Mornings with Eggs

Start your day right with an eggs-cellent breakfast that is easy, convenient and so very filling.

French Omelette

Ingredients

• 3 Eggs
• 1tbsp butter
• 1/2tsp cold water
• Salt & pepper (as per your taste)
• ½ tsp chopped cilantro (optional for garnishing)

Method:

1. Whisk the eggs with water and salt and pepper in a bowl, until it is blended well.
2. Place a non-stick skillet on the gas and melt butter – ensure that it spreads all over the skillet.
3. Pour the beaten eggs on to the skillet and stir it in a circular pattern with a wooden spatula – the idea is to lift and scramble the eggs. Move rapidly all around the skillet with the spatula, shaking the pan to level the eggs.
4. When the eggs appear creamy and softly scrambled, stop stirring. This might take a minute or two for the mixture to come together as a single mass.
5. Reduce the heat and gently spread the egg around the skillet with the spatula; smoothen the eggs to ensure the entire skillet can hold the mixture as one piece.
6. Keep cooking the egg until there are no loose eggs and all the edges are sealed.
7. Turn off the gas and starting from the handle side, start rolling the omelette into a cylinder shape using the spatula.
8. Turn the omelette straight on to the plate from the spatula, ensuring that the cylindrical shape is not lost.
9. Garnish with cilantro and serve hot!

Mediterranean Breakfast Strata

Ingredients (for 2)

• 1 ½tbsp butter
• 1clove garlic (minced)
• 1 shallot (minced)
• ½ cup button mushrooms (sliced)
• 1/2tsp dried oregano
• 3 cups bread (cut into ½ inch chunks)
• ¼ cup artichoke hearts (minced)
• 2tbsp olives (quartered)
• 2tbsp sun dried tomatoes (sliced)
• 2tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese (extra for topping)
• 1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese balls (halved)
• 3 eggs
• ¾ cup half and half
• 2tbsp basil leaves (chopped)
• Salt (to taste)

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F and melt half of the butter; brush the insides of two 1-cup baking dishes. If not for individual stratas, you could use a 1-quart baking dish and brush it with butter.
2. Melt the remaining butter on a skillet and add garlic and shallots. Sauté for two minutes before adding mushrooms and oregano. Let it cook for a couple of more minutes.
3. Remove it from the heat and place the mixture in a bowl along with bread chunks, artichoke hearts, olives, sun dried tomatoes, Parmesan and Mozzarella. Stir the mixture and mix it along with salt.
4. Fill the cups of baking dish with the bread mixture.
5. Now mix the eggs with half and half and pour the egg mixture evenly over the bread in each dish. Top it with basil and the extra Parmesan.
6. Place it on a baking sheet and bake for about 50 minutes or until eggs have set.
7. Remove it from the oven; serve after letting it rest for five minutes.

Bread, Butter and All Things Nice