Recipe by Damon Lee Fowler, featuring

Salt Table Hostess City Southern Hospitality Blend

This lighter rendition of Eggs Florentine actually is from Florence (Italy, of course, not South Carolina). Perfect for spring weather, it can be served over pan-toasted bread: Butter 8 slices ½-inch-thick crusty Italian bread and pan-grill it over medium heat until browned on both sides.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds fresh spinach, or 2 10-ounce packages frozen whole leaf spinach, thawed

1 cup tomato sauce such as Marinara

Salt Table Hostess City Southern Hospitality Blend or use another great Salt Table blend noted below

¼ cup (4 tablespoons) extra virgin olive oil

About 1- 1½ cups freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, optional

8 poached eggs (recipe follows)

 

HOW TO MAKE IT:

  1. If using fresh spinach, wash it in several changes of water and remove any tough stems. Put it into a lidded skillet with the water that’s clinging to it, cover, and cook over medium high heat until just wilted. Drain, cool enough to handle, and squeeze out excess moisture. If using frozen spinach, omit the preliminary cooking and squeeze out any excess moisture.
  2. Heat the sauce over medium low heat. If liked, season it lightly with Hostess City Southern Hospitality blend. Keep it warm. Put the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the spinach and season lightly with Hostess City Southern Hospitality blend. Sauté, tossing often, until it’s hot through, tender, and dry, about 2 minutes. Turn off the heat. Mix in ½ cup Parmigiano or more, to taste, taste adjust the seasoning.
  3. Divide the spinach among 4 warm plates. Top each serving with 2 eggs and grind a little Hostess City Southern Hospitality blend over each egg. Spoon the tomato sauce evenly over the eggs and lightly sprinkle with cheese. Serve at once with more cheese passed separately.

* Other appropriate blends are Southern Italian Grinder Blend, All Round Good Grinder Blend, Southern Herb Garden Grinder Blend, and River Street Cobblestone Grinder Blend

Perfect Poached Eggs

For 2 to 4 eggs (1-2 servings)

Water

1-2 tablespoons distilled white or white wine vinegar

2-4 large eggs

Optional for serving: salt, whole pepper in a mill, softened butter and/or Sauce Hollandaise (see recipe)

  1. If you’re planning to make the eggs ahead, prepare a large basin of ice water. Put at least 2 and up to 4 inches of water in a deep, lidded saucepan. Turn on the heat to high, cover, and bring the water to a boil, then add the vinegar and reduce the heat so that it bubbles steadily but isn’t boiling hard. One at a time, break each egg into shallow bowl and slip into pan at point where water is bubbling. Let it settle and gently turn it to help egg form oval. Add up to 3 more eggs in the same way.
  2. When all the eggs are in pan, let them simmer until their whites are set and yolks are still quite soft, about 1½ to 2 minutes. Remove them with slotted spoon, let them drain thoroughly, and trim any loose tendrils of egg white. Serve immediately while still warm.
  3. If you’re making the eggs ahead, immediately slip them into the ice water bath until they’re chilled. Store them in cold water until needed (refrigerated if holding more than a couple of hours). To reheat them, drain and drop into large pan with at least 1½ inches simmering water and heat until warmed through, about ½-to-1 minute. Serve warm.

 

Suggested Seasonings

Hostess City Southern Hospitality Blend

Southern Italian Grinder Blend