Breakfast Hash With Bok Choy Flowers

We all know by now that I'm somewhat known for "throwing things together" to make a meal. This morning's breakfast was no exception. Except that it was exceptional.

For some reason when I woke up this morning I decided to roast that half of a bag of mini Yukon Gold potatoes. Simply quartered them, tossed them with some olive oil, salt and pepper and put them in a pre-heated 375ºF oven for about 25 minutes. By then I was hungry so I started digging around.

Last week at the farmer's market, I bought something called Bok Choy Flowers. They're picked when the bok choy plants hit the flowering stage. The stems are more tender than traditionally known bok choy and the edible flowers are sweet and quite pretty in any dish.

I'd used some of the stalks in a fried rice earlier in the week but forgot about the rest of them, as is obvious by this photo. I knew if I didn't use them now, I'd let them go to waste. So, I began layering flavors...




1 small clove garlic, minced
1 stalk Bok Choy Flowers, chopped
2 large pieces of jarred Kimchi, chopped
Handful of roasted potatoes

2 pieces cooked bacon (leftover, in the fridge), crumbled
1 egg (last one from last week's farmer's market dozen)

In a large skillet, heat 1 Tbs olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add bok choy flowers, stirring occasionally until wilted.  Add in chopped Kimchi, potatoes and crumbled bacon. Season with salt and pepper.

Making a hole in the center of the mixture, gently crack the egg into the center. cooking until whites are set and yolk is as firm as you'd like, flipping once.

Carefully, transfer hash to a large plate, taking care not to break the yolk like I did. Once I stopped cursing at myself for breaking the yolk, I realized it was the best thing to do. It sure wasn't pretty but the runny yolk coated the potatoes and vegetables, making it silky and rich. I was so thrown off by the broken yolk that I forgot to take a photo of the finished product!

The combination of sweet and tender bok choy flowers, the spicy crunch of the Kimchi, the smokey bacon and the silky egg created a wonderfully balanced and delicious breakfast.

Yum!

D' Diner Breakfast

Two posts in one week?! Must have a rush of creativity this week :)

Last night, I ordered in take-out which included a mound of deliciously creamy mashed local potatoes. As usual, I only ate about 1/3 of them since the ribs that came with them were the reason I ordered this particular meal in the first place.

I woke up this morning thinking about those mashed potatoes. What to do with them? Heat them up in the microwave and eat them as is? Make them into patties and fry them in a pan? It's only 8am, maybe breakfast is more appropriate.

Chef D's Diner Breakfast

2 slices center cut bacon, cut into about 1" pieces
about 1 Cup leftover mashed potatoes
1 large, fresh egg
shredded cheese (cheddar blend)
salt and pepper to taste

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Add the bacon to a cold, dry, non-stick skillet. Cook bacon on medium high heat, moving around occasionally until crisp.

Remove bacon with a slotted spoon or tongs and let drain on a paper towel.

Turn the heat way down to low. Add mashed potatoes to the drippings left behind from cooking the bacon. Stir gently to break up any clumps. Note: I knew there was plenty of butter in these potatoes so I didn't feel the need to add any more fat than was already in there from the bacon, but I did add a splash of fat-free milk to help break up the clumps and bring it back to creamy.

Add salt and pepper to the potatoes and continue stirring.

When heated through, transfer potatoes to a plate and top with shredded cheese and drained bacon.

In the same pan with the heat on medium, cook egg to your liking. In my case, it was over-easy (cook about 2-3 minutes on each side, taking care not to break the yolk.)

Serve egg on top of potato/bacon/cheese mixture. Sprinkle a little extra salt and/or pepper if desired.

Enjoy with your favorite coffee and orange juice.

Blueberry Lavender Crisp

As the name of this blog implies, I love lavender and I love to cook. Occasionally, I like to combine the two - I’ve used it in chicken dishes, paired it with lemon in desserts and even with dark chocolate to make Truffles.

Now that we’re approaching the end of summer and the abundance of good, fresh produce is going to dwindle, I’ve been thinking more about the combination of the sweet late season fruit and the mildly flowery aroma of lavender. Peaches and plums would both work with the flower, as would blueberries.

It just so happens I was going to a dinner party and was asked to make a “healthy” dessert. Perfect opportunity for me to play and take this thought process into reality. Here’s the result:

Blueberry Lavender Crisp

2 Pints fresh blueberries
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbs sugar (optional, I did not use the sugar for this since the blueberries were already so sweet but occasionally it's necessary)
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3/4 Cup Rolled Oats
1/2 Cup all purpose flour
1/4 Cup light brown sugar
1 tsp lavender sugar*
zest of 1 lemon (using a microplane grater, gently remove the bright yellow part only)
1/4 tsp salt
4 Tbs cold butter, cut into small cubes

Preheat oven to 350°F

Coat 8x8 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray

Gently toss blueberries with lemon juice and sugar (if using) and place in prepared baking dish

In a large bowl, combine oats, flour, brown sugar, lemon zest, lavender sugar and salt. Using a pastry cutter or a fork, cut in cold butter until mixture resembles a course meal.

Sprinkle over the top of the blueberries and bake for 35-40 minutes until topping is golden brown and blueberries are bubbling but have not burst.

Serve for dessert with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or for brunch with some vanilla yogurt or a splash of cream.

