When it comes to the weekend, brunch is clearly the most important meal of the day. Whether you're treating yourself to a well-earned indulgence after an early start and a spin class, or soaking up last night's hangover, you deserve better than the same old bacon butty.
Fortunately for us all, the iconic Elizabeth Street Café, Austin's brunch mecca, has recently published its best recipes in a new book, Vietnamese Cuisine. These French-inspired Vietnamese dishes have bright, fresh flavours that will blow your eggy bread clean out of the water.
Spicy breakfast fried rice? Nutella stuffed crepes? These recipes are rich in flavour but easy to follow – a win for anyone looking to add a little extra kick to their plate. Click through for a selection to try this weekend.
Vietnamese Cuisine from Elizabeth Street Café by Tom Moorman and Larry McGuire with Julia Turshen, published by Phaidon, is available now
Nutella and Banana Crêpes with Candied Hazelnuts
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the candied hazelnuts
200g granulated sugar
1 tbsp light corn syrup
80g blanched hazelnuts
Rapeseed or vegetable oil, for frying
For the crêpes
2 eggs
180ml milk
120g plain flour
45g butter, melted, plus extra for cooking
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp granulated sugar
Pinch of coarse salt
150g hazelnut-chocolate spread, such as Nutella
2 bananas, peeled and thinly sliced on the bias
115g crème fraîche
Icing sugar, for dusting
Instructions
Make the candied hazelnuts
1. Place the granulated sugar, corn syrup, and 240ml water in a small heavy-bottomed pot set over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer, and add the hazelnuts. Cook the hazelnuts, stirring, for 30 minutes. Drain the hazelnuts (save the syrup for sweetening your coffee or cocktails) and dry them on paper towels.
2. Heat 1 inch oil in a small heavy-bottomed pot and, once the oil reaches 175C (350F) (or a hazelnut sizzles upon contact with the oil), add the hazelnuts and cook over high heat, stirring, until deep golden brown, about 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the nuts to a piece of parchment paper or a wire rack to cool down completely (don’t use paper towels because the nuts will stick to it and you will end up eating paper).
Make the crêpes
1. Place the eggs in a large bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. Whisk in the milk and 120ml water and then stir in the flour. Next, stir in the butter, vanilla, cinnamon, granulated sugar, and salt. Let the batter rest for 20 minutes (alternatively, you can refrigerate the batter in an airtight container for up to 2 days and bring it back to room temperature before proceeding).
2. Place a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat and add enough butter to lightly coat the surface. Pour in about a quarter of the batter (about 120ml) and swirl the pan so the batter forms an even layer. Cook, rotating the pan as necessary so the crêpe cooks evenly, until the underside is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Using a large high-heat silicone or wooden spatula and your hands, quickly and confidently flip the crêpe and cook until the second side is golden brown, about 1 more minute. Transfer the crêpe to your work surface and repeat the process 3 more times with the remaining batter, adding more butter to your frying pan as needed, so you end up with 4 crêpes.
3. Spread 2 tablespoons of the hazelnut-chocolate spread over half of each crêpe. Evenly distribute the banana slices among the crêpes, laying them over the centre of the spread. Fold each crêpe in half, covering the spread and bananas, to form semicircles. Fold the filled crêpes in half a second time.
4. Transfer the filled crêpes to 4 plates and dollop each with 2 tablespoons of the crème fraîche. Sprinkle a handful of the candied hazelnuts on top of each crêpe, dust with icing sugar, and serve immediately.
Scrambled Egg, Parsley and Jalapeño Bánh Mì
Makes 4 sandwiches
Ingredients
120ml mayonnaise, homemade or high-quality store-bought
1 tbsp sambal oelek chilli paste, plus extra for serving
4 (6 inch) Bánh Mì rolls, high-quality store-bought Vietnamese sandwich rolls, or small baguettes
8 eggs
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp clarified butter
2 jalapeños, thinly sliced
2 large handfuls coriander leaves
Sriracha, for serving
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 200C (400F/Gas Mark 6) or heat the broiler on high. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and the sambal oelek and reserve the mixture.
