A Brunch to Remember

I hope everyone's holiday season has been filled with love, joy and much great food! 

I took a little break from blogging to enjoy some much needed r&r in the form of snow blizzards in Mammoth, family time and overeating. 

Speaking of overeating, for New Years Eve, I decided to throw a little brunch together for some of my friends. The menu was... fantastic. I've never made so many great things in such a small span of time. Let's just say, what a way to bring in the new year!

Cute, little radishes.

Our brunch extravaganza; mimosas are a must!

First, on the menu was the 'Eggs Benedict' salad. This one is the stunner! It's gorgeous, filled with oodles of color and even more flavor. Even though I kind of piled it all together, it still made my eyes water a bit. Please, please make this - it's a wonderful reinvention of the brunch classic and it will be loved by all. Pinky promise.

Eggs Benedict Salad

Yields: 4 servings

Adapted from here.

5 thin proscuitto slices

3 tbsn. extra-virgin olive oil

5 tsp. white balsamic vinegar or white wine vinegar

10 cups baby mixed greens

8 radishes, trimmed, thinly sliced

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

4 large eggs, poached

For the hollandaise sauce:

2 large egg yolks

3 tbsn. fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup or 1 stick unsalted butter, melted

1 tbsn. Dijon mustard

1/8 tsp. coarse kosher sale

pinch of ground white pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 F. Arrange the proscuitto slices in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the proscuitto is crisp, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, let cool, then coarsely crumble. Whisk the oil and vinegar in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, then toss the baby greens, radishes and red onion in the mixture; set aside.

To make the hollandaise, whisk the egg yolks and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the melted butter, then set the bowl over a medium saucepan of gently simmering water (do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water). Whisk constantly until the mixture thickens and an instant-read thermometer registers 140 F for 3 minutes, about 5 minutes total. Remove the bowl from over the water, whisk in the last 3 ingredients. Cover to keep warm. Divide the tossed salad among four plates, sprinkle with the crumbled proscuitto, and top with a poached egg. Drizzle with the hollandaise and enjoy.

Please, let us bask in the gloriousness that is brown sugar-bacon waffles. Really, they are that spectacular. Every bit as spectacular as they sound and as they look. Oh man, they are just all that and a bag of chips! Joy the Baker really has breakfast down to a science. Her pancakes, her waffles, oy vey - all a big hit for me.

But then... it gets better. Yes, it's possible. You know that ever existing problem of a carton full of buttermilk and what to do with it? Yeah, we all have that problem. Buttermilk only comes in huge containers, yet recipes only call for a wee bit of it. Well to use up the remainder of your buttermilk, make buttermilk syrup to go with your waffles. It's a double whammy: finish up your buttermilk and enjoy the best homemade syrup EVER!

Brown Sugar Bacon Waffles

Yields: about 10 waffles (depends on the size of your waffle maker)

Original recipe here.

For the bacon:

10 slices of bacon

1/4 cup brown sugar

For the waffles:

3 cups flour

1 tbsn. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup canola or grapeseed oil

4 large eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

2 1/2 cups buttermilk

To make the bacon, preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray and line with foil. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with brown sugar. Place in the upper third of the oven and bake until the sugar is caramelized and the bacon is brown and crispy, about 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and immediately remove the bacon slices using a pair of tongs. Place them on a cutting board, not paper towels (because they will stick) to cool before chopping. Once cool, chop the bacon into bite sized pieces and set aside.

Set up the waffle iron on a level, clean surface and turn on to preheat. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and brown sugar. Whisk to blend. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and fold. Once almost fully incorporated, add the bacon bites and stir. Try not to over mix the batter or the waffles will become tough. It's okay if a few lymph remain in the batter. Cook according to your waffle machine instructions. Serve with maple syrup.

Buttermilk Syrup

Yields: about 1 cup

Adapted from here.

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 cup buttermilk

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

In a medium sauce pot,  combine the butter, buttermilk and sugar. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil while whisking constantly, then turn off the heat. Add the vanilla and baking soda (watch out, it will bubble vigorously) and whisk to combine. Serve warm with pancakes, waffles, whatever.

