“Heaven … I am in heaven’’ … white chocolates, cream, cayenne pepper and cinnamon. Combine some of these ingredients with classic French toast made from homemade bread and you may have to see a cardiologist after this yin and yang breakfast :-)! I used so much cream, chocolate, port, butter – all the no-no‘s of healthy eating but oh boy, did this taste like heaven!

{This delicious recipe was inspired by an ingredient list I received from Pick n Pay for their freshlyblogged challenge #6 competition.}

For this “his and hers” breakfast, I made something savoury and sweet. I used the French toast as a mutual vehicle for the two different dishes. I added figs, pomegranates, port and some basil mint that freshens and elevates both dishes (proudly out of my garden). The figs and pomegranates work brilliantly with the chicken livers (part of my have to use list) – they offset the bitterness you often find in livers and give it a crunchy texture. “Tannie Ina se bottel tomato and basil pasta sous” helped in creating a lovely rich creamy tomato sauce for the livers. And who will say no to white chocolate, figs and pomegranates?

Sometimes your kitchen is begging you to be adventurous, try crazy combinations, eat rich food and have fun – live, cook, share, laugh … life is short!

Tips for poaching a perfect egg

Use fresh eggs at room temperature.
Add vinegar to simmering (not boiling) water.
Slowly submerse the whole egg with shell in the simmering water for 10 seconds before you break it. This ensures the whites on the outside of the egg hold together better during poaching.
Give the water a stir – it forms a whirlpool with the centrifugal force keeping the form of the egg together
Break the egg in a ramekin before you slide (not throw!) the egg into the whirlpool.
Simmer for 2 minutes.

homemade bread

 

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Prep time

15 mins

Cook time

40 mins

Total time

55 mins

 

Author: anél potgieter

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 320 ml tepid water
• 1 packet dry yeast
• 1 tsp sugar
• 500 g flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. In a large bowl mix the water, yeast and sugar together, mix and let it stand for 5 minutes.
2. Add the olive oil to the mixture and stir.
3. Add the flour and salt and knead for 5 – 10 minutes into a smooth dough.
4. Let it rise in a warm spot for an hour.
5. Preheat oven to 190 ºC.
6. Punch down and form dough into a loaf and set in buttered bread pan.
7. Cover and let it rise for 30 mins.
8. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes till golden brown.
9. To test if it’s ready, tap the base of the loaf – it should sound hollow.

3.4.3177

french toast

 

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Author: anél potgieter

Ingredients

• 4 thick slices of bread
• 300 ml cream
• 3 eggs
• ¼ tsp salt
• ½ Tbsp butter for frying

Instructions

1. Beat the eggs, cream and salt together.
2. Pour over the slices of bread and let is soak for about 15 min.
3. Heat a non-stick pan, add the butter and fry the bread until golden brown on both sides.

3.4.3177

french toast with figs + pomegranate + white chocolate ganache

 

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Author: anél potgieter

Ingredients

• Figs
• 6 figs
• 2 Tbsp Demerara sugar
• 1 tsp Robertsons cinnamon
• ¼ cup port or sherry
• 1tsp butter
• White Chocolate Ganache
• ⅓ cup cream
• 80 g white chocolate, cut into small pieces
• One large pinch of Robertsons cayenne pepper
• To assemble
• 2 Tbsp pomegranates
• 1 tsp basil mint, chiffonade (you can replace this with mint)

Instructions

1. Figs - Preheat oven to 170 ºC.
2. Cut a cross on the top of each fig and push from the bottom so that the fig forms a flower. Pack in a small baking tray.
3. Mix the sugar and cinnamon and add a tsp sugar on top of each fig.
4. Add the port and butter to the tray and bake for 30 mins.
5. Take out of oven and baste the figs with the thick sauce that formed.
6. Ganache - Heat the cream and cayenne pepper in a pot until boiling.
7. Take of the heat. Add the chocolate and stir till it forms a ganache.
8. To assemble - Scoop chocolate ganache over the French toast and top with basted figs, pomegranates and basil mint.

3.4.3177

french toast with chicken livers + figs + pomegranate

 

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Author: anél potgieter

Ingredients

• Chicken livers
• ½ Tbsp butter
• 200g chicken livers
• 1 Tbsp port or sherry + 2 Tbsp
• 1 bottle Ina Paarman Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce
• 1tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp Robertsons cayenne pepper
• 1 pinch of Robertsons cinnamon
• 2 Tbsp cream
• 2 figs, chopped into small blocks
• 2 Tbsp pomegranates
• Salt
• Milled black pepper
• 2 eggs, poached
• To assemble
• 1 fig, sliced in 6 pieces length ways
• 1 Tbsp pomegranates
• ½ tsp basil mint, chiffonade (you can replace this with mint)

Instructions

1. Chicken livers - Heat the butter in a non-stick pan on high.
2. Add the livers and sauté quickly till brown on both sides. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add 1 Tbsp port and sauté until the port has evaporated.
4. Take livers out and set aside. The livers must not be completely cooked.
5. In the same pan add all the ingredients except the cream, figs and pomegranates . Simmer for 5 minutes to a thicker consistency.
6. Add the cream and stir through.
7. Add the livers, figs, pomegranate pips and heat through.
8. Taste for seasoning.
9. To assemble - Add livers on top of the French toast, top it with the poached egg, some sliced figs, pomegranates and basil mint.

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