La Jolla Roasted Breakfast Hash & Eggs

Thanksgiving is not only about the main turkey meal.  How about all the other meals - before and after?!

We had a wonderful breakfast at our Air BNB in La Jolla, CA, that avoided all the carbs we would get on Thanksgiving.  Turns out the great gas oven roasted veggies very well and made a beautiful savory hash possible.
1 medium head cauliflower, cut into small floweretts, I used orange
1 red pepper, halved, seeded and cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary (or other favorite herb)
2 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup (1 small) purple Bermuda onion, diced
10 oz fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced
1 lb fresh best Italian local sausage you can find, uncased
5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
4 eggs
1/3 cup grated cheese (I used a mix of cheddar and Monterrey Jack)

Preheat oven to 425F. Toss cauliflower with the red peppers in a large bowl with the rosemary and olive oil.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast for about 25-30 minutes, until veggies are browning nicely along the edges, but still crisp tender - stir once or twice as the cooking progresses.

In the meantime, sauté the onions for about 5 minutes in a large oven-going non-stick, or well seasoned cast iron skillet (at least 10-inches). Add the mushrooms and sate until they release what water they will and start to brown a bit as well.

Remove to a bowl.

Add the sausage to the hot skillet and brown it for about 8-10 minutes over medium-hot heat, to brown nicely.

Remove to the mushroom mixture.

Now add a dash of oil to the pan and sauté the spinach until nicely wilted and releasing its water. You may have to toss some of the water from the spinach if very wet, depending.

Now, return the veggies and the sausage mixture back into the skillet on top of the spinach.

Then form four small pockets for the eggs. Crack the eggs and pour into the pockets. Toss grated cheese atop.

Bake for about 15-20 minutes, depending on your oven, just until the yokes begin to firm, and gloss over with whiteness.

Serves 4 for breakfast.

 Cook's Note:  This is a great escape from carbohydrates at breakfast.  Use any toasted veggies you might have from the night before, and add as many eggs as you have people to feed. - within reason...  The point is that veggies can swap for carbs at times.

Bird Rock Chorizo and Sweet Potato Frittata California

Breakfast at Bird Rock - I hope you can experience the wonders of a Pacific morning; fresh, cool, with so much to do before you at last put the country to bed.

Pacific morning, La Jolla

At our wonderful AirBNB in La Jolla, we experienced everything it takes to have a great break for Thanksgiving on the West Coast.  Warm weather, kayaking with dolphins, situated only a walk to the shore, with an excellent, well-stocked kitchen!  What a joy, as a break from traditional East Coast Thanksgiving at home.

Everybody arrived for the weekend before Thanksgiving - so feed them!  Always consider frittata.  Almost anything goes and it can be made fast - as long as you get up a bit early and set the coffee going!  We were west Coast, and so close to Mexico - definitely doing chorizo.  And our hosts had a fantastic herb garden, thriving on Thanksgiving; so, fresh lemon thyme and dill - oh thank you wonderful hosts!
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed 1/2-inch, about 1-1/2 cups
1/2 purple Bermuda onion, diced, about 1 cup
1 red chili, diced

10 oz fresh baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and coarsely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh lemon thyme, minced
1/4 lb fresh chorizo, uncased
5 oz fresh baby spinach leaves
3/4 cup grated cheese (I used a ‘Mexican Mix’)

8 eggs
1/4 cup half and half or light cream (or heavy!)
1 Tbsp fresh dill (optional)

Fresh guacamole, about 2 cups, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400F. Toss the sweet potatoes into a large even-going non-stick skillet with a dash of olive oil. Sauté for about 6-8 minutes, until they begin to brown and soften. Add the onions and the chili and continue cooking for about 5-6 minutes, until everything becomes very fragrant.

Add the mushrooms and increase the heat. Sauté while mixing well to allow the mushrooms to release what water they will and brown up a bit - about another 8-10 minutes.

Set aside in a bowl.

Add the chorizo to the skillet and brown up for about 5 minutes.

Add the reserved veggie mix back to the skillet and then add the spinach. Mix with tongs as the spinach wilts, about another 3-5 minutes.

Beat together the eggs cream and dill. Toss the grated cheese over the veggie mix.

Pour the eggs over the mix on medium-high heat. Let the eggs cook a bit; you can stir gently once or just let it be - see Cook’s Note. But let the eggs cook enough such that they begin to define a clear (slightly browned) border on the skillet.

