Some recipes WITH eggs
To help us all cook a little more intentionally!
Have you noticed lately, how many publications have been posting lists of recipes you can make without eggs? It makes sense - egg prices are at record highs, leading shoppers to hoard, or bargain, or simply abstain from buying eggs at all. We’re once again faced with a crisis that’s highlighting our broken food supply chain in the U.S..
And while these substitution lists are helpful, and could even lead you to incorporate some eggless recipes into your routine long term, I can't help but feel like they're a little dystopian. Plus, often, lists for an eggless lifestyle are framed more as "cooking hacks," rather than genuine ways to enjoy eating fewer eggs.
I regularly make plenty of recipes without eggs (and have a list of them here if you're looking for that!) But for this newsletter, I wanted to take the opposite approach, and send you a list of my recipes that are egg-forward.
This might seem counterintuitive. But I’d like to look at this egg crisis as a way to re-evaluate how intentional you are with your grocery shopping, your ingredients, and your cooking. Eggs are being viewed as a precious commodity in the U.S. right now; what was considered a staple is now seen as a splurge, elevating the humble egg to the ranks of fancy cheeses or choice cuts of meat.
So instead of whistling past the apocalypse, I'm using this as a moment to give some extra appreciation to eggs. Right now, an omelette is just a little more special; spaghetti carbonara is a little more treat-yourself. If you choose to make these recipes, I hope they help you to appreciate the work and care you put into the cooking process, and to take a moment for the farmers and egg-producing hens who give us this little ingredient we too often take for granted.
Asparagus Carbonara with pistachios
Time: 20 mins | Difficulty: 1/5 | Recommendation: Lunch or dinner
This pasta is DELICIOUS! The asparagus takes the place of pancetta here, giving the whole thing a really light, springy flavor. Because there’s no pancetta, you might have to add more butter near the end, but that’s not really a bad thing in my book. Make sure you grate more cheese than you think you need! The cheese here is everything. And make sure you turn off the heat when you add in the egg slurry, so it doesn’t scramble. The crumbled pistachios on top add the perfect crunchy touch, that brings it all together!
Crêpes
Time: 30 mins (+resting time) | Difficulty: 1/5 | Yield: 7-8 crêpes
This crêpe recipe is really easy and really delicious—it makes a crêpe that works for both savory and sweet meals, using a little bit of vanilla and sugar, but enough eggs and salt to keep it savory as well. Crêpes are one of the first things I made, and they seem complicated but are deceptively simple! And it feels like a party when you have a big pile of crêpes all to yourself. For savory fillings, I recommend frying an egg in another pan and adding it to the middle, with a layer of shredded guyere on one side of the crêpe. You could also add ham, or salami, or bacon, and make it like a whole sandwich! For sweet crêpes, try some nutella and sliced banana, or some jam or apple butter, or just some sugar with some orange squeezed on top. There are so many amazing options from one simple batter! This recipe makes about 7-8 crêpes.
Tofu katsu with a fluffy egg and frizzled scallions
Time: 30 mins | Difficulty: 2/5 | Recommendation: Weeknight meal
A few months ago, I discovered a recipe from the brilliant Woon Heng for tofu katsu—basically, flattened, breaded tofu that’s fried, taking the place of chicken—and I have fallen in love. It’s become one of the meals in my go-to rotation, because it’s simple yet super flavorful and full of texture. She is vegan, but I am not, so I’ve adjusted mine to be a non-vegan recipe that uses real egg in the batter. If your oil is hot enough, you don’t have to fry the tofu slices for very long, so they don’t get an oily texture at all. I like to make a sauce for the top based on Thai chili paste and mustard, and I also like to actually cook the leftover egg I used to batter the tofu. If you drop a whisked egg into super hot oil, it immediately puffs up and gets sooo fluffy!! It’s so fun. I recommend having this tofu over rice, because it soaks up the sauce really nicely, or noodles.
Solo-sized Dutch baby pancake
Time: 30 mins | Difficulty: 2/5 | Yield: 1 pancake
Dutch babies are the BEST! (I’m only speaking in terms of pancakes. I can’t make a verdict on babies from the Netherlands.) They’re fluffier, more fun, and more decadent than a normal pancake, and come together just as quickly. This recipe scales the Dutch baby down as small as possible, using just one egg. Use the smallest oven-proof skillet you have (ideally around 4-5 inches in diameter), and top it with anything your heart desires! Fresh berries and jam and something sweet like maple syrup, chocolate sauce, or caramel sauce are my recommendations…
Sour Cherry Clafoutis
Time: 1 hour | Difficulty: 1/5 | Yield: 1 clafoutis
A clafoutis (pronounced clah-foo-TEE!) is a thick French custard dotted with berries or fruit, and it’s so much easier to make than it looks or sounds! Sour cherries, the bright red gems of early summer, are perfect for this—they bring a tart bitterness to this semi-sweet custard. And the addition of cardamon brings a spicy nuttiness to the dish. This is perfect for breakfast for brunch for one, and can easily be scaled up if you want to bake for a crowd!
Pumpkin bread pudding
Time: 30 mins | Difficulty: 2/5 | Yield: 1 or 2 servings for breakfast!
I love bread pudding, and I love fall flavors, and I love single-serve easy breakfast dishes. This recipe combines all those things!! It’s delicious straight out of the oven (carefully), but it also keeps really well for a next-day breakfast, either microwaved or chilled. A dusting of powdered sugar on top brings it all together. To mix things up, you could add walnuts, chocolate chips, raisins, or anything else to the custard that your heart desires!
P.S. Big shout-out to all my friends on Instagram who gave me advice on how to make the perfect soft-boiled egg. After more than a decade of cooking for myself, I can finally and proudly say I know how to make one!! Behold the proof below:
P.P.S. Check out more of those cute Canadian egg prints, and some other really great food-related graphic design prints, here!!
Love the egg reframe and these recipes!
Thank you!! Always nice to reframe things once in a while :)