Eggs in a Bed of Kale, Tomatoes, and Mixed Peppers

Light supper, vegetable centric breakfast, call it what you will. This is a flavorful dish that is good for you, and it is easy if you are using peppers that were grilled the day before. For the eggs, it is best if the yolks are runny, as they make a “sauce” for the vegetables when you poke the yolk and it runs out over everything.

INGREDIENTS:

1 bunch kale, stemmed, torn into bite-sized bits, and washed

1½-2 cups of mixed roasted peppers*, cut into ½-inch pieces (If using bell or corno de toro peppers, skin them after roasting. If using Hungarian Wax hot peppers, skin them after roasting if the skin is thick like a bell peppers. For Fushimi and manganji peppers, just roast/grill and chop into ½-inch lengths)

½ cup onion, cut into medium dice

1-2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

½ tablespoon fresh oregano, chopped finely

3 cups seeded tomatoes, diced 3/8ths of an inch

1-2 tablespoons white balsamic or white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper to taste

Olive oil as needed-use something flavorful

1 teaspoon Pimenton de la Vera (Optional, in case you’d like your dish to have a smoky flavor/aroma)

8 eggs, to be poached, fried or basted (try them with the yolk runny-it acts like a sauce, and the lecithin in the runny yolk helps counter cholesterol, among other things)

METHOD:

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. When hot, film the pan generously with oil. When the oil is almost smoking, add the onions and toss to coat. Cook until onions are translucent and turning golden.

If you wish to add a smoky flavor to your dish, add the Pimenton de la Vera now and stir in. Add the garlic and sauté just until fragrant. Add the peppers to the pan, season with salt and pepper, and sauté gently, stirring a bit to break down some of the peppers a little so the pepper forms part of the sauce.

Scatter ¾ of the oregano over the vegetables and stir in.

Add the tomatoes and any liquid that has accumulated to the pan. Toss to mix the ingredients, and cook until the tomatoes start to break down and mix with the peppers. There should be some liquid in the pan along with some oil. If not, add a shot of water.

Add the kale and drizzle with a little oil if the pan was fairly dry. Add the vinegar, and use tongs to turn the kale into the tomato and pepper “sauce”. Cook until the kale wilts and is tender, but still has a little chew to it.

When the kale is tender, cook your eggs.

Season again, just a little, and use tongs to distribute the kale to 4 plates or shallow bowls, draining it if needed before plating. Top with 2 eggs per plate and season with salt and pepper and scatter with the rest of the oregano. Serve right away so the eggs don’t over-cook.

Chef’s Notes: *For the peppers, you can use whatever peppers you like, although green bells would make for an very earthy flavor and a monochromatic dish. If you do not have grilled peppers handy, you can just cut the peppers as described and sauté them in the pan over medium-high heat until blistered and tender and then proceed with the recipe, OR just use a jar of already roasted and peeled peppers cut to size. If you wish, you could add ½-inch cubes of summer squash to the dish when you add the peppers and sauté them until golden, and then proceed. Adding cheese at the last moment is a nice addition as well. If you do not use spicy chilis, feel free to break out some hot sauce, or add a dash of chili flake or powder to the dish when you add the peppers.

Serves: 4

Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen