“Eggs-quisit” Recipes for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner From Top Canadian Chefs

Whether for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner, the humble, protein-packed egg is a go-to ingredient for delicious, easy-to-prepare meals. We’ve got eggy recipes from leading Canadian chefs across the country, from Saskatoon to Nova Scotia to Quebec. Even better, the palate-pleasing dishes feature local ingredients for your fall table.

 

Chef Dale MacKay’s Potato Gnocchi With Tomato Sauce and Basil

Chef Dale’s Potato Gnocchi with Tomato Sauce and Basil recipe is the perfect autumn meal. The main ingredients — including eggs of course — are local to chef Dale’s hometown of Saskatoon. They can also be canned and preserved to enjoy year-round.

 

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 60 min

Ingredients:

4 cups (1 l) canned whole tomatoes
⅓ cup (75 ml) olive oil
½ cup (125 ml) finely diced onion
2 tsp (10 ml) minced garlic
¼ tsp (1.25 ml) chili flakes
¼ tsp (1.25 ml) salt
3 cups (750 ml) milled potato (approximately 8 medium potatoes)
3 egg yolks
¾ tsp (4 ml) salt
1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp (30 ml) fresh basil, ripped
4 tbsp (60 ml) Parmesan cheese, finely grated

Instructions: 

1. Put tomatoes into a blender and pulse for a few seconds to break them up. 
2. Place a wide-bottom sauce pot on medium heat. Add olive oil and onions and cook for about 4 minutes. Make sure you do not brown the onions. 
3. Add garlic, chili flakes and salt to the pot. Cook for another 1 minute. 
4. Add the tomatoes to the pot. Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes stirring every once in a while. Cook until the extra liquid from the tomatoes evaporates to allow the sauce to thicken by about 50 per cent. Place to the side until gnocchi is ready.
5. Preheat the oven to 400 F (200 C). 
6. Place 8 to 10 medium-sized potatoes on a baking tray and put them in the oven. Bake for 60 minutes, or until soft all the way through. 
7. Once baked, allow the potatoes to cool slightly. Carefully scoop out the potato from the skins and put into a potato miller/ricer, or mash well so there are no lumps. Measure out 3 cups (750 ml) of potatoes while they are still warm and place in a bowl or on a floured counter. 
8. Separate the egg yolks* from the whites, and mix with salt and flour by hand or with a spoon until the dough forms a ball; you don’t want to overwork it. 
9. Next, lightly flour your counter and cut the dough into quarters. Roll each of the quarters into logs about ¾ inch (2 cm) in diameter, then cut logs into ½ inch (1.2 cm) pieces. Place cut logs on a floured baking tray. 
10. Blanch gnocchi in boiling salted water until they float. Once they float for 1 minute, remove gnocchi with a slotted spoon and add to tomato sauce. 
11. Toss gnocchi and tomato sauce in the pan on medium heat. Using a spoon, plate gnocchi and then garnish each plate with basil and parmesan. Enjoy! 

 

 

Chef Craig Flinn’s Pea Basil Soup With Crab Royale

This subtle combination of flavourful eggs paired with sweet Atlantic snow crab — all found in chef Flinn’s native Nova Scotia — is a visually stunning and delicious appetizer, perfect for all occasions.

 

Serves: 6 | Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 50 min

Ingredients:

Crab Royale:
2 eggs
4 egg yolks
1 cup (250 ml) milk
1 cup (250 ml)
35% whipping cream
¼ tsp (1.25 ml) salt
Pinch of nutmeg
3 oz (90 g) snow crab meat (for a vegetarian version, replace snow crab with sautéed mushrooms)

Pea Soup:
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped
1 garlic clove, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp (15 ml) extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp (30 ml) butter
2 cups (500 ml) peas, shelled
3 cups (750 ml) vegetable broth
½ cup (125 ml) basil leaves
1 cup (250 ml) spinach leaves
⅓ cup (75 ml)
35% whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste
3 or 4 fresh basil leaves, finely sliced
Small bunch of fresh pea shoots

Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 300 F (150 C). 
2. To make the crab royale, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites for 4 eggs then whisk together the 2 whole eggs*, and the 4 egg yolks, milk, whipping cream, salt and nutmeg in a bowl to make a custard. Pour the mixture through a fine-meshed strainer and set aside.
3. Prepare 8, 3-ounce (85 g) custard cups by coating them with olive oil or melted butter, placing them in a casserole dish. Other common kitchen items, including ramekins, small juice glasses or disposable cupcake tins can be used in place of custard cups. 
4. Add ½ ounce (14 g) of snow crab meat to each mold, then fill with the strained custard mixture. 
5. Pour boiling water into the casserole dish so it’s halfway up the sides of the mold to create a double boiler. Place in the oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes. The Royales should be set, but still slightly “jiggly” in the middle. Set on the counter for 5 minutes before unmoulding. 
6. To make the pea soup, in a small saucepan sauté the onions, celery and garlic in the olive oil and butter for about 3 or 4 minutes on medium heat or until soft and translucent. 
7. Add in the shelled peas and broth and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes until the peas are soft. Remove from heat and add the basil leaves and spinach and wilt them in the hot soup. 
8. Puree the soup in a blender on high until smooth. Strain the soup to remove any small lumps and add in the whipping cream. Season with salt and pepper to your taste and stir in the finely sliced basil. 

 

 

Chef Minh Phat’s Egg Drop Soup With Corn and Chicken

Cooler weather marks the perfect time to enjoy chef Minh’s comforting Asian-inspired egg drop soup, combining locally grown corn with fresh chicken and Canadian eggs. This delicious soup is easy to prepare and great for a cosy afternoon or evening meal.

 

Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 30 min | Cook Time: 90 min

Ingredients:

3 large corn cobs
2 chicken thighs
5 garlic cloves
3 sprigs of thyme
3 Spanish onions, finely chopped
2 tbsp(30 ml) unsalted butter
1 tbsp (15 ml) vegetable oil
1 cup (250 ml) medium carrots, sliced
1 tsp (5 ml) turmeric powder
5 large eggs
3 tbsp (45 ml) lightly salted soy sauce
2 tbsp (30 ml) roasted sesame oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions: 

1. Cook the corn cobs in 12 cups (3 l) of boiling water for 7 minutes. Once cooked, carefully remove the corn kernels from the cobs and set them aside for later. 
2. Bring the corn water to a boil once again. Add the chicken thighs, garlic cloves, thyme and corn rinds and let stand over low heat for 1 hour. 
3. Strain the broth. Shred the chicken thighs and set them aside for later. 
4. In a pan, sauté the chopped onions in butter and vegetable oil. When the onions become transparent, add the corn kernels and the carrots, and soften for 2 minutes. 
5. Add the onions, corn kernels, carrots, shredded chicken, and turmeric to the broth and boil for 5 to 10 minutes. 
6. Whisk eggs in a small bowl. Slowly pour eggs in a thin stream into the broth, stirring gently. 
7. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil and season to taste with salt and pepper.

 

Chef Lynn Crawford’s Apple Orchard Crumb Cake

Celebrating the buzzing apple orchards in Ontario and elsewhere in Canada during the fall, chef Lynn Crawford’s Apple Orchard Crumb Cake is the perfect addition to any seasonal table spread.

 

Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 20 min | Cook Time: 60 min

Ingredients:

Crumble:
⅓ cup (75 ml) quick-cooking oats
½ cup (125 ml) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (60 ml) brown sugar
¼ tsp (1.25 ml) salt
¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, softened

Apple Filling:
3 cups (750 ml) McIntosh apples, peeled or unpeeled, seeded and diced
1 cup(250 ml) brown sugar
2 tbsp(30 ml) lemon juice

Cake:
1 ¼ cup (315 ml) all-purpose flour
½ tsp (2.5 ml) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (2.5 ml) baking soda
½cup (125 ml) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup (175 ml) brown sugar
2 eggs
¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream
Icing sugar, for dusting
Caramel sauce, for drizzling (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C). Butter the sides of an 8-inch (30 cm) springform pan with a removable bottom and line the bottom with parchment paper.
2. To make the crumble, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar and salt in a bowl. Add the butter and combine just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Set aside.
3. To create the apple filling, combine the diced and peeled apples, brown sugar and lemon juice in a bowl. Set aside.
4. To make the cake, combine the flour, cinnamon and baking soda in a bowl.
5. In another bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until combined. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, alternating with adding the sour cream until smooth.
6. Pour the batter into the springform pan. Drain the apple filling slightly and arrange it over the cake batter in the pan. Top with the crumble.
7. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Let cool slightly before unmoulding. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
8. Once the cake has completely cooled, generously dust with icing sugar and/or drizzle with caramel sauce.

A version of this story was originally published on Oct. 15, 2022

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