œufs

75 cl de lait

25 cl d’eau 

100 g de vergeoise (brown sugar)

50 g de beurre fondu

15 cl d’eau de vie de pommes (ou du calvados)

2 cuillères à soupe de crème fraîche

sel

1 couenne de lard gras et du saindoux (ou du beurre)

6 à 8 pommes

beurre

vergeoise

eau de vie de pommes 

1. Pour la pâte à crêpes : battre les œufs allongés d'eau avec une pincée de sel. Dans un saladier, mettre la farine, les œufs, la vergeoise et fouettez.
2. Incorporez peu à peu le lait et le beurre fondu, l'eau de vie de pommes, la crème fraîche, mélangez et laissez reposer au frais 1 à 2 heures. Si vous avez quelques grumeaux dans votre pâte à crêpes, un petit coup de mixeur plongeant les supprimera ;-)
3. Pour respecter la recette originelle : trempez la couenne dans du saindoux et graissez une crêpière avec. Si vous n’en n’avez pas, graissez votre poêle avec du beurre. Versez la pâte dans la poêle et réalisez une crêpe un peu épaisse. Procédez ainsi jusqu’à épuisement de la pâte.
4. Réservez les crêpes dans une assiette recouverte et posée sur une casserole d'eau en ébullition, pour les garder au chaud.
5. Faire revenir dans une poêle avec un morceaux de beurre des pommes en morceaux sucrées avec de la vergeoise blonde et flambez avec de l'eau de vie de pommes. 
6. Garnir chaque crêpe de pommes caramélisées.
7. À déguster tiède. Les plus gourmands, ajouteront une boule de glace à la vanille ;-)

 

Ficelles picardes (baked crepes) - Untested

https://cuisine.journaldesfemmes.fr/recette/341095-les-authentiques-ficelles-picardes

https://www.cuisineaz.com/recettes/ficelles-picardes-83023.aspx

Crêpes

Farine 250 g

Lait 1/2

Oeufs 3 

Sel 1 pincée

Duxelles

Champignons de Paris frais 500 g

échalote 1

Beurre 20 g

Crème fraîche épaisse 2 c à s

Montage et divers

Jambon de Paris 10 tranches

Crème fraîche 10 c à s

Sel poivre

Gruyère râpé

1. Préparer la pâte à crêpe en mélangeant les œufs avec la farine, et diluer avec le lait. Assaisonner avec la pincée de sel, si des grumeaux persistent, passer la préparation au mixer à soupe ou au chinois.
2. Pendant que la pâte à crêpe repose, préparer la duxelle de champignons : Laver soigneusement les champignons, les hacher au mixer. Faire revenir dans le beurre l'échalote ciselée, ajouter les champignons hachés. Assaisonner avec le sel et le poivre et laisser cuire à feu moyen en remuant afin que les champignons rendent toutes leurs eaux de végétation. Une fois la duxelle cuite, ajouter la crème fraîche épaisse et vérifier l'assaisonnement.
3. Cuire les crêpes en les laissant légèrement dorer.
4. Pour monter les ficelles picardes c’est simple : étaler une crêpe, y ajouter une tranche de jambon.
5. Disposer de la duxelle de champignon en formant un boudin. Rouler les ficelles picardes délicatement sans trop appuyer pour ne pas que la farce sorte.
6. Pour finir
7. Disposer les ficelles dans un plat allant au four. Napper d'une cuillère de crème fraiche chaque ficelle, saupoudrer de gruyère râpé et faire gratiner au four.

Nettles and chia pancakes - Testing

https://divaliciousrecipes.com/spinach-chia-pancakes-coconut-flour/

0 - This work out well. Someone abandoned coconut flour, a non-local ingredient that will never be grown here in my lifetime, ergo I will use it up and try to replace it with something like buckwheat flour. The substitution of nettles for spinach worked well, and since it looked pretty dry on its own, I made a beschamel sauce to go with it, which I'm adding. There was also the suggestion of grinding the chia seeds. Oh, and I reduced the salt by half in the pancake mix.

