As the spokesperson for the incredible edible egg and America’s egg farmers I blog about cooking eggs every Tuesday.
I still remember vividly being a kid and going to Sunday brunch with the family. It was always a big deal to get dressed up. The idea of the buffet was so grand and something to really look forward to. All I can eat and an entire dessert table!! One of my favorites was, and still is eggs Benedict. It is such a perfect balance of flavors and textures. 
The first thing that would catch my eye would be the two perfectly poached eggs perched proudly on top of the crispy English muffins. The gown of Hollandaise was protecting the yolks until I was ready. A gently push with my fork and the luscious egg yolk would run out and combine with the Hollandaise to create the perfect sauce. The slightly crisp asparagus added the perfect bit of resistance to the otherwise silky texture. The slices of ham made it a balanced meal adding a touch of salt and that wonderful pork flavor.
We don’t do many buffets now but we do like to enjoy a great brunch at home on the weekends as a family. If you keep a couple hard-cooked eggs in the refrigerator this recipe is even quicker. My quick and much healthier version of a Hollandaise is as follows.
Puree two hard-cooked egg yolks in a blender with 1 Tb of lemon juice, 1 Tb water, a pinch of salt and a couple drops of mustard. Puree to smooth. There is no butter like a traditional Hollandaise so it is a much easier, quicker process yet the result has the same luxurious mouth feel.
Toast your English muffins. Top with your choice of ham, asparagus or whatever you like, then the poached eggs(you can absolutely use fried eggs as well). Waterfall your “hollandaise” over the top and enjoy! If you want instructions on how to poach eggs check out my blog on poaching eggs www.jeffreysaad.com . I just saw a Modern Marvels episode on the History Channels. They did an entire piece on the incredible egg. Not only was it very interesting but they recommended 4-7 eggs per week per person as part of a balanced, healthy diet. There is nothing better than being told what I love to eat is also good for me. Enjoy your eggs.
New News – America’s egg farmers are searching for the next Incredible Person! You can share videos of you and/or your child’s extraordinary mind/body talents and skills on www.incredibleegg.org. The winner will have a chance to appear in an incredible edible egg ad along with other great prizes, including a year’s supply of eggs and a donation of 10,000 eggs to the winner’s local food bank of choice! On top of that, America’s egg farmers will match every video uploaded by donating one egg to Feeding America!
Eat Well, Enjoy life, Be happy
The kids and I are missing mom but she called last night so everyone was happy. She spent the day in a field of an endless variety of orchids after floating through the water on a bamboo “gondola” type vessel. The kids and I spent the day on Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles and went to CVS for some toiletries. You pick? Time to eat!
I am always ready to go towards the taco when I am hungry. To me a taco means a tortilla filled with whatever mouth-watering combination you are in the mood for. Yesterday it was salmon. Grilled salmon topped with red wine vinegar pickled red onions, tiny cubes of fingerling potatoes roasted with brown mustard seeds and a dill yogurt. What kind of tortilla, flour or corn, is always about my mood and the ingredients I am using. A flour tortilla is soft and warm and really cuddles whatever is inside. There is a distinctive chew to it. A corn tortilla screams Mexico; rustic, full of rich corn flavor. Although it is robust in flavor it is delicate in texture and will come apart more easily. I like a corn tortilla when I want to fill it with a small amount of something rich like some tiny cubed pork, carnitas, or skirt steak.
For the salmon tacos:
You want to pickle the red onions for at least two hours. ½ a red onion sliced thin. ½ C. red wine vinegar, a pinch of salt and a few sprigs of fresh dill. Toss well and continue to stir at room temperate every 20 minutes. Watch the onions become bright purple. They soften and their strong sharp flavor becomes balanced and sweet.
Season the salmon and grill to MR. Set aside. 
Mix your favorite plain yogurt with a little milk to thin it out to a thick sauce consistency. Stir in a pinch of salt and some fresh plucked dill. Pull off the leaves in small pieces and toss them in. No need to chop.
