You’ve heard it said that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But it also can be the most delicious. Yet it is often skipped over entirely or just becomes a part of the boring morning routine. So put that cereal spoon down and get ready to break out of your bland breakfast routine.
For West Of’s 2016 Fall Cookbook issue, we asked chefs from 10 of West Ashley favorite restaurants to offer up some sound tips and secret recipes, which will help turn a mundane morning meal into breakfast brilliance.
A lot more than eggs and bacon, the nine recipes that follow range from as simple as Early Bird Diner revealing the art of making deliciously creamy grits every time all the way to more ambitious undertakings, such as Ms. Rose’s country-fried steak and waffles
and Foodies Café & Catering’s crab cake benedicts.
Chris Stewart from The Glass Onion, who just returned form cooking at the legendary James Beard House in New York, shares his amazing shrimp and grits recipe and Wild Flour Bakery shows you how to make banana chocolate chip muffins. Sunflower Café shares their secret recipe for sweet potato pancakes and Gala Desserts offers their recipe for making the perfect quiche. Blue Rose Café offers a taste of Ireland with its potato cakes recipe and Three Little Birds shows you how to make what just might be the greatest French toast
in the world, stuffed with honey, bananas, and peanut butter.
As always, the West Of Cookbook focuses on local West Ashley chefs and locally-owned restaurants and offers recipes that are easy to moderate to make. While we certainly hope you will attempt to make some or all of these breakfast creations at home, we also strongly encourage you to go to these family-owned cafés, bakeries, and eateries and support the folks who are helping make West Ashley a delicious dining destination.
Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Recipe From Wild Flour Bakery
Wild Flour Bakery
1750 Savannah Hwy. • (843) 990-9391
www.wildflourpastrycharleston.com
Ingredients
• 6 bananas
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 cup chocolate chips
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer combine bananas, sugar, and oil.
3. Letting the paddle break apart the bananas, mix on low for 1-2 minutes.
4. Slowly add the eggs. With the mixer off, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and add all dry ingredients.
5. Mix until flour, baking soda, and salt are incorporated fully.
6. Add chocolate chips, and gently stir in by hand.
7. Portion the mixture into lined muffin pans, or into a sprayed loaf pan.
8. Bake about 30-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
9. Let cool and enjoy!
Crab Cake Benedict
Recipe from Foodies Café & Catering
Serves 5
Foodies Café & Catering
1729 Sam Rittenberg Blvd
(843) 818-4863
www.foodiescafe.net
For the Hollandaise Sauce
Ingredients
• 4 Egg yokes
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
• Cayenne Pepper
• Kosher Salt & Pepper
Directions:
1. In a Vita mixer or food processor take 4 egg yolks and melted butter and stream into mixer/ processor
2. Add pinch salt, tablespoon of Lemon Juice, and dash of Cayenne Pepper and blend for a minute.
For the Crab Cakes
Ingredients
• 1 dozen eggs
• English Muffins
• Tri Color peppers diced (1 each)
• Red Onion
• 2 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
• Kosher Salt & Pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 cup Dukes Mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons Dijon Mustard Smooth
