A Different Joe
Writing about sloppy Joes on Feb. 25 recalled a dish that I made years ago and had nearly forgotten.
My wife and I really enjoyed this dish, but I stopped making it because our kids wouldn’t eat it.
It’s called Joe’s Special. Its relation to sloppy Joes is pretty slim. Really, the only similarity is that it’s made with ground beef.
It’s an unusual skillet meal that mixes ground beef, eggs, spinach and cheese in what you might call a “scramble.”
It may not be kid-friendly because of the spinach, but it is a wonderful, quick, easy and healthy one-pan dinner.
I learned about this from Saveur Cooks Authentic American (Chronicle, 1998), a cookbook from the editors of Saveur magazine. They say it originated in the San Francisco Bay Area. It probably is named after one of the area’s many restaurants with Joe in the name, but no one seems sure which one.
Joe’s Special
Recipe adapted from Saveur Cooks Authentic American (Chronicle, 1998). The spinach also can be steamed or cooked in a microwave; cook it just enough to wilt it.
1½ pounds fresh spinach
Salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
½ pound ground beef
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Trim spinach and wash thoroughly. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Add some salt and the spinach and blanch 2 minutes (or just 30 seconds for baby spinach). Drain thoroughly.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until soft, about 10 minutes.
3. Add beef and cook, stirring to break up clumps, until brown, about 3 minutes.
4. Add spinach and cook 2 minutes. Add eggs and cook without stirring for 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Stir in salt, cheese and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.
