Volume 9, Issue 68 - October 5, 2005

Hello Recipe Club,

Breakfast can be as simple or as elaborate as time and appetite dictate. From market to menu, BREAKFASTS & BRUNCHES has the techniques, tips, and tricks to make the first meal of the day your most memorable one.

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Eggs Benedict

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

16 slices Canadian bacon
16 Poached Eggs (recipe follows)
8 English Muffins (recipe follows), split, toasted and buttered
2 cups Hollandaise Sauce (recipe follows), warm

Preparation:

Heat a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the Canadian bacon, working in batches and sauté on both sides until heated through, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side.

If eggs have been poached in advance reheat them in simmering water until warmed through. Blot on toweling and shape if necessary. Top each English muffin half with a Canadian bacon slice and a poached egg. Spoon 2 tablespoons of warm hollandaise over each egg. Serve immediately.

English Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup water, warmed to 110 degrees F
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cornmeal, or as needed
oil or solid vegetable shortening, as needed

Preparation:

Place the yeast and warm water in the bowl of a mixer and stir to completely dissolve. Let the yeast proof until foamy, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, butter, sugar and salt to the yeast mixture. Mix ingredients together on low speed using the dough hook until all ingredients are blended, about 2 minutes.

Increase the speed to medium-high and mix until the dough is smooth, another 5 minutes.

Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a lightly greased bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and let the dough rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours. Fold the dough gently over on itself in three or four places and turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface.

Divide dough into 12 equal pieces. Shape into rounds and place on sheet pans that have been heavily dusted with cornmeal. Turn each muffin over to coat both sides with cornmeal. Cover and let rise until slightly risen, about 30 minutes.

Preheat a griddle over medium heat and brush lightly with oil or shortening. Cook the English muffins until lightly brown on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Turn the muffins over and cook until golden brown, another 5 minutes.

Split the English muffins by pulling them apart with a table fork. Toast them just before serving. Serve very hot.

Poached Eggs

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

3 quarts water, or as needed
2 teaspoons salt
4 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
16 large eggs

Preparation:

Combine the water, salt and vinegar in a deep pan and bring to a bare simmer.

Break each egg into a clean cup, reserving any with broken yolks for another use.

Carefully slide each egg into the poaching water. Cook for about 3 minutes or until the whites are set and opaque.

Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon, blot them on absorbent toweling and trim the edges if desired. The eggs are ready to serve now, or they may be properly chilled and held for later service.

Serve the hot eggs at once on heated plates.

Hollandaise Sauce

Makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon cracked peppercorns
2 ounces white wine or cider vinegar
2 ounces water, or as needed
4 large egg yolks, fresh or pasteurized
1 1/2 cups melted or clarified butter
2 teaspoons lemon juice, or as needed
2 teaspoons salt, or as needed
pinch ground white pepper
pinch cayenne (optional)

Preparation:

Combine the peppercorns and vinegar in a small pan and reduce over medium heat until nearly dry, about 5 minutes. Add the water to the vinegar reduction. Strain this liquid into a stainless steel bowl.

Add the egg yolks to the vinegar reduction and set the bowl over a pot of simmering water. Whisking constantly, cooking the mixture until the yolks triple in volume and fall in ribbons from the whisk. Remove the bowl from the simmering water and set it on a clean kitchen towel to keep the bowl from slipping.

Gradually ladle the warm butter into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. As the butter is blended into the yolks, the sauce will thicken. If it becomes too thick and the butter is not blending in easily, add a little water or lemon juice to thin the egg mixture enough to whisk in the remaining butter. Season the hollandaise with lemon juice, salt, pepper and cayenne if desired.

The sauce is ready to serve at this point, or it may be finished as desired. The sauce should be held warm over a hot water bath, or it can be held sealed in a vacuum bottle.

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Frittata

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

12 ounces lean bacon, diced
2 cups minced onions
2 cups diced and cooked Yukon Gold potatoes
16 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the broiler.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. Pour off any excess fat leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Add the onions and sauté them for 1 minute. Add the potatoes and continue to sauté them until they are lightly brown, 12 to 15 minutes.

Beat the eggs and season with the salt and pepper. Pour the egg mixture over the onion-potato mixture in the skillet and stir gently to combine.

Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook until the eggs are nearly set, about 5 minutes.

Remove the cover and place the skillet under a broiler to brown the eggs lightly, 1 to 2 minutes. Cut the frittata into wedges and serve immediately.

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Ginger Sesame Stir Fried Scallops with Lo Mein Noodles

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound sea scallops
5 tablespoons peanut oil, divided use
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy or tamari sauce
1 tablespoon minced ginger
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
1 tablespoon fermented black beans, optional
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
1 1/2 cups fine julienne carrots
2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms caps
4 cups finely sliced bok choy or Savoy cabbage
2 packages lo mein noodles, cooked and drained
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, cut on the bias
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Preparation:

Pull the muscle tabs from the scallops. Blot them dry and set aside.

Combine 3 tablespoons of the peanut oil, the rice vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, sesame oil, fermented beans (if using), garlic, honey, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk until blended. Add the scallops and toss until evenly coated. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator at least 2 and up to 24 hours.

Heat a large wok or sauté pan over high heat. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons peanut oil. When the oil is very hot, add the carrots and mushrooms and stir fry for 1 minute.

Add the cabbage and stir fry until the cabbage is wilted, 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the scallops and their marinade to the vegetable mixture and stir-fry until the scallops are opaque and just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve the noodles on a heated platter or plates topped with the scallops and vegetables. Sprinkle with the scallions and toasted sesame seeds.