Welcome to Another Episode of "What I Have Been Up To In My Kitchen: Breakfast Edition"
Breakfast should be a food group. Now, think about it. It can have protein, vegetables, greens and herbs. It is not just bacon and eggs, anymore, or cereal, since the advent of "brunch" and the "BLD", Breakfast for Lunch and Dinner. I have three BLD meals to share with you. Oh, just have them whenever you want, it's not that big a deal.
Let's start with the Sage and Sopressata Fritatta, shall we?
I start with:
1/4 red onion, sliced into crescents
6-8 sage leaves, whole
4 slices of sopressata, sliced into strips
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I like it spicy)
2 rounded tablespoons grated paremesan cheese
salt and pepper
2 tabs butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
Preheat the oven to 400-degrees.
Crack the eggs into a large bowl, tossing or composting the shells. Add the pepper flakes, a little more than half of the parmesan and salt and pepper and combine thoroughly with a whisk, making sure to break all of the yolks first. For extra fluffiness, add a couple of tablespoons of water.
Add the butter and evoo to an omlette skillet over medium heat to melt, coating the sides of the skillet, as well. Just when the butter begins to foam, add the egg mixture. Allow the bottom of the fritatta to begin to set; the sides will begin to solidify, as well. This takes about four minutes. Add the onion, sopressata and sage leaves in a circular pattern around the top of the egg mixture. Sprinkle the top with the remaining parmesan. Add more cheese it you like! Place in the oven and reduce the heat to 375-degrees. The initial heat will begin to solidify the top and then bake the inside to perfection low and slow for 40-minutes.
*Note: different ovens bake a different temperatures and speeds, depending on elevation, location and whether it is gas or electric. My oven I think runs cooler than the temperature I set it at, which is why I say forty minutes. Begin checking it at thirty (30) minutes.
To make sure the fritatta is done, poke it with a dark colored toothpick and, like a cake, if it comes out clean, it is done!
I served this fritatta over paprika, oregano, salt and pepper hash browns with a crown of crispy sopressata. I added vegetable oil to a large oven-safe skillet, used a bag of pre-grated, frozen potatoes, drained the excess water from them, and added them to the skillet already hot over medium-high heat. I got a good golden brown crust on the bottom, flipped it carefully over and then added it to the oven still hot from the fritatta.
Sometimes I am successful, but mostly with smaller skillets, at placing a plate over the top of the skillet, then turning it all over and stove top finishing that way. But not this time. I had to use two spatulas to flip it. It was a bit of doing, but it turned out nicely.
To crisp up the sopressata, I simply add a tiny bit of evoo to a small skillet (but in this case, I removed the fritatta and used that skillet) over medium-high heat, add the strips and let them sizzle up for a couple of minutes per side. They will begin to curl, which means it is time to remove them and place them on a paper towel to absorb the extra fat rendering.
I start with:
1/4 red onion, sliced into crescents
6-8 sage leaves, whole
4 slices of sopressata, sliced into strips
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (I like it spicy)
2 rounded tablespoons grated paremesan cheese
salt and pepper
2 tabs butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
Preheat the oven to 400-degrees.
Crack the eggs into a large bowl, tossing or composting the shells. Add the pepper flakes, a little more than half of the parmesan and salt and pepper and combine thoroughly with a whisk, making sure to break all of the yolks first. For extra fluffiness, add a couple of tablespoons of water.
Add the butter and evoo to an omlette skillet over medium heat to melt, coating the sides of the skillet, as well. Just when the butter begins to foam, add the egg mixture. Allow the bottom of the fritatta to begin to set; the sides will begin to solidify, as well. This takes about four minutes. Add the onion, sopressata and sage leaves in a circular pattern around the top of the egg mixture. Sprinkle the top with the remaining parmesan. Add more cheese it you like! Place in the oven and reduce the heat to 375-degrees. The initial heat will begin to solidify the top and then bake the inside to perfection low and slow for 40-minutes.
*Note: different ovens bake a different temperatures and speeds, depending on elevation, location and whether it is gas or electric. My oven I think runs cooler than the temperature I set it at, which is why I say forty minutes. Begin checking it at thirty (30) minutes.
To make sure the fritatta is done, poke it with a dark colored toothpick and, like a cake, if it comes out clean, it is done!
