a fall brunch in la pt 2

Happy Monday friends! I'm so excited to share some more beautiful photos (by Jessica and Dow from www.arrow-route.com) and delectable recipes with you. And this is not all of it :) Stay tuned for more from this sweet brunch! 

Stacked pancakes were a perfect addition to this event and the fall flavors truly elevated traditional buttermilk pancakes and made it a favorite! Like I mentioned in pt 1 of the brunch, eggs are a must and when cooked in a cast iron skillet, they are irresistable. The fried egg and charred tomato recipe below is a simple dish, but oh-so-flavorful. Enjoy!

sweet potato buttermilk pancakes

serves 6

1 cup sweet potato puree

3 cups buttermilk

3 eggs

2 tbsp butter, melted

2 tbsp honey

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 cup brown sugar

1 cup all purpose flour*

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour*

3/4 cup oat flour*

1 tsp salt

1 tbsp baking powder

3 tsp baking soda

*Feel free to use the same combination of flours, all AP flour or all whole wheat, depending on what you have in your pantry. I personally like the combination of these flours.

directions

In one mixing bowl, combine sweet potato puree, buttermilk, eggs, melted butter, honey, cinnamon and nutmeg. In a separate mixing bowl, combine brown sugar, flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda. In three batches, gently mix dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Let sit overnight or for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour before assembling and cooking into pancakes.

When ready to cook pancakes, butter a pan on medium heat and ladle pancake batter onto the pan. Once bubbles start to form, the pancakes are ready to flip. Cook around 2 minutes on each side. Serve with a slice of butter and maple syrup on top.

charred tomatoes and fried eggs on garlic-rubbed rye toast

adapted from Martha Stewart

serves 6

2 artisan rye loaves

6 roma tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, peeled

6 eggs

olive oil

salt and pepper

optional: roasted garlic cloves -- whole bulb, stem removed, wrapped in foil with olive oil, salt and pepper and roasted in oven for 30 min at 400 degrees.

directions

Slice rye loaf at desired thickness. I cut mine around 1 cm thick. Brush slices of bread of olive oil or butter and toast bread in a mini oven or on a cast iron skillet. Once toasted, immediately rub each slice with garlic clove.

Fry eggs on a cast iron skillet, around 2-3 minutes, undisturbed.

Slice tomatoes and brush with olive oil and cook on cast iron skillet until slightly charred on both sides, around 3 minutes each side, undisturbed.

Place charred tomatoes are several slices of toast and fried eggs on the remaining slices. Season with salt and pepper and top with roasted garlic cloves (optional).

xoxo,

Lena

a fall brunch in LA pt 1

A dear friend of mine wanted to get together with a several girlfriends, and of course, that means food. We decided to have a sweet fall brunch, because weather here in Los Angeles graciously permits it, and naturally, I cooked. I didn't mind it though, considering that breakfast/brunch is my most favorite meal of all time.

My vision for the menu was definitely hearty, as we were deep in the fall season and the weather was starting to chill. And healthy because, well that's just what I do. Eggs were a must, because what's brunch without eggs?? What's life without eggs?! Brussel sprouts were also a must because they were in season. Sweet potato pancakes, smoked sausages, charred tomatoes on rye bread, roasted cauliflower soup, apple and cranberry crostata, and a luscious fall sangria were also added into the mix. All the elements came together and complemented each other so nicely.

It was very much a team event. Everyone contributed either their company or great ideas and time to make this happen. My lovely friend Misha generously opened up her absolutely beautiful brick and blue-shuttered home for us to gather and dine. My silly friend, Jessica coordinated the event and found gorgeous olive branches to adorn our table with. And the sweet Jessica and Dow of www.arrow-route.com came to join us and shoot this intimate event for us.

roasted cauliflower, potato and leek soup

serves 8-12

1 head cauliflower

3 yukon gold potatoes, scrubbed

2 leeks, cleaned and trimmed

1 yellow onion

2-3 sprigs thyme

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper

1 lemon

6 cups low sodium chicken stock

6-8 cups filtered water

1/3-1/2 cup crispy fried onions

directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Chop cauliflower and potato into cubes and disperse on a lined tray. Slice leeks into 1 inch segments and cut onions into thick slices and disperse on the same lined tray. Generously drizzle olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Remove leaves from thyme sprigs and sprinkle over the veggies. Place tray in oven and roast for 1 hour. 

Once roasted, immediately squeeze juice of one lemon over the veggies and let the remaining lemon sit with the veggies, as the heat will bring out the fragrant oils from the lemon skin. 

After veggies have reached a manageable temperature, blend ingredients with chicken stock and water in a blender or in a large pot with an immersion blender. 

