Mediterranean Night

Don and I made a commitment this week to walk the dogs every night even if it was only for five minutes. And tonight, we did just that - walked the dogs for only five minutes. I was ready to keep going but when we rounded the block and I posed the question back or forward, Don determined that he was ready to head back since he was getting hungry. One of our neighbors was grilling steak and it smelled mighty good. Imagine Don's delight when I told him that we too were having steak for dinner. And not just steak, but steak and eggs. And not just any eggs, but poached eggs. And not just poached eggs, but Mediterranean Poached Eggs, a Cooking Light Recipe I've been wanting to try for a long time and one that is featured in the Meatless Main Dishes of my new Cooking Light cookbook that my sister got me for Christmas. I might as well have just told him that we won the lottery.

Jeremy and Katy came over to share in the meal and some much needed bonding time - been far too long since we had seen our best friends through a couple of freak weeks of opposite schedules. And this was a great meal to bring everyone back together. New fun flavors and awesomeness all around. Everyone gave it rave reviews and Katy did a really nice job for her first time ever with broiling steaks. Way to go Katy! Below is the featured recipe and a few pics of the meal.

We served with a lovely bottle of Cabernet from our favorite winery in Solvang. They actually have a White Cabernet also that is to die for.

Katy dishes up the first helping. Keep an eye out for Katy in an upcoming infomercial for a new exercise program. She recently dropped some significant poundage and does she not look fabulous?! And this Cooking Light Recipe works perfectly with her diet too.

The eggs are poached right in the tomato broth and then served over a nice slice of toasted french bread to soak up all the juices.

This is a meal that can certainly stand on it's own. But if you want to really put a smile on your husband's face, treat him to a lovely piece of sirloin steak, broiled here to perfection by the lovely Katy Spray.

Mediterranean-Style Poached Eggs


Eggs gently cook atop a savory mixture of onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts in this version of pipérade. Served over toasted bread, it makes a filling one-dish meal.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 cup green bell pepper strips
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 (14-ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
4 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
4 (1 1/2-ounce) slices French bread, toasted

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Add cumin and paprika; sauté 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium; stir in tomatoes, black pepper, and artichokes. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Form 4 (3-inch) indentations in vegetable mixture using the back of a spoon or bottom of a large custard cup. Break 1 egg into each indentation. Cover and cook 8 minutes or until eggs are done. Sprinkle with parsley, olives, and cheese. Serve over bread.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 bread slice, 3/4 cup vegetable mixture, and 1 egg)

CALORIES 355 (30% from fat); FAT 11.9g (sat 3.5g,mono 5.4g,poly 1.5g); IRON 3.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 217mg; CALCIUM 197mg; CARBOHYDRATE 46.2g; SODIUM 1050mg; PROTEIN 17.8g; FIBER 7.5g

Cooking Light, APRIL 2004