Sunday Brunch (13 page)
Authors: Betty Rosbottom
Bacon with a Brown Sugar-Mustard Glaze
The combination of salty, sweet, and tart provided respectively by the bacon, brown sugar, and mustard is what makes this dish so tempting. Baking the strips is another bonus since it requires less attention than pan-frying and eliminates splattering. A simple paste of sugar and mustard is brushed on the strips once they are browned. This recipe can easily be doubled (see
cooking tip
).
Serves 4
PREP TIME:
5 minutes
START-TO-FINISH TIME:
25 minutes
MAKE AHEAD:
No
2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp country-style Dijon mustard
8 thick slices bacon (10
OZ
/290 g)
COOKING TIP:
If you want to double this recipe, use two baking sheets and two racks, placing one sheet in the top third of the oven and the other in the center. Watch carefully, and reverse the racks after the first 10 minutes of cooking, when you turn the bacon with tongs.
You can use this glaze on other breakfast meats. Try it on thick slices of pan-fried ham or breakfast sausages. Brush the glaze on the meat during the last 30 seconds of cooking.
1. Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C/gas 6. Have ready a rimmed baking sheet with a footed rack.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and mustard until the sugar has blended into the mustard to form a thin paste.
3. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on the rack set in the baking sheet and place it in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes and then turn the slices with tongs. Bake until the slices begin to brown, 5 minutes more.
4. Remove the pan from the oven and brush the glaze on the slices. Return to the oven and bake until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes more. Serve immediately.
Bits of kielbasa, diced apples, and chopped onions, lightly caramelized and seasoned with fresh sage and a hint of grainy Dijon mustard, combine to make a winning trio for this delectable hash. This dish can be prepared several hours ahead, and needs only a quick reheating at serving time.
Serves 6
PREP TIME:
15 minutes
START-TO-FINISH TIME:
35 minutes
MAKE AHEAD:
Yes
4 tbsp/55 g unsalted butter
1 ½ cups/190 g chopped onion
2 Gala apples, unpeeled, cored, cut into ½-in/12-mm pieces (about 3½ cups)
1 lb/455 g kielbasa or other cooked smoked sausage, cut into ½-in/12-mm dice (about 2 ½ cups)
Packed 2 tbsp finely julienned sage leaves
2 tsp country-style Dijon mustard
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. In a large, heavy frying pan set over low heat, melt the butter. Raise the heat to medium and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is just softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the apples and cook until barely starting to soften, another 4 minutes.
2. Add the smoked sausage and cook and stir until the sausage, onion, and apples are all browned lightly and starting to caramelize, about 10 minutes. (The hash can be prepared 4 hours ahead; leave at room temperature. Reheat, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring constantly.) Stir in the sage and mustard and remove from the heat. Taste and, if needed, season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.
Smoked Salmon, Fennel, and Potato Hash
There are many delicious alternatives to traditional corned beef hash. This one, for example, pairs flaked hot-smoked salmon with sautéed fennel, onions, and potatoes. Crushed fennel seeds and chopped lacy fennel fronds add a mild anise flavor. Topped with a poached egg, this dish becomes a main course.
Serves 6
PREP TIME:
15 minutes
START-TO-FINISH TIME:
45 minutes
MAKE AHEAD:
No
1 lb/455 g Russet or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-in/12-mm cubes
Kosher salt
2 medium fennel bulbs with their lacy stalks
¼ cup/60 ml olive oil
1 cup/125 g chopped onion
½ lb/225 g hot-smoked salmon fillet, skin discarded and salmon flaked (see
market note
)
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed (see
cooking tip
)
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Bring a large saucepan filled two-thirds full with water to a boil. Add the potatoes and 2 tsp salt. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife but still hold their shape, about 5 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and set aside.
2. Cut off the stalks from the fennel bulbs. Remove the thin lacy fronds and chop enough of them to make 2 tbsp; set aside. Reserve a few lacy sprigs in a glass of water for the garnish. Halve the bulbs lengthwise, and with a sharp knife, cut out and discard the tough triangular cores. Then chop enough fennel to yield 2 cups/260 g. Save any extra for another use.
3. Add half of the olive oil to a large, heavy frying pan set over medium heat. Add the chopped fennel and onion and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned around the edges, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove to a plate.
4. Heat the remaining oil in the same frying pan and, when hot, add the potatoes. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Return the fennel and onion to the frying pan and stir 1 minute to reheat. Add the flaked salmon and the crushed fennel seeds and cook 1 minute more. Season the hash with more salt and with several generous grinds of pepper. Sprinkle with the reserved chopped fennel fronds.