Once a desired consistency is reached, heat the soup and serve with crispy fried onions.

shaved brussels sprouts salad with lemon parsley vinaigrette

serves 4-6

1 1/2 lbs brussel sprouts (approx. 30 brussel sprouts), shaved 

1/3 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup shaved parmesan cheese

lemon parsley vinaigrette

3 tbsp olive oil

juice of half a lemon

1 tbsp dried parsley

2 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp maple syrup

salt and pepper to taste

directions

Shave brussel sprouts with a mandoline, or slice very thinly with a sharp knife. Cook on stovetop with one tablespoon of olive oil and stir. Once brussel sprouts have softened, around 1-2 minutes, remove from pan and place in a serving dish. For the vinaigrette, just combine ingredients and season to taste. Drizzle the brussel sprouts with the lemon parsley vinaigrette and top with slivered almonds and a generous amount of parmesan cheese. 

 Stay tuned! More recipes to come.

xoxo,

Lena

our fall food inspiration

1. Pumpkin Waffles 2. Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Chai Buttermilk Glaze 3. Breakfast Waffles 4. Cinnamon Buns

Hi Friends,

Eunice is finally a Mrs. and we're back this fall with exciting new recipes to share. These are some favorite items we've pinned that have been highly inspirational for us. Get ready for a delicious pumpkin dessert coming your way soon!

xoxo,

Wild Pair

Fun with Bridesmaids pt. 3 -- Croissants and Lemonades

We saved our favorite drinks to share with you for last. Aren't these photos of these spritzers divine? Mangos, lemons and grapefruits are the main focus of these drinks. Not only are they delicious and easy to make, they look beautiful!! The drinks also pair well with the salty bites of the prosciutto and gruyere croissants. So, so delectable!

Styling: wildpearblog

Recipe

Simple syrup (complete recipe used for both the Mango Lemonade and Grapefruit Spritzer)

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

Directions: Combine the equal parts water and sugar and heat just until the sugar dissolves. Bring mixture to boil then lower the heat to a simmer until the mixture looks oily and has a nice sheen, about 3-5 minutes. Then let the simple syrup cool completely before adding to drinks. 

Mango Lemonade

2 mangoes, pureed

juice of 2 lemons

1/2 simple syrup mixture (recipe above)

6-7 cups filtered water

Directions: Combine mango puree, lemon juice, simple syrup, and water to taste. Stir to combine. Chill until ready to serve or serve with ice.

Grapefruit Lemonade Spritzer

juice of 2 ruby red grapefruits (this gives the drink an absolutely beautiful color!)

juice of 2 lemons

1/2 simple syrup mixture (recipe above)

1 750-mL bottle of Pellegrino, or other sparkling water

Directions: Combine juices, simple syrup, and sparkling water. Stir to combine.  Chill until ready to serve or serve with ice.

Proscuitto Gruyere Croissants

Recipe and croissant-making technique from alexandracooks.

Ingredients

Pastry

1/4 cup warm water

1/2 cup milk at room temperature

1 package (2.25 tsp) rapid rise yeast

1 large egg at room temperature

2 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp salt

1 Tbsp sugar

1 cup (8oz) unsalted butter, cold, cut into thin slices

filling

8-16 thin slices of prosciutto or smoked ham (depending on how many croissants you are making, 1 slice per croissant)

4 oz (1/2 cup) Gruyere or similar cheese, cut into matchstick-sized pieces, about 3 pieces per croissant

egg wash

1 egg beaten with 2 Tbsp of milk

Visit the lovely alexandracooks for the directions and technique.

xoxo,

the wild pair

Fun with Bridesmaids pt. 2 -- Lox Tartines

    

 It's been a crazy several weeks for the both of us. We celebrated Eunice's bridal shower a couple weekends ago and we're going to have a sweet little bachelorette shindig this coming weekend! It is going to be peaceful and lovely, we're ecstatic. We're now counting down 17 days until she's married! Here's a little peek into Eunice's home - isn't the red door to her cottage just perfect?

Today we'll be sharing with you this highly sought after lox tartine recipe! These hands down are the most colorful, beautiful, most tasty tartines you will ever have.

Recipe
Lox Tartines// makes 13-18 tartines
1 (or 2 loaves if feeding several) loaf of artisan bread (whole wheat, rye, any bread of choice), toasted
Kale pesto (recipe below)
Soft boiled egg salad (recipe below)
8 slices of smoked salmon
1/2 red onion, sliced
a couple sprigs of dill

Kale Pesto
Leaves of 3 stems of kale
1 garlic clove
1 cup walnuts, toasted
3/4 cup olive oil
2/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 tsp whole grain dijon mustard
2 Tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Toast walnuts on a pan until fragrant and browned. Combine kale, garlic, walnuts, dijon mustard, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese in a food processor until all ingredients are incorporated. Slowly add olive oil until smooth (it is possible that not all of the olive oil will be needed). Add salt and pepper to taste.

