7
breakfast CLASSICS
THE INDISPUTABLE FAVORITES AT THEIR BEST
Full English Breakfast Sandwich
Butterscotch Pancakes with Chocolate Chunks
Cinnamon–Sunflower Seed Granola
hash brown OMELET
What you are experiencing and tasting here is innovation. Who says an omelet must be made of eggs? Like the Snuggie or the Swiffer, this is a situation where a small tweak can change the way you see things forever. We’re not saying this is akin to the caveman inventing the wheel, but making an omelet out of hash browns is nearly as revolutionary.
4 strips bacon
2 Tbsp maple syrup
2 large russet potatoes
3 Tbsp vegetable oil, plus more if needed
2 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Hot sauce or ketchup for serving
In a nonstick frying pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy, 3—4 minutes on each side. After 5 minutes, pour the maple syrup over the bacon. When the bacon becomes sticky, transfer to a plate. Reserve the pan.
Using the medium holes on a box grater, grate the potatoes into a bowl. Squeeze to remove excess liquid. Do not rinse.
In a nonstick frying pan, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Press the grated potatoes tightly into the pan to form a circle; you don’t want any gaps. Cook without disturbing for 3 minutes. Gently swirl the pan. If the entire disk of hash browns moves together without any sticking, you’re in great shape.
Invert a plate over the pan, carefully invert the pan and plate together, lift off the pan, and then slide the omelet back into the pan. Cook the other side until deep golden brown, 2—3 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm.
Wipe out the pan used to cook the bacon and set it over medium heat. Carefully crack the eggs into the pan and cook until the whites are just set, about 3 minutes for sunny-side up. Sprinkle with salt and a grind of pepper.
Put the bacon and eggs on one-half of the hash brown omelet and gently fold the other half over to close. Using a spatula, slide the omelet out of the pan onto a plate. Serve right away with hot sauce.
FULL ENGLISH breakfast sandwich
Every time we write a cookbook, we draw inspiration from chef April Bloomfield. She’s one of the most talented chefs in the world, and our personal and professional connections to The Breslin restaurant have inspired and shaped our lives in very powerful ways. So as an homage to one of the living greats (hopefully she doesn’t find this sandwich to be a travesty!), we present the Full English Breakfast Sandwich.
4 Tbsp (2 oz/60 g) unsalted butter
4 slices challah bread
4 strips bacon
2 sausage patties
1 beefsteak tomato, cut into 6 thick slices
1 can (15 oz/425 g) English-style baked beans in tomato sauce
Kosher salt
1 Tbsp white vinegar
2 large eggs
In a nonstick frying pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the challah and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer to a plate.
Wipe out the pan with paper towels, then add the bacon and cook over medium heat until extra crispy, 3—4 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
In the same pan, cook the sausage in the remaining bacon fat over medium heat, turning once, until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
In the same pan, cook the tomato slices over high heat, turning once, until they begin to brown, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer to a plate.
In a small saucepan over medium heat, warm the baked beans until bubbling, 8—10 minutes.
Fill a deep sauté pan two-thirds full of water, add 1 tablespoon salt and the vinegar, and bring to a gentle boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Crack 1 egg into a ramekin and gently slide it into the simmering water. Repeat with the second egg. Cook until no runny white is visible but the yolks are still soft, 3—5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggs to a plate.
To assemble each sandwich, stack 2 strips bacon, 3 tomato slices, 1 sausage patty, and 1 egg on a bread slice. Cover with half of the beans and a second bread slice. Serve right away with a fork and knife and many napkins.
gran’ a’ slama BREAKFAST
As Andy Dufresne said in The Shawshank Redemption, “Get busy living, or get busy dying.” This waffle-sausage-egg breakfast sandwich perfectly encapsulates that saying because when you’re eating it, you’re definitely livin’. But look at it and you’ll know you’re surely not doing your heart any favors. So here’s a “last meal” that’s as filling as “3 hots.” And all you’ll need when you’re done eating it is the cot.