Cube some potatoes very small (I used fingerling) and boil until tender. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking and let drain to remove excess water. In a small pan add a touch of olive oil. Once hot add the potato and a thin layer of brown mustard seeds. The brown seeds are spicier and have a deep nutty flavor as they pop in the hot oil. A touch of salt is always a flavor enhancer.
Grill your tortilla and lay it on a plate. Pick up the salmon and let it fall apart onto the tortilla in random chunks. Top with some potato, then the red onions and finish with a drizzle of the dill yogurt. Take a bite and enjoy the taco at a whole new level. The full flavor of the salmon is tamed by the sweet acidity of the red onions. The potatoes collapse in your mouth providing the perfect textural balance to the crisp onions. The yogurt sauce is the foil to the slightly spicy mustard seeds and the dill comes through with its weedy, enticing perfume. Buen provecho (bon appetite) as they say in Mexico. But that is the only thing Mexican about this taco. Enjoy.
Eat well, Enjoy life, Be happy
Egg Tuesday – Simple can so often be better. Three ingredient recipes in fewer than 4 minutes.
As the spokesperson for the incredible edible egg and America’s egg farmers I blog about cooking eggs every Tuesday.
I am always happy to play in the kitchen for hours at a time but sometimes I only have a few minutes to spare. The good news is even when you only have a few minutes you do not have to sacrifice health, flavor or quality! Over the last couple days I was in that situation but still needed my egg fix. Here are the two dishes I made in less than 4 minutes.
Black pepper magic –
I fried an egg in olive oil over medium heat and loaded it with black pepper. It is easy to forget that black pepper is not just a sister seasoning to salt but a magical, slightly spicy, full flavored spice on its own. I used about five times more pepper than I would have if I was just seasoning my egg. If you have a pepper grinder that is the way to go. Grind on a course setting and enjoy the texture, vibrancy, and mild dried fruit and spice flavor. The olive oil was essentially poaching the egg from below. When the white was starting to set I covered the pan and allowed the steam to cook the top. This was one of the tastiest eggs ever. The black pepper sunk into the rich, satisfying yolk as I cut into it. The olive oil gave the white a beautiful yellow glow and clean flavor. A piece of toast and I was on my way with the lingering mild heat of black pepper and the perfectly satiated, sustainable feeling I love.
Do you have another 4 minutes?
Fried egg in olive oil with smoked salmon and fresh dill.
You can also use dry dill and left over cooked salmon. The combination of salmon and egg may be the best start to the day your body could ask for. The dill lends its weedy, bright perfume to the dish making you feel like you are having an elegant weekend brunch. Fry the egg in olive oil or butter. Flip the egg over, add the pieces of salmon and dill and cook until set as you like it. Slide onto a plate and enjoy!
New News – America’s egg farmers are searching for the next Incredible Person! You can share videos of you and/or your child’s extraordinary mind/body talents and skills on www.incredibleegg.org. The winner will have a chance to appear in an incredible edible egg ad along with other great prizes, including a year’s supply of eggs and a donation of 10,000 eggs to the winner’s local food bank of choice! On top of that, America’s egg farmers will match every video uploaded by donating one egg to Feeding America!
Eat Well, Enjoy life, Be happy
My wife Nadia is off to Thailand for ten days with a friend. She has been all about me for the last year with the exciting change in our lives due to the food network. Now it is her turn to take care of herself. I think the key to a great relationship is to make sure both partners always have a chance to have their own space and seek out what matters to them. If you try to find ways to bring your partner joy vs analysing what they are not doing for you it comes back ten-fold. I adore my love. She left yesterday and of course we already miss her. With that said this is a great opportunity for the kids and I to have a fun ten days together.
