When I visited San Francisco in April, my friend BG and I took a long walk to the Ferry Building’s farmers market. BG enjoys fresh, delicious, healthy food as much as anyone, and she asked me a question that – surprisingly to me – stumped me.
“What do you buy when you go to farmers markets?”
…
Um…
This was not a trick question, but I had no answer. I asked her what she likes to buy. BG said she was going to make a frittata using whatever looks good. That sounded delightful. And I realized that to that point, I had had two general experiences with farmers markets.
- Happening upon markets when I’m least expecting them, or when I forget they will be on my path. At these, I don’t have a clear plan of something to cook in the short term, for which I need ingredients … and I usually end up leaving with some pretty fruit or a bag of spinach or 3 potatoes. (I always need potatoes.)
- My more recent experience, selling my delicious grEATings recipe greeting cards at Central Farm Markets. At those markets, I was so tied up with set-up, take-down, chatting with customers, protecting my display from wind and rain, and dog-management, that I never got a chance to take my time and stroll around the market to purchase the amazing fresh produce and other items. And I even met the acquaintance of some actual farmers – all of whom I would love to support – but I would spend 6 hours on a Sunday among such a bounty, and leave empty handed.
So I decided to rectify. And in doing so, I found a newer farmers market which is a perfect long-ish morning walk for Tazewell, open Saturday mornings, which is not so large as to be overwhelming. These eggs? From that very market. It seems like this vendor tries to give their customers a variety in every dozen, which I enjoy. Some even have a very slight green tint to the shell!
Upon my return from San Francisco, and upon the spring farmers markets opening in DC, I headed to the FRESHFARM market at Mt. Vernon Triangle and bought the makings of an egg bake: eggs, a fresh baguette, spinach, kale, zucchini, cilantro, and purple spring onions (it looked like a leek, but was purple!).
Usually for egg bakes (some variations are often referred to as “stratas,” a reflection of their layers), the instructions advise to refrigerate the compiled casserole for at least a few hours, and preferably overnight. I generally advise the same, because this gives the egg a chance to permeate the bread.
But you don’t have to wait if you don’t want to! For this version, I put it right in the oven after compiling it, and I had no problems whatsoever with the bread that hadn’t been soaked through – it just had the look and texture of bread in some places. I embraced the breadiness for this recipe, and didn’t try to pre-soak the bread by itself in egg while I cooked the vegetables, which is an option.
I sautéed the onion, kale, and spinach and layered more than half on top of a base of baguette pieces. Then I scrambled the eggs with a fork and poured it on top. I added more greens on top and ended with cilantro. I recommend adding salt and pepper to the vegetables as you cook them, and the eggs as you cook them. I started this post so long ago, firmly in spring, but am still posting just under the “spring” wire! It counts 🙂 . Keep an eye out for summer variations!
- 1 baguette, sliced
- large handful of sliced or diced onion (any kind, but in this recipe I used a purple spring onion)
- half bunch of lacinato kale, sliced very thin
- 2 cups baby spinach
- 10 eggs
- splash of milk {optional}
- 1 small zucchini, spiralized
- .5 cup cilantro, chopped including stems
- Heat the oven to 400.
- Lightly spray an 8" x 8" or 9" x 9" casserole dish with oil, and layer baguette slices to cover the bottom (you won't use them all on this step).
- Heat a large skillet over high heat, and add a bit of olive oil once it's warm to the touch.
- Once the oil is heated, add the onion, and sauté until it is softened.
- Add the sliced kale, and sauté until it gets bright green and the moisture cooks out.
- Add the spinach and turn off the heat. Stir until the spinach wilts and the moisture cooks out a bit. Season with salt and pepper.
- Layer more than half of the vegetables on the bread in the casserole dish.
- Add more bread slices on top of this layer.
- Scramble the eggs very well (with the milk, if using) in a bowl using a whisk or a fork, and season with salt and pepper. Pour the eggs on top of the layered vegetables and bread. Turn the slices of bread that are on top, and press down, so both sides get coated with egg.
- Add the remaining vegetables from the pan, and the raw zucchini and cilantro, on top.
- Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 40 minutes.
- Remove the foil and continue to bake until the top is browned and when you press on the middle with a spatula, no egg oozes out.
- Enjoy your very fresh farmer's market breakfast! The veggies on top will have a little crisp to them from the oven. Delicious!
Adapted from other My Utensil Crock egg bakes, like this Lox + Bagel Brunch Bake, this Bagel Bake, and this one.
Tell me what you think!