Red Pepper and Potato Frittata

 It's been too hot to cook this week, so we've been enjoying leftovers for dinner each night. One of my favorites has been this red pepper and potato frittata that I originally made for brunch on Sunday. Cold with a green salad it made good dinners too.

Often frittatas like this include bacon. The key to getting good flavor without the bacon is to brown the onions until they are deep golden in places. A few bits stuck to the skillet are no bad thing, just unstick them before pouring in the eggs.

The other key flavor is the fresh oregano. It adds a green base note that offsets the sweet pepper and salty cheddar.

This is the beginning of red pepper season, and I can think of no better way to start it than with this frittata.

Red Pepper and Potato Frittata
1 potato, peeled and cut in 1/4 inch dice
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
8 eggs
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 cup grated cheddar

Put the potato cubes in a saucepan, cover with cold water and add a little coarse salt. Bring to the boil, covered, and simmer until just tender. This will take 5-8 minutes depending on the size of the cubes. Pierce with the tip of a knife to see when they're done. Drain and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a 10 inch cast iron skillet (or other oven-proof skillet) over medium-high heat. Add the red pepper, onions, and a sprinkling of salt. Sauté 5 minutes or so until tender and the onions are starting to brown. Add cooked potato, garlic and oregano. Sauté another minute or so until it smells great and the onions are well-colored. Smooth the vegetables out, scraping the bottom of the skillet to release any stuck pieces.

Whisk together the eggs, salt and pepper. Pour over the vegetables, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and let cook until the eggs are set around the edges, 5-7 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat the broiler.

The center will still be wet. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and place the skillet under the broiler until the cheese is melted and browned. This will take about 3 minutes. As you can see in the picture, mine got very dark in places. Larry allowed as to how that tasted even better.

Let the frittata stand a minute before cutting into it.

Serves 6-8

Omelet with Tomatillo Salsa

Sunday brunch is one of my favorite meals. We return from the market laden down with colorful produce that we unpack on our sunny kitchen table. Then Larry squeezes fresh oranges while I make some combination of eggs and carbs. We enjoy a leisurely meal with the Sunday papers. Last week, I decided to add a little zest to our brunch by pouring tomatillo salsa on our omelets.

Tomatillo salsa is easy to make. You can find my recipe for it here. Even better, it freezes well. I set some out on the counter to defrost while we were at the Market, ready to heat and serve when we returned.

The omelet was thick with mushrooms, cheese, peppers and cilantro. The sauce added zest, and a few breakfast potatoes rounded out the plate.

Sunday mornings are really great around here.

Omelet with Tomatillo Salsa
3/4 cup tomatillo salsa
4 eggs
1/4 cup sliced red onion
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp butter, divided use
1/2 red pepper, cut into strips
5 oz mushrooms, sliced
1 cup grated cheese — half jack, half cheddar
1 tbsp cilantro

Warm the salsa and set it aside.

Whisk together the eggs, onion, salt and pepper.

Melt 2 tbsp butter in a medium cast iron skillet over medium heat. Sauté red pepper and mushrooms until browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Melt 1 tbsp butter in skillet. Add eggs. Cook without stirring until they begin to set, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with vegetables, cheese and cilantro. Cover skillet and cook until the cheese melts and the eggs are set, about 2-3 minutes.

Fold the omelet in half, then cut it in half and serve on two plates. Pour the warm salsa on top.

Serves 2

Black Bean Burgers

I've made many bean burgers over the years, but I've never cooked one on a barbecue because I feared they would fall apart.

Last Friday, continuing the expanding of my horizons inspired by Elizabeth Orsini's book From Garden to Grill, I made these black bean burgers and handed them to Larry to cook over the coals. He was dubious at first, but they did cook up beautifully.

Orsini says that the key to a making a veggie burger hold together is squeezing the vegetables dry before you add the beans: too much moisture and they fall apart. It seems quite obvious once she's said it, but since I spent my life trying to make burgers that were moist on the inside, it never occurred to me.

These burgers did hold together well on the grill, but I thought they were dry on the inside. Larry didn't. (He put our homemade salsa on his burger — maybe that's the secret.)

We didn't use buns. Instead we saved room for the sides: grilled shisito peppers, green beans from our garden, and a great salad of grilled corn and tomatoes also inspired by From Garden to Grill.