Advance the skillet to the oven and reduce to 375F. Allow to cook for about 15-20 minutes, watching carefully until the frittata is puffy and no liquid sectors remain. I would err on the undercooked side as the eggs will continue to set on the counter-top. Remove from oven and allow frittata to settle about 5 minutes, at least. It will sit for as good 30 minutes or more if you have guests - relax - and it will be wonderful.

Serve with favorite fresh guacamole.  Serves 4-6.

Cook’s Note: In this preparation I did not (have the time to) stir the eggs into the veggie mixture very much at all, so the eggs rose on top, soft and beautifully light as a feather, on a moist base of veggies and chorizo. The more traditional initial stirring should produce an equally wonderful, but perhaps slightly different result. Oh - the art of cooking!

Bird Rock, La Jolla, California

Mint Chili Jam Pork Tenderloin Caesar

Herbs infuse the pork with rich flavor, laying on a savory bed of slightly charred romaine, and garnished with Caesar dressing.

The classic Caesar dressing uses raw egg yoke, but I use a mix of yogurt and good real mayonnaise to avoid the raw egg.
1 1-lb pork tenderloin
2 heads organic romaine lettuce, sliced in half lengthwise

Marinade:
1/4 cup mint sauce (I used Waitrose Mint Sauce)
2 Tbsp hot and sweet Chili Jam (I used Trader Joe’s)
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil

Caesar Dressing:
2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 anchovies
palmful fresh parsley leaves
palmful fresh dill
1 green onion, quartered
1/4 tsp dried red chili flakes
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup good real mayonnaise
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt

Whisk together the marinade ingredients in a bowl.

Pour into a zip lock plastic bag (or use a small shallow casserole). Add the pork to the marinade and toss well to coat.

Marinate at least 1-2 hours, or preferably overnight in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, allow pork tenderloin to come back to room temperature.

Prepare the dressing by placing the garlic, anchovies, parsley, dill and green onion in a small food processor.

Process just to form a fine mince. 

Add the remaining dressing ingredients and pulse to mix well. Taste the dressing and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste.

When ready to cook, heat the grill to medium. Season the romaine halves with salt and pepper and sprinkle with olive oil.

Remove the pork from the marinade and place on one side of grill.

Place lettuce cut-side down, on other side of grill.

Keep an eye on both and turn as needed to assure even browning. Remove the lettuce after about 5 minutes, or when a slight char has been achieved, but the lettuce still maintains a crunchy integrity.

Cook the pork until it has achieved an internal temperature of 140-150F for medium. Remove pork from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes, covered lightly with aluminum foil. Slice pork on a bias. Lay several romaine leaves on each plate. Top with several slices of pork and garnish with Caesar dressing.

Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  I love using savory jams to cook with meat, especially pork and lamb.  These are two of my favorites.  Waitrose is a higher-end grocer in the U.K. and if you are ever there, pick up some of there mint sauce.

If you don't have mint sauce, use a palmful of fresh mint leaves in the marinade and you'll be fine.

Lemon Mint NY Strip and Shrimp Kebabs

Get your kebabs out and pull these wonderful flavorous together!
3 large NY strip steaks, about 1-1/2 lb, cut into 16 cubes
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 red and 1 orange (or yellow) pepper, cut into eights

Marinade:
palmful fresh mint
palmful lemon balm leaves
3 cloves garlic
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp salt
plenty of freshly ground black pepper

Place mint, lemon balm and garlic in a small food processor and mince well.

Tip into a medium bowl and add the lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper. Turn in the beef cubes into the bowl and mix well.

Allow to marinate at least and hour.

Soak 8 8-inch skewers in water for 10 minutes. When ready to cook, heat grill to high. Thread the beef, shrimp and peppers onto skewers in this order each:

Red pepper, beef, shrimp, orange pepper, shrimp, beef, red pepper.

Grill on high heat about 2 minutes per side, turning 3 times to grill all four sides.

Serves 4.

Cook's Note:  Around Christmas time, substitute a green pepper for the orange pepper!

Pan Fried Cajun Catfish with Remoulade Sauce

Cajun spice mixes are all over and I love them.  It seems like hot sauces - everyone got their passionate favorite.  You probably can't go wrong if you don't already have one - just try one, and make this great Cajun fish.