waffle batter
3 cups (15 oz/470 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (2 oz/60 g) sugar
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
4 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs
2 cups (16 fl oz/500 ml) whole milk
½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) vegetable oil
1 tsp each pure vanilla extract and almond extract
sausage
1½ lb (750 g) ground pork
Leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs
Leaves from 2 fresh rosemary sprigs
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp each dried sage and onion powder
2 large eggs, beaten
½ cup (¾ oz/20 g) panko bread crumbs
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
peach compote
3 peaches, pitted and cut into 1-inch (2.5-cm) pieces
1 cup (8 oz/250 g) sugar
1 Tbsp vegetable oil, plus more for waffle iron
8 strips bacon
8 large eggs
To make the waffle batter, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. In a bowl, whisk the eggs until blended, then whisk in the milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla and almond extracts. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and whisk until blended. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour but preferably overnight.
To make the sausage, in a large bowl, combine the pork, thyme, rosemary, garlic, sage, onion powder, eggs, panko, and Worcestershire. Mix gently with your hands just until combined; you don’t want to overwork the meat. Shape into 4 patties, place on a plate, cover, and refrigerate until ready to cook.
To make the peach compote, in a saucepan, combine ½ cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) water, the peaches, and the sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the peaches break down and the liquid evaporates, about 30 minutes. The mixture should be soft and jamlike. Remove from the heat.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Preheat your waffle iron, then brush the top and bottom plates with oil. Following the manufacturer’s directions, ladle some batter (usually ½—1 cup/125—250 ml, depending on the size of the waffle iron) onto the bottom plate just to cover, then close the lid. Cook the waffle until crisp and golden; the timing will depend on your iron. Transfer the waffle to a baking sheet and keep warm in the oven. Repeat with the remaining batter. You should have 8 waffles.
In a nonstick frying pan, cook the bacon over medium heat until crispy, 3—4 minutes per side. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
In another nonstick frying pan, heat the 1 tablespoon vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add the sausage patties and cook, turning once, until crispy and browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a plate and cover with aluminum foil.
Wipe out the bacon pan with paper towels. Set the pan over medium heat. Carefully crack 4 of the eggs into the pan and cook until the whites are just set, about 3 minutes for sunny-side up, then transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining 4 eggs.
Remove the waffles from the oven. To assemble each sandwich, place 1 waffle on a plate. Top with 1 sausage patty, 2 strips of bacon, 2 fried eggs, and a large dollop of the peach compote. Then top with another waffle. Serve right away.
east coast OMELET
It was a simple embrace of our Jewish roots and our geographical location that led to the creation of this East Coast omelet. Unlike its meat-focused Western brother, this version has all the appetizing elements of a Jewish brunch stuffed inside perfectly cooked eggs. And since there’s no ham or meat, you quasi-kosher kids out there can go one meal without feeling the crushing guilt of your bubby’s disappointment in your life choices.
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs
1 tsp whole milk
¼ lb (125 g) smoked whitefish fillet
2 oz (60 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 Tbsp finely chopped green onions, white and tender green parts only
½ cup (3 oz/90 g) cherry tomatoes, halved
1 red onion, sliced
1 Tbsp capers
Rye toast or bagels for serving
In a bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of the butter, the eggs, and the milk until well blended.
In another bowl, stir together the whitefish, cream cheese, chives, green onions, tomatoes, red onion, and capers.
In a nonstick frying pan, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon butter over low heat. Pour in the egg mixture and cook without disturbing for 3 minutes. As the eggs begin to change color slightly along the edges, use a spatula to pull the edges gently away from the pan sides. Then angle the pan away from you slightly and use the spatula to pull one edge of the cooked eggs away from the pan sides, allowing some of the uncooked eggs to flow underneath. Continue in this manner until all of the uncooked eggs have flowed underneath the set egg. This will take about 5 minutes longer. When the eggs are almost set to your desired consistency, use a spoon to smear the whitefish mixture onto one-half of the omelet.
Slide the omelet onto a plate, lifting the edge of the pan to flip the uncovered half over the whitefish mixture. Serve right away with rye toast.
SALAMI & eggs
When we were young, our dad used to make us salami and eggs on the weekends. Soon we grew older and began making salami and eggs for ourselves on the weekends. And one day we’ll be old and we will make salami and eggs for our kids on the weekends. This is what a recipe is for. This is what food is all about.