We only grilled two of the four burgers this recipe makes. We kept the others in the fridge to eat at another barbecue Sunday night. There's nothing like eating outside on summer evenings.

Black Bean Burgers
2/3 cup black beans (or 1 14-oz can)
1 stick celery
1/4 cup chopped red onion
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 eggs
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp chili powder
1 cup bread crumbs

Rinse the black beans and cook until tender (about 20 minutes in the pressure cooker or 90 minutes simmering on the stove). Make sure they're soft before you drain them. Drain the beans and pour them onto a kitchen towel. Roll them up and press gently to dry them.

Use a food processor to chop the celery, red onion and garlic very fine. Pour them into a strainer and squeeze out the excess water (your plants will enjoy the water).

Put the beans in a large bowl and mash with a potato masher until only a few lumps remain. Stir in the drained vegetables.

Whisk the eggs with the cumin and chili powder. Stir into the bean mixture. Stir in the bread crumbs. The mixture should hold together well.

Divide the mixture into 4 and shape into patties. Put on a plate, cover with wax paper, and refrigerate at least 30 minutes (or up to a couple of days) until ready to cook on the grill.

Grill over high heat (hand can be held over the rack for 4 seconds) for about 8 minutes per side.

Serve with salsa or ketchup. Avocado would be great too.

Serves 4.

Summer Eggs

When we got home from the Hollywood Farmers Market on Sunday, Larry started squeezing oranges for juice while I headed into the garden to pick basil and tomatoes for this brunch dish that is only as good as the tomatoes it's made with.

I poached eggs in a simple sauce of tomatoes and basil, then served it with fresh baguette and butter to sop up the sauce.

Summer on a plate.

Poached Eggs in Tomato Sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped
1 lb ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup thick kefir or Greek yogurt or crème fraîche
1/4 cup chopped basil
4 eggs

Warm the oil in a small skillet. (I use an 8-inch stainless steel skillet.) Sauté the garlic until fragrant, then add the tomatoes. Cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes have broken down and are juicy. Add the kefir and cook another 3 minutes or so until thickened. (Kefir and yogurt might crack but they still look and taste delicious.) Stir in the basil and season with salt and pepper.

Spread the sauce evenly in the pan, make 4 slight indentations, and crack the eggs into them. Cover and cook until the whites are set but the yolk is still runny, about 5 minutes.

Serve the eggs with lots of sauce and baguette and butter on the side.

Serves 2

(Make sure to eat all of it at one sitting — that won't be difficult. It does not keep well because the egg white moves through the sauce — fine for breakfast but weird to pour over spaghetti later.  You can reserve some of the sauce before putting the eggs in. It's great over pasta or rice. Or on bruschetta. Or eaten with a spoon. Simple is so often the best.)

Eggs with Green Chiles

I'm busy using the roasted poblanos from my freezer before this year's crop comes to market.

On Sunday, I added one to our scrambled eggs. Yum — spicy eggs are great with sourdough toast and breakfast potatoes.

Eggs with Green Chiles
2 tbsp chopped onion
1 clove garlic
2 tbsp butter
1 poblano, roasted and peeled
1 tomato, seeded and diced
6 eggs
1/2 tsp salt

Sauté the onion and garlic in butter until tender. Add the diced poblano and tomato and let cook until warmed through.

Beat the eggs with the salt until creamy. Add to the pan and cook, stirring regularly, until the eggs are cooked through.

Serves 2-3

Potato Salad with Pickles

Usually when we barbecue I make my standard potato salad — cooked potatoes with a buttermilk dressing and a roasted poblano for zing.

But this Fourth of July, I tried something a little different. I found a jar of bread and butter pickles in our fridge and decided to add them to the potato salad. These weren't just any old pickles — I made them last year when our zucchinis were out of control.

I had planted seeds of an heirloom zucchini called Trombetta di Albenga from Renee's Garden Seeds. It's a vining zucchini plant that likes to grow up into trees. The zucchini then grow stealthily down among the branches. Fortunately, they are still tender even when they're three feet long.

Needless to say, I gave away a lot of zucchini. People still talk about the zucchini I gifted. And yet, we still had way more than two people can eat. I diced, blanched and froze. And then I made bread and butter pickles.

