Poached Eggs In Piperade Food

GRIDDLED ASPARAGUS, PIPERADE, POACHED EGGS, AND GRITS

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken stock, butter, and sea salt to taste, and bring to a boil over high heat. Whisk in the grits and stir for 1 minute with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to low and cook the grits, stirring often, for 20 minutes or until they are tender. Finish the grits with the cream, add more sea salt to taste, and stir well. Cover to keep warm. (I use the waxed paper from a stick of butter for this, placed butter side down over the grits so they don't develop an unseemly crust.)
• Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the garlic. Slowly cook the garlic over medium-low heat, making sure not to allow any color to develop, for about 5 minutes. Add the shallots, bell peppers, and a few pinches of sea salt. Cook for 12 minutes or until tender. Add the tomatoes, bay leaves, and Espelette pepper. Continue to cook for 15 more minutes or until the consistency is much like a thick soup. Finish with the sherry vinegar and sea salt to taste, and cover and set aside to keep warm. Remove the bay leaves prior to serving.
• Place a large cast-iron sauté pan over medium-high heat. In a mixing bowl, toss the asparagus, the remaining tablespoon of olive oil, and a few pinches of sea salt. When the pan is giving off a light smoke, place the asparagus in the hot pan and cook for 2 minutes. Turn the asparagus over and cook for an additional 2 minutes. The asparagus should have good, even char marks all around and be crisp-tender. Remove from the heat.
• Spoon the grits evenly onto 4 plates. Place a poached egg on each plate, and arrange the griddled asparagus and pipérade over the top.

POACHED EGGS IN PIPéRADE

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion, bell peppers, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and sauté until soft, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread mixture evenly in skillet. Carefully break eggs over vegetable mixture, spacing evenly. Sprinkle eggs with salt and pepper; cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Cook eggs until whites set but yolks are still soft, about 5 minutes.
• Using wide spatula, transfer 2 eggs with vegetable mixture underneath to each plate. Spoon remaining vegetables around eggs. Sprinkle pipérade with feta cheese and serve.

GRITS AND EGGS WITH PIPERADE

Steps:

• For the grits: In a medium saucepan, combine the chicken stock, grits, sea salt, and butter and bring to a boil over high heat, stirring with a wooden spoon. Reduce the heat to low and cook the grits, stirring often, for 30 minutes or until tender.
• For the tomato concasse: To peel the tomato, bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Prep the tomatoes by making an X at one end and trimming the other. Drop the tomatoes in boiling water for 10-60 seconds, depending on ripeness, then immediately place in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Peel the tomato skin away; then slice around the seeds and dice to make a traditional concasse.
• Make the piperade: In a medium saucepan, combine the olive oil, garlic, and shallots. Slowly cook over medium-low heat, making sure not to allow any color to develop, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, peppers, a pinch of sea salt, the bay leaves, and Espelette pepper. Continue to cook for 20 more minutes or until the consistency is much like a thick soup. While the piperade is cooking, finish the grits with heavy cream, stir, and then cover with a butter wrapper to prevent a film from forming on top. Set aside. Finish the piperade with a pinch of salt, Espelette pepper, and sherry vinegar. Cover and set aside to keep warm. (Remove the bay leaves prior to serving.)
• Poach the eggs: Pour 2 quarts of cold water into your poaching pot and bring to a simmer, until the temperature on a thermometer reads around 180 degrees F. Add distilled white vinegar and a pinch of salt to the water. Find 4 ramekins or teacups in your cupboard. Crack 1 egg into each ramekin. Swirl the water a few times with a large spoon. While the water is still swirling around, gently pour an egg into the water. Start the timer. We are going for 4 minutes for a soft yolk, but if you like firm yolks, go longer. When it's done, spoon the egg onto paper towels to drain; then season with a pinch of salt. Note: Poaching can be done with up to 4 eggs at a time.
• Plate the dish: Spoon grits onto plate and nestle a spoonful of piperade off to the side. Gently place the poached egg on top of the piperade. Finish with a sprinkle of Espelette pepper over the egg. Serve immediately.

EGGS PIPERADE

Steps:

• Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add bell peppers and garlic; saute 5 minutes.
• Add thyme, salt, ground red pepper, and tomatoes; cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook 7 minutes or until bell peppers are tender.
• Uncover, and cook 1 minute or until liquid almost evaporates.
• Gently stir in eggs; cover, and cook 3 minutes or until set.
• Garnish with parsley, if desired.
• Cut into wedges.

EGGS POACHED IN PIPERADE

Steps:

• Cook onion and bell peppers in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet, covered, over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 7 to 8 minutes. Add paprika and garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add tomatoes with juice and cook, uncovered, until vegetables are tender, 5 to 9 minutes.
• Spread mixture evenly in skillet and make 6 indentations in the mixture with the back of a spoon. Carefully break eggs into each indentation. Sprinkle eggs with salt and pepper; cover skillet and reduce heat to low. Cook eggs until whites set but yolks are still soft, about 5 minutes.
• Using wide spatula, transfer 2 eggs with vegetable mixture underneath to each plate. Spoon remaining vegetables around eggs. Sprinkle pipérade with feta cheese and serve.