It seems that my job has made me into a morning person, which is an incredible feat. Friends and family know that I am not one by nature, and may, in fact, be astounded by this pronouncement.
However, this morning, on one of my precious days not governed by an alarm clock, I woke up while it was still dark outside, probly around 6, or a little later. I tossed and sighed and tried to get back to sleep. Mr Official Taster, who has a serious talent for sleep, mumbled "what time do you have to go to work?" and was quickly set straight that it was my day off. He promptly fell back asleep, and I was left wide awake.
It seemed there was nothing to do but get up, greet the day, and have a talk with my internal clock. I also decided to take Roomba out for a walk. I figured it was good for both of us, and a nice stroll on the water seemed like a relatively gentle way to get going.
On our way back toward home, I started fantasizing about breakfast, considered and threw out the idea of taking myself out for one, and instead settled on pancakes. Maybe not as decadent as eggs benedict with avocado or smoked salmon but certainly a treat and very easy to make at home.
Slathered with scrumptious sugared raspberries, they were nearly wonderful enough to make me forget I'd been up for hours.
adapted from Gourmet Today
Gourmet says the batter keeps, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days, and to thin as necessary before using. If you want weekday pancakes, why not make a double batch on Sunday and save the rest for later in the week? I can't think of an easier way to dress up a work or school morning. I slathered mine with Sugared Raspberries (quick! make some while there's still time before winter!), and they were awesome together.
1 C non-dairy milk (I used almond)
1 Tbsp lemon juice or vinegar
1 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
vegetable oil for pan or griddle
In a glass bowl or measuring cup, add milk, then lemon juice, and set aside for at least 10 minutes.
Place an ovenproof plate on the center rack and preheat oven to 200F (optional. This is the easiest way to keep your pancakes warm if you're making several batches).
In a small or medium bowl, whisk together everything but the oil until mixture is mostly smooth. If it needs thinning, and mine always does, add water 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches the consistency you'd like.
Heat a griddle or large, heavy skillet/frying pan over medium heat until it's hot enough to make drops of water scatter over its surface. Brush with oil, or simply swirl a teaspoon or two of oil around the pan until evenly distributed. I've found I like the even-ness of brushing, but it's kind of a fussy way to grease your pan. Feel free to swirl.
Working in batches, scoop a small amount of batter and pour onto pan. I like to use a ladle for my batter, but the book recommends using a 1/4 cup measure and filling it halfway. Do what makes you happy. Cook pancakes, turning once, until golden, about two minutes per batch. Transfer each batch to the warm plate in the oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining pancakes.
I find the batter doesn't keep well. If you use it all up and save the pancakes for the toaster or microwave later in the week, it works well.
ReplyDeleteThat's what I would have guessed, too. But Gourmet is pretty reliable. The other thing that helps convince me it might work is that this wasn't a very bubbly batter. The rounds of batter didn't get all those air bubbles dad taught me to look for. Maybe because I don't use "real" buttermilk?
Delete