We asked several chefs and food people for their favourite brunch dishes, the kind you make when you have time and there’s no pressure, to enjoy by yourself or with your people.
Curtis Comeau Photography
Chocolate Nut Butter Stuffed French Toast with Cherry and Black Tea Jam
Doreen Prei, head chef Mercer’s Catering and CBC Food Columnist
Brioche (for the French toast)
Make a pre-dough:
| 50 g | sugar |
| 100 g | flour |
| 42 g | fresh yeast |
| 90 g | warm milk |
Combine the yeast with the warm milk.
Combine the sugar and the flour. Add everything together and whisk well. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 15 minutes in a warm place.
Add to the pre-dough:
| 125 g | egg (about 3 medium) |
| 15 g | salt |
| 15 ml | rum, gin or vodka |
| 125 g | melted butter (about 1 stick) |
| 80 g | milk |
In a stand mixer add all the ingredients and mix with a dough hook.
Once mixed, add:
| 450 g | sifted flour |
Mix on medium-high for about 10 minutes. Cover with a kitchen towel and rest for 2 hours in a warm place.
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Shape the brioche dough into a loaf and place in a buttered loaf pan. Cover with a kitchen towel and rest for 2 hours in a warm place until just doubled in size.
To finish the loaf:
| 2 | egg yolks g |
| 60 ml | whipping cream |
Combine and brush on the loaf just before baking. Bake until golden-brown, 30-35 minutes.
Cherry and Black Tea Jam
| 200 g | frozen cherries |
| pinch | salt |
| sugar to taste | |
| dash | vanilla |
| 150 ml | dry red wine or port |
| 1 whole | star anise |
| 3 bags | black tea or Earl Grey |
Combine all ingredients but the tea and place in a pot. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes, stir once in a while. Add more sugar at the end for your liking. Steep with the tea bags for about 5 minutes then discard. Puree slightly with a hand blender or leave chunky. The jam should come nicely together.
Chocolate Nut Butter
| 100 g | dark chocolate |
| 100 ml | whipping cream |
| 2 T | nut butter (peanut, cashew, almond or a combination) |
| pinch | salt |
In a bowl add the chocolate, cream and a pinch of salt. Place the bowl over a simmering, not boiling, water bath to melt the chocolate.
Once melted, remove from the heat and add the nut butter. Combine well. (For the drizzle afterwards, warm the chocolate and nut butter back up so it becomes fluid.)
French Toast
| 4 slices | brioche |
| 4 T | chocolate nut butter |
| 1 | egg |
| splash | milk |
| 2 T | butter for frying |
| icing sugar for dusting |
Beat the egg with a splash of milk.
Spread the chocolate nut butter on one slice of the brioche and cover with another slice. Push it down with a little bit of pressure and dip both sides of the brioche into the egg mixture. Repeat.
Heat up a non-stick frying pan to medium heat and add the butter. Once the butter is melted add the brioche and fry golden brown on both sides.
Cut in half and serve with the cherry and black tea jam. Dust with icing sugar, drizzle a little bit of the warmed-up chocolate nut butter on top and serve hot. You can also add some crushed nuts, such as walnuts or hazelnuts and sprinkle over top.
Serves 2.
Crepes with Sweet Ricotta Filling
This is a traditional Polish recipe. In Poland it is served for brunch, main or dessert. It can also be adjusted to a savoury crepe by removing the sugar and vanilla, adding some herbs and shredded Gouda to the cheese mixture, and served with a savoury sauce. I have used both versions over the years in different restaurants. It will be served at the Glasshouse for brunch in the spring. –Julia Kundera, the Glasshouse Kitchen & Bar
Sweet Ricotta Filling
| 1 kg | pressed ricotta cheese (Polish twarog cheese or farmer’s cheese, usually available at Italian Centre). If you cannot find use cream cheese |
| 4 | egg yolks |
| ¾ c | granulated sugar |
| 2 t | vanilla paste or vanilla extract |
Mix the cheese in a food processor until smooth. Add egg yolks, sugar, and vanilla and mix until well blended.
