Eggs! Nature's Farm eggs on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 This morning I had the pleasure of presenting two egg recipes for CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Ismaila Alfa.  The first is a poached egg recipe from Turkey and the second is a Kerala dish that usually calls for duck eggs but is wonderful with Nature's Farm eggs.

1. Çılbır (pronounced, chill burr)

These luscious eggs are so easy to make with a wonderful and velvety result. Perfect comfort food for a weekend morning brunch/breakfast.

The recipe below is for 1, but you can easily make it for more people by adding more eggs, yogurt, and butter.

2 eggs
2 tbsp vinegar
5 cups of water (or more)
1/2 cup yogurt
1 tsp paprika (I used hot smoked paprika)
1/2 tbsp butter
mint flakes
salt
pepper
1 clove of garlic, minced (optional)

Bring to boil water, vinegar, and salt in a medium size pot. When it starts boiling, turn it down to medium to low heat.

Stir the water and then break eggs one at a time in a small bowl, and glide them, one by one, in to the very hot but not boiling water. (If the water is boiling vigorously when you pour the eggs, you cannot have a homogeneous cooking or keep the egg together) Do not cook more than 2 eggs at a time. If an egg starts going messy in water, try to pull it together with a spoon. (stirring the water will help make the eggs into a perfect round shape).

Cook the eggs for 3-4 minutes for medium soft yolk. For a hard yolk, you need to cook them at least for 5 minutes.

Take the eggs out of the water with slotted spoon on a plate.

Pour yogurt on them. (If you want to have your çılbır "a la turque", mix yogurt with 1 clove of minced garlic, a perfect pairing)

Heat butter. When it sizzles add paprika. Stir for half a minute or less (just don't let it burn) and pour it on top of eggs and yogurt.

Sprinkle mint flakes on top. Serve with toast.

It is extremely easy to make çılbır; there are only a couple of points to be careful about: don't put the eggs in boiling water; bring it to a boil and then let it calm down and do not break the eggs directly into  the pot; instead break them in little bowl and let them glide.

2. Kerala eggs
 2-4 hard boiled eggs
1-2 cups sliced onions
2 tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cayenne
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
pinch salt
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Bring a pan up to medium-high heat and add olive oil and mustard seeds.  When the seeds begin to pop, add the sliced onions.  When the onions are softened, add the remaining spices and seasonings.  When almost crispy, add peeled eggs that have been scored and bring to temperature, covering with the sauce.  Serve with flaky parotha or naan.

Enjoy!

Cupid's Bite - Aphrodisiac foods with the Assiniboine Park Conservatory and the MLCC

Last night I had the pleasure of presenting foods with ingredients that are considered aphrodisiacs.  Try these for Valentine's this week.  Almonds, Basil, Garlic, chocolate are a few ingredients that are on the list.  Bonnie Tulloch, Education Coordinator for the Assiniboine Park Conservatory,  presented the information on plants and programs at the Conservatory.  Stephanie Mills, Product Consultant for the MLCC, provided the beverage pairings.

1. Almond Tarator
Paired with Underraga T.H. Riesling - Chile  $20.02

9 oz Almonds
3 cloves garlic
sea salt
juice of one lemon
3 tbs champagne vinegar
1 tbs honey
4 egg yolks
2 1/4 cups good olive oil
3-5 oz lukewarm water
freshly ground black pepper

Pulse the almonds in a food processor.  Crush the garlic with salt and add to the almonds with lemon juice, vinegar, honey and egg yolk until smooth and creamy.  Drizzle in half of the oil, and alternate with the water.  Slowly drizzle in the remaining olive oil until a thick, creamy mayonnaise.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Use as a dip, mezze or cover a fish fillet and bake.

Enjoy!

2. Basic Pesto
Paired with Maso Canali Pino Grigio - Italy  $19.99

A basic Pesto recipe is so easy to adapt to many available herbs. I love Arugula Pesto as well. For Arugula, use some spinach in the mix to round out the flavour of any particularly peppery variety as well as a splash of lemon juice. For Basil Pesto, I like to use Sweet, Vietnamese, Purple, and many other varieties in the mix to make a complex flavour.

1/4 lb fresh basil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup toasted pinenuts (can use almonds)  Will use almonds
1/3 cup Parmesan, grated
1/3 cup good olive oil
salt and pepper (cheese is salty so use very little salt)

Blend together into a paste. Freeze for later use or toss in pasta, on grilled meats, etc.

3. Pesto on Escargot
Paired with Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay - Chile  $21.84 and Seduction Pinot Noir - New Zealand  $29.66 (Both very yummy!)

Spoon pesto onto escargot.  Place in 450ºF oven.  Bake for 8-12 minutes.  Serve immediately.

4. Chocolate Creams
Paired with Warre's Otima 10 yearld Tawny Port  $24.76

6-7 oz dark Callebaut Chocolate
2 cups milk
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar

Melt chocolate in a bain-marie (stainless steel bowl over pot of boiling water) with 1 tbs. Milk. Make the quantity of milk up to 2 cups and bring high heat. Beat 6 egg yolks with sugar until the mixture turns  white. Slowly add the chocolate flavoured milk, beating it in quickly. Divide the mixture between at least 6 ramekins placed in a baking dish that will be filled with simmering water (another bain-marie). Bake at 375º F for about 25 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the bain-marie and leave to cool before putting them in the refrigerator to set.