1 1/2 Cups Nettles, Chopped (40gr)

1/3 Cups, 2 Teaspoons Chia Seeds, Ground

6 Each Eggs

1 1/2 Cups Milk

3/4 Cups Flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda

3/4 Teaspoons Pepper

3/4 Teaspoons Nutmeg

1 cup spinach (NETTLES), fresh chopped

¼ cup chia seeds, ground in coffee grinder

4 medium eggs

1 cup milk

½ cup coconut (would another GF flour work?) flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Oil or butter for frying 

1. Whisk the eggs until frothy, then add the milk.
2. Add the dry ingredients one at a time and whisk until smooth.
3. Add the nettles and blend well.
4. Heat a frying pan with the butter/oil and spoon a few tablespoons of batter into the pan.
5. Cook on each side until golden brown.
6. Keep warm while making the bechamel sauce.

BÉCHAMEL

2 Tbsps butter (28gr)

2 Tbsps flour

1 cup milk

1 tsp dijon mustard

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1. Melt the butter, and then whisk in the flour, whisking continuously until the mixture starts to turn golden. Note, this usually makes almost exactly twice as much as I need, but I refrigerate the rest to make more sandwiches, later.
2. Stream in the cream, whisking constantly. Add the dijon, salt and pepper.
3. Whisk until the sauce starts to thicken; it will become quite thick. 
4. Plate the pancakes and drizzle the sauce on top.

Pac Choy and Potato Hash - Test 2

https://www.seriouseats.com/spicy-potato-bok-choy-and-shallot-hash-hangover-helper-recipe

1 - It was good but steamed. I want to look at other pan-fried potato recipes I have where it browns. Although the steamed stuff was good, I wonder about the difference of having crisp potatoes with charred Pak Choy. 

2 - Cooking the potatoes first using the Egg&Chips method worked a real treat! And cooking the stems a bit before adding the leaves also worked very well.

3 - Ben was so enthusiastic about this iteration that I almost just fast-tracked it through the three testing stages, but no, I will stickle as the stickler that I am. It is now at Test 1.

Number of portions 1

Serving size ~737 g

Calories per serving ~798 kcal

Speed:

Experienced cook (active time): 20–25 minutes
Novice cook (active time): 40–50 minutes
Total elapsed time: 35–40 minutes (experienced), 40–50 minutes (novice)

LHSS Score 7.3 / 10

1/2lb (about 2 medium) potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters then sliced 1/4-inch thick

1 small onion, finely chopped (4oz/115g)

1/4 cup olive oil (this is enough for more than one serving)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 to 1/2lb baby Pak Choy, roughly chopped into 1/2-inch pieces, separate thick stems from leafy tops

1 finely sliced green chilli 

1 tsp hot sauce, or more to taste

Salt and ground black pepper

2 eggs

Fresh salsa (Hot sauce, Sambal Oelek, or hot pepper relish for serving)

1. It's recommended to rinse the cut potatoes under running water for about 1 minute to remove the surface starch. This helps to prevent sticking to the pan. Dry and set aside. Highly recommended, it really makes a difference.
2. Heat the oil in a wide fry pan. When it is hot, add the potatoes. Briefly mix with the oil then cook without moving the potatoes until they brown on the bottom, about 6 minutes on medium-low heat.
3. Add the onions and break up the potatoes to finish browning evenly, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes more.
4. Increase the heat and add the garlic and the Pak Choy stems. Continue to cook, tossing and stirring occasionally, until the stems are soft with still a bit of bite, then add the leaves and cook until they turn bright green. 
5. Add the sliced chilli and hot sauce. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer hash to a warm serving platter and keep warm.
6. Wipe out skillet and add more oil. Heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add eggs and cook until desired level of doneness is reached. Season with salt and pepper. Place eggs on top of hash and serve immediately with hot sauce, Sambal Oelek, or hot pepper relish.

Matafan de courge au jambon - Testing

 Madeleine Kamman's Savoie, pg 204

This looks very much like the Pescajoune from the Languedoc region. There are loads of variations in Kamman's book, but given that it is autumn and we have far more hams from our first crop of pork than we know what to do with, this is where I'm starting.

1 - Not at all like the Pescajoune. A really interesting light and fluffy pancake, not at all like a tough flapjack. It was challenging. I made it with Queensland Blue pumpkin and it was good. The pancakes are pretty delicate, so it's super important to have very thin and pliable slices of ham otherwise the pancakes just tear. And there isn't enough sauce. The boys (Ben and Paz) really liked the sauce, and I agree, there wasn't enough of it, so I'm making a few adjustments.