* Lavender Sugar: In a spice grinder or small food processor, combine equal parts Culinary lavender leaves and granulated sugar. Process until a fine powder.

Breakfast at Tiffany's

While nobody I know can afford to shop at Tiffany's anymore, the film Breakfast at Tiffany's has long been my favorite. From the style and grace of Audrey Hepburn to several memorable quotes, including this classic.

"You call yourself a free spirit, a "wild thing," and you're terrified somebody's gonna stick you in a cage. Well baby, you're already in that cage. You built it yourself. And it's not bounded in the west by Tulip, Texas, or in the east by Somali-land. It's wherever you go. Because no matter where you run, you just end up running into yourself."

I know the movie so well I can explain the difference between "the blues" and "the mean reds" and I still wonder sometimes if you can grow so tall by "gorging" oneself on peanut butter.

But there is a mystery to this movie for me. In the famous opening scene, as Holly Golightly's walks down 5th Avenue at 6am, I often wonder, "What is she eating?" Obviously she has a cup of Street Cart coffee, but what is that pastry? Is it a simple butter croissant? Is it a chocolate croissant? It's not a bagel with shmear, that much I know.

Because this movie exudes class and sophistication to me, I've always dreamt it was a chocolate croissant.

As I sit here this morning in my decidedly unglamorous life, sipping my NYC coffee and eating a chocolate croissant, I think of Holly Golightly and silently thank her for making slightly crazy and neurotic seem simultaneously romantic and simply a passing fancy.

My Coffee Plight

It's one of those mornings when I really need that first cup of coffee. It’s cool out, which makes me want to pull the covers up further and hit snooze a few more times. But, I trudge into the hustle and bustle of NYC, being used as a human pinball several times before arriving at the corner deli. As I do every morning, I give my order, “Coffee, milk only please. “

I walk the rest of the way to the office with my coffee safely tucked into a paper bag (ugh! Didn’t stop them in time – but alas, another rant for another day). The elevator’s taking a very long time today… do I sneak a sip now? Oh! The elevator’s here. Ok, here we go… stop at floor 2 (couldn’t they walk up??)… 6…(the smell of my coffee inabag is intoxicating)…9…finally we get to the 20th floor. I think I’m going to pass out unless I get caffeine NOW!

Boot up the computer, sit down, open the coffee, Hoorah! Big gulp, “ahh.. gack! Cack! Blech!” There’s sugar in here! Enough sugar to send a child into a coma! What part of “Coffee, Milk ONLY” got lost in translation??

*sigh * I do not judge those who enjoy a sugar bomb in their coffee, but this is not a good way to start my day.

What’s For Breakfast?

When was it decided that Breakfast in this country should be a) sweet and/or b) egg-laden? Was it the early settlers who relied on farming to sustain? From what I know, some chickens lay their eggs early in the morning. Does that get factored in? Where did sugary syrup with pancakes or waffles come from? What is the deal with the bagels that could feed a small village in Tanzania?

It is widely understood that breakfast is the “most important meal of the day” and should contain more calories than lunch or dinner. What I have a tough time wrapping my head around is the extremely limited options we are provided should we choose to eat our breakfast outside of our own homes in the grand U.S of A.

Personally speaking, I do not like eggs for breakfast (Sam I Am). For whatever reason, if eggs are consumed before 3:00pm, I’m doubled over in pain. So, for years I’ve been looking for alternatives.

Working in NYC, I often buy my breakfast, trolling each corner deli and take-out joint in a 10-block radius of my office for some tasty morsel around 8am. In every one, it’s the same:

Option 1: Baconeggandcheese on a roll (yes, it is one word)
Um… How about a grilled cheese with bacon on whole wheat?
“No egg?” I get asked, every time.
“No egg,” I reply.
"No egg" they repeat, stunned, as if I just said, "kill the puppy." Then they take another look at me, as if memorizing my face in case I turn up on a 10-most wanted list. Shaking their head, they turn to pull the par-cooked bacon from the case that will never get any crisper than a wet noodle.

Option 2: Hot Oatmeal
A little better, but what do most people put on their oatmeal? SUGAR! I do not need to start my day loaded down with sugar that will cause a crash around 10am.

Option 3: If you're lucky, you'll find some soggy pancakes and syrup on the hot salad bar that a) have been sitting on the simmer table for hours and b) that contain 3 times the recommended daily allowance of sugar. I'll pass, thanks.

In other areas of the world, you may find breakfast items such as:
Cheese
Ham
Croissants or baguette (always a reasonable portion size)
Yogurt
Fish (small anchovies, smoked whitefish or salmon)

I would consider any one of these a delicious and tasty breakfast.

Years ago, I created a fictional (a.k.a. potential) restaurant including location, ambiance and of course, the menu. I went with a breakfast/brunch place that had something to offer for everyone. The menu included omelettes (e.g. sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts), quiche and Belgian waffles.

But it also included a section for people like me – people who like something a little lighter and more savory for their morning meal. I called it “International Breakfasts.” This is the more unusual, often more European, selection: baguette with goat cheese and olives; a platter of fresh fruit with a croissant, a selection of imported ham and cheese; and even a dish with Italian small white anchovies served with a ½ baguette and farmer’s cheese.

To clarify, I have nothing against waffles, pancakes or eggs! But for my breakfast, please pass the anchovies.