2. Warm the rolls in the oven or under the broiler until the crusts are crisp and the insides are soft and warmed through, a couple of minutes. Cut the rolls almost, but not quite, all the way through and place them, cut side up, on a large work surface. Evenly spread the sambal oelek mayonnaise on the cut sides of the rolls.
3. Meanwhile, place the eggs in a large bowl with the salt and pepper and use a fork to beat the eggs until thoroughly mixed. Place a large nonstick frying pan over medium heat and add enough clarified butter to lightly coat the surface. Add the eggs and cook, stirring gently with a silicone spatula, until the eggs are just set but are still creamy, about 3 minutes.
4. Evenly distribute the eggs among the bottom sides of the rolls. Top with the sliced jalapeños and coriander. Close the sandwiches, cut each in half across, if you'd like, and serve immediately with extra sambal oelek and sriracha on the side.
Spicy Breakfast Fried Rice and Fried Eggs
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 tbsp sriracha
2 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tbsp fish sauce
60ml rapeseed or vegetable oil, plus extra as needed
1 white onion, finely diced
1 jalapeño, stemmed and minced
1 fresh red chilli, stemmed and minced
Coarse salt and black pepper
1 small bunch fresh oyster mushrooms, tough stems discarded, roughly chopped
10 button mushrooms, stems discarded, thinly sliced
600g cold cooked long-grain white rice (leftover takeaway rice is perfect for this)
100g fresh mung bean sprouts
1 large handful coriander leaves, roughly chopped, with a handful set aside for garnish
2 spring onions, ends trimmed, thinly sliced
90g shishito peppers (about 20 peppers)
4 eggs
Instructions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sriracha, vinegar, and fish sauce. Reserve the mixture.
2. Heat 60ml oil in a large nonstick frying pan and, when piping hot, add the onion, jalapeño, red chilli, a big pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper and cook over high heat, stirring now and then, until the vegetables begin to soften and just barely begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Add all the mushrooms and season the mixture once again with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring now and then, until the mushrooms are softened and browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Use your hands to crumble in the rice; if it seems dry, add up to 2 tablespoons more oil. Heat the rice, stirring to break up any clumps, until the rice is heated through, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved sriracha mixture, the bean sprouts, chopped coriander, and spring onions. Season the rice to taste with salt and keep it warm over very low heat.
3. Meanwhile, place a large nonstick frying pan over high heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the surface. When the oil is piping hot, add the shishito peppers and cook, stirring now and then, until the peppers are softened and charred in spots, about 3 minutes. Season the peppers generously with salt and transfer them to a plate. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel and then add enough fresh oil to lightly coat the surface. Crack the eggs into the pan and sprinkle each one with a pinch of salt. Cook until the whites are just set and the yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes. To help cook the whites on top, tilt the frying pan toward you and use a spoon to collect the hot oil and baste it over the eggs while they set.
4. Evenly divide the rice among 4 plates or shallow bowls and top each portion with an egg. Divide the shishito peppers among the plates, garnish with coriander, and serve.
Homemade Granola with Yoghurt, Ginger, and Palm Sugar Syrup
Makes 425g
Ingredients
230g steel-cut oats or oatmeal
60g whole raw macadamia nuts
1 tbsp roughly chopped crystallised ginger
20g unsweetened shredded coconut
60g butter, melted
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp kosher (coarse) salt
60g palm sugar
1 (2 inch) piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
260g mixed berries (we use blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries; if you use strawberries, trim and slice them)
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 small handful fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
475ml full-fat Greek yoghurt or Lebanese labneh
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 175C (350F/Gas Mark 4). Line a baking tray with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper. Place the oats on the lined tray and bake, stirring now and then, until they are golden and smell nutty and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Transfer the oats to a large bowl and set aside the baking tray. Turn down the oven to 150C (300F /Gas Mark 2).
