Prosciutto Egg Breakfast Tarts

Seriously, a very simple dish and quite delicious. Great for breakfast and also easy if you're need to serve for 10+ people. Each person should get at least two.  The directions and photos below are for prosciutto and egg.  However, I made these again for a family gathering and used turkey bacon with the addition of green onions and they were much better; sorry no pictures. Recommend you add in the chopped green onions.

Prosciutto Egg Breakfast Tarts

Serves 2 (2 tarts each)

4 slices of prosciutto (you can also use bacon)

2 egg

Pepper

*1 stalk chopped green onions (entire thing - whites and greens)

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. 

2. Spray a mini muffin in (if it's not non-stick or if your bacon/prosciutto isn't very fatty).  Using one strip and form into the shape of the muffin cup.  I cut the slice into two pieces as it was easier to mold. 

3. Crack an egg into a bowl. One egg will fill two cups with one holding the yolk and the other of egg whites. Slowly pour the egg into two cups.  Add chopped green scallions if you have and then top with a little bit of pepper.  I don't add salt as the prosciutto is salty as will your bacon if you use that.

4. Bake for 10 minutes. Bake a little less if you want the yolk to be a little runny. Carefully scoop out the tart with a fork and eat immediately while it is still hot!

So Fresh Edamame Salad

This is a dish I discovered several years ago during a Central Market cooking class. In that class, this salad was served alongside grilled lamb chops. It's such a simple and incredibly fast dish that I love making it when I'm in a bind and need a somewhat healthy lunch. 

I feel like edamame has really taken off in the past few years and is now a much more common snack. It's no longer just the soybeans you have in a japanese restaurants. You find it now incorporated into a variety of non-Japanese food now. 

I typically buy the frozen edamame from the asian grocery store. Nowadays, you can find this in almost any store.  I have found that I prefer the edamame that are still in the pods versus the ones that are already shelled. I feel like the unshelled beans taste firmer and fresher. Just my preference but it does mean it takes a little longer to shell each one. 

Edamame Salad

Serves 3

1 package soy beans / edamame

5 radishes, sliced

1 large shallot, minced

Zest of one lemon
6 slices of prosciutto, sliced in similar size as the radish
1 tsp Dijon mustard
3 tbsp champagne vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Juice from one lemon
S&P

1. If you have frozen edamame, boil water and then briefly soak the edamame. Shell so you have individual beans.

2. Make sure you thoroughly wash the radish. Slice approximately five radishes into thin slivers.  

3. Mince the shallots. Taking about six slices of proscuitto, I rolled it and slice into slivers. Then take a rough chop so they are smaller pieces. Add to the soy beans. 

4. In a small bowl, mix the mustard, champagne vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Whisk well.

5. Toss the dressing with the salad. Take a quick taste and add S&P as needed. If you need more acidity, add more lemon. I have a tendency to always add an additional splash of vinegar.

Proscuitto & Fennel on Rye

For Christmas 2010, we spent it up in Southlake at Hilda's and Eric's new home. Beside the food, time was spent cooking, eating, shopping and more importantly, playing with Baby Sophie, who is THE cutest baby ever.

As you can see from my previous post, I'm a little obsessed with fennel having found this new veggie just a few months ago.  This is a very easy appetizer to put together and serve for guests while they wait for the main meal to finish cooking.  I found this recipe on Real Simple and didn't do much to it. 

Proscuitto & Fennel on Rye
Makes about 15
Recipe adapted from Real Simple

1 roll of sliced rye bread (you can use a baguette if you prefer)

3 bulbs of fennel

S&P

1/4 cup olive oil

2 lemon

1 lb sliced proscuitto

1 bunch of parsley

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Slightly brush olive oil on the sliced rye bread and let these toast for only a few minutes.

2. Make the fennel salad. Clean and wash the fennel, slice and toss with a lemon vinagrette (look at previous post here to learn how) and the chopped parsley.  You can added freshly grated parmesan cheese but sister is on a no milk diet due to baby's allergies!  This made significantly more than you need for these appetizers but I love having this on the side as well for a light salad. 

3. Now to assemble.  After the rye bread is done toasting, slightly pull apart proscuitto and place a nice pile on top of each slice of bread.  Top this with the fennel salad and then sprinkle just an tiny, tiny amount of S&P. Beware, you can eat several of these so make sure to limit - or you won't be hungry for your real dinner!