2 - Decided to try making just one huge pancake. It worked out pretty well, more like a stove-top souffle than a pancake. It was surprisingly filling, so I'd say it's a meal for 4 people. I'm uncertain about the format, still. I will try pancakes again, taking note to cut the ham quite thin.

3 - I composed another version of the recipe as a single cake. I quite like it, but it requires some refinement. For one, it acts a lot like a souffle and I don't have a fry pan deep enough to prevent it from sticking to the lid, which means that the top doesn't cook, and when I need to flip it the batter sticks to the plate and it gets all messy. I've been using a 10" pan, maybe I need to use a wider one? Or do I make it in one of my big soup pots? No, that has 'burn' written all over it. Ok, it's the wider pan, then. If that doesn't work, then it's either buy a deeper 10" pan or reduce the volume of ingredients for a smaller dish.

For 4 people

4 Tbsps melted butter

2/3 cup cold mashed winter squash (pumpkin in Kamman's book)

2/3 cup flour

6 eggs, separated

3/4 - 1 cup buttermilk (or 1 Tbsp vinegar with milk to make 3/4 - 1 cup liquid)

1/2 tsp salt

6 VERY thin slices baked ham

1/2 1 cup heavy cream

1/2 1  cup grated Gruyère cheese

Pepper to taste

Pinch of nutmeg (1/4 tsp?)

VERSION 1 - Individual cakes:

1. Melt the butter and let cool a bit before adding it to the ingredients below.
2. Combine the squash, the egg yolks, the buttermilk, the butter and the salt.
3. In a large bowl, place the flour and make a deep well in the middle. Pour in the liquid and mix just until combined - mixing too much will make a tougher cake. Set aside.
4. Whip the egg whites only to the soft peak stage and gently fold them into the batter.
5. To cook, place a 8" + pan on the stove at medium heat and let heat up about 5 minutes.
6. Add a pat of butter to melt, then a ladleful of batter and spread to a thickness of 1/4". The cakes cook pretty quickly and burn easily. If they start to burn before 2 minutes, lower the temperature.
7. As the cakes cook, start the fondue sauce.
8. Allow the cake to brown before flipping, about 2 minutes per side.
9. Once cooked, lay a slice of ham on top and roll each cake. The cakes are very delicate, and the thinner the slices the better. I don't yet know if uniform large slices are better than smaller ones to roll up like a roman blind. Set aside in a warm oven to keep hot.
10. In a saucepan, heat the cream for the sauce. Allow to very slowly simmer until it starts to thicken, about 10 minutes.
11. Add the cheese, pepper and nutmeg.
12. When the cakes are all cooked and rolled, spoon the fondue evenly over each cake and serve hot.

VERSION 2 One Big Family cake: 

1. Melt the butter and let cool a bit.
2. Combine the squash, the egg yolks, the buttermilk, and when it has cooled enough, the butter and the salt.
3. In a large bowl, place the flour and make a deep well in the middle. Pour in the liquid and mix just until combined - mixing too much will make a tougher cake. Set aside and allow to rest for at least an hour.
4. Whip the egg whites only to the soft peak stage and gently fold them into the batter.
5. To cook, place an 8" + pan (with a lid) on the stove at medium heat and let heat up a couple minutes.
6. Reduce the temperate to medium low-to-low. Add a pat of butter to melt, then pour in the batter. Replace the lid. The cake cooks pretty quickly and burns easily, so adjust the temperature if you feel like it's cooking too quickly.
7. As the cake cooks, start the fondue sauce.
8. Allow the cake to brown before flipping.
9. Once the underside is browned, flip the plate on top of the pancake, hold firm with your hand, grab the handle of the pan and flip the pancake onto the plate. Set the pan back on the stove-top and arrange the ham slices on the bottom. Slide the pancake back into the pan on top of the ham to finish cooking, just enough to lightly brown.
10. In a saucepan, heat the cream for the sauce. Allow to very slowly simmer until it starts to thicken, about 10 minutes.
11. Add the cheese, pepper and nutmeg.
12. When the cake is cooked, turn it onto a plate with the ham slices up, spoon the fondue over it and serve hot.

Egg bhurji - Test 3

https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-indian-style-scrambled-eggs-egg-bhurji-recipes-from-the-kitchn-212259

2021-07-31 - A good first try. I used dry chilli flakes because I didn't have the green chilli. Ben thinks he prefers it with toast vs. rice (ate it with toast, not rice), because of texture.

