Last September in NYC, I had the honour to eat at the legendary Bobby Flay’s restaurant, Mesa Grill. It was one of the most memorable brunches I have ever encountered to date. Admitting, my not so discrete crush on Bobby is well deserved with an adventurous breakfast menu like so. I was like a kid in a candy store, in awe at every recipe. The combinations of ingredients were incredibly daring and admirable, making it difficult to stop at two meals. Truthfully, I can still taste the apricot glazed ham steaks accompanied by goat cheese and jalapeno scrambled eggs. Bobby Flay is culinary genius, ‘nuff said.
Deciding what to serve for the number one man in my life, my daddy, was an easy decision. I chose to recreate Bobby Flay’s breakfast quesadillas. This is not a simple feat, but it is worth every minute of slavery. If you ever have a free Sunday morning to follow this recipe, you will not be disappointed but ensure that you have ample time to build this breakfast delight. The combination of homemade hash browns, thick cut bacon, fried egg, and tomato jalapeno salsa topped with goat cheese, is unforgettable. This meal is served best with a cold glass of Mimosa, and don’t forget the slice of orange!
xo Dom Appetit!
Crispy Bacon and Hash Brown Quesadillas
Prep Time: 30 mins
Total Cook Time: 1 hour (onions, hash browns, bacon, complete quesadilla in the oven)
Tools Needed: 2 large frying pans, cutting board, knife, cheese grater, colander, slotted spoon, small mixing bowl, 2-3 baking sheets, spatula, medium boiling pot, plate, paper towel
Ingredients:
Hash Browns
2 large Idaho potatoes (scrubbed)
¼ cup of canola oil
2 large Spanish onions, halved and thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 poblano chile (I used ½ jalapeno pepper chopped)
1 tablespoon of ancho chile powder ( I used Mexican chile powder)
Quesadillas
8 ounces of thick-cut bacon, diced
12 (6-inch) flour tortillas
2 ½ cups of grated cheese (Monterey jack or cheddar)
2 tablespoons of canola oil
2 teaspoons of ancho chile powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large eggs
Salt and ground black pepper
Mixed Tomato Salsa (recipe below)
Grated cotija cheese for garnish (I used crumbled goat cheese)
2 green onions thinly sliced for garnish
Directions:
1) To make the hash browns, put the potatoes in a medium pot of cold salted water, bring to a bowl and cook until nearly tender but a knife inserted into the middle will meet a little resistance, 15-20 mins. Drain and let cool slightly, and then peel. Grate the potatoes on a grater using the large holes
2) Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large frying pan, over medium heat. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally until golden brown and caramelized, 15-20 mins. Scrape the onions out of the pan onto a plate
3) Return the pan to the stove over high heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown (12-15 mins). Stir in onions, poblano, ancho powder, salt and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F
4) Place the bacon in a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook, turning once until crisp (8-10 mins). Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Discard bacon fat and wipe pan with paper towel
5) To assemble the quesadillas, place 6 tortillas on baking sheets. Divide the cheese, hash browns, and bacon among tortillas. (Bobby Flay now says to make 2 layers, but I made only 1 layer and was filling enough!) Cover each with one of the remaining tortillas. Brush the tops with the oil and sprinkle with ancho powder. Bake until golden brown and cheese has melted (8 mins)
6) While quesadillas are baking, fry the eggs. Return to large frying pan that you cooked the bacon in on to medium heat and melt butter. Carefully crack eggs into the pan, season with salt and pepper and cook until the whites are completely firm but the yolks are still soft (2-3 mins)
7) Transfer the quesadillas to plates and top each egg with a fried egg, add some of the mixed tomato salsa, and garnish with cotija cheese and green onion
Mixed Tomato Salsa
Prep Time: 10 mins
Tools Needed: Medium mixing bowl, cutting board, knife, spoon
Ingredients:
1 pound of heirloom tomatoes diced (or cherry tomatoes)
1 jalapeno chile, finely diced
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Mexican oregano (1 teaspoon dried)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Directions:
1) Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 mins before serving