Ahhh brunch glory:

Let's dig IN.

Last, but not least, was brunch dessert. Brunch dessert you ask? Yes, I coined that term myself... I think. Brunch must always end with dessert. In fact, all meals should end with dessert in my opinion. This coffeecake was the perfect way to end our lovely, lovely afternoon.


The cake was moist, filled with great flavor and the crumb, oh that crumb. When is crumble topping ever not loved? I think it is quite possibly the most loved thing on this planet we call Earth. Of course, I had to  top it off with a decadent vanilla-bean crème anglaise. Of course, right? Well this crème anglaise tasted like melted vanilla ice cream, and I mean that in the most wonderful way possible!

Cherry Vanilla Coffeecake

Yields: 1 9" round coffee cake, about 8 servings

Adapted from here.

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise

1 3/4 cup sugar

2 cups fresh or thawed, frozen sweet cherries (6 oz.)

2 cups + 1 tbsn. flour, divided

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1 stick + 1 tbsn. unsalted butter, softened, divided

2 large eggs

1/2 cup whole milk

Preheat the oven to 375 F, with a rack placed in the middle of the oven. Generously butter a 9x2" round cake pan. Line the bottom with a round of parchment paper, then butter the paper. Scrape the seeds of the vanilla bean into a food processor, add the sugar and pulse to combine. Transfer to a bowl. Pulse the cranberries with 1/2 cup of the vanilla sugar in a food processor until finely chopped (but do not puree), set aside. 

Whisk together 2 cups of flour, the baking soda, and salt, set aside. Beat together 1 stick of butter and 1 cup of vanilla sugar in the bowl of an electric mix at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the flour mixture and milk in alternate batches, beginning and ending with the flour, until just combined. Spread half of the batter in the pan, then spoon the cherries over it, leaving a 1/2" border around the edge. Top with the remaining batter and smooth the top. Blend the remaining 1/4 cup of vanilla sugar with the remaining 1 tbsn. of butter and 1 tbsn. of flour using your fingertips. Crumble over the top of the cake. Bake until an inserted toothpick comes out clean and the sides begin to pull away from the pan, about 45 - 50 minutes. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then remove from the pan and cool completely, crumble side up. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired. 

Vanilla Bean Crème Anglaise

Yields: 2 cups

Original recipe here.

4 large egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

1 cup milk

3/4 cup heavy cream

1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise or 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Fill a large bowl with ice and water, set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until lightened, about 2 minutes. Place the milk and heavy cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the pan and add the pod. If using extract, hold off and add later. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to low. Whisk about 1/3 cup of the milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper it. Return this mixture to the saucepan. Cook the creme anglaise over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, until the mixture thickens to the consistency of heavy cream. If the sauce is overheated it will start to curdle, so it's important to stir constantly and to keep a close eye on the sauce. Discard the vanilla pod and strain the creme into a medium-sized metal bowl. If using extract, now is the time to add it. Place the bowl over an ice bath to chill until ready to serve. Store in an airtight container, refrigerated, for up to 4 days. 

I don't know if you guys know this already, but I had a mission this past year to complete a 365 Project and that I did! It was the most rewarding and challenging thing I've ever done, and I am so glad to have lasted it through the year. New years eve was my final day where I had to take a picture to document my day, and here it is:

I think this picture summarizes my year and project perfectly: a bit sweet, a bit sparkly, and wholly wonderful. Hopefully, that's how my next year shall turn up as well.

To see the rest of my 2010 - 365 photos, go here.

Crispy Rice Pizza

Have you guys ever read Momofuku for 2? I looooove this blog. I've been fascinated by the likes of David Chang and his Momofuku chain of restaurants ever since it crossed my path. Momofuku for 2 is like my little ticket into Momofuku heaven and besides that, Steph, the author, makes her own utterly delicious looking Asian-inspired concoctions that make me weak at the knees!