2. Meanwhile, place the macadamia nuts and crystallised ginger in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the nut mixture and coconut to the oats and stir to combine. In a small bowl, whisk together the butter, honey, brown sugar, and salt. Use a silicone spatula to scrape all the butter mixture over the oat mixture and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to the reserved baking tray and spread it out so it forms an even layer. Bake the granola, stirring every 10 minutes, until dark brown and crisp, about 35 minutes. Let the granola cool completely (it will continue to crisp as it cools).
3. Meanwhile, place the palm sugar, ginger, and 120ml water in a small saucepan set over high heat. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring to break up and dissolve the palm sugar, until the syrup is quite thick and turns the colour of an Irish setter, and the ginger is fragrant, about 10 minutes. Let the syrup cool completely, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve into a small jug, and reserve it. Discard the ginger (or reserve for another use or snack on it).
4. Place the berries, lime juice, and mint in a large bowl and stir to combine. Divide the yoghurt among 4 serving bowls and top each bowl with a quarter of the berry mixture. Drizzle each portion of berries with a quarter of the reserved syrup. Place a small handful of granola in each bowl and serve immediately. Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Sticky Rice with Ginger Sausage, Herb Salad, and Poached Eggs
Serves 4
Ingredients
For the rice
330g Thai sticky rice (or any sweet, glutinous rice), rinsed well
Large pinch of coarse salt
For the ginger sausage
455g ground pork (the coarser the better)
2 tsp coarse salt
2 tsp packed dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp dried red chilli flakes
1 spring onion, ends trimmed, minced
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp fish sauce
Rapeseed or vegetable oil, as needed
To serve
1/2 fresh red chilli, stemmed and thinly sliced, or more to taste
2 large handfuls mixed soft herb leaves (we use mint, coriander, and Thai basil)
2 small radishes, thinly sliced
1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 tsp fresh lime juice
Coarse salt
1 tbsp unseasoned rice vinegar
4 eggs
2 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp sriracha
Fleur de sel
Instructions
Make the rice
1. Set up a conventional steamer or a bamboo steamer inside of a large pot and fill the pot with water accordingly. Bring the water to a boil. Put the rice into a dish that fits comfortably inside of the steamer and make sure the dish is large enough so that the rice comes only about 1/4 inch up the dish.
2. Sprinkle the rice with the salt and pour enough cool water into the dish just to cover the rice by 1/2 inch. Put the dish of rice and water into the steamer, cover the steamer, and cook until the rice is tender, 20 to 25 minutes (start checking at 20 minutes). Once cooked, the rice can sit comfortably in the steamer for up to 20 minutes.
Make the ginger sausage
1. Preheat the oven to 140C (275F/Gas Mark 1).
2. In a large bowl, combine the ground pork, salt, brown sugar, pepper, chilli flakes, spring onion, ginger, garlic, and fish sauce. Use your hands to thoroughly combine the sausage ingredients. Evenly divide the mixture into 8 patties. Place a large frying pan over medium-high heat and add enough rapeseed oil to lightly coat the surface. Cook the patties, in batches as necessary, adding more oil as needed, until browned on both sides, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Transfer the sausage patties to a baking tray and keep them warm in the oven while you prepare the herb salad and eggs.
To serve
1. In a medium bowl, combine the sliced chilli, herbs, and radishes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon olive oil and the lime juice and season to taste with salt. Reserve the mixture.
2. Bring a large wide saucepan of salted water to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and stir in the vinegar. Crack 1 egg into a small bowl. Stir the water gently to create a whirlpool and, while gently stirring, carefully slip the egg into the simmering water. Repeat the process as quickly as possible with the remaining eggs and work in batches as necessary, as determined by the size of your pan so that the eggs stay separate. Poach the eggs until they’re barely firm to the touch, about 3 minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and blot dry on paper towels.
3. Divide the rice among 4 bowls. Evenly drizzle the hoisin and the sriracha over the rice and place a poached egg on top of the rice in each of the bowls. Drizzle each poached egg with a bit of olive oil and sprinkle each egg with a pinch of fleur de sel. Place 2 sausage patties to the side of each egg and the herb salad on the other side of each egg. Serve immediately.
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