Breakfast casserole with pancetta and cinnamon ricotta

November 15, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

Absolutely delicious and indulgent!
Serves 4 -6 people

1/4 lb pancetta, diced
1 small ciabatta loaf, thinly sliced
1/2 lb ricotta cheese
1 tbsp plus 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
1 1/2 tsp vanilla essence,
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
5 extra large eggs
1/2 cup half and half
2 tbsp turbinado sugar

Butter an 8 by 8 casserole dish and set aside.
Heat a saute pan over medium heat and cook pancetta 5 – 6 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Fold together the ricotta, 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, vanilla essence and dark brown sugar. In a separate bowl whisk together the 5 eggs, half and half and t tsp cinnamon.
Place a layer of ciabatta in the prepared pan. Spread the ricotta cheese mixture over the bread.
Sprinkle cooled pancetta over the top.
Layer the remaining bread slices over the top. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the remaining bread, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the casserole from the fridge and allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar. Preheat the oven to 350 F and bake for 40 minutes or until the custard is set.
Serve warm!

Dessert · Do-ahead · Egg based · Holiday Food

Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Bourbon Vanilla Sauce

November 3, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

I’m afraid I can’t do without my bread pudding recipes, whether they’re sweet or savory. This one is ideal for this time of year with Thanksgiving around the corner.

Ingredients
1 cup of heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
3/4 cup canned solid-pack pumpkin
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs, preferably organic
1 large egg yolk
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp ground allspice
pinch of ground cloves
2 tbsp Bourbon (or a bit more for luck!)
5 cups day-old baguette or Challah, cubed about 1 inch
6 tbsp (3 oz) melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the middle. Toss the bread together with the melted butter in a large bowl. Set aside.
Whisk the pumpkin, milk, cream, sugar, egg yolk, eggs, salt , spices and Bourbon in another large bowl.
Pour the pumpkin custard over the bread cubes and toss to coat. Pour into an 8 inch square baking dish and bake 25 to 30 mins until the custard sets.
Serve the pumpkin bread pudding with bourbon vanilla custard sauce.
Serves 6 – 8

Bourbon vanilla custard sauce

1 cup whole milk
1 cup cream
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 tbsp sugar
6 egg yolks
2 tbsp Bourbon (or more)

heat the milk and cream in a medium saucepan until boiling. Remove from the heat. Scrape the vanilla bean seeds into the hot cream. Add the vanilla pod. Cover and steep for an hour.
Remove the vanilla pod and reheat the cream until just boiling. Remove from the heat. Whisk the sugar and egg yolks together in a medium bowl.
Temper the yolks by whisking in a few tablespoons of the hot cream at a time until you’ve incorporated about half of the cream.
Pour the egg yolk mixture into the saucepan with the remaining hot cream/milk and stir over medium heat until the custard thickens. remove from the heat. Let cool. Stir in the Bourbon
Makes about 2 cups.

Egg based

Spiced lentil and tomato baked eggs

September 4, 2011February 8, 2016 Belinda

Serves 2

The ingredient amounts are pretty flexible and you can sub things in and out as you wish – remember this is a casual, easy dish.

Extra virgin olive oil and optional butter

1 onion, finely chopped
5 cloves garlic, crushed or sliced and roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds. or ground cumin (I roast mine)
1/2 tsp chipotle flakes (substitute; 1/4 tsp paprika + 1/4 tsp chilli powder or cayenne
1 tsp paprika
350 mls tomato passata
salt and ground pepper to taste
1 cup cooked puy lentils (You can get these already cooked in vacuum packs in most supermarkets)
4 to 5 eggs
Juice of half a lemon
Fresh chopped parsley
Sliced crusty bread (more white than grainy for this) brushed with extra virgin olive oil or butter and grilled until the tops are crispy.Preheat you grill for the bread.
Heat the 1 tbsp olive oil and butter in a medium/large heavy-ish frypan on medium heat.
Stir in onions, cook until softened and start to brown on the edges.
Stir in the garlic, cook until softened. meanwhile, bash the cumin, salt, chipotle and pepper in a mortar and pestle.
Sprinkle half over the onions and garlic, breathe deeply, and reduce heat to medium low. let sizzle a little for a minute, then stir in tomatoes, lentils and lemon juice. Let this mixture reduce on low heat for about 10 minutes (or until your desired consistency)
taste, add more salt if necessary.
Crack over eggs, and sprinkle everything with the other half of your salt/spice mix.
Cover and let simmer for 5- 7 minutes, depending on how cooked you want your egg yolks. While the eggs are cooking, grill your bread.
Uncover, and sprinkle over the parsley and an extra drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve hot with your
just toasted bread.

