Recipe: Savory French Toast

French toast is typically a sweet breakfast or brunch option, but our Savory French Toast changes the game!  Swap the cinnamon and vanilla for garlic and herbs, and we promise the flavor will be bold, bright, and oh-so-savory.  A major perk of savory French toast is that it pairs really well with a side of non-starchy veggies and your protein of choice (consider these turkey sausages) for a Plate Method meal.

French toast is an easy make-ahead breakfast option, especially for those remaining few slices of bread left in the loaf that aren’t so fresh anymore.  In fact, slightly stale bread is preferred as it tends to soak up moisture better, lending to a really nice texture when cooked.

Top your toast however you like.  Whether that’s with a bit of sweet to balance the savory, like syrup or jam, or you want to give it a kick with some pepper jelly.  In our opinion, it’s actually perfect as is and really doesn’t need anything else.  Enjoy!

Savory French Toast

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 medium clove of garlic
• 3 eggs
• 1/3 C unsweetened milk of choice
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• Small handful of fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced or chopped
• Oil or nonstick spray
• 4 slices of whole grain baguette, or bread of choice
• Toppings of choice: butter, olive oil, maple syrup, tomato jam, or pepper jelly

Directions:

1. Over a medium-sized flat-bottomed bowl or glass container, grate garlic.
2. Add eggs and whisk thoroughly to combine yolks and whites.  Add milk and salt, stirring well to combine.
3. Stir in basil leaves.
4. Heat a cast iron skillet or griddle pan over medium heat.  Add oil or nonstick spray to coat the bottom.
5. Add bread, 2 slices at a time if possible, to the egg mixture.  Press down to submerge, allowing to rest for 10 seconds.  Flip and repeat with the second side.
6. Transfer each piece of egg-soaked bread to the hot pan.  Allow to cook, undisturbed, for 2 minutes.  Flip.
7. Cook the bread on the second side for another 2 minutes, or until the top begins to puff up slightly (indicating it is cooked through).
8. Remove from the pan and place onto a plate to rest. If needed, reduce heat slightly (as pans tend to hold more heat as time passes).
9. Add remaining two slices of bread to the egg mixture.  Press down to cover and allow to absorb some of the remaining liquid.  Flip to repeat with the other side.
10. Transfer two remaining slices to the pan and cook for 2 minutes.  Flip and cook for another 2 minutes, or until the top begins to puff up slightly.
11. Serve savory French toast slices with select pairings and enjoy!

Tip:  Don’t use sandwich bread; choose an artisan bakery loaf or oval-shaped baguette for the best texture.

Swaps:

• For the basil: parsley, cilantro, or other preferred herb of choice