Savory French Toast with Sheep Feta and Fried Alliums

This is a savory version of "french toast." I used duck eggs for the egg mixture because I happened to have them, which resulted in a very rich, yolky custard, but chicken eggs should be quite adequate for this recipe.

Serves 2-4. 

8 slices of slightly stale rustic or french bread (I used week-old Grand Central rye)

5 large eggs

1 1/2 cups whole milk

1/4 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp salt

Black pepper to taste

2 tbsp (or more) butter

1 bunch green onions, scallions, or about 4 shallots, finely chopped

2 tbsp coarsely minced garlic cloves

6 oz. sheep feta (cow feta can be substituted)

Whisk eggs, milk, paprika, salt, and pepper until combined.

Dip each slice of bread in egg mixture, turning to coat completely, and lay the slices out on a rimmed baking pan. Drizzle any remaining egg mixture over the bread. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate if not using immediately.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat until just melted. Add green onions and garlic and saute until crispy and browned on the edges. Transfer to small bowl. 

Scrape skillet clean or heat a griddle. Melt 1 tablespoon butter. Add egg-coated bread, and fry until lightly browned on each side, flipping once, about 3-5 minutes per side. Bread should be supple, but not gooey in the center. Sprinkle each piece with feta and fried onion/garlic mixture to serve. 

Salmon Bisque with Tarragon

This soup is a great way to use leftover salmon or cheap salmon trimmings from the store. Cottage cheese adds a creamy tartness, and the curds compliment the texture of the salmon, but if cottage cheese curds in soup sound too weird, substitute creme fraiche, sour cream, or simply leave out the sour dairy altogether.

1 green bell pepper
3 stalks celery
1 carrot
1/2 of one onion
1/2 of one sweet potato or yam
1 tbsp oil (I prefer grapeseed or sunflower, but any will do)
2-3 cups vegetable broth or water
a pinch of sage
a pinch of thyme
1 lb. of cooked salmon, fully de-boned
1 cup 2% or whole milk
salt and pepper to taste
3 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
cottage cheese, creme fraiche, or sour cream, optional

Coarsely chop the vegetables. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, and carrot. Cook until slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add sweet potato and enough broth or water to cover the vegetables. Bring to a simmer, and cook until soft, about 5-8 minutes. Sprinkle in sage, thyme, salt, and pepper.

Using a blender or food processor, puree the vegetable mixture until completely smooth, in multiple batches if necessary. Be very careful blending hot liquids, and always do small batches to avoid splattering or trapped pressure from steam. Return vegetable puree to pot.

Stir de-boned salmon and milk into the vegetable puree. If bisque is still very thick, add vegetable broth until the soup is a desired consistency- not too thick, but also not watery. Season to taste with more salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve in large bowls, with a sprinkle of tarragon and a dollop of cottage cheese, creme fraiche, or sour cream if desired.