I am always looking for great ways to save some calories without sacrificing taste. Changing the form of a BLT enables me to cut down on the bread and increase the lettuce with a dramatic decrease of calories and I know there are a lot of people out there that want to lose some weight. I'd wish I could say that I was sitting in a restaurant eating a lettuce wrap when inspiration struck but to be honest I was just looking for a low-calorie option for breakfast. When I thought about a breakfast salad everything fell into place; the tomatoes and lettuce the stars and give the bacon and bread a supporting role. All I have to do is wrap everything in the lettuce leaf and I have the same elements in a different yet familiar form, reinforcing the premise that inspiration is based on exposure to multiple ideas and just bringing it all together in an unique way.

Ingredients:

 4 pounds fresh firm  tomatoes
 1 head iceberg or butter lettuce
 10 pieces thick sliced bacon
 3-4 slices of thin sliced dense bread
 10 fresh basil leaves
 3 tbsp. olive oil
 Salt and Pepper to taste
 Optional: Sliced avocado

 Equipment:

 Sheet Pans
 Silpat silicone baking sheet or parchment paper
 Stockpot
 Ice-bath
 Sauté pan

Preheat oven to 350° F. Dice the bread into small cubes, drizzle with olive oil, season  with salt and pepper and spread out in a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet. Bake until brown and crispy and reserve.
 
Bring a stock pot of water to boil and prepare an ice-bath. Core out the stem end of the tomatoes with a paring knife and cut a small X in the opposite end. Blanch the tomatoes for 30 seconds to loosen the skins then transfer to the ice-bath to cool down. Remove the skins, de-seed and dice into ¼ inch pieces. Reserve.
 
Heat a sauté pan on medium heat. Cut the bacon into ⅓ inch pieces and sauté until crisp. Transfer to a paper towel to dry. Reserve.
 
 Roll up the basil leaves length-wise and finely cut into fine ribbons (chiffonade). Core the lettuce and cut lengthwise in half, remove the outer leaves and discard. Separate the lettuce into individual leaves and reserve. In a bowl mix the tomatoes, bacon and basil. Taste and season with salt and pepper. To serve add the tomato mixture on top of the lettuce leaf, sprinkle with croutons and roll. If you like you can slice some avocado and add to the wrap.
 
  Serves 4 to 6.

My wife Susan loves her morning oatmeal and sometimes will enjoy it with a poached egg on top that when broken melts into the oatmeal giving it a lovely richness. Using my egg ring molds, I started experimenting first with toasting rounds of oatmeal and adding a poached egg on top. Then inspiration struck, why not make an indentation for the egg and cover it with a lid of oatmeal. Simply altering the form into a cylinder adds a interesting presentation and breaking into the egg inside yields a golden surprise. Toasting the oatmeal in the pan creates a wonderful contrast of textures adding an interesting crunchy element. I can also brulee the sugar with a torch on the top to add more texture and some sweetness or just serve with some maple syrup. Add some berries for a garnish. This dish is only possible if the oatmeal is stiff enough; if the oatmeal is too moist it will not hold its shape when unmolded. This is a great example how form can create a whole new dish that is fun and different.

Note: I had some suggestions saying the egg could be replaced with diced fruit, yogurt, jam or whatever you can think of to make it your own!

 Ingredients:

 3/4 Cup Steel-cut precooked Oatmeal (1/2 Cup for base,1/4 Cup for lid)

 1 Medium Egg

 1 Tbsp. of your favorite Shredded cheese

 Butter

 Salt and pepper for seasoning

 Maple Syrup

 Optional - Berries for garnish

 Equipment:

 2 Egg Rings

 ½ Cup metal measuring cup

 Preheat a ten inch non-stick pan on medium heat Butter both egg rings and put in pan and add small pat of butter in each ring.

 Place 1/2 cup of oatmeal in first ring and using measuring cup press down to create an indentation with sides. We want a big enough indentation to allow the egg to fit.

 Add remaining oatmeal (1/4 cup) to other ring and tamp down with measuring cup to create a flat disk.

 Add a small amount of grated cheese onto the oatmeal. Cook for ten minutes.

 Break an egg into the indentation and season with salt and pepper. Add a small amount grated cheese to top.

 Add to the pan a small amount of water (3-4 tablespoons) and cover with lid and cook for 3 minutes or until egg is desired doneness. Depending on the size of the egg, 3 minutes for a soft center to 5 minutes for a hard yolk.

 To assemble unmold each side and invert side without egg onto side with egg to make a cylinder and plate. Top with brown sugar, maple syrup or your favorite fruit.

