Inspiration: The Hazel Room

I just got back from a three week stint in the pacific northwest. I spent the first week in Seattle at the Nutrition and Health Conference, then two more weeks rotating at Swedish Family Cherry Hill and the Seattle Indian Health Board. The weekend in between I spent in Portland with a dear old friend. I had a great time, I love the city of Seattle and everyone in the residency was amazing, but it is really nice to be home.

I basically went on a culinary tour of both cities. My clinics were so conveniently located that I could walk/bus to so many wonderful restaurants. I've listed some of my favorite places I visited below:

Seattle:
Macrina Bakery
Serious Pie
Cascina Spinasse
Sitka and Spruce
The Walrus and the Carpenter
Ba Bar
Salumi
Canlis
Paseo
Maneki
Saigon Deli

Portland:
Pok Pok
The Hazel Room
Broder
Olympic Provisions
Tasty n Sons
Boxer Sushi

Wow, looking at that list, I realized how much I ate. All of those places are absolutely wonderful and I highly recommend all of them. One of the dishes I really enjoyed and was simple enough I thought I could create was at The Hazel Room. The restaurant is a cute little place with boozy tea drinks, baked goods, and a fantastic brunch menu. I had a skillet dish with two sunny side up eggs, fennel, onions, bacon, baguette, arugula, fleur de sel, and gruyere. It was so simple, yet so yummy. I was determined to make it at home.

I stopped by the restaurant supply store today and picked up a cute mini cast iron skillet, perfect for making over easy eggs. I omitted the bacon in my dish, just because I didn't have any, and it tasted just as delicious. The only thing my version is missing is the scrumptious homemade buttermilk biscuit on the side. This dish is so simple and perfect for brunch or dinner. It's very filling and definitely a recipe I will keep on file.

Egg Skillet with Fennel and Arugula
inspired by The Hazel Room

• Oil to grease skillet
• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar
• One bulb fennel, sliced
• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced
• large handful of arugula
• grated cheese (gruyere, parmeasan...)
• sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
• a few slices of toasted baguette

1. Heat skillet on medium-high. When the skillet is hot, add the oil. Add the two eggs and flip when ready to make two perfect over easy eggs. 
2. Add the butter to a separate pan. Heat until the butter stops foaming then add the sliced fennel and onions. Mix in the brown sugar. Continue to toss until the onion and fennel are soft. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the fennel/onion mixture on top of the eggs in the skillet. Top with the rinsed arugula and grated cheese. Sprinkle some extra salt and cracked pepper on top and serve with the crusty baguette.