Egg Me On: Brunch & Bubbles Recipes

Egg Me On: Brunch & Bubbles with Jes Taber of Eye of the Avocado Omnivore Menu: Cream Baked Eggs with Toast Points, Green Goddess Dressed Bitter Greens mixed with Arugula, and Billionaire’s Bacon.

Jes Taber, the founder of Eye of The Avocado, is currently based in Nevada City, Ca. She comprises her time here with catering small gigs and large weddings alike. She can also be found throwing pop ups at some of Nevada County's finest establishments or perhaps in your home working as a personal chef. She recently authored a cookbook named Wholly Unique, a chef's take on Whole30. It's a straightforward yet versatile collection of 51 recipes that range from BBQ Chicken Legs to Thai soups to Vietnamese Bacon and Eggs. She also an avid educator, having earned both her BA and MA in Education. She has been teaching a variety of cooking classes, virtually through the Covid-19 pandemic.

She has worked for such destination spots as Tartine Bakery, Bi-Rite Market, Blue Bottle Coffee, Three Forks Bakery + Brewery & Terroir Wine Bar. She has learned that doing one thing masterfully is more valuable than doing 100 things fairly well.

To drink: Blood Orange or Grapefruit Mimosas or Mocktails.

You choose your juice!

Cream Baked Eggs - One recipe per person 1 egg 2 Tbsp cream 2 tsp shallot, minced Salt & pepper

Butter or cooking spray Heat oven to 400 ° and brush an 8oz ramekin or ovenproof custard cup with room temperature butter or neutral cooking oil. Place the ramekins or cups on a rimmed baking sheet.

Set the shallot into the bottom of the greased ramekin.

Crack 1 egg into each ramekin and float 2 tsp - 1Tbsp of cream on top of each, then sprinkle tops with salt and pepper. Bake until egg whites are just set, and yolk still runny, 10 to 14 minutes. (The eggs will look slightly puffed at the sides of the ramekins, but still jiggly in the center and that’s O.K. The eggs will continue to cook

once out of the oven.) Remove from oven and transfer ramekins onto individual plates for serving.

To serve, eat the cream baked eggs with toast points. Serve warm.

Toast Points 1 Baguette or Sour Loaf Olive oil Garlic, sliced (optional) Salt & pepper

Create long sticks of toast that will mimic large croutons. Set into a bowl. Toss the point with olive oil, optional garlic and salt and pepper. Toast at 400° until crisp and set aside.

Salad 1 handful Arugula ½ cup radicchio, cut into ribbons 1 endive, cut into rounds Sea salt Fresh herbs to taste

Mix arugula, radicchio, and endive into a large enough bowl to be dressed without danger of it falling out. Add a few grains of sea salt and set aside at room temperature. Room temperature greens taste better than cold greens. Add any leftover herbs such as parsley, tarragon, or chives.

Green Goddess Dressing ½ cup mayonnaise 1/3 full fat Greek or whole yogurt 1 bunch parsley 1/3 cup basil 1 bunch tarragon 1 bunch chives 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice optional: 2 anchovy filets

In a food processor, combine the mayonnaise, yogurt, parsley, basil and 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Process until smooth and uniformly green. Transfer to a lidded jar and stir in the tarragon and chives. Adjust seasoning as needed with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. If anchovies are your thing add 2 oil packed (Italian made are best), in with everything at the beginning of the food process. Best if made ahead of time.

Billionaire’s Bacon 2-3 pieces of bacon, per person 1 tsp brown sugar per piece Parchment

I prefer thicker cuts of bacon but if you like it thin and crispy you can use that. This oven way of cooking bacon is my preferred way whether you are cooking 3 or 12 pieces. Heat the oven to 425°. Arrange the bacon in a single layer on parchment rimmed baking sheets, or, for extra crispy bacon, arrange on 2 wire racks set over 2 parchment rimmed baking sheets. Sprinkle brown sugar over the slices.

Bake until the bacon is browned and starts to ripple, or to desired doneness, 10 to 20 minutes. (Because the cook time depends on the thickness of the bacon and how you like it cooked, start checking doneness at the 10-minute mark.)

Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.

Mimosas (4 - 6 mimosas) 1 bottle Prosecco, chilled 6 Blood oranges (1 ½ cups of juice) OR 4 large Ruby Red or other pink grapefruits 1 Tbsp super fine sugar (for a bit more sweetness) 2 Tbsp Grand Marnier orange liqueur (recommended but not necessary) Garnish: fresh orange slice or rosemary sprig

Juice the citrus of your choice and mix with the sugar and orange liqueur if you are using it. Cover and refrigerate this mix until cold. To serve, pour juice mixture in the bottom of Champagne glasses and slowly top off with the ice-cold Prosecco. Garnish with fresh orange or rosemary sprig.

Mock Mimosas (1 mock mimosa) 4.8 oz sparkling grape juice, chilled 3.2 oz blood orange juice or grapefruit (2 oranges or 1 grapefruit) Garnish; fresh orange slice or rosemary sprig

Juice citrus of choice. Chill. To serve, pour juice mixture in the bottom of Champagne glasses and slowly top off with the ice-cold grape juice. Garnish with fresh orange or rosemary sprig.

Egg Me On: Brunch & Bubbles with Jes Taber of Eye of the Avocado Vegan Menu: Breakfast Salad w/ Jes’ Everyday Vinaigrette, perfect 5-Minute Canned Beans, Toast Points with Garlic Rubbed Olive Oil To drink: Blood Orange or Grapefruit Mimosas or Mocktails.

You choose your juice!

Breakfast Salad 1 handful Arugula ½ cup radicchio, cut into ribbons 1 endive, cut into rounds Sea salt 1 -2 mandarins, peeled & segmented Smattering of sunflower seeds

Mix arugula, radicchio, and endive into a large enough bowl to be dressed without danger of it falling out. Add a few grains of sea salt and set aside at room temperature. Room temperature greens taste better than cold greens. Once dressed garnish with mandarins and sunflower seeds. I like to layer the fruit and seeds into the greens, so everyone gets everything.

Jes’ Everyday Vinaigrette

1 Tbsp champagne or white wine vinegar 2 Tbsp minced hard herbs like rosemary, thyme, savory, and chervil 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 2 Tbsp walnut oil Pepper, freshly cracked ½ cup (4 oz) mason jar w/ lid for mixing Optional: 1 Tbsp mustard

Set everything into mason jar and once lidded shake vigorously until incorporated.

If you prefer mustard in your vinaigrette, add it at the beginning.

Perfect 5 Minute Beans 1 can black beans 1 can Cannellini beans Olive oil 1 garlic clove 2 small shallots Vegetarian broth Salt & pepper Optional: Finishing oil, like good quality extra virgin olive oil

Open your cans of beans and set them over a fine mesh strainer or strainer that is small enough that the beans won’t fall through. Rinse them with cold water and let them drain while you do the next step. Next mince your garlic and 2 small shallots.

Once very small, warm up a small saucepan with enough olive oil to coat the bottom.

Add the garlic and shallots and cook until they start to caramelize, 2-3 minutes. Add the strained beans and enough vegetarian broth to come half-way up to the level of beans in the pot. Bring to a simmer and then taste for salt & pepper. I usually add a good amount of both. If you have good finishing oil, you can add a little once plated.

Toast Points 1 baguette or sour loaf Olive oil Garlic, sliced (optional) Salt & pepper

Create long sticks of toast that will mimic large croutons. Set into a bowl. Toss the point with olive oil, optional garlic and salt and pepper. Toast at 400° until crisp and set aside.