Maximum Flavor: Recipes That Will Change the Way You Cook (2 page)

OATMEAL CARBONARA

GINGERBREAD WAFFLES

WHOLE-GRAIN PANCAKES

GLUTEN-FREE BISCUITS & GRAVY

POACHED EGGS & SHRIMP GRITS

MICROWAVE CHEESE “DANISH”

SOURDOUGH COFFEE CAKE

BACON & DEVILED EGGS

CLASSIC DEVILED EGGS ARE ALWAYS A FAVORITE, BUT THEY
can be a challenge to pull off perfectly every time. We prefer the technique of steaming eggs to hard cooking them, because it gives consistent results with the added benefit of making the eggs easier to peel—meaning you can say good-bye forever to that green tinge around the yolk and also to whites that are pitted and unattractive to set out. The smoked tea brine bath seasons the eggs after they’re cooked and makes them look beautiful and festive. Leftover pickle juice (or olive brine) is often thoughtlessly discarded but makes an inspiring addition to dishes such as this one. The glazed bacon is crisp, sweet, spicy, and the perfect accent to the creamy eggs.

MAKES 24 DEVILED EGGS

DEVILED EGGS

12 large
eggs

4 cups 907 grams
cranberry juice

½ ounce 15 grams
Lapsang Souchong tea
(about 6 tea bags)

1 tablespoon 18 grams
fine sea salt

½ cup 100 grams
mayonnaise,
preferably Duke’s or Hellmann’s

1 tablespoon 14 grams
Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon 14 grams
sweet pickle juice

2 tablespoons 43 grams
red pepper jelly

GLAZED BACON

6 slices
bacon

¼ cup 85 grams
red pepper jelly

COOK AND BRINE THE EGGS:
Set a stovetop steamer over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Put the eggs in the steamer basket, add them to the pot, cover, and steam the eggs for 14 minutes. While the eggs are steaming, prepare an ice water bath. When the eggs are cooked, transfer them to the ice water and let cool for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the cranberry juice, tea, and salt, stirring until the salt is dissolved.

Take the eggs out of the ice water, and use the back of a spoon to uniformly crack the shells all over without piercing the eggs or removing any of the shell. Put the cracked eggs into the brine and put another bowl on top of the eggs to keep them submerged. Refrigerate the eggs for 48 hours.

After 48 hours, take the eggs out of the brine and peel them, discarding the shells. Halve each egg lengthwise. Remove the yolks and set the whites aside. In a small food processor, combine the egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard, and pickle juice and puree until smooth. Scoop the deviled egg mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and put the bag in the refrigerator.

MAKE THE BACON:
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.

Lay the bacon slices on a cutting board. Brush one side of each slice with some of the pepper jelly and then lay the slices glaze side up on a wire rack set over the foil-lined pan. Bake the bacon for 15 minutes, or until just crispy and glazed. Remove the bacon from the oven, brush both sides of the bacon with more of the jelly, and put it back in the oven for 3 more minutes. Remove the bacon from the oven and let cool. Cut each slice of bacon into 4 pieces so that you have 1 piece for each deviled egg.

ASSEMBLE THE EGGS:
Put the egg whites on a cutting board or other flat work surface. Spoon ¼ teaspoon pepper jelly into the bottom of each egg white. Pipe a rosette (about 1 tablespoon) of the egg yolk mixture on top of the jelly. Top with a slice of bacon. Arrange the deviled eggs on a cutting board or platter to serve.

OATMEAL CARBONARA

PASTA CARBONARA IS A TRADITIONAL DISH OF NOODLES TOSSED
with eggs, cheese, and pancetta, finished with coarsely ground black pepper. It was easy for us to picture this for breakfast, substituting oatmeal for the pasta. We like to combine different types of oatmeal and toast the grains to create porridge with texture and substance. Steaming the eggs re-creates the experience of soft-boiled eggs without the hassle of dealing with the shell at the table. When you cut into the egg with your spoon, the warm yolk runs out and makes a sauce for the dish. We’ve found that people who claim they don’t like oatmeal often succumb to the charms of this breakfast.

SERVES 4 TO 6

8 large cold
eggs

½ cup 80 grams
steel-cut oats

½ cup 50 grams
rolled oats

½ cup 55 grams
oat bran

3⅔ cups 820 grams
chicken
or
vegetable stock

1 medium
onion,
chopped

½ teaspoon 3 grams
fine sea salt

8.8 ounces 250 grams
pancetta,
chopped

½ bunch 50 grams
scallions,
thinly sliced

6 tablespoons 36 grams freshly grated
Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

Fleur de sel
and
freshly ground black pepper

Set a stovetop steamer over high heat and bring the water to a boil. Put the eggs in the steamer basket, add to the pot, cover, and cook for 7 minutes. While the eggs are steaming, prepare an ice water bath.

