Chickens Make Eggs.

It is true. And while this might not come as a surprise to you, I was taken aback at the ever-growing bowl of eggs accumulating in my refrigerator. We have two Plymouth Rock hens, affectionately nicknamed, The Girls. The girls spend their days in the north-east corner of our back yard, combing the grass for something tasty to eat. Cooing and clucking they come rushing up to us in anticipation of treats, and we ceremoniously fork over dandelion greens or carrot peels. We, in return are rewarded with eggs. A lot of eggs.

This great discovery led me to seek out more egg-based dishes, but a family of meringue and lemon curd we are not.

Dorie’s Spanish Basque Tortilla changed the way I approach a refrigerator full of eggs and savory egg dishes. Before following her lead, my savory egg dishes were a hot caloric mess, the product of too much cheese, a 350-degree oven and a 9×13 glass Pyrex dish.

In her version, diced potatoes and onions are cooked until just tender in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, then folded into 9 eggs whisked, and taken for a turn under the broiler. Sliced into sixths and served with a spinach salad and crowned with tomato jam, I have timely and refined answer to mid-week dinners.

As much as I want you to enjoy this tortilla, I’m guessing you already have a fantastic egg dish, so I’ll lead you to another favorite recipe, New York Times columnist Mark Bittman’s Tomato Jam. I’ve been making this jam for a couple of years now, giving it out at christmas, and spreading it on just about everything.  My favorite way is to have it with eggs, as a filling or topping for an omelet, a spread on toast for an egg sandwich,  or a garnish for scrambled eggs. It really takes eggs from everyday to elegant. The jam comes together quite quickly, you’ll be pleased as punch with your success.


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8 thoughts on “Chickens Make Eggs.

  1. Your tortilla looks divine! Also the tomato jam. Very good idea. Would you tell me more about ‘the girls’? Do you live in the city? I’ve been toying with the idea of a few chickens. I live in the middle of a city neighborhood but I understand there are some breeds of chicken that are very quiet and docile.

    1. Hi Lola, we live in the the city, and our block has chickens at every other house! THen again, Portland seems to be the capital of backyard chicken coops. There are some awesome resources on the web for backyard chickens. They are really easy to care for and the breed we have is very quite. You really only need 20 minutes a day (easier than walking the dog!)

  2. How neat to have fresh eggs! My grandmother always used to keep a contingent of hens. Sighs…. Love the tomato jam – I need to keep that one in mind when canning time comes ’round again.

  3. You have your own chickens? Fabulous! I adore the thick orange yolks of the free range eggs from Costco (I split the big pack with a friend) in comparison to the thinner yellow yolks of the regular Safeway eggs. But to think your eggs are super fresh! How do they differ? Are the yolks even more beautiful?

    1. The yolks vary in color. They are more vibrant in the spring and summer when we feed the girls greens, strawberries- they love strawberries- and other kitchen odds and ends. Taste wise, I can’t remember? It has been so long since I’ve had a store bought egg, but I love knowing I have dinner in minutes in the back yard. I do have to let them sit out on the counter for a few days if I want to make hard boiled eggs.