Dayrecipe Food Community

Using the freshest eggs possible is the key to great poached eggs. This dish makes a savory breakfast or, when paired with a salad, a satisfying brunch.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 20 min

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 4(3-inch-wide) portabella mushroom caps, stems discarded
• 2plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 3tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2teaspoon salt
• 1/4teaspoon black pepper
• 1teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 4large eggs
• 1/2teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 4thin slices fontina cheese
• 1tablespoon finely chopped fresh chives

DIRECTIONS Preheat broiler.

Brush mushrooms and tomatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Arrange mushrooms, stemmed sides down, and tomato halves, cut sides up, on a broiler pan.

Broil vegetables about 6 inches from heat, turning over mushrooms halfway through cooking, until tender and tomatoes are slightly charred, about 7 minutes total. (Leave broiler on.)

While vegetables are broiling, fill a deep 10-inch skillet with 1 1/4 inches cold water. Add white vinegar and bring to a simmer.

Break 1 egg into a cup, then slide egg into simmering water. Repeat with remaining eggs, spacing them in skillet, and poach at a bare simmer until whites are firm but yolks are still runny, 2 to 3 minutes.

Gently transfer eggs with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain and season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle stemmed sides of mushrooms with balsamic vinegar, then put 1 tomato half, cut side up, on each mushroom and top with an egg. Cover eggs with cheese slices and broil until cheese is just melted, about 1 minute. Sprinkle with chives and serve immediately.

Cooks’ note:
The eggs in this recipe are not fully cooked, which may be of concern if salmonella is a problem in your area. You can substitute pasteurized eggs (in the shell) or cook eggs until yolks are set.

Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 1 1/4 hr

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 2(1 1/2-lb) cornish game hens, halved lengthwise and backs removed
• 1/4cup fresh orange juice
• 2tablespoons soy sauce
• 1tablespoon white-wine vinegar
• 1teaspoon honey
• 1/8teaspoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/4teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.

Pat hens dry and whisk together remaining ingredients in a small bowl.

Marinate hens in orange juice mixture in a sealed bag, chilled, 15 minutes.

Transfer hens, skin sides up, with marinade to a 13- by 9- by 3-inchroasting pan and roast, basting with juices every 10 minutes, for 30 minutes. After third basting, roast hens until skin is golden and juices run clear when a thigh is pierced, about 15 minutes more. Transfer hens to a platter and drizzle liberally with pan juices.

The combination of dried porcini and fresh crimini mushrooms gives this dish an intensely earthy flavor.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• nonstick vegetable oil spray
• 2 1/2pounds small red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1 1/2-inch wedges
• 5tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1pound crimini mushrooms, halved if large1/2ounce dried porcini mushrooms,* ground to powder in blender
• 3tablespoons chopped fresh italian parsley

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 425°F. Spray large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray. Combine potatoes and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl; toss to coat. Transfer potatoes to prepared sheet. Roast until tender and brown, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add crimini mushrooms; sauté until brown and tender, about 12 minutes. (Potatoes and mushrooms can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand separately at room temperature.)

Add potatoes and remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet with mushrooms. Sauté over medium-high heat until potatoes are crisp and heated through, about 6 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with porcini mushroom powder; toss to coat. Transfer to bowl, sprinkle with parsley, and serve.

*Dried porcini mushrooms are available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores, and many supermarkets.

Coarse salt acts as an abrasive, making garlic easier to chop finely. Tangerine juice adds a bright, exotic flavor to roasting vegetables. Call your butcher ahead to order the pheasant.

Makes 4 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 clove of garlic
• coarse salt
• juice of 2 tangerines, plus
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated peel and 1 tangerine, halved
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dried tarragon
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1/2 pound white new potatoes, scrubbed and quartered
• 4 large ripe plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeded
• 1 pheasant, about 2 1/2 pounds
• 2 sprigs fresh tarragon, or flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tart apple, cored and cut in pieces
• 2 shallots, peeled and halved
• 3 to 4 sprigs fresh sage, plus extra for garnish
• 3 slices turkey bacon
• 1/8 cup defatted chicken broth

DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Mince the garlic with the salt; place in a bowl. Add the tangerine juice and peel, 1 tablespoon olive oil, dried tarragon, and pepper. Set aside.

2. Blanch the carrots and potatoes for 7 to 8 minutes in boiling water. Drain and place in a bowl with the tomatoes. Reserve.

3. Carefully loosen breast skin of the pheasant; place a sprig of tarragon underneath each side of the breast. Replace the skin neatly. Squeeze the halved tangerine into the cavity, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the apple pieces, shallots, and sage in the cavity; tie legs together with kitchen string.

4. Place reserved vegetables in a small roasting pan. Toss with garlic-tangerine mixture. Place the pheasant, breast side up, on top of the vegetables. Brush pheasant with the remaining tablespoon of oil. Lay bacon slices over the breast. Pour broth in the bottom of the pan.

5. Roast in the center of the oven for 1 hour, basting 2 or 3 times. Remove bacon and continue to roast until the breast is brown and the pheasant is cooked through, about 20 to 30 minutes longer. Test for doneness with tip of a knife in the thickest part of the thigh. The juices should run clear. Let pheasant rest 10 minutes before carving.

6. Carve the pheasant, remove to a serving platter and surround with the vegetables. Spoon some of the juices over top. Serve extra juices alongside. Garnish with fresh sage.

“Although I’m not usually a big fan of fish, I love the roasted salmon at the Saucebox here in Portland,” writes Irin Haruchai of Portland, Oregon. “The sauce served with it is out of this world.”

Spicy sauces with sweet-and-sour flavors are popular in Javanese food and, in this case, pair deliciously with salmon.

Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2cup (1 stick) plus 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1large garlic clove, minced
• 1/2cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 1/2cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2cup soy sauce
• 2teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 2 teaspoons water87-ounce salmon fillets26-ounce bags baby spinach

DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 400°F. Melt 1/2 cup butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper and garlic and stir until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sugar; whisk until mixture is melted and smooth and begins to bubble, about 4 minutes. Whisk in lime juice and soy sauce. Increase heat and boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 2 minutes. Add cornstarch mixture and boil until thick, about 3 minutes. Set sauce aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over high heat. Working in batches, cook salmon until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet. Spoon 1 tablespoon sauce over each fillet. Roast until fish is opaque in center, about 5 minutes.

Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add spinach and toss until wilted but still bright green, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using tongs, divide spinach among 8 plates. Top each with salmon fillet; drizzle with remaining sauce and serve.