1 tsp vegetable oil, plus ¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml)
6 oz (185 g) deli or kosher-style dry salami, diced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
6 large eggs
½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 jalapeño chile, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into half-moons
1 bunch green onions, white and tender green parts only, chopped
Ketchup for serving
In a nonstick frying pan, heat the 1 teaspoon vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the salami and cook, stirring occasionally to avoid burning, until crisp, 3—4 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
In the same pan, heat the remaining ¼ cup (2 fl oz/60 ml) vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring occasionally to avoid burning, until golden brown, 5—7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain. Wipe out the pan with paper towels.
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, salt, and pepper until well blended. Return the pan to medium heat and melt the butter. Pour in the eggs and cook without disturbing for 30 seconds. Then begin to slowly and gently move the eggs around with a spatula. Push from one side of the pan to the other in single long strokes, then redistribute the eggs back across the entire pan. “Slow and low” is the key to great scrambled eggs, so let them cook gently without too much fussing and moving them around. You are trying to avoid crispy edges or brown spots.
Once the eggs are almost cooked to your desired firmness, add the reserved salami and shallots and the jalapeño and mix in gently. The eggs should be light yellow and fluffy, with spots of fluffy white.
Spoon the eggs onto plates and serve right away, with the green onions and ketchup on the side.
BUTTERSCOTCH PANCAKES with chocolate chunks
You’ve got a lame box of pancake mix sitting in the cupboard. And you could use that and be left totally unsatisfied and underwhelmed. Or you could make these pancakes. There is butterscotch in and on these pancakes. In. And on. Take a moment . . . we knew you’d come around once you got all the facts.
butterscotch sauce
4 Tbsp (2 oz/60 g) unsalted butter
½ cup (3½ oz/105 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) heavy cream
½ tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
pancakes
1½ cups (7½ oz/235 g) all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs, separated
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) whole milk
1 cup (8 fl oz/250 ml) butterscotch sauce (recipe above)
Up to 4 Tbsp (2 oz/60 g) unsalted butter
½ cup (3 oz/90 g) bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped bittersweet chocolate
To make the butterscotch sauce, in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the brown sugar, cream, and salt and whisk until well blended. Bring to a very gentle simmer and cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved and is bubbling, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool. Add the vanilla and stir to combine.
To make the pancakes, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a bowl, using a whisk or an electric mixer, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form.
In another bowl, whisk together the milk, egg yolks, and butterscotch sauce. Pour the milk mixture over the flour mixture and fold to combine partially. Fold in the egg whites just until no visible flour remains; the mixture will still be lumpy.
In a large nonstick frying pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Pour in ⅓ cup (3 fl oz/80 ml) batter for each pancake and sprinkle 1—2 teaspoons chocolate chips on top. Cook until bubbles form on the top, 2—3 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden on the bottom, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer the pancakes to a platter and keep warm in the oven. Repeat to cook the remaining pancakes, adding more butter as needed.
Serve the pancakes with the remaining butterscotch sauce.
cinnamon–sunflower seed GRANOLA
When Eli made this granola for brunch at Mile End Delicatessen in Brooklyn, several people asked him for the recipe, saying it was the best granola they’d ever had. Humbled by that possibly truthful statement, we’re sharing the recipe here because no one should keep such a good thing like this a secret.
8 cups (1½ lb/750 g) rolled oats
½ cup (2 oz/60 g) walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
½ cup (2 oz/60 g) almonds, toasted and roughly chopped
¼ cup (1 oz/30 g) sunflower seeds
¼ cup (1 oz/30 g) pumpkin seeds
½ cup (5½ oz/170 g) maple syrup
3 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp ground nutmeg
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ cup (2 oz/60 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
¼ cup (3 oz/90 g) honey
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Spray two 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33-cm) rimmed baking sheets or one 18-by-13-inch (45-by-33-cm) rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
In a large bowl, toss together the oats, walnuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and brown sugar. Spread the oat mixture evenly across the prepared baking sheets. Bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and drizzle the granola evenly with the honey. Let cool on the baking sheets, then serve (or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks).