Breakfast for Dinner

Breakfast for dinner can be one of those extraordinarily comforting meals that seems vaguely healthy while still satisfying a craving for something delicious.  After traveling, well, a lot lately, I've decided this will be the week I claim some down time and cook as much as I can, even if it means just putting together a great salad.  Off to the market I went, grabbing whatever fresh ingredients struck my fancy.  And I came up with this dish, which hit the spot. 

You will need: 1 pack of assorted "gourmet" mushrooms, 1 leek, 2 eggs/person, polenta, pesto (fresh is best), white port (or wine), flour, butter, salt, vinegar, olive oil.  Start by chopping the leeks and mushrooms and sauteering them with 1/2 tbsp of butter and some olive oil.  Begin bringing a shallow pot of water to boil to poach the eggs.  To the mushroom and leek mix, add about 1/4-1/2 cup of the white port/wine.  Salt generously.  As this blends, you may want to add about 2 tsp flour to absorb some of the wine and gel the flavors.  

Start sauteeing the polenta in rounds in a light splash of olive oil.  As for the water, as soon as it boils, turn it down to a simmer, add a tbsp of white wine vinegar and then slowly submerge each egg, two at a time, depending on how wide your pot is.  Turn off the heat to the water, cover and cook for 4 minutes.

  

Plate the polenta first, then a bit of leek and mushroom hash.  Then top with the poached eggs and light topping of pesto.  In total, this dish takes about 15 minutes and gives you just enough chopping and stirring opportunities to feel like you've been "cooking."  At least more than the microwaving you've been doing that's been passing for cooking.