• ½ cup Bread Crumbs
Directions
1. Mix Lump Crab and diced peppers & Red onion together
2. Add lemon juice and Worstshirer sauce, 2 dashes salt & pepper, and Old Bay Seasoning. Mix together
3. Whisk together Dukes mayonnaise and of Dijon mustard
4. Fold mayonnaise-mustard mixture into crab mixture and add breadcrumbs
5. Mix all together and patty out 4-ounce crab cakes ( will make 10)
6. With a little bit of oil, pan fry Crab Cake (about 5 Minutes each side).
For the Eggs
Directions
1. Take a sauté pan and fill with hot water and bring to boil
2. Crack an egg into boiling water and with slotted spoon cover whites on to egg yolk (about 1 minute)
Plating
1. Toast English Muffin and put on a plate
2. Top with fried crab cake, then poached egg
3. Top with sauce and sprinkle with dill
Sweet Potato Pancakes with Pecan Butter
Recipe from Sunflower Café
Serves 4-6
Sunflower Café
Pierpont Shopping Center
2366 Ashley River Road
(843) 571-1773
www.thesunflowercafe.net
For the Pancakes:
Ingredients
• 1 cup all-purpose flower
• 1 cup whole wheat flower
• 4 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbs brown sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch nutmeg
• 2 cups milk
• 4 tsp melted butter, plus ore for greasing skillet
• 2 while eggs
• 1 sweet potato, cooked tender, peeled, and pureed
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients
2. Mix together and whisk until smooth
3. Cook batches in buttered skillet on medium high temperature until bubbles form on the surface, then turn over and cook until dark golden brown
4. Serve with pecan butter and maple syrup
For the Pecan Butter:
Ingredients
• ¼ cup finely chopped pecans, toasted and cooled
• ½ pound butter, softened
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon honey
Directions
1. Mix all ingredients together by hand (use rubber gloves).
2. Roll in parchment paper and freeze.
3. Cut into slices and top sweet potato pancakes.
Honey Ham & Tipsy Goat Cheese Quiche
Recipe From Gala Desserts
Serves 6-8
Gala Desserts
829 Savannah Hwy.
(843) 212-3227
www.galadesserts.com
For the Pie Dough:
Ingredients
• 2.5 cups Flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 tablespoons shortening
• Water
Directions
1. Sift Dry ingredients together.
2. Then cut cold butter & shortening into the dry ingredients.
3. Add water until combined.
4. Roll into 9″ pie pan
For the Quiche Filling:
Ingredients
• 8 eggs
• 2 cups Milk
• 1.5 cups honey smoked ham
• 1 cup Tipsy goat cheese
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
• salt & pepper to taste
Directions
1. Julienne Ham
2. Chop Tipsy goat cheese
3. Finely chop parsley
4. Whisk eggs and milk well.
5. Season with salt & pepper & parsley.
6. Evenly spread cheese & ham on the pie crust.
7. Pour in egg mixture.
8. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.
Country Fried Steak & Waffles
Recipe From Ms. Rose’s Fine Foods
Serves 1-2
The Original Ms. Rose’s Fine Foods & Cocktails
1090 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.
(843) 766-0223
www.msroses.com
For the Steak
Ingredients
• 6oz. top sirloin pounded very thin
• 1 cup buttermilk and one egg mixed
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp granulated garlic
• ½ tsp granulated onion
• Pinch of cayenne
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Mix all the dry ingredients together
2. Dredge the steak in the dry, then wet, then dry
For the Waffles:
Ingredients
• ½ oz. yeast
• ½ cup hot water dissolve yeast in water
• 5 egg yolks
• ½ cup sugar
• 4 cups milk
• ½ stick melted butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 6 cups flour
• 5 egg whites
Directions
1. Mix all together except egg whites.
2. Beat egg whites until stiff then fold into the rest of the batter.
3. Cook in a waffle iron.
For the Red Eye Gravy and Assembly:
Ingredients
• 2 oz smoked country ham
• ½ cup oil
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup brewed coffee
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
Directions
1. Fry the smoked country ham in the oil until crispy, and reserve
2. Then fry the steak in the oil on both sides till golden brown
3. Add flour and cook to make a roux, stirring continuously until golden brown
4. Add brewed coffee, whole milk and whisk with the sugar
5. Stir until velvety.
6. Add ham back to sauce
7. Place one waffle on a plate, then steak, top with the gravy and garnish with chives.
Irish Potato Cakes
Recipe From Bluerose Café
Serves 4
Bluerose Café
652 St. Andrews Blvd.
843-225-2583
www.bluerosecafecharleston.com
For the Potato Cakes:
Ingredients
• 3 cups of mashed potato
• ½ cup breadcrumbs
• 4 basil leaves
• ½ tsp chopped garlic
• Pinch of thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl
2. Shape into cakes (any size)
3. Sautee in Kerrygold Irish Butter until golden brown
For the Topping:
Ingredients
• 2 apples, cored, chopped
• ½ cup of cranberries
• 1 Tbs sugar
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ cup water (approx.)
Directions
1. Sautee all the ingredients until apples are al dente
2. Serve over potato cakes
Carolina Shrimp with Braised Vine Ripe Tomatoes over Grits
Recipe from The Glass Onion
Serves 4-6
The Glass Onion
Address: 1219 Savannah Hwy.
