F O O D !
Get inspired to try something new, make something better or upgrade your kitchen with these tasty bits. Or heck, throw a whole dinner party and order my cookbook “The Dinner Party Project” out now!
Three Fancy Toasts
Three simple recipes to elevate the game. When you try them, there’s no going back.
Leftovers Breakfast Tacos
Breakfast tacos are just a thing that everyone should be able to make. This is the simplest iteration but you can get real creative. I basically plan on making breakfast tacos every time I make Mexican food at home... or with restaurant leftovers.
Tortilla Española
Before getting into Spanish omelets, I'd like to take a moment of silence to appreciate the world's greatest Spanish tortilla. It's at Cal Pep in Barcelona and it's ding dang perfect. Perfectly jammy eggs, sweet confit onions and a hit of salt contributed by the teeny tiny diced Spanish chorizo laced within. Did you take a moment? Great! You’ll notice there are some interchangeable words for this dish: Spanish omelet, tortilla, tortilla Española, Spanish tortilla etc. I really wanted to recreate the Cal Pep version and do it justice which meant testing many different techniques, times and ingredients until I think I got it just about right. The one thing they do that's genius is coat the top in a thin layer of aioli to give it an extra dose of creaminess and a touch of pizazz from the garlic
Super-California-Licious-Excellent-For-Brunch Cake
Super-California-Licious-Excellent-For-Brunch Cake
The Easiest Pancakes Ever
Pancakes are a magical food in that they basically taste good with everything. You could probably put a shoe on top of a pancake and it would taste alright. These pancakes here are awesome because they can be made in a blender and kept in the fridge overnight for easy morning pancake action. So if you’re in a huge rush you CAN cook them ASAP, but if you wait until the next day they will be SO VERY fluffy and spectacular. And make your morning easier.
Kofta Breakfast Scramble
Let me start off by saying that this is a delicious recipe that you will love, but it is NOT a traditional or authentic recipe by any means, it’s more of a Frankenrecipe. It’s mashup of one of my favorite breakfasts from Five Leaves in downtown L.A. and a breakfast dish I had in Morocco, eggs scrambled in khlea. Khlea is an amazing fatty fermented beef that you’ll see in the stalls of Morocco in huge buttery heaps that can live at room temperature for two years. Because the beef is so rich it’s perfect for throwing into a pan, tossing in a few eggs, and enjoying with bread for a filling and satisfying breakfast. It’s practically impossible to get Khlea in Los Angeles without making it yourself, so starting this recipe by cooking eggs in the fat rendered by the kofta reminds me of it a lot. :)
Everything Breakfast Hash
Crispy roasted potatoes and onions, garlicky spinach, and eggs your way. What could be a better way to start the day? Got some extra cherry tomatoes hanging around? Add ‘em! Want to substitute sautéed kale for the spinach? Why not! I mean you don’t even have to eat this breakfast hash for breakfast — have it for dinner. The potatoes can be roasted ahead and you can throw the hash together at your leisure.
Kofta Pita Sandwiches
Kofta is a Middle Eastern, and other areas surrounding, staple. In its most basic form, it’s ground meat (most likely lamb or beef) mixed with spices and onion, though the variations/names for the dish are practically endless. In my travels I’ve had versions cooked slowly in a tagine, fried and stuffed in a pita, grilled and served with rice, and simmered in tomato sauce. So far, I haven’t experienced one that I haven’t loved. Flavorwise this version is most similar to the version I had in Morocco; though it being seared and cooked through, rather than finished in a sauce, makes it more similar to the Palestinian or Lebanese version.
Brunch's Best Friend: A Seasonal Frittata
There are a few things that are crucial to making an epic frittata...
1. Sauté your vegetables before adding the eggs (helps remove excess liquid and build flavor)
2. Whisk your eggs before adding them into the pan (aerates and helps keep the frittata fluffy)
3. Cook your eggs low and slow (because no one wants tough bubblegum textured eggs)
4. Slow the cooking process of the eggs by adding fat (milk, sour cream, or butter) in 2 stages
The frittata you are about to make incorporates all 4 principles, resulting in what could be your favorite frittata of all time. Great thing is, you don't need these veggies, herbs or cheeses, you can use whatever you have lying around.
Olive Oil and Strawberry Summer Breakfast Cake
How come you can have pancakes for breakfast, but not cake? I think we bring back cake for breakfast. Who is with me?
This guy here is one of my favorites because it's incredibly moist, easy to make, and the fruit can be swapped out based on the season.
Black And White Cookie Muffins!
When I was living in Spain I took a day trip to Figueres to see the Dali Museum. While waiting in the enormous line, in the rain, I suddenly became really hangry. I took a little walk and discovered a sad pastry shop that happily had one offering that caught my eye, a muffin that was half chocolate and half vanilla! Why haven't I seen that before? Why doesn’t everyone make half and half muffins? So, the first thing I did was text Alana Kysar and exclaim “WE NEED TO PERFECT THE HALF AND HALF MUFFIN”, and here we are!
Vanilla Bean Café Au Lait
If you're looking for an easy way to mix up your morning coffee routine, this is for you. It's also great to serve a crowd on a Sunday morning. Use the leftover simple syrup for cocktails later on in the day!
