Introducing: Take It Easy

A simple but satiating recipe column for the hungry home cook. First up? Green, chili crisp eggs.

Recently, I wrote in a journal entry: “I could spend the rest of my life, and I most certainly will, thinking about the food I make each day.”

I am guided by the daily joys of my meals. I derive pleasure in the meditative and rewarding practice of creating food. That is one side of me. The other side of me would love to make a meal in 30 minutes or less and spend minimal time cleaning up.

This recipe column tries to scratch both itches. There will be delicious, quick recipes. There will be recipes that take a little bit longer with maximum flavor payoff. There may be some duds—though I hope there aren’t—because I am only one person and am trying something new.

In the coming weeks you will receive some of my favorite recipes that I have been testing and eating on the regular—once I put the final touches on my crispy tomato paste tofu recipe it’s over for y’all. There’s already salad dressings, creamy vegan pastas, banana breads, and all the other fun and yummy kitchen schemes in the works. I’m eager to explore recipe writing again and I cannot wait for you to try out what I create.

Without further ado, let’s move into Take It Easy’s very first recipe. In keeping with the “easy” theme, we’re making easy green, chili crisp eggs.

I’m a sucker for an egg that is cracked and cooked into something else. Another thing I’m a sucker for? That big bag of kale at Trader Joe’s that easily lasts me two weeks. Unlike other healthy greens like spinach or arugula, kale is so sturdy that you can keep it around for a couple of weeks and it won’t wilt or go slimy on you. Should you keep this bag in your fridge for weeks on end? No, but you could! This recipe is a savory, semi-healthy dish perfect for a quick breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

My egg recipe incorporates chili crisp, which is a kitchen staple and a versatile, savory, spicy flavor enhancer. What was once a fleeting trend on 2021 food TikTok, when my whole ForYou Page was seemingly cooking their eggs in chili crisp, is now a breakfast-time regular in my repertoire. The magic of the clock app!

I used S&B’s crunchy garlic with chili oil for these eggs, though I also love Lao Gan Ma’s spicy chili crisp. It’s also incredibly simple to make your own at home. If you’re in the market for a new crisp, check out this article for some top-tier recommendations.

Not all chili crisps are created equally—some are saltier than others. So when I tell you to add a tablespoon of it in this recipe, I want you to be mindful of the salinity of your chili crisp. If a tablespoon would be far too salty, maybe use a teaspoon instead. Trust your tongue.

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. of butter

1 scallion, thinly sliced with whites and greens divided

1 tbsp. chili crisp of your choice

Handful of chopped kale (around one packed cup)

2 eggs

Slice of toast for serving (optional)

1. In a nonstick skillet on medium-low heat, melt your butter. Put the white parts of the scallion in the skillet and set the green parts aside for later. Saute until softened, 2-3 minutes.

2. Spoon in chili oil and stir scallions into the oil. Add in your handful of kale and continue stirring to try to coat the leaves with the chili crisp. Turn heat to medium. At this point, the kale should have wilted a little, but you’ll need to splash some water into the pan to fully wilt the greens. (1-2 tbsp. should suffice) Cook for 3-4 minutes, occasionally stirring until kale has shrunken in size and darkened in color. Take a bit of kale and see if it’s seasoned to your liking. If it isn’t, salt to taste.

3. Make two divots in the pan where you will crack your eggs. We want the kale to surround the eggs but want the yolks, particularly, to have their own space to cook through. It’s ok if some of the whites are on top of the kale. Break the eggs into the pan and cover. Cook through to your desired egg preparation. (I’m an over medium girly, so 5-7 minutes on low to medium heat does the trick for me).

4. Garnish with scallion greens and serve with toast.

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Thank you for reading! If you make these eggs, send me a picture!

In other news, I moved to New York in January and have been adjusting to living here. I’m surely keeping busy with my contract writing position, eating and drinking the city’s finest (and contract-budget-friendliest) provisions, and going on the occasional run in Prospect Park.

New York Bite Spotlight

• Riverine Ranch’s Buffalo Milk Mango Lassi: This was by far the most refreshing drink I have tried in a long time. I picked up Riverine Ranch’s mango lassi from the Union Square Green Market last Saturday and haven’t stop dreaming of it since. This mango lassi uses buffalo milk instead of cows milk, and there’s this subtle sour bite to the drink that pairs beautifully with the creamy mango. I guzzled the whole thing within minutes. Not too sweet, not too sour, simply perfect.

lords_nyc

A post shared by Lord’s (@lords_nyc)

• THE Lord’s Scotch Egg: My lovely friend Julia invited me to an event at the hot new Lord’s this week, where I got to sip Harridan Vodka cocktails and try the restaurant’s famous Scotch egg (among other menu items, like their Welsh Rarebit with pillowy sourdough and cantabrian anchovies). What a jammy yolk! Did you know they boil it for exactly six minutes and 20 seconds? What a crispy breaded sausage exterior! I had died and gone to elevated English bistro heaven.