Crepes
| 4 lg | eggs |
| 500 ml | full fat milk |
| 320 ml | sparkling water |
| 90 g | butter, melted |
| ½ t | salt |
| 1 T | sugar |
| 300 g | flour |
| 1 T | grape seed oil for frying |
Whisk the eggs, milk, sparkling water, sugar, butter and salt until combined. Slowly start adding flour whisking until combined and smooth. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Apply grape seed oil to a paper towel, brush your frying pan and then preheat the pan on medium-low heat. Fry the crepes until the surface is semi-set and flip to the other side. Reserve.
Fill the crepes with sweet ricotta cheese filling and wrap (rouleau or triangular-shaped). Fry for a few minutes on low heat or bake in the oven with brown butter until heated through.
Serve with your favourite topping—fresh fruit, fruit compote, chocolate, caramel, whipped cream.
Serves 4-6.
Buckwheat Pancakes
This is a go-to recipe for when we have guests for brunch at home. This recipe makes regular pancakes for four people (3 or 4 pancakes per person), or enough small ones (blini) to serve as an appetizer with smoked salmon. Serve with back bacon, caramelized onion, grated Gruyere and in-season asparagus, or wilted spinach. Especially nice with chorizo (instead of bacon) and a fresh tomato sauce. Top your pancake stacks with a fried egg to really impress. If you wish to make them gluten free don’t include the all-purpose flour—100 per cent buckwheat pancakes will be slightly more dense and dry. –Chris Hrynyk, Madison’s Grill
| 1 c | buckwheat flour |
| ¼ c | flour |
| 1 t | sugar |
| 1 t | baking powder |
| ¼ t | baking soda |
| pinch | salt |
| 2 | large eggs |
| 1½ c | buttermilk |
Mix all dry ingredients in a bowl. Beat eggs, buttermilk in another bowl.
Add egg mixture to the dry and mix until it comes together into a thick batter. Allow to rest for 10 minutes. Batter will hold overnight in the fridge.
Melt some butter on a griddle or in a well-seasoned cast iron frying pan over medium heat.
Using a large spoon drop batter into the pan and cook until bubbles form on top. Flip and cook until browned, 2-3 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
Serves 4.
Scandinavian Rice Porridge
This is such a comforting and soul satisfying dish. It’s incredibly simple to make, inexpensive, and can be dressed up so many different ways. If you haven’t had rice porridge, please, give it a shot on the next cold day! It can also keep in the fridge for a few days. If you don’t have time to heat it up every morning, it works as a cold dish too. Just add a bit of extra milk, stir it around, top with berries, honey, chia seeds, preserves, whatever you want. –Kelsey Johnson, exec chef TypTop Bakery and NAIT culinary instructor
| 180 g | short grain rice (arborio works well) |
| ¼ t | salt |
| 400 mL | water |
| 800 mL | milk |
Bring water to a boil in a medium-sized pot over high heat and stream in the rice and salt. Whisk often while cooking to avoid sticking to the bottom of the pot. Once most of the water is absorbed, add the milk and continue to cook over medium heat, whisking often, until everything is absorbed. It should look like a nice shiny porridge and have a balance of salt and natural sweet.
Now that the base is made, the fun part of building your bowl comes in. At Café Linnea we used Bourbon-soaked peaches that were preserved in the height of peach season, crunchy almond butter and lavender infused honey. Other great combos are the traditional cinnamon, butter, dried berries; caramelized pineapple, coconut, ginger, lime; pistachio, blackberry, maple syrup; banana, chia seeds, peanut butter.
Serves 4.
Spaghetti Squash Brunch Cakes with Maple Buttered Squash
These cakes can be enjoyed solo, or they pair well with friends and family. Recommended: listening to an amazing playlist while making. –Liana Robberecht, Calgary chef and culinary artist
| 1 c | cooked spaghetti squash |
| ½ sm | white onion sliced thin, rinsed in cold water, pat dry |
| 1 | egg |
| 2 | green onion, fine chopped |
| 1 T | garlic powder |
| 1 T | dried tarragon |
| 2 T | chopped parsley |
| ¼ t | baking powder |
| ¾ c | flour |
| dash | salt |
Mix squash, all seasonings and the egg together. Add the flour and baking powder. Divide mixture into ten soft balls.
