Dispatch

"I am going to learn to make bread to-morrow. So you may imagine me with my sleeves rolled up, mixing flour, milk, salaratus, etc., with a great deal of grace. I advise you if you don’t know how to make the staff of life to learn with dispatch.”  - Emily Dickinson to Abiah Root, September 25, 1845

Without a doubt, weather is the hottest topic of conversation around here as our deep freeze continues. I heard the other day that 86% of the Great Lakes are frozen which seems to provide the justification for all the grumblings heard all around. I was also told that the black bears have begun to wake from hibernation. And, I can hear the songbirds beginning to find their voices to reinforce for us Emily Dickinson's poem: 'Hope' is the thing of feathers -- 

On March 1, I want to send a hopeful dispatch from the Finger Lakes. Perhaps, we can all follow Emily Dickinson's example and learn to bake some bread or learn anything new or just turn on the oven and bake something sweet or savory from an old, reliable recipe or one mouthwateringly new. I just know that the act of turning on the oven, feeling the heat radiate into the kitchen, and anticipating something delicious emerging from its bowels from my own hands tends to send my spirits soaring.

As such, let me share a simple meal  you can prepare with the same positive outcome for yourself and your appetite. It is almost foolproof and flexible enough to adapt to any palate as well as what you might find in your refrigerator in contrast to what I might stock in mine. Eggs, now redeemed as an excellent source of protein, remain a favorite in my house in almost any form. Here eggs are baked with greens -- so very healthy and satisfying. Quickly prepared and baked, they pop out of the oven to comfort, nourish, and eat atop crusty bread while sitting in front of a favorite movie, loved ones nearby and red wine in hand. Suddenly, life never seemed so sunny, the dispatch never so well received. Enjoy!

Baked Eggs on a Bed of Sauteed Greens

Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in a large iron skillet. Add 1 cup chopped red onion and caramelize for 15 minutes until golden brown. Add two cups packed chopped greens and saute until wilted. (I am partial to Swiss chard, but you could use kale or spinach just as well.) Season to taste with sea salt, freshly ground black pepper, and your favorite herb or spice. Remove from heat. Break 4 or 5 eggs on top of sauteed greens. Bake at 350° F for 10 minutes until eggs begin to set. Remove from oven and preheat broiler. Sprinkle with goat's cheese or a favorite freshly grated cheese like Gruyère or aged Gouda. Place skillet under broiler until cheese is bubbling. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Yield: 2 servings

*Inspired by a recipe in Miss Dahl's Voluptuous Delights by Sophie Dahl