I love pancakes, but they can be one of those 'hit and miss' recipes for me. I think the Gods have to be smiling on me, or the planets need to be aligned for them to be 'just right'. Whenever I make them, I know I will end up with either a light, fluffy pancake or a thick, dense, cakey one. I guess I need more practice.
No matter what I end up making, they still taste good. What I like is that pancakes can be made in next to no time - while in your pajamas! Sunday is a great day for pancakes because I always have time for breakfast (I am so naughty during the week - I never eat breakfast!). So I like to make them special and treat myself by serving them will all sorts of good things...
Pancakes - My simple (evolving) recipe
1 cup plain flour
pinch salt
1tbs sugar
1tsp baking powder
1 cup milk
1 egg
Put dry ingredients into a bowl. Add milk and egg and whisk to combine and break up the lumps. The batter should be about the consistency of pouring cream (or just a tad thicker). Let the batter sit for 30 mins (or even overnight in the fridge if possible).
Grease a non-stick frypan with a little butter (I like to wipe it with paper towel to remove any excess that may burn in the pan) and have your pan moderately hot. Ladle in about 1/4 cup of batter and swirl your pan to spread it out to your desired size/shape/thickness. Watch the surface of your pancake, when the bubbles rise to the surface of the batter, it is ready to flip. Cook on the flip side for about a minute. (You will get a feel for how long they need to cook for).
I love my pancakes with fruit, so here are two of my favourite sweet additions.
Berry Compote
This is so simple. Take a few berries - here I have used strawberries, frozen raspberries and frozen blueberries and put into a bowl.
Sprinkle over 1 tbs of sugar and a few drops of vanilla extract. Place bowl in microwave and cook for 1-2 minutes. The berries will collapse and release their juices and the sugar sweetens the syrup. The longer you cook the syrup the more it will reduce and the pectin in the fruit will help create a 'jam' like consistency.
Caramel-Maple Bananas
Heat a non-stick frypan and add 1 tbs of butter. Add 1 sliced banana and cook until the banana takes on a little colour and softens slightly. Add 1 tbs of Maple Syrup. The syrup will mix with the butter to caramelise and to give the bananas a lovely glaze.
Either of the above accompaniments go equally well with French Toast or Waffles. Or even on top of ice-cream...
Enjoy and Happy Sunday!
Until next time...
Kitty xx
Toad in the hole would have to be one of my all time favourite cheap eats for breakfast. It is simple - a slice of bread, with a hole cut in the middle, fried in butter and a little olive oil. Crack an egg into the hole, fry and sprinkle with salt, pepper and a dash of Tabasco. I love the crispy buttery goodness the bread takes on from cooking it in butter and oil in a frypan...
This breakfast is also a fond food memory of my childhood. I remember my Mum and Dad making them for me as a kid and I always found it funny that the egg was called a 'Toad'. To this day I still don't really know why, other than the fact that it is 'something' in a hole. Why not call it a rabbit? or a mole? With my addition of Tabasco, I am re-naming mine:
Fire in the Hole!
1-2 slices bread (pref rye or sourdough)
1-2 eggs (pref organic, cage free)
smidgen of butter and olive oil
salt, pepper and Tabasco sauce
Cut a hole in the middle of your slice of bread - freestyle it or use a small glass or cookie cutter. Heat your butter and oil in a non-stick frypan. Slide your bread into the pan and coat both sides with the oil and butter. (Fry your 'hole' as well - no need to throw it away).
Crack your egg into the 'hole' and fry to your liking. (If you like your egg runny, you may want to flip your bread to toast both sides before cracking in your egg). Season to taste.
For my money it is a great breakfast for the weekend - especially when the pantry is looking a little scant and you wake up feeling like you ate a box of kitty litter. With all the fast food establishments offering breakfast these days, it is a cheaper, home cooked alternative. As for healthy, everything is OK in moderation. I just have to resist the temptation to make 2 as a sandwich filled with bacon, lettuce and tomato... The possibilities are endless...
Until next time...
Kitty xx
One of my favourite meals to enjoy 'out' is breakfast. I love it more than going out for dinner. It was my day off and once again I found myself at Canteen. (Some people go to India to find themselves - I go to restaurants, go figure). Canteen is my favourite little 'find' for breakfast and brunch. Along with the delightful food, they do seriously good coffee and the service is fantastic.
I was able to sit in the nook by the window, so I sat with my paper and my espresso and watched the world go by. One thing I am not shy about is dining solo. The downside is that there is only one plate of food and I miss the sharing. I saw the owners of my other favourite restaurant having breakfast sitting outside - so this reassured me that the food must be good if chefs eat here.
The special was crepes with blueberry compote and lemon curd. I really enjoyed the last sweet breakfast that I had there - French toast brioche with banana, but this time I felt like something savoury. I told the waitress that I was undecided over the crepes and the corn cakes. She said that the corn cakes were her favourite item on the menu. I ordered them on her recommendation and I was not disappointed.
On the plate were 3 generous corn cakes, along with bacon, slow roasted tomato, guacamole and rocket. The guacamole was a nice addition to the corn cakes, as was the bacon. The tomatoes were so deliciously sweet, I could have eaten a whole plate of them alone. I also liked the balsamic reduction that was drizzled around the plate. It added a nice acid sweetness that was so in harmony with the tomatoes... Oh yummy...
The waitress asked me if I was enjoying my breakfast - I had no words other than 'MMMMM!' I am absolutely certain I will order this dish again.
Meanwhile, I had a go at making my own corn cakes over the weekend. They were really good only for the fact that I am still kicking myself for forgetting to buy baby Italian tomatoes to roast as an accompaniment...
The recipe I developed is just a basic pancake batter made savoury with a good hit of Tabasco and a little finely diced shallot. I added corn kernels and seasoned with salt and pepper. If you need a more detailed recipe, just let me know.
Until next time...
Kitty xx
I think Winter has made me cross over to the dark side. You want to eat food that is comforting, that sticks to your ribs and warms your insides. It is always okay to eat like a bear preparing for hibernation at Winter time!
I went to a cafe last week with the intention of just having a coffee and to sit and read the paper. Until I heard the waitress tell the diners at the table next to me the breakfast special. When she came back to my table to ask me if there was anything else I wanted, I said 'Umm... did I hear a little something about french toast and grilled banana?... and I better have another coffee, please!' The special was French toast brioche, with grilled banana and honey ricotta. It really hit the spot.
Of course I had to replicate this dish at home. Here is my version.
French toast with grilled banana and honey ricotta - inspired by my brunch at Canteen, Noosa Junction.
3 slices bread (challah and brioche are ideal)
1-2 bananas, sliced length ways
1 egg
1/2 tsp sugar
splash milk
pinch cinnamon
2-3 tbs smooth ricotta
honey to taste
maple syrup
Mix egg, sugar, cinnamon and milk to make a custard. Drop your bread into the mixture and coat well, allowing the custard to soak into the bread a little. While bread is soaking, cook your bananas. Heat a non-stick fry pan and add a knob of butter. Place bananas into pan and cook until golden on both sides. Set aside. Place bread into the fry pan and cook cook each side until golden. Mix ricotta and honey. Transfer bread to serving plate and add a dollop of ricotta and top with banana. Drizzle with maple syrup.
I don't think there is anything more to add, other than to eat, with joy in your heart! (and maybe run around the block a few times afterward!)
Until next time...
Kitty xx
