Recipe: Eggs Over Smoky Potatoes

EGGS OVER SMOKY POTATOES

"Start the potatoes, then finish the dish by cracking the eggs over them and finishing them in the oven or on top of the stove.

That smoky Spanish pimenton (smokes paprika) does wonders for foods that might otherwise be cooked with sausage, such as these eggs and potatoes, inspired by a recipe in Marie Simmons's book The Good Egg. While you can finish the eggs on the stove, I think it makes an especially handsome presentation if you transfer the potatoes to a shallow-sided earthernware gratin dish, bake the eggs in the oven, and bring the whole, gorgeous dish to the table. This recipe is as easy to make for one as it is for a crowd.

A bit intense for an early-morning breakfast perhaps, these lusty eggs are great for supper at any time of year. In summer I'd serve them with saut ed peppers and in winter with a lively salad of cauliflower, green olives, and green peppers, ending with a cooling orange compote for dessert. For wine, stay with the Spanish influence and choose a Ribera del Duero for a red, or an Albarino for a white.

Start the potatoes, then finish the dish by cracking the eggs over them and finishing them in the oven or on top of the stove."

approximately 2 pounds potatoes, any variety, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Spanish smoked paprika (pimenton), to taste
1 garlic clove, minced
4 scallions, including a few inches of the greens, thinly sliced
4 or more eggs
minced parsley to finish

1. If you're using russet or baking potatoes, put them in cold water as you work to draw out some of the starch. Drain them and blot them dry before cooking.

2. Heat the oil in a large, well-seasoned cast-iron or nonstick skillet.* Add the potatoes to the pan and cook over medium heat, turning them every so often so they brown on all sides. When they're tender, after 15 minutes or so, season them with salt, toss them with the smoked paprika, garlic, and scallions, and cook for 1 minute more.

3. Break the eggs over the potatoes. You can add more as long as there is room for them. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat until the whites are set, about 5 minutes, or longer, if you want the yolk to set as well. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

*Or preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and transfer the potatoes to a lightly oiled terra-cotta gratin dish. Break the eggs over them, then bake until set and as done as you like, 15 to 20 minutes. Garnish with the parsley and serve in their dish.

Serves 2 to 4
Excerpted from Vegetarian Suppers from Deborah Madison's Kitchen by Deborah Madison
Copyright 2005 by Deborah Madison. Excerpted by permission of Broadway, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.