Heat sauté pan with small amount of oil, drop each ball into the pan, leaving space to flatten them. Cook for approximately 2-3 minutes. Turn over cook for another 2-3 minutes. Remove and season.
Makes 10 cakes.
Maple Buttered Squash
| 1 c | cooked diced roasted butternut squash |
| ½ c | butter |
| ½ c | maple syrup |
| pinch | salt |
| ½ t | lemon zest |
In a heated sauté pan, add butter and squash. When the butter has melted, add maple syrup. Heat until simmering, add lemon zest amd a pinch of salt, pour over squash cakes as desired.
TypTop Cinnamon Bun Bread Pudding
This is a great way to use up any cinnamon buns that have started to go a little crunchy on the edges, if you’ve managed to keep them in the house that long. –chef Kelsey Johnson
| 4 | cinnamon buns |
| ¾ c | heavy cream |
| 2 | eggs |
| ½ c | sugar |
| 1 t | vanilla |
| ¼ c | any add-ins you want, think nuts, banana slices, chocolate chips, etc. |
Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Slice the cinnamon buns into roughly 6 to 8 pieces and scoop them into a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together cream, eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Pour the mixture over the sliced-up buns. Toss well to combine and let it soak in. Mix in any additional add-ins you want at this point.
Line a loaf tin with parchment paper and tip the bread mixture in. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until set in the center and slightly golden brown. Unmold and allow to cool before slicing. Eat as-is or toast in a pan with brown butter. Top with maple syrup and enjoy!
Serves 4.
Roasted Tomato Gratin with Poached Eggs
Okay. I’m bringing out an oldie but goodie. It really is a great one for late summer when tomatoes are plentiful, but we get great tomatoes now year-round and this is good for a cold day. –Leanne Smoliak
| 4 T | extra virgin olive oil |
| 2 c | good quality crusty baguette, hand-torn or cut into ¾-in. pieces |
| 1 clove | garlic, smashed |
| 3½ c | cherry tomatoes, whole |
| ½ t | sugar |
| ½ t | salt |
| pepper, few good grinds | |
| ¼ c | white wine |
| 1 oz | grated Parmesan |
| 8 | eggs |
| 2 T | chiffonade (chopped fine) basil |
In a large sauté pan on low to medium heat add 3 T of the olive oil and heat, add the bread and toss to coat. Stirring regularly, toast until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl. In the same sauté pan on medium-high heat add the rest of the olive oil and the tomatoes, garlic, sugar, salt and pepper. The idea is to blister the cherry tomatoes. This means the skin starts to break and the juices start to come out. When that is done add white wine and bring to a simmer over high heat for 1 full minute until flavours blend.
Add toasted baguette and transfer to gratin dish or shallow casserole dish. Sprinkle with Parmesan and put into a preheated 350ºF oven for 10 minutes.
To poach eggs, have a large pot of water ready on simmer (at least 4” deep water). Add 1 T white vinegar to the water. Crack each egg in a ramekin first and then pour that egg into the water. Only cook 4 eggs at a time. ALWAYS use a timer. For a firm white and runny yolk you want to poach 3-4 minutes. (the Smo’s like a 3- minute egg.). Once the timer goes off, use a slotted spoon to remove the poached egg and gently dab with paper towel. Put each egg on a slightly buttered piece of parchment. Each egg must have its own piece.
Once all the eggs are done, take the gratin out of the oven and slide the eggs off of the parchment on to the gratin. If the eggs got a little cool, the gratin will heat them quickly. Sprinkle with basil and serve immediately. This goes well with ham, sausage or good old-fashioned bacon, Irving’s of course.
Serves 4.
Shakshuka all’Italiana
This dish reminds me of travelling in Morocco with an Italian twist. It will be on the Della Tavola menu once we launch brunch. –Elisa Zenari, Dalla Tavola Zenari
| 2 T | extra-virgin olive oil |
| 2 cloves | garlic, thinly sliced |
| 1 sprig | rosemary, chopped |
| 1 c | cannellini beans, rinsed |
| 1 c | tomato sauce (homemade or store bought) |
| ½ c | heavy cream (or leftover cream sauce) |
| kosher salt, freshly ground pepper to taste | |
| 2-4 | large eggs |
| 4 slices | prosciutto, or chopped sliced prosciutto |
| flaky sea salt to finish |
Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic and rosemary, tossing until garlic is golden brown and rosemary crisps up slightly but isn’t browned, about 30 seconds for rosemary and 2 minutes for garlic.
