Sunday Brunch: Scramble and Home Fries

I love brunch, it's definitely my favorite meal.  While there are dozens of amazing brunch spots in San Francisco, my favorite spot to enjoy brunch is on the couch with the Wife.  One of my favorite brunch dishes is a simple scramble.  The beauty of this dish is that you can add whatever you have in the fridge that sounds good.  When you pair a scramble with crispy potatoes and toast it's tough to go wrong.

For a delicious Sunday brunch for two, you will need:

2 fingerling potatoes

4 eggs

1 tablespoon of milk

1/3 cup shredded cheese (I had some white cheddar on hand, but use whatever you have)

Veggies (I used 1/2 an onion and a handful of mushrooms, again use whatever you have)

1 tablespoon of butter

1 teaspoon Herbs d'Provence

Salt and Pepper

Olive Oil

A few pieces of toast

The potatoes take about 30 minutes, so grab a cup of coffee, and watch the news while you wait for them to reach perfection.  Give the potatoes a chop, try to keep the sizes uniform so they cook evenly.

Drop the potatoes in a pot of salted water and bring to a boil.

Parboil the potatoes for a few minutes.  Don't cook them too much or they'll turn to mush.  Drain the potatoes and pat dry with a paper towel.

In a bowl, mix the potatoes with some olive oil, salt, pepper, and herbs (I like Herbs d'Provence).

Heat a pan (cast iron skillet if you have one) over medium heat and add the potatoes.  The key to crispy potatoes is to be patient, don't turn the heat up too high, and don't to mess with them too much.

If you keep stirring the potatoes, they won't brown properly.  After 5 minutes or so, use a spatula and flip the potatoes.  Try to get them all turned and keep them in an even layer.

While the potatoes cook, get the eggs ready.  Crack the eggs into a medium bowl.  I like to add a drop of milk for creamier eggs.

Whisk the eggs really well.  The better you whisk, the fluffier the eggs should be.

I think that it's best to cook the eggs and the "scramble stuff" separately.  Otherwise the egg coats the fixings and never really gets fluffy and creamy, you end up with egg coated veggies instead.  Drop the mushrooms in a pan over medium heat with a drop of butter and olive oil, season with salt and pepper.

When the mushrooms brown, add the onion just for a minute.  

Transfer to a bowl and set aside to add into the eggs later.

By now, the potatoes should be getting close.  Keep an eye on them so they don't burn, but keep cooking until they are totally crisped and delicious.  

Heat a nonstick pan over medium heat.  Melt a drop of butter and add the eggs.  This is also the time to add some bread to the toaster.

Keep the heat low and continuously stir.

Just as the eggs are about finished, add the fixings and the cheese.  Remove from heat so that you don't overcook.  The eggs while continue to cook on their own for another minute.

Give the potatoes a taste test to ensure that they're awesome.  Adjust the seasoning if needed.

Right about now, the Wife usually comes strolling out of the bedroom.  She has great timing, and loves brunch as much as I do.  While we both like cruising down to La Boulange or Rose's, we have brunch at home more often than not.  After a late night out in the City it's a lot easier to eat at home and always hits the spot.   

I recommend pairing this delicious brunch with some good coffee, a glass of cold water, and some ketchup and Tobasco.  Dining on the couch and in your pajamas adds a great ambiance and somehow makes a scramble taste even better.  

Any reader of the Lederman Kitchen knows that we are big fans of mushrooms (onions run a close second), but feel free to add anything that you have on hand and sounds good to a scramble.  Enjoy.