So. Don’t know about you, but here on the Island we are pretty darn happy about the longer days — more daylight and, as it happens, more fresh eggs. While many hens sit out the dark months, everybody’s getting back into the groove now. Araucanas, Buff Orpingtons, Salmon Faverolles, Silver Laced Wyandottes. Soon the heavy-laying breeds like Rhode Island Reds and Barred Rocks will be producing six or seven eggs a week. (Read more about farm fresh eggs.)

What to make with those eggs? This weekend I snapped up some nice broccoli crowns at Cronig’s. Subsequently, the broccoli and the eggs, along with some bacon and gruyere cheese, bonded in my crowded fridge (I couldn’t keep them apart). They met up with some challah loafing around on my counter (sorry) and transformed into a delicious savory Broccoli, Bacon, and Gruyere Bread Pudding.

At first I was going to use individual ramekins, like I do with Mini Savory Bread Puddings with Tuscan Kale, Bacon & Cheddar. But my favorite Le Creuset enameled cast iron baking dish caught my eye. Savory bread puddings are versatile like that: Change up the veggies and the type of bread, use local cheeses like Grey Barn’s Rip Rap or Mermaid Farm’s Nobska, go crazy with fresh herbs.

If the bread thing isn’t working for you, try this Potato, Leek, Herb & Goat Cheese Frittata instead. This one’s big and hearty (as opposed to that Little Kale and Feta Frittata with Chorizo and Mint we mention from time to time.) Loads more egg recipes here, including those fabulous Puffy Oven Pancakes.

The rest of that broccoli? We had a craving for fried rice on Saturday. A poke around the Cook the Vineyard recipes page, and we found this Gingery Fried Rice recipe that works as well with broccoli as it does with asparagus. (Try it with green beans or cauliflower or cabbage.) We spiked it with shrimp, too. We love making fried rice with short grain brown rice cooked pasta-style.

Other great recipes with broccoli on Cook? Udon Noodle Soup with Miso-Glazed Vegetables and Chicken from the Pollan family. Curly Pasta with Broccoli, Sundried Tomatoes, Garlic-Chile Oil & Goat Cheese, which would also be plenty tasty with cauliflower.

Or the simplest: Crispy Broccoli Florets with Tamari Lime-Ginger Dipping Sauce.

And here’s a bit of fun Vineyard food news: Chef Gavin Smith (the Food-Minded Fellow) has launched a food podcast designed to highlight the work of Vineyard farmers, fishermen, and food people. Catch the first episode, an interview with Matthew Dix of Island Grown Initiative, this Friday, February 28 on your favorite podcast app. Or listen to the intro now.  

Coming up in March: Kitchen garden advice, pound cake, pork recipes, spring greens, salads, and chef news for summer 2020.

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