Soft boiled egg salad
1 dozen eggs
2 Tbsp mayo
1 Tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
1 Tbsp chives, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add a tsp of apple cider vinegar to the water. This will help the egg shells to come off much easier. Boil eggs (4-5 eggs at a time depending on size of pot) for approximately 8 mins on medium heat. Make sure all the eggs are completely submerged in the water. Let eggs cool and remove shells. Cut eggs into sixths. The egg yolks should look a deep yellow, soft, and silky, on the verge of running. Place soft boiled eggs in bowl with mayo, dijon mustard, chives, and salt and pepper. Be gentle when mixing for the eggs are fragile.

Slice artisan bread (I bought a rye loaf as well as a whole wheat loaf from Panera bread) and toast on a pan with a little bit of olive oil, or in a toaster. Spread kale pesto on each slice of bread. Spoon the egg mixture on the pesto. Then layer pieces of smoked salmon on top of the soft boiled eggs. Top with sliced red onion and pieces of dill. Eat and enjoy!


Love,
the wild pair

Fun with Bridesmaids pt. 1

Friends, it's been too long! To our excuse, we've been in the midst of fun photoshoots and planning Eunice's upcoming wedding. (6 weeks left until she's wed -- wow!)

Several weeks ago, Lena created the most delectable display of goodies for our bridesmaids photoshoot. All of Eunice's best ladies got together with the talented photographer, Caroline Yoon. Here's the first batch of photos we know you'll enjoy.

Eunice's beautiful new cottage | Golden Grey Tassel Garland by Studio Mucci | watercolored menu | homemade juices + spritzers

Recipes to follow shortly!

xoxo,

Wild Pear Blog

pork sliders for independence day

Dear friends, 4th of July is right around the corner, and I have the best way for you to celebrate: delicious pork sliders! While we've been keen to give you the best gluten-free, healthy recipes up until this point, we decided to share with you all a gluten-full slider recipe.

 

This pork recipe takes a bit of time to prepare, but you will definitely be able to taste the delicious time that was spent in the love and nurture of the meat. Most of the active work can also be done the night before, so it's perfect for those of you who like to get things prepared a day early!

Eunice gets Thursday and Friday off from work and will be happily spending 4th of July with her fiance Eddie and friends! And I will be soaking in scenery with friends while hiking to a cove in Palos Verdes!

Whether you are planning to have a bbq at home or a picnic at the park, these sliders will be perfect for all your guests, trust us!

recipe
pork sliders // makes 24
heavily adapted from Tyler Florence's Pulled Pork Sandwich recipe

prep time: 45 min
cook time: 3 hrs

ingredients

pork // roast in oven at 325' for 3 hours

1 boneless pork shoulder (3.5 to 4 lbs)
4 Tbsp kosher salt
1 Tbsp black pepper, freshly ground
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1/4 cup smoked paprika
1 Tbsp cayenne 
3 tsp dried thyme
4 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

coleslaw
1/2 head red cabbage, sliced thinly
2 carrots, sliced on a mandolin and chopped thinly
2 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp whole grain dijon mustard
1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1/2 lemon, juiced
kosher salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
24 sweet Hawaiian buns

directions

In one mixing bowl, combine salt, pepper, brown sugar, spices, and thyme. Whisk to combine, then add the red wine vinegar and olive oil into the mixture. Mix together until you have a thick paste. In a roasting pan, fit a rack insert. Place the pork, fat side up, on the rack. Rub the paste all over the pork. Make sure you get into all the nooks of the pork. The salt in the paste pulls out the moisture from the pork to form a wonderful crust when it is cooked. Cover the pork with plastic wrap and marinate in the fridge for at least 3 hours or overnight.

Once the meat is done marinating, let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the oven to 325'. Roast the pork for approximately 3 hours, uncovered, until the outside is dark and crispy and the meat temperature reads 170-180'. Allow the meat to rest on a cutting board for at least 10 minutes before slicing. If you are going to leave the meat for more than 10 minutes before slicing, be sure to cover it with foil until you are ready to slice.

While the pork is in the oven, prepare the slaw (this can also be done the day before). Combine the whole grain mustard, Greek yogurt, mayo, vinegar, lemon juice, sugar. Mix well. Add the thinly sliced cabbage, carrots and green onions. Season the whole mixture with salt and pepper, to taste. Until you are read to serve, cover the slaw and set it aside in the fridge.

Once the meat has rested and has been sliced (stealing a bite of the pork while slicing is COMPLETELY ALLOWED), cut the sweet Hawaiian buns in half (toasting buns is optional). Then pile on the pork! Top the pork with about a spoonful of coleslaw and finally top with other half of the bun. ENJOY!