Potato and Egg Gratin & Lemon Biscuits

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            FOOD FUNNY
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Anna Welander doesn't say whether this is a true food funny or not, but
it sure sounds like one to me.

I overheard my nine-year-old son on the phone with a friend discussing a
computer simulation game. The game involved creating a family, a house
for them to live in, and so on. My son, an old hand at the game, gave
this warning: "Whatever you do, don't get kids. They don't bring in any
money, and all they do is eat!"

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            TODAY'S RECIPES
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You can make this elegant dish in a single casserole, but individual
ramekins or gratin dishes will give it more eye appeal.

Potato and Egg Gratin

1-1 1/2 lbs (450-675 g) new potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch (1 cm) dice
1 lb (450 g) bulk pork sausage
1/2 medium onion, sliced
1 green or red bell pepper (capsicum), cored, seeded, and thinly sliced
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup (60 ml) chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
4-6 eggs
3/4-1 cup (180-250 ml) shredded Cheddar cheese

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender, about 10 minutes.
Drain and set aside. Cook the sausage, onion, and bell pepper
in a skillet over moderate heat, breaking up the sausage as it
cooks, until the sausage is browned and the onion and pepper
are tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the potatoes, tomato, parsley,
salt, and pepper. Place the mixture in a greased baking dish or
divide it between 4 to 6 individual ramekins or gratin dishes. Make
indentations in the mixture and carefully break an egg into each
indentation. Bake in a preheated 400F (200C) oven until the eggs
are set, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake
until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes. Serves 4 to 6.

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These biscuits are so aromatic and flavorful that you really don't
need anything on them. But then, a little jam or honey never hurt
anyone, did it?

Lemon Biscuits

2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour
1 Tbs (15 ml) baking powder
1 Tbs (15 ml) sugar
1 tsp (5 ml) grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp (2 ml) salt
5 Tbs (75 ml) cold butter cut into small pieces
3/4 cup (180 ml) half-and-half, milk, or heavy cream

Combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, lemon zest, and salt in a
mixing bowl. Add the butter and cut in using a pastry knife or a pair of
dinner knives until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the
half-and-half and stir with a fork just until the mixture holds
together. Turn onto a floured surface and pat the dough into a circle
1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick. Cut into circles with a floured biscuit cutter
and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Reroll the scraps and cut into
biscuits. Bake in a preheated 450F (230C) oven until golden brown, about
10 minutes. Makes about 12 2-inch (5 cm) biscuits.
Received on Mon May 21 08:13:46 2007