Breakfast

Tina: French toast has become part of the Sunday morning routine in my home. It’s easy to make, and my kids and my husband love the golden-brown slices, which are crisp on the outside and soft and fluffy inside. As you can see in the video below, my daughter Nova loves to help, whisking eggs, dipping slices of bread, and sprinkling just the right amount of cinnamon and sugar. It’s a testament to how easy this recipe is, – even a child can do it:)

For French toast, I always use brioche bread. It has a soft and tender crumb with a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth quality resulting in a more delicate and custard-like interior, as the bread readily absorbs the egg and milk mixture. You can of course use other kinds of soft white bread, but if you want the right kind of buttery flavor and irresistible bouncy texture, you should go for brioche.

Recipe: French Toast with Mascarpone & Lemon Curd

Recipe by 2 Hungry Birds – Tina Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Servings

4

servings

For French toast, I always use brioche bread. It has a soft and tender crumb with a delicate, melt-in-your-mouth quality resulting in a more delicate and custard-like interior, as the bread readily absorbs the egg and milk mixture. You can of course use other kinds of soft white bread, but if you want the right kind of buttery flavor and irresistible bouncy texture, you should go for brioche.

Ingredients

• French toast

• 6-8 6-8 thick slices brioche bread

• ½ cup ½ milk

• 2 2 eggs

• 1 teaspoon 1 vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon ½ cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon ½ cardamom

• 2 teaspoons 2 sugar (more if you prefer a sweeter flavor)

• Butter for frying

• Mascarpone cream

• ½ cup ½ mascarpone cheese

• ½ cup ½ heavy cream

• 1 tablespoon 1 lemon curd

• Garnish

• Fresh berries

• Maple syrup

Directions

• Mascarpone cream
• Whip together heavy cream lemon curd and mascarpone until it’s fluffy and little peaks have started to form. Put in the fridge for later use.
• French toast
• Start by slicing your Brioche bread into thick slices, about 3/4 to 1 inch thick. Fresh, slightly stale, or day-old Brioche works well.
• In a mixing bowl, crack the eggs and whisk them until they are well-beaten. Add the milk, vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom (if using), and sugar to the eggs. Whisk everything together until well combined.
• Preheat a skillet or griddle over medium heat and add a knob of butter to coat the surface.
• Dip each slice of Brioche into the egg mixture, ensuring that both sides are thoroughly coated. Allow any excess mixture to drip off.
• Place the soaked Brioche slices onto the preheated skillet or griddle. Cook until the bottom side is golden brown, which typically takes 2-3 minutes.
• Gently flip the slices with a spatula and continue cooking until the other side is also golden brown and the bread is cooked through. This should take another 2-3 minutes. Once both sides are perfectly golden and the interior is custardy, remove the French toast from the skillet. Serve the French toast immediately while it’s still warm.
• Arrange a couple of slices on a plate along with a dollop of Mascarpone cream. Garnish with fresh berries and drizzle with maple syrup.

Recipe Video

Shakshuka is a versatile and delightful dish that’s traditionally enjoyed for breakfast, but it also shines as a hearty lunch or even dinner option. At its core, Shakshuka features eggs poached in a rich tomato sauce, often spiced and simmered to perfection.

I’ve tasted various renditions of Shakshuka, some enriched with bell peppers, onions, and other vegetables. Personally, I prefer a straightforward, yet spicy, tomato base, but occasionally, I would add some chorizo for an added layer of flavor.

What’s truly wonderful about this dish is its simplicity. Not only are the ingredients commonly available, but the preparation is also straightforward. You can cook it in a large skillet to serve a crowd or, as is my preference, create individual servings using ramekins. This ensures each person gets their perfectly poached egg nestled in a bed of luscious tomato sauce.

Recipe: Spicy Shakshuka

Recipe by 2 Hungry Birds – Tina Course: Breakfast, Brunch

Servings

6

servings

I’ve tasted various renditions of Shakshuka, some enriched with bell peppers, onions, and other vegetables. Personally, I prefer a straightforward, yet spicy, tomato base, but occasionally, I would add some chorizo for an added layer of flavor.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons 3 olive oil

• 3 3 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded, and finely chopped

• 1 1 shallot, chopped

• 4 4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

• 1 teaspoon 1 ground cumin

• 1 tablespoon 1 paprika

• 1 pinch 1 cayenne pepper

• 1 can 1 (28 oz.) whole peeled tomatoes with juices

• Salt and pepper

• 12 12 eggs

• ½ cup ½ feta cheese, crumbled

• 1 tablespoon 1 parsley, chopped

• Toasted sliced bread/baguette or pita bread

Directions

• Heat oil in a medium-sized pot over medium-high heat. Add jalapeno and shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add garlic, cumin, paprika and cayenne, and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic is soft, about 2 more minutes.
• Crush the tomatoes with your hands and add the tomatoes and their liquid into the pot with onions and jalapeño. Add 1/2 cup water, reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens (about 20 minutes). Season sauce with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 375ºF
  
• In 6 small ramekins, distribute the spicy tomato sauce and crack two eggs on top in each of the ramekins. Spoon a little of the sauce over the sides of the eggs, being careful not to destroy the yolks, and bake them in the oven for about 10 minutes depending on your egg preference.
• Sprinkle the shakshuka with feta and parsley and serve with fresh baked toasted bread. The bread will be used to spoon your sauce and eggs up.