Monday, December 1, 2008

Out Of This Strata




Great things come from small beginnings, big things come in small packages, etc. I'm sure you're all familiar with the standard-issue anecdotes about how it is the littlest things in life that matter the most, but a reminder now and then has never hurt. Especially when we're all still in the lovely rose-colored flush of Thanksgiving consumption after-glow. This dish is the definition of great big things being cultivated from very tiny beginnings, i.e. a mouth-watering Recipe shared via Google Reader as almost an afterthought one afternoon at work. Next thing I knew, Ben Duchac had turned my cast iron fantasy into one hundred percent reality. He is now my personal hero and shall remain so for eternity.

Running a very close second in my ranking of life-time heroes, though, would be the delightful lady behind the always-amazing Our Kitchen Sink for providing me with endless hours of salivary-gland-activating photography and food ideas. Haha. No, I cannot really believe that I just said that, either. Aren't you just amped to eat yourself some strata now?

Care of the Kitchen Sink:

"You Will Need:

4 large eggs
1/2 cup low-fat yogurt
3 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons finely chopped sage
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
One 16-ounce can diced tomatoes with their juices
Salt and freshly ground pepper
5 ounces whole wheat peasant bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (4 cups)
2 ounces feta cheese, crumble

To Make:

Preheat the oven to 450°. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, then whisk in the yogurt and parsley.

In a 10-inch ovenproof skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onion, garlic, sage and crushed red pepper and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until the onion is softened and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Stir in the bread and sprinkle with the feta. Pour the egg mixture on top and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool slightly, then serve."

Yum!







Prep stage, bread cubes



Almost there!!






Ready to be devoured!




An ultra-rare-never-before-seen-behind-the-scenes glimpse at me photographing my food! Kidding, kidding.
care (once again) of Ben D.The man can do no wrong!

4 comments:

Cate said...

Amazing! I pretty much feel that way about anything that has bread and cheese - but this has all those other great things too!

Anonymous said...

Nice apron!

Anonymous said...

I think I went to the same High School as Ben. Ask him sometime if he remembers an awkward kid with glasses a year or two younger than his named Henry Casey.

And of course, great post.

sweeetheartfever said...

Cate: ME. TOO. Haha. I used to make a mean grilled cheese as a little kid, even my dad will admit it.

Cache: Thanks for reading! it is lovely to have you. :) Sorry that I haven't been updating so frequently this last month, things have been a little insane for the holiday...but i have a back-log of recipes about a billion pages long now, so get ready!

withapassion: haha...you sure did. and thank you!