Ask A Pittsburgh Chef: Breakfast Recipes For Mother's Day

If you're all grown up and moved out of the house, it's kind of tough to surprise your mom with breakfast in bed, but you can whip up a tasty breakfast for her after she's up and dressed (so she can sleep in a bit). Invite her and a few other mom friends over for a nice morning of eating and relaxing. Here are some elegant yet tasty recipes that you can make for mom, so that she can brag to all of her friends about your culinary skills (you surely get it form her).

Chef Bill Fuller
Big Burrito Restaurant Group
www.bigburrito.com

Bill Fuller is the executive chef for the Big Burrito Restaurant Group, which includes Mad Mex, Eleven, Casbah, Kaya, Soba and Umi. Bill's accolades include Chef of the Year and Restaurateur of the Year from Pittsburgh Magazine, along with the many awards received by the restaurants he oversees. Bill's restaurant menus highlight the benefits of locally farmed and sourced foods and each features fresh local ingredients. He also helps the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank in its mission to help feed Pittsburgh as well as acts as an advisor for the culinary program at the Art Institute of Pittsburgh.

Grilled Ramp and Chevre Omelet

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 3 fresh ramps, washed and trimmed
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (grapeseed, peanut, etc.)
• splash extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon soft butter
• 2 ounces fresh chevre, warmed to room temperature
• 2 slices prosciutto, julienned
• fresh watercress
• another splash of extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Heat grill pan and 8" skillet.
2. When 8" skillet is hot, add neutral oil.
3. Set aside for a moment.
4. Lightly oil ramps and season with salt and pepper.
5. Grill quickly until just wilted.
6. Place on cutting board an cut into 1" lengths.
7. Return 8" skillet to burner.
8. When hot, add whole butter and allow to foam.
9. When foam subsides, add eggs.
10. Stir with a rubber spatula, allowing the eggs to mostly set.
11. Tap pan lightly on stove, shaping omelet.
12. Add ramps, chevre and prosciutto.
13. Fold omelet, roll onto plate.
14. Lightly dress watercress, season with salt and pepper and place atop omelet.

Creamy Breakfast Polenta

Ingredients:

• 6 cups half-and-half
• 1 cup stone-ground polenta
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup maple sugar
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Dried fruit

Directions:

1. Heat the half-and-half in a medium pot to boiling.
2. Add the polenta in a stream, whisking constantly until all of the polenta is incorporated.
3. Turn the heat to very low and cook until all of the polenta is tender -- with stone-ground polenta, the size of the grain will vary, and larger pieces will take longer to cook than smaller ones. The cooking time should be 45-60 minutes; stir frequently with a wooden spoon.
4. Stir in butter, sugar and cinnamon. Top with syrup and fruit.

Steak and Jalapeno Breakfast Quesadilla

Ingredients:

• 1 pound flank steak
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 stick of butter
• 1 cup medium sliced raw onion
• 1-4 jalapenos, sliced into rings
• 1 tablespoon Mexican oregano, dried
• 2 teaspoons cumin, ground
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 8 eggs
• 4 10" flour tortillas
• 1 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
• salt and pepper
• guacamole
• sour cream

Directions:

1. Prepare guacamole. Reserve.
2. Place steak in a bowl.
3. Add mustard, olive oil and salt. Allow to marinate.
4. Heat cast iron skillet over high heat.
5. Sear steak until crusty on the outside and a gentle medium in the center, about 140 degrees F. Set aside and allow to rest.
6. Return skillet to heat. While steak is cooking, melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.
7. Add onions, peppers, oregano, cumin and salt.
8. Cook with stirring until onions soften but do not become soggy.
9. Heat comal (flat cast iron skillet).
10. Slice beef across the grain.
11. In skillet, add a generous knob of butter.
12. Crack 2 eggs into the pan. If you desire, poke the yolks so that they cook solid.
13. While eggs are cooking. Place a tortilla on the comal. Sprinkle with cheese. Allow to melt.
14. Place onion and pepper mixture across half of the tortilla. Add some beef. Add two eggs. Fold and remove from the griddle. Cut into thirds and serve with guacamole and sour cream.
15. Repeat steps 12-14 until everyone is fed. 

Related: Ask a Pittsburgh Chef: Best Mother's Day Brunch Recipes

Homemade Guacamole (for the quesadillas)

Ingredients:

• 3 avocados
• juice of 2-3 limes
• 1 large clove garlic grated on a microplane grater
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1-2 diced ripe tomatoes
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Peel, seed and dice avocados.
2. Add everything else. Adjust seasonings.

Related: Best Places To Get Brunch In The 'Burgh

Jennifer Stockdale is a native of the greater Pittsburgh, PA area. She is a restaurant marketer and wine enthusiast and one of the hosts of the East Coast Wine Geeks Podcast. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.