2021-10-02 - It's a good, simple, flavorful dish. 

2021- 10-09 - So quick and surprisingly good. Eating with bread is definitely better than with rice. Oh, and fresh tomato is a must.

1 Tbsp mild cooking oil
1/2 tsp brown mustard seeds
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 1/2 -inch piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 small green bird's eye chili, finely sliced OR a pinch of red pepper flakes
1 large tomato, chopped
1/8 tsp turmeric 
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Small handful fresh cilantro, to garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Heat the oil in a skillet and add the mustard seeds. When the seeds start to pop, add the onion. Sauté until softened.
2. Add the ginger and green chili to the onion. Sauté for about 30 seconds, then add the chopped tomato and turmeric. Cook together until the tomato is just beginning to break down. Turn down the heat to medium-low.
3. Stir the eggs into this mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until creamy curds form, similar to scrambled eggs. Stir in the fresh cilantro.
4. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Green Shakshuka - Untested

https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-green-shakshuka-recipes-from-the-kitchn-203633

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks (12oz/340g) halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
1 large celery stalk, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 spicy chile pepper (any variety would work here), sliced
1 bunch of Swiss chard, cut into 1/2-inch ribbons
1 cup spinach (tightly packed)
1/2 bunch dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper, to season
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 large eggs

1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Over medium heat, warm the olive oil in a 9-inch cast iron skillet. Add the sliced leeks and celery. Cook until leeks soften, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and sliced spicy pepper, and sauté for another 3 minutes. Toss in the Swiss chard, spinach, oregano, and cumin. Season to taste with salt and pepper (make sure not to over-salt the mixture, as the feta adds saltiness as well).
3. Once the Swiss chard and spinach have wilted, scrape down the sides, and pat down the mixture. Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the greens mixture and carefully crack the eggs over the top, one at a time and spaced slightly apart. Add some more freshly ground black pepper.
4. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 7 to 10 minutes (longer if you prefer your eggs cooked more, or less time for runnier eggs). Serve immediately with fresh crusty bread.

RECIPE NOTES
Get creative with the add-ins, including the cheese! Goat cheese and blue cheese are really delicious in green shakshuka.

Split Pea Shakshuksha - Test 1

https://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-spiced-lentils-baked-egg-14389

1 - Very nice first try. I turned it into a shakshuka and didn't bake the eggs. It's a pretty simple recipe, difficult to find ingredients.

2 - I did not indicate the size and correct type of pan to use and because I made it in a saucepan was forced to only cook 3 eggs at a time for 4 people! It think the timing is wrong for the peas to cook properly. I'm increasing it.

3 - Here's an idea, cook the beans on the stovetop, remove from heat when done, add the eggs at your leisure and throw in the oven with a lid on until the eggs are baked. The residual heat from underneath will bake them more quickly than from the top so the yolk should remain unaffected. Oven at 350°F. But for how long?

4 - Made it all on the stovetop and it worked fine, with runny yolks and all. The problem I have is that I find the peas aren't cooked enough in a reasonable amount of time. So I'm going to try pre-soaking.

5 - The flavor is very good. Now it's just about the cooking time. I am going to change the recipe to cook the peas for 30 minutes before adding the red lentils. And the eggs don't cook quickly enough at a low temperature, so I'm bringing it up to medium heat.

6 - This is now very good. I've changed the recipe from a stove-top to a combined with baking recipe for the last bit because it's easier to get the perfectly custardy egg whites and the soft yolks without burning the mash. I've made it like this and it was near perfection, therefore I will graduate this to Test 1.

7 - It'll stay at Test 1 even though it was all good. One person out of 5 wanted some spice in it. That could be optional. What's missing is the baking of the eggs. I can't just set the oven to the required temperature because my oven (which may be a particularity of that model) only goes as low as 170F. Egg yolk starts to coagulate at 150F and egg white at 140F and is fully cooked at 149F. I think the only thing I can really do is use a thermometer. Maybe I can do that just to work out the timing?

