Chicken and Egg - Janice Cole [73]
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 cups cubed ciabatta bread (¾-inch cubes)
8 eggs
2 cups whole milk
2 cups shredded Gruyère cheese (8 ounces)
Fruit-Filled Souffléd Pancake
Like a giant popover, this pancake rises spectacularly in the oven because of the magic of eggs. While the sides stay high and firm, the center deflates, creating the perfect place to pile the cinnamon-flavored caramelized fruit. This pancake is often called a German or Dutch pancake, a reference to its Germanic Pennsylvania Dutch origins. I like to accompany it with a light drizzle of real maple syrup.
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To make the pancake: Preheat the oven to 450°F. Beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, and orange zest in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until blended. Reduce the speed to low and beat in the milk. Beat in the flour and cinnamon until almost smooth.
Heat a medium nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the butter, swirl to melt, and heat until the butter stops sizzling. Immediately pour in the batter and put the pan in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and bake an additional 10 minutes or until puffed, dark golden brown on the edges, and golden brown in the center.
To make the filling: While the pancake is baking, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the apples and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, add the bananas and cranberries and sprinkle with the brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir to coat the fruit. Cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes or until the sugar has dissolved and the fruit is tender, reducing the heat to medium-low if the fruit is cooking too fast.
Remove the pancake from the oven, slide onto a large platter, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Fill the center with the warm fruit mixture. Cut into wedges to serve. Drizzle with maple syrup, if desired.
NOTE
The higher gluten in the bread flour contributes to the spectacular rise of this pancake. All-purpose flour will work, but the pancake will not rise as high.
SERVES 6
PANCAKE
4 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
¾ cup milk
¾ cup bread flour (see Note)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up
FILLING
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut up
1 ½ cups sliced unpeeled apples, such as Braeburn or Honeycrisp (¼ inch thick)
1 ½ cups sliced bananas (2 to 3)
¾ cup dried orange-flavored cranberries
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Powdered sugar for sprinkling
Maple syrup for drizzling (optional)
Warm Village Salad
Toss the creamy four-minute eggs with fresh spinach, warm croutons, flash-cooked garlicky tomatoes, and a warm vinaigrette. Then finish with the classic combination of feta cheese and Kalamata olives in this quickly assembled version of a Greek salad. It will warm you on the coldest days.
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Heat 2 teaspoons of the olive oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté the bread in the oil for 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly toasted; remove the bread and set aside.
Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until warm. Add the garlic and cook for 10 seconds or until fragrant. Pour the vinegar into the skillet and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 4 teaspoons of oil; keep the mixture in the skillet and set aside.
Put the eggs in a small saucepan and add enough hot water to cover the eggs by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil gently for 4 minutes, reducing the heat if necessary to keep the water at a gentle boil. Pour off the hot water and run the eggs under cold water until they are cool enough to handle. Peel and quarter the eggs. The yolks should be slightly runny but basically hold their shape. The whites should be firm enough to peel.
While the eggs are cooking, toss the spinach in a large bowl with the feta cheese, olives, salt, and pepper. Reheat the tomatoes over medium-high heat until hot. Add the tomatoes, croutons, and half of the