Fried Eggs, a Revelation

I don't mean to say that I just discovered fried eggs, or anything nonsensical like that. I have long been a die-hard fan of the over-easy and sunny-side-up varieties. My father used to make me fried eggs nearly every day, when I was little and scrawny and he wanted me to gain weight. He vowed to make me anything I wanted if I promised to eat it all. My request was always 2 fried eggs, sunny-side-up, with 2 pieces of toast. I have to wonder what my cholesterol was at that age ...

Anyway, despite my love of eggs, I never learned to make fried eggs very well--the whites stuck to the pan and yolks always broke. So disappointing. But today I made five (5!) fried eggs, all without mishap. The key? Lots of oil in the pan, and the correct heat. Thank you, thank you, Joy of Cooking (1997).

This venerable tome tells us that, for 4 fried eggs, we need 1-2 Tbsp. of olive oil or butter in the pan, heated at medium low heat. This is a LOT of oil (I think), but I used 1.25 Tbsp -- 1 Tbsp olive oil and 1/4 Tbsp. butter -- and didn't add the eggs too soon. Halleighlujah! It all worked just great. After the first four, I fried the fifth without adding extra oil, and that worked too, though it was little sticky. And they were all mighty tasty.

So in case you struggle making fried eggs, trust the Joy of Cooking. It won't lead you astray.

jessica

Chickpea Salad

I like this salad because it's very cheap, quick, easy, and keeps well (for a few days). It's inspired by my friend's Armenian 'salat', a chickpea and parmesan recipe on Orangette's blog, and the Lebanese salad recipe in The Healthy Kitchen (2003).

Ingredients
1 16-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 small tomato, seeded and diced
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 yellow or red bell pepper, diced
1/4 c. high-quality grated parmesan
1 Tbsp. olive oil
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Handful fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped
Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Directions
Combine all ingredients in medium mixing bowl, and let sit for 30 minutes or so. Enjoy!

Alternatives

• You can also use more tomato, cucumber, and pepper: 2 small tomatoes (or 1 large) and the entire cuke and pepper. You may need more olive oil and lemon juice.
• Instead of parmesan, use crumbled/diced feta or goat cheese.
• You can also omit the cheese for a vegan salad, but cured kalamata olives might be a nice replacement. In fact, maybe just include kalamata olives anyway!

Jessica