Chocolate Pancakes

Last week it was blueberry, this week it's chocolate.

Rather than douse the batter with tons of cocoa, it was left largely basic but mixed with chopped dark chocolate pieces (85% to keep the sweetness low - the syrup takes care of that). Served with a Bosc pear garnish and a sunny-side egg to offset the sweet.

Recipe:
1/2 C brown rice flour
1 Tbs tapioca starch
1 Tbs potato starch
2/3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp dark cocoa powder (Scharffen Berger)
1 tsp agave
1/8 tsp fine-ground sea salt
1 egg
2 Tbs butter, melted
2/3 C soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 C chopped dark chocolate
Scant oil
* for regular pancakes, use 2/3 C all-purpose flour instead of the first 3 items

Melt the butter in a small ramekin until just melted. Whisk the egg in a bowl, then add the remaining ingredients, except the chopped chocolate, and oil and blend well.

On a hot griddle or in a skillet, put a scant amount of oil so the surface is just covered. Drop 2 Tbs of mix and then evenly distribute some of the dark chocolate pieces amongst them. Let the batter begin to firm and then carefully spoon a small amount of batter on top of any exposed chocolate. Once the batter begins to crust on the edges, flip them carefully and cook for another minute. Remove and stack. Dust with more cocoa powder. Serve with syrup or warm agave.

The reason for covering the chocolate is that it will burn easily if it hits the heat directly unless there is a small layer of batter preventing it. Burnt chocolate tastes bitter and will literally ruin the batch so an alternative is to literally put two sides together and cook a bit longer until done.

Images by MadeForJen

Blueberry Pancakes

Gluten-free blueberry pancakes, accompanied with a cheese omelette and (of course) bacon.

Recipe:
1/2 C brown rice flour
1 Tbs tapioca starch
1 Tbs potato starch
2/3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp agave
1/8 tsp fine-ground sea salt
1 egg
2 Tbs butter, melted
2/3 C soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 pint blueberries
Scant oil
* for regular pancakes, use 2/3 C all-purpose flour instead of the first 3 items

Melt the butter in a small ramekin until just melted. Whisk the egg in a bowl, then add the remaining ingredients except the oil and blend well.

On a hot griddle or in a skillet, put a scant amount of oil so the surface is just covered. Drop 2 Tbs of mix. Allow to cook on one side until edges are starting to dry around. Flip carefully and cook for another minute. Remove and stack. Serve with syrup or warm agave.

Images by MadeForJen

Omelette, Chorizo and Guacamole

One of my favorite breakfasts - cheese omelette, chorizo and guacamole.

Omelette has cheddar, chives and some bits of chorizo.

A recipe for guacamole can be found here.

Chorizo & Cheese Omelette Recipe

Ingredients:
2 large eggs
1/2 C chopped cheddar or jack cheese
1/3 C chopped, slightly fried chorizo
1 Tb chopped chives

Beat the eggs well then add the remaining ingredients. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, reduce to medium and add 1 Tb oil and spread evenly. Pour omelette mixture in and allow to cook on one side, then flip the whole mess over and do the other. I prefer to serve it roughly piled but if you like it more clean, fold the omelette as it comes out of the pan.

Images by MadeForJen

Sunday Breakfasts

Love Sunday breakfasts with Jen.

Favorites...French toast, fried egg, bacon. Yum.

Images by MadeForJen

Pain Perdu Dessert

I made this for dessert last week. It came to me after watching too many episodes of "Chopped" on Food Network.

"Pain perdu" is the French term for French toast (literally, "lost bread"). It is a staple for all culinary students (myself included) and has started to show up more and more as a dessert base.  Here I used a whole wheat challah, which has a nice, fluffy texture and slight sweetness.  The egg wash had a splash of almond milk and vanilla.

To dress is up, we used ripe black Mission figs drizzled with a melted 85% dark chocolate and then garnished with 2 slices of dark chocolate bacon strips. Yes, bacon. So basically, it's a grown-up take on breakfast as a dessert. Lots of textures, and wide flavor profile. Yum!

Ingredients:
2 challah buns (Zomick brand in this case)
2 medium eggs
1/2 C almond milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
8 figs
2oz dark chocolate (70%)
1 tsp butter
1 Tb almond milk (additional)

Mix the eggs, milk and vanilla well in a shallow bowl. Slice the challah top to bottom - each bun should yield 3 slices. soak in egg mix for about 30 seconds per side. Heat 1 Tb oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Gently place the bread into the pan and cook until just browning, then turn and repeat.

Meanwhile, heat the chocolate, butter and milk in a glass measuring cup or bowl in the microwave on high for 12 seconds. Remove and use a spoon to mix and melt the chocolate. If not quite hot enough, run for an additional 10 seconds only and try again.  Too much microwave will burn the chocolate quickly.

Serve with cut figs, drizzled with chocolate and a side of bacon - it's breakfast updated for dessert!

Image by MadeForJen

Egg, Avocado and Sprouts

Mmm. Avocado, alfafa sprouts, fried egg, toasted cinnamon-raisin bagel.

Image by MadeForJen

Eggs Benedict

I've never met anyone, Jen included, who didn't like Eggs Benedict.  I've always wondered why it was considered to be an extravagant dish because it is so much simpler to make than people make it out to be. The only real trick is timing - you will have to have all 5 parts (muffins, eggs, meat, hollandaise, vegetable) cooking at the same time!

So this recipe will have everything timed. It takes a little practice but be sure to have everything out and ready to go before you start.

Ingredients (for 2):
2 English muffins
6 large eggs (4 to poach, 2 to make the hollandaise)
2/3 stick of butter
1 lemon, cut in half
4 slices ham, Canadian bacon, prosciutto or speck or 8 slices bacon
A green vegetable* (asparagus, spinach, or chard work well)
1 tsp white vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

Tools:
2 qt pot for poaching
slotted spoon
Double boiler for hollandaise (or a pot and a metal bowl)
Whisk
Pan to cook meat (either fry or poach)
Pan to cook veggies (I prefer fry)
Toaster

Separate the yolks from 2 of the eggs. Discard the whites or save them for another meal. Put 1 qt water in pot and bring to boil then turn down to simmer. At the same time, bring the half-filled double boiler bottom to a boil and turn down to simmer. Turn both the meat and vegetable pan on medium. I use a scant dash of oil only - put it in when the pan is hot.

Put the vinegar in the egg pot. Put the muffins in the toaster but don't turn them on.Very slowly ease each egg into the poacher.  If you have to, poach one at a time. Poaching is a bit of an art so it may take a few tries to eventually get it right but at the end of the day it's just an egg - just cuz it looks funny doesn't mean it tastes different!

When the eggs are poaching, put the meat and veg on to cook. Once started, you can always turn off the heat when done. Begin toasting the muffins.

Put the butter in the boiler top (or bowl) and melt the butter. Once melted, it will begin to heat. Put in the separated yolks and begin to whisk evenly - not hard, not too gently though. The butter will begin to cook the yolks. When it thickens to near consistency, remove it from the heat and set aside, and quickly squeeze 1/2 of the lemon in and whisk it.  Check the consistency and taste and if more is needed, use the other half.

Check the eggs. When they are done, gently pull them out with a slotted spoon, shake off the excess water and put into a bowl to hold.

Ready to plate. Put the halves of one muffin on each plate then later with meat, vegetable and egg and then the Hollandaise. 

Image by MadeForJen

Sunday Early Breakfast

Nothing special - fried eggs on English muffins, grapes with cantaloupe and some coffee.

Image by MadeForJen