Oatmeal Pancakes With Pears and Pecans

Oatmeal adds hearty texture to these simple fall pancakes served with pan-roasted pears and pecans.

Note: Pulsing half the oats in a food processor refines the texture of the final product, but if you don't feel like getting out an extra piece of kitchen equipment, just skip that step. You'll end up with a heartier final product, which is pleasing in its own way.

Special equipment: Large non-stick skillet

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 25 minutes, total time 25 minutes

• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• 1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
• 3 ripe but firm pears, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Procedures

1. Pulse 1/2 cup quick cooking oats in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a large bowl, then add remaining oats, flour, baking powder, salt, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Whisk together eggs and milk in a medium bowl, then fold into oat mixture. Set aside.
   
2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat, then add pears and remaining sugar. Cook, shaking pan occasionally, until pears begin to soften and brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from skillet and wipe clean.
   
3. Toast pecans in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat, tossing often, until browned, about 6 minutes. Remove from skillet and reserve. Reduce heat to medium-low and wipe out skillet.
   
4. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the skillet. Add four 1/4-cup batches of batter and cook without moving until bubbly on top and the bottom is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook second side until golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate and keep warm. Repeat with remaining batter and butter, working in batches, until all pancakes are cooked. Serve immediately with pears and nuts.

Potato Pancakes With Oven-Roasted Thyme Applesauce, Sour Cream, and Poached Eggs

Lacey, crispy potato pancakes pair with oven-roasted thyme applesauce, sour cream and a yolky poached egg in a breakfast-for-dinner twist.

Special equipment: Small, fine mesh strainer.

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 30 minutes, total time 40 minutes

• For the Applesauce:
• 2 pounds apples, peeled, cored and cut into rough slices
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 sprigs thyme, plus extra for garnish
• Kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons water
•  
• For the Potato Pancakes:
• 1 large egg white plus 4 whole eggs
• 3 cups peeled and coarsely grated Idaho potatoes, squeezed of excess liquid
• 1 small white onion, grated and squeezed of excess liquid
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons matzo meal
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup sour cream

Procedures

1. For the Apple Sauce: Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Combine apples, sugar, cinnamon, thyme, a pinch of salt, and water in a large, ovenproof baking dish. Toss to combine and transfer to oven to cook until apples are tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, discard thyme and roughly mash with the back of a fork, leaving some texture. Refrigerate and reduce oven to 200°F.
   
2. For the Potato Pancakes: In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat egg white. Add potatoes, onion, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and matzo meal.
   
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large frying pan until shimmering. Working in batches, drop in a heaping 2 tablespoons for each potato pancake, flattening them to make thin pancakes. Cook until bottoms are browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and brown second side, adding additional oil as needed. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with additional salt while they’re still hot.
   
4. Place drained pancakes on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven to keep warm. Continue working in batches until all pancakes are cooked.
   
5. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil and reduce to a sub-simmer. Crack eggs into individual bowls. Working one egg at a time, tip egg into a fine mesh strainer and gently swirl over sink or bowl to remove watery whites. Lower into water and gently roll the egg out. Repeat until all the eggs are in the pot. Cook, gently swirling and flipping the eggs for even cooking until the whites are set but the centers are still runny, 3 1/2 to 4 minutes. Carefully lift with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
   
6. To serve, plate potato pancakes with a generous dollop each of sour cream and applesauce. Add an egg to each plate, season egg with salt and pepper, sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves, and serve.

Rum and Pear Pancakes

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time 45 minutes, total time 45 minutes

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided, plus more for serving
• 2 semi-firm pears, grated, about 1 cup total
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/4 cup rum
• 1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• Pinch of salt
• 1 cup (8 ounces) milk
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Maple syrup

Procedures

1. In a medium skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium high heat. Add grated pear and cook, stirring often, until pear begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add sugar and rum and cook until liquid has evaporated and pears are soft, about 6 minutes. Allow to cool.
   
2. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together milk, eggs, and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients, whisking to smooth out the lumps. Add pear mixture and whisk to combine.
   
3. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium high heat. Add batter using a quarter cup measure to ladle it out. Cook until bubbles begin to appear on the surface of the pancake, about 3 minutes, flip pancake and cook until pancake is browned and cooked through, about 3 minutes longer. Repeat with remaining butter and batter until all the pancakes are cooked. Serve hot with butter and syrup.

Gluten-Free Multigrain Pancakes

Ingredients

serves Serves 4, active time About 30 minutes, total time About 30 minutes

• 1 cup (4 ounces) gluten-free corn flour
• 1/2 cup (1 3/4 ounces) gluten-free oat flour
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) sorghum flour
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil, plus additional for griddle
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup blueberries, washed and dried (optional)
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
• Butter, for serving
• Maple syrup, for serving

Procedures

1. Whisk together corn flour, oat flour, sorghum flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and xanthan gum in medium bowl. Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract Whisk until smooth.
   
2. Lightly oil flat non-stick griddle pan. Heat griddle over medium-high heat until oil shimmers but does not smoke. Drop batter, approximately 1/4 cup, onto griddle. Batter should sizzle as it hits the pan.If desired sprinkle blueberries and chocolate chips evenly over each pancake.
   
3. Cook until edges of pancakes set and small bubbles appear all over the surface, approximately 3 minutes. Flip pancakes and cook until set, about one minute. Serve with butter and syrup, if desired. Repeat with remaining batter.