Breakfast Throw Down - Alton, Emeril, & Daisy

Refrigerator Pie (Quiche)

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream or half-and-half
• 2 eggs
• 2 pinches kosher salt
• Freshly grated nutmeg

For 1 Refrigerator Pie:

• 1 frozen 9-inch pie crust

Any one of the following combinations:

(I used Bacon, Spinach, Monterey Jack/Swiss)

• Cooked spinach, cheddar cheese, cubed cooked ham
• Bacon, Sauteed leeks, and Gruyere cheese
• Cooked spinach, canned artichoke hearts, and Parmesan cheese
• Roasted chicken, goat cheese, and sun-dried tomatoes
• Blanched asparagus and smoked salmon
• Port Salut and Spam

Directions

In a nonreactive, stainless steel bowl, combine the cream or half-and-half and the eggs. Whisk until combined thoroughly. Add the salt and the nutmeg. Whisk to combine.
Refrigerator Pie Rules: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Evenly distribute the pie fillings in the pie crust. Do not overfill the crust with the filling ingredients. Do not pour too much royale into the crust. The eggs will expand upon cooking. Bake the pie until it is firm to the touch like set Jell-O, about 45 minutes. Cool the pie for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
 

Hash Brown Potatoes - Emeril

Ingredients

• 5 medium baking potatoes, like russets (about 4 pounds), scrubbed
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup diced yellow onions
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Essence, recipe follows
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

Place the whole potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer until half-cooked and almost tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle. Slip the skins from the potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch dice.
Heat the oil and melt the butter in a skillet over high heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for 20 seconds. Add the potatoes, Essence, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook without stirring, but shaking the pan occasionally to keep from burning, until the potatoes begin to color and crisp on the underside, about 4 minutes. Turn the potatoes with a spatula being careful not to mash, and continue cooking until uniformly golden.
Remove from the pan and serve hot.

Essence (Emeril's Creole Seasoning):

• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
Yield: about 2/3 cup

Avocado Grapefruit Salad - Daisy Martinez

Ingredients

• 4 ruby red grapefruit
• 2 Hass avocados
• 2/3 cup pitted oil-cured olives- I didn't use these
• 1 lime, juiced
• About 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

To make the grapefruit segments: Cut both ends off the grapefruits and stand the grapefruits on a cutting board. With a paring knife, trim off the peel and white pith from the grapefruits, removing as little of the grapefruit flesh as possible. Working over a bowl, cut the segments free of the membrane, letting the segments drop into the bowl. After you've cut all the segments, squeeze all the juice out of the membranes into the bowl. Refrigerate the segments in the juice until needed, up to 2 hours.
Just before serving, cut the avocados in half, remove the pit and peel the halves. Slice each half lengthwise into 6 thin slices. Drain the grapefruit and reserve the juice (for the salad, if using, or as a treat for the cook). Add the avocado to the grapefruit along with the olives and lime juice. Toss gently to mix, while adding just enough olive oil to coat the avocado. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper and toss again. If you like, use a little of the reserved grapefruit juice to add a little zing to the salad.