I served this fritatta over paprika, oregano, salt and pepper hash browns with a crown of crispy sopressata. I added vegetable oil to a large oven-safe skillet, used a bag of pre-grated, frozen potatoes, drained the excess water from them, and added them to the skillet already hot over medium-high heat. I got a good golden brown crust on the bottom, flipped it carefully over and then added it to the oven still hot from the fritatta.
Sometimes I am successful, but mostly with smaller skillets, at placing a plate over the top of the skillet, then turning it all over and stove top finishing that way. But not this time. I had to use two spatulas to flip it. It was a bit of doing, but it turned out nicely.
To crisp up the sopressata, I simply add a tiny bit of evoo to a small skillet (but in this case, I removed the fritatta and used that skillet) over medium-high heat, add the strips and let them sizzle up for a couple of minutes per side. They will begin to curl, which means it is time to remove them and place them on a paper towel to absorb the extra fat rendering.
I served my wedged fritatta atop a crescent of hash browns, topped with crispy sopressata and shaved parmesan. I added crispy sopressata like bacon on the side, as well. Delicious!
On to the next breakfast, lunch or dinner breakfast item....
Simply Sausage, Potato and Egg with Rosemary Bowl
2 large sausage links, (brats or Dakotas)
1.5 pounds cubed Yukon gold potatoes
2 eggs per person
salt and pepper
3 sprigs fresh rosemary, two finely chopped
3 tabs of butter, 1 separated
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Slice the sausages on a bias (at an angle), cube the uncooked potatoes. Add the sausages firsts to the skillet with a tab of butter and a tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. When the sausages just begin to form a crust, remove them to a plate with paper towels or a colander to drain and add the potatoes and half of the fresh rosemary. Meanwhile, as the potatoes sautee, in a smaller skillet, add two tabs of butter and just when it begins to foam, add two eggs, topped with some fresh rosemary and fry them the way you like them. And if you like scrambled eggs, I promise not to tell anyone. I like it, too! Our secret! Finally, after about fifteen minutes, as the potatoes begin to crisp up golden, add the sausages and a bit more of the rosemary and reheat them. This will continue to add rich flavor to the potatoes. The aroma will slay you!
To plate, I add a big spoon full of the potato and sausage mixture to a large personal bowl, one per person, of course, which this should feed three for sure, four comfortably, and top with two eggs each and garnish with the remaining rosemary leaves from the sprig not chopped.
Delicious for breakast, brunch, lunch or dinner.
And now for our final BLD Breakfast Anytime Meal...
Bacon and Egg Sammy O'Brien
This one is so simple you cannot mess it up. Here are my simple pantry ingredients:
2 eggs per person
1 large bag of Potatoes O'Brien, your favorite brand
2 strips of applewood smoked bacon per person (and a couple of extras for the cook!)
salt and pepper
English muffins or your favorite bread (I had some leftover hamburger buns)
3 tablespoons vegetable or grape seed oil
Fresh greens for garnish, such as chives, parsley or cilantro or scallions
Preheat the oven to 375-degrees.
In a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat or high heat, bring the oil to a ripple and add the Potatoes O'Brien to the skillet with salt and pepper. Tend to this so the potatoes do not burn or stick. Once the thaw has gone out of the potatoes and peppers and they begin crisp up, place the oven safe skillet into the oven. If that is not possible, finish on the stove top.
On another burner, add bacon to an untreated skillet and crisp up the number of bacon slices you need. Remember, two per sandwich. You can cook the bacon ahead of time, even placing bacon slices on a baking sheet with a rack for 12 or so minutes at 400-degrees.
I was gifted with one of those small egg skillets, where you can make one perfectly round egg or two, if you like them thicker, like I do. I used that to make the egg portion of our sammies. I simply sprayed the little skillet with canola oil spray and, over medium heat, cracked two eggs into it.
Flip the eggs when the bottom solidifies and begins to harden and pull away from the sides. Flipping is really easy with this little pan. I love it! Fun kitchen tool!
Set the eggs on a cooling rack over paper towels.
Toast the bread with the potatoes in the oven, break the bacon into halves and check on the potatoes. They should be finished about 15 - 18 minutes in. Sample to make sure. You can stove top finish if necessary. Hot pan, so be careful to keep the handle covered!!!
Finally, assemble your breakfast sandwiches with your favorite cheese and condiments and serve it over hot and aromatic Potatoes O'Brien! Garnish with your favorite finely chopped greens and one more extremely important thing.......
ENJOY this with loved ones and friends!!!
Now, Go Cook For Someone You Love!!!
As always, Thank You for your time and consideration.
~Martin
In-House Cook
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