Farmer’s Eggs

Anyone who grew up poor anywhere near a farm in the Midwest in the 1930s or 1940s probably ate some variation on this dish. Modern restaurants call them skillets, but both my mother’s and father’s parents in Michigan referred to this as farmer’s eggs. The reason? This humble combination of onion, potato, and a single egg offered a hearty breakfast from cheap staple ingredients, and could keep a man filled up until lunch, traditionally served around one p.m.

The key to this recipe is using cooked potatoes. You can cook them in the microwave and let them cool; just be sure to poke holes in the potatoes with a fork first, lest they explode. You can also use leftover potatoes of any sort: mashed, baked, boiled, or fried. If necessary, cut, shred, or smash the potato into bite-sized pieces.

Today, this remains a quick, budget-friendly dish that’s endlessly versatile. You can add bacon or sausage, cheese, and cooked vegetables in any combination that suits, plus spices or herbs to generate the flavor you want. I’ve put a few variations on the initial recipe below. My maternal grandmother, Inez, invariably cooked this in bacon grease and my granddad Charles finished it with heaps of hot sauce. I make this with a bit of cheese stirred in, typically grated Cheddar or Parmigiano-Reggiano, so I’ve added it to the recipe.

Makes 4 cups, enough for 2 or 3 hungry farmhands

1¹/₂ tablespoons (22.5 ml) vegetable oil

1 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup/200 g)

1 pound (450 g) potatoes, cooked, peeled, and cut into bite-sized pieces (about 2¹/₂ cups)

About ¹/₂ teaspoon (2.5 ml) coarse salt

A few grinds of black pepper

¹/₄ teaspoon (1.25 ml) dried thyme, oregano, or paprika

2 eggs, lightly beaten

2 to 3 tablespoons (30 to 45 g) shredded cheese (optional)

Get the oil hot in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring continuously, until brown and just opaque, about 3 minutes. (You want it to be a bit crunchy.) Add the potatoes, salt, pepper, and thyme, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes start to brown, about 2 minutes. Make a well in the center of the potatoes and add the lightly beaten eggs. Stir until they start to cook, then stir the eggs through the potatoes and onions until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, if using. Serve hot.

Variations:

Tex-Mex: Add ¹/₄ teaspoon (1.25 ml) each dried oregano and chili powder instead of the thyme, finish with Cheddar cheese and hot sauce; heck, you could add some drained red kidney beans with the potatoes and finish with a bit of salsa and chopped green onions (scallions).

French: Add ¹/₂ teaspoon (3 ml) herbes de Provence instead of the thyme, add 3 ounces (85 g) chopped ham and 1 cup (80 g) diced steamed green beans with the potatoes, and finish with Gruyère cheese.

Cajun/Creole: Chop half of a green pepper and 2 stalks of celery with the onion, then add 4 ounces (115 g) chopped cooked andouille-style sausage with the potatoes, and finish with hot sauce and chopped scallions.

Italian: Add 4 ounces (115 g) crumbled hot or mild Italian-style sausage and half of a green bell pepper (chopped) with the onion, use ¹/₂ teaspoon Italian seasoning instead of the thyme, and finish with mozzarella or Parmesan cheese.

“Loaded baked potato” eggs: Add 1 cup (150 g) coarsely chopped steamed broccoli with the potatoes and finish with Cheddar, sour cream, and crumbled cooked bacon.