An egg and greens skillet to welcome fall
This simple, easy-to-prepare dish will have you nourished and back outside, where you should be
My favorite time of the year has arrived. Tomatoes have been kissed by the sun. I’ll be walking or driving with the window down, and all of a sudden I catch the scent of fire-roasted chiles floating through the air. When this happens, time just kind of stops. I imagine this is what finding treasure feels like.
And in comes the flood. Some kind of neurotransmitter brain activity where my mind fills with delight, comfort and deep feelings of gratitude, then fades into a daydream where I imagine a bottle of perfume with a hint of fire, chile, sage and lavender, and me wearing it all year long. Spring winds are a distant memory and what is all around us is abundant — brisk mornings, days filled with New Mexico sunshine and the relief of cool nights.
There has never been a better time to keep meals simple so you can spend as much time outside as possible. This recipe for egg and greens skillet can work for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
The variations are endless. You could add browned sausage to the mix or grilled sausage, chicken, shrimp or salmon on the side. You could incorporate other vegetables like cherry tomatoes, sweet corn, Swiss chard, bell peppers, mushrooms or summer squash to name a few. Instead of heavy cream, you could use unsweetened coconut milk or even bone broth.
When adjusting the recipe for different numbers of people, I would recommend cooking enough eggs for however many are eating. Let’s say you are making this for two people. You could make this entire recipe, cook only two eggs (unless each person wanted more than one), and cook two more eggs when you warm up the leftover greens for a following meal. I love to serve this on its own or with a bowl of
grilled bread on the side.
EGG AND GREENS SKILLET
Total time: 1 hour; makes: 4 servings
2 tablespoons avocado oil
1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 fire-roasted poblanos or Hatch green chile, peeled, seeded and diced
4 cups fresh arugula
4 cups kale leaves, sliced
1 cup heavy cream
1 lemon, zested and juiced
4 eggs
2 ounces fresh goat cheese, crumbled
1 cups fresh basil leaves, sliced
¼ cup pine nuts
1 ripe avocado, sliced
Preparation:
In a large skillet over medium heat, add the avocado oil. After a minute, add the onions and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Let the onions cook until they are caramelized, around 15 minutes. Add the garlic, cooking another minute more. Add the poblanos, arugula, kale, heavy cream, lemon zest and juice, and bring to a simmer. Once the greens have wilted, using a spoon, make four holes in the greens and carefully place a cracked egg in each hole. Cover and let simmer until sunny side up, around 5 minutes and the egg white is cooked through. Garnish with goat cheese, basil leaves, pine nuts and avocado. Serve with slices of crusty bread on the side.
Marianne Sundquist is a chef and writer who in 2020 co-founded Stokli, an online general store. Find her on Instagram @chefmariannesundquist, and email her at marianne@stokli.com.