Monday, May 18, 2009

Breakfast Adventures #3 – Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes

I never really enjoyed pancakes as a child. They were always too heavy, too sweet, and too cliché for my tastes. But somehow, after moving an ocean away from a decent pancake, I began to pine after a fluffy stack of buttermilk goodness.

Unfortunately for me, in Ireland “pancake” means “crepe” (or something embarrassingly similar) and though I searched for an American pancake mix, the only result was a 9 Euro box of Aunt Jemimah. I decided to go in search of my own recipe…

Interestingly, homemade pancakes are just about as easy to make as store-bought pancake mixes. I came up with this surprisingly light and fluffy batter. The first few bites hit the spot but, as I have found in my youth, I wasn’t able to finish a stack. Oh well, maybe next time. Still, for those pancake fans who CAN finish a stack, I highly recommend this recipe.

I used chocolate chips because I was feeling nostalgic, but the recipe can be adjusted with berries, nuts, or just left plain!

Chocolate Chip Buttermilk Pancakes
(Altered from The Cookworks on foodnetwork.com)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
21/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter, plus some for frying
1/2 cup chocolate chips
whipped cream and maple syrup

In a large bowl sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Beat the eggs with the buttermilk and melted butter. Combine the dry and the wet ingredients into a lumpy batter, being careful not to over mix. Fold in chocolate chips.

Heat some butter in a skillet over medium heat. Spoon 1/3 cup of batter into the skillet. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream and maple syrup.

Enjoy!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

Breakfast Adventures #2 – Corned Beef Hash

I love a savory breakfast. Don’t get me wrong, pancakes and French toast are nice, but I always like them to be accompanied by an egg or a few strips of bacon. I also love corned beef…sliced, diced, you name it…it’s probably my favorite meat. And for those who know me well, what is my all time favorite food? You guessed it – potato. So what wonderfood did Alton Brown strike me with this time? Three words…

Corned. Beef. Hash.

Oh yum. Oh my word yum. My mouth was watering throughout that entire episode. But hold on, that was over a year ago? Why has it taken me this long to hold that spatula?

Corned Beef Hash connoisseurs will undoubtedly give a cry of revulsion as I reveal my recipe at the end of the post. Corned Beef Hash is intended to be made strictly with LEFTOVERS. Unfortunately, I have a fear of making Corned Beef, so I don’t have any leftovers hanging around my house. I do, however, have a few deli slices tucked into my refrigerator as well as a potato or two in the pantry. Time to get creative. For those hardcore Corned Beef Hash fans, look away now, lest you be subjected to culinary sacrilege…such tasty, tasty sacrilege.

Corned Beef Hash
(Altered slightly from The Crooked Creek Saloon and Eatery recipe on foodnetwork.com)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
8 ounces sliced corned beef, chopped
1 white onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
2 medium baking potatoes, peeled, shredded, and drained (about 2 cups)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large eggs
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
4 slices cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add the corned beef and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it releases some fat and browns slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the onion, red pepper and potatoes and cook, undisturbed, until brown and crisp on the bottom, about 6 minutes. Continue cooking, turning the hash as it browns evenly, about 15 more minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the eggs sunny-side up or over easy; season with salt and pepper.

Place the cheese slices on top of the hash, reduce the heat and let sit until the cheese melts, about 1 minute. To serve, top each portion of hash with a fried egg


Enjoy!

Breakfast Adventures #1 – Steel Cut Oats

When I was younger, authority figures - and smart ass kids - would tell me that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. As I never ate so much as a bowl of Lucky Charms in the morning through my teenage years, I would scoff heartily at these fools!

Growing up has come to me in the form of little revelations. The pleasure that is homemade breakfast is one such revelation. Perhaps it was the boxed pancake mixes and the sugary cereals of my youth that made me shun the meal. More than likely, it was the trade off of sleeping in as late as possible before heading off to school. But in my senior year of college, I came around.

That year, I decided to make a fresh start. I thought that since I was heading into the adult world soon, I should act like a professional. I wore blouses, slacks, and heels to class every day, I changed my posture and conversation etiquette, and I assumed a leadership role whenever I could. I figured that this change would have to begin with a solid start to every day.

Now, I have never liked oatmeal. Oatmeal to me was a gloopy, mushy, disgusting pile of flavorless semi-liquid punishment. Unless it came in the form of my mom’s oatmeal cookies, I wouldn’t touch the stuff. However, my favorite TV chef, Alton Brown, turned my interest on Steel Cut Oats. Steel Cut Oats are oats that have only been cut a few times, giving them an appearance somewhat akin to rice or birdseed. When cooked, Steel Cut Oats are al dente, though the typical oatmeal slime still accumulates around them. One of the biggest differences between these oats and Quaker (or instant) Oats is the cooking time. While you can bang out a bowl of Quaker Oats in 15 minutes, it takes around a full hour to prepare a nice bowl of Steel Cut Oats.

This was perfect for me. I woke up in the mornings of my senior year, put on a pot of oats, took a shower and got ready, then poured some cream, cinnamon, and brown sugar into the oats, and sat down to a filling and delicious breakfast. A friendship was formed and I haven’t looked back since.

When I came to Ireland, I began making Scrambled Eggs and Toast for breakfast because I can’t find Steel Cut Oats here and, well, I didn’t know how to make anything else! Bit by bit, I’ve gotten more adventurous…Fried Eggs and Toast, Poached Eggs and Toast, Poached Eggs, Toast, and Baked Beans…etc Finally, I’ve gotten to a full Ulster Fry- (Fried Egg, Fried Potato Bread, Fried Soda Bread, Sausages, Raschers, Baked Beans) – minus the blood and intestine puddings and the tomato.

So here’s my ambition: blog my breakfast adventures as I delve deeper into intricate recipes and because a breakfast diva! Give me ideas for your favorite breakfasts and I’ll try my hand at them. Sound good? Let’s begin…

Steel Cut Oats
(Altered slightly from Alton Brown’s recipe on foodnetwork.com)
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup steel cut oats
3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup+ 2 tablespoons whole milk or cream
1 heaping tablespoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Pecans (optional)

In a large saucepot, melt the butter and add the oats. Stir for 2 minutes to toast. Add the boiling water and reduce heat to a simmer. Keep at a low simmer for 25 minutes, without stirring.

Combine the milk or cream with the oatmeal. Stir gently to combine and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Spoon into a serving bowl and top with remaining milk, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans.

Enjoy!