Scrambled Eggs

Eggs are amazing; their versatility, endless; their culinary requirement, a necessity. They take up little storage room and their shell is their own packaging! They are a powerhouse of protein, vitamins and amino acids. A large egg is only about 70 calories. They are, in fact, one of the healthiest foods to eat.

The "scramble" in scrambled eggs is a bit of a misnomer. You only want to "scramble" the eggs before cooking them. Once they hit the pan, you want to FOLD them so they keep their light, airy texture. I prefer mine on the custardy side, not overdone.

The addition of three ingredients elevates this humble food to a more adult level: cream cheese, green onion, Tabasco sauce. I used a chive/onion-flavored cream cheese, but plain is fine, too. (Scrambled eggs with a glass of Champagne is a killer!)

• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon finely minced green onion
• 1.5 tablespoons cream cheese, room temperature
• 4-6 drops Tabasco sauce
• Salt & pepper to taste

In a small bowl, add the green onion to the cream cheese and blend well. Set aside.

In another small bowl, beat/scramble the eggs using a whisk or hand beater until lemon in color, light and frothy and no egg white is visible. Mix in Tabasco.

Melt a bit of butter in a non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Add egg mixture and then dollops of the cream cheese mixture. When eggs begin to set, begin folding with a spatula and gently working in melted cream cheese. 

Eggs should still appear a bit "wet" when done. Slide onto a plate. Salt and pepper to taste.

Notice the "folding" ripples
and the creaminess of the cheese.

Notes: I used Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese flavored with onions and chive.

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Savory Palmiers

"Palmier" (pal-mee-ay) is French for little palm leaf, the shape they resemble.

These may look complicated, but they are ridiculously easy to prepare. As an hors d'oeuvre, they're amazing if only because of their beautiful appearance. And the fillings are endless. For this, I chose the classic palmier: pesto/parmesan/prociutto. A bit on the salty side, but perfect with cocktails! Next time, I'll keep it simple and go with goat cheese and garlic. You don't have to be a fancy pants--Velveeta and some deli ham will work just as well.

The key to making these is to keep the puff pastry cold. As soon as it begins to warm, it becomes sticky and difficult to handle. Other than that, these are a snap to prepare. 

• 1 sheet puff pastry (I used Pepperidge Farm)
• 2 oz. softened cream cheese
• 2 oz. jarred pesto
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
• 3-6 slices paper-thin slices prosciutto* (or other fine deli ham)

Mix cream cheese and pesto together. 

Lightly flour your counter and unwrap your pastry sheet. If necessary, lightly roll to form a perfect square--about 10 x 10 inches. Evenly spread with cheese/pesto mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan and carefully lay the ham slices on top:

Begin rolling at one end until you come to the middle. Then begin rolling at other end. You now have two coils joined in the middle. Squeeze/roll a bit to form a roll. At this point, wrap in cling wrap and place in freezer for about 20 minutes to firm the dough.

Preheat oven to 400 F. degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Remove log from freezer and with a very sharp knife, slice into about 3/8-inch slices--larger than 1/4-inch and not bigger than 1/2-inch.

Place on baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes until golden, rotating pan after first ten minutes.

Allow to cool just a bit and serve while warm and flaky.

(I debated to post this recipe because I found it overly salty. But, then, I'm not a huge fan of pesto and I should have known better with the Parm. which is very salty. And with cocktails, the saltiness may be a plus. In the final analysis, I figured this recipe was more about technique and presentation than taste.)

*I think prosciutto is over-rated and way over-priced. You could just as easily use any type of deli ham and I wish I would have.

Sausage-Stuffed Chicken Legs with White Sauce

A de-boned chicken leg is stuffed with sausage
and served with a cheesy Bechamel sauce and onions.

Beef prices are atrociously high. Chicken legs are a few 
bucks a pack. Sausages are usually inexpensive,
or purchase when they are on sale! 

De-boning a chicken leg is really quite simple. Having a sharp knife is essential even though you do more "scraping and pulling" than actual cutting. Stuffing it is even more fun. For this recipe, I simply used Italian sausage, but you could use a bread or apple stuffing as well. Soon, I'll try a potato stuffing. The first time I made this, I had some bottled Alfredo sauce on hand, which I used instead of the Bechamel sauce. You can go that route. Or you can add a bit of stock to the pan before baking to give you some gravy juices. I've done that, too. I prefer the Bechamel. It's really not difficult to make and the taste and texture beats anything you can get in a jar.

Look for large drumsticks. Processors simply cut through the bone that joins it to the thigh. That's unfortunate since you won't get a flap of skin on the underside which makes for a neat fold.

1. Wash and dry your drumsticks. Begin by cutting/scraping around the top to loosen it from the bone and joint. This is the most "complicated" part of the task. 

2. Holding your knife at an angle, scrape downwards or,  using your fingers, begin pulling the meat downwards. It will release pretty easily:

3. Grab the "ball" of meat and simply pull. You may need to make a small cut or two at the base to release it from the base of the bone:

4. Now simply turn the inside-out drumstick right-side in. Below is the completed, boneless leg, backside and front.

STUFFED CHICKEN LEGS  (Serves 2)

• 4 plump chicken legs, de-boned
• 2 Italian sausage links (I used Johnsonville mild)
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• Poultry seasoning (I use Bells)
• Olive oil

SAUCE:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons finely minced onion or shallot
• 1/2 teaspoon finely minced or pressed garlic
• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• Nutmeg
• 1/4 cup freshly grated cheese, such as Parmesan or Gruyere

Remove sausage from casings. Divide into 4-5 parts and stuff it into each chicken leg being sure to fill the "handle" of the drumstick. Also be sure to push the meat of the leg back into place as you go.