1 cup yellow split peas

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 small onion, minced (6oz/74gr)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsps garam masala
1 cup red lentils

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 tsp salt

Ground pepper, to taste
¼ to 1 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves, from one small bunch
4 to 6 large eggs

1. Soak the peas for at least 2 hours before boiling, preferably overnight. Drain completely before adding.
2. In a large wide saucepan with a lid, heat the oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring until the garlic and shallots are golden and fragrant. 
3. Add the split peas and stir in the garam masala. Cook for a brief minute or until you smell the spices.
4. Add the broth and bring to a boil. 
5. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for about 30 to 40 minutes.
6. Preheat oven to 350°F.
7. Add the red lentils and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes or until the yellow split peas are perfectly tender. It's ok if the split peas are still whole, and this adds texture, but they should not be crunchy.
8. Stir in the cilantro and season with salt and pepper.
9. Make shallow depressions in the peas and lentils and gently crack the eggs into them. (The reason for shallow depressions is to keep the egg away from the bottom of the pan for more even cooking)
10. Cover and put in the oven to bake for 10 to 12 minutes (TEST - use thermometer and check the timing until the egg whites reach 145F and record it above). The egg whites should be soft and custard-like and the yolks still soft and runny.

Shakshuka with kabocha squash - Test 1

https://ahouseinthehills.com/2016/02/18/kabocha_squash_shakshuka/

1 - Maybe the squash cubed smaller so I changed it from 1" to 1/2".

1 Tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
1 pinch salt
1/2 green bell pepper, diced fine
1 lrg jalapeno, seeded and minced 1 pinch red pepper flakes
2 cups of kabocha squash, peel on, chopped into 1/2" pieces
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 Tbsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
pinch saffron (about 20 threads)
28 oz can of diced tomatoes
7 6 eggs
rough chopped parsley to garnish
pepper, to taste

1. Add oil to a heavy bottomed pan with the onion and salt. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until onions are soft and translucent.
2. Add green pepper and jalapeno  pepper flakes and cook for a couple minutes, until fragrant. Add kabocha squash, garlic, paprika, cumin and saffron. Mix well and cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
3. Add tomatoes and mix well. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for 30 minutes, or until kabocha squash is softened but still holding their shape.
4. One by one, crack the eggs into a bowl and gently place on top of the simmering tomatoes, without touching, until all the eggs are in.
5. Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the egg whites have set and the yolks are still soft.
6. Garnish with parsley and pepper when serving.

Cinnamon Pear Pancakes - Untested

A recipe my mom copied from somewhere. It is a Paleo diet recipe, so it has elements that we cannot grow here, therefore I have already altered the original to include ingredients that can be cultivated locally (with the exception of the cinnamon and sugar, of course). The sugar could be honey or maple syrup.

1 ripe pear, grated
3 Tbsps milk
2 Tbsps sugar (honey)
3 eggs
1 Tbsp butter, melted (+more for pan) (coconut oil)
1/4 cup flour (coconut flour)
2 tsps cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, honey and butter. Stir in the grated pear.
2. In another bowl, blend the the dry ingredients. Add the dry to the wet ingredients and stir together until just combined.
3. Heat griddle over low heat. In melted pat of butter, pour in 1/8 of a cup of batter. Cook 3-5 minutes until the bottom is cooked through, then flip. Cook another 2-4 minutes until lightly browned.
4. Repeat.
5. Serve warm.

Apple Tansy

http://lamouffetterustique.blogspot.com/2017/03/apple-tansy.html

Test 2 - Ham Quiche with Hollandaise Sauce and Boiled New Potatoes

1 - A simple and quick way of using up cooked ham.

2 - My chives have gone dormant for the winter so I didn't use any, and I was too lazy to get parsley from the storeroom but this was received and eaten with great enthusiasm. I boiled potatoes to eat with the sauce, which was a very nice match.

3 - Dang it, I substituted lime for the lemon and the hollandaise tasted extra tangy. This surprised me. But I've never used lime so I don't know if it's my substitution or something else. This almost graduated to Test 3 but now I have to leave it as it is. The pie itself was very good.