I am once again growing Trombetta di Albenga. (Really, they are the most entertaining vegetable plants I have ever grown.) They are not flowering yet, but I know what is coming. Emptying a jar of pickles into the potato salad seemed like a prudent move.

And I have to say that the potato salad tasted really good. It was slightly grey from the pickle juice I added to the dressing, but it was yummy. (I would have added a lot of colorful parsley if the birds hadn't eaten it all.) The potatoes were German butterballs from Flora Bella — the first time I've used them in potato salad and they tasted nicely creamy and held their shape well.

It's a good thing I'm growing more zucchini so we'll be able to replenish our pickle supply. This potato salad is one we'll want to make again.

Potato Salad with Pickles

1 1/2 lbs German butterball potatoes (or other waxy potatoes)

2 eggs

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp juice from the pickle jar

2 tsp dijon

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup kefir or buttermilk or yogurt

6-8 radishes, diced

1/2 cup chopped bread and butter pickles

Peel the potatoes and cut in quarters (about 1 inch pieces). Put in a pot, cover with cold water and a pinch of salt, and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Bring a small pan of salted water to the boil. Pierce a small hole in each egg with a safety pin. Lower into the boiling water, stirring so the eggs rotate a few times after entry. Cover and let simmer 10 minutes. Drain and cover with cold water. When cool, peel the eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. Chop the whites and add them to the bowl with the potatoes.

Put the cooked egg yolks in a blender with the vinegar, pickle juice and dijon. Whir together. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the oil, then the kefir. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour most of the dressing over the potatoes and egg whites. Toss to combine. Add the radishes and pickles. Toss again and season to taste.

Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

Serves 4-6

Trombetta zucchini.

Cauliflower and Beet Salad

Continuing the theme of vegetable salads, this beauty showcases the contrasting colors of beets and cauliflower. Decorative hard boiled egg and fresh sprouts up the protein without making it too heavy to eat on these warm summer evenings.

If you've only ever eaten mushy canned beets, try buying fresh beets and roasting them. It will be a revelation. They are tender yet firmly hold their shape. And they have an earthy flavor that goes beautifully with zesty lemony dressings like this one.

The cauliflower and beets are cooked separately and seasoned, then arranged together on a plate with the dressing poured over.

It's a pretty and nourishing supper. Leftovers are good the next day too.

Cauliflower and Beet Salad
3 medium beets, about 3/4 lb
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 egg
1 head of cauliflower (about 1 1/2 lbs)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp sliced shallot
2 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp mint
radish sprouts to garnish (opt)

If your beets came with greens, cut them off and save them for a dish of wilted greens. Scrub the roots well and bake them in a 400° oven until they are tender. This will take roughly 45 minutes to an hour depending on how big the beets are. Set them aside to cool a little, then peel if desired (not necessary but maybe prettier) and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Toss with a couple of teaspoons each of olive oil and red wine vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Pierce the thick end of the egg lightly with a pin (so it doesn't explode) then place in a small pan of boiling water and cook 10 minutes. Drain and fill the pan with cold water to let the egg cool a little. When you can handle it, crack and peel the shell off, and dice the egg finely.

Cut the cauliflower in inch-size (or slightly larger) florets. Steam until tender, about 6-8 minutes. Put in a bowl and toss with another couple of teaspoons of olive oil and the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Marinate the sliced shallot in 2 tbsp red wine vinegar in a small bowl for 5 minutes. Add the parsley, mint, and 5 tbsp olive oil. Fold in the chopped egg and again season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the beets around the edges of a platter. Pile the cauliflower in the middle. Spoon the egg dressing decoratively over the salad and scatter sprouts or more herbs decoratively.

Serves 3-4

Chilled Asparagus

It's time for me to figure out how to take photos in a dark kitchen, because I really want to share this asparagus recipe with you, but the photo is not the most attractive.

The asparagus tasted delicious, however. It's Larry's favorite way of eating it. And it's very simple to make. Cooked asparagus, chilled, tossed in a vinaigrette, then served with chopped hard boiled egg on top. A half pound of asparagus disappears quickly when served like this.

