Recipe week day 7: BLD

What’s a BLD? I’m glad you asked. Well its what Rachael Ray calls this very yummy dish, because its good for Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner! And I thought it would be a perfect ending recipe for this week!

Savory French Toast with Homemade Sausage Patties and Warm Honey, Strawberries and Basil

Ingredients:

• 3 large eggs
• 2/3 cup whole milk or cream
• 1/2-2/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (a couple of handfuls)
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds ground pork
• 2 1/4 teaspoons ground sage or rubbed sage (half a palmful)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons granulated onion
• 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic (half a palmful)
• 2 1/4 teaspoons fennel seeds (half a palmful)
• 3 pinches of ground cloves or ground allspice
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
• 8 thick-cut slices good quality white bread
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 cups strawberries, halved or sliced
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced or torn
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Good quality honey of your favorite variety, for liberal drizzling

We added maple syrup to the sausage to add just a touch of sweet to it.

Directions:

1. Pre-heat the griddle to medium.
2. Whisk together the eggs, milk or cream, cheese, nutmeg and salt and pepper, to taste, in a shallow dish.
3. In a medium size bowl, add the pork, sage, onion, garlic, fennel seeds, cloves, lots of black pepper and salt, to taste, and mix to combine. Divide the mixture into four portions and form each portion into two small patties, about 2 1/2-inches wide. Heat the EVOO in large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side. Turn off the heat and keep warm in the pan.
4. Wipe the hot griddle with butter nested in a paper towel. Soak the bread, a few slices at a time, in the milk mixture, shaking off the excess. Add the bread to the griddle and cook until toasted, crispy and golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Cook in batches, if necessary.
5. While the bread toasts, combine the strawberries, basil and sugar in a medium bowl.
6. Halve the toast from corner to corner. Serve the toast on individual plates layered with sausage patties, a liberal drizzle of honey and the berries with basil.

This was truly a fantastic dish and very filling!! (PS the picture is from our actual meal!)