Add the beans and tomato sauce to skillet and cook, stirring often, until coated, about 1 minute. Mix in cream, season with kosher salt and lots of pepper and bring to a simmer. Toss in prosciutto slices then crack eggs into bean mixture and season them with kosher salt. Cover (a baking sheet works great if you don’t have a matching lid) and cook until the white parts of eggs are set but yolks are still runny, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Finish with sea salt if desired. Serve with bread.
Serves 2-4.
Noble Premium Bison Hash Cakes
This recipe will razzle dazzle your friends and family and become your new brunch favourite. To save time, braise the bison, bake the potato and roast the pepper on the day before, then it’s rock and roll the day of. Recommended with eggs of your choice, or a delicious side salad. –Chef Liana Robberecht
Braised Bison
| 1 c | bison steak cubes |
| canola oil for browning | |
| 1 | carrot, rough chop |
| ½ | onion, rough chop |
| 1 | celery stalk, rough chop |
| 1 | garlic clove, smashed |
| ¼ t | thyme |
| 2 whole | star anise |
| 2 | bay leaf |
| 1 c | red wine |
| water to cover |
Brown bison in a medium sized pot, then add the rest of the ingredients. Add enough water to cover the steak cubes. Cover with a lid then simmer until the cubes are fork tender approximately 3-4 hours (or longer). When tender and cool enough, pull apart with two forks into strands. Dispose of the braising liquid.
Bison Hash Cakes
| braised bison, shredded | |
| 1 | russet potato, baked, peeled, cooled and grated |
| 8 | green onion stalks, chopped finely (green part only) |
| ½ sm | white onion, sliced thinly |
| 2 T | garlic powder |
| 2 T | onion powder |
| 2 T | chipotle Tabasco |
| 1 T | Highwood Crossing canola oil |
| 1 | red pepper, roasted, seeded and diced |
| 1 | egg |
| 1 T | apple sauce |
| dash | salt and pepper |
| canola oil for frying |
Preheat oven 350ºF.
Mix all ingredients including the pulled bison together in a bowl. Divide into four and make four oval patties. Heat sauté pan and add canola oil. Place the bison hash cakes in the pan and cook for 2-3 minutes. Flip and repeat. Gently remove cakes, put on a sheet pan and cook in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan, sprinkle with salt and serve.
Makes 4 cakes.
Malaysian Beef Satay on Toast with Fried Egg
The beef satay can be made ahead and frozen. Heat up before use. –chef Andrew Fung, XIX
Beef Satay
| 1 lb | sliced beef tenderloin |
| 1 T | soy sauce |
| 1 t | oyster sauce |
| 1 t | sugar |
| 3 t | corn starch |
| ½ t | grated ginger |
| 1 T | whole egg |
| 1 t | red wine |
| 1 t | dark soy sauce |
| 1 t | corn starch |
| 2 t | oil |
Marinate the beef in the first six ingredients for 1-2 hours. Mix in the red wine, dark soy sauce, corn starch and oil.
Satay Sauce
| 2 T | minced shallot |
| 1 t | minced garlic |
| ¼ c | finely slice green onion |
| 1 T | Lee Kum Kee brand Sa Cha sauce |
| 1 T | Lee Kum Kee brand Curry sauce |
| 150 ml | water |
| ½ t | salt |
| 1 t | soy sauce |
| 1 T | oyster sauce |
| ½ t | dark soy sauce |
| 3 t | sugar |
| 1 T | slurry (corn starch and cold water) |
Heat 3 tablespoons vegetable oil in a pan and sear beef tenderloin until golden brown. Reserve. Sweat the shallot, garlic and onion until soft. Add the Lee Kum Kee sauces and blend. Add the water, oyster sauce, the soy and dark soy and sugar. Add the slurry until you have nice sauce consistency. Add the beef back into the sauce and season to taste. Set beef satay aside.
Toast
| 2 slices | sourdough bread |
| 2 | eggs |
Pan fry the bread with olive oil until golden brown. Fry eggs sunny side up until egg whites are crispy. Set aside.
