The Challenge!!

One of the most exciting things I love about being a catering chef is that I can really play around with the ingredients and create something fantastic. I often get tired of making the same dish over and over again. I always look for a new twist that I can add to any meal. A simple change in the flavor profile of one item can be a drastic change in the overall finished product. So you can imagine grocery shopping for me doesn’t usually include a shopping list. Most of the time, I just go to the market and wing it. Then I use what I’ve purchased to create a masterpiece.

So here’s my challenge to you:

1. Go to any supermarket of your choice. (Fairway is my fave!)

2. Purchase 6 unrelated items

3. Create an amazing meal using those 6 items, including other ingredients

you may already have in your home.

4. Using the tag #ALWAYSASOIREE, Post a picture or video on

Instagram or Facebook and explain your experience.

5. Like and follow the Gourmet Soiree page on IG and Facebook!

The person with the best creation will WIN a $50 gift card to Home Goods! And a $10 Gourmet Soirée gift certificate!

I tried this challenge myself with these 10 items:

Spinach

Chicken Sausage

6 Eggs

Red potatoes

1 Fuji Apple

Shitake Mushrooms

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 loaf of Brioche bread

Heavy cream

1 Medium shallot

I decided to make....

A Rustic Brunch: Brioche French toast, Fuji Apple Chicken Sausage, Roasted Potatoes with Shitake Mushrooms, and a Spinach and Cheddar Scramble.

Prep: Always prep all ingredients before you start cooking. Measure and chop all of your ingredients in advance. Find and set aside the pots and utensils you are using. Being organized in the kitchen saves lots of time!

Let’s start with the Roasted Potatoes since that will take the longest to cook. After chopping and slicing all ingredients (potatoes, shallots, peppers, mushrooms) add 2tbsp. olive oil, and one tbsp minced garlic and paprika. Spread everything out on a baking sheet. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350° or until golden brown. Salt and pepper to taste!

French Toast: The secret to making the great French toast is all in the batter. You want to make a custard like batter for the bread to soak in. Wisk together 4 eggs and 1 ½ cups of heavy cream then add in a 2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar and 3 tbsp. cinnamon. Pan fry the French toast in 1 tbsp. of butter.

Food Fact: Cinnamon is best known as a spice, sprinkled on toast and lattes. But extracts from the bark of the cinnamon tree have also been used traditionally as medicine throughout the world. Add some cinnamon and an orange peel to a nice hot cup of tea the next time you have a cold. Thank me later!

Now let’s move onto the Chicken Sausage. First I

removed the casing from the sausage by just splitting it with a knife and peeling it off. Next I added in a few more spices to amp up the flavor (1 tsp. of each: salt, garlic powder, onion powder, fennel seed, paprika, parsley flakes, and thyme). Add in the chopped apples and mix it all together. Don’t be afraid to get in there with your hands, they’re your best kitchen tools! Mold into ½ inch thick patties and pan fry till golden brown. Set them aside to cool. They can be quickly reheated if you need to.

And now for the Scramble. You’ll need about 6 eggs to feed 3 people. To some making a scrambled egg means just beating the egg and pouring it into a screaming hot pan and literally frying it. But that is not the correct technique when making a scrambled egg. I know, I know how hard could scrambling an egg really be lol. Heat the pan over medium heat. Add in 2 tbsp. of butter and let it melt to cover the base of the pan. Add in the eggs then STOP! Don’t stir it. Let the eggs sit for about 5 seconds. Then using a spatula or a wooden spoon start to push the eggs in a forward motion (away from you). Continue this process until you see significant ruffles forming. Then you can start to chop it up a bit. Before the eggs are cooked completely through add in the spinach and continue to fold the spinach into the eggs until completely wilted. Turn off the heat and add in the cheese at the end. Then salt and pepper to taste!

With such a beautiful meal, presentation is important. Dust the French toast with a little confectioner’s sugar and sprinkle the potatoes with a little parsley.