Making a Kosher Valentine’s Day Brunch

Nothing says Valentine’s Day like a thoughtful and tasty brunch.

“I’ve made many romantic meals for my wife on numerous celebratory occasions, but I reserve Valentine’s Day for my heart-shaped foods,” chef Jeff Frymer told the Journal. “Maybe it’s a bit corny but hey, that’s how I roll.”

Heart Shaped Spinach Omelet

1 medium russet potato – peeled and
medium chopped
2 large handfuls fresh baby spinach
(about 2 oz.)
½ medium yellow onion, medium chopped
1 medium tomato, medium chopped
3 eggs, whisked in a large bowl, add a few
shakes salt
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
2 pats butter, drizzle of olive oil
Salt, pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper,
lemon juice

Sauté potatoes and onions in butter and olive oil on medium-low heat in a nonstick pan until the potatoes are soft and onions have slightly browned (about 10 minutes).
Add spinach, tomato, and thyme. Cover and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes until spinach is wilted.
Pour mixture into the bowl of eggs. Add feta cheese, and combine all ingredients well.
Return to the pan and cook the mixture evenly, until it stiffens just enough to hold a heart shape (about 2 minutes). Then cover and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes to help solidify.
Slide heart-omelet onto a plate by gently using a large spatula while tilting pan. If you have some accidental breakage, no worries. It’s easy enough to push back into shape if necessary. Add pepper to taste.
Add a little fruit to the plate such as apple wedges with a sprinkle of cinnamon, slices of strawberry or blueberries, whatever your preference.

Another option? Make a Fruit Pizza. It’s pretty, elegant and refreshing.

“The crust makes it thin and crisp, and the colors of the fruit make it ultra vivid,” Debby Segura, a designer, gourmet cook and cooking teacher, told the Journal. “I like to think of my Fruit Pizza as a cross between a crafts project and a dessert. Happily, the love and creativity that goes into this treat really shows.”

Fruit Pizza

Crust:
One ready made pie crust, or
1¼ cups all purpose flour
A pinch of salt
½ cup cold unsalted margarine, cut into
small pieces
4 tablespoons ice water
1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Topping:
2 cups thinly sliced fresh fruit (plums,
nectarines, strawberries, white or
yellow peaches)
1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch or potato starch
1 cup fresh blueberries
Turbinado sugar
3 tablespoons red currant or apple jelly or
apricot jam

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt and margarine, and using your fingers, combine thoroughly. The biggest pieces should be about the size of peas. Add the ice water and combine to form a ball of dough. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Allow the dough to rest for at least half an hour, or up to 3 days.
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 375°F. On a floured surface, lightly roll out the dough into a thin, 12 to 15 inch round and place on a baking parchment on the pizza pan.
In a large bowl, sprinkle the sliced fruits with the sugar and starch. Toss gently to coat.
Decoratively arrange the fruit slices and blueberries on top of the crust, and turn whatever crust remains on the outer edge of your pizza toward the fruit to form a border.
Use the beaten egg and water to paint the border. Sprinkle the border and fruit slices lightly with the turbinado sugar.
Bake the pizza until the fruit juices begin to bubble and the border of the crust is golden brown, about 30-35 minutes. Cool the pizza on a rack.
Heat the jelly or jam and, using a pastry brush, gently paint the fruit to give it a shine.
And if your meal isn’t sweet enough, why not add a fresh, gooey, homemade babka to the mix?

“Some find a dozen roses romantic, but I’d take a Pecan Honeybuns Babka any day.” – Debby Segura

“Some find a dozen roses romantic, but I’d take a Pecan Honeybuns Babka any day,” Segura said. “Just place the soft, sugar-cinnamon filled spirals of dough in an angel food or tube pan and watch them rise. Bake them and your whole house will smell heavenly.”

Pecan Honeybuns Babka

Dough:
4 ½ cups bread flour
1/3 cup sugar
1 ½ tablespoon Rapid Rise (Instant) Yeast
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup warm water
1/3 cup oil (or softened butter)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:
¾ cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Topping:
½ cup honey
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 ½ cup chopped pecan pieces

To make the dough, place flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large mixing bowl or the work bowl of a large (11 to 14 cup) food processor.
Combine the water, oil, egg and vanilla extract to equal 1 7/8 cup. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients, mixing until smooth. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic; about 10 minutes by hand, 60 seconds by food processor. Place the dough in a large, greased bowl and then turn the dough over so it is greased side up.
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in bulk, about 1 to 1 ½ hours. The dough is ready if an indentation remains when touched. Punch down the dough and divide the dough in half.
Roll out the first piece of dough into a narrow, 18” long rectangle. Cover the rectangle with half of the cinnamon mixture and drizzle with a quarter of the filling.

Starting with the long side side, tightly roll up the dough, pinching the length of the dough closed. Repeat with the other half of the dough. Cut each roll into 10 slices. Grease an angel food cake pan with non-stick cooking spray and arrange the slices in the prepared pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and position a rack at the bottom third of the oven. Paint the top of the dough with an egg wash (1 egg yolk whisked together with 1 teaspoon water). Place the pan(s) in the oven and lower the temperature to 325 and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the pan(s) from the oven and drizzle the tops of the loaves with the topping. Bake for 15 minutes more.

Cool for at least 25 minutes before removing from the pan. Serve warm.

Happy Valentine’s Day