Monday, January 12, 2015

Onions, quail eggs and Italian bliss


 
Tiny egg salad
The quail eggs I got for a New Year’s Eve spread did not go over well. I purchased the can at an Asian store. It contained tiny eggs, packed in water. By the time I thought about it, I was so uninspired I did not set them out in 2014, but tried to get excited again at a friend’s early January birthday. The bowl remained at the same level, though some said they tried one. Just one. I tried one, then just one more.
It wasn’t until I got back to my post-holiday healthy-eating mode did I appreciate the eggs. Even so, I mushed them up with a fork and added mustard powder and black and red pepper, for a kind of tiny egg salad. Served with carrot sticks and white cheddar, the rest of those wee eggs got me through the day. So now I’ve tried quail eggs. Next?


How much onion can you take?
My friend shares purple onions with me and I could eat them raw, daily. Sometimes there are more onions than I know what to do with, so I try new things. I sliced some very thin and fried them into a nest. From there you can melt in cheese, top with an egg or go just about anywhere.
I just tried it with marinara sauce and those tasty, sweet onions became a kind of base for pepperoni and melted cheese. I topped it with fresh sage, oregano and fennel from the garden. Yes.


Ciro’s
Fried calamari? Check. Flatbread with herbs and oil for dipping? Check. Ciro’s, 9755 Katy Freeway in Houston followed through as an Italian Restaurant with atmosphere from murals, regulars getting warm greetings from the staff and vine-covered outdoor dining to, perhaps most importantly, amazing food.  I usually don’t order dessert, but was instructed to save room. I shared a “Mama ‘C’ with other chocolate lovers. Love it.
Darragh Castillo enjoys the latest flavors and sharing them with Port Arthur News readers.

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