Luncheon Omelet

Weekends are a time to take it easy, letting weekday tensions fade away. A classic omelet with thyme and cheddar, fruit salad with orange mint dressing and butterscotch breakfast buns make up this simple, tasty weekend brunch.

• Butterscotch Breakfast Buns
• Classic Omelet with Fresh Thyme and Cheddar
• Fruit Salad with Mint
• Yogurt Cheese

Butterscotch Breakfast Buns

Yield: 12

Ingredients:

For the Bread Dough:

• 3 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of rolled oats
• 2 tsp of salt
• 1 1/2 cups of tepid water
• 1 tbsp yeast
• 1 oz of honey
• 1 oz of olive oil
• 1 oz of dried milk powder
• Zest of 2 oranges

For the Buns:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 stick of butter, in chunks

Directions:

For the Bread Dough:

1. Arrange flour, oats and salt in a pile on a work surface. Make a well in the centre and pour in the water. Sprinkle the yeast over it and then the honey, oil, milk powder and zest. Slowly start to bring the flour mixture into the water and yeast mixture until all of the liquid has been absorbed and a dough begins to form. Knead for 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic. Place in a well-oiled bowl; turn dough to coat and then cover with a kitchen towel. Place in a warm spot and let rise for 1 hour, until it doubles in size.

For the Buns:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Pour sugar into a 12-inch skillet and pour in an equal amount of water. Bring to a boil and let the sugar dissolve without stirring it. As the water begins to evaporate, the sugar will begin to caramelize. When it has reached a golden brown colour, add the butter and whisk until it is smooth and thickened. Let cool in the pan.
3. Put the risen dough on a cutting board and punch it back. Roll it out into a log and slice into 12 pieces. Place the slices in the caramel pan so that they are just barely touching and set aside to rise again for about 30 minutes.
4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes and then invert onto a serving dish.

Classic Omelet with Fresh Thyme and Cheddar

Yield: 1

Ingredients:

Classic Omelet with Fresh Thyme and Cheddar

• 2 x eggs
• Splash of water
• 1 tsp of chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tbsp of grated cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp of butter

Directions:

Classic Omelet with Fresh Thyme and Cheddar

1. Whisk together eggs, water, thyme, cheese and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add butter and when it begins to foam pour in the egg mixture. Lift the pan and begin to swirl it around so the egg covers the bottom and begins to cook. Continue to move the pan around and lift edges of the omelet to let the uncooked egg run to the bottom. It is done when the top is just cooked and the bottom is beginning to brown slightly. Fold omelet in half and slide onto a serving dish.

Fruit Salad with Mint

Yield: 6

Ingredients:

Fruit Salad with Mint

• 1 x watermelon
• 1 x red delicious apple, core removed and sliced
• 1 x kiwifruit, peeled and sliced
• 12 x strawberries, hulled and quartered
• 1 x orange, segmented
• 1 x mango, cubed
• 1 cup of fresh blueberries
• 1 cup of blackberries
• 1 cup of seedless grapes
• 1 bunch of fresh mint, sliced thinly

Directions:

Fruit Salad with Mint

1. Cut watermelon in half and scoop out about 2-dozen balls from one half of the melon with a melon baller or teaspoon. Scoop out the flesh from the other half and reserve the melon to use as a salad bowl.
2. Toss all fruit together with the mint and spoon into the watermelon bowl.

Yogurt Cheese

Ingredients:

Yogurt Cheese

• 1 L of full fat plain yogurt

Directions:

Yogurt Cheese

1. Line a medium-sized kitchen sieve with 2 coffee filters and place it over a bowl. Pour in the yogurt, cover with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight to drain. Much of the yogurts moisture will drain and it will resemble a soft cheese.

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Chef At Large

The Art of Achatz

Thirty-one year old culinary whiz kid Grant Achatz has wowed diners across the United States and garnered accolades worldwide, including the prestigious James Beard Foundation Rising Star Chef in America Award. Michael visits Achatz in Chicago at his newly opened ALINEA restaurant to explore the world of molecular gastronomy. The restaurant features a 25 course-tasting menu that defies boundaries of the dining experience. Two new dishes are added to the menu as Michael asks, “Has fine dining become the culinary equivalent of walking through an art gallery?”