ramp + herb frittata / April 16, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

eggs in general are not the most interesting thing to talk about. so instead i'm going to talk about the plethora of amazing produce that was at the farmer's market this weekend. there were all sorts of greens: mugwort, miner's lettuce, mustard greens, tatsoi (which i learned is a variation of mustard spinach), watercress, and ramps. out of all the greens i came across i chose to incorporate ramps into my dish because of their subtle onion flavor, and because their greens (unlike some other onion plants) can be eaten and enjoyed. i decided to use parsley and thyme because that's what i had that was fresh. this was the first time i used yogurt instead of milk. i was pleasantly surprised by the end result: the egg had a soft, creamy texture, and was really light. i used unsweetened soy yogurt, but i could see how greek yogurt would add an even greater flavor. this is one of those recipes you can add to, and play around with ingredients. so please do : )

1 bunch ramps, trimmed, bulbs sliced, and greens chopped (reserve some greens or garnish)

1 small shallot, minced

1/4 cup fresh herbs (parsley, thyme, tarragon, cilantro), chopped

5 eggs

1/2 cup yogurt (i used soy yogurt, but greek yogurt would be delicious as well)

salt and pepper to taste

// directions

pre heat oven to 350°

in a medium bowl, mix eggs with chopped herbs, yogurt, salt and pepper. let the mixture sit for about 30 minutes

in an oven proof skillet, heat olive oil over a medium heat. (i took a pastry brush and coated the sides of the skillet, so that way the eggs wouldn't stick when i added them later on.) add ramp bulbs and shallots. cook for 5 minutes. add ramp greens and cook until wilted - about 2 minutes

add the eggs to the skillet, turn down the heat to medium low. let the eggs set a bit; until the sides are solid and the top is set and maybe a little jiggly

transfer the skillet to the pre heated oven. bake for 7-10 minutes. eggs should be set and fluffy. cut, serve, and enjoy

huevos rancheros + black bean puree / April 11, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

as i've gotten older i have come appreciate different flavors and textures coming together in one dish. that said, for a long time i stuck to eating a limited amount of food because of my dislike for so many things out there. so, if you asked me a few years ago if i would eat eggs with beans and avocado, my answer would be "absolutely not!" this dish is composed of a bunch of ingredients i wasn't too familiar with, mostly black beans. i'm not a bean person. i don't like them cooked, baked. fried, nothing. but i really liked the idea of making a puree out of them, much like making hummus out of chickpeas. but i wanted somewhat of a molé sauce flavor, kind of like the sauce frank and i get at our favorite mexican restaurant. therefore, i added nuts, seeds, some garlic and shallot, and even cinnamon to bring out the molé tastes and tones. the puree has quickly turned into one of my favorite things. it has a distinctly sweet and savory flavor which i look forward to pairing with other dishes.

i chose to make the huevos rancheros with poached eggs. my blogger-friend, edelyn over at egeedee.wordpress.com, posted an amazing looking poached egg recipe. since then i have been honing my poaching skills and i think they've gotten good enough to offer the rest of the world some advice on egg poaching. anyhoo, you can scramble your eggs, fry them, soft boil them, whatever makes you happy. it will all taste good with what's going on here.

·· black bean puree ··

2/3 cup dry black beans, soaked and cooked

1 shallot, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 tablespoon sliced almonds (if you're using whole almonds you may want to toast them in the oven)

1 tablespoon pepitas

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (add more or less depending on your preference)

3-4 peppercorns

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup reserved water from the beans (if you're using canned beans lukewarm tap water will work)

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for sautéing

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

fine ground sea salt

·· directions ··

soak your bean overnight (in a bowl, cover the black beans with a couple inches of water. they will expand and soak up some water, so use more water than less.)

drain and rinse the soaked beans. place them in a saucepan with a couple inches of water covering them. bring the water to a boil and simmer the beans until they are cooked through and tender - about 20 - 25 minutes (it might take longer depending what kind of beans you are using.) drain beans and let them cool. *don't forget to reserve 1/4 cup of cooking water

while the beans are cooking, heat a skillet on medium heat. once hot, add a layer of olive oil. add the shallot - cook for 3-4 minutes stirring often. next, add the garlic - cook 2-3 minutes, stirring often. add the almonds, pepitas, and sesame seeds. cook until the nuts and seeds are lightly toasted and fragrant (you may need to adjust the heat on your stove, as you don't want the shallot or garlic to burn) about 7-10 minutes. remove from heat

in a food processor, combine cooled beans, shallot and nut mixture, olive oil, lemon juice, and spices. as the mixture is blending, drizzle the reserved water in a little bit at a time until you have reached desired consistency. add salt to taste

transfer the puree to a bowl and let it rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, more if you can