Chilled Asparagus
1/2 lb asparagus
1 egg
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp dry mustard or 1 tsp regular mustard
1 small clove garlic, peeled and minced
salt and pepper

Cut the tough stems off the bottom of the asparagus and rinse it well in cold water. Bring water to a boil in a pot wide enough for the asparagus to lie in, add the asparagus, cover and simmer for 5 minutes until crisp-tender. Drain the asparagus and put it in the fridge to chill.

Pierce a small hole in the egg with a safety pin and gently add it to a pot of boiling salted water. Cook 10 minutes. Drain and cover with cold water. Let sit until cool enough to handle, then peel and chop. Set aside.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar, mustard and garlic. Add a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Set aside.

When ready to serve, toss the asparagus in the vinaigrette and put on a plate. Sprinkle the egg over top, and serve.

Serves 2

Asparagus Frittata

Spring is here. The scent of freesias and orange blossoms waft around the garden. The hummingbirds are flirting, and squawking baby jays hide in the undergrowth.

Spring makes me think of young spears of asparagus and fresh eggs from happy hens. I bought some of each at the farmers market on Sunday and made this great sunday brunch frittata.

There's a lot of asparagus in this dish, and not very many eggs. The green flavor shines, but I did dampen it a bit with some aged gruyere - I thought this was a great combination. But a milder cheese, or even no cheese at all, would be fine too.

Leftovers were great for lunch during the week as well.

Asparagus Frittata
1 lb asparagus
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 tsp salt
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup shredded gruyere

Snap tough ends off asparagus spears and cut the rest into 1-inch lengths.

Pour oil into a warmed 9-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and salt. Cook about 3 minutes until onion is softened but not browned, stirring occasionally.

Stir in asparagus, reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook 6-8 minutes until asparagus is just tender. Pour in eggs and cook until they are almost set but still runny on top, about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle cheese over top and broil until cheese is melted and browned, 3-4 minutes.

Serve in wedges.

Serves 6-8

Rice Salad with Eggs and Green Beans

It's been too hot to cook, so I've been relying on salads at dinner time.

This one, with eggs and rice and corn, was a truly complete meal. We ate almost all of it in one sitting, and I took the leftovers for lunch the next day. That is the sign of a good salad.

A note about the rice: Usually I make this salad with brown rice, but I had spent the early evening puttering in the garden so to get this salad on the table in a timely manner, I used white jasmati rice – an organic rice from Texas that my local independent grocery store carries. It has a great flavor, and I had dinner on the table in under 45 minutes.

Rice Salad with Eggs and Green Beans
1 red pepper
1/2 cup onion, sliced in rings
2 cups cooked rice
4 oz (large handful) green beans
1/2 cup corn (frozen is fine)
2 eggs
1 small avocado
butter lettuce
1 tbsp capers
6 olives, sliced

Dressing:
1  clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp yogurt
1/2 tsp dijon

Cut the red pepper in half. Remove the seeds and membranes. Place cut-side down in a small roasting pan. Add the onion rings. Sprinkle the onion with a little olive oil, then cook them under a broiler for 5-6 minutes until the pepper starts to blacken. Stir the onion a couple of times so it turns golden, not black. Put the pepper halves in a pot and let them steam gently. Cut the onion rings up and stir them into the rice. Put the rice on a large platter.

When the peppers are cool enough to touch, scrape off the skin (as much as you can) and cut them into thin strips.

Pierce the eggs with a pin and put them in a pan of boiling, salted water for 10 minutes. Drain and refresh in ice water. When cool enough to touch, peel off the shells and cut the eggs in quarters.

Cook the green beans in a little boiling water for 2 minutes, then add the corn and cook another 2 minutes. Drain and put in a bowl with the red pepper strips.

Stir together the washed and torn lettuce leaves with the peeled and diced avocado. Pile them on the rice.

Whisk together the dressing ingredients. Put about half into the bowl with the green beans and toss gently. Pile this on top of the salad.

Decorate the platter with the eggs, olives and capers.

Serve the extra dressing on the side.

Serves 3-4

Apple and Goat Cheese Salad

Even the evenings have been hot over the last week or so. Too hot to even think about barbecuing or turning on the stove for dinner.

So we've been eating a lot of main course salads. Sunday night I combined honey crisp apples, walnuts and goat cheese to make a nourishing meal that tempted our appetites despite the heat.

