Studio 5: BBQ to Brunch

My two favorite meals during the summer are a good 'ole fashioned Texas style Bar-B-Q and a lazy, lingering breakfast, aka brunch!  The following recipes marry these two meals, using precious Bar-B-Q leftovers to make beautiful savory brunch dishes.

I always cook extra for my Bar-B-Qs,  with plenty of Baked Beans and Succulent slow-cooked meats, like brisket, ribs and pulled pork, and because watermelons are so big, I always have enough left over to whizz in the food processor or blender and freeze.

This frozen watermelon juice is great for smoothies, sorbets, lemonades and the a perfect brunch cocktail / mocktail, Watermelon Bellini.  Typically an alcoholic drink made with Champagne or Sparkling wine, my mocktail version uses nice fizzy Pellegrino instead.

Watermelon Bellini

Quick, easy, refreshing & pretty!

Blend the following ingredients:

3 cups frozen watermelon juice (broken up into chunks.

2 -4 Tbsps of white sugar (to taste depending on sweetness of watermelon).

2 - 4 Tbsps of fresh lemon or lime juice (to taste depending on how tart you want it).

Pour into glasses till about 1/3 full.

Pour chilled Pellegrino until bubbles reach the top.

Garnish with a skewer of watermelon pieces, fresh basil or other herb or wedge of lime.

Toast & Beans Breakfast Stack

An American take on the classic British Toast & Beans, with avocado, fresh tomatoes, Beans & green onions.

Use your favorite baked beans recipe (I use Pioneer Woman's recipe).

Tip:  If beans have thickened in the fridge, when reheating, add a little warm water until the consistency is a bit saucy.

 

Toast a nice thick slide of country bread.  Spoon hot beans on top, layer half of an avocado over beans and top with an over easy egg.  Drizzle with a bit of good olive oil and sprinkle with finely sliced green onions.

 

Tomatoes play an important role in the taste of this dish.  Toss some cherry tomatoes in a little white balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt & pepper or slice tomatoes and add to the stack.  The tomatoes brighten the dish in color and taste!

Eggs & Brisket in Purgatory

 

A classic Italian brunch dish (Uova in Purgatorio); eggs are poached in a spicy marinara sauce and topped with a drizzle of olive oil, grated parmesan cheese & fresh basil.  My husband is always asking "where's the meat", so I added leftover brisket to the sauce, which adds a nice dimension to the dish.  You could also add meat from pulled pork or meat pulled from ribs.  It's already tender and delicious, so just add to sauce, no cooking necessary,  just a little reheating.

 

Just a note of interest...  similar to Mexican Huevos Rancheros and Middle Eastern Shakshouka, this Italian dish supposedly originates from the Catholic faith, with the poached eggs representing the 'souls' and the fiery tomato sauce surrounding them representing "Purgatory", the idea being  the souls are suspended between heaven and hell. 

 

This time of the year, my marinara is made by roasting my garden fresh tomatoes, onions & garlic and pureeing in blender.  I add some Italian seasoning, fresh basil, Salt, pepper and a touch of cream.  To create the spiciness I add red pepper flakes.

 

Place a ration of 1 cup per egg of your favorite marinara sauce into a oven proof pan.  Heat and bring to a simmer.  Make sure sauce is saucy enough, add a bit of water if not.  You want it thick enough to hold the egg in place, but thin enough to it's dippable...the best part!

 

Crack eggs into small bowl.  Have these ready to go.  Move sauce with large spoon and immediately pour egg behind spoon, so it rests in its hole.  Repeat with how many eggs you are making.  3 in small pan, or 4-5 in large pan.  Salt & Pepper tops of eggs.

 

For yolky eggs, simmer eggs on stove top for 5 minutes and transfer to broiler just long enough to cook the top of the whites.

 

If you like a soft egg yolk, put the pan directly into a 375 oven for 10 minutes until whites are cooked though.

 

Use a large spoon to serve up the eggs into a bowl, getting as much of the sauce at the same time (you can always add more on the sides).  Drizzle with some good olive oil, sprinkle with grated parmesan cheese and chopped fresh basil.

 

Don't forget a nice thick crusty piece of toast to dip into the sauce!  Enjoy!