Egg based · Gluten Free · Grains · Meat

Bacon and leek risotto with poached egg

August 25, 2011February 8, 2016 Belinda1 Comment

Serves 6

PREP TIME: 50 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes

Recipe c/o Jill Duplex

So tasty and comforting!

Ingredients

6 large eggs

5 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 slices thick-cut bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

2 cups thinly sliced leeks (white and pale green parts only; about 2 large)

1 1/2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice (about 10 ounces)

3/4 cup dry white wine

3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese

Fresh Italian parsley leaves (for garnish)

Additional finely grated Parmesan cheese (for garnish)

Preparation

Bring large skillet of water just to simmer over medium-low heat. Sprinkle water with salt.

Working with 1 egg at a time, crack into small bowl and slide egg into simmering water.

Cook eggs until whites are cooked through but yolks are still runny, 3 to 4 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, carefully transfer poached eggs to medium bowl filled with ice water.

DO AHEAD Eggs can be made up to 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate in same bowl of ice water

Bring broth to simmer in medium saucepan; cover to keep warm. Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add bacon and cook until crisp, stirring occasionally.

Using slotted spoon, transfer bacon to paper towels to drain. Add leeks to drippings in pan; cook until soft but not brown, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer 2 generous tablespoonfuls leeks to small bowl; reserve for garnish.

Add rice to pan; stir 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine; stir until absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup warm broth to saucepan; stir until broth is absorbed. Repeat adding broth and stirring until rice is tender but still firm to bite and sauce is creamy, stirring almost constantly, about 23 minutes total.

Add bacon, chopped parsley, butter, and 2 tablespoons cheese. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Meanwhile, heat poached eggs in medium skillet of simmering water just until heated through, 1 to 2 minutes.

Divide risotto among 6 bowls. Top risotto in each bowl with poached egg.

Sprinkle egg with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle with parsley leaves, additional cheese, and reserved leeks.

Do-ahead · Egg based · Gluten Free · Grains

Provencal gratin of spinach and zucchini

August 23, 2011September 9, 2022 Belinda

Provence (my most favorite part of the world) is known for it’s terracotta (baked earth) flower pots, urns, tiles and even cooking dishes. A “Tian”is a type of earthenware gratin dish which also gives it’s name to the food cooked in it.
They are generally vegetable oriented; and often rice grown in the Camargue (the marsh land of Provence) is added to the dish to make it more substantial.
This is an easy dish to double.

Serves 6 – 8

Ingredients
1 1/2lbs fresh spinach, washed
3 good sized zucchini, grated
4 oz short or medium grained rice
2 large onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
4 extra large whole eggs
1 cup whole milk
3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
2 tsps salt
freshly ground black pepper
good pinch grated nutmeg

Assembly and Presentation
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Oil a fairly large earthenware oven dish with a bit of olive oil.
In a saute pan cook the chopped onions and garlic until soft. Season with salt and pepper and add the grated zucchini and cook for an additional 10 minutes until the zucchini is wilted.

Blanch the spinach in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Squeeze out the excess liquid and chop the spinach.
Put the rice in a pan of boiling salted water and simmer for 12 minutes. Drain.
Beat the eggs and gradually stir in the milk. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add the zucchini, spinach. rice and parmesan.

Pour into the gratin dish and bake for 30 minutes. Serve hot .