Wild Eggs

It is always a treat for me to visit my friends, The Dimopoulos family. They have 6 of the most adorable chickens. Lucy and Charlotte are Aracaunas from the jungles of Peru and lay blue and ivory eggs. Zankou and Sunny are Rhode Island Reds and lay brown eggs. Rounding out the hen house are Fracky and Rufus who are Barred Rocks. They each are such individual characters and a blast to watch. Mostly this spring they are going crazy laying eggs and I always seem to leave with a basket. My daughter loves the vivid orange yolks and requests them sunny side up with 3 pieces of buttered sourdough toast. I like to make an omelet with a mixture of all of the fresh veggies I have on hand. I make the classic egg sauces like Bernaise, Hollandaise and Mayonnaise. If you do not have a friend with chickens you can get them at the open-air markets. Fresh eggs and good friends are a great way to enjoy the spring.


Egg Drop Soup
6 cups chicken stock
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 green onions, minced
1 cup green peas
1/2-teaspoon white pepper
1-tablespoon soy sauce
A few drops of sesame oil

In a wok or saucepan, bring the 4 cups of chicken stock to a boil. Add the white pepper, soy sauce, peas and the sesame oil. Cook for about another minute. Very slowly pour in the eggs in a steady stream. To make shreds, stir the egg rapidly in a clockwise direction for one minute. To make thin streams or ribbons, gently stir the eggs in a clockwise direction until they form. Garnish with green onion and serve. Serves 6.

Curried egg salad
1/4-cup mayonnaise
1-teaspoon curry powder
1/8-teaspoon celery salt
4 shakes of Tabasco
1-teaspoon cumin
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
6 hard-boiled large eggs, chopped
1 mango, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
3 scallions, finely chopped

In a bowl stir together the mayonnaise, the curry powder, the celery salt, the Tabasco, the cumin, the mustard, the lemon juice. Stir in the eggs, the celery, mango and scallions Season the salad with salt and pepper.

Smoked salmon and egg salad

6 hard-boiled large eggs
1 shallot finely chopped
2 teaspoons tarragon, finely chopped
2 tablespoons drained capers, rinsed and finely chopped
1/2-cup mayonnaise
1/4 lb smoked salmon, coarsely chopped

Mash eggs coarsely with a fork, then stir in shallot, tarragon, capers, smoked salmon, mayonnaise, and salt and pepper to taste. (Great served on a toasted bagel.)

Fettuccine Salad with Eggs and Heirloom Tomatoes
½ cup olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 sun- dried tomatoes, chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 large basil leaves
Pinch of crushed red pepper

Place in blender and puree until smooth and fluffy.

12 ounces Spinach Fettuccine, cooked and well drained
4 heirloom tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 Persian cucumbers, sliced and halved
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Gently toss in a large bowl. Add the dressing and toss until evenly coated.

8 hard boiled eggs, peeled and wedged
Gently toss in eggs and serve.

Sweet Potato Soufflé
3 cups mashed sweet potato

1-cup sugar

2 eggs

1/2-teaspoon salt

1-teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup half and half

Combine all ingredients and pour into a well-buttered soufflé dish.
Mix together 1-cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans
 and 1/2 stick of butter and crumble over the soufflé. Bake 30-40 minutes at 400 degrees.

Chocolate Souffle
8 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup half and half (or milk)
1/2 cup sugar
4 egg yolks
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanillia
Combine the chocolate,half and half and all but two tablespoons of sugarin the top of a doube broiler over simmering water. Cook stirring constantly until chocolate and sugar ar melted.remove from heat, add vanillia and let cool for 15 minutes. Whisk egg yolks one at a time into the chocolate mixture until blended.Beat egg whites with an elertic mixer until stiff.Add remaining sugar and beat until blended.Using the whisk add 1/3 of the egg mixture into the chocolate mixture and whisk until blended. Gently fold in the rest of the egg whites into the chocolate. Butter 6 individual souffle dish covering the entire inside surface nd rim.( a great souffle spills overthe dish!) Sprinkel with sugar.Fill each souffel dish to the rim and bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove from oven dust with powered sugar and serve imeadatly with fresh whipped ceam.