1 recipe for pie crust, completely cooled
a small handful of chives, chopped
3 oz cooked ham, sliced and cut into small squares, about 1/4"
3 large eggs
1 cup coffee cream OR ½ cup heavy cream + ½ cup milk
A small pinch of salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp dry mustard
For the Hollandaise
3 large egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp Dijon mustard
A pinch of Cayenne pepper
1/2 cup butter, melted
Finely minced parsley

1. Prepare the blind-baked pie crust. Allow it to cool completely before using to allow the crust to set.
2. Preheat oven to 375F.
3. Spread chives and ham evenly over the bottom of the pie crust.
4. In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, dairy and mustard. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Smother the chives and ham in the pie shell with the egg mixture.
6. Bake the quiche until it's all puffed and golden brown and joyful, about 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to rest before serving.
7. The Hollandaise is super quick to make, so while the quiche rests, make the sauce.
8. Whisk together the egg yolks, lemon juice, Dijon, and cayenne.
9. Melt the butter.
10. Very slowly at first because the butter is so hot, whisk the egg mixture vigorously with one hand while, very slowly and in a very thin stream, trickle in the butter. Gradually increase the volume of the stream as the yolk heats up. The sauce should thicken quickly and coat the back of a spoon.
11. Serve over the warm quiche. Top with finely chopped parsley. Goes very will with boiled new potatoes or baby potatoes.
12. To keep the quiche warm, cover it with aluminum foil and bake it in a preheated oven at 200-250F.

Untested - Oeufs en cocotte Lyonnaise

Baked Eggs in Ramekins With Onions from The Country Cooking of France by Anne Willan

1 Tbsp butter
6 - 8 scallions, sliced (90 to 160g)
Salt and pepper
Country Bread
More butter (2 Tbsps)
4 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Heat the oven to 350F. Butter the ramekins.
2. Melt the Tbsp of butter over medium heat and fry the scallions until golden (5-7 minutes).
3. Spread them in the ramekins and season with salt and pepper.
4. Cube the bread to make croutons.
5. Over medium heat melt the 2 Tbsps of butter in a small pan (level of butter should be 1/4 inch) and allow it to heat up completely so that when a cube of bread is put in, it will quietly sizzle.
6. Add the bread cubes and fry, stirring constantly so they brown evenly, about 30 seconds to 1 minutes. 
7. Burns easily!
8. Strain off the extra fat.
9. Scatter the croutons over the scallions and season again. (this can be done in advance and left at room temperature)
10. Break an egg in into each ramekin and spoon enough cream to cover it, about a Tbsp.
11. Line a roasting pan with a dish towel and pour on enough boiling water to come up half way the sides of the ramekins.
12. Bring the water just back to a boil on the stove top before popping the whole thing into the oven
13. Bake until the egg whites are almost set, about 10-11 minutes, depending on the ramekin and how hot your oven is. NOTE the eggs will continue cooking for a minute or two in the hot dishes after they've been taken out of the oven.

Untested - Oeufs berrichons

Stuffed Eggs, from Monet's Table by Claire Joyes, p. 116

4 harboiled eggs

3 parsley sprigs, chopped

1 small onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 Tbsps heavy cream or crème fraîche

1. Preheat the oven to 300F.
2. Slice the eggs in half lengthwise and remove the yolks.
3. Mash the yolks and combine them with the parsley, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.
4. Stir in the crème fraîche.
5. Fill the cavities in the whites with the mixture.
6. Lightly grease a baking dish. Arrange the eggs  in the dish and bake for about 20 minutes or until the tops are just colouring.

Testing - Oeufs renversés à la Lyonnaise

Savory Egg Custard with Tomato Sauce from Monet's Table by Claire Joyes, p. 115

1 - I screwed up my first attempt - I think I only put in 1 cup of milk. However, this means that the cake tin is not enough to contain the dish. I will have to purchase something larger. I also suspect it means that 30 minutes will not be enough to cook such a large amount of custard.

4 cups milk
1/4 tsp salt
8 eggs
1 cup (3-4 oz) Gruyère cheese, grated
1/2 tsp pepper
12 ripe tomatoes, peeled (3-4lbs)
2 sprigs thyme
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt
(optional) 1 small slice ham, cut into julienne strips
2 Tbsps butter cut into pieces

