Ask A Los Angeles Chef: Breakfast Recipes For Mother's Day

Mother's Day breakfast doesn't have to be rushed. But if you are doing the cooking, plan ahead for shopping for the right ingredients as well as for creating a beautiful table that will sweep her off her feet. Three LA chefs shared recipes that will make a Mother's Day breakfast extra special. And, often cooking a beautiful breakfast for her speaks louder than flowers.

Zak Walters & Chris Phelps - Chefs/Co-Owners
Salt's Cure
7494 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA 90046
(323) 850-7258
www.saltscure.com

Engaging in the philosophy of finding complexity within simplicity, chefs and co-owners Zak Walters (from Oklahoma) and Chris Phelps (from Baltimore) opened Salt's Cure in 2011 together with their expertise and fine execution, as well as an inspiration to create some of the most flavorful dishes in Los Angeles. The restaurant is committed to using locally sourced products from farmers and ranchers in California, as well as working with local fisherman who catch in the Pacific Ocean. These guys make everything themselves from the gravy to the jam.

Salt's Cure House-Made Biscuits: serve with fresh strawberry jam or homemade gravy
Ingredients:

• 4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 pound butter
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, incorporate all ingredients until dough is formed.
2. Do not over knead.
3. On a floured surface, gently roll out dough to 3/4 of an inch thick and cut in shape of choice.
4. Bake at 400 degrees F for 20 minutes (for darker top, brush biscuits with melted butter).

Strawberry Jam Ingredients:

• 5 pounds fresh strawberries, washed and stemmed
• 1 pound white sugar
• Zest of one orange
• Juice of one lemon

Directions:

1. Wash and stem strawberries under cold water.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add strawberries and sugar.
3. Gently mash strawberries into sugar with your hands until all sugar is incorporated.
4. Your hands should be messy…transfer to a non-reactive sauce pan.
5. Add zest and lemon juice.
6. Cook on medium-high heat for 20-25 minutes.
7. Jam should be slightly reduced, not over thick.
8. To measure thickness, spoon a small bit from the pan onto a plate and place in the refrigerator.
9. Cool slightly and test for consistency.
10. Once jam has reached desired consistency, cool for 5-10 minutes in pan. Spoon into a glass jar or tupperware container.
11. Jam will keep in refrigerator for 7-10 days.

Gravy Ingredients:

• 5 pounds pork breakfast sausage
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 6 cups whole milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 yellow onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 2 bay leaves
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 1 1/2 tablespoons black pepper
• Salt, to taste

Directions:

1. In large saucepan, sauté garlic and onions in butter until just brown.
2. Add 1 pound of breakfast sausage and cook on medium-high heat rendering all fat from sausage (sausage should be pretty broken up here). Add the remaining 4 pounds of sausage slowly, chunks at a time.
3. Slightly render sausage chunks, but try to keep large pieces intact.
4. Add herbs, black pepper and flour.
5. Turn heat to medium-low and cook flour in fat just enough to cook off the raw flour.
6. Slowly add milk one cup at a time.
7. Bring gravy to a simmer and season to taste.
8. Simmer on low for 10-15 minutes.
9. Hold in a warm place.

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Chef Pascal Lorange
FIG & OLIVE
8490 Melrose Place
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 360-9100
www.figandolive.com

Many of the FIG & OLIVE menu items are inspired by the restaurant's founder Laurent Halasz's mother, originally from Mougins, France. And, so, the collaborative effort between Executive Chef Pascal Lorange and Halasz is one that not only recreates the flavors of Mougins, but a special tribute to the roots that FIG & OLIVE stand for. Lorange finds inspiration from his travels, bringing the essence of the Mediterranean back to Los Angeles for diners.

Fig & Gorgonzola Tartlet - Courtesy of Executive Chef Pascal Lorange
Cooking Time: 20 minutes
Preparation Time: 25 minutesServes 4 people
Ingredients:

• 1 sheet fine puff pastry (available at your local gourmet supermarket or bakery)
• 1 bunch scallions
• 4 heirloom tomatoes
• 8 fresh figs (if not available or in season, you can substitute with dried white figs)
• 8 oz. gorgonzola
• 2 oz. chopped walnuts
• 1 teaspoon Fleur de Sel
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 fresh rosemary sprig, to garnish
• 2 slices prosciutto di Parma, to garnish (can omit for vegetarian diners)
• 1/4 cup arugula greens (baby Roquette)
• 1 teaspoon fig balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Roll out puff pastry sheet until you are able to cut four 6-inch circles out of it.
3. Place the circles on a well-greased baking sheet.
4. Dice the scallions to yield 1/2 cup and sprinkle evenly over pastry circles.
5. Cut tomatoes into wedges and arrange evenly around the tart.
6. Place cut figs wedges (one fig can be cut into 2 or 3 wedges) evenly between the tomatoes.
7. Sprinkle the chopped walnuts, salt, pepper and gorgonzola cheese evenly over each tart.
8. Drizzle a small amount of olive oil over each tart before baking.
9. Bake for 15 minutes or until tart has a golden brown crust and melted cheese.
10. Once it comes out of the oven, coat the arugula greens with the fig balsamic vinegar, olive oil and arrange in a neat mound around the tart.
11. Cover the mound of arugula with a layer of prosciutto, leaving a space in the center.
12. Serve immediately, or let cool on a rack to preserve the delicate, flaky crust.
13. Garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary.

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Sheryl Craig is a writer with a passion for interesting finds and treasures in Los Angeles. She has a background in journalism and public relations. A mother of two daughters, Sheryl integrates her healthy lifestyle into raising her children. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.