Brunch is Beautiful

Spring is just around the corner, which means its the perfect time to invite friends and family over for a weekend brunch. Somehow brunch seems lazily indulgent and conjures up thoughts of romantic B&B's and spring holiday celebrations. Here's the most indulgent recipe in my brunch repetoire - hope you enjoy!!

Baked French Toast with Bananas Foster
Serves 8 to 10.

½ Cup (1 stick) Unsalted Butter + more for baking dish
1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
2 Tbs. Corn Syrup
One 12” Loaf Sour Dough Bread, preferably day old
8 Large Eggs
1 ¼ Cups Half and Half
¾ Cup Heavy Cream
3 Tbs. Sugar
¼ tsp. Fresh Grated Nutmeg
½ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1 tsp. Vanilla Paste or Vanilla Extract
1 tsp. Banana Liqueur
¼ tsp. Kosher Salt

METHOD:
In a small heavy saucepan melt butter with butter with brown sugar and corn syrup over moderate heat, stirring, until smooth. Pour into buttered baking dish.

Cut bread in ¾” thick slices from center portion of bread, reserving ends for another use. Trim crusts from slices. Arrange bread slices in one layer in baking dish, squeezing them slightly to fit.

In a bowl whisk together eggs, half and half, cream, sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla paste, liqueur and salt until combined well. Pour evenly over bread. Chill bread mixture, covered, at least 8 hours and up to 1 day.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Cover with pan with foil. Bake bread mixture, in middle of oven until puffed and just set, about 35 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook for about ten minutes more, or until edges are light golden brown.

Remove pan from oven, let cool slightly. Run a knife around the edges of the pan. Cut into squares, and remove to platter. Turn squares upside down, so caramel sauce is on top. Spoon Bananas Foster (recipe follows) over top and serve.

Bananas Foster

4 Firm Bananas, peeled
2 Tbs. Unsalted Butter
3 Tbs. Brown Sugar
¼ tsp. Ground Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Ground Nutmeg
½ Cup Dark Rum
1 Tbs. Banana Liqueur

METHOD:
Cut bananas into diagonal slices, about ¾” thick and about 2” long. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

Heat a large, heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Add in butter and swirl until melted and just begins to bubble along the edges. Place bananas in skillet and cook over medium heat for about five minutes. Turn bananas carefully, using a spatula and cook for an additional 5 minutes, or just until fork tender (do not overcook). Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over the top of the bananas. Transfer bananas to a warmed dish.

Remove pan from heat and pour in rum and banana liqueur. Return pan to heat and scrape caramelized bits from the bottom of the pan with the spatula. Using a long match or lighter, carefully ignite liqueur, swirl pan, then pour over bananas. Pour bananas over French toast squares and serve immediately.

Perfect Roast Chicken

The perfume lingers, even after all the dishes have been washed and put away. That emotionally loaded scent of rosemary, lemon, garlic and blistering chicken skin is enough to tear children away from video games and husbands away from the Golf Channel. There is truly no more comforting aroma on a cold, wet Sunday. Perfect roast chicken is as revered today as it was for our ancestors, where roasting was accomplished with a spit and open fire. Although the preparation is incredibly simple, the results are truly rewarding. And, with a little advance planning and shopping, you can cook one day and have enough leftovers to make additional dishes later in the week, saving you time and money!

The ingredient list can be modified to whatever you have on hand. Start with a young roasting or frying chicken. About 3 lbs. is a great size for a family of four for one meal with some leftovers. Look for weekly specials in your newspaper or online to determine which store has the best buy. Look for non-processed birds whenever possible (those that aren’t processed with a saline solution). Always check the sell by date to determine which is freshest. Also, think about picking up two birds and roasting them together. That way, you’ll have more leftovers to make chicken salad, burritos, pasta dishes, soups, stocks and more. You can freeze the extra meat and carcass if you can’t use it within about three days.

The remaining ingredients are more of a guideline, use what herbs, spices and aromatic stuffing items you have on hand. Plan on about 2 Tbs. of salt, pepper, dried herbs and spices per bird. Use a combination of Kosher, coarse sea salt (a good smoked salt is also a nice twist), black pepper, white pepper, red pepper, green pepper, smoky paprika, dried herbs (rosemary, thyme, marjoram, oregano, tarragon, sage), granulated garlic or garlic powder, and other spices such as coriander, cumin, fennel or Chinese 5, 10 or 12 spice. You’ll need 4 Tbs. of melted unsalted butter, olive oil, or combination (not necessary, but always makes the skin nice and golden brown and crispy!!). You can also add aromatics for stuffing inside the cavity if you wish, including onions, garlic, lemons, oranges, fresh herbs (same as the dried herbs), and ingredients such as cinnamon sticks, peppers, tea, kaffir lime leaves, ginger and star anise.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees, place rack on lower third of oven. Rinse the chicken inside and out, pat dry with paper towels. Place a rack into a roasting pan. Sprinkle chicken liberally with salt mixture top and bottom, inside and out, pat lightly to make sure it sticks. Place chicken on rack, stuff with aromatics, drizzle with butter and place pan in the oven. After 20 minutes, add water, beer, white wine, or combination to the bottom of the pan (keeps drippings from burning). Don’t add liquid if the bird is not on a rack or elevated. Roast for total of 75 minutes for one 3 lb. bird, and up to 1 hour and 35 minutes for two. Check using a thermometer, placed in the thickest part of the thigh (temperature should be approximately 180 degrees, allowing for carry over cooking to ensure that it reaches 185 degrees). Remove pan from oven, and let rest for at least ten minutes before carving.

Simply delicious and incredibly satisfying for all. The best part is that the aroma lasts long after dinner, inspiring happy dreams of family, food and friends.

Sun-dried Tomato and Black Olive Tapenade

Perfect for impromptu parties, this tangy tapenade is beautifully simple and yummy. Even better the next day, after flavors have had a chance to marry.

Sun Dried Tomato and Black Olive Tapenade

½ Cup Sun-dried Tomatoes (not oil packed), roughly chopped,
½ Cup Black Olives (preferably Kalamata), pitted, roughly chopped
¼ Cup Good Balsamic Vinegar
¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Garlic, minced
1 ½ Tbs. Fresh Oregano Leaves, chopped

½ tsp. Kosher Salt
½ tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper

1 Baguette, sliced at a slight angle to create oval shaped piece, about ½” thick
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Feta and Additional Fresh Oregano for garnish

Combine all ingredients except fresh oregano in bowl of food processor. Pulse quickly, two or three times to mix ingredients. It’s best to leave mixture rough and chunky. Remove from food processor, add in oregano and season with salt and pepper. Let sit and marinate for at least an hour at room temperature.

Place baguette slices on cookie sheet, and brush both sides with olive oil. Bake baguette slices in 400 degree oven until lightly golden and crisped. Remove pan from oven and place baguette slices on serving platter. Place a heaping teaspoon of the tapenade in center of baguette slices. Sprinkle with feta and additional oregano sprigs and serve.