I added a little honey to the salad dressing, which I don't usually do. But we needed a little sweetness after the heat of the day, and it balanced the lemon and tarragon well. The dressing would be good on any green salad. It will last a few days in the fridge.

Apple and Goat Cheese Salad
5 cups torn romaine lettuce
1/2 Haas avocado
1 honey crisp apple
1 hard-boiled egg
3 oz goat cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup toasted walnuts

Dressing:
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 olive oil
1 tbsp tarragon, chopped

Arrange the lettuce on a serving platter. Peel and slice the avocado. Core and slice the apple. Peel and quarter the egg. Arrange the avocado, apple and egg on the lettuce. Crumble the goat cheese in the center and then the toasted walnuts on top.

Whisk the lemon juice, garlic, honey, salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisking constantly, add the olive oil until the mixture emulsifies. Whisk in the tarragon.

Drizzle 3/4 of the dressing over the salad and serve the extra dressing on the side.

Serves 2 as a main course.

Asparagus Frittata

It was cool and overcast Sunday morning, so I made this sunny asparagus frittata to brighten us up. I served it with simple fried potatoes and a bowl of strawberries and pomelo. 

The frittata is beautiful. If I'd used a non-stick pan, I could have tipped it out onto a plate to serve. But I prefer my trusty old cast iron, even if eggs do seem to stick to it. (Maybe I need to re-season it.)

The asparagus to egg ratio is high, so this very healthy dish would also make a great light lunch. In fact I plan to serve leftovers for Memorial Day lunch.

Asparagus Frittata

1 lb asparagus

2 tbsp olive oil

3 shallots, diced (about 1 cup)

7 medium eggs (or 6 large)

1/2 cup parmesan

1/4 cup chopped basil leaves

Bring an inch of water to a boil in a saucepan large enough to hold the asparagus. Rinse the asparagus and snap off the ends. Cook, covered, in the water for 5 minutes until tender-crisp. Drain, refresh with cold water, and drain again. Chop into one-inch pieces and set aside.

Warm the olive oil in a 10-inch skillet with an ovenproof handle. Add the shallots and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 3-5 minutes. Add asparagus and warm through.

Lightly whisk together the eggs, parmesan, basil and a little pepper. (I find the parmesan is salty enough, but add more salt if you're used to eating restaurant food.)

Pour the eggs into the pan and stir gently to mix the eggs with the vegetables. Cook over medium-low heat until the sides of the frittata and most of the top is set, about 10 minutes, making sure not to let it burn on the bottom.

Preheat the broiler to high. Put the skillet under the broiler and cook until the top is golden brown and set, about 2 minutes.

Serve immediately, or let cool to room temperature and serve in wedges.

Serves 4

Strawberries and pomelo wedges

Poached Eggs

One of my goals for 2014 was to learn to poach eggs.

I've tried a few times over the years - swirling the simmering water in a pan, adding a splash of vinegar to keep the egg intact, gently sliding in the egg - but I always ended up losing half the eggwhite in the water.

However, I was determined to master this technique because I really enjoy poached eggs. I often order them when we eat breakfast out, and I was aggravated that I couldn't eat them at home.

Then I found these nifty little egg poachers. They're ceramic non-stick dishes that keep the eggs intact while they cook in the water. I suppose technically the eggs are steamed, not poached, but the result is close enough for me.

First I butter the little pods, then crack in the eggs, I place them in a skillet of simmering water and cover with a lid. I check the eggs after 5 minutes - trying to remember that the whites will continue cooking after the eggs are removed from the pan.

We've enjoyed these poached eggs on toast, on cooked greens, on a bowl of rice, and on roasted root vegetables.

Very satisfying. I'll check that goal off my list.

Eggs and Peppers

When the red peppers appear at the Hollywood Farmers Market, I take some home to make into this luscious breakfast dish.

I sauté onions, peppers and tomatoes until juicy and sweet, then top them with poached or fried eggs and sprinkle a little feta on top. If we're feeling decadent, as we were a week ago, we mop up the sauce with slices of baguette.

I used to poach the eggs directly in the sauce, but then it all needs to be eaten at brunch, because the leftovers are distinctly unattractive. This time, I cooked the eggs separately so any leftover sauce could be saved and enjoyed over potatoes or with rice.

