Easter may have come and gone, but there are plenty of ways to use the elegant egg in an elegant way year-round.
They are Jeff Euteneier’s version of a wild mushroom frittata and Eggs Benedict.
Euteneier is the lead chef instructor at Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Tukwila.
The recipes come from a mix of influences from his culinary career.
He studied at Le Cordon Bleu 12 years ago and went on to a successful culinary career before returning to instruct students.
Both egg dishes are great for breakfast or brunch and the frittata can even make for a nice lunch or dinner.
“They’re really great for dinner parties with the wild mushrooms and things like that in there,” Euteneier said. “They’ll go great with any kind of white wine.”
Euteneier suggests serving Eggs Benedict with fruit or any herb salad.
Contrary to popular belief, Hollandaise sauce is not as potentially dangerous as one might think but more temperamental.
“It’s a really delicate sauce and it tends to want to come apart,” he said. “So it’s not really dangerous, if it’s handled in a proper restaurant.”
When prepared at home, there’s little danger of it spoiling if used right away, he said.
In general there are more issues with the sauce breaking apart and needing to be remade, than it sitting around forever, he said.
Although these recipes aren’t said to be difficult, Euteneier speaks from a well-seasoned culinary background.
There are 380 students who attend Le Cordon Bleu in Tukwila.
It is one of a network of 15 other Le Cordon Bleu schools nationwide.
There are two, nine-month programs offered in culinary arts and baking skills.
“It’s just a very creative passionate environment,” said Mike Giacomini, president of the Tukwila branch. “We have a lot of people who are trying to do their best to please people. I mean ultimately that’s what their passion with food is, is to make people happy.”
THE RECIPES
Wild Mushroom Frittata
Serves: 4-6
Eggs, 12
Gruyere (grated), 1 Cup
Tomato, Roma (diced), 3
Oil , 2 oz
Mushrooms (wash & slice), 2 Cups
Onion (small dice), 1/2 Cup
Garlic (minced) ,3 Cloves
Asparagus (sliced to 1”) , 6 Stalks
Spinach (picked and sliced), 2 Cups
PROCEDURE
1) Crack eggs into bowl and beat thoroughly with whisk. Season with salt, approx. 1/4 teaspoon.
2) Add gruyere and diced tomatoes to beaten eggs and set aside.
3) Add oil to saute pan and heat until just smoking. Add mushrooms, asparagus, onion, and garlic. Cook until mushrooms have released their liquid. Season with pinch of salt.
4) Remove pan from heat and add sliced spinach and stir in with tongs. Set pan aside to cool for 5 minutes.
5) Add everything from saute pan to egg mixture, stir to combine.
6) Lightly spray a 12” teflon pan with nonstick cooking spray and pour in frittata mixture.
7) Heat pan with frittata mixture over medium heat for 5-10 minutes until approx. half cooked with top still liquid.
8) Place pan in 350F oven and bake until top is set and mixture no longer jiggles, approx. 20 minutes.
9) Remove pan from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes, then turn out frittata onto plate and slice to order.
SMOKED SALMON BENEDICT
Serves: 4
Smoked Salmon Cakes
Smoked Salmon, 8 oz
Chives (minced), 1 Tablespoon
Egg, 1 Each
Cream, Whipping, 2 oz
Panko Bread crumbs, 1/2 Cups
Hollandaise
Egg Yolks, 2 Each
Lemon Juice, 1 teaspoon
Butter, Clarified, 8 oz
Muffins, English, 2-4 Each
Eggs 4 Each
PROCEDURES:
(Smoked Salmon Cakes)
1) With clean hands roughly flake smoked salmon into a medium bowl.
2) Add remaining ingredients EXCEPT for panko and stir to combine with a fork.
3) Sprinkle in just enough panko to bind mixture together, it should still be sticky to the touch and not dry.
4) With your hands form 4 each round patties and reserve.
5) Heat approx. 2 oz of canola oil in a saute pan until just starting to smoke and carefully add the salmon cakes. Cook until lightly browned and carefully flip. Remove from the pan and reserve on paper towels.
(Poached Eggs)
1) In a large pot of salted water add 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar and heat until bubbles are starting to form on the bottom.
2) Crack an egg onto a small plate and gently slide it into the poaching water.
3) As egg settles to the bottom use a metal spoon to help keep egg whites attached to yolk as they coagulate.
4) Poach eggs for approx. 5 minutes or until yolk is desired degree of doneness.
(Hollandaise)
1) Add egg yolks and lemon juice to a medium bowl and whisk well.
2) Hold the bowl over a hot water bath (use a moist towel between the bowl and the water bath to hold it steady) and cook yolks until thickened but not scrambled. Yolks will be the consistency of mayonnaise.
3) Whisk in the warm clarified butter a few drops at a time until the emulsion has formed, then add the rest of the butter in a thin stream.Season to taste. Serve immediately.
(Assembly)
1) Toast one half of an English Muffin and place face up on serving plate.
2) Top with a salmon cake.
3) Top salmon cake with poached egg.
4) Spoon warm hollandaise over all, serve immediately.
