What's for Brunch?

Mollet Eggs Florentine

I’ve always been one for an elaborate breakfast. I believe the first meal of the day should be a big deal, especially considering how important it is. Normally I don’t have a lot of time on my hands to make an elaborate breakfast. But when I see a recipe online that I just have to try, I make time for it. Plus Fridays in our home are all about sleeping in a little, going for Jumah prayers and brunch. So that gives me even more time to cook up something elaborate.

I found the recipe for Mollet Eggs Florentine a few months back. But I just couldn’t find time for it. And turns out, my Mom isn’t a really big fan of the soft-boiled eggs. The thing is, “mollet” means soft in French, or so the site said where I found the recipe. The eggs are supposed to be boiled so that the yolk is solid but not completely cooked through. So if you’re not a big fan of raw or raw-ish eggs, just forget the “mollet” part and make a simple Eggs Florentine by boiling the eggs completely through.

Ingredients

8 large eggs, preferably organic

SPINACH
2 pounds spinach
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper powder
3 tablespoons grated Mozarella cheese

MORNAY SAUCE
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 tablespoons freshly grated Mozarella cheese

Directions

Bring 4 to 6 cups water to a boil in a shallow saucepan (about 8 inches wide and 3 inches deep). With a pushpin or thumbtack, prick a small hole in the rounder end of each egg (this will help prevent the shells from cracking during cooking). Using a small sieve, lower the eggs into the boiling water, and let it come back to a simmer. Cook for about 6 minutes. Pour the water out and shake the pan to crack the eggshells. Cool thoroughly.

Gently shell the eggs (to prevent breaking them) under cold running water.

FOR THE SPINACH: Bring about 1/2 inch of salted water to a boil in a stainless steel pot. Meanwhile, remove and discard the spinach stems. Drop the leaves into the boiling water and boil, covered, for about 1 minute, until wilted. Drain the spinach in a colander and immediately refresh under cold running water to stop the cooking and keep the color. Drain again, pressing on the spinach to extract as much water as possible.

Put the spinach on a chopping block and coarsely chop.

Melt the butter in a skillet over high heat and cook until it turns brown. Add the spinach, salt, pepper, and red pepper, mix well with a fork, and cook for 2 minutes.

Arrange the spinach in the bottom of an ovenproof dish large enough to accommodate the eggs. Arrange the cold eggs on the spinach, with a little space between them, and sprinkle the cheese on top.

FOR THE SAUCE: Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in the flour until smooth and cook, stirring constantly, for about 1 minute, until the mixture froths, without browning. Add the half-and-half, whipping constantly with a whisk, and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Stir in the seasonings and continue cooking over low heat for 1 minute, stirring constantly with the whisk. Cool for 6 to 8 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Add the egg yolk to the sauce, whisking very fast and hard.

Coat the eggs with the sauce and sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese. Place under the hot broiler (not too close, so the eggs have a chance to get hot inside) for 5 minutes, or until the sauce is nicely browned. Serve immediately. (This recipe serves 8.)

Original Recipe: http://blogs.kqed.org/essentialpepin/2011/09/10/mollet-eggs-florentine/

The French Connection

I never really liked soup. I didn't understand the point of soup really. Until one day when my Grandfather and I were discussing culinary specialties & he told me that he loved French Onion soup. From that day onward, the name was stuck in my head. I have been looking for some place promises me a good French Onion but couldn't find any. The restaurants were either too disappointing as a whole or too expensive. So I decided to make it myself. The recipe I found on the internet looked good and easy but it called for red wine. Can't just pour in some alcohol into a bowl of soup and serve it to my Muslim family now can I? lol

But I substituted it with some vinegar to deglaze the pan and some honey for the sweetness. Here goes the recipe:

Ingredients
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
4 Onions, sliced
2 cloves of Garlic, chopped
2 Bay Leaves
2 fresh Thyme sprigs
Kosher salt & freshly ground Black Pepper, as per taste
1/4 cup Vinegar
1 teaspoon Honey
3 heaping tablespoons All-Purpose Flour
2 quarts Beef Broth
5 slices Bread, cut into quarters
1 pack mozarella, grated

Directions

1. Melt the stick of butter in a large pot over medium heat.
2. Add the onions, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and salt & pepper. Cook until the onions are very soft and caramelized, about 25 mins.
3. Add the vinegar and honey, bring to boil and reduce the heat. Simmer until the vinegar had evaporated and the onions are seemingly dry, about 5 mins.
4. Discard the bay leaves and thyme.
5. Dust onions with flour and give them a stir. Turn heat to medium-low so that the flour doesn't burn and cook for 10 mins to cook out the raw flour taste.
6. Now add the beef broth, bring the soup back to a simmer and cook for 10 mins.
7. Arrange the bread pieces on a baking sheet in a single layer and top with mozarella and bake for 15 mins or until the mozarella had completely melted. (Alternate method: Ladle the soup into bowls, top with a slice of bread and then top that with some grated mozarella and pop the bowl into the oven for 15 mins.)
8. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with the mozarella croutons & enjoy.