Eaten on the patio in the slanting fall sunshine, this is a seasonal feast.

Eggs and Peppers

1 small onion, chopped

1 red pepper, chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1/4 tsp hot paprika

1 small clove garlic, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

4 eggs

2 tbsp crumbled feta

Warm oil in a skillet. Add the onion and pepper and cook, covered, over moderately high heat. Stir occasionally and cook until softened, 7-8 minutes. Add paprika and garlic and cook another minute, stirring. Add tomatoes and cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, another 5 minutes or so.

Poach or fry the eggs.

Spoon some sauce onto each plate. Top with 2 eggs. Sprinkle with 1 tbsp feta.

Enjoy.

Serves 2 

Fried Eggs and Potatoes

On Sundays we usually have a leisurely brunch with the Sunday papers. Yesterday, however, I wanted to eat a quick meal before getting out to dig in the garden. I had plans.

So I made these simple fried potatoes with eggs. The potatoes mopped up the egg yolks, and the meal fortified me for a good day of work.

Fried Eggs and Potatoes
3/4 lb potatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 tsp tumeric
4 eggs
2 oz feta
sriracha or other hot sauce
1 tbsp cilantro

Scrub the potatoes, cover with cold water and a sprinkle of salt, and bring to a boil over medium heat.  Put the lid on and let them simmer until tender, about 10 minutes depending on the size of the potatoes. Drain and let cool until you can touch them.

Dice the potatoes into 1/2" pieces. Warm the olive oil in a skillet, and add the potatoes, caraway and turmeric. Cook the potatoes, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown.

Turn the heat to low, move the potatoes to the edges of the pan, and crack the 4 eggs into the center. Sprinkle the feta and a drizzle of hot sauce over the top. Cover the pan and cook 5-8 minutes until the whites are cooked. Sprinkle with cilantro and serve.

Serves 2

Spinach Salad

I was reminiscing yesterday about a salad I ate in Paris. It was a selection of crisp lettuces with hard-boiled eggs, cheese and a mustard vinaigrette. I requested it without the ham, so the waiter brought it with chicken instead. He was quite sad that I asked him to remove the chicken too. He thought a salad with no meat was not a meal.

Those memories made me hungry for a good salad with walnut dressing. So I made one for lunch.

I started by putting an egg on to cook. I put it in cold salted water, brought it to a boil, turned off the heat and let it sit about 8 minutes until I was ready for it.

I used Malabar spinach from Finley Farms as the base. Cherry tomatoes added sweet juiciness. Walnuts and radishes added crunch.

I made a simple dressing of one spoon of dijon mustard, 2 spoons of red wine vinegar, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and olive oil to make it delicious (probably 3-4 spoonfuls, but I didn't measure).

I shelled the egg and tore it Jamie Oliver-style over the greens, then poured the vinaigrette over top and tossed it all together.

It was a very full and delicious meal. Pretty healthy too.

Tomatillo Salsa

Tomatillos are interesting vegetables (actually fruits). They look like giant cape gooseberries with a papery husk that covers a hard green ball which has a sticky surface. They are tart and tangy, and form the base of the green sauce poured over cheese enchiladas.

I made this variation the other day and poured it over cheese omelets for breakfast. It was great.

Tomatillos are coming to the end of their season, but they last for a few weeks in the fridge still in their husks. I've also husked and rinsed them and frozen them successfully in the past.

The poblano pepper adds a slight heat to the salsa. But this is not a hot sauce - it makes an interesting but not overwhelming breakfast dish. It would also be good on enchiladas or stirred into rice.

Tomatillo Salsa
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 poblano pepper, seeded and chopped
2 tbsp chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup husked, rinsed and diced tomatillos (4-5)
cilantro for garnish

Warm oil in a small pan over medium heat. Sauté poblano and onion until tender. Add the garlic and tomatillos. Cook until they start to brown, just a few minutes. Remove from heat and keep warm.

Make a 2-egg omelet, layering a little cheddar in the middle before you fold it over. Spoon some of the salsa on top and serve.

Makes enough salsa for 2 omelets.

Chickpea Salad with Soft-Boiled Eggs

When the weather is hot, it helps to have a zesty meal to tickle the tastebuds and spark the appetite.

