When your guests taste these Green Eggs and Ham, you will be the envy of all who enter your home….MMMmmm!  These “green” eggs, wander a bit off the beaten path, but what flavor.  I think this version might surprise you…in a very tasty way!  This was one of those instances where the culinary planets align and all is right with the world.  This came about as a Sunday breakfast for The Spicy Honey and The Eldest Son…well, actually more of a brunch, really.  We were getting a late start, but that’s what Sundays are for, aren’t they?  Later we’re seeing the Star Wars movie and having dinner at Cora Cora, a great little Peruvian restaurant in West Hartford, CT.  So we needed something substantial and filling, but not too heavy.  And, as you might imagine, nothing screams “light food” like green eggs and ham!

The green is from poblano chiles and lovely, young Vidalia onions (the kind that look like giant scallions), sautéed together until they just sort of wilt.  That’s some thawed, frozen chopped spinach lurking in the shadows back there!  The Goddess wasn’t kidding when she said these were green!  Then, some garlic and heavy cream or thick bèchamel sauce (next time maybe some mascarpone) and cheese; that’s where the stick-to-your-ribs part comes in.  You’ll stir this all together until it becomes creamy and piping hot.  Put the mixture into your baking dish and top with shredded cheese; this was a 6-Cheese Italian blend.  Now, set that dish aside.  Make Ahead Tip:  You could make the dish up to this point (without the cheese—add that after reheating), cover it and refrigerate (covered with plastic wrap) overnight, then zap!!! it in the microwave in the morning.

About scrambled eggs:  Just recently someone was wondering how to avoid “watery” scrambled eggs.  The answer:  “Add water (or heavy cream), not milk”.  I know that sounds crazy and seems completely counter-intuitive, but it solves the problem.  It really does.  The way I understand it is that when the proteins in milk coagulate with the heat, they release water.  Heavy cream or water, do not do this; water evaporates and heavy cream has less water, so it too, won’t become “watery”.  Also, use no higher than medium heat; lower heat helps make better scrambled eggs.

I didn’t add heavy cream to the eggs because it’s included in the “green” part of our green eggs and ham (in the béchamel).  Anyway, when you scramble the eggs, pour the beaten egg mixture into the skillet and leave them for about 30 seconds.  Don’t touch ’em!  Then, take a spatula and gently “flip” clumps of the mixture as it sets.  You want the eggs to be creamy, not dry, so don’t over-cook them; remember they will continue to cook from residual heat.  Then, plop them onto the spinach mixture, sprinkle with the ham and serve.  And as for the ham, I didn’t use traditional ham, but diced up about 2 ounces of prosciutto, sautéed it until it crisped up nicely and that’s what I used to sprinkle over the eggs.  Some toasted English muffins and that was all there was to breakfast.  Or as Pooh bear might say, “Brunchfast”!

You can get the know-how for a thick béchamel, here.  Remember?  Béchamel is one of the Mother Sauces, right?  If gluten is an issue, use either rice flour or cornstarch as a thickener for the sauce.

Anyway, you can use diced ham or bacon, instead of the prosciutto, but that’s what we had, so that’s what we used.  This mixture is also great rolled into warm, flour tortillas.  Look at all that creamy, steamy Green-with-Envy Eggs and “Ham”.