brunch to bring in the new year
this brunch is not for the faint of heart. it's complicated, requires a lot of ingredients, and has several moving parts. that being said it is worth every single ounce of effort, and it's not as challenging as it looks. i mean i may have made it while nursing a slight hangover.
i feel like today is the perfect day to post it though, because i mean what better day for a massive delicious brunch than new years.
this brunch is a wonderful combination. the chorizo replaces bacon and adds a certain sophistication yet maintaining that necessary weekend brunch greasiness. pan con tomate is not something i'd ever made before, but believe me i'm going to make it for every brunch from now on. i kid you not. this soggy, garlicky, tomato bread is like crack.
you need to get this entire brunch into your belly now. luckily i have leftovers.
sunny-side eggs with a chorizo radish hash and pan con tomate
chorizo and radish hash -
ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb cured chorizo, roll cut in bite-sized pieces
1/2 lb fingerling potatoes, roll cut bite-sized pieces
10 fresh thyme sprigs, tied with twine
1 bunch scallions, thinly chopped whites and greens chopped into 1-inch pieces, divided
1 medium red onion, diced
1 small delicata squash, diced into 1/2-inch pieces, or can sub and use sweet potato (no need to peel)
2-3 jalapeno peppers, thinly sliced into rings
6-8 small radishes, roll cut
2 tbsp unsalted butter
salt and pepper
fresh parmesan cheese
heat olive oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. once hot, add chorizo. cook for about 2 minutes to add some caramelization and to render fat.
once the chorizo has turned a deeper crimson colour and the fat has rendered, add the fingerling potatoes and season with salt and pepper. add the thyme bundle and cook until the potatoes are softening on the outside, about 3 minutes.
stir in scallion whites and diced red onion. season with salt and pepper again. cook another 3 minutes.
add the garlic, stir, and cook another 1 minute. add the squash and 1/4 cup water. stir and cover with a lid. turn the heat down to simmer. remove lid every few minutes to stir. cook until potatoes and squash are cooked through, about 6 minutes. meanwhile prepare the pan con tomate (see below).
once the potatoes and squash are tender, uncover and add the chopped tomato scraps from the pan con tomate, the sliced shishito peppers, cut radishes, and butter. stir and then cook, uncovered over low heat while you cook the eggs. after five minutes, remove from heat. divide the mixture onto plates with the pan con tomate.
pan con tomate -
ingredients:
2 small loaves of ciabatta or other crusty bread
2 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise
2 ripe tomatoes
sea salt and fresh ground pepper
olive oil
slice bread in half and then half again so you have four square-shaped pieces of bread.
in batches toast the bread in toaster. slightly over-toast the bread so there is a dark colour. once toasted rub the cut side of the bread with a halved clove of garlic. then mash the cut-side of a quartered tomato into the cut-side of the bread. rub the tomato in vigorously, crushing and pressing it in. use 1/4 tomato per piece of bread and reserve the scraps. add these scraps to the potato hash.
sprinkle sea salt and pepper on each piece of bread and then drizzle with olive oil. divide 2 pieces of bread between each plate.
sunny-side eggs -
ingredients:
4 tsp butter, divided
olive oil
2 cloves garlic, halved lengthwise
2 fresh bay leaves (optional)
8 large farm eggs
salt and pepper
crack two eggs into a bowl. heat one tsp butter and tbsp olive oil in a non-stick skillet over low-medium heat. before the butter is entirely melter add half a clove of garlic and half a bay leaf to the skillet. swirl the garlic around with a fork for 10-15 seconds. once the butter has melted remove the garlic and the bay leaf.
turn the heat to low and gently add the two eggs. season with salt and pepper. you can use a spoon to scoop some butter and baste the uncooked sections of egg. leave the eggs on low heat until whites are cooked through.
slide the eggs onto one of the four plates and serve with potato hash and pan con tomate.
to serve, garnish with thinly sliced scallion greens and cover in grated parmesan cheese.
enjoy this incredible brunch.