Side Dishes and Entrees
Reading edition
EGGS FLORENTINE
6 servings
While natives of Florence claim there is no basis for the practice, “Florentine” in a recipe title usually means that spinach is among the ingredients. In this dish, poached eggs are arranged on a bed of spinach and topped with an elegant Mornay Sauce.
¼ C. butter 3 T. all-purpose flour ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper 2 C. half and half or milk 2 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, cooked and well drained 1 T. lemon juice 12 eggs, poached ½ C. grated Parmesan cheese
In medium saucepan over low heat melt butter. Blend in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Blend in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat.
Mix spinach with lemon juice and spread over bottom of 2-quart baking dish. Arrange poached eggs on spinach. Pour white sauce over eggs. Sprinkle with cheese.
Broil 6 inches from heat until lightly browned and bubbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Serve hot.
For individual servings: Line each of six 8 to 10-ounce baking dishes or ramekins with ⅓ cup spinach. Place 2 poached eggs on spinach. Pour ⅓ cup sauce over each serving and sprinkle with 1 rounded tablespoon cheese. Broil as above.
Mornay Sauce:
2 T. butter 2 T. all-purpose flour 1¼ C. milk ½ C. shredded Swiss cheese 1 to 2 T. sauterne, white wine or lemon juice, optional
In medium saucepan melt butter. Blend in flour. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until smooth and bubbly. Stir in liquid all at once. Cook and stir until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in Swiss cheese until melted. Stir in sauterne, if desired.
Jumbo Extra Large Large Medium Small Pee Wee
30 oz. 27 oz. 24 oz. 21 oz. 18 oz. 15 oz
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EGGS GOLDENROD
4 servings
This dish, with its golden center of sieved egg yolk and frame of chopped whites in creamy sauce, resembles the flower for which it is named. And it has nourishing goodness and flavor to live up to its attractive appearance.
¼ C. butter ¼ C. all-purpose flour ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper 2 C. milk 8 hard-cooked eggs 4 slices bread, toasted and buttered
In medium saucepan melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Stir in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat.
Separate yolks and whites. Chop whites and stir into white sauce. Heat to serving temperature. Press yolks through a sieve. Arrange toast slices on platter. Spoon ¾ cup sauce over each slice toast. Sprinkle each with ¼ cup sieved yolks. Serve immediately.
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FRIED EGG SANDWICH
1 serving
Hard as it is to believe, there was a time when the sandwich did not exist. It evolved one day when the poker-playing Earl of Sandwich had his valet bring his meat between bread, rather than break a winning streak to stop for lunch. Like its creator, this Fried Egg Sandwich is a winner too.
1 to 2 T. butter 2 eggs Salt and pepper, to taste 2 slices rye, whole wheat or white bread, toasted and buttered Selected filling
Heat butter in small fry pan over medium heat until just hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Break and slip eggs into fry pan. Reduce heat immediately. Break yolks, if desired. Cook slowly to desired doneness, 5 to 7 minutes, spooning butter over eggs to baste or turning eggs to cook both sides. Season with salt and pepper.
Place 1 egg on bread slice and top with desired filling. Place remaining egg over filling. Close sandwich with remaining bread, buttered side down.
Filling Variations:
Thin onion, tomato or avocado slices
Cheese slice
Sauteed mushrooms
Pickles or pickle relish
Barbecue or chili sauce
Catsup
Mustard
Mayonnaise
MONTE CRISTO
2 to 3 servings
Alexander Dumas immortalized the Count of Monte Cristo. But the name took on new personality when this combination found its way onto modern restaurant menus.
6 slices bread 2 slices (1 oz. each) cooked ham 2 slices (1 oz. each) cooked chicken or turkey 2 slices (1 oz. each) Swiss or brick cheese 2 eggs ⅓ C. milk ⅛ tsp. salt Oil for deep frying[4] Confectioners’ sugar, optional Strawberry jam, currant jelly or sour cream, optional
On each of two slices bread, place 1 slice each ham and chicken. Top each with second slice bread, 1 slice cheese and remaining bread. Secure each sandwich with 4 wooden picks, trim crusts and cut into halves or quarters.
Beat eggs, milk and salt with fork until blended. Dip sandwiches in egg-milk mixture, turning to coat evenly. Fry in preheated 375° F. deep fat, turning as necessary, until golden brown on all sides, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon or tongs. Drain on absorbent paper. Remove picks.
Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired. Serve with strawberry jam, currant jelly or sour cream, if desired.
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STORING TEXAS EGGS
The quality of Texas eggs will remain high for several weeks if they are kept in a 45 to 55 degrees F. environment. Even under refrigeration, they are slowly losing carbon dioxide and water, causing the yolks to flatten and the whites to spread. Eggs kept outside the refrigerator at 72-80 degrees F. will lose more quality in one day than they will lose in one week under refrigeration.
BAKED CHEESE AND EGGS
6 servings
4 eggs, separated ¾ C. milk 2 C. (8 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese 3 C. white bread cubes (3 slices) ½ tsp. salt ½ tsp. dry mustard ⅛ tsp. pepper ¼ tsp. cream of tartar
In small mixing bowl beat egg yolks at high speed until thick and lemon-colored, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
In large saucepan over low heat, heat milk and cheese just until cheese melts. Remove from heat and stir in bread cubes, salt, mustard and pepper. Blend in egg yolks.
In large mixing bowl beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed until stiff but not dry, just until whites no longer slip when bowl is tilted. Fold bread mixture into whites. Pour into greased 1½-quart baking dish. Set dish in 13x9x2-inch baking pan on oven rack. Fill pan with hot water to depth of 1 inch.
