Eggs Baja Recipes

EGGS BENEDICT

Steps:

• Fill a large, wide pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add the vinegar and reduce the heat until the water in the pan has no more bubbles.
• Very close to the surface of the water, crack the eggs and gently drop each egg into the water. Cook the eggs for 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the pan and place in a bowl of cold water. Reserve the eggs in the cold water and reserve the poaching liquid to reheat the eggs. Obviously, if you are poaching the eggs a day ahead you can reheat the eggs in new water!
• Coat a large saute pan lightly with olive oil and bring to a medium heat. Add the slices of Canadian bacon and cook them on both sides until they are hot but not brown.
• Toast the English muffins. Place 1 slice Canadian bacon on each English muffin.
• Warm up the egg poaching liquid (or a pan of new water if you poached ahead) and place the eggs in the water for 1 minute or until the eggs are warm but not cooking any further. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the warm water, blot on a clean paper or tea towel and place 1 egg on each English muffin. Top with the Hollandaise Sauce.
• Toss the mesclun with lemon juice, big fat finishing oil and salt. Garnish each plate with the dressed greens.
• Wine Pairing Suggestion: Prosecco
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. While the butter is melting, skim off the froth that accumulates on the surface. Simmer the butter for 15 to 20 minutes and gently ladle off the clear butterfat into a measuring cup or small pitcher with a spout. Be sure to leave the milk solids in the bottom of the pan. This is called clarified butter.
• In a small saute pan, combine the vinegar and peppercorns and cook over a medium heat until almost all the vinegar has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat and toss a couple ice cubes into the pan and let them sit until they have melted.
• In a medium metal bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they become frothy and fluffy. Strain the peppercorn liquid into the egg mixture.
• Put 1-inch water into a medium saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Place the metal bowl on top of the saucepan and gently cook the eggs, whisking frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Very slowly begin to add the clarified butter. Start with 2 to 3 drops and continue with a couple more drops after the butter has incorporated.
• Continue to add a few drops of butter at a time. If the eggs seem to be cooking too quickly, pull the bowl off the saucepan and lower the heat. If the eggs start to curdle, toss in an ice cube immediately to cool down the eggs. Continue to add the butter a little at a time until it is all incorporated. The sauce should be fluffy and foamy.
• Once the butter is all combined, add the lemon juice and season the sauce with cayenne and salt.
• Serve over the poached eggs.

EGGS BAJA

Steps:

• In a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat, cook bacon, turning once, until crisp, 4-5 minutes total; drain on paper towels; discard fat and wipe pan clean.
• Set pan over medium heat; break eggs into pan and cook to desired doneness, turning once if you like, 2-5 minutes for soft yolks; sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, place bread slices on a 12x15-inch baking sheet.
• Broil 6 inches from heat until lightly toasted, 1-2 minutes; turn slices over and top equally with tomato slices, chiles and cheese.
• Broil until cheese is melted, 2-3 minutes.
• Top each sandwich with an egg, then a slice of bacon; sprinkle evenly with cilantro.

BAJA EGGROLLS

Steps:

• 1. Cook bacon slices until near crisp. Blot well. Save the oil from cooking the bacon to cook the mushrooms.
• 2. Cook the mushrooms in the bacon grease, adding garlic, chipotle powder and sea salt to taste. Drain off oils and thoroughly blot mushrooms on paper towels until dry. Set aside.
• 3. Have all your ingredients around in small bowls or containers before starting to roll the egg rolls. Have a paper towel ready to wipe down your work surface after each egg roll and a small cup of water ready to moisten the egg roll wrapper so it will stick. Do not over-moisten wrappers, however, as they may stick and tear. Positioning the egg roll wrapper in the shape of a diamond, lay out ingredients except cilantro inside wrapper middle bottom quadrant. moisten all exposed area of wrapper on inside of roll. Sprinkle red pepper to taste, and then add your cilantro. You add the cilantro last as it can be a little hard to work with if you add it earlier. Begin at bottom of roll, gently but firmly gather up the roll, bringing up wrapper around ingredients, partially "tucking" the wrapper not around or underneath, but beside the filling. Flatten the side points of the roll, folding them in on top of the roll, securing them by dampening them with water and pressing them gently to the roll. Then, gently, but firmly, roll the egg roll forward onto the rest of its moistened wrapper. Do not pull the wrapper so tight as to tear the roll. Egg roll wrapping is a practiced art. Do not dishearten if you have gaps in your roll at first.
• 4. VERY IMPORTANT!!!! Before proceeding to cook egg rolls, make sure you have everything for dinner in place and your platter with paper towels ready as the egg rolls cook very fast. SAFETY PRECAUTION!!!! Be very careful!! You will be working with extremely hot oil and precautions need to be made to prevent splatter and spillage burns.
• 5. Heat cooking oil to a temperature just below smoking. The hotter the oil is, the less greasy the rolls will be, but you don't want the rolls to burn, either.
• 6. Cook egg rolls quickly in the hot oil. This takes only a minute or two.
• 7. Adjust this recipe as you care to serve 2-4 rolls per person. Four serves as a meal in our hungry household.

BAJA SAUCE

Steps:

• Place bell pepper, jalapeno pepper, and onion in the bowl of a food processor; puree until smooth. Stir together 4 teaspoons of this puree with the mayonnaise, and vinegar in a small bowl. Season with pepper, garlic powder, and cumin. Cover, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours to allow flavors to develop.