Saturday, June 2, 2012

Breakfast of gluten free champions





Breakfast of gluten free champions


'What to have for breakfast' is so often what I wake up thinking.  Well, okay maybe not actually when I wake up, but it comes to mind pretty quickly after rolling out of bed.  Rolling is not to be confused with bouncing energetically!  I am not a bouncer.  A slow roller maybe...  

After rousing the girls from their coma-like slumber, I head downstairs to the wonderful smell of fresh brewed coffee with the anticipation that Matt and Anne will probably have some exciting news for me.  Or maybe Al will tell me Southern California is going to get rain for the next week. Now that is my idea of good news!   I stand staring at the small TV in the kitchen, cup in hand, and the slow realization dawns 1) Al has once again let me down and 2) the girls will be down in a few minutes and that I must figure out something for breakfast.  BUT ~what will they eat?   ~what haven't i made lately? ~and what do i actually have in the house that can be made into a healthy scrumptious breakfast that can be consumed in less than 2 minutes?!  Matt?  Anne?  Surely you Al???  Nothing.  It's all me.  Familiar ring to it.    
Eggs. Organic, free range eggs are a naturally gluten free friend. Versatile. Easy. Healthy within limits. And 


Libby loves her eggs. Particularly fond of poached, will accept basted, and not a big fan of scrambled, which are Eleri's favorite. So let's talk poached. There are books written about the perfect poached egg. Hungry publisher? It is not difficult to poach an egg. No special egg poacher needed. Just a pan with water at least 2 inches deep. Bring to a boil.  Add a bit of salt.  Some add a splash of vinegar but I have never found it overly helpful.  Take a spoon and with a quick circle motion create a gentle whirlpool and gently slip the egg (already cracked into a small bowl) into the center of the whirlpool.  Repeat with up to 3 or 4 eggs, depending on the diameter of your pan.  Don't crowd.  The whites may still start to feather away from the yolk but just gently scoop them back to the egg.  Simmer gently for about 3 minutes or turn off heat and cover pan for 5 minutes.  Adjust timing for a softer yolk, or a little longer for a firmer yolk.  Remove with a large slotted spoon and  ~ here is where my grandmother proved her worth in the kitchen past grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup ~ take the heel from a loaf of GF bread and slide the egg from spoon to heel.  It's a great absorber.  A folded paper towel works just as well but that just doesn't evoke nearly as many memories!

Okay... your GF toast should just be popping up about now, butter it with some lovely fresh salted butter and slip that beautiful egg on its new perch.  Give a light sprinkle of sea salt, a grind of pepper (as long as you aren't serving it to my children!!), maybe a shaving of nice parmesan and hide the ketchup bottle from Eleri and my mom.  Eeeewwwww... whatever!




 


  

1 comment:

  1. My DH (you know him as Goose) adds ketchup to eggs. Hmph! He's taught "the daughter" to do it too. *sigh*

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