"Red-eye" poached egg and grits

Breakfast is by far the best meal of the day. In no other setting besides a cruise boat are you more encouraged to stuff your face with fat and carbs, then sink into a thick coma with a prayer of bacon of your lips. Heck, we have a word for breakfast that you eat at lunch and one for breakfast that you eat at dinner. Brinner may not be in your lexicon, but I'm sure you can appreciate the motivation behind it; and when that motivation happens to be fresh eggs from my mom's coop, then that's when I go to town.

A few days ago, I fortified some prepared beef stock with leftover odds-and-ends in my fridge: the stalks from the parsley and cilantro purees, green onions (both white and green parts), a quarter lemon, gingerroot, and garlic cloves. To fortify an already existing stock or to make a new batch of vegetable stock, simply bring the base broth or water to a boil, then add the fortifiers, which can be anything from herbs to root veggies to wine. Turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer for a number of hours until you're satisfied with the flavor. Strain the stock using a sieve, discard solids, and let cool on the counter until you can transfer it to the fridge.

"Red-eye" poached egg and grits


3 cups fortified beef stock
3 cups water
1 1/2 Tbsp instant espresso powder
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp Sriracha
Eggs for poaching, very cold
Quick-cooking grits
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste

A few words before I begin. Red-eye gravy is a traditional southern side made from rendering the fat from country ham and mixing it with hot coffee, but here I've taken creative liberties to use beef and espresso instead- thus, the quotation marks.

Poached eggs are fickle things. Like Sarah Palin, they need constant attention to survive. In addition, they must be icy cold inside their hard outer shells to maintain their composure in the harsh, hot world of rational thought. Wait, what was I talking about? Ah yes. The poaching liquid also matters. Poached, steamed, and braised food all absorb the flavors of their surrounding environment, so seasoning it well makes all the difference. Adding a splash of vinegar helps the egg white stay together, and prevents the egg from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Why? Something science-y. To the recipe!

Combine the first five ingredients. Place a saucepan on the burner and begin to cook the grits according to instructions, substituting the water for red-eye stock.
In a shallower sauté pan, bring the remaining stock to a gentle boil on medium-high heat.
Crack an egg into a cereal bowl or other small, low-rising bowl. Take the bowl and gingerly place its tip  into the hot liquid, sliding the egg out as you do so.

With a large spoon, begin ladling the liquid over the top of the egg. This will ensure that the yolk as well as the whites are cooked through. After a few minutes, the whites will entirely lose their transparency, and the yolk will be jiggly. The egg is done.

In the meantime, melt a pat of butter into the grits. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Remove the egg with a slotted spoon and serve it over grits. I garnished mine with cilantro purée and Sriracha.