Hello, hello

So, I've been cooking a lot lately, that self-indulgent sort of cooking that's all about smells and tastes and process. Today, for example, I made a huge pot of stock with my CSA box scraps. Then I used five cups of that to make a cream of asparagus soup (with tarragon, which was yummmy).

But the yummiest, most self indulgent thing I've made recently was last Saturday. Hope went to the farmer's market, and discovered some early strawberries at Eatwell Farm's booth (they haven't made it to the weekly box yet). When she got home, I had a sudden strong sense-memory of the strawberry omelets they used to serve upstairs at Grendel's Den, back when Grendel's had an upstairs. So I set out to make one for Brian and my lunch, except that I have no patience for omelets and opted for a scramble. Here's what I came up with:

Ingredients:

one small shallot, chopped
a handfull of spinach, roughly chopped
1/2 cup or so sliced strawberries
4 eggs
grated gouda cheese (a half cup? Less? I don't know)
2 tbs or so of butter
water or milk
a few sprigs of mint
salt & pepper

Beat the eggs in a small bowl, and add about a cupped palm full of water or milk. Add salt if you like.

Melt one and a half tbs butter in a medium pan over medium heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring, until it's fairly soft. Add the spinach, and cook until the spinach is wilty and very nearly done.

Add the strawberries and cook until they're sort of jammy (it won't take long). Add mint. Transfer the strawberry/shallot/spinach mixture to a bowl and cover it to keep it warm.

Add more butter, let it melt, and then add the eggs. Count to 30 slowly (I use the ol' "one chimpanzee, two chimpanzee" method). Push the edges of the eggs toward the center of the pan, letting the eggs fill in and cook along the edges. Give up all pretense that you're going to make an omelet and push the eggs around willy-nilly until they've almost set. Add grated gouda.

Throw in the berry mixture, and add salt and pepper to taste. Serves two.