Here we are and it is fast approaching July 4th. Fire up the grills and stock up on hot dogs and hamburgers. What is more American than a hot dog? I met the owner of a hot dog stand at my local farmers market and said I would develop a bacon relish recipe that set his stand apart and help bring people back. I wanted to make something salty, sweet, spicy, and just the right amount of sourness, so everything is balanced. This recipe is the end result and is an amazing topping for your next hot dog but save some for breakfast; it goes great just on toast!
Ingredients:

 1 pound thick cut lean bacon
 1 large red pepper
 1 large poblano pepper
 1 large sweet onion
 ½ cup brown sugar
 ¼ cup sweet pickle juice or white balsamic vinegar
 ¼ cup water to deglaze pan
 2 to 4 tbsp. ketchup
 red pepper flakes to desired spiciness (start with a pinch and taste)
 Salt and pepper for seasoning

Roast the red and poblano peppers over the flame on your stove or under the broiler in your oven. Turn often to char the skin and put in a paper bag to steam 5 minutes. Remove the skin, dice and reserve.
 
Cook half of the bacon on a parchment covered sheet pan in a 400° F oven until brown and crispy. Crumble into small pieces and reserve.
 
Finely dice the onion and rest of the bacon, season with salt and sauté on medium heat in butter until brown. Deglaze the pan with the water and turn the heat down to low. Add the rest of the bacon, roasted peppers, brown sugar, ketchup, red pepper flakes and mix. Taste and correct the seasoning with salt and pepper. Continue tasting, adding just enough pickle juice or white balsamic vinegar until it tastes balanced. Refrigerate until needed. Makes about a cup and a half. If you like it a little looser, add a little of your favorite liquid (I like a little dark beer) and stir.

I have a couple of announcements; first, I'm going to concentrate on a breakfast and brunch theme to better explain translation and second; I'm working on a book showcasing these concepts within the framework of breakfast. More on that later. Continuing on the Translation subset of substitution, I was reading Fuchsia Dunlop's new cookbook, "Every Grain of Rice - Simple Chinese Home Cooking" with the idea of adapting a Chinese home-style dish for breakfast. I found a recipe for stir-fried eggs with tomato and thought this would be the perfect recipe to show that substitution could be used to enhance a dish. The recipe is basic, perfect for the novice home cook; season and stir-fry the eggs first, then the tomatoes and then combine them together thickening with potato starch if needed. I wanted to add additional flavor to the dish, so I added fresh basil which always goes with tomatoes (Thai basil would even be better) and some five spice powder to enhance the anise notes and to reinforce the Asian theme. I know that I'm not actually making a true substitution, but adding something. The point is to use translation as an avenue to explore exciting new creations to become a more creative chef.

Ingredients:

 4 - 5 large eggs
 4 - 5 firm Campari tomatoes (or another simular small vine ripened tomato)
 4 - 6 basil leaves rolled and cut into thin ribbons (chiffonade)
 1 pinch five spice powder
 1 pinch sugar
 2 - 4 Tbsp. cooking oil
 slurry of potato starch and water (optional for thickening)
 Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat a wok and add half the oil. Beat the eggs with 1/4 teaspoon salt and scramble the eggs until just barely done. Remove and reserve. Roll the basil leaves into a cigar shape and with a very sharp knife finely slice into thin ribbons. Slice the tomatoes in half then each half into three wedges. Clean and dry the wok, then heat it on high and add the rest of the oil. When the oil is hot, add the tomatoes, season with the sugar, salt and pepper to taste and stir-fry until they are hot and fragrant. Add the basil, five spice powder and the eggs back to the wok and stir-fry until mixed together. If the mixture is runny add the potato starch slurry and mix until thickened. Serve immediately to feed two.

A great Benedict deserves a great side dish. If you remember the scraps from the Southern Style Benedict from my last post; they can be diced, breaded and lightly fried to create chicken fried steak bites. Thus, our scraps from one dish can be used as inspiration to create another great dish. I remember having sweet potato fries with chicken fried steak so why not take two uniquely Southern tastes and combine them to create a hash. Dice some red bell pepper, vibrant green poblano chiles and some Vidalia sweet onion to create a colorful counterpoint to  our Southern Style Benedict.

