Tag Archives: basil

Herbs de Provence Baked Egg Crepes

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Don’t you just love a little packet of sunshine and Bill Wither’s Aint No Sunshine?  Inspired by our trip to France, we opened a new pack of Pete and Gerry’s Hierloom Eggs to make fluffy Herbs de Provence baked eggs and crepes.

We definitely recommend this as a contender for breakfast and the Pete and Gerry’s Crepe Contest partnered with Association of Food Bloggers.Our paper-thin crepes and aromatic baked eggs were both divine together.  Every bite was a joy to eat as we watched and listened to the cathartic rain.

The square pocket of lacey crepes nestled the herbs de Provence scented baked eggs. The runny eggs had a nice crust and flavor from the cheese and basil, oregano rosemary and thyme. All the aromas emanated throughout the room and brought a little bit of France home.

Adapted From Ina Garten and Laura Calder
Yields 4 crepes
Crepes
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 Pete and Gerry’s egg
  • 1/2 cup almond or soy milk
  • 1 tablespoons melted butter and additional butter for pan
  • 2-3 tablespoons water, as needed

Put the flour in a bowl and make a well. Put the salt, egg, milk and in the well. Stir to mix, then gradually pull in flour and get rid of any lumps. Stir in butter. Let rest 1 to 2 hours before frying.

Thin out the batter with water to the consistency of light cream. Heat a crêpe pan over high heat. Brush melted clarified butter or oil onto the pan (unless it’s no-stick, in which case you need none).

Ladle 1 to 2 tablespoons batter maximum onto the pan and tip it quickly to cover the bottom. If you have too much batter, pour some off. (Crêpes should be paper thin.) When the edges are brown, flip and finish the other side. Stack the crêpes and warm while you finishing cooking the rest.

Herbes de Provence Baked Eggs
  • 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh garlic (very minced)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Herbes de Provence (a mix of dried basil, oregano rosemary and thyme)
  • 4 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan or white sharp cheddar
  • 4 extra-large Pete and Gerry’s eggs
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 4 crepes

Preheat the broiler for 3 minutes.

Combine and chop the garlic. (I love using my new mezzaluna). Add herbs de Provence and garlic to the cheese and set aside. Carefully crack 4 eggs into 2 individual bowls or one large bowl for sharing without breaking the yolks. (It’s very important to have all the eggs ready to go before you start cooking.)

Place 1 tablespoon of cream and 1/2 tablespoon of butter in each dish or all the cream and eggs in one baking dish (if you are sharing).  Place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, pour eggs into each dish and sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture. Place back under the broiler for 5 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked. (Do not overcook, I like the egg yolks runny. Rotate the baking sheet once if they aren’t cooking evenly.) The eggs will continue to cook after you take them out of the oven. Allow to set for 60 seconds, do not touch the hot dish.

Gather a crepe on a large plate and place one or two baked eggs onto the center of the crepe. Then fold into a square overlapping the sides on to the eggs. Enjoy.

Lavash Pizza

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Having creative freedom with food, specifically pizza is quite therapeutic. We made lavash pizza for a dinner party and the crisp lavash and gooey cheese were a great combo and such a hit. These “pizzas” do not require red sauce, however a super thin spread of sauce, just not too much, so the lavash doesn’t get soggy, gives extra flavor.

BBQ chicken (chicken with bbq sauce) and mozzerella, goat cheese, tomato and basil

  • Lavash
  • 1 cup of freshly grated cheddar (or mozzarella or goat cheese)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Pint of cherry tomatoes
  • Basil

Drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil onto a flat plate or cookie sheet. Season with some sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle a little of the grated cheese and  (cherry tomato halves and basil) each square and bake in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. Finish with a light drizzle of olive oil and serve warm.

Other variations: mozzarella and turkey pepperoni or bell peppers, sausage and mozzerella

Bruschetta with Tomato and Basil

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Nothing says fresh, ripe, summer garden more than homegrown tomatoes. In this case, locally grown at Da Silva Farms in Dighton, Massachusetts, these beautiful grape tomatoes are juicy and sweet when bitten. A simple bruschetta is a perfect way to showcase the tomatoes.

adapted from Simplyrecipes.com

Makes 24 small slices. Serves 6-10 as an appetizer.

  • 1 pint ripe grape tomatoes, halved or 6 ripe plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 T extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 6-8 basil leaves, chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 baguette or similar Italian bread, (I used slices of a homemade Bruschetta loaf) cut into 1/2″ slices
  • 1/4 C olive oil
  • 2 T Pecorino Romano or Parmesan (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. While the oven is heating, combine the tomatoes, garlic, 1 T extra olive oil, balsamic vinegar, cheese if desired, in a bowl and mix. Add the chopped basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Coat each slice of bread with some of the 1/4 C of olive oil using a pastry brush. Place on a cookie sheet, olive oil side down. Toast the bread in the oven until golden brown on both sides.

Place the tomato topping on the bread slices and serve immediately. Alternatively, you can place the tomato topping in a bowl and allow guests to serve themselves so that the bread does not get soggy.

Pan-Roasted Pork, Grape Tomato, and Basil Pasta

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Frequently, I end up with leftovers.  Sometimes, I can’t be motivated to eat them. It can be a trial trying to make sure they don’t go to waste. I had extra pan-roasted rosemary and sage pork tenderloin that I had made for my parents and needed to do make something quick. I also had gone to the farmer’s market near my work last week and picked up gorgeous grape tomatoes, fragrant fresh basil, green scallions, zucchini, small Italian eggplants and squash blossoms. Here’s what I came up with.

Makes 2 servings

  • 8 oz leftover pan-roasted rosemary and sage pork tenderloin, cubed
  • 1/2 pint grape tomatoes, halved
  • 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 4 fresh basil leaves, chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk scallion, chopped
  • 1 T olive oil
  • 2 T pecorino romano, grated
  • 4 oz whole wheat spaghetti (or any pasta you prefer)

Over high heat, bring some water to a rolling boil. Season the water with some salt to taste. Add the whole wheat spaghetti. Cook pasta until al dente.

In a skillet on medium high heat, saute the shallots and scallion in olive oil until soft and semi-translucent. Add the minced garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until golden brown. Stir in the grape tomatoes and cubed pork. Heat until the grape tomatoes begin to soften and the pork has warmed through. Stir in the basil. Keep warm while you wait for the pasta to cook.

Drain the pasta. Add to the skillet and toss with pecorino romano. Serve immediately.