The remoulade is more than just tartar sauce - its got so much more rich flavor and texture, and is worth the extra prep, especially when done quickly in a small food processor.
2 catfish (or Tilapia) fillets
2 Tbsp canola oil plus 2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp favorite cajun seasoning mix (I used Emeril Legasse’s)

Remoulade sauce:
1 clove garlic
1 green onion
1 Tbsp capers, drained
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup Greek Yogurt
1 Tbsp good real mayonnaise
1 Tbsp pickle relish
1 tsp whole grain mustard
juice of 1/2 lime
dash favorite hot sauce, to taste

Make the remoulade sauce by placing the garlic, onion, capers and celery in a small food processor. process until finely minced. Add remaining ingredients and process until well blended.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Chill sauce.

Season both sides of each fish fillet with a rubbing of the cajun spice mix. Melt the butter in the oil in a large skillet (I use non-stick for fish - but many prefer to blacken in a searing hot cast iron skillet). Lay the fillets in the hot butter and fry for about 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat. Carefully flip the fillets using a large fish spatula. Brown the second side for about another 2-3 minutes.

Serve the fish on your favorite bed of bean and rice pilaf, with the remoulade sauce on the side.

Serves 2.

Grilled Paprika Turkey Thighs

Now may not be the time to be thinking of turkey breasts, with the whole bird looming in the near future.  But I love turkey thighs for their deep flavor and moistness.  Probably the only part of the turkey I'd grill.
2 large Turkey thighs
2 heads broccoli, sliced in thirds
2 jalapeño peppers, sliced lengthwise and seeded

Marinade:
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 cup olive oil
palmful mint leaves, minced
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
1 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced

Mix together the marinade ingredients in a small food processor. Process until mixed well.

Place thighs in a small casserole only big enough to fit them. Pour the marinate over the turkey thighs and marinate at least an hour, or overnight in the refrigerator.

Bring the thighs back to room temperature before ready to cook.

Meanwhile heat grill to high. Toss broccoli and jalapeños in a bowl with a dash of olive oil, kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Grill the turkey thighs, turning several times, until cooked through about 12-15 minutes (internal temperature should be greater than 165F).

Grill the veggies until crisp tender and slightly charred, turning often. Set aside and keep warm until the turkey is done.

Serve the turkey thighs with the roasted veggies. Serves 4.

Korean Noodles

Shrimp, Asparagus, Egg

Although cabbage is ubiquitous in Asian cooking, I like to substitute Brussels sprouts because I love them, especially cooked quickly.  This preparation assembles Korean flavors in a noodle dish fortified with shrimp and egg.  Thinly sliced egg omelet is a common accoutrement in much of Asian cooking.
1 lb lean pork, cubed, 1/2-inch

Marinade:
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp seasoned rice vinegar

2 eggs, scrambled

1 sweet onion, peeled and finely sliced
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut 1/2-inch slices, 2-inches of tips reserved
1 doz Brussels sprouts, base cut off, sliced in thirds
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/2-inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1/2 lb fine fresh lo-mein noodles
1 doz shrimp, peeld
juice of half a lime
1 Tbsp fresh mint, minced

Sauce:
2 Tbsp gochujang
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp sesame oil
1/4 cup water

Whisk marinade together in a bowl and add the pork. Allow to marinate at least an hour.

Meanwhile, whisk eggs together with a dash of salt and pepper to taste. Add a dash of canola oil to a non-stick skillet and cook the eggs to make a thin omelet. Use a rubber spatula to lift and pull the eggs to the center as they cook. Add the garlic and ginger and cook another 2-3 minutes.

Transfer the omelet to a cutting board and cover to keep warm.

Sauté the Brussels sprouts, onion and asparagus in a dash of canola oil. Cook about 5 minutes, until crop-tender. Set aside.

Heat another dash canola oil in the pan and brown the pork.

When the pork is cooked through, add the veggies and the lo mien noodles to the pork. Whisk together the sauce ingredients and add to the pork and heat through.

In another pan, sauté the shrimp for about 1-2 minutes per side over high heat, until they are pink and just cooked through. Sprinkle with juice of half a lime.

Gently fold noodles together with the pork, shrimp and veggies.

Heat asparagus tips in a glass dish with a splash of water in the microwave for 1-2 minutes. Drain. Slice the omelet into strips.  Turn hot noodles into a serving dish and top with shrimp, omelet, asparagus tips and mint.

Serves 4-6.