Chicken Wrapped in Proscuitto

I am particular with my Food Network shows and cooks, and unfortunately, Rachael Ray, is a victim of the pass by click of the remote control.  I'm sure her dishes are fantastic, but I just can't sit through an entire episode.  I'm also not going to into why. =)  Regardless, this is one of her recipes that I found online and it turned out pretty well.  It could use a few more tweaks but still pretty tasty for a first time recipe.

I have an abundance of rosemary and need to find ways to use it before the cold (whenever it comes in Houston) takes it away.  Holy, the many uses for rosemary.  I've used it with steak, with butternut squash, with chicken, with salad dressing, and on and on.  This dish combines the best of three things I'm loving - chicken thighs (hooray! for dark meat), rosemary and proscuitto (hooray! for proscuitto). 

  

I also made this for Hilda and Eric but cooked by quickly searing and then popping in the oven.  I don't think I have a preference on using the pan vs. oven.  I probably prefer to just use one so not to have to hassle with both.  Both tasted similar.  Again, I'll probably tweak this the next time I make it - use orange zest and juice instead of the olive oil, use different herbs (probably just as good with fresh thyme or oregano which I have now thanks to my friend Liz! Look at that trio of fresh herbs!), who knows, so many different ways to tweak! 

Chicken Wrapped in Proscuitto

Recipe adapted from Rachael Ray

4 chicken thighs, boneless

8 sprigs of rosemary (half minced and half whole leaves)

5 garlic cloves, half minced, halfed sliced

4 slices of proscuitto

1 lemon (zest and juice)

1/8 cup of olive oil
1/4 cup chicken broth (you may need more based on your preference)
Dash of dried oregano
Dash of garlic powder
S&P

1. Make sure to wash and dry the chicken thighs. Cut off those excess fat pockets on the thighs. S&P each of the thighs.

2. In a bowl large enough to hold the all the chicken, pour the olive oil, minced garlic and sliced garlic, minced rosemary, oregano, garlic powder, lemon zest and juice. Mix well, add the chicken and coat each side of the thighs.  Let this sit for about 15 minutes.

3. Take the proscuitto out and lay each of the four slices on a board. Take a thigh and put a bunch of rosemary leaves, garlic slices in the middle, wrap up in a roll (as much as you can), and wrap the proscuitto around it.  4. In a medium high pan, sear each side of the chicken.  Don't worry if the middle is not cooked, you just want that crispy proscuitto.  Once seared, add in the chicken broth and cover the pan.  Let it steam cook until done.  

Brussel Sprouts w/Proscuitto

What is the perfect side dish to so many chicken dishes, spaghetti or steak? Or even a great complement to mashed potatoes? Brussel sprouts spruced up with some yummy crunchy bits of proscuitto.

Side note. Since I mentioned mashed potatoes, I have to talk about a recent experience of some of the best I've had in quite a long time. Last Sunday was my cousin's wedding and for the dress rehearsal dinner, we had these amazing potatoes that I can hardly explain. It was creamy but thick at the same time. Had a significant substance to them but no lumps. No apparent herbs but incorporated a type of cheese that I can't exactly pinpoint.  This was one of those moments where you immediately start comparing any future mash potatoes tastings to that one little pile of yummy goodiness on your plate. Agh.

I digress. Back to brussel sprouts. I didn't always like to eat these little suckers. It hasn't been until the past few years where I realized that simply cooking brussel sprouts with a little salt, pepper and olive oil in the oven was so delicious. And healthy! This is a quick side dish to complement rice or meat. Its a little salty and lightly crunchy due to the proscuitto. Yum!

Brussel Sprouts with Proscuitto

Serves 4-6

1-1.5 lbs brussel sprouts

4 slices proscuitto

pinch of garlic salt

S&P

1. Thoroughly clean the brussel sprouts and slice them into strips. Slice the proscuitto into small strips (I like to roll a slice of proscuitto into a log and then slice)

2. Heat pan with a little bit of olive oil and quickly cook the proscuitto. Add in the brussel sprouts and let it cook for a little while longer. Add a pinch of garlic salt and pepper. Take a quick taste check and if needed, add some salt. Serve while still hot!