The other night I made this simple chickpea, olive and radish salad and put an egg on top of each serving. The olives and radishes perked up the chickpeas, and the warm runny egg yolk turned it into comfort food.

It was a simple yet nourishing meal of protein, carbs and vegetables. Easy to digest, fun to eat -- it was a great summer dinner.

(I soaked the chickpeas in a large container of water in the fridge all day the day before, and then cooked them that evening. I drained them and stored them in the fridge overnight so they were ready when I needed them.)

Chickpea Salad with Soft-Boiled Eggs
1/3 cup dry chickpeas, cooked (or 1 14-oz can, drained)
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup green olives, pitted and wedged
2 scallions, white and light green parts, chopped
2 eggs at room temperature

Put the cooked chickpeas in a bowl and lightly crush half of them with a potato masher. Whisk together the lemon juice and olive oil and pour it on the chickpeas. Add in the olives, radishes and scallions. Spoon half on each plate.

Add the eggs to a saucepan of boiling water, cover and boil over moderately high heat for 4 minutes. Drain and put in an ice water bath for 1 minute. Crack the shells, peel the eggs, and put one on each plate. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve.

Serves 2

Healthy Eggs

Eggs are a perfect food.

Protein, healthy fats, essential brain nutrients -- all in one easy-to-cook package.

If you're looking for eggs at a farmers' market, check out the organic apple farmers. Some of them keep chickens in their orchards to eat the bugs and keep the weeds down -- these are the best eggs you can find.

It's natural for chickens to eat insects and small plants. When I was visiting my brother this summer, his chickens followed as I scoured the garden for big disgusting slugs to feed them. My neighbor's free-range chickens peck in the dirt for insects and seedlings.

Unfortunately, most eggs are produced by chickens who are fed a solid diet of corn. (Unless the eggs are certified organic, the corn is most likely genetically modified.)

When cows and chickens eat corn, they develop inflammation in their tissues. Then humans eat the meat and in turn develop more inflammatory diseases. This is a reason grass-fed beef is considered healthier than corn-fed -- the meat produces less inflammation in people who eat it.

I feel the same must be true for eggs. Maybe eggs have received a bad rap because they are produced by chickens whose diet is full of corn so their eggs are deficient in the healthy fats our bodies need.

When our niece Tracie visited the Hollywood Farmers Market with us a few weeks ago, I impressed upon her the need to buy eggs from an organic apple stall. She balked at the price ($7 a dozen) but went for it. I assured her she would see and taste the difference.

However, she recently told me she noticed no difference between these organic eggs laid by chickens who eat insects and seedlings and the eggs from her grocery store.

I was stunned -- I knew she had a good palate. And then I inquired further.

It turns out she cooks her morning egg and then puts it on whole-grain toast and layers it with pesto - a whole production. No wonder she couldn't discern the delicate flavor of the egg.

It reminds me again why I like to buy whole natural food -- it is much less work to make something taste exceptional.

On weekday mornings, I boil us each an egg. We shell them, dip them in salt and pepper, and enjoy. No need for extra seasonings or cover-ups. Just wonderful egg color and flavor.

Plus I know they are the healthiest food we could eat for breakfast.

Simple hard-boiled eggs
Cover eggs with cold water. If the eggs are very fresh, add 2 tsp salt. This helps the air pocket form between the shell and the egg so they peel more easily. Bring to the boil, covered, over medium heat. When you hear them rattling, turn off the heat and let sit 10 minutes. Drain the eggs and put them in an ice water bath to cool. Peel and enjoy.

Vegetarian Niçoise Salad

On these hot summer days, I don't feel like cooking.

But with the right produce in the fridge, dinner can be a nutritious and easy meal.

The other night I made this salad with leftover Greek Bean Salad as the main protein source.

I piled torn-up lettuce on the plate and dressed it with a simple red wine vinaigrette. I then added cherry tomatoes, diced avocado, hard boiled egg, black olives, cucumber and green pepper for extra crunch.

I spooned the bean salad in the center, and sprinkled a little extra dried oregano on top for color.

Protein from the eggs, beans and cheese, lots of vitamins and minerals from the vegetables, and a short time in the kitchen.

That's my kind of summer meal.