Joe's Special

When I was growing up, one of the most dreaded nights was when it was Dad's turn to cook, and that an abomination called "Joe's Special" would be on the menu. Dad's (that his first name really was Joe, added to the bitter irony) "Special", was a gloopy, inedible mess of hamburger, eggs and canned spinach, that I assumed was a comfort food holdover from his days in the service, like his continued affection for SOS ("shit on a shingle" ie: creamed chipped beef on toast) and canned meat products.

Actually, Dad's love of Joe's Special came from a visit, a long time ago, about the time I was spawned, to the the real deal, the Original Joe's, set in the seedy Tenderloin district in San Francisco since dinosaurs roamed the earth, or at least since 1937. Unlike the dinosaurs, Joe's is a true survivor from an earlier age, a time where "e-coli" was unheard of and 3/4 pound burgers, served pink inside and huge slabs of in-house cut meat, were, and still are, presented by tuxedo clad waiters. Joe's harkens back to a time when "healthy eating", refered to the portion size and menu prices were measured in "bits" not "bucks".

Joe's Special might be served in restaurants and hash houses throughout the country now, but it all began at the Original Joe's. My version is pretty close to the original, substituting fresh spinach for the frozen, adding garlic and a leaner beef. So here's the improvement to Joe's version AND hopefully a suitable tribute, but not replacement to the Original Joe's original.


1 tbs olive oil
1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
1/2 pound, lean ground beef
4 medium mushrooms sliced
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp dried basil
2 large handfuls raw spinach, chopped rough
Kosher Salt
Fresh ground pepper
3 eggs, beaten
Parmigiano-Reggiano
Fresh parsley
1 large tomato, halved and sliced

Heat the olive oil, in a large skillet (not non-stick) on medium high. When hot, add the onion and cook until just translucent. Put in the garlic and mushrooms, toss and cook till the onion just starts to brown. Add the ground beef and saute until browned. Reduce heat to low and stir in the oregano and basil. Pile in the spinach and toss until spinach is wilted. Now add a healthy pinch of Salt and a couple grinds of pepper and stir.

Push the meat mixture to one side of the skillet. Add the beaten eggs and scramble, tilting the skillet slightly to help keep the meat and eggs seperate as the eggs set. When the eggs are close to done, toss the mixure together and plate. Top with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and garnish with a few sprigs of fresh parsley and the tomato slices.

Serves 2