(843) 225-1717
www.ilovetheglassonion.com
Ingredients
• 5 tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 cups diced onion
• 1 cup diced green bell peppers
• 1 cup diced celery
• 2 cloves garlic sliced
• 1 tablespoons salt
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Pinch of cayenne
• ½ cup tomato paste
• Several sprigs of thyme, tied together
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
Directions
1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.
2. Remove core from tomatoes with a paring knife.
3. Drop Tomatoes into boiling water.
4. Cook until skin just begins to pull back, 1 to 2 minutes.
5. Remove from pot and allow to cool. Peel off skin.
6. Heat oil in a large pot.
7. Add onion, peppers, celery and garlic.
8. Cook, stirring, until vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
9. Add salt, oregano, black pepper, white pepper, red pepper flakes and cayenne. Mix well.
10. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, thyme and the bay leaf.
11. Cover pan and reduce to low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until all vegetables are tender. About 1 hour.
12. Add shrimp and cook until just firm, about 5 minutes.
13. Serve over grits.
How to Make Grits
Recipe from Early Bird Diner
Serves 2-4
Early Bird Diner
1644 Savannah Hwy.
(843) 277-2353
www.earlybirddiner.com
Ingredients
• 1 cup stone ground Geechie Boy Mill grits
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups milk
• ¼ cup heavy cream
• 1/8 cup butter
• Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions
1. Heat milk and water to a boil in a thick-bottomed pan with a lid that fights tightly, stirring occasionally to prevent scalding.
2. Once boiling, gradually add in grits, stirring constantly. (Be careful, grits burns are the worst.)
3. After a few minutes, once the grits begin to thicken, put lid on the pot and turn down the heat to low, and allow it to steam for 15 minutes.
4. Add butter, heavy cream, and salt and pepper.
Peanut Butter Banana Honey Stuffed French Toast
Recipe From Three Little Birds Café
Serves 4
Three Little Birds Café & Catering
South Windermere Center
65 Windermere Blvd.
(843) 225-3065
www.threelittlebirdscafe.com
Ingredients
• 1 Loaf Challah Bread
• 4 Bananas
• 2 Cups Peanut Butter
• 4 TB. Honey
• 4 Eggs
• ½ Cup Milk
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• ½ tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract
Directions
• In a medium bowl, mash Bananas, Peanut Butter, and 3 TB Honey, set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together Eggs, Milk, Cinnamon, Vanilla, and 1 TB of Honey.
• Slice 8 pieces of Challah Bread 1 ½ inches thick, then slice the side of the bread to the middle creating a pocket.
• Heat Skillet on Medium. Spray or butter skillet. Dip pieces of bread in egg batter and place on skillet until both sides are light brown.
• Stuff bread with ¼ cup of Peanut Butter mixture, place in oven on 350 degrees for 7 minutes.
• Garnish with sliced bananas, honey, and powdered sugar.
Peace, Love, and Pancakes
Three Little Birds has mastered the art of breakfast
No matter what time of day you walk into Three Little Birds Café, there’s guaranteed to be someone eating a stack of pumpkin pancakes or a black bean benedict or a steaming plate of huevos rancheros. That’s because not only does Three Little Birds offer breakfast all day, but people actually take them up on the offer.
Since opening it’s doors nearly a decade ago, owner Meredith Satterwhite and crew have truly mastered the art of breakfast. And that’s in no ways a knock on the amazing lunch offerings that come out of the kitchen of the small but extremely popular South Windermere eatery, it’s just that the breakfast is that good and it’s also the focus of this issue. And this is also why, when planning the cover shot for this issue, we knew we had to go Three Little Birds because their food looks as good as it tastes.
A special thanks to Meridith and the folks at Three Little Birds for allowing us to take over their patio during a busy day and for allowing us to eat all of the dishes featured on the cover after we were done with the photo shoot.
For their recipe, Three Little Birds featured their decadent stuffed Challah French toast. It all starts with the Challah (pronounced ), which is a a special Jewish braided bread eaten on Sabbath and Jewish holidays. Three Little Birds slices it thick and then stuffs it with peanut butter, bananas, and honey. They also offer an equally delicious variation that is stuffed with strawberries, whipped cream, and goat cheese.
(843) 766-WEST (9378)
publisher@westof.net