Anyways, this is a winner. Pure & simple. Everything listed in the ingredients list is delicious on their own, and even more so when combined into this spectacular and easy to make dish! The only hard part of this dish would be making the pulled pork, but I simply used pre-made pulled pork, which made it even easier! Of course, I suggest making your own if you want to really knock your socks off but I had some on hand :)

Some people don't like crispy rice but I LOVE it, it's a bit crunchy, a bit chewy, a lot delicious. You get the fulfilling bite from the pulled pork, the tanginess from the kimchi and the velvety richness from the egg yolk. Let's all say it together: mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

Like a little piece of heaven!

Crispy Rice Pizza

Yields: 2 servings

Original recipe here.

1 to 1 1/2 cups of cooked short grain rice*

1/2 cup pulled pork

1/4 cup kimchi, roughly chopped

2 eggs

oil

Pour enough oil to lightly coat the bottom of a small cast iron skillet** and heat it up over medium heat. When the oil is hot add the rice and pat it down so that it forms a round rice cake. Turn the heat down to medium-low and let the rice crisp up to form a crust. Be patient, this may take a while. After about 15 minutes, use a small spatula to lift up the rice cake to see if it has a golden brown crust. If it does, turn it over and crisp up the other side. If it doesn't five it a few more minutes before flipping. Once flipped, go ahead and fry up a sunny side up egg in another pan. While the egg is cooking, top the rice cake with some of the pulled pork and kimchi. When the egg is cooked, pop it on top of the rice cake and add a couple more pieces of pork and kimchi. Repeat this process to make another pizza. Enjoy hot!

*Short grain rice is essential for this dish because other rice varieties won't stick together to form a cake

** If you don't have a small cast iron skillet, feel free to make it in a regular pan

Dig in!

The BEST Egg Salad Sandwich Ever

This doesn't usually happen unless I'm sleeping. And by this, I mean drooling. I am literally salivating looking and thinking about this egg salad sandwich. I don't think it can get any better than this sandwich, really.

I love watching 'The Best Thing I Ever Ate' on the food network simply just to hear the interviewees gush and reminisce about some of the best things they've eaten all across this country. I love how they get so involved with the food and get so emotional and in depth about it all. Well, one place that they visited was Europane, a little cafe in Pasadena, California famous for their egg salad sandwiches. After visiting and consuming one of these famed sandwiches, I was set on a mission to make one immediately.

That I did, promptly the next afternoon. Now I am set on spreading this good news of eggy delight throughout the realms of the internet. Here is, unabashedly, thee best egg salad I have eaten and made and I think, will ever make in my entire life.

Soft-boiled Egg Salad Sandwiches

Yields: 4 servings

Inspired by Europane.

For the egg salad:

8 large eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/8 cup dijon mustard

2 tbsn. chopped chives, plus extra for topping

1/2 tsp. salt, or to taste

1/4 tsp. pepper, or to taste

4 thick slices of crusty bread, toasted (I used La Brea Bakery bread)

sun-dried tomato pesto, store bought or made

mixed baby greens

1 small lemon

To soft-boil the eggs, heat a large pot of water (enough to cover the eggs) over high heat til a rolling boil. Drop the eggs slowly into the water using a slotted spoon, and cook on high heat (still a rolling boil) for exactly 5 1/2 minutes. Remove, drain and let cool. Once cool, peel the eggs carefully and place into a large bowl. From half of the eggs, remove the soft yolk (or else the salad will be too liquidy). Use a fork to break up the eggs (the yolks should still be slightly runny). Mix in the salt, pepper, mayonnaise, mustard, and chives. To assemble the sandwiches, take your toasted bread and spread some sun-dried tomato pesto on each slice. Top with some baby greens, then 1/8 of the egg mixture. Sprinkle the open-faced sandwich with some more pepper, chives and a squeeze of lemon juice. Repeat with the remaining slices and enjoy!

