Puffed Pancakes

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup low-fat buttermilk
• ¼ teaspoon aromatic bitters (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
• ¼ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

Toppings

• 1 teaspoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• Fresh fruit (bananas, strawberries, blueberries, or whatever is in season and handy)
• Powdered sugar
• Toasted almonds (or any other toasted nuts)

Method

• Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees F.
• Place butter in an ovenproof ramekin, skillet, or other small baking dish and heat in the oven until the butter is melted (watch the butter carefully; it will melt fast due to the high oven temperature).
• While the butter melts, beat the egg in a food processor, blender, or bowl with a wire whisk until light and bright yellow.
• Gradually beat in the buttermilk and other liquid ingredients.
• Gently mix in the dry ingredients.
• Pour the batter into the pan of hot butter and return the pan to the oven.
• Bake until the pancake is puffed and golden, about 12 minutes.
• Serve at once, accompanied by selected toppings.

Notes: You can also make larger pancakes in a skillet, paella pan, or any other relatively shallow ovenproof dish, and cut into wedges to serve. Temperature is very important in getting the pancake to puff, since there is no chemical leavening. The batter should be ice-cold and the oven very hot. We like to even mix the dry ingredients the night before and freeze them to make sure the batter is cold. You can also rest the batter in the refrigerator after mixing.

Makes one (1) pancake; multiply as needed

Herb-Baked Eggs

Ingredients

• 8 slices ham
• 12 eggs
• 4 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 3 cups shredded cheese (sharp cheddar mixed with Asiago, Parmesan, or other similar cheese)
• 8 teaspoons fresh herbs (any combination of basil, thyme, chives, or parsley)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

• Grease 8 au gratin dishes or spray with cooking spray.
• Line each with a ham slice.
• Layer herbs, then cheese into dishes on top of ham.
• In a bowl, beat the eggs with the mustard, yogurt, and nutmeg.
• Pour or spoon the egg mixture into the dishes.
• Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until completely set.

Note: You can also substitute turkey ham or vegetarian sausage patties for the ham in this dish.

Makes 8 servings

Baked Sour Cream Omelet

Ingredients

• 1/2 loaf French bread, sliced (crusts removed)
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
• 4 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 12 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled (Applewwod Smoked bacon is particularly good if you can get it)
• 4 scallions, chopped
• 8 medium eggs
• 1 1/3 cups milk
• 1 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme or basil
• 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup sour cream (or creme fraiche, if you can find it)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper (freshly ground)
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmeggioano Reggiano cheese
• Paprika to taste

Method

• Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
• Cover bottom with bread slices and sprinkle cheeses, thyme/basil,bacon and scallions over bread.
• In a mixing bowl, beat together eggs, milk, wine, mustard, sour cream, nutmeg and peppers until foamy.
• Pour mixture evenly over the cheese and bread.
• Cover tightly with foil.
• Bake in a 325-degree oven for 45 minutes or until set.
• Remove foil and sprinkle omelet with Parmesan cheese and paprika.
• Return uncovered to the oven and bake until lightly browned, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Tip: If recipe is prepared the night before, cover tightly with foil and refrigerate. In the morning, let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, still covered, before baking.

Serves 12

Corn Strata

Ingredients

• 7 Slices of bread, crusts removed,torn into chunks (or cut into cubes). A medium to soft bread seems to work better than a hard or crusty bread
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 7 oz each of sharp/extra sharp Cheddar (a 4- or 6-year cheddar is a special treat, when you can find it!) and Pepper Jack cheeses, grated. You could also use regular jack cheese instead of the Pepper Jack and add 4 oz. of your favorite chiles, diced .
• 2 ears of fresh white corn, cut off cob (you can substitute one small can of corn niblets, but it won't be as good!)
• 4 Tablespoons Fresh basil or thyme, chopped
• 8 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 1/2 cups Milk (we use Organic Whole Milk)
• Kosher Salt & Fresh-ground Pepper, to taste
• 1 9"x13" oven-proof casserole dish, well-buttered

Method

• Sauté corn over high heat with butter until it just begins to change color slightly (becomes slightly translucent). Set aside to cool.
• Layer bread, scallions, corn, cheese, herbs, salt, and pepper in baking dish and repeat until all ingredients are used. Try to end with a layer of cheese. At the Inn, we start off with the bread in a checkerboard pattern (using cubed bread instead of chunks), layer the other ingredients, then reverse the checkerboard pattern with the next layer of bread. This is a bit more time consuming, but it seems to create a more even distribution of ingredients, a slightly prettier presentation, and a little more structure. However, the "random-layering" method works beautifully as well.
• Mix eggs and milk and pour over casserole.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight (or at least until liquid mixture is well absorbed into bread)
• Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for one hour, or until golden brown.
• Remove from oven, go around the edges of the casserole with a knife to prevent sticking, and serve immediately with your favorite salsa.

Serves 8 to 10