Egg Roll in a Bowl, Kale Salad, Angels

Six weeks as of today, April 24. Six weeks! I’m not sure what it adds up to exactly, but it’s a milestone nonetheless! On this rainy Friday, I’m pleased to wrap up the week’s content with a little help from Bean. (So meta!) Yesterday I ran in a state park, talked to my college friend on the old-fashioned telephone, video’d my daughter juggling a soccer ball to the exact beat of a Kanye song, made a batch of pesto with the last scraps of a bunch of basil (stretched out with kale, but don’t tell Abby), and watched three Fauda episodes in a row. (We’ve been trying to ration ourselves so the season lasts longer. Have I mentioned how much I love it??) I also, of course, spent a lot of time reading yesterday’s comments about what is bringing you joy and comfort. They were so sweet and life-affirming in their simplicity — Zoom bedtime stories and chess games with grandparents, watching your children play together, Top Chef competitions between mom and dad, bonding with old pets, keeping dinner diaries, morning walks with coffee, nursing new mothers in the maternity ward. (Thank you nurses!) Thank you for sharing your stories. They really helped me — I hope they helped you, too. Have a great weekend everyone. Here is your Friday PPP…

Pantry: Egg Roll in a Bowl

One reader on this blog (hi Karen!) and one on Cup of Jo mentioned their favorite thing to make with cabbage was “Egg Roll in a Bowl” and it was the kind of idea that I knew would stick in my brain until I had it for myself. I ended up making it for lunch, but obviously it would make a perfectly fine scrape-together dinner, especially when topped with a fried egg. I’m estimating the amounts here because I only made enough for me and my very lucky husband (is he not??) and haven’t retested for four. (Also: If anyone swears by a brand of the sweet-hot dipping sauce that typically comes alongside egg rolls, please enlighten! I plead complete ignorance on the subject.) Lastly, yes, I realize that the “egg” in egg roll doesn’t mean an actual egg — I just craved a protein hit.

2 tablespoons neutral oil (or olive oil if that’s what you’ve got), plus more for egg frying
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil (crucial)
1 1-inch piece ginger, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup yellow onion, chopped (or 1/3 cup chopped scallions)
red pepper flakes to taste
6-8 cups shredded cabbage (Napa or Savoy)
2 large carrots, shredded
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons soy sauce
4 eggs
chopped cilantro and chives for serving

Add both oils to a large skillet set over medium heat. Add ginger, garlic, onion, red pepper flakes and cook until everything is slightly softened. Add cabbage and carrots and cook down until cabbage is golden and sweet, about 6 to 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove everything to a large bowl and toss with rice wine vinegar and soy sauce. Tent with foil to keep warm and fry four eggs sunny-side up in the same skillet (adding more oil if necessary) on medium heat, until edges of whites are crispy and yolks are cooked through, about 5-6 minutes. Top each serving of cabbage with a fried egg and a sprinkling of herbs.

Pantry: My Favorite Kale Salad

Fun fact: I wrote a mini book of kale recipes two years ago that ended up getting sidelined for budget reasons. (This is why you might see a lot of kale in The Weekday Vegetarian.) Chapter 1, recipe 1 was this almond-and-cranberry kale salad, the one I always default to when faced with a big bunch of the curly variety.

1 large bunch kale, washed, stems removed, and finely chopped
2/3 cup raw almond slivers (toasted in a cast iron pan for 3 minutes over medium heat until roasty and brown)
1/2 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons minced red onion (or chopped scallions)
fresh herbs (preferably dill, chives, parsley)
simple vinaigrette (whisk together: 1 tablespoon Dijon, juice from a lemon, squeeze honey, salt & pepper, 1/3 cup olive oil)

Toss everything together, preferably 10 to 15 minutes before you want to eat your salad to let the dressing break down the kale a little.

Purpose: A Friday Poem

Angels, by Mary Oliver. “I have a lot of edges called Perhaps…and almost nothing you can call…Certainty.”

Stay safe, stay home.

The goal of the Project, Pantry, Purpose series to keep us sane, distracted, and connected. Please continue to comment below with suggestions for recipes, projects (for kids and adults), good deeds, donation ideas, stories, movies, games, puzzles. Or just tell me how you’re doing, what your daily routine is, and especially how DALS can help you or people in your community. You can also email me directly at jenny@dinneralovestory.com.