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Friday May 11, 2007

Make time for a rich, hearty family breakfast

by louise fiszer

Breakfast falls into two categories. The first is a sequence hurried weekday meals designed simply to get you through to lunch, usually consisting of nothing more than coffee and a stick-to-the-digestive-tract whole-grain muffin. Kids are out the door with a glass of milk, a Pop Tart and ”have a good day.”

The second type of breakfast is a real meal with a beginning, middle and end, a family sitting around the table — the weekend variety that often includes extended family and tasty food prepared with care, love and thought. Breakfast becomes a relaxing reward when time is no problem that can set the mood for the remainder of the day.

There are many definitions of the consummate breakfast. For some, a steaming bowl of oatmeal, accompanied by sliced fruit and sprinkled liberally with brown sugar and cinnamon, is a must. Others crave a selection of smoked fish, hash browns and English muffins.

For me, it’s comfort food — rich, warm, egg-y concoctions, the kind that delicious family memories are made of, like french toast and creamy scrambled eggs.

Fruit Salad | Serves 6 to 8

For marinade:
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
3 Tbs. apricot jam
2 Tbs. kirsch (opt.)
1/4 cup brown sugar
For salad:
2 seedless tangerines, peeled and sectioned
2 navel oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 banana, peeled and sliced
1 firm but ripe pear, cored and sliced
1 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup dried cranberries or pitted cherries
Toppings:
plain yogurt
granola
Mix lemon juice, jam, kirsch and brown sugar in a large bowl until well blended.
Add the fruits to the bowl and mix well with lemon juice mixture. Let marinate at least one hour before serving.
Serve in parfait or wine glasses. Top with yogurt and granola if desired.

Make-Ahead French Toast | Serves 6

For french toast:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
12 3/4-inch-thick French bread slices
6 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbs. maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
Toppings:
powdered sugar
maple syrup
To make the french toast: Spread butter over bottom of heavy large baking pan with 1-inch-high sides. Arrange bread slices in pan. Beat eggs, milk, sugar, syrup, vanilla and salt to blend in large bowl. Pour mixture over bread. Turn bread slices to coat. Cover with plastic and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Bake french bread for 10 minutes. Turn bread over and continue baking until just golden, about 4 minutes longer. Transfer cooked toast to plates and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve immediately, passing hot maple syrup separately.

Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon and Onions | Serves 6

12 eggs
4 oz. mild goat cheese or cream cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
3 Tbs. butter
6 oz. smoked salmon, cut into thin strips
salt and pepper
Beat eggs with goat cheese until well blended. Stir in the green onions.
In a large skillet heat butter. Add egg mixture and cook slowly, stirring gently. When the eggs are not quite set, stir in the smoked salmon. Cook until desired consistency. Taste for salt and pepper.
Serve with toasted bagels.

Louise Fiszer is a Palo Alto cooking teacher, author and the co-author of “Jewish Holiday Cooking.” Her columns alternate with those of Rebecca Ets-Hokin. Questions and recipe ideas can be sent to j. or to loufiszer@aol.com.

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