Monday morning, pre-dawn breakfast baking! It’s going to be a long week. I have some big work deadlines that need to be finished bit by bit this week before Friday, it’s to be HOT again this week. And I forgot to buy my usual breakfast food at the shops over the weekend. So, as I am always awake before dawn, I decided to bake this Red Currant Crumble-Top Coffee Cake. Sweet and tart and delicious. Don’t have red currant, this recipe can also be made with fresh or frozen blueberries, raspberries, cranberries or stone fruit like peaches, plums or apricots, cut to 1/2 inch or less pieces (note: if going for the fruit vs berries option, I would cut the fruit and then par-freeze before mixing in to the batter.
My mom really likes apricots and the season is so short that I decided to make this little tart this weekend. The difference between this tart and some of my others is that I found, and sprinkled on, some saffron sugar. It’s got a lovely and unique sweet flavor and adds just a little bit of a golden color to the streusel. If you can’t find saffron sugar, turbinado would also work to add a level of richness.
I call Patty Pan squash UFO Squash. Or Alien Squash. Or simply mutants. They are similar to summer squash or zucchini and you can actually prepare those types of squash the same way as this recipe. This made a great side dish to fish this evening but also pairs well with chicken or red meat, or simply on it’s own, I guess. Aim to buy smaller patty pans, or cut them in half, which I don’t think is as pretty. Really easy peasy recipe.
Goat Cheese and Tender Greens Baked Oven Puff
Have I even mentioned how much I hate the name of the food “Dutch Baby”? It’s absolutely stupid. And frankly, doesn’t sound very appetizing. And it wasn’t even “invented” in the Netherlands. Yes, of course, there are foods similar to a a Dutch Baby, but the expression itself was coined at a cafe in Seattle, and was even then, a misnomer as the person was most likely accidentally riffing on Deutsch (German) not Dutch. It’s a giant pop-over or Yorkshire Pudding (which may or may not come from Yorkshire).
And while I have the name, the food itself is quite delicious. This is a mostly savory version, with goat cheese, dill and baby greens (I used pea tendrils), but with a little drizzle of honey. Makes a great brunch dish!
Potatoes. Spuds, Taters. And in this case, roasty, buttery, fluffy on the inside, crackling on the outside fingerling potatoes.
I tried a new technique on making these and I am never going back. I made a goopy, pudding-like mixture with water and corn starch, then heated and rubbed all over the split spuds. Voila! Crazy-level of crispiness. All told, about 35 minutes in the oven (on a baking sheet, not this pan displayed), flipped halfway through, and then sprinkled with sea salt. you could also add garlic and herbs after, or serve with some yummy alolis. Definitely an awesome method for these Oven Roasted Split Fingerling Potatoes!





