IN-SEASON RECIPES

Eggs from chickens out on pasture in spring are the very best. The yolks are the brightest orange, and they are extra delicious and nutritious. Classic Omelet My sisters got my son, Cal, a subscription to Master Class a few years back. One of the great payoffs was his mastering the French omelet, which should be completely blond and just barely set. Here, we celebrate the foraged mushrooms and herbs of spring as well as free-range eggs. Yield: 1 or 2 omelets 3 eggs 2 tablespoons butter, divided 1/4 pound assorted cultivated and foraged mushrooms, well cleaned and sliced thin Salt, freshly ground pepper Leaves from one sprig each of thyme, tarragon and parsley and a few stems of chive, minced Put the oven rack in the top third of oven and preheat to 300 degrees F. In an 8" nonstick skillet, melt 1.5 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until golden brown. Season with a bit of salt and pepper, mix in herbs, and set aside in a warm place. Beat eggs well with a fork or — better yet — an immersion blender and pour through a fine strainer. Clean and dry skillet, then use remaining butter to thoroughly grease the skillet. Put skillet over medium low heat and add eggs. Using a heat-proof silicone spatula or wooden spoon, move eggs toward center as they begin to set at edges of skillet and let uncooked egg flow out into the edges by tilting pan. When the eggs are almost completely set, sprinkle two-thirds of the mushroom mixture over eggs and place pan in the oven to bake for three minutes. Remove and gently roll omelet to form a cylinder. Place seam-side down on a warm plate. Top with remaining mushrooms. Local ingredients: eggs, butter, mushrooms, herbs ============================== Scotch Eggs I learned to make this recipe a long time back from Laura Carden of Harrisville General Store and other fame. Yield: 2 dozen pieces 1-1/2 pounds loose breakfast sausage 9 medium-boiled eggs (Note: I like to use the J. Kenji Lopez-Alt's egg boiling method for 7-8 minutes for this) Flour Dry breadcrumbs 2 eggs Vegetable oil Sliced pickles Divide sausage into 12 equal (2-ounce) pieces. On a piece of plastic wrap, flatten a piece into an ample round. Lay an egg on top and then close plastic wrap to surround the egg with sausage meat. Make sure the egg is fully enclosed with meat; remove wrap to use for remaining eggs. Repeat for all remaining eggs. Put flour and breadcrumbs on two separate small plates. Beat eggs in a shallow bowl with 2 tablespoons of water. Roll egg in flour, dip in egg mixture and then roll in breadcrumbs to cover completely. Repeat for remaining eggs and let stand for about 15 minutes. Pour oil to a depth of three inches into a small saucepan and heat to 325 degrees F. Fry eggs a few at a time until golden brown, about five minutes. You want to allow sausage time to cook, so be sure to prevent oil from getting hotter. Drain and repeat with remaining eggs. Cut eggs in halves with a sharp knife and serve with sliced pickles. Local ingredients: sausage, eggs, pickles ======================================================== Crème Brûlée I love to make this with children whose youthful pyromania makes them gleeful torch enthusiasts. If you invest in a propane torch with nozzle from the hardware store, you will find many kitchen uses for it; you simply cannot make crème brûlée without one. Yield: 8 servings 1-quart heavy cream, heated until steaming 8 egg yolks 1/4 cup sugar, plus additional sugar for topping 1-1/4 teaspoon vanilla Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Thoroughly combine cream, yolks, sugar and vanilla using an immersion blender or whisk. Bring a kettle of water to boil. Pour cream mixture into eight shallow ovenproof dishes. Put dishes in a baking pan with sides that come up at least 1". Pour boiling water around custard cups to reach halfway up the sides, being careful not to splash custard. Bake until just set, about 30 minutes. Take from the water bath and cool. Cover and for several hours. At serving time, spread a thin even layer of sugar over the custard. Use a torch to caramelize sugar. Cool a minute or so before serving. Local ingredients: cream, eggs