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I conducted a bit of a Friday-night-in-the-kitchen-with-a-bottle-of-wine kind of interview with my  husband before I wrote this post, and I’ll say, it never ceases to amaze me (in a good way) how much I still don’t know about that man. I’ve known Paul for a little over eight years now, and he’s been eating the same things on the same nights of the week for at least that many years. According to the man-of- routine himself, he’s been eating the same thing for lunch for around 13 years. The Monday and Wednesday night dinner of (massive) salads with cottage cheese goes back at least that long, and the Thursday night omelet? We’re talking nearly 20 years.

I have a complicated relationship with eggs, but right now I’m on them and in a big way. Largely because I like eggs, I think they’re the best locally available source of protein I can find, and in part also due to a book I’m reading right now.

I’m less of a creature of routine, though, no matter how much I like the routine and appreciate the simplicity it brings to my life. Coupled with my complicated relationship with eggs, when Thursday night rolls around I don’t always want something as in-your-face eggy as an omelet. But what I do want, because I come home tired and cold on Thursday nights, is something fast, warm, nutritious, and light (I don’t like for my dinners to be too carb-y during the week). This Thursday Night Fry* is all that.

It’s so simple, really, I barely bothered to post here, but then I thought perhaps this is the kind of thing many of you are after. Something that comes together so quickly you barely even think about it, something so good that you end up coming back to it week after week.

This meal all comes together in one skillet. Sesame seeds, deeply toasted in a dry pan until fragrant and nutty. A plain egg omelet, cooked in sesame oil, sliced into thin strips, and added back in at the end. Broccoli, cooked just barely enough to take the crispness away, tossed with hot red pepper flakes and a squeeze of lemon juice. Done.

One year ago: Curried Potato Chickpea Patties

Thursday Night Fry Recipe:

You can dress up this one-pan meal in a million different ways. This is my usual rendition.

Serves (in my house) one as a main, or two as a side dish.

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1 Tbsp sesame seeds

one head of broccoli broken down into florets and chunks (about 2 cups)

2 eggs, lightly whisked

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp hot red pepper flakes

juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 Tbsp)

salt and pepper to taste

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Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add sesame seeds to the hot dry pan, and toast for a few minutes until they are starting to turn brown and fragrant. Remove from the pan and set aside. Heat the oils in the pan for a a minute, then add the eggs. Wait a minute while the bottom of the omelet browns ever so slightly, swirl the pan, then using a spatula fold the omelet in half, wait a moment, then slide it out of the pan onto a cutting board. Now add the broccoli florets and chunks to the oil that remains in the pan, and sprinkle in the red pepper flakes. Sautee, stirring every minute or so until the raw edge is just barely gone. Slice the omelet into very thin strips and add back into the pan. Toss everything together, dress with salt and pepper and lemon juice. Slide into a serving dish and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over top. Serve while still very warm.

*I can’t think of a better name for this dish. Can you?!

All text and photos © The Muffin Myth 2011