7 minute read
BREAKFAST WITH THE CHEF
By Chef Brandie Lamb
For most of my life, I was told, “Don’t make your hobby your job.” I was passionate about becoming a veterinarian and that was my dream from a very young age. I started working at the local animal hospital in my small Georgia town, cleaning kennels and walking dogs. I worked my way up to becoming a veterinary technician and did everything in high school including president of Future Farmers of America, and four years of the poultry judging team - yes, you read that correctly and was awarded college scholarships for small animal proficiency.
While I was an undergrad at the University of Georgia, I was a biology major and worked as an intensive care unit nurse at UGA’s College of Veterinary Medicine to gain experience. Little did I realize, biochemistry is a very tough course. After one attempt at vet school, I switched majors, graduated, and moved to Florida to manage a nonprofit animal hospital. A year later made the move to St. Louis, Missouri, and lived there for nine years. During this time, I found myself constantly wanting to cook for others, so I turned my hobby into my job. I attended culinary school, started a catering business, and worked as much as I could, doing what I love.
My catering specialty was small boutique events as well as larger shows and catering for companies such as Purina, AKC, and Monsanto located in St. Louis. When I catered for the grand opening of the Sub-Zero and Wolf luxury appliance showroom in 2018, I was offered the position of full-time Executive Chef. Although it was difficult to leave behind the business that I had worked so hard to establish, it was a good fit and at the right time.
As time passed, my desire to be back in the South near friends and family grew. In 2020, I moved to Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee, and took the position of a private chef for a family. The opportunity presented to work for Subzero Wolf distributor, Tisdel, where I travel to five and a half states within the territory to train builders, designers, architects, and customers on the versatility of uses of the ranges, ovens, and refrigeration through cooking events. I also film cooking and product videos for the company’s YouTube channel allowing me to be creative, change my work environment, and spend weekends working on my dream property in Columbia, Tennessee.
For as long as I can remember, and before it was even that popular, I have wanted to host farm dinners and cooking classes with annual cooking retreats. I am in the process of creating that experience to share with the Columbia community I have fallen in love with. Soon guests will be able to sit in the garden where produce is grown, enjoy additional ingredients from local farmers, and even have a chicken or rabbit running around their feet. Attendees could even go home with some salted caramels from the other business I have had since 2015.
I had been teaching cooking classes at Lime and Loaf, now rebranded as Gather Kitchen Mercantile, located at 23 Public Square in Columbia. I love the opportunity to show guests tips and tricks in the kitchen that I have learned along the way. My goal in teaching is to show the home cook they can create something out of what they already have. When we think of a dish, we want to hit all the tasting notes; sweet, salty, acidic, herbaceous, fatty, etc. By doing this, you can start creating marinades, sauces, dressings, and spice blends to amp up your proteins and vegetables. Keeping it simple is key.
The most frequent question I am asked as a chef is, “What is your favorite thing to cook?” Except for intricate baking, I leave that to the true baking and pastry chefs, I do a little of everything. I never have a great answer, however, I've included the recipe for my go-to breakfast tacos. I’m always inspired to make these, using eggs from my chickens and whatever ripe tomatoes and herbs I have in the garden. They come together quickly, and components can be made ahead so the hardest part is cracking the egg. Enjoy!
Breakfast Tacos
MAKES 8 SERVINGS — 2 PER PERSON
⯀ 16 eggs, soft scrambled with butter
⯀ Pickled red onion (recipe below)
⯀ Tortillas (recipe on next page)
⯀ 6 ounces Mexican-style chorizo, crumbled and sauteed in a skillet
⯀ 4 ounces goat cheese (purchase log and crumble)
⯀ Charred scallion salsa (recipe on next page)
⯀Lime wedges for garnish
⯀ Cilantro or fresh oregano and basil
TIP: Can substitute sausage, bacon, or roasted veggies for the chorizo
Build your taco. Starting with your homemade tortilla, fill it with scrambled eggs, chorizo, pickled red onions, crumbled cheese, and top with salsa. Garnish with a lime wedge and cilantro and take a bite!
Quick Pickled Red Onion
⯀ 1 large red onion, peeled and