Bake in preheated 325° F. oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Serve immediately.
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TIMBALES
4 servings
1 C. chopped cooked vegetables, meat or fish[5] ½ C. shredded Cheddar or Swiss cheese 4 eggs 1 T. instant minced onion 1 tsp. salt ½ tsp. paprika 1 C. milk, hot 1 T. grated Parmesan cheese, optional Cheese Sauce, optional
Sprinkle ¼ cup chopped vegetables, meat or fish and 2 tablespoons cheese in each of four 6 to 9-ounce custard cups or one 3½ to 4-cup ring mold.
Beat together eggs, onion, salt and paprika. Gradually blend in milk. Pour into prepared cups or mold. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired. Set cups or mold in large baking pan on oven rack. Pour hot water into pan to within ½ inch of top of custard mixture.
Bake in preheated 350° F. oven until knife inserted near center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes for custard cups or 30 to 35 minutes for mold. Remove from hot water immediately and gently loosen edges with spatula. Invert onto serving plates. Serve with Cheese Sauce, if desired.
Cheese Sauce:
2 T. butter 2 T. all-purpose flour ¼ tsp. salt 1 C. liquid (vegetable liquid or meat broth plus milk) ½ C. shredded Cheddar or Swiss cheese
In medium saucepan over low heat, melt butter. Blend in flour and salt. Cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Blend in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils. Boil, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add cheese, stirring until melted.
DUCHESS POTATOES
About 6 servings
3½ C. mashed potatoes (about 6 medium) ⅓ C. butter, softened, divided 1 tsp. salt ¼ tsp. pepper 2 eggs
In large mixing bowl beat potatoes, ¼ cup butter, salt and pepper at low speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating at medium speed until well blended. Melt remaining butter.
Place potato mixture in large pastry bag with ½-inch star nozzle. Pipe about ¼ cup potatoes onto the edges of casserole or main dish, or spoon potatoes onto greased cookie sheet in neat pyramid shapes. Brush with melted butter.
Bake in preheated 450° F. oven until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes or broil 6 inches from heat 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully remove potato mounds from cookie sheet.
Variations: To make patties, use about ¼ cup potato mixture for each and fry in lightly greased large fry pan over medium-high heat until browned on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes.
To make one large ring, shape potato mixture into ring on ovenproof platter. Bake as directed for potato mounds. Spoon creamed mixture into center.
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GOLDEN BUCK
3 servings
Long before the days of the supermarket, the meat for the day depended upon the hunter’s luck. If fortune ran out, he substituted a non-meat main dish. One such stand-in is this combination of poached eggs on toasted muffins with cheese sauce topping, called Golden Buck in honor of the one that got away.
2 eggs 2 C. (8 oz.) shredded Cheddar cheese ½ C. milk or beer 1 T. butter 1 T. all-purpose flour 2 tsp. prepared mustard ¼ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce ⅛ tsp. pepper 3 English muffins, split, toasted and buttered 6 poached eggs Parsley sprigs, optional
In medium saucepan beat 2 eggs. Stir in cheese, milk, butter, flour and seasonings. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until cheese melts and mixture is smooth.
To serve, spoon 2 tablespoons cheese sauce over each muffin half. Top each with one poached egg. Spoon 2 tablespoons cheese sauce over each egg. Garnish with parsley, if desired.
SPECIAL EGG FRITTATA
8 servings
½ lb. hard sausage links 2 T. vegetable oil 2 T. butter 1 coarsely chopped onion 1 thinly sliced garlic clove 2 red or green bell peppers, seeded and cut into strips 2 boiled peeled and diced medium potatoes 2 peeled and diced medium tomatoes 1½ tsp. basil 1½ tsp. oregano 2 T. minced parsley Salt and pepper 8 eggs 3 T. water Butter ½ C. grated Parmesan cheese
Place sausage links in pan with ½ inch water. Bring to boil and cook until water has nearly evaporated and sausages are browned. Turn frequently. Drain sausages and slice ½ inch thick. Heat oil and butter in ovenproof frying pan over medium heat. Saute onion, garlic, and peppers until soft. Add sausage, potatoes, tomatoes, herbs, salt and pepper. Saute for 2 minutes.
Beat eggs lightly with water. Pour into buttered frying pan with other ingredients and cook over medium heat until bottom of omelet is set and browned.
Sprinkle with cheese. Place pan under preheated boiler until top is puffed and browned. Cut into wedges and serve.
GARNISHING WITH EGGS
1. Sliced hard-cooked eggs provide color and nutrition to a sandwich plate, salads, and green vegetables. A dash of paprika makes them even more colorful.
2. Sieved eggs can be applied in ribbons with a cake decorator to molded salads.
3. Chopped eggs yolks can be sprinkled on cream sauce coverings for added flavor and color.
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SCOTCH EGGS
6 servings
A coating of sausage and bread crumbs makes a hearty snack of hard-cooked eggs. After cooking to a golden turn, they can be eaten hot or cold. Scotch eggs are a traditional companion to a mug of ale or beer.
¾ lb. bulk pork sausage 12 hard-cooked eggs 1 egg, beaten ⅓ C. fine dry bread crumbs Fat for deep frying
Divide sausage into 12 equal portions (l oz. each). Shape each portion into patty and wrap completely around 1 hard-cooked egg, pressing edges together to seal. Dip sausage-wrapped eggs in beaten egg, then roll in bread crumbs until completely coated.
Cook eggs in preheated 375° F. deep fat until golden brown and heated through, 7 to 9 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper. Serve hot or cold.
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