It did not start off with a culinary bang as we ate at Panda Express at 8:30pm last night after three hours of soccer and basketball practices. Laughing with the kids and seeing how happy they were to be enjoying their beef broccoli made my orange chicken doable. I must say there is something desirable about the sweet chewy coating and the spicy orange tang. My calamari tacos at my first restaurant Sweet Heat were made with a Chinese coating of cornstarch and egg whites. You whisk the egg white and dip the calamari in. Then you dredge it in cornstarch and lay the calamari flat (uncovered) in the refrigerator to air dry. By leaving it uncovered the cornstarch dries out and that is what creates the texture while keeping the calamari encapsulated and moist inside. When you fry it (canola oil) you get a thin, crisp, slightly chewy coating that grabs any sauce you use and won’t let go. I used to use a habanero/pineapple salsa. Tasty memories! I think I need to bring that back to life with the new fryer I just got.
Today I am going to make a batch of Bolognese (the kids favorite). I have also been in a meatball craze lately. I am determined to perfect the meatball. The key is tender and light. Not mini meatloafs but balls of tender pieces of meat barely held together with panko bread crumbs, sweated leeks, garlic and the spice of choice. Browned for depth of flavor but then bathed below a simmer in sauce until they can be cut with a fork held with just one finger and thumb. So far the best I have ever had is at Delfina Pizzeria on California St. in San Francisco. This weekend is lamb meatballs with thyme and sumac tomato sauce.. Those are two of the three herbs in a classic Zahtar (Middle Eastern spice of thyme, sumac and sesame seeds). I love the citrus pucker of sumac with its dried berry flavor. It is a great compliment to the flowery grassy perfume of thyme.
I am going to do some prep over the weekend as well for an abc7 shoot on Monday (Check out my last one on cooking light via the use of spices) and to be ready for a few days worth of school lunches. My gourmet kids had a lunch request for today of panini sandwiches. I made roasted asparagus, mushroom and manchego cheese for Bella and roasted mushroom, salami and cheddar for Seby. The extra work is well worth the joy of seeing them appreciate good food! That is what life is all about! A little love and money doesn’t hurt either. Time to get busy. Have a great day and eat something memorable!
Eat well, Enjoy life, Be happy
Egg Tuesday – Quick start for an energy filled day and a chance to have the world know about your child’s extraordinary mind/body talents!
As the spokesperson for the incredible edible egg and America’s egg farmers I blog about cooking eggs every Tuesday.
As a dad there is nothing more rewarding than knowing you are taking great care of your kids. Part of that duty for me is sending my kids Sebastian and Isabella off to school energized and ready for the day. The high-quality protein in eggs provides the mind and body energy they need for long school day. 
The recipe below has been a success for me because it is quick and a success for the kids because they love it! It is incredible how you can take the same three simple ingredients and by changing the way you deliver them they become something new and exciting.
5 minute Breakfast Crumble
Serves: 2
Two eggs
2 pieces of bread
1 small, pre-cooked chicken/apple sausage
Place two eggs in a small pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Turn to just below a simmer. Add the pre-cooked sausage to the water with the eggs and cook both for five minutes.
While the eggs are cooking toast two pieces of bread. Cut into cubes(croutons).
Remove sausage and chop into pieces.
Rinse eggs under cold water. Peel and place in a bowl.
Break up eggs with a fork. Stir in chopped sausage and croutons.
Spoon into two bowls (or ramekins) and serve!
You could also prepare the egg sausage mixture the night before and microwave it just until warm. The egg yolk coats the croutons making them rich and tasty. The chicken apple sausage provides just the right amount of meat flavor and the apple is the perfect touch of sweetness.
New News – America’s egg farmers are searching for the next Incredible Person! You can share videos of you and/or your child’s extraordinary mind/body talents and skills on www.incredibleegg.org. The winner will have a chance to appear in an incredible edible egg ad along with other great prizes, including a year’s supply of eggs and a donation of 10,000 eggs to the winner’s local food bank of choice! On top of that, America’s egg farmers will match every video uploaded by donating one egg to Feeding America!
I believe that food is about the daily joy of eating and living. Simple, tasty, and clean. It shouldn’t have to be too fancy or too expensive. When I opened my first restaurant in San Francisco called Sweet Heat my goal was to apply gourmet cooking principals to food that tasted of the world but in an easy to enjoy format. It was inexpensive and straight forward which allowed me to see my customers several times a week. No matter what was going on in their lives when I had them they were in heaven for 40 minutes. They spent less than $15 and had a blast. That is what the restaurant business is all about for me.