Eggs in a Hole

I love eggs. I love bread. I love quick. I love easy. That's why eggs in a hole are perfect for me! They make a quick and delicious lunch, not to mention healthy too. A definite keeper.

My love for these things is undoubtable!

Eggs in a Hole

Yields: one serving

Yep, this is as simple as it gets!

1 slice of whole wheat bread

1 large egg

1/2 tbsn. butter

salt and pepper, to taste

fresh herbs, whatever you have on hand is fine (optional)

salsa (optional)

Burning love.

Heat a medium sized pan on medium high heat. Using a cookie cutter or a knife, cut a hole in the center of your slice of bread. Add the butter into the pan, once melted, lay down the slice of bread. Next crack your egg into the center of the hole and cook until the bottom is set, about 1 - 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip the toast and cook the other side until done, about 1 -2 minutes as well. Toast your extra bread in the flame (because I hate wasting food). Remove from heat, top with herbs and fresh salsa. You can use any herbs you liked, I'm not even sure what I used here but that's what I had on hand. Enjoy!

Nothing beats a perfectly cooked, perfectly gooey yolk! (P.S. taken in my new light tent)

A Simple Niçoise Salad

Most people opt for massive amounts of junk food and caffeine when preparing for their finals. I used to do the same thing and then I learned the hard way that the combination of lack of sleep, lack of motion, hard-to-digest food, and caffeine was a very, very bad combination, in more ways than one. If you have experienced the same disgusting feeling that I have, give your body a break, and here are some tips:

1. Instead of coffee or energy drinks, opt for tea. My favorite tea of choice is Jasmine Green Tea. Mmm so good with Mango flavored syrup added!

2. Skip the chips, pizza, and fried chicken and go for salads (such as below), fruit, and popcorn (because you'll want something to munch on).

3. Try and walk around every once in a while because sitting in a chair for 10 hours straight can be painful, especially to your bum...

4. OHH and lots and lots of water!

Overall, I really enjoyed this salad. It kept my brain stimulated because as you know, tuna or any type of fish is brain food and all of the veggies didn't leave me with an overburdened stomach or a feeling of "blahness" as most other foods would have. It also kept me satisfied for a long time so I didn't have to bother my study-time with breaks for snacks. And don't let me forget to mention that is was also marvelously delicious. It was simple and tangy and everything that a Niçoise salad should be.

Niçoise Salad:

Yields: Enough for 3-4

For the Salad:

salt and freshly ground pepper

4 -5 red new potatoes

8 oz. green beans, trimmed

1 can of albacore tuna in water

1-2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. olive oil

2 heads of romaine lettuce, or any other variety

3 large plum tomatoes, cut into wedges

3 large eggs, hard boiled and sliced

1 medium red onion, sliced

For the dressing:

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. dijon mustard

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp. salt 

freshly ground pepper

Directions:

In a medium sized bowl, whisk the lemon juice, mustard, salt, and a pinch of pepper. Whisking constantly, stream in the olive oil until the dressing is thick and creamy. Add the sliced red onion to let in marinate in the dressing. Take a large pot and fill about half way with water and boil. After it has come to a rolling boil, add some salt and the potatoes. Cook until fork tender, about 15 - 20 minutes. Transfer potatoes into a bowl.  DO NOT DISCARD WATER! Once cool, dice the potatoes into inch cubes. Season with salt, pepper and other spices of your choice (I used paprika). Set aside. Add the trimmed green beans into the boiling water (that was used for the potatoes). Cover and cook until tender, about 4 - 6 minutes. Remove and rinse with cold water. Set aside. Break up the tuna into a small bowl. Add the olive oil, lemon juice (to taste), and season with salt and pepper. Tear the lettuce into pieces. Arrange on a plate with the seasoned potatoes, tomatoes, eggs, marinated onions, green beans, and tuna. Drizzle with the dressing and enjoy!

Optional: Traditionally Niçoise Salad is also served with a tin of anchovies and kalamata olives but I did not have any on hand. You can also substitute in capers for the olives if preferred.