Warm up a chilly autum morning with a bed-and-breakfast inspired meal: Herbed Scrambled Eggs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Warm Autumn Compote.

If you're planning a special morning meeting of your "book club" or other special friends, why not treat them to these two breakfast recipes. Herbed Scrambled Eggs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Warm Autumn Compote will help spice up a chilly autumn morning. These dishes have been adapted from the Autumn Breakfast menu at the Berwood Hill Inn in Lanesboro, Minnesota.

Herbed Scrambled Eggs with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1/2 of a 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (1 sheet), thawed
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 recipe, Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (recipe follows)
• 1 recipe, Scrambled Eggs (recipe follows)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, unfold the sheet of puff pastry and roll it into a 10-inch square. Cut the pastry into four 5-inch squares. Places the squares on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly score the tops of the squares with the rim of a biscuit cutter or drinking glass to form a circle in the center of the pastry. Brush the pastry with a mixture of the beaten egg and 1 tablespoon water. Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. Remove the pastry squares to a wire cooling rack and cool slightly. Cut along the score marks in the center, carefully removing the edges from the pastry while leaving the shell intact. Reserve the pastry circles.
2. To serve, place a pastry square on each of four serving plates. Spoon the Scrambled Eggs into the hollowed centers of each pastry. Drizzle with the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. Serve with the reserved pastry circles, if desired.

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce Recipe

Makes About 1 1/2 Cups Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup roasted sweet red peppers
• 1/4 cup homemade or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
• 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh chives

Directions:

1. In a blender container or the bowl of a food processor, combine the roasted red peppers and chicken broth. Cover and blend or process until nearly smooth. Remove 2 tablespoons of the mixture for further use in this recipes. Cover and chill the remaining mixture for a future use. (The mixture can be seasoned further and used to flavor steamed vegetables or pasta.)
2. In a small saucepan, bring the cream just to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer until the mixture is reduced to about 1/2 cup, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir the reserved 2 tablespoons of roasted red pepper mixture into the cream along with the lemon zest, parsley and chives. Heat, stirring occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes. Cover and keep warm over low heat while preparing the scrambled eggs.

Scrambled Eggs Recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 large eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons clarified butter*

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, heat the butter until over medium heat until a drop of water sizzles when added to the pan. Pour the beaten eggs into the skillet. Cook over medium heat, without stirring, until the eggs begin to set on the bottom of the skillet and around the edges. Using a spatula, lift and fold the partially cooked eggs so that the uncooked portion of the eggs flows underneath. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the eggs are cooked through but are still glossy and moist.
2. Remove the eggs from the heat. Stir in the chives, basil, thyme and salt and pepper. Use immediately.

*Note: To make clarified butter, melt 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. As the butter melts, carefully remove the white milk solids that collect on the top of the melted butter and discard. Pour the melted butter into a storage container, stopping just before the white milk solids at the bottom of the pan gather in your storage container. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Warm Autumn Compote Recipe

Makes About 3 Cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup apple cider
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 1 Granny Smith apple, cored and cut into 8 wedges
• 1 Bosc pear, cored and cut into 8 wedges
• 1/2 cup cranberries
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the apple cider, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and vanilla bean. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Add the apple and pear wedges; turn to coat the fruit slices with the liquid. Add the cranberries. Simmer, uncovered, over medium heat until the fruit is tender (about 3 minutes), turning the fruit in the saucepan occasionally.
2. Remove the vanilla bean and discard. Stir in lemon juice and serve warm.

Sources

Berwood Hill Inn

22139 Hickory Road

Lanesboro, MN 55949