Sprinkle with poultry seasoning.

Notice the leg in the lower right-hand corner. It still had some skin from the thigh so I was able to neatly fold it over. 

Pull skin over legs and shape and plump to make them look nice. 

Slice an onion into rings and place in the bottom of a baking dish/pan. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and toss to coat. Neatly arrange stuffed chicken legs on top, meat side up.

Looking at these, one would never guess they are boneless.

Bake at 375 F degrees for 15 minutes. This will firm the stuffing. Remove from oven and turn skin-side up. Melt a bit of butter on each leg and return to oven. Raise temperature to 425 and bake for another 20 minutes, basting once with pan juices.

Remove and allow to cool while preparing the sauce:

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onions and cook until soft (I had some mushrooms on hand, so I added them, too). When soft, add the garlic and swirl until fragrant. Add the flour. It will turn into a paste. Cook for several minutes while stirring constantly. Begin adding the liquid a little at a time and whisking to avoid lumps until liquid is used and sauce has thickened. Remove from heat. Add several grates of fresh nutmeg. Stir. Stir in cheese until melted. Taste for seasoning. If sauce thickens too much before serving, just add a bit more liquid.

To serve: place a few spoonfuls of sauce on plate followed by some of the onions and then a stuffed chicken leg.

NOTES: Never add liquid to a glass baking dish that is hot. It will shatter. Add liquid before placing it in the oven. If desired, cut away the tendons from chicken leg. 

I think it would be interesting to replace the bone with a mozzarella stick wrapped in ham or proscuitto. I used just a splash of brandy on the legs when I put them in the oven.

Mushroom Lasagna

Earthy mushrooms sauteed in brandy and then layered between ribbons of pasta, a garlicky bechamel sauce, and three cheeses. Oh, my! 

I scaled this recipe to fit  a 10 x 7 dish, so it's perfect for a few people. As a first course to, say, a roast-beef dinner, it would be gorgeous. 

Lasagnas require many steps, so have everything measured, sliced and diced, and ready to go. I really wanted a smoked mozzarella but my market didn't have it so I settled for fresh. You may forego the mozzarella and simply add Gruyere if you wish. The Parm. keeps the recipe light but "cheesy." And don't skip the brandy. I think it makes the dish. For extra flavor, I add chicken stock to the bechamel.

I buy a pre-packaged variety of mushrooms at my market that include crimini, shitake and oyster and then I add baby bellas. Always soak your "no-cook" pasta in hot water before using. I love Barilla sheets which are flat. I don't get frilly-edged pasta at all.

• 12 ounces mixed mushrooms, sliced and chopped
• 3 shallots, chopped (a good 1/2 cup), divided
• 2-4 tablespoons brandy
• 1.5 cloves of garlic, pressed or minced
• 1 cup fresh-grated Parmasan/Reggiano cheese
• 1/2 cup grated Gruyere
• Mozzarella, preferably smoked, 1/2 of a fresh round or shredded
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken stock
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-grated nutmeg
• salt and pepper
• 8 no-cook lasagna noodles (I use Barilla)*
• Olive oil and butter for frying mushrooms

Shallots make all the difference!

Add some olive oil and butter to a large pan. When melted, add 1/4 cup of the chopped shallots and cook until translucent. Add sliced and chopped mushrooms and cook over medium heat until they release juices, about 10 minutes. Add brandy and continue to cook until liquid is re-absorbed into mushrooms and the mixture becomes "syrupy." Add a bit of salt and pepper. Set aside.

Fill a pan with hot tap water and submerge your no-cook pasta sheets as you prepare the sauce. (A bread pan works great.)

In a medium saucepan, add the 1/4 cup butter. When melted, add the remaining 1/4 cup shallots and cook just until translucent and soft. Add the pressed garlic and just stir to combine for a bit. Now add the 1/4 cup flour. The mixture will thicken immediately. Lower heat a bit and continuously stir the paste to cook the flour just until it gets a bit "nutty." Be careful not to burn the garlic or shallots. Begin adding the milk a little at a time, working away any lumps and keeping the mixture moving at all times. Whisk in the chicken stock and continue stirring. Add a dozen grates or so of fresh nutmeg. Stir. Remove from heat and blend in 1/2 cup Gruyere cheese. Taste for seasonings and re-adjust as needed. Set aside.

If your sauce is too thick, don't be afraid to add more liquid.
It should easily coat the back of a spoon when done.

Remove pasta sheets to drain. Lightly spritz/butter a 10 x 7 x 2 casserole dish. You will make four layers of pasta. Cut sheets to fit the dish. Preheat oven to 350 F. degrees.

1. Smear a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the dish. Place one layer of pasta without overlapping. Cover with some sauce. Sprinkle on 1/3 of the mushrooms and then sprinkle with 1/3 of grated Parm.
2. Place down layer 2 of pasta. Spread with some sauce and then another third of mushrooms and 1/3 third of Parm.
3. Place down layer 3 of pasta, spread with sauce and remaining mushrooms, but this time top with your Mozzarella.
4. Place down layer four of pasta. Spread with rest of sauce and top with remaining 1/3 grated Parm. (I added a bit more).

Go easy on the cheese. Keep things light.

Cover lasagna with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove foil and raise temperature to 500. Bake just until the top begins to brown a bit and lasagna is bubbly. Keep an eye on it. Allow to rest for a good 20-30 minutes before slicing.

By the time mine was done, I had lost the natural light:

*Barilla no-cook flat lasagna sheets measure 3.5 x 6.5 inches. It's important to always soak no-cook sheets in water first. I used half of a box, 8 sheets, about 4.5 ounces