Not Just For Breakfast Anymore

Protein-rich eggs are the centerpiece of these delicious dishes, and they’re perfect for any meal.

Spring Fried Barley With A Sesame Sizzled Egg

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 Tbs. peanut oil
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbs. fresh ginger, minced
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 4 cups cooked barley, cooled
• salt, to taste
• 2 cups mixed spring vegetables, cooked until firm-tender

Finishing Touches

• 4 large eggs
• 4 tsp. soy sauce, plus more to taste
• 2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp. sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

1. To make the fried barley and vegetables, heat 3 Tbs. of the peanut oil in a large heavy skillet or wok over mediumhigh heat. Add the garlic, ginger and scallions and let them sizzle for 30 seconds. Add the barley, spreading it out and sprinkling it with salt. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. You’re looking to get a little color underneath, but you should keep a close eye on it to make sure it doesn’t burn.
2. Once it’s a bit brown underneath, stir the mixture around, attempting to give the barley a little more texture. Finally, add the vegetables and stir for 1 minute, just to get them to heat through. Transfer to a serving bowl.
3. Wipe out the skillet and heat over high heat with the remaining oil, creating a good slick. When it’s piping and smoking hot, drop in two eggs (or all four, if they fit) and step back because the oil will splatter. When the eggs are lacy brown underneath, carefully shimmy a thin spatula under each, loosening and flipping the eggs so they can cook on the other side for 20 to 30 seconds. Repeat with the last two eggs if they didn’t fit in the first batch.
4. To finish, place each egg atop a portion of fried barley and drizzle each with 1 tsp. soy sauce and ½ tsp. sesame oil, then sprinkle with ½ tsp. seeds. Break the eggs so that they pour over the barley.

Safety Tip

For recipes that call for eggs which are raw or undercooked when the dish is served, use either shell eggs that have been treated to destroy salmonella by pasteurization or another approved method, or pasteurized egg products.

Adding just one large egg to any meal provides not only extra flavor but a myriad of health benefits. Eggs contribute to heart health and can reduce the levels of homocysteine (a molecule that is known to directly damage blood vessels). They also contain choline, which helps support brain function, energy levels and metabolism.” —Jennifer Katafigiotis, founder of Weight Wellness Center, Lyndhurst

Kale Caesar With Broken Eggs and Crushed Croutons

Yields: 2 to 4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 5 oz. kale leaves, sliced into thin ribbons
• ¼ cup grated Parmesan

For the Breadcrumbs

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• a few gratings of lemon zest n 1⁄3 cup panko breadcrumbs

For the Dressing

• 2 Tbs. mayonnaise
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. smooth Dijon mustard
• 1 to 2 Tbs. lemon juice
• 1⁄3 cup panko breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. To prepare the eggs, bring a medium-sized pot of water to a boil. Carefully lower in the eggs and lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 7 minutes, drain and run under cold water.
2. To make the breadcrumbs, warm the olive oil over medium heat in a small skillet. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until barely golden. This should take about 30 seconds. Add the lemon zest and breadcrumbs, and sauté them until golden, which should take 2 to 3 minutes. Set the breadcrumbs aside until needed.
3. To make the dressing, whisk all ingredients together. Next, assemble the salad. Carefully peel the cooked eggs—run them under cold water if it helps—and rinse them of any clinging shells. Toss the kale with half the dressing. Pile a third of the dressed kale in a large serving bowl. Sprinkle with a third of the crumbs and a third of the Parmesan, and then, right over the salad, chop the first egg into rough quarters and scatter a few pieces over it. Repeat twice. Serve with remaining dressing on the side.

Eggs contain all nine essential amino acids, which are the ones we must get from food because our bodies cannot produce them. With 6.3 grams of protein per egg, adding one to your salad at lunch makes you less likely to give in to those 3 p.m. hunger pangs. This can lead to less snacking and even weight loss.” —Jennifer Katafigiotis, founder of Weight Wellness Center, Lyndhurst

Artichoke and Parmesan Galette

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Yields: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

• two 14 oz. cans of artichoke hearts, drained well and patted out on towels
• 2 large eggs
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ½ cup milk n finely grated zest and juice of ½ a lemon
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• freshly ground pepper
• ½ cup, plus 2 Tbs. of grated Parmesan
• 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

For the Crust

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for your work surfaced
• ¼ tsp. fine salt
• ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan
• ½ cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 2 Tbs. sour cream
• 2 tsp. lemon juice
• ¼ cup very cold water
• nonstick cooking spray for coating pan

For the Glaze (optional)

• 1 large egg yolk
• a few drops of water

Directions

1. To make the crust, stir the flour and salt together in a large bowl. Sprinkle the Parmesan and cubed butter over the top and, using a pastry blender, work it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream, lemon juice and water, and add this to the butter-flour mixture. Mix in the liquid until large clumps form. Roll into a ball. Wrap with plastic and refrigerate for one hour or up to two days. Heat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch cake pan, standard pie dish or pastry ring with nonstick spray and place on baking sheet.
2. Roll out the crust on a floured counter into a roughly 12-inch round. Transfer it to the prepared baking dish and let the extra dough drape over the sides.
3. Drain the artichokes well, pressing out any extra liquid you can before spreading them out on a couple of layers of paper towels. Cut them into thin slices and place them in the bottom of the crust. Whisk together the eggs, mayo, sour cream, milk, lemon zest and juice, garlic, salt, pepper and ½ cup of the grated Parmesan. Stir in the parsley.
4. Pour the custard over the artichokes. Sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Gently lift the sides of the dough up over the custard filling and pinch them together. Do this in the air by hovering over the filling and not pressing down on it because it is primarily liquid. Let the creased dough edges gently rest on the tart’s surface. Repeat all around.
5. If desired, brush the glaze over the crust for a deeper color while baking. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes until the eggs are set. Let the galette cool then enjoy.

Eggs can be used in a variety of ways, any time of the day: with veggies in a frittata, mixed with cooked quinoa and baked in a muffin tin or in a galette as seen here. Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse full of protein and vitamins like B12 that provide energy, help with DNA production and maintain the health of your nerve cells.” —Robin DeCicco, holistic nutritionist in Ramsey