Brunch: Rosemary Sausage Skewers, Potato Chorizo Salad and Soft Boiled Egg with Piment d'Espelette & Chives
I guess you are all stuffed by now like me. I had been eating non-stop from the 23rd until today. I can go on like this for days but if I find myself on the weighing scale right now, which I refuse to do so, I wouldn't like what I am going to see. But Christmas happens only once a year. This holiday is about filling up our homes with decors & trees, remembering the fundamental meaning of Christmas, exchanging gifts, cooking and enjoying the whole stretch of the holiday season with family and friends.
What I enjoy most is sitting down immersed in the company of people close to me and enjoying every single dish that arrives on the table. For two consecutive days, I had the pleasure of enjoying the home-cooked food of my husband's Mom and aunt. From the appetizers to the desserts, everything was well-orchestrated and prepared with so much attention. And the traditional Christmas family dishes come out better and better every year. Thanks to these signore (ladies) who had spent days in their kitchens preparing two splendid dinners for us.
Before you drop the big word - DIET - let me show you a delicious brunch that you shouldn't miss. I really enjoyed this one. The only consequence was, my husband refused to stay close to me for the remainder of the day because of the onions. I did use a minimal amount of a very mild variety of onions. Well, that's the best I can do.
I always roast sausages (and potatoes) with fresh rosemary. I have a big shrub growing under our olive tree that gives me a year-round supply. Using the fresh rosemary twigs as the skewers gave a more aromatic edge because they were cooked with the needles wedged inside the meat and tomatoes. My kids just didn't like the extra job of extricating the rosemary needles out of their sausages. I got bad looks for that.
Soft-boiled eggs can be eaten plain and simple but since I have this incurable habitual sprinkling of piment d'Espelette (Espelette pepper) on my food, I gave it a shot and I liked what I tasted. (Please click on the link to understand this pepper better.) Espelette pepper is very mild that it's actually not spicy at all. If you get to taste it, you will understand why I love it. If you cannot find it, substitute with mild paprika.
Buon appetito!
Rosemary Sausage Skewers, Potato Chorizo Salad and Soft Boiled Egg with Piment d'Espelette & Chives
Potato Chorizo Salad
Ingredients:Serves 2
- 200 grams potatoes, peeled & diced
- 50 grams chorizo, chopped
- 1/4 mild red onion, sliced thinly
- 2 teaspoons capers
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (also red wine vinegar, cider vinegar or any similar vinegar)
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- pepper
- chives, finely chopped
- Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook for about 20 minutes or until tender but still firm. Drain. Transfer to a bowl.
- In a small saucepan, cook the chorizo without any oil. Cook until toasted. Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar. After 30 seconds, take the pan away from the fire and pour on the potatoes.
- Mix in the chives, onions and capers.
- Season with salt & pepper.
- Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
Rosemary Sausage Skewers
Ingredients:Serves 2
- 6 - 8 mini salsicce (sausages)
- 6 - 8 rosemary twigs with needles
- 6 - 8 cherry or datterini tomatoes
- Insert a sausage and a tomato in every rosemary twig. Leave the needles attached to the twigs because they help secure the sausages and tomatoes in place ensuring that they don't slide out.
- Cook in a pre-heated oven of 180°C for 30 minutes or until the skin becomes brown.
Soft Boiled Egg with Piment d'Espelette & Chives
Ingredients:Serves 2
- 2 eggs
- piment d' Espelette (or substitute with mild paprika)
- chives, chopped
- salt
- In a small pot, bring water to a boil. Cook the egg in the boiling water for 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of cold water. After about 2 - 3 minutes, peel.
- Spinkle with salt, chopped chives and piment d'espelette.
