Brunch
Waldorf Salad
The addition of 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows is popular with children.
Blueberry Caramel Sauce
Savor this sweet blueberry sauce on Greek yogurt, French toast, waffles, pancakes, and vanilla ice cream.
Mango and Passion Fruit Smoothie
Not to be confused with coconut milk, coconut water is the tart liquid found in the center of young coconuts.
Honeydew-Kiwi Smoothie
Fresh mint and lime juice add a bright finish to this drink.
Mixed-Berry Smoothie
Frozen açai puree is available in the freezer section of most supermarkets.
Leland Palmer
Inspiration for the creation of a new cocktail comes from unexpected places. Take the Leland Palmer by Damon Boelte, bar manager at Prime Meats in Brooklyn, for example. "I was in Los Angeles visiting my girlfriend, enjoying my favorite hangover drink, the Arnold Palmer, and watching an episode of Twin Peaks, where Leland Palmer almost whacks Agent Cooper with a golf club. Sometimes things just make sense," says Boelte. For his adult version of the popular drink that's half lemonade and half iced tea, Boelte combines gin, jasmine tea, limoncello, lemon juice, and grapefruit juice in a pitcher. It's summer's essential back-porch sipper, and, Boelte adds, "It's definitely much better than a golf club to the head."
Frittata Bites with Chard, Sausage, and Feta
Bite-size portions are just right for a cocktail party. If you'd like to serve the frittata for breakfast or brunch, cut it into larger pieces.
Caramelized French Toast with Cinnamon and Berries
Brown sugar and butter form a caramelized crust on the French toast. Use a light-textured bread; for a special touch, top with mascarpone (see "Ingredient Tips").
Jasmine Honey Lassi
Sara adds a spoonful of bee pollen granules to this flowery smoothie, which she thinks turns it over-the-top sublime. Bee pollen is a storehouse of all naturally occurring multivitamins, proteins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and hormones. Mary, however, is not wild about bee pollen's sweet-but-raw earthiness and chalky texture. With or without a dash of pollen, the BEE-ootiful combination of jasmine and pure raw honey calls to mind the rare deliciousness of wild honeysuckle. Remember, the floral splendor of this smoothie lies in the quality of honey that you use. If you prefer a fruitier flavor, mango-peach tea works well, too. Feel free to use frozen peaches as a substitute when fresh peaches are out of season.
Pineapple, Arugula, Macadamia Nut
Trust us, this combination is super-clean and green, refreshing and yummy. The alkalinizing fresh pineapple pairs beautifully with the spice of the arugula/rocket. And macadamia nuts are a high-energy food that adds a crunchy rich texture and a healthy dose of protein and fiber (we don't mind at all if they do not fully incorporate) as well as monounsaturated fatty acids—or "good" fat—that significantly reduce blood serum cholesterol levels. Think of this smoothie as a cleansing, satisfying meal replacement. Get to know chia seeds. These miraculous little seeds are a form of easily digestible protein that is full of minerals, vitamins, and soluble fiber. Rich in omega fatty acids, and similar to flaxseed, chia seeds have the significant advantage of being more stable.
Marty's Gaelic Gourmet CAM Onion Bread Pudding
Not to be confused with the annual Gaelic Gourmet events in Boston since the year 2000, Marty Lynch and Kevin O'Grady's Gaelic Gourmet BBQ Team has been burning sticks and wowing barbeque judges since the early 1980s. When Marty gave Ardie [Davis] a taste of CAM Onions at the 2008 Great American Barbecue, Ardie said, "You've gotta give me your recipe for the next KCBS cookbook!" Marty gladly obliged. He adapted this from Rick Browne's Oz Onion Pudding in Rick's Grilling America book (2003). Rick gave us permission to share this version, tweaked by Carolyn Wells, Amy Winn, and Marty Lynch—hence the CAM acronym.
Pico de Gallo
A relish best made when tomatoes are at their peak of summer flavor, this is versatile and zesty. Serve it with Huevos Rancheros , with chips, or to top an omelet. It would go very nicely with the Spanish Omelet with Chorizo and Avocado. Once you get started making it, you'll think of many uses. Pico de gallo means "rooster's beak" in Spanish. This relish apparently got its name because it used to be eaten with finger and thumb, and the action looked like the pecking beak of a rooster.
Cardamom Sour-Cream Waffles
Elevate your brunch with these cardamom-scented waffles, topped with lingonberry preserves.
German Skillet-Baked Pancakes
This recipe yields puffy, golden pancakes with minimal effort because they’re baked rather than cooked on top of the stove. Lemon cuts the sweetness of these pancakes and imparts its fresh, citrusy flavor. Serve with Venison Sausages (page 185).
Frittata with Asparagus and Scallions
This is a different sort of frittata, not the neat golden round of well-set eggs that’s probably most familiar. Here the eggs are in the skillet for barely a minute, just long enough to gather in soft, loose folds, filled with morsels of asparagus and shreds of prosciutto. In fact, when I make this frittata or the “dragged” eggs—uova strapazzate, page 143—I leave my eggs still wet and glistening so I can mop up the plate with a crust of country bread. That’s the best part of all.
Huevos Rancheros
What makes this Mexican classic special is the Pico de Gallo, a fresh, chunky salsa that also can be used as a dip for vegetables, alongside grilled meats, and to garnish tacos. Cotija is a salty Mexican cheese that is also called queso añejo. It’s fine to use canned chipotles, which are actually dried, smoked jalapeños, for this dish. If you’re using dried chipotles, cover them with boiling water, let them sit for an hour, remove the stems and seeds, and purée in a food processor or blender. Discard the soaking liquid. Serve with a pitcher of Sangría (page 248).
Chard and Onion Omelet (Trouchia)
These Provençal eggs, laced with softened onions and chard, never fail to elicit sighs of appreciation. I'm forever grateful to Nathalie Waag for making trouchia when she came to visit—it has since become a favorite. The trick to its success is to cook everything slowly so that the flavors really deepen and sweeten.
Cranberry Buckle with Vanilla Crumb
When the cranberries in this buckle bake, they split open just enough to absorb the cake batter while retaining a firm outer shell and a slightly tart bite. Half are folded into the batter and half are distributed on top with the Vanilla Crumb, creating a red-jeweled delight. This recipe is great for a holiday breakfast or brunch.