I mostly prefer to eat my tuna raw or seared, but I make an exception and eat it fully cooked when it’s prepared this way. You need to plan ahead, as the tuna has to marinate in an oil mixture for at least 6 hours, but all told it’s a snap to make. Instead of buttering or oiling the toast that holds the confit, I was inspired to add the avocado smear instead after eating a fabulous avocado toast with boquerones at Beast and the Hare.

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This is a tart that practically screams “SPRING!!!!”–and as the springtime is rapidly coming to a close for this year, I’d better share the recipe for this seasonal favorite.

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What could be a better breakfast than a perfectly textured and seasoned egg wedded with the best parts of a BLT?  Arugula, tomatoes, and crispy bacon make a bed for the egg. A tiny splash of cream before baking gives the egg a luscious, almost cheesy texture.

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Let’s say you’re hanging out in the 310, the 213, or even the 90210. Last night, you ate at Cobras and Matadors, then had a pretty hardcore night of drinking at the Golden Gopher or perhaps SkyBar (you fancypants you!) You wake up late the next day and need a serious hangover brunch. One choice. Has to be Roscoe’s Chicken and Waffles in Hollywood.

The syrup they serve is magical- it’s like honey on a biscuit, but syrup on a waffle. Go figure! Also it’s the only place I think I have EVER been that actually has Bartles and Jaymes Wine Coolers on the menu. Yes! It’s absolutely an LA institution.

Note: There are other branches, but the Hollywood one is the “touristy” (white?) one. The food is the same at all of them, but the crazy, cramped, funky vibe is more present at Roscoe’s in Hollywood as well, since it’s the original. But if you happen to be in Watts, by all means, hit up another branch.

My friend Robert (of oatmeal cookie fame) also makes amazing homemade chilaquiles for a hearty weekend breakfast. He makes everything without measurements, which he refers to as doing it “Mexican style”, so it was a little tricky to pin down the measurements. After a few years of prodding and cajoling, he finally allowed me to shadow him in the kitchen and try to furiously transcribe his methods.

If you’ve never had chilaquiles before, it’s a traditional Mexican breakfast dish that consists of fried tortilla chips coated in a green or red sauce, layered with scrambled eggs and chorizo, and baked with cheese on top. While it makes it something of a royal pain in the butt, the key to this recipe’s tastiness lies in frying up the tortilla chips yourself. If you have an avid and patient kitchen helper (even one who lacks culinary skillz), this chip-frying task would be a good time to call on them.

Chilaquiles are also commonly lauded as a hangover cure. To that end, Robert always makes this on the Sunday of our yearly Spring wine-tasting weekend. To protect his precious family recipes, I have made some key changes in this version! Robert: you can sleep easy knowing that while now everyone can enjoy some delicious chilaquiles, they will never be exactly the same as the ones you make.

Robert’s Chilaquiles
serves 8

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh corn tortillas
• 2 – 29 oz cans tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 Tblsp chili powder
• 3 cloves crushed garlic
• 3 chicken bouillion cubes
• 1 Tblsp flour, shaken in a jar with 2 Tblsp water
• 1 pound fresh Mexican chorizo
• 12 eggs, beaten well
• 1/2 pound grated cheese (Monterey Jack, mild cheddar, or shredded Mexican blend)
• 1 cup queso fresco, crumbled
• salt and pepper to taste
• vegetable oil for frying

Method:

• Cut tortillas into chip-sized wedges. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large saute pan. Fry chips in batches until golden on both sides, removing to drain on paper towels.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder, garlic, and bouillion. Heat over medium heat until bubbling. Lower heat and leave to simmer. Stir in flour/water mixture and salt and pepper. Taste and add more seasonings if you wish.
• Continue simmering over low heat for about 30 more minutes, stirring to make sure sauce doesn’t stick to pot.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Combine half of chips and half of sauce, tossing to coat well. Lay in 9×13 pan. Bake for about 10-15 minutes, until chips have dried out a bit.
• While chips are baking, cook chorizo, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned. Add eggs, salt and pepper to taste, and cook until scrambled.
• Spread egg and chorizo mixture over chips. Mix remaining chips with remaining sauce and spread on top of eggs.
• Sprinkle grated cheese on top, then crumble queso fresco over the top.
• Bake for about 20 minutes, until cheese is melted. Serve with refried beans, Spanish rice, avocadoes, and sour cream.

I made Heidi’s Salt-Kissed Buttermilk Cake from 101Cookbooks last week, and want to encourage you to try it! The cake came out incredibly moist and delicious, and was easy to make.

I made it as a dessert, which was OK, but I think it would be an absolute knock-out for brunch. Next time I’m going to cover the entire top with berries. I used big smooshy blackberries and wished I had one in every bite!

It’s a yucky, wet, rainy Tuesday right now and I am reminiscing about a lovely sunny Saturday a few weeks back when I made these pancakes to share with friends. I wanted to use a combination of white flour and whole grain flour, because while I love the health benefits of whole grains I feared that going 100% whole grain would yield spiced blueberry rocks as opposed to pancakes. I opted for oat flour, which really shines in this recipe- it doesn’t have all the heft of whole wheat flour, but it’s got a nice texture and flavor while offering that whole grain goodness.

I love the combination of berries and oranges, so I incorporated both orange zest and juice into the batter, along with some vanilla yogurt for tang and sweetness. Using the yogurt, which I always have on hand, also prevented me from buying a quart of buttermilk and only using 1 cup, then letting the rest rot in my fridge… which is what has happened every single time I have ever bought buttermilk in my entire life, without fail. Seriously, it’s a real problem.

You should feel free to play with the spices or flavors in this recipe to mix it up. Other combinations that would be delicious would be…

• replace the orange with lemon, and replace blueberries with raspberries
• replace the orange with lime, and replace blueberries with blackberries, omit the cinnamon, and add toasted coconut
• keep the orange and replace blueberries with chocolate chunks, with or without the cinnamon and ginger (I’d keep ‘em in)
• keep all as is but add chopped toasted nuts and/or a handful of granola in the batter

Spiced Orange Blueberry Pancakes
serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 cup white flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• zest of 2 oranges
• 2 cups vanilla yogurt
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 pint blueberries, rinsed and dried
• butter for pan, and to serve

Method:

• Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, spices, salt, and sugar in a bowl.
• Add orange zest, yogurt, juice, egg, and butter and stir to combine. (Batter may be lumpy.)
• Heat skillet over medium heat and add a small dollop of butter (about a teaspoon.) When butter bubbles, pour about 1/3 cup of batter into the skillet for each pancake. Sprinkle about 8-10 blueberries over each pancake.
• When pancake is golden on the bottom, flip and cook the other side until done.
• Repeat with remaining batter. To keep warm while cooking, you can put the cooked pancakes in a 175 degree oven while you’re finishing up.
• Serve warm with maple syrup and butter.