Arbor Inn Egg Blossoms with Hollandaise Sauce

When our friends Mike and Hilary got married in New England, we stayed at a bed and breakfast run by a wonderful couple named Joanne and Jim. Their Bed and Breakfast, The Arbor Inn, was the nicest bed and breakfast that I ever stayed at. Being a dog lover, it helped that their two friendly chows were just as accomodating as our human hosts. Every breakfast was a gourmet feast made with the freshest ingredients. Joanne is an award-winning baker that has her own cookbook coming out soon (if it isn't already). 

The phyllo dough gives the blossoms a nice light texture. To make the blossoms, the phyllo dough needs to sit in a fluted mould, or large Texas-style muffin tin. I use a fluted Brioche mould. My vegetarian version uses Morningstar bacon, and a dash of Smokehouse black pepper to add some more depth to the smokiness. This is intended to fill in the gap missing from the smoky flavor of the Canadian bacon, because I don't think that the smoked Gouda is enough in this case. Also, I have used arugula in place of the baby spinach in a pinch, and it's still pretty yummy.

If you have never made Hollandaise sauce before, it is important to temper the eggs to avoid a curdled mess of scrambled eggs and melted butter. Tempering an egg gently heats the egg yolk to bring it up to temperature to avoid the aforementioned mess. It sounds scary, but it's actually quite easy if you follow the directions.

Adapted from Arbor Inn

Egg Blossom Recipe
Ingredients
3 five-inch square sheets of phyllo pastry,
melted butter
Shredded smoked Gouda cheese
1 slice of cooked Morningstar bacon
Fresh baby spinach, stemmed and shredded (not pre-cooked)
1 large whole egg
salt and pepper (preferrably Smokehouse black pepper)
paprika

Directions
1. Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F.
2. Brush each square of phyllo with the melted butter and place one over the other in a well buttered fluted form or large Texas style muffin tin to form a nest.
3. Place shredded cheese inside on the bottom of the phyllo nest you have created.
4. Crumble the bacon and it on top of the cheese and then place the shredded spinach on top.
5. Make an indentation in the spinach to form a well, and break the egg carefully into the nest without breaking the yolk. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Bake egg blossoms on center rack for exacly 18 minutes. Remove from oven and let set for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make the Hollandaise sauce.
7. Take the egg blossoms out of the pan carefully with a small knife and set on a serving plate.
8. Pour Hollandaise sauce over the egg blossom and sprinkle lightly with paprika.

Makes one serving

Hollandaise Sauce

Ingredients
2 egg yolks
1/2 stick of butter cut into pieces
freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste

Directions
1. Add the butter, lemon juice, and egg yolks in a small, cool or room temperature pan.
2. Place the pan over low heat and stir constantly until the sauce thickens.
3. If the sauce is too thick, and a bit of milk or water, a few drops at a time.
4. Remove from heat.

Makes about 2 servings

Hearty Vegetable Garlic Lasagna

This recipe was inspired by a woman that I met in Nova Scotia. I was still eating meat, and it was the first time that I tried a vegetarian lasagna. It was so flavorful and cheesy that I didn't miss the meat at all. After some experimentation, I managed to come up with a recipe that my husband and I were happy with.

With the exception of the onion and garilc, I usually mix it up depending on what vegetables we have on hand, but I am consistent with everything else each time I make this. To make life easier on myself, I use oven ready l lasagna noodles. One day when I have time, I will use fresh noodles ;).

When it comes to the cheese, I try to go with the freshest and purest ingredients that I can find. For the mozzarella, I prefer to use fresh. To make it easier to grate, I put it in the freezer for a little while. When it's partially frozen, I take it out and grate it right away. For the ricotta, I was surprised to find that most brands add stabilizers to prolong shelf-life, and/or emulsifiers for texture. For the best flavor, try to find one that doesn't add any of these nasty things.

Ingredients
1/2 package (about 8 ounces) lasagna noodles
1 medium carrot, chopped
1/2 white onion, chopped
1 medium zucchini
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic, minced
1-26 ounce jar pasta sauce
4 large leaves basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 pint ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan Reggianno cheese
1 egg

Directions
1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a small pot. Add half the garlic and saute until golden brown. Add the pasta sauce and oregano, mix well and bring to a boil. Simmer fo 20 minutes. If making this ahead of time, refrigerate for up to one day. Otherwise, set it aside.
2. If you are not using oven-ready noodles, cook the noodles in a large pot and drain them.
3. Saute the remaining garlic, onions and carrots for a few minutes. Add the red pepper and continue sauteeing until the carrots are soft.
4. Add the pasta sauce to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the basil and remove from heat.
5. Mix together ricotta, 2 cups of mozzarella, and egg.
6. Spread 1 cup tomato sauce into the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish. Layer 1/2 each, lasagna noodles, cheese mix, sauce, and parmesan. Repeat layering and top with the rest of the mozzarella and any remaining parmesan.
7. Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Let it stand for 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 large servings