With that said there are times when I want to be transformed to another place via food. When the food comes together properly that place is what heaven must be like! I feel an outer body experience as I taste food that consumes all of my attention. Food that fills my mouth with such perfectly balanced flavor and texture that I find it hard to open my eyes as I eat. Too many times I decide to spend that chunk of money for that experience and it falls short. My visit to Marea in Manhattan this week was one of those times when I got my moneys worth and then some! Five course tasting menu with wines to match. Here we go!
First Course – Sea Urchin, lardo and sea salt crostini. It was like sea custard with melted lardo that almost vanished under the heat. Just when I thought it could not get any better the bits of sea salt melted on my tongue and re-ignited the entire flavor profile all over again. A glass of yeasty sparkling Italian chardonnay was the perfect balance. The yeastiness of the bubbly played nicely with the rich flavor of the sea. The acid in the bubbly provided the perfect cleansing balance to the richness of the lardo. The “finish” would not end! I felt guilty finally extinguishing the never-ending finish with a bite of oil rich house made focaccia.
Second course – 
Three raw bites – bay scallops with mandarin orange and wild baby arugula. Skate with lemon thyme, and a beautiful gem of big-eye tuna with an herbed oyster cream and crispy slice of sunchoke. I was able to fully taste the flavor of each ingredient yet they all came together to be something more than their individual parts. A glass of Verdicchio was the perfect balance. The wine accelerated the mandarin orange flavor brilliantly.
Third course – Lobster, burrata cheese, basil seed, eggplant and tomato salad. Whoever said seafood and cheese don’t go together has never had this dish!! One of my favorites of the night. Tender, perfectly cooked morsels of lobster tucked into a fresh mozzarella “comforter” were the pinnacle of decadence. The basil seeds with the tiny chunks of fresh, sweet tomatoes cut the richness and brought that perfume that make you say “ah, yes, I recognize that caprese flavor profile”. The tiny cubes of slightly firm eggplant provided a firmness that kept me from slipping away forever in the otherwise creamy cloud of flavor. This dish was truly the best of seafood and dairy together. It was like a cold “melt” if that makes any sense. The Vermentino was not a good wine match. The wine was way to full bodied and full flavored. It overwhelmed all the delicate nuances of the dish.
Fourth course – Veal tongue, seafood sausage, cabbage and hazelnuts. The chef is brilliant at combining seafood with animal fat. This was a great example. The richness and full meaty flavor of the tongue married brilliantly with the seafood sausage. The seafood sausage ate like a pork sausage but with the delicate flavor of seafood. The meat and the seafood swapped places as the seafood provided the firmness and the veal tongue was the soft texture. The cabbage provided the always necessary acid balance and the toasted hazelnuts brought you back full circle with their rich, nutty crunch. A Loire Sauvignon Blanc from Quincy was a tasty match. The herby quality of the wine played nicely with the vegetal character of the cabbage and the acids cancelled each other out and brought the flavors of the food to the forefront.
Fifth course – Octopus Bolognese with bone marrow. Bursts of rich pleasure from the marrow. The tomato sauce was spicy and the octopus had great texture but unfortunately you could not taste the flavor of the octopus. The tomato and bone marrow completely buried it. The Nero d’ Avola red wine was a great match but again was more of a red wine with meat profile that overwhelmed the octopus even further.
A glass of raisinated sweet Italian dessert wine was the perfect finish. It was like an after dinner drink and dessert all in one. I enjoyed this while practicing my Spanish with an awesome couple on vacation from Mexico. The wife promises to send me a famous family recipe from her grandmother. I will share that one with you when I get it!
Although this is not a meal I can afford very often I was so grateful to have it be one that felt worth every penny. There are chefs that truly know how to coax the best out of each ingredient and create flavor combinations that you never thought of. Thank you Marea.
Eat well, Enjoy life, Be happy