To serve:
Lay toast on the plate. Spoon beef satay on the top. Lay crispy egg on top of the beef satay. Garnish with fresh herbs (cilantro, basil, Italian parsley) tossed with extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 2.
Workshop’s Chicken & Waffles
This has to be one of my favourite indulgent dishes on any of our menus. This isn’t exactly something I would eat every day, but it is definitely something worth consuming a week’s worth of calories in one sitting. It’s become so popular that when we opened for brunch at The Greenhouse at Victoria we just had to bring it there too! While the dish at the restaurant features a couple of poached eggs, rich hollandaise, and house-made hot sauce, I’m only going to focus on the two key recipes here, the fried chicken and the waffles. I’m assuming if you’re ambitious enough to prepare this dish, you’re likely skilled enough to poach an egg or whip up some hollandaise. This is a good combination dish, that both items could be prepared separately.
Let’s start with the chicken. I like to use Morinville Colony chickens for this. We usually use the breast for entrees and save the leg for fried chicken. Use your preferred chicken, and your favourite cuts. I like the drum and the thigh, because they are juicy and tend to cook a little more quickly. I elect to brine the chicken. Listen, if you don’t want to have to prepare this a day ahead, then don’t sweat it, but, if you want amazingly moist and delicious chicken, then do the right thing. –Paul Shufelt, exec chef Workshop Eatery, Woodshed, the Greenhouse at Victoria.
Brined chicken
| 1 | chicken, cut up into 9 pieces |
| 1 | lemon, halved |
| 2 | bay leaf |
| 4 | sprigs fresh parsley |
| 4 | sprigs fresh thyme |
| 2 T | honey |
| 2 cloves | garlic, peeled, smashed |
| 5 T | kosher salt |
| 1.6 lt. | water |
Make the brine: in a pot combine all of the ingredients, except the chicken. Bring to a simmer and let the salt and honey dissolve. Let cool completely, then pour over the chicken and ensure it is all submerged. Let the chicken brine for at least 2 hours and up to 12, but no longer than that. Once brined, remove and refrigerate the chicken until ready to cook, and discard brine.
Waffle Batter
| 2⅓ c | pastry flour |
| ¼ c | malt powder |
| 1 T | sugar |
| 2 t | dry active yeast |
| 1 t | salt |
| 1 t | baking soda |
| 1½ c | milk |
| 1 T | butter |
| 1 | egg |
Place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.
In a pot, slowly heat the milk and butter, just enough to melt the butter. Let cool slightly (this is the key, do not let the milk be over 100ºF when adding to the dry ingredients or you’ll kill the yeast). When cool enough, add the milk and the egg into the dry ingredients, whisking well, until smooth. Let stand at room temperature about 20-30 minutes.
Chicken Dredge
| 2 c | flour |
| 2 T | garlic powder |
| 2 T | onion powder |
| 1 t | cayenne |
| 1 t | paprika |
| 2 t | salt |
| 1 t | pepper |
Place all of the dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine well.
To finish the dish:
| 2 c | buttermilk |
| oil for deep fryer (preferably in a proper deep fryer) | |
| oil for waffle maker |
Preheat the deep fryer to 350ºF.
Preheat the waffle maker to medium-high (about a 7 or 8 out of 10).
Place the buttermilk in another small bowl, next to the dredge.
Starting with the larger pieces, take the brined chicken and place in the chicken dredge, coat all sides, then tap off excess flour and set aside. Repeat this process until all pieces are dredged.
Quickly take a piece of chicken, place it in the buttermilk and coat all sides, then quickly back into the flour, coating all sides again, and then gently place piece into the fryer.
Fry the chicken in batches, so as not to overcrowd your fryer. Large pieces will take 12-14 minutes, smaller pieces 8-10 minutes, but I highly recommend using a probe thermometer for safety. 180ºF internal temperature is a nice safe number.
While the chicken is frying, lightly grease your waffle maker and then place a generous ladle of batter in, covering all of the maker. Close the lid and let cook until crispy on both sides, about 3-4 minutes, depending on your maker.
Serve the fried chicken and waffles with some hot sauce and real maple syrup and you’ll be in heaven!
Serves 4-6.