This is a fun breakfast or lunch dish that can be made fresh…or it’s a great way to add zest to leftover vegetables. It has the cheesy goodness of a quiche but without a heavy crust. I’m giving it a Spanish flair with Manchego, a sheep’s milk cheese, but you can use whatever cheese you like, even a mix of cheeses if you have a little bit of this and a little bit of that in the fridge.
Yields 4 servings
Migas is Spanish for breadcrumbs, and this dish makes the most of a leftover loaf when sautéed and served with chorizo, the famed Spanish sausage. First developed as a breakfast dish in Andalucía, it’s popular throughout Spain for lunch and even dinner, and variations abound. This is the version I cooked with Juande de Dios of García-Molina, producer of this quarter’s medium selection.
Serves 4
Caramelizing onions is a labor of love—time consuming, but you can do other jobs in the kitchen while keeping an eye on them, and the taste is worth every minute. Maximize the effort by doubling or tripling the amount and save the rest for other dishes. Piquillo peppers are available online and in some stores, and come roasted, skinned, and jarred—they’re also great on sandwiches.
Yields 2 servings
Pancakes from scratch take breakfast (or brunch) to a whole new level. These are so tasty that you don’t need any syrup to enhance their flavor. If you want a nutritious garnish, top each serving with mixed berries.
Yields 20 pancakes
Giving ricotta a quick whirl in a food processor takes its creaminess to the next level.
Yields 2 servings
Or brunch or a light dinner! Many people are surprised to learn that potatoes are extremely popular in Italy, often served with meat dishes. Present this one-pan meal right in the skillet or on a platter. It’s satisfying on its own as well as alongside soft scrambled eggs.
Serves 6
This twist on the classic beef tartare draws on many of the usual accompaniments for smoked salmon but puts them all together in one dish, perfect for a brunch spread or to spread on a piece of dark pumpernickel for a fast workday breakfast.
Yields 6 portions
Elegant enough for a brunch party, this egg-and-potato dish is also easy enough for a casual weekend breakfast. The potatoes can be steamed a day or two in advance.
Yields 4 servings
Stone fruit—nectarines, peaches, and plums—are the stars of this juicy dessert, with figs, berries, and a sweet and citrusy dressing in supporting roles. This salad, high in antioxidants, also makes a delicious breakfast
Yields 4 servings
Aussies love their banana bread. My version gets flavor boosts from hazelnuts and coconut. Because it uses almond flour, making it gluten free, it won’t rise the way a flour-based loaf will and is more like a delicate torte.
Serves 10
The combination of olive oil and almond flour creates a tender crumb that rivals any flour-based batter and a muffin that’s infinitely more nutritious. I like to use “tulip-shaped” cupcake liners because you can fill them right up to the level of your baking tin for very tall muffins. Also, topping the batter with berries after filling the liners helps keep the fruit from falling to the bottom.
Yields 12 muffins
Piperade, a vegetable stew–like concoction popular in Basque country (which straddles northern Spain and southern France) is similar to Sicilian caponata or Middle Eastern shakshuka. This version is from the Alonso family, whose patriarch is Basque, though he has lived in Chile for many years. Instead of scrambling the eggs, you can break them right into the hot piperade. Cover them with a tight-fitting lid, then cook to your desired degree of doneness.
Serves 2