Restaurant-worthy brunch

Ring in the new year with recipes that re-create the weekend meal’s leisurely magic

Brunch. The dine-in restaurant occasion I miss most during this pandemic. I’m not really thinking of those all-you-can-eat grand buffets (although that sounds decadently delightful). Rather, those leisurely outings with good friends that involve waitstaff, luxurious food and a way-early-for-me cocktail or two. A stroll might follow to aid digestion and keep the conversation flowing, before the need to nap pulls me to the couch. These days, working at home means the couch often doubles as desk. The cocktail hour creeps into consciousness at dusk. The snack drawer beckons all day.

This January, I declare time to cook our own restaurant-worthy brunch dishes. Eggs covered in a creamy sauce, bacon-y potatoes, seed and nut pancakes sweetened with jam. It makes no matter to the cook when you enjoy them — Sunday morning, Tuesday evening or Friday lunch.

I never have enough pancake recipes. Whole grain, buttermilk, potato, lemon ricotta — we love them all in our family. My pet peeve is the metallic taste of excess leavening found in boxed mixes and some recipes, so I nearly always make my own dry mix. Ingredients on hand inspire the use of various flours, seeds, nut and fruit additions.

A love of muesli cereal translated into the version here, chock-full of oats, almonds and dried currants.

I stock bags of frozen cranberries for this speedy cranberry, fig and ginger jam. Make a double batch and package in small refrigerator containers to gift to your former brunch buddies with the dry pancake mix and instructions for cooking.

Bacon and potatoes are a match made in heaven — especially when indulging in breakfast-for-dinner. The hash that follows can be served in individual skillets topped with an egg — reminiscent of pancake house skillet meals.

Like many, I struggle to poach eggs so they look beautiful and stay soft-set.

The best technique I’ve found is simply to keep the barely simmering pan of water swirling when you add the egg. The movement of the water helps coat the yolk with the white. Once done, after about 3 minutes, use a slotted spoon to transfer the egg to a bowl of lukewarm water.

The eggs hold nicely in this manner while you reheat the potato mixture to piping hot.

Top everything with a lemony, mayonnaise-based sauce — easier than making hollandaise.

I always enlist help while cooking brunch — someone to act as the barista and bartender while I concentrate on the stove. Serve mimosas with the pancakes and bloody marys with the bacon potato skillet.

Fortified, we reminisce and marvel at the skills of the staff at our favorite brunch spots. Let’s support them in these difficult times by ordering takeout meals, tipping generously and sending donations. New memories are on the horizon.

Cinnamon muesli pancakes with cranberry, fig and ginger jam

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 20 minutes Makes: 16 four-inch pancakes

Any good-quality thick, not-too-sweet jam can stand in for the homemade version. I like lingonberry when it’s available. Gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill) can be substituted for the flours. Use more oats if you wish to replace the nuts.

1 cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup whole wheat flour

½ cup old-fashioned oats

¼ cup quinoa flakes or bran flakes (or crushed bran flake cereal)

¼ cup sliced almonds or pecan pieces, chopped

¼ cup brown sugar 3 tablespoons roasted or raw sunflower seeds 3 or 4 tablespoons dried currants or chopped golden raisins or dried cranberries 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon each: baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon 3 large eggs

1 ½ cups milk (whole, lowfat or skim all are fine here) 3 tablespoons each: vegetable oil, melted butter Vegetable oil for high heat cooking, such as sunflower, safflower or expellerpressed canola oil

Plain or vanilla yogurt Cranberry, fig and ginger jam, see recipe, warmed Cranberry or maple syrup

1. Mix flours, oats, quinoa flakes, almonds, brown sugar, sunflower seeds, currants, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl. (Or store in a covered container up to several weeks.)

2.To make pancake batter, whisk eggs together in a large bowl. Whisk in milk, 3 tablespoons oil and melted butter. Whisk the flour mixture into the egg mixture just until everything is moistened. Do not overmix.

Let stand about 5 minutes. 3. To cook pancakes, heat 1 or 2 large nonstick skillets or a griddle over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles on contact. Lightly brush the surface with a little oil. Use a ¼ cup measure or ladle to dollop batter in several places over hot surface, allowing 2 or 3 inches between pancakes for spread. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until bubbles form on the surface and the bottom is golden brown, about 3 minutes. Flip and brown the other side, about 1 minute more.

4. Serve pancakes hot off the griddle topped with yogurt, warm cranberry jam and a drizzle of syrup.

Note: Pancakes can be transferred to a wire rack set over a baking sheet in a 200-degree oven to stay warm while you cook all the batter.

Nutrition information per serving: 164.4 calories, 7.9 g fat, 2.4 g saturated fat, 41.8 mg cholesterol, 19.6 g carbohydrates, 6 g sugar, 4.7 g protein, 206.3 mg sodium, 1.7 g fiber

ABELURIBE/CHICAGOTRIBUNE PHOTOS; SHANNON KINSELLA/FOOD STYLING A love of muesli cereal inspires these cinnamon muesli pancakes with homemade cranberry, fig and ginger jam.