Caramelized Broccoli & Cauliflower Croquettes with Poached Eggs & Hollandaise

Caramelized Vegetable Croquettes

2 cups cooked, coarsely smashed Yukon Gold potatoes

1 cup broccoli florets, coarsely chopped

1 cup cauliflower florets, coarsely chopped

1 medium shallot, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons high quality olive oil such as Oro Bailen Picual for sauteing & frying

1/2 cup cherve (fresh goat cheese), creme fraiche, or sour cream

1/3 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano

fresh ground pepper

2 large eggs beaten

2 cups panko bread crumbs

mixed baby greens (optional)

Hollandaise Sauce*

3 large room temperature egg yolks

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 cup unsalted butter

1 teaspoon kosher salt

freshly cracked pepper (optional)

Heat the butter in a small sauce pan until very warm, about 180 degrees.  In the bowl of a food processor or in the jar of a blender, add the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and egg yolks.  Process briefly to blend everything.  With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the hot butter butter.  

*Raw egg warning

In a saute pan set over medium-high heat, add two tablespoons of extremely fresh, low FFA below .3, high phenol (above 300 ppm) fruity-green extra virgin olive such as Oro Bailen Picual.  Add the shallots, broccoli, and cauliflower and saute until golden brown, and slightly caramelized (about 20 minutes) add the garlic at the last minute.  

Add the coarsely mashed potatoes to a large bowl and add the goat cheese, pepper and salt.  Add the caramelized veggie mixture to the potatoes and mix gently, keeping the veggies in tact as much as possible.

Add the beaten egg to wide flat container or bowl, and add the Panko bread crumbs to another bowl. Season the egg with a little salt.

Once the potato mixture has cooled enough to handle, form six patties, about 4" wide and 1" thick.  Dip each patty in to the seasoned egg, and then in to the Panko bread crumbs making sure to gently press the crumbs on to the patty.  Set the patties on to a lined baking sheet and set aside.  

Heat 1/2" of Oro Bailen Picual in a wide heavy saute pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 325 on a deep fry thermometer.  Pan fry the patties until golden brown on both sides - set aside on a lined baking sheet.  

Poach 6 large eggs

To assemble, arrange the mixed baby greens on the plate.  Top with the warm veggie patty. Set a poached egg atop the veggie patty and ladle the Hollandaise over the top. 

Serves 6 

Avgelomono Soup with Olio Nuovo Baklouti Chili Agrumato Olive Oil Drizzle

Avgelomono is a comforting Greek chicken, lemon, egg, and rice soup (read penicillin).  It's one of my absolute favorite soups to enjoy on a chilly winter day.  I've taken a very standard interpretation of avgelomono and added a savory, spicy note of freshly made Baklouti Agrumato Olive Oil to the party.  After tasting the before and after, it would be easy to argue that the ingredients in this recipe were simply line-dancing until the Baklouti showed up at the party and started break-dancing. 

The green fruit of the peppers we crushed with olives in our mill marries perfectly with the bright lemon, creamy rice, and savory chicken here.  It almost begs the question of why the original Greek recipe doesn't include this phenomenal fused olive oil in the first place.

Ingredients
8 cups good quality chicken stock or broth
1 cup short grain starchy rice
2 large shallots, or 1 medium onion diced
1 bay leaf
2 large fresh eggs
1 pound chicken breast cut in 1" dice
1/3 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons Fresh (olio nuovo) Agrumato Baklouti Chili Olive Oil
copious amounts of fresh cracked pepper
sea salt to taste

Directions
In a large stock pot, heat 2 tablespoons Baklouti Agrumato Olive Oil over medium heat.  Add the diced shallots and saute until soft, approximately 2 minutes.  Add the chicken stock, chicken breast, bay leaf, and rice to the pot and bring to a simmer for approximately 30 minutes, or until the rice is very tender, and the soup is slightly thickened.

In a heat proof bowl whisk together the eggs and lemon juice.  Add one cup of hot stock to the egg and lemon mixture whisking constantly.  Add the egg and lemon mixture back in to the stock pot while stirring constantly.  The soup will instantly thicken and become somewhat creamy.  Simmer for an additional minute over medium heat stirring constantly. 

Remove the bay leaf, taste and adjust the seasoning with additional pepper, and salt if desired. 

Serve each bowl with a healthy drizzle of Baklouti Agrumato Olive Oil 

Serves 6-8