Reset Password
Reset Link Sent
| Blogs > Delia_93463 > My Blog |
|
A PERFECT BREAKFAST -- 1 A PERFECT BREAKFAST -- 1 THE MENU: This meal is built on a foundation of pancakes, not just any pancakes, Buttermilk Pancakes! They will be<b> soaked </font></b>in your choice of Butter, Strawberry Jam, or Breakfast Syrup. There’ll be Breakfast Sausage on the side to compliment those hotcakes! Your choices of Coffee, Tea, and Orange Juice. Welcome to a great start to a great day! FRESH ORANGE JUICE GET THIS: *4 oranges DO THIS: *Lightly smack each orange on the counter. *Cut each orange in half and process using a small juicer, then pour it into a glass. Yields 1½ cups, 2 servings @ 6 oz. ea. ************************* BUTTERMILK PANCAKES GET THIS: *3 cups flour *3 teaspoons baking powder *1½ teaspoons baking soda *3/4 teaspoon salt •3 tablespoons sugar *3 large eggs, lightly beaten *4 cups buttermilk *6 tablespoons butter, melted, plus 1/2 teaspoon for the griddle. And a stick for the table DO THIS: *Heat griddle to 375º. *Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar in a medium bowl. *Add eggs, buttermilk, and 4 tablespoons butter; whisk to combine. *The batter should have small-to-medium lumps. *Using a pastry brush, brush the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of butter or reserved bacon fat onto the griddle. *Ladle and pour about 1/2 cup of pancake batter for each pancake in pools 2” from one other. * Flip over when pancakes have bubbles on top and are slightly dry around the edges, about 1½-2 minutes. *Cook until golden on the bottom, about 45-60 seconds. Lift an edge to see. Peek-a-boo works! *Repeat with the remaining batter; keep the finished pancakes on a heat-proof plate in a 200º oven. *Serve with butter and syrup. Yields 12 pancakes, 5” each. ************************* BREAKFAST SAUSAGE GET THIS: *2 lb. boneless pork butt (2½ lb. with bone), diced into 3/4” pieces *1/2 lb. pork fatback, diced into 3/4” pieces. Your butcher will help you with this item, it may require ordering. *2 teaspoons kosher salt *1½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper *2 teaspoons powdered or ground sage *2 teaspoons ground thyme *1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped *1 tablespoon light brown sugar *1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg *1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper *1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes DO THIS: *Combine diced pork with all other ingredients and chill for 1 hour. *Using the fine blade of a grinder, grind the pork twice. *Stir the mixture between grindings to ensure it is well combined. *Form into 1” rounds and 1/2” thick patties. *Refrigerate, tightly capped, and use within 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. *Sauté until brown and cooked through, approximately 10-15 minutes. Serves 4 @ 3 patties per serving ************************* HOMEMADE BUTTER GET THIS: *2 cups heavy cream *1/4 teaspoon salt (optional) DO THIS: *Pour heavy cream into a food processor or blender. *Process on high until the butter separates, about 10 minutes. *Strain off the liquid, then press the butter into a small bowl with the back of a spoon to remove the liquid further. *Season with salt. Makes 16 servings. ************************* STRAWBERRY JAM This is a special recipe for a small batch. GET THIS: *1 lb. fresh strawberries *1½ cups sugar *2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice *1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional) DO THIS: *Wash and slice the strawberries, removing the hulls and green tops. *Add them to a saucepan and mix the sugar in well. *Stir continually over medium heat and bring the strawberries to boil. *Once boiling, add the lemon juice and zest (if using). *Boil for about 15 minutes or until the jam reaches 220F. *Stir often to make sure the jam doesn’t burn. *Pour into a jar and allow to cool. *Cover and refrigerate. *Use within about 2 weeks. Yields 24 servings: about 2 cups. ************************* BREAKFAST SYRUP GET THIS: *1 cup white sugar *1 cup brown sugar *2/3 cup water *1/2 teaspoon maple extract or 1 teaspoon maple flavoring DO THIS: *Add 1 cup white sugar and 1 cup brown sugar into a saucepan with 2/3 cup of room-temperature water. *Whisk and continue to mix. *Cook on medium heat until it starts to boil while continuing to whisk. *Turn the heat to medium-low so there are still plenty of bubbles. *The syrup mixture should be at about 150°. Use a thermometer. *Add extract or flavoring. *Stir to combine. *Remove from heat and allow to cool. *Transfer to glass jars or airtight containers. Yields 8-16 servings, depending on use. ************************* DELIA ON COFFEE MAKING Here are six areas that will improve your cup of Joe. And, yes, grinding your own is worth it for a really good cup. Keep your machine clean, inside and out. It may sound like a no-brainer, but calcium deposits and other gunk can make for bitter, not to mention icky brew. Once per month, it’s a good idea to deep clean your machine by running through a mixture of 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water as if you were brewing a whole pot. Once brewed, run the mixture through a second time for maximum cleaning. Follow up with a pot of plain water to rinse. If you’re brewing with a machine that hasn’t been cleaned in a while, it’s a good idea to do this right away. Always use filters when cleaning the pot. Use quality coffee. As with any brewing method, raw material is essential. No need to spring for the ultra-premium $$$ stuff, as the drip technique wouldn’t make the most of its subtle complexities, but a good premium brand will walk all over that can of Folgers. Also, good, clean, COLD water is essential. Don’t use inferior water, it shows. Filtered water works best. Buy quality coffee, whole. Pre-ground is a no-no. There are differing schools of thought regarding the best type of grinder -- burr or blade -- but their various effects really only become perceptible when using more deliberate or delicate brewing techniques. For filter coffee, what’s important is that you wait until just before you brew to maintain the fullest flavor. This will not make you a coffee snob. Measure up. Drip coffee is more forgiving than other methods regarding precise measurements. Still, make sure not to overload or skimp -- a safe rule of thumb is 2 healthy tablespoons of coffee per 16 oz. of water. (That’s about 1 tablespoon per cup.) Rinse your filters thoroughly. This doesn’t apply when you’re using a permanent gold mesh filter, but rinsing paper filters with cool water before you brew primes them for filtration and can get rid of tiny impurities. Turn the heat off, stat. Pour-overs owe at least part of their superior taste to being brewed and then allowed to settle into their flavor without disruption. On the other hand, drip coffee is brewed into a carafe sitting on a hot element, which keeps the coffee at a constant near-boil. You’re safe if your machine has an insulated carafe, but glass is A-OK as long as you turn the heat off (or better yet, remove the carafe from the heat) as soon as brewing is done. |
 |
 |
 |
| Become a member to comment on this blog | ||
 |
×
×