Basque Eggs Recipes

BASQUE EGGS

Steps:

• In a large nonstick saucepan (or skillet with reasonably high sides), saute diced sausage over medium flame till nicely browned, about 4 minutes.
• Add onion and garlic and stir till well mixed. Cook till onion is soft and garlic is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add bell peppers and cook a minute or two, till slightly soft. Add diced tomatoes, thyme, red pepper, and salt (if using), cover, and cook 4 minutes, till juicy.
• If using beaten eggs, stir gently throghout veggie mixture; cover. Cook 4 minutes, till set. (This produces more of a fritatta feel--good for folks who don't like runny egg yolks).
• If using whole eggs, crack each egg and gently slide it into the veggie stew, trying to keep the eggs from touching each other (it may help to make a well for each egg with the back of a spoon). Cover and cook 3 minutes, till whites are set. Ladle each egg and some veggies into a serving bowl. Serve with crusty warm bread.

BASQUE EGGS MY WAY

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a saute pan. Add the onions and cook until soft. Add the garlic, chile peppers, green peppers and red peppers. Cook until tender. Finally, add the tomatoes, season with salt and black pepper, cover and cook 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking until the juices have evaporated and everything is soft and melded.
• Crack the eggs into the pan, spaced evenly apart. Sprinkled with more salt and black pepper. Cover and cook until just done, with the yolks still nice and runny. Meanwhile, make four "nests" of ham on serving plates. When the eggs are done, lift them along with their peppery garnishes with a spatula into the nests. Serve very hot with toasted baguette.

CHEZ GLADINES' BASQUE-STYLE SCRAMBLED EGGS

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onions and cook, stirring, until translucent, about 8 minutes.
• Add the chopped tomatoes, green and red peppers, cayenne pepper, white wine, and sugar. Season with salt and pepper to taste, reduce the heat to low, and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for 35 minutes.
• Heat the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Pour in the beaten eggs, season with salt and pepper, and stir with a fork until they are cooked through. Remove from the heat.
• In a nonstick pan over medium heat, brown the ham slices lightly on both sides, about 3 minutes on each side.
• To serve, combine the scrambled eggs with the pepper and onion mixture and top each serving with a slice of ham.
• Note: To peel tomatoes, place in boiling water for 30 seconds, plunge into cold water, and peel with a sharp knife.

PIPERADE (BASQUE SCRAMBLED EGGS)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saute pan and cook onion until softened and beginning to turn golden. Add peppers and cook 15 minutes, until tender. Add tomatoes, garlic, basil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer until tomatoes are pulpy. Thoroughly beat eggs in a small bowl, add to tomato mixture, and stir until they begin to thicken; remove from heat before they solidify. Serve on heated plates, topped with fried ham slice or slices, and surrounded with croutons.;

PIPERADE BASQUAISE

Steps:

• Prepare the piperade by first heating the 4 tablespoons of fat of your choice in a heavy 8-inch frying pan or, better still, in a small oval copper or enamel pan that you can bring to the table. Add the chopped onions and garlic and cook them for about 5 minutes over moderate heat, stirring them frequently until they are soft but not brown. Stir in the pepper strips, turning them in the fat now and then, letting them cook for about 10 minutes, at which point they should be tender but still crisp. Drain the chopped tomatoes thoroughly and add them to the pan, sprinkling in at the same time the dried or fresh basil and the pepper flakes or hot pepper sauce. Raise the heat and cook the tomatoes briskly for a few minutes and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until all their moisture has evaporated. Be careful that the piperade doesn't burn. Put it aside until you are ready to reheat and serve it.
• At that point, combine 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter in an 8-inch heavy frying pan, and over moderate heat, cook the julienned ham for a few minutes until the strips are thoroughly heated through. Remove them at once with a slotted spoon and spread them out on paper toweling to drain.
• Meanwhile let the fat in the frying pan cool to lukewarm before pouring it into the eggs, lightly beaten with salt and pepper. Over low heat, stir the eggs with a rubber spatula until they begin to form soft, creamy curds. Remove them from the heat when they are not quite set and gently spread them over the reheated piperade. Let some of the colorful vegetables show through. Lightly scatter the ham on top, sprinkle with the chopped parsley and/or chopped chives, and serve at once.

BASQUE-STYLE HAM AND EGGS

Steps:

• Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers and garlic and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Add tomatoes and continue cooking until vegetables are very tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Arrange ham slices in heavy medium skillet. Pour wine over ham. Cover and simmer until ham is heated through, about 5 minutes. Arrange ham around edge of platter. Top with vegetable mixture. Cover and keep warm.
• Beat eggs with half and half in large bowl to blend. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add eggs and stir until cooked. Spoon eggs atop vegetables and ham. Sprinkle with Parmesan and serve.

BASQUE SCRAMBLED EGGS (TAPAS)

Steps:

• Preheat an oven on low or warm setting.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottom skillet.
• Add the onion and bell peppers and sauté for about minutes, or until the vegetables are softened, but not browned. Toss in the tomatoes and heat through. Remove to a plate and place in oven to keep warm.
• Add another tablespoon of oil to the skillet. Add the chorizo and cook for 30 seconds, enough to warm through and flavor the oil. Remove the sausage to the plate of warmed vegetables.
• Add enough oil to the pan to make up 2 tablespoons. Add butter and let melt. Season the eggs with salt and pepper, then add them to the skillet. Scramble the eggs until they are cooked to the desired degree of firmness. Add extra seasoning to taste. Return the vegetables to the skillet and stir through.
• Serve immediately over the hot toast.