Foreign Cinema’s Balsamic Fried Eggs

Posted by Amy Palanjian to Food on 11 June 2009

Chefs Gayle Pirie and John Clark are the dynamic duo behind Foreign Cinema—a mainstay on the turbulent and super competitive San Francisco restaurant scene. Since opening in 1999, they’ve attracted a loyal and devoted following that’s kept them strong through the dot com bust and the current financial situation. Maybe it’s because they screen foreign and independent films (”Chinatown” is currently playing and “La Cage Aux Folles” is up next month) on their outdoor patio or maybe it’s simply because of recipes like this one, which is their most popular brunch dish. It’s just one of my favorite recipes (you’ve also got to try their Eggs with Gruyere, Mustard and Champagne!) in their cookbook, Country Egg, City Egg.

Balsamic Fried Eggs
Serves 2

2 tablespoons good-quality extra virgin olive oil
2 eggs
1 1/2 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar
Spicy lettuce (red mustard greens, watercress, or arugula), for garnish

1.) In a nonstick or seasoned egg pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.

2.) When the oil is hot but not quite at the smoking point, crack open the eggs
into the pan and cook for about 25 seconds, keeping the heat medium.

3.) As they puff up, baste the top of the yolks with the hot oil to help them
cook.

4.) After the eggs set, slide them onto a warm plate. Pour off any excess oil.

5.) Add the balsamic vinegar to the pan, and let it sizzle and reduce slightly
for a moment or two.

6.) Drizzle the vinegar over the eggs and drop a small handful of spicy garden
lettuce on top. Serve with toasted bread and sauteed porcini mushrooms.

Easy Fish Tacos with Chipotle BBQ Sauce

Ingredients:
Frozen fish sticks, or other frozen fish of your choice
2 corn tortillas
Swiss cheese, or your choice cheese
Spinach
Jalapenos – from the jar is fine (optional)
Barbecue Sauce (optional)
Tabasco Chipotle Sauce (optional)

Instructions:
Cook the frozen fish on a baking pan in the oven, per the cooking instructions on the box. While the fish is cooking, prepare your tortillas. Lay the tortillas flat, and place a cheese slice (or shredded cheese) on each tortilla, add jalapenos if you like, and then spinach on top.

Once the fish is about 50% done cooking, place your prepared tortillas on the baking sheet with the fish (Don’t add the fish on your tortillas yet). Usually the fish and the tortillas are done cooking at about the same time when you time it this way.  Keep an eye on the tortillas to make sure they are not getting too crispy for you (I like mine crispy sometimes).  Once everything is finished cooking, place the fish on your tortillas.  I like to add chipotle sauce and barbecue sauce over the top.

*I borrowed this recipe from http://happyfoody.com/2009/01/21/quick-curry-stir-fry/

Quick Coconut Curry Stir-Fry
1 medium onion, chopped into 1/2 inch chunks
1 pound extra firm tofu, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
2-3 cups broccoli, snap peas, peppers, mushrooms…you choose!
Salt and pepper to taste

Stir-Fry Sauce:
1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
1/4 cup light soy sauce
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder – *I use hot madras curry powder from the farmers market
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger, or ginger powder

Saute the onion in olive oil until soft. While that is cooking, stir together the sauce ingredients and set aside. Add all of your veggies to the onions and saute for a few minutes. Pour the stir-fry sauce over the mixture and cook through until veggies are soft. You could throw in a couple handfuls of spinach until just wilted if you like (right before you serve it). Serve over quinoa or brown rice. Top with some sweet thai chili sauce for a little extra kick!

I cheated by using:

a) Kroger brand Alfredo sauce+noodle packet (89 cents)

b) Canned Salmon from Trader Joes… (this was my first ever experience with canned salmon and it was not too bad)

c) Tabasco Chipotle Sauce

d) Dried minced garlic

This is where I will document my favorite recipes.