A Meal To Start Off 2001

Chef Marc Meyer
Five Points
New York, NY
Air date: Dec. 30, 2000

New Years Day Brunch for Eight

MENU:
Smoked Trout and Blood Orange Salad
Baked Eggs with Spinach and Brioche
Ricotta Fritters
Bircher Meusli served with Bellini

Smoked Trout and Blood Orange Salad

6 Blood Oranges
1 Red Onion, Thinly Sliced
3 Smoked Trout Filets
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbs. Honey
Chopped Fresh Mint for Garnish

Peel the oranges, slice into rounds, and reserve. Skin the filets, cut into serving portions, and reserve. Arrange the rounds on a platter, spread the red onions over them, and drizzle with half the olive oil. Distribute trout over the blood oranges, dress with lemon juice, honey, and remaining olive oil, garnish with fresh mint, and serve.

Baked Eggs with Spinach and Brioche

8 Large Eggs
8 1/2 inch thick Slices Brioche
2 Bunches Spinach
1/4 lb. Parmigiano-Reggiano (for grating)
1/4 Cup Creme Fraiche
1 tbs. Olive Oil
Butter
Salt and Pepper to Taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and toast the brioche slices. Add one teaspoon of olive oil to a saute pan and wilt the spinach over medium heat. Drain the spinach, squeeze to remove any excess liquid, and reserve. Butter an enameled cast-iron dish or glazed ramekin large enough to hold all the brioche in one layer. Arrange the brioche on the bottom of the pan and scatter the spinach over the bread. Crack the eggs directly on top of the spinach/brioche. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the creme Fraiche, grate the Parmesan over the eggs, and set in the oven. Cook eggs until set, about 8 to 10 minutes, or until they reach the desired level of doneness.

Creme Fraiche

Quart of Cream
1 Cup of Buttermilk

Bring the cream to 98 degrees on the stove. Add a cup of buttermilk and wisk. Then let sit in refrigerator overnight.

Ricotta Fritters

1 ½ lb. ricotta
4 eggs
½ cup flour
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
½ oz. vanilla extract
powdered sugar for dusting
Vegetable oil

1. Mix all ingredients except the powdered sugar and vegetable oil
together and reserve.

2. Heat oil to 375 degrees in a large pan, and add batter by the
spoonful, frying for about 4 minutes or until a deep golden brown.

Bircher Meusli

1 lb. Raw Rolled Oats (Such as Quaker Oats...just not Instant Oatmeal)
1 Apple, cored and diced
1 Pear, seeded and diced
1 Banana, Peeled and Sliced
2 Bunch Grapes, Washed and Halved
3 oz. Raisins
3 oz. Toasted Walnuts
2 oz. Dates, pitted and chopped
2 oz. Almonds, sliced
2 oz. Turbinado sugar
Small can of sweetened condensed milk
2 Cups Whole Milk

Mix everything together in a large bowl and set in the refrigerator overnight. Serve with extra milk on the side.