Four Breakfasts as Festive as the Season

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/20/dining/holiday-breakfasts.html

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With all the joyful chaos of the holidays — the presents, the parties, the cookies, the big, boozy dinners — it can be easy to forget about the most important meal of the day: breakfast.

There’s a good chance you might have houseguests who need to be fed en masse. Or maybe you’re hosting a convivial brunch on Christmas or New Year’s Day. The problem with the vast majority of breakfast gatherings is that they happen in the morning. And even if you didn’t drink one too many glasses of Champagne or flaming rum punch the night before, you might be on the utterly, overwhelmingly exhausted side, because this time of year does that to even the most energetic of us.

These four marvelous breakfast recipes are not only festive, they’re easy enough to put together in a less-than-perfectly-alert frame of mind.

The simplest is the baked Irish oats, spiced with cardamom and cinnamon. Oatmeal may seem quotidian, but it isn’t here. First, the Irish oats (also called steel-cut) are sautéed in butter and spices until toasty and brown. This step adds layers of flavor. Then they’re mixed with cream and baked under a blanket of Demerara sugar, which melts into a glossy syrup. (Raisin lovers should feel free to stir a handful into the pan before baking.) Served with more cream, and raw Demerara sugar for crunch, it’s about as glorious as oatmeal gets, without much fussing.

On the savory side is a cheesy Dutch baby speckled with bacon. Of the four, it will garner the most oohs-and-aahs, especially if you can serve it while still puffy and golden. Even slightly deflated, it’s a sight to behold, with the fluffy egg mixture striped on top with slices of melted Camembert.

Less eye-catching, but no less delectable, are elegant baked eggs with crème fraîche and smoked salmon. Covered in a sauce of sautéed shallots and dill, the eggs are cooked until just barely set, so the whites are firm but the yolks still runny. Serve these with toasted brioche or baguette for plenty of dunking.

And finally, while broiled grapefruit is not a meal in itself, it goes beautifully with the oatmeal and eggs. This version leans classic, with a topping of brown sugar and a little honey to caramelize under the heat. A sprinkling of flaky sea salt mitigates the bitterness of the citrus, though it’s not strictly necessary if you think your guests may balk. In which case, serve the salt on the side and let people season at will.

You will need a beverage to go with all this. Coffee, tea and mimosas are the obvious choices — and the best way to continue that cycle of holiday cheer.

Recipes: Baked Eggs With Crème Fraîche and Smoked Salmon | Dutch Baby With Bacon and Runny Camembert | Spiced Irish Oatmeal With Cream and Crunchy Sugar | Broiled Grapefruit With Brown Sugar and Flaky Salt

Dry, tart handcrafted cider would be a natural accompaniment to this savory Dutch baby. It’s what you would drink with Camembert if you were in Normandy, the cheese’s home territory in northern France. Aside from the regional attraction, dry cider has a strong affinity for the rich, sharp lactic flavors of the cheese, especially with eggs and bacon. If you want wine, however, look for an incisive white with plenty of acidity to cut through the richness of the dish. Champagne would be a great holiday choice. You could try a Vouvray, either dry or moderately sweet, and if you want to stay in the bubbly realm, a sparkling Vouvray would be nice. I would not opt for a red, but if you insist, Beaujolais often goes well with egg dishes. ERIC ASIMOV

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