Joe’s Eggs (Joe’s Special)
Joe’s Special apparently comes from Joe’s Restaurant in San Jose, California, although it doesn’t appear on their menu by that name. However the menu photo of one of the specials, Italian sausage and eggs, looks a lot like the Joe’s Eggs and Joe’s Special recipe you see in some cookbooks.
Regardless of it’s origin, it’s a great breakfast, especially if you’ve got company over. You can make it with either hamburger or Italian sausage, but I prefer the sausage. I’ve made it with hamburger, and it’s very good, but needs more spice — like Tabasco, maybe, to liven it up a little.
It has delicate flavors anyway. The mushroom and spinach flavors need to come through. So make it and enjoy it, and if you wish, modify it next time.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound hamburger or Italian sausage
1 ten ounce package of frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 four or five ounce bottle or can of small button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon garlic powder or two minced garlic cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
instructions
Lightly oil or spray a large skillet, and put over medium heat. Add meat, stir and crumble to start browning. When partly done, add the onion. After a few more minutes, add the Worcestershire, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper. After the meat is brown, add the mushrooms and spinach. You only want to warm the mushrooms and spinach, so stir a little and then push the whole mixture over to one side of the skillet to make room for the eggs.
Some recipes just dump the eggs into the meat mixture and scramble it around, but it ends up looking like a mess. This way is better. In the space you made by pushing the meat mixture to one side, add a little oil or butter and then dump the eggs into the open space. Let them set up a little, and then with a spatula or spoon push them around to let the runny part get down next to the pan. After a few minutes you’ll have some nice fluffy scrambled eggs. Spread them out and spoon the meat mixture over the eggs and gently mix everything together. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the mixture and cover the pan to melt the cheese and keep warm until serving time.
Serve with toast, if you wish. As you probably know by now, I prefer to butter the bread and lay in on the griddle or in a frying pan to make the toast, as shown in the photo.