Fall Brunch, On A Shoestring

Leading Young New York Chef John Fraser Whips One Up, On The Saturday Early Show

(CBS) 

French Toast with Fig Salad

4-1/4 cups Heavy Cream
4-1/4 cups Whole Milk
8 Eggs
8 Egg Yolks
2-3/4 cups Sugar
1 Vanilla bean, scraped and split
1 loaf Brioche, sliced into 1 ½ inch thick slices
1 cup Maple Syrup
6 Figs, cut in quarters
1/2 cup Sugar
1/2 cup Water
1 bunch Mint leaves
Zest of 1/2 lime

Whisk together cream, milk, eggs, egg yolks, sugar and vanilla bean in a large baking dish. Place bread in a single layer in egg mixture.

Spoon egg mixture over bread and let stand for 24 hours in the refrigerator.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.

Sear the brioche until it starts to soufflé, about 3 minutes on each side.

Transfer French toast to plates.

For the mint syrup, bring the sugar, water, lime zest and mint leaves to a boil. Strain and cool.

Toss figs with mint syrup mixture.

Drizzle French toast with maple syrup and the fig salad.


Steamed Gingerbread Pudding

1/2 cup Butter
1/3 cup Sugar
pinch salt
1 cup caramel
2 eggs
1-1/3 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Cream the butter, sugar and salt with the paddle attachment of a mixer.

Add caramel and incorporate evenly into butter mixture.

Add eggs one at a time until evenly distributed.

In a separate bowl sift flour, baking soda, ginger, and cinnamon.

Add the graham cracker crumbs to flour mixture.

Add everything into the mixer and mix until uniform.

Grease oven proof containers or 3-inch ramekins with butter or Pam and coat with sugar.

Fill containers/ramekins half way.

Bake in a hot water bath* covered with aluminum for 15-20 minutes or until batter is set.

Serve hot.

To prepare a water bath for baking, put your filled ramekins in a larger pan and add enough boiling-hot water to reach halfway up the side of the smaller pan.)

So, how did John do with our measly $40 budget?

1ST COURSE
bacon $2.00
goat cheese $2.38
scallions .69
spinach $1.99

2ND COURSE
heavy cream $3.69
whole milk $2.29
eggs $3.98
vanilla bean $2.99
brioche $3.29
maple syrup $4.49
figs $3.99
lime .49
mint leaves .69

3RD COURSE
corn syrup $2.79
heavy cream $1.19
graham crackers $2.19
ginger .48

FINAL COST = $39.61

[bigjj29]

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[aliciaor]

I had never seen you eat that much in a show as today, I must have the recipe please. I watch you from Mexico City. Was it the french toast with figs?

[ardis6]

Anxious to try these recipes...I love good brunch recipes.