Read Online Sunday Brunch by Betty Rosbottom - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Betty Rosbottom
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sausage or Spanish chorizo (see market note ), cut into ¼-in/6-mm dice
2 eggs
¾ cup/180 ml buttermilk
1 cup/140 g yellow cornmeal
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp baking soda
MARKET NOTE:
Use Spanish-style chorizo in casing, not loose Mexican-style chorizo.
1. Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F/230 degrees C/gas 8.
2. Heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil until hot in a 9-in/23-cm ovenproof frying pan (preferably a well-seasoned cast-iron one) set over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and sauté until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes; drain on paper towels.
3. When the frying pan is cool enough to handle, wipe it out with paper towels. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and set it over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes just to heat the oil. Remove the frying pan from the heat and set aside.
4. Whisk the eggs and buttermilk in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Pour the oil from the frying pan into the batter, and mix well. Pour the batter into the frying pan, and sprinkle the cooked sausage evenly over it.
5. Bake the cornbread until it is golden on top and firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a sharp knife around the edge of the cornbread to loosen it. Invert the pan and turn out the bread onto a rack to cool for about 5 minutes. (The cornbread can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Leave at room temperature. Wrap cornbread in foil and reheat in a preheated 350-degree-F/180-degree-C/gas-4 oven for about 10 minutes.)
I can’t imagine a brunch without fruit on the menu. Summer berries and melons, autumn apples, or winter’s grapefruits and oranges can play a key role at morning meals. Fresh and unadorned or cooked and embellished, they provide bursts of color, interesting textures, and sweetness as well as bracing flavor.
If you are pressed for time, simply slice or dice fresh fruit or use whole berries or grapes. A squeeze of lemon will keep apples and pears from discoloring, while a sprinkle of sugar will sweeten tart berries. Garnish with mint, and you’re all set.
If you have just a few extra minutes, though, choose from one of the tempting recipes in this chapter. In warm weather, nothing could be easier or taste better than Summer Berries with Lemon Crème Fraîche or Plum Parfaits with Yogurt and Granola. For those extra-hot days when the temperatures soar, the Duo of Melons with Honey, Lime, and Ginger is exceptionally refreshing. Scrumptious Warm Apple and Date Compotes with Whipped Maple Cream or delectable Wine-Glazed Grapefruit Cups are the answer when it’s cold outside.
The recipes that follow have other winning features, especially for the cook. They call for readily available ingredients; they do not require a lot of time; and most can be prepared in advance with just a bit of last-minute attention.
Duo of Melons with Honey, Lime, and Ginger
I first sampled this simple yet exquisite dish at Le Comptoir, one of Paris’s most popular Left Bank bistros. As the chef made his rounds to greet guests, I was anxious for him to stop at our table so I could ask if he would share the recipe. He smiled and explained how easy it was to prepare. He had scooped balls from Cavaillon melons (sweeter than but similar to cantaloupes), and then assembled a sauce by puréeing some extra melon with watermelon, lime juice, and honey. For serving, the melon balls were napped with the sauce, and then dusted with freshly grated ginger. At home I used both cantaloupe and watermelon balls for visual contrast, and added candied ginger as a garnish.
Serves 6
PREP TIME:
25 minutes
START-TO-FINISH TIME:
1 hour, 30 minutes; including 1 hour to chill the sauce
MAKE AHEAD:
Partially
One medium cantaloupe (about 2 ½ lb/1.2 kg)
One medium watermelon, preferably seedless (about 5 lb/2.3 kg)
¼ cup/60 ml fresh lime juice (3 to 4 limes)
½ cup/120 ml honey
2 tbsp chopped candied ginger
6 mint springs
1. Using a
2 eggs
¾ cup/180 ml buttermilk
1 cup/140 g yellow cornmeal
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp baking soda
MARKET NOTE:
Use Spanish-style chorizo in casing, not loose Mexican-style chorizo.
1. Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 450 degrees F/230 degrees C/gas 8.
2. Heat the 2 tbsp vegetable oil until hot in a 9-in/23-cm ovenproof frying pan (preferably a well-seasoned cast-iron one) set over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and sauté until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes; drain on paper towels.
3. When the frying pan is cool enough to handle, wipe it out with paper towels. Add the remaining oil to the frying pan and set it over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes just to heat the oil. Remove the frying pan from the heat and set aside.
4. Whisk the eggs and buttermilk in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the cornmeal, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Pour the oil from the frying pan into the batter, and mix well. Pour the batter into the frying pan, and sprinkle the cooked sausage evenly over it.
5. Bake the cornbread until it is golden on top and firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and run a sharp knife around the edge of the cornbread to loosen it. Invert the pan and turn out the bread onto a rack to cool for about 5 minutes. (The cornbread can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Leave at room temperature. Wrap cornbread in foil and reheat in a preheated 350-degree-F/180-degree-C/gas-4 oven for about 10 minutes.)
I can’t imagine a brunch without fruit on the menu. Summer berries and melons, autumn apples, or winter’s grapefruits and oranges can play a key role at morning meals. Fresh and unadorned or cooked and embellished, they provide bursts of color, interesting textures, and sweetness as well as bracing flavor.
If you are pressed for time, simply slice or dice fresh fruit or use whole berries or grapes. A squeeze of lemon will keep apples and pears from discoloring, while a sprinkle of sugar will sweeten tart berries. Garnish with mint, and you’re all set.
If you have just a few extra minutes, though, choose from one of the tempting recipes in this chapter. In warm weather, nothing could be easier or taste better than Summer Berries with Lemon Crème Fraîche or Plum Parfaits with Yogurt and Granola. For those extra-hot days when the temperatures soar, the Duo of Melons with Honey, Lime, and Ginger is exceptionally refreshing. Scrumptious Warm Apple and Date Compotes with Whipped Maple Cream or delectable Wine-Glazed Grapefruit Cups are the answer when it’s cold outside.
The recipes that follow have other winning features, especially for the cook. They call for readily available ingredients; they do not require a lot of time; and most can be prepared in advance with just a bit of last-minute attention.
Duo of Melons with Honey, Lime, and Ginger
I first sampled this simple yet exquisite dish at Le Comptoir, one of Paris’s most popular Left Bank bistros. As the chef made his rounds to greet guests, I was anxious for him to stop at our table so I could ask if he would share the recipe. He smiled and explained how easy it was to prepare. He had scooped balls from Cavaillon melons (sweeter than but similar to cantaloupes), and then assembled a sauce by puréeing some extra melon with watermelon, lime juice, and honey. For serving, the melon balls were napped with the sauce, and then dusted with freshly grated ginger. At home I used both cantaloupe and watermelon balls for visual contrast, and added candied ginger as a garnish.
Serves 6
PREP TIME:
25 minutes
START-TO-FINISH TIME:
1 hour, 30 minutes; including 1 hour to chill the sauce
MAKE AHEAD:
Partially
One medium cantaloupe (about 2 ½ lb/1.2 kg)
One medium watermelon, preferably seedless (about 5 lb/2.3 kg)
¼ cup/60 ml fresh lime juice (3 to 4 limes)
½ cup/120 ml honey
2 tbsp chopped candied ginger
6 mint springs
1. Using a
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