”We danced until the night became a brand new day. Two lovers playing scenes from some romantic play. September morning still can make me feel this way”
When I think about this memorable Neil Diamond song, yes it reminds me about waking up to an amazing breakfast. I thought I’d share two of my favorites. I hope you enjoy them!
Sea Scallops Benedict with Potato Cakes, Spicy Sausage and Lobster Foam
INGREDIENTS:
4 large sea scallops Potato pancakes (see recipe)
(cut in 1/2 crosswise 8 quail eggs
= 8 medallions) Chopped chives
1/4 lb. chorizo sliced thin Black olive paste
(1/2 thinly sliced, 1/2 to be used
in oil recipe)
CHORIZO OIL:
1/2 cup canola oil 1 tsp paprika
4T chorizo chopped 1 tsp face salt
1 tsp garlic
Combine all ingredients in a sauté pan on medium heat. Cook together until garlic is golden brown. Let it rest, and then strain.
POTATO PANCAKES:
2 large baking potatoes, peeled 1 egg
3 shallots, peeled Clarified butter or olive oil
Coarse or kosher salt and for sautéing.
freshly ground pepper to taste
LOBSTER FOAM:
1/4 cup reduced lobster stock
1/4 skim milk
Combine ingredients and quickly whip in a blender. For a faster method, use an espresso foamer.
PROCEDURE:
Combine potatoes, shallots and egg in a food processor and grate. Spoon grated-potato mixture into a bowl and add salt and pepper. Heat clarified butter or olive oil in a large sauté pan, preferably with a non stick surface. Spoon 2 or more tablespoons of potato mixture into pan for each pancake. The thickness and diameter of the pancake will depend on how they are to be used. Cook pancakes until golden brown, turning frequently.
TO BUILD:
Place two potato pancakes on each plate, top with chorizo, then sea scallops, then sunny side up quail egg on each scallop. Top with lobster foam and chopped chives. Circle the plate with the black olive paste and chorizo oil.
Bermuda Lobster Benedict with Crisp Parma Ham, Wild Arugula and Lobster Hollandaise
Potato Cakes and Garnish:
4 russet potatoes Salt and freshly ground
8 ounces butter black pepper
2 medium onions, diced Butter
Lobster Benedict:
8 1¼-pound Bermuda lobsters Salt
8 slices prosciutto di Parma, 8 organic eggs
cut paper-thin ¼ cup heavy cream
1 ounce distilled white vinegar 1 pound butter
Lobster Hollandaise:
¼ cup Champagne vinegar 1 pound butter, melted
3 white peppercorns Juice of 1 lemon
2 bay leaves 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 sprig fresh tarragon Cayenne pepper
1 shallot, chopped Salt
4 organic egg yolks
To Assemble and Serve:
8 English muffins, halved 8 ounces wild arugula
4 Roma tomatoes, halved Butter
lengthwise Salt and pepper
1 bunch new crop spring asparagus Fresh chives, finely chopped
(or wild asparagus, if available)
METHOD
For the Potato Cakes:
Peel the potatoes and steam for 1 hour. Press the steamed potatoes through a tamis and reserve. Heat the butter in a large skillet and sauté the onions until soft. Add the potatoes to the butter and onion mixture and blend well. Season with salt and pepper. Press the mixture into a 1-inch deep baking pan and smooth over. Bake at 375°F until the potato mixture has risen slightly and turned a light brown. Set aside to chill. Once cooled, cut the potatoes into desired shape and cook on an electric griddle in a bit of butter. Cook cakes until golden brown on both sides and hold in a 225°F-oven.
For the Lobster Benedict:
Cook the lobsters in boiling water for about 5 minutes, or until the shells turn pink. Shell and reserve the meat. Split the lobsters down the center. Separate the split tails from the bodies, reserving the latter for another use (stock or soup). Remove the tail meat and reserve in the refrigerator until needed. Put prosciutto slices between two silicon baking sheets and bake at 350°F for approximately 8 to 15 minutes, or until crisp (cooking time depends on oven type, so check often). Fill a medium-sized stockpot with water and bring to a simmer, adding the distilled vinegar and a large pinch of salt. Poach the eggs until medium-rare and shock in ice water bath. Reserve the eggs until serving time, maintaining the poach pot at temperature. Pour the heavy cream into a wide-bottom skillet and gently reduce until slightly thickened. Add the butter in small pieces, whisking constantly until a lightly thickened sauce forms; keep warm. Add the lobster tail meat holding one tail back for the hollandaise to the butter sauce and simmer over medium-low heat, turning frequently until the tail just begins to curl. Turn off the heat. Reserve.
For the Lobster Hollandaise:
Bring a pot of water to a simmer and reserve for simmering water bath; have egg yolks ready in a bowl. Combine the Champagne vinegar, white peppercorns, bay leaves, tarragon, shallot and reduce the mixture until almost dry. Strain out the aromatics and add the vinegar syrup to the egg yolks, placing the new mixture over the simmering water bath and whisking until ribbons appear and the liquid is hot and thick. Little by little, add the melted butter to the mixture, whisking vigorously until all of the butter and whey has been incorporated. Season with salt, lemon juice, Worcestershire and a pinch of cayenne pepper. Dice finely the last lobster tail and fold into the hollandaise.
To Assemble and Serve:
Toast the English muffins and hold in the oven with the potato cakes. Drop the seasoned Roma tomatoes onto an electric griddle and caramelize. Place the partially cooked eggs into the poach pot along with the asparagus. While both cook, in a large skillet lightly wilt the wild arugula in batches. Arrange a bit of the arugula on each English muffin, topping each with a piece of lobster tail. Place one poached egg on top of the lobster. Remove the asparagus from the poaching water and season with butter, salt and pepper. Arrange opposite the benedicts with a potato cake and caramelized tomato. Top each benedict with lobster hollandaise, a broken piece of crisp prosciutto and some chopped chives.
barry.cohen@fairmont.com
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