While Father's Day is celebrated in different countries on different dates, the U.S. reserves the third Sunday in June to show Dad how much we appreciate him. Americans decided on the June date due to the efforts of Mrs. Sonora Smart Dodd from Creston, WA. She wanted to honor her Civil War veteran father, William Jackson Smart, for raising six children as a single parent. Dodd suggested June 5, which was the anniversary of his birthday, but since there was not enough time to get a celebration organized it was postponed to June 19, 1910. In 1966, President Lyndon Johnson made Father's Day a national holiday and in 1972 the date was permanently set as the third Sunday in June.
Whatever your plans are with Dad this year, CIA Chef David Barry suggests you start his day by treating him to a hearty breakfast. "My favorite is Steak and Eggs with Hash Browns," says Chef Barry. "Breakfast steaks are usually smaller than those you might serve at dinner, you can choose steaks of any size you like, from a 3-ounce piece of tenderloin to a hearty bone-in porterhouse." Need something a little on the lighter side? Serve Dad a "hole in one" with our Toad in the Hole recipe below.
These and other great recipes can be found in The Culinary Institute of America's Breakfast & Brunches (2005, Lebhar-Friedman) and Grilling (2006, Lebhar-Friedman), which are available for purchase at bookstores nationwide or at www.ciachef.edu/enthusiasts/cookbooks_dvds.
Broiled sirloin steak with sautéed mushrooms, scrambled eggs, and hash brown potatoes.
Broiled Silroin Steak with Sautéed Mushrooms
Makes 4 Servings
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 tablespoons minced shallots
- 3 cups sliced white or exotic mushrooms
- Salt and black pepper
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 4 sirloin steaks (about 5 ounces each)
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, or as needed
- Heat the butter in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until they are translucent and soft, about 3 minutes.
- Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms. Season with a pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Sauté until they develop a golden color, a rich aroma, and most of the liquid they release has cooked away, about 12–15 minutes.
- Add the white wine, stirring to release the drippings in the pan. Simmer until the wine is reduced, about 3 minutes. Keep the mushrooms warm if you are broiling the steaks right away, or let them cool and keep refrigerated up to 2 days.
- Preheat the broiler and the broiler pan.
- Blot the steaks dry and season them with the remaining salt and pepper. Brush lightly with the oil.
- Place the steaks on the broiler pan. Broil until browned on the first side, about 4 minutes. Turn the steaks and continue broiling to the desired doneness, about 5 more minutes for medium rare.
- Serve the steaks on a heated platter or plates topped with hot sautéed mushrooms.
Chef's note: Use a variety of mushrooms—oyster, procini, and shiitake, or others when they are available—to underscore the indulgence of this simple but singular dish.
Nutrition analysis per 8.5-ounce serving: 230 calories, 23g protein, 5g carbohydrate, 13g fat, 510mg sodium, 60mg cholesterol, 1g fiber.
Scrambled Eggs
Makes 4 Servings
This recipe is simple to make in smaller amounts. Plan on two or three eggs per person and use enough oil or butter to liberally coat the pan.
- 12 large eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons clarified butter or canola oil
- Whisk eggs and milk in a bowl and season with the salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tablespoons butter or oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat until almost smoking. Add half of the eggs to the pan and stir until they are soft and creamy, about 1 1/2 minutes for soft scrambled or 2 minutes for hard scrambled eggs.
- Remove the eggs from the heat when fully cooked but still moist, and serve at once on heated plates. Repeat with the remaining butter or oil and eggs to make the second batch.
Nutrition analysis per 6.5-ounce serving: 260 calories, 22g protein, 4g carbohydrate, 16g fat, 800mg sodium, 725mg cholesterol, 0g fiber.
Hash Brown Potatoes
Makes 4 Servings
Instead of cubing the potatoes, as we do in this recipe, you can opt to grate the potatoes and then shape them into cakes before pan frying.
- 3 large Yukon gold potatoes
- 1 teaspoon salt, divided use
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
- Ground black pepper to taste
- Scrub and peel the potatoes. Put them in a large pot with enough cold water to completely submerge them. Place the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to the water and cook the potatoes until you can easily insert a skewer or paring knife about halfway into the potatoes, about 20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Cook them over low heat until they stop giving off steam, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the potatoes from the pot. As soon as they are cool enough to handle, cut into medium dice. Set aside.
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes; they should be in a single layer, so work in batches if necessary. Cook until the potatoes are browned on the exterior and very tender on the interior, turning the potatoes occasionally with a spatula, about 10–12 minutes. Transfer to a bowl or platter and keep warm while cooking the remaining potatoes. Stir in the parsley, adjust the seasoning with the remaining salt and pepper to taste, and serve while very hot.
Nutrition analysis per 8.5-ounce serving: 220 calories, 5g protein, 41g carbohydrate, 4.5g fat, 390mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol, 5g fiber.
Toad in a Hole with red pepper ketchup.
Toad in a Hole
Makes 4 servings
- 8 slices sourdough bread, about 3/4-inch thick
- 1/2 cup melted butter, or as needed
- 8 eggs
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
- Cut holes in the center of each slice of bread using a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter. Be sure not to get too close to the crust of the bread. Brush both sides of each slice of bread with the melted butter.
- Heat a griddle to medium-high heat. Griddle the bread on 1 side until golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Flip each piece of bread over and crack 1 egg into the hole in each piece of bread.
- Season the eggs with salt and pepper. Fry the eggs for about 2 minutes for sunny-side-up eggs, 3 minutes for medium yolks, and 3 1/2 to 4 minutes for hard yolks. Flip the bread over, being careful not to break the yolk, and cook for 30 seconds more, if desired.
- Serve immediately.
Nutrition analysis per slice (4-ounce serving): 290 calories, 11g protein, 33g carbohydrate, 12g fat, 720mg sodium, 225mg cholesterol, 2g fiber.
