Blueberry brioche French toast

 

Brioche French toast with blueberry quick jam
From “Half Baked Harvest Super Simple” by Tieghan Gerard

Ingredients
¼ cup maple syrup, please more for serving
2 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
4 tablespoons melted butter
8 large eggs, beaten
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
3 tablespoons bourbon
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cinnamon, divided
½ teaspoon salt
1 brioche loaf, cut into slices
2 tablespoons room temperature butter
Blueberry fruit jam for garnish
White cream, for optional garnish

Method
Grease a 13-by-9 baking dish. In the pan, mix syrup, 1 tablespoon  brown sugar and the melted butter.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, coconut milk, bourbon, vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and the salt until well blended. Put brioche slices in the mixture one at a time, letting them soak up some of the mixture. Arrange bread in prepared pan and pour remaining mixture over the top.

Combine the 2 tablespoons softened butter, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dot mixture over the top of bread slices in the pan. Cover pan and refrigerate for at least an hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375. Uncover pan and bake until golden and crisp, 40 to 45 minutes, covering with tin foil partway through if it starts to get to dark. Serve warm, topped with blueberry jam and whipped cream if desired.

Any fruit jam
From “Half Baked Harvest Super Simple”

Ingredients
6 cups fresh fruit
¼ cup maple syrup or honey
Juice of a lemon
Bring fruit, syrup and lemon juice to a boil over high heat in a large saucepan. Break down the fruit with a fork. Continue cooking until jam thickens and has been reduced by a third. Store refrigerated.

Rating: It was perfectly fine  Not as decadent-tasting as some French toasts, despite its lavish ingredient list, so you may well want either additional syrup or the optional whipped cream if you're looking for something that tastes truly indulgent. The blueberry jam was OK, I'm not sure but what I wouldn't rather just serve this with some real blueberry jam from my supplier of fantastic blueberries, Hazelwood Creek Farm.

Marinated roasted mushrooms with onions

 

Tangy roasted mushrooms
From “Nothing Fancy” by Alison Roman

Ingredients
1 pounds assorted fresh mushrooms, turn or chopped into bite-size pieces
¼ cup olive oil
1 small onion or shallot, thinly sliced into rings
¼ cup white wine vinegar
Fresh herbs for optional garnish (I used chives)

Method
Preheat oven to 425. Toss mushrooms with olive oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Roast, stirring occasionally until browned and starting to crisp, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Remove from oven and transfer to a large bowl. Toss with onion and vinegar. Let stand for at least 20 minutes to marinate. Serve garnished with herbs of choice. Can be made ahead, bring closer to room temperature before serving and adding herbs right before serving.

Rating: Very tangy and tasty. Roasting the mushrooms really helps deepen the flavor. Not the best choice for an appetizer buffet, which is how I first used it, but much more useful as a flatbread topping (straining out the wonderful marinade for other uses) or served over broiled slices of polenta as a sit-down appetizer. Honestly, it would be good for anything that soaks up moisture, from a salad/grain bowl to smashed potatoes.