·· huevos rancheros ··

// serves 2

2 mini tortillas

2 eggs, room temperature

1/4 cup black bean puree

1 ripe avocado, sliced

1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

sea salt

fresh ground pepper

hot sauce to taste

·· directions ··

pre heat oven to 350°

prepare a baking sheet with parchment or tin foil

toast tortillas in the oven for 5 minutes. remove from oven, turn down the temperature to 200°. slather the tortilla with black bean puree. transfer back to baking sheet and keep warm in the oven

bring a pot of water with about a tablespoon of vinegar to a simmer. while the water is heating crack each egg into a small bowl or cup. just before the water starts to boil, use a spatula to make a vortex. (the spinning water helps the egg white to form a "shell" around the yolk.) gently slide the egg into the water, let it simmer for a few minutes. i don't like my eggs too runny, so i poached them for about 4-5 minutes. if you like yours runny, poach for 3-4 minutes. remove the egg with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to drain. repeat with the other egg

remove tortillas from oven and top with poached egg, sliced avocado, cilantro, salt, pepper, and hot sauce. enjoy :)

buckwheat soba noodles with dandelion greens pesto / March 25, 2013 by Lindsey | Dolly and Oatmeal

over the past few weeks i've been experimenting more with buckwheat flour, baking with it alone, and also combining it with other flours. i've come to appreciate its curious taste and its grainy texture. therefore, when i went to pick out soba noodles i naturally went with the buckwheat ones. i debated whether to prepare them in a more traditional way and pair them ingredients i usually see: tofu, scallions, sesame seeds and oil, tamari, or in a yummy broth. i had my menu all planned out with a lot of the ingredients noted above. but i also wanted to see how the noodles would hold up in a traditionally italian dish, using a pesto sauce. i had been making note of the greens at my local farmer's market and had been seeing a lot dandelion greens. as we all know, there is an abundance of dandelion flowers in the spring (at least here in new york), so i thought it only natural to use what was in season and make dandelion greens pesto.

*i left cheese out of my pesto. however, pecorino-romano, or reggiano will work with the dandelion greens.

// dandelion greens pesto

1 package buchwheat soba noodles

1 bundle dandelion greens, stems removed and blanched

2 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1/3 cup unsalted raw pistachios, toasted (plus more for garnishing)

1/2 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

sea salt + pepper

// for the salad

2-3 cups arugula

1 cup pea shoots

1/2 watercress (i had the pea shoots + watercress on hand, but you can use whatever greens you want, or just use more arugula)

1 tablespoon unsalted raw pistachios, toasted (likewise, you can also use roasted and salted pistachios)

2 tablespoons pesto vinaigrette

in a medium saucepan bring about 4 cups of water to a boil. while water is coming to a boil, prepare an ice bath. when water comes to a boil add the greens. blanch for 20 seconds. transfer the greens to the ice bath, let soak for a couple seconds. remove the greens while squeezing out water from them. let them dry on a kitchen towel

while the greens are drying, toast the pistachio nuts ( if you're using dry roasted pistachios, there is no need to toast them). let them cool

in a food processor or blender, combine the dandelion greens, chopped garlic, toasted pistachios, olive oil, lemon juice, crushed red pepper, and salt +pepper. blend, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl. you may want to add more olive oil depending on how you prefer your pesto

transfer the pesto to a bowl. cover and let it sit in the refrigerator while you cook the soba noodles. cook the noodles according to the directions on the package, reserving about a 1/2 cup of the cooking water. drain the noodles. transfer to a large bowl. add about 1/2 the pesto and a 1/4 of the reserved water to the bowl and stir to combine. add more according to your preference. season with salt + pepper, and garnish with extra pistachios. you can leave the dish like this, or you can put it over greens

mix salad greens together in a separate bowl, toss with pistachios and pesto vinaigrette. add the soba noodles to the salad and enjoy