Chicken and Egg - Janice Cole [62]
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¾ teaspoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 celery ribs, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
Two 32-ounce containers reduced-sodium chicken broth
One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 ½ cups red lentils
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
Fried Egg Sandwich with Avocado, Tomato, and Garlic Mayonnaise
This colorful double-fisted sandwich is one of my favorite quick meals. I always warn everyone to eat it over their plates with a stack of napkins handy and forks nearby to scoop up anything that lands on the plate. If you’ve never attempted homemade mayonnaise you’ll love this recipe. It’s made in a couple of minutes in the blender and tastes fabulous. You may never go back to purchased mayonnaise again.
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To make the mayonnaise: Combine the egg, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a blender container and blend for 30 seconds or until the mixture is smooth. Combine the canola oil and olive oil in a liquid measuring cup with a pour spout.
Remove the center cover of the blender and, with the blender running, pour the oil in a thin stream very slowly. Don’t be in a hurry; take your time. If the oil is added too quickly, the egg can’t absorb it and the mixture curdles or breaks. The trick is to pour slowly; it should take 2 to 3 minutes to add all of the oil. The mayonnaise will begin to thicken after about ½ cup of the oil has been added. Reserve ¼ cup of mayonnaise for the sandwiches. (Cover and refrigerate the rest; it will keep for up to 1 week.)
To make the sandwiches: Spread 1 ½ teaspoons of the mayonnaise on each toasted bread slice. Top four of the bread slices with the mashed avocado and place the tomato slices over the avocado.
Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the eggs, one at a time, being careful not to break the yolks. Cover and cook over medium to medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft. Gently and carefully remove the eggs from the skillet and place over the tomatoes. Top each egg with a slice of bread and cut the sandwiches in half to serve.
NOTE
The mayonnaise contains a raw egg. If you prefer, you may substitute 1 pasteurized egg and follow the recipe as directed. If the mayonnaise curdles, save the mixture and add 1 egg to a clean blender. Blend until smooth. With the blender running, very slowly add the curdled egg and oil mixture to the new egg until all of the curdled mixture is absorbed.
SERVES 4
GARLIC MAYONNAISE
1 egg (see Note)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon salt
½ cup canola oil
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
SANDWICHES
8 slices artisan bread (from an oval loaf, cut ½ inch thick), toasted
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and mashed with a fork
4 thin slices tomato, halved
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 eggs
LOST IN TRANSLATION
If clucks, chirps, squawks, and crowing sound like gibberish to you, you’ve completely missed the point. Studies have shown that each chicken sound means something specific. Chickens broadcast food calls to indicate that food is present, alerting others of their group, who immediately begin searching the area. It is known that roosters locate and save food for their hens, calling their ladies when treats are present.
Predators elicit different calls. An alarm is sounded when a predator is observed, but the sound will be different, depending on where the predator is coming from. A flying predator, such as a hawk, will bring forth a series of calls by an observant chicken, indicating the size, speed, and shape of the predator. Chickens within listening range will immediately crouch and look up to identify the danger.
A ground predator provokes a different response with a different alarm call, indicating the danger is coming from the ground. Chickens have been observed to stand upright, look for intruders, and run for safety while sounding the ground-predator alarm.