When the eggs are cooked, transfer them to the ice water and let the eggs cool for 20 minutes. Take them out, use the back of a spoon to gently crack the shells, and return them to the ice water for 10 more minutes to make them easier to peel. Remove the eggs from the water and peel them carefully—they are delicate with a runny yolk. The eggs can be made ahead and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put the steel-cut oats, rolled oats, and oat bran on the baking sheet. Toast the oats in the oven until they are golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer the oats to a bowl that fits inside your pressure cooker and then add the stock, onion, and salt. Stir well.

Put 1 inch (2.5 cm) of water and a small rack in the bottom of the pressure cooker. Set the bowl on the rack and pressure-cook for 5 minutes at high pressure. Once the oats have finished cooking, let the pressure dissipate naturally and remove the lid. Carefully remove the bowl from inside the pressure cooker. Stir the oatmeal a few times and let it rest.

Meanwhile, pulse the pancetta in a food processor until it is minced; do not let it become a puree. Using a rubber spatula, scrape the pancetta into a medium cast-iron skillet and set over low heat. Cook, stirring often to prevent sticking, until the fat renders out and the pancetta becomes crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Strain the pancetta, catching the fat in a heatproof container, then spread the pancetta out on a paper towel–lined plate, and let cool. Reserve the fat separately in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The rendered fat can be used for cooking, or you can fold it into the finished carbonara for extra richness and flavor.

Reheat the eggs by putting a large pot of water over medium heat and bringing it up to 140°F (60°C). Remove the pot from the heat and slide in the eggs. Let the eggs warm in the hot water for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the eggs from the water and pat them dry.

Stir the crispy pancetta, scallions, and Parmigiano Reggiano into the oatmeal. Spoon the oatmeal into bowls, making a small indentation in the center of each bowl. Nestle a steamed egg in the indentation. Sprinkle the egg with fleur de sel and grind black pepper over the entire dish. Serve immediately.

GINGERBREAD WAFFLES

THE SPICY SCENT OF GINGER WAFTING THROUGH THE HOUSE
makes these waffles the perfect choice to lure people out of bed on a cold winter morning. We add a blend of spices including chili powder to round out the flavor of the ginger and accentuate its natural heat. The white whole wheat and barley flours lend a wonderful nutty flavor while retaining a light texture. If you prefer a heartier texture you can easily substitute whole wheat flour for the white wheat, or you can use all-purpose flour if you prefer a more delicate waffle. The batter can be made up to an hour in advance and kept at room temperature until you are ready to cook. If the batter gets a little too thick, simply add a tablespoon or two of buttermilk to thin it out.

MAKES 10 TO 12 WAFFLES

1½ cups 210 grams
white whole wheat flour

½ cup 70 grams
barley flour

½ teaspoon 2.5 grams
baking soda

½ teaspoon 3 grams
fine sea salt

1 teaspoon 2.5 grams
ground ginger

¼ teaspoon 0.5 gram
ground cloves

¼ teaspoon 0.5 gram
ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon 0.5 gram
chili powder

2 large
eggs

¼ cup 100 grams
unsulphured blackstrap molasses

2 cups 480 grams
cultured buttermilk
,
homemade or store-bought

Preheat a waffle iron.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the white whole wheat flour, barley flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and chili powder. Add the eggs, molasses, and buttermilk and whisk together lightly before slowly incorporating the flour until you have a stiff but still fluid batter. Let the batter rest for at least 5 minutes before using to give the flours some time to hydrate.

Use a 1-ounce (28-gram) ladle to scoop batter onto the waffle iron and cook until crisp and lightly browned, 4 to 5 minutes (or follow the manufacturer’s instructions). Finished waffles may be kept warm on a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you prepare more. Extra waffles may be kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to a month and reheated in a toaster.

WHOLE-GRAIN PANCAKES

THE COMBINATION OF WHITE WHOLE WHEAT AND BARLEY FLOURS
in these light whole-grain pancakes gives them a nutty flavor that pairs well with amber maple syrup. We’ve been known to substitute ground oats or cornmeal for the white whole wheat to make delicious variations. Add blueberries, raspberries, or even chocolate chips to the batter, if you like.

We’ve found that it’s easiest to cook several pancakes at once on an electric griddle, which allows the cook to eat with everyone else. In fact, the electric griddle is a great piece of equipment for family meals, letting you make multiple grilled cheese sandwiches at once, heat hot dogs and buns at the same time, or reheat leftover pizza quickly and easily.