Anthony Bourdain Cured My Future Hangover
Some food memories just stick with you! They pop up at the weirdest times. A cutting board in my Mom's kitchen invokes a memory of a bustling past life as a butcher. The smell of a certain type of seasoning reminds me of my dad playing catch, with my brothers, and burgers on the grill.
I vividly remember one episode, where he was clearly and profoundly hungover. What is he eating? The simplest, most perfect-looking Eggs in Purgatory. Just eggs, poached right in a spicy tomato sauce, eaten straight from the pan.
Through the TV screen, watching him cradle the skillet, it looked like pure, unadulterated comfort. As a budding foodie, dreaming beyond the meat counter, seeing that raw, simple, satisfying food moment lodged itself firmly in my brain. It wasn’t fancy, but it was real.
Fast forward to now. Staring at the many choices to put in our new Chef's Companion Box, not necessarily hungover (let's be honest, it happens), but definitely hungry and needing inspiration. I spotted some incredible ingredients: Jule's Classic Spicy Tomato Sauce (2), Hellenic Farms Sweet Red Pepper and Graviera Cheese Spread and a jar of Truffliest Truffle Salt. Suddenly, that Bourdain memory clicked into place, but with a twist.
What if you took that essential, rustic comfort and gave it the good stuff? Use Jule's spicy sauce as the base, swirl in the creamy, tangy Hellenic Farms spread, give it that earthy punch with Truffliest Truffle Salt, finish with good parmesan, and with Di Bruno Brothers Parmesan & Pecorino Crostini (3) to scoop it all up? Oh, and naturally, start it all with a glug of fantastic Olive Table EVOO.
That's how the recipe below came about – my "Gourmet Eggs in Purgatory." It’s a direct nod to a hungover Bourdain memory, filtered through the lens of finding truly special ingredients. Bourdain always knew: simple food, made with damn good ingredients, is often the best food there is.
I hope this brings a little soul-warming comfort to your table, whether it's for breakfast, brunch, or a seriously satisfying dinner. We love a simply good recipe at Foodie Box Love.
-Danny Catullo, Co-Founder and Chief Foodie Finder