'Iggit el Qarnabeet

Lebanese miniature cauliflower omelets!
   
     Surfing the internet for culinary research information is part of being a modern chef or home cook.  Going paperless and not purchasing traditional paper cookbooks is good for the environment.  I only resort to doing culinary research in book form, if no information can be found on the internet.  I also share the research information that I find in lead paragraphs of many articles that I write in this food web site.  The internet not only saves trees, it saves time.
     If a smart entrepreneur was to open an internet based local level food delivery business, where food items were selected by viewing real time camera on the internet, then there would be less demand for petroleum products.  The price of gas would fall, money would be saved and the environment would benefit.  Home cooks would have more free time, because shopping and standing in line would be eliminated.  Customers may even shop smarter, with less impulse buying.  Packaged food would drop in price, because fancy competitive package design would be unnecessary.  Organic food prices would become reasonable, because of demand.
     The days of horse drawn wagons rolling down local streets, full of farm fresh produce for sale, were only 100 years in the past.  Milk delivery trucks were only 50 years in the past.  The age of food delivery may return, via real time internet business, then grocery stores and high gas prices may in turn become relics of the past.  It does not hurt to dream!
     I was looking for traditional Persian and Arabic egg recipes a few days ago.  I found plenty of information, because egg entrees are popular in the middle east.  An 'Iggit el Qarnabeet recipe caught my eye.  I noticed that nearly every recipe for this Lebanese egg entree was actually copied from a Lebanese cook book that was published in 1959.  The original simple 'Iggit el Qarnabeet recipe was written descriptive style with no measurements, like many traditional Arabic recipes.  Food cooking skills are taught at an early age in the middle east, so many chefs and home cooks in this region only need a brief description to understand how a recipe should be made.   
     I liked how the 'Iggit el Qarnabeet recipe was described as several mini omelets on a platter, served mezze style.  Traditionally, many middle eastern people only eat with the fingers on their right hand.  Little mini omelets would be easy to eat this way.  Mezze literally translates to an event.  A mezze platter is an event style food presentation.  In the middle east, meals are considered to be social events and the food on mezze platters is shared by guests.
     My step grandfather was Syrian Lebanese, so I learned about Lebanese cooking tradition at an early age.  I developed a liking for Lebanese food, because it tasted so good!  Lebanese food is social food.  When a table is set, there may be more than twenty small platters of different food items that are meant to be shared.  Sharing food mezze style with family or guests is a good tradition and it promotes a healthy state of mind.  Today's traditional 'Iggit el Qarnabeet mezze recipe is meant to be shared!
    
     'Iggit el Qarnabeet:
     This recipe makes about 15 miniature omelets!  A non-stick saute pan can be used to cook the mini omelets.  Use a small ladle to create omelets that are the same size.
     In the middle east, there is a specialized pan that is use to make the mini omelets.  The pan has several small shallow cup indentations that the omelette mixture is spooned into.  It is easy to make the mini omelets that are all the same size and shape, when this specialty pan is used.
     Boil a pot of water over high heat.
     Cut the florets off of 1/2 of a head of cauliflower.
     When the water comes to a boil, add the cauliflower florets.
     Poach the cauliflower, till it becomes tender.
     Cool the cauliflower under cold running water.
     Drain the water off of the cauliflower florets.
     Finely chop the cauliflower florets.
     Place the finely chopped cauliflower in a mixing bowl.
     Add 2 large eggs.
     Add 1/4 cup of minced onion.
     Add 1/2 tablespoon of flour.
     Add sea salt and black pepper.
     Whisk the ingredients together.
     Heat a non-stick saute pan over medium/medium low heat.
     Combine 3 ounces of olive oil with 3 ounces of clarified butter (ghee) in a small pitcher. 
     Add enough of the oil and butter mixture to cover the serface of the pan.  The oil and butter should be about 1/16" to 1/8" deep in the pan.
     Use a tablespoon or a 1/2 ounce ladle to place a few small portions of the omelette mixture in the pan.
     Try to keep the mini omelette portions separate from each other.
     Use a rubber spatula to even and flatten each mini omelette, so they have a uniform round shape.
     When the bottom of each omelette becomes cooked firm, flip the omelet.
     When the omelets become fully cooked and golden brown, place the omelets on a serving platter.  Overlap the omelets, so the presentation looks nice.
     Keep the platter of finished mini omelets warm on a stove top, while the rest of the omelets are being cooked.
     Continue to make the mini omelets till the omelet mixture is used up.
     After all the omelets are place on the serving platter, garnish the platter with Italian parsley sprigs.
     Serve these mini omelets plain with your choice of sauces, condiments and bread on the side.
  
     Personally, I like finger food for breakfast!  I also like spicy hot pepper sauce for breakfast.  Harissa or hot sauce is nice with these mini omelets.
     As you can see in the pictures, 2 eggs can go a long way in this recipe.  I made 15 miniature cauliflower omelets with this 2 egg recipe.  It kind of sounds funny when someone asks what you ate for breakfast, and the response is "I ate 15 cauliflower omelets!"  Yum!  ...  Shawna