1. Heat the milk with the salt. When it comes to a boil remove it from the heat but keep it warm (cover it). (Honestly, this is just silly!)
2. Preheat the oven to 300F. Fill a dish half-way with water and place in the oven - it should be large enough to accommodate your baking dish.
3. Fill a bowl with ice and water and set it next to the stove. Working in batches, drop several tomatoes into the boiling water. Watch for their skins to start to wrinkle and split, 45 to 60 seconds, then scoop them out with a slotted spoon and transfer them to the ice water bath. Set aside.
4. Grease a (The recipe suggests a Charlotte mold and with the volume of milk it will need something that size. HOWEVER, a larger container like a lasagna dish or even several ramekins could work just as well, and likely the ramekins would be better because serving would be easier and more attractive).
5. Beat the eggs, as for an omelet. While beating, add the hot milk a little at a time to allow the egg to gradually heat up whithout become scrambled eggs. After about 6 Tbsps add the rest of the milk and  Once well combined mix in all of the cheese. Stir to combine and pour into the greased pan.
6. Place the pan in the water bath in the oven - there should be enough water to come up half-way up the sides of the pan.
7. Bake for 30 minutes (more likely 1 hour) or until the tip of a knife comes out clean from the centre. 
8. Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce but cutting the tomatoes into quarters and lightly pressing them to extract excess juice and the seeds. 
9. Put the pulp into a pan with the thyme and bay leaf along with the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then simmer for at least 20 minutes, allowing it reduce into a purée. 
10. Just before serving stir in the butter to the sauce one piece at a time until the mixture is smooth.
11. Pour over the egg custard and serve.

Test 3 - Vegetable Omelette - Parsi Omlate

http://www.food.com/recipe/vegetable-omelette-parsi-omlate-386573

1 - This is Madhur Jaffrey's excellent recipe for what she calls an omelette and I call an egg... pie... thing... miracle. There is no flipping to create a half-moon shape; what you get is a fluffy, flavorful pan-ful of heaven. I only use 2 Tbsp of oil instead of her 5 Tbsp and the result is still amazing. Enjoy!
2 - Since my discovery/suspicion that chives replace onions in the spring and summer, I tried replacing the onion in this recipe with some of the robust chives in our little garden, and it was great! I am adding it as a seasonal option (since globe onions do start to ripen in the late summer and early fall, when tomatoes and zucchini are available).

3 - This makes a good base for different flavors replacing the cumin and chilli for Italian or French or Mexican flavors. In any incarnation, having something fresh and crunchy to accompany it makes for a nice lunch dish.

1 lb zucchini, grated
3⁄4 + 1 tsps salt
1 medium onion, finely chopped
    OR
1 cup chives, finely chopped
1 medium potato, diced 1/4 inch pieces
2 + 1 Tbsps vegetable oil
1 hot green chilli pepper, minced
1 large tomato, chopped
1 1⁄2 tsps ground cumin
1⁄4 tsp cayenne pepper
ground black pepper
9 eggs
3 Tbsps fresh parsley or 3 tablespoons cilantro
1⁄4 tsp baking powder

1. Grate the zucchini and mix with 3/4 tsp of the salt. Leave in a collander for 30 minutes, then squeeze all the liquid out. 
2. Meanwhile, chop and measure out the remaining ingredients - it makes the rest so much easier: prepare the onions and the potatoes; chop the tomato; mince the chili; measure out the cumin, cayenne, black pepper; break the eggs in a bowl; measure out the salt and baking powder.
3. Now that everything is chopped, measured and squeezed, heat some oil in an 8 inches fry pan. 
4. If using onion: fry the onion and potato and chilli over medium heat until potatoes become just soft. 
5. If using chives: fry the potatoes and chilli (add more chilli if you want it hotter) and fry until potatoes become just soft. Add the chives to the ingredients in step 6.
6. Add the squeezed zucchini, tomato, cumin, the rest of the salt, cayenne, and a generous amount of black pepper (if using, and chives). Stir until tomato becomes soft. Set aside.
7. Whisk the eggs until frothy, then dump in the cooled vegetables along with some finely chopped parsley or cilantro. 
8. Sprinkle in the baking powder, making sure it dissolves completely.
9. Wipe clean your fry pan, add the last tablespoon of oil. When the oil is hot, set the temperature to med-low, pour in the egg mixture. Cover the pan and cook for 15-20 minutes or until the centre gels. 
10. (Optional) Here's the tricky part. You have to flip the whole pan over to slide the omlate back into the pan to cook the top. To do this, use a dinner plate, place it over the pan, holding it with one hand, and use the other to lift and flip the pan. The bottom of the omelet should be a beautiful brown. Now, slide the omelet back into the pan so that the browned part is on top and cook another 5 minutes or so, uncovered. Flip it onto a plate again to serve.