Cook Like a Rock Star (14 page)

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Authors: Anne Burrell

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Take a bite and take a bow!

Grilled Porcini with Poached Egg & Parmigiano

SERVES: 4 • TIME: ABOUT 20 MINUTES

I am a huge fan of eggs—and I especially LOOOOOVE them when they’re served at a meal other than breakfast (though I love them for breakfast too!). There’s something elegant about putting an egg on a salad—and this particular salad combines the earthy meatiness of porcini mushrooms and the runny yolk of an egg, a combo that I think makes this a super-sexy appetizer or a lovely lunch.

MISE EN PLACE

1 pound porcini mushrooms, trimmed, cleaned, and cut in half lengthwise

Extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

Crushed red pepper, to taste

4 slices rustic Italian bread, cut in half on the bias

1 clove garlic

Big fat finishing oil

3 tablespoons white vinegar

4 large eggs

2 cups baby arugula

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano

1
Preheat the grill.

2
In a large bowl, toss the mushrooms with olive oil until lightly coated, then give them a sprinkle of salt and red pepper. Put the mushrooms flat side down on the grill and cook until they start to soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Rotate the mushrooms 90 degrees and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes, then turn them over and grill for 2 to 3 minutes more. The mushrooms should be beautifully marked, soft, and pliable. Remove from the grill and reserve in a warm spot.

3
Grill each slice of bread until lightly charred on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes total. Rub each slice with the garlic clove and drizzle with the big fat finishing oil.

4
While grilling the mushrooms and bread, fill a medium saucepan two-thirds of the way with water; add the vinegar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat until no bubbles break the surface of the water; the idea is to create an egg Jacuzzi, a very gentle cooking method.

5
Gently crack the eggs into the poaching liquid and cook for 4 minutes. When they’re done, the whites will be cooked through and the yolks will be warm and runny. While the eggs are cooking, toss the arugula in a large bowl with the lemon juice, a drizzle of big fat finishing oil, and a pinch of salt. TASTE IT and reseason if needed; the salad should be very flavorful but not soggy. Arrange the dressed arugula on serving plates and top with the porcini.

6
Remove the eggs from the poaching liquid with a slotted spoon and make a pit stop on a paper or tea towel to remove any excess water (you don’t want to sog up your salad).

7
Lay a poached egg on top of the porcini and arugula, give each a sprinkey-dink of Parm, a pinch of red pepper, a bit of lemon zest, and a drizzle of big fat finishing oil. Serve with the grilled bread.

Voilà!

POACHING: GET OVER IT

Poaching is a way to cook eggs in water outside of the shell. The key here is acidulated water—a very big term for water that has acid added to it. Usually I use white vinegar, but lemon juice will work too. You just don’t want to use something colored like balsamic vinegar or it will tint your eggs (however, in a pinch, this will work too). You want to add enough acid so that as soon as the whites hit the water, they begin to coagulate into a nice tight package—but you don’t want them to smell (or taste!) like you’re dying Easter eggs.

Poaching is a very GENTLE cooking method, unlike boiling, which is a very VIOLENT cooking method. If you try to poach eggs in boiling water, you will end up with egg drop soup. As an insurance policy, and to make sure the water is the proper temperature, take a pot of water and bring it to a boil (BTB). Turn the heat down until all the bubbles go away. Then, to drop your eggs into the poaching liquid, get very close to the surface of the water—this way you won’t break your yolks!

Hey, did you know you can even poach eggs ahead of time? It’s easy: Follow the directions above and once the eggs are cooked, hold them in a bowl of cool water until ready to serve. Then simply rewarm them in a pot of barely simmering water.

SERVES: 4 TO 6 • TIME: ABOUT 20 MINUTES

I look forward to tomato season all year—then when it comes, I always eat too many and practically overdose on them! But what’s better than tomatoes with olive oil, vinegar, and a little salt? Tomatoes with goat cheese! What more can I say about an in-season heirloom tomato salad with other fabulous summer stuff thrown in? It’s perfection.

MISE EN PLACE

1 8- to 10-ounce log of goat cheese

2 cups baby arugula

¼ cup red wine vinegar

¼ cup big fat finishing oil

Kosher salt

2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, different sizes, shapes, and colors, cut into wedges or slices

1 small red onion, finely julienned

6 or 7 fresh basil leaves, cut into a
chiffonade

1
Preheat the oven to 375°F.

2
Put the goat cheese in a small ovenproof dish and bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cheese is warm, very soft, and slightly oozy.

3
While the cheese warms, toss the arugula in a medium bowl with 1 tablespoon each red wine vinegar and finishing oil, and season with salt. Divide the arugula between four serving plates.

4
In large bowl toss the tomatoes, onion, and basil with the remaining oil and vinegar and season with salt. Arrange the tomato mixture on top of the arugula and garnish each plate with a dollop of the warm goat cheese.

Holy tomato!

Grilled Shrimp with Chickpea Fries, Zucchini & Pine Nut Salad

SERVES: 4 • TIME: ABOUT 2 HOURS, MOSTLY UNATTENDED

There are so many things to love about chickpea fries—for starters you can make the base for this dish ahead of time and then fry up the fries just before you want to serve them. Also, I’ve added some crunched-up chickpeas into the mix for texture. And who ever thought of pairing these lovelies with a raw zucchini and onion salad? Look at me—always thinking up something new! Add a couple of grilled shrimp and some pine nuts, and you have something really special.