Ingredients:

 2 medium to large sweet  potatoes
 remaining meat from Southern Benedict (½ inch dice)
 ½ cup milk
 1 egg
 ½ large onion diced
 1 small red pepper diced
 1 small poblano chile diced
 2 sprigs fresh thyme
 2 sprigs fresh parsley
 2-4 Tbsp. cooking oil
 Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

One day ahead, quarter two sweet potatoes and put in a pot of cold salted water. Bring the water to a boil and cook until a fork is easily inserted with little resistance. Cool and refrigerate overnight.

In two small shallow dishes, add the flour to one and beat an egg in the other. Season the steak with salt and pepper then dredge in the flour fist, shaking off any excess. Next dip in the beaten egg then dredge in the flour again. Let rest on a wire rack. Heat the oil in a medium skillet, then fry in the oil until golden brown on both sides. Reserve warm until needed.

Heat a skillet to medium heat and add half of the oil, heating until it shimmers. Add the diced onion, poblano and red peppers, season and cook until the onions are just starting to brown (about 10 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and reserve. Remove the thyme leaves and finely chop with the parsley.

Remove the skin from the potatoes and dice to desired size. Add the rest of the oil to the pan on medium heat and heat until the oil is hot. Add the potatoes tossing to coat in the oil. If the mixture is dry add some more oil. Season with salt and pepper. The secret is to let the potatoes brown and crisp slowly turning only when brown on the bottom. When the potatoes are brown and crispy, add the reserved chicken fried steak tossing to combine. Add the reserved vegetable mixture, thyme and chopped parsley; toss and remove from the heat. Serve immediately.

Earlier this month was Mother's Day and I fixed traditional Eggs Benedict for our monthly church breakfast. I love poached eggs and when you serve them on a crispy English muffin with grilled Canadian bacon covered with rich hollandaise sauce, there is a special dish. I want to add an example showcasing the first Translation technique, substitution. I have seen variations on Southern Benedicts at various restaurants, but here is my version. Examining the purely Southern theme, the English muffin can be replaced with a airy southern style biscuit (see Basics for recipe) and continuing with the theme, biscuits traditionally go with a country white milk gravy along with the prerequisite country fried steak. I prefer a more refined presentation so I like to use a circle cutter a little bit bigger then the one I use for biscuits to cut out perfect circles for my chicken fried steak. After breading and frying they will shrink a little and match the size of the biscuits. I can dice the rest of the meat, bread it and use it to make a complementary home fry side.

Southern Style Eggs Benedict

Ingredients:

 2 biscuits split in half. (See Basics)
 4 poached eggs (See Basics)
 Chicken Fried Steak (See Below)
 Country Style Spicy Gravy (See Below)
 
Instructions:

 Split the biscuits in half and place on plate. Top with chicken fried steak, then a poached egg. Ladle gravy over top and serve immediately. Serves four with one egg each or two hungry people with two eggs each. The remaining beef can be used to make  a special home fries dish.
 
Chicken Fried Steak

Ingredients:

 1 pound beef (bottom round)
 1 Cup all purpose flour
 1 large egg
 3 Tbsp. canola oil
 Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

 Tenderize beef using a jacard or pounding with a meat tenderizer to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Using a ring cutter, cut a circular piece of steak slightly bigger than the diameter of the biscuit being used. The remainder can be used in an other application. In two small shallow dishes, add the flour to one and beat an egg in the other. Season both sides with salt and pepper then dredge in the flour fist, shaking off any excess. Next dip in the beaten egg then dredge in the flour again. Let rest on a wire rack. Heat the oil in a medium skillet, then fry each piece in the oil until golden brown on both sides. Reserve warm until needed. 

Country Style Spicy Gravy

 Ingredients:

 2 pounds good quality pork sausage
 1 large sweet onion finely diced
 1 cup all purpose flour
 1 tsp. dried thyme or 4 sprigs fresh thyme
 1 pinch red pepper flakes
 Hot sauce to taste
 2 cups whole milk
 Salt and pepper to taste

 Instructions:

 Heat a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. When the pan is hot, skin and break up the sausage into small pieces, season with salt and cook until brown and most of the fat has rendered out into the pan. Remove the sausage and reserve retaining the fat in the pan. Add the onions and cook until they become translucent. Add the thyme and red pepper flakes and continue to cook until the onions just start to brown. Whisk in the flour and stir until fully mixed. This is in fact a roux. I need to continue to stir until the raw flour taste is gone which should take a minute. Continue to whisk and slowly add the milk. I now will increase the heat to medium high, stirring frequently, then when the mixture begins to boil I reduce the heat to low. Now is the time to season with salt and pepper to taste, and to add the hot sauce to achieve the heat you want. Keep warm until needed.