The Evolution of Championes con Huevos Escalfados y Yogur

Track 01: Drunken Mushrooms

I sort of learned how to sort of make championes al ajillo from YouTube some time right after the pandemic. The second or third time that I made it, I think that I only had brandy on hand. After adding brandy that time, I started adding brandy exclusively for the next couple of years instead of white wine and sugar. I call this variation of championes al ajillo "drunken mushrooms". 

Come 2023, I stayed with my sister for a week and almost killed her kitten. My sister had made asparagus wrapped in bacon for dinner. After eating a couple of batches, I also had bacon grease on my fingers. The kitten wanted to play fetch with one of the rubber bands that had bound the asparagus. I indulged her...and she inevitably ended up eating the rubber band.

The kitten politely informed me the next afternoon that she was going to throw up the rubber band and subsequently vacated the offending object from her gut. After a round of panicked phone tag, my sister finally came home from work and told me to fix drunken mushrooms instead of expressing my guilt over the situation.

I had trouble remembering that I used brandy at home. My sister pulled marsala from the cabinet and handed it to me.

I find it easier to cook yummy mushrooms with marsala. So now we have "drunken mushrooms" variation no. 2.

Track 02: Cilbir

If you like watching videos about making shakshuka or poaching eggs, YouTube will route you to videos about cilbir. This dish, purportedly once made for kings, combines poached eggs with paprika butter** and Greek yogurt. 

In other words, the dish combines wobbly slime + viscous liquid + goop. 

** I am aware that paprika is actually a substitute for another kind of spice.

End Result: Championes con Huevos Escalfados y Yogur

Cilbir and drunken mushrooms have two things in common: they both have garlic and paprika oil or butter. I decided to remove the raw garlic from the yogurt and introduce garlic back via adding drunken mushrooms. The drunken mushrooms marinate in a garlic-paprika oil while they cook.

Of course, the flavors clash since I also add marsala to my drunken mushrooms. I don't care. I want to spoil myself silly.