Four Eggs

I open up the fridge on a Friday afternoon.

Leftovers: Four eggs; a near empty jar of sun-dried tomatoes; a container of ricotta that is half full; the butt of a hard Italian cheese, the kind I do not recall; homemade bread crumbs from the remains of a stale crusty bread; leftover chopped parsley and scallions; a wedge of red onion. Green beans. Broccoli.

I pre-heat the oven to 375.

Some chopping of the sun-dried tomatoes and red onion and then into a bowl with the ricotta, parsley and scallions. Grate the hard cheese and add most of that to the bowl, a portion retained to be added to the bread crumbs. Add the eggs and scramble all together. Grab a pan and heat on the stove. Add the remaining oil from the sun-dried tomato jar and some butter. When melted and hot, add the egg mixture. Sprinkle the bread crumbs and remaining cheese on the top of the eggs. Wait for the sides of the frittata to set. When set, place the pan into the hot oven.

I place a pot of water on the stove to boil, heavily salted.

Wash and trim the green beans and broccoli (saving the trimmings in the freezer for my next vegetable stock). Most likely, the time it takes to prepare the vegetables will be enough for the water will be boiling heavily. Add the green beans and wait for the water to begin to boil again. Maybe three minutes. A minute after the water is boiling again, scoop out the green beans into a plated colander. Take to the sink and rinse with cold water. Set aside on a cookie sheet to cool. Next the broccoli the same method as before.

When the par-boiling is complete, the frittata should be ready to pull out of the oven to cool. This takes about an hour. During this hour, I have made a frittata; green beans that will be eaten at room temperature with other veggies and dip; broccoli for a fried rice I plan on making the next day; and a simple salty broth of broccoli and green beans, reserved from the parboiling. The broth can be used to make rice or quinoa, but I prefer to sip it out of a tea bowl!

One meal leads to the next. This is the philosophy of cooking I try to practice. This philosophy of cooking, I owe to Tamar Adler, author of An Everlasting Meal. The first chapter is titled "How to Boil Water" appropriately enough. It talks about taking a big pot and boiling many vegetables in a row, from less starch to most starch, say green beans and broccoli to carrots and potatoes. Another chapter discusses the egg. I am fairly certain quiches and frittatas are mentioned. A little planning and strategizing and the cooking you do today, will turn into many meals you will eat tomorrow.

I read this book many years ago. I have referred it to many people before and now I am referring it to you.