6. Mound the hash in a serving dish and garnish the center with some fennel sprigs. Serve warm.
MARKET NOTE:
There are two basic ways of smoking salmon—cool smoked and hot smoked. The former, usually sold thinly sliced, has a delicate smoked flavor and is readily available in many groceries. The hot-smoked variety is typically cut thicker, is firmer, and has an intense smoky flavor. Hot-smoked salmon is sold in some supermarkets such as Whole Foods, and comes plain and sometimes scented with light maple, pepper, or other seasonings. The plain or light maple-flavored varieties work well in this recipe.
COOKING TIP:
To crush fennel seeds, place them in a self-sealing bag and pound with a meat pounder or rolling pin, or use a mortar and pestle. Or, use a small spice grinder and grind the seeds coarsely.
Smoked Salmon with Herbed Crème Fraîche
This side dish requires no cooking at all. You simply arrange slices of smoked salmon on a platter, and scatter some sliced red onion over the fish. Accompaniments include a bowl of crème fraîche scented with lemon, chives, and tarragon and a basket of good dark bread.
Serves 6 to 8
PREP TIME:
10 minutes, plus 1 hour chilling time for the crème fraîche
START-TO-FINISH TIME:
1 hour, 15 minutes
MAKE AHEAD:
Partially
¾ cup/180 ml crème fraîche (see
cooking tip
)
¾ tsp fresh lemon juice
½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
10 to 12
OZ
/280 to 336 g thinly sliced smoked salmon
¼ cup/30 g thinly sliced red onion (1 small onion, halved lengthwise and sliced)
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ tsp finely chopped fresh chives
1 ½ tsp finely chopped fresh tarragon
Crusty whole-wheat, multigrain, or peasant loaf made with whole-wheat flour, sliced, each slice quartered
1. In a small serving bowl, whisk together the crème fraîche, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Cover and chill for at least 1 hour. (The herbed crème fraîche can be made 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
2. Arrange overlapping salmon slices on a platter. Sprinkle the onion slices over the fish and season generously with several grinds of black pepper. (The salmon can be prepared 4 hours ahead; cover and refrigerate.)
3. Stir 1 tsp of the chives and 1 tsp of the tarragon into the crème fraîche mixture; sprinkle the remaining herbs over the top of the crème fraîche. Arrange the bread in a napkin-lined basket. Serve the salmon on bread slices garnished with a generous dollop of crème fraîche.
Baked rather than fried, these crab cakes are small enough to eat in a single bite. They have a golden, crisp coating and are lusciously smooth inside. The crunchy exteriors come from a mixture of panko crumbs and grated Parmesan that is pressed onto the bottoms of mini-muffin tins. A melange of fresh crab, cream cheese, and citrus zests is spooned on top and covered with more panko mix. These miniature crab cakes, which need about a half hour in the oven, are equally good as sides or as openers for a brunch menu.
Makes 24 crab cakes, to serve 8
PREP TIME:
20 minutes
START-TO-FINISH TIME:
1 hour, 20 minutes
MAKE AHEAD:
Yes
8
OZ
/226 g cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup/90 g finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
¼ cup/60 ml sour cream
1 tsp grated orange zest
½ tsp grated lemon zest
4 tbsp chopped chives
Generous ¼ tsp kosher salt
Generous pinch of cayenne pepper
6
OZ
/170 g fresh crabmeat, preferably unpasteurized, drained well (see
market note
)
4 tbsp/55 g unsalted butter, melted, plus more for the muffin tins
1 cup/115 g panko crumbs
¼ cup/60 ml purchased mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
Two nonstick 12-cup mini-muffin tins
1. With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add ¼ cup/30 g of the Parmesan and the egg. Continue to beat until blended, about 1 minute. Add the sour cream, orange and lemon zests, 1 tbsp of the chives, the salt, and cayenne. Beat until combined well, about 30 seconds, and then fold in the crabmeat. (The filling can be made 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)
2. Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C/gas 4. Butter the muffin tins generously.
3. Place the panko crumbs, remaining ½ cup/60 g Parmesan, and 2 tbsp of the chives in a small bowl. Add the 4 tbsp/55 g melted butter and toss with a fork until evenly moistened. Press 1 tbsp of the panko mixture onto the bottom of each muffin cup, and then spoon 1 tbsp of the crab mixture into each. Sprinkle a generous 1 tsp of the panko mixture over each. (You may have some panko mixture left over.)
4. Bake the crab cakes until golden and set, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove and cool in pans for 5 minutes. Run a small sharp knife around each crab cake and gently lift it out. (The crab cakes can be prepared 2 hours ahead; arrange on a baking sheet and let stand uncovered at room temperature. Rewarm in a preheated 350-degree-F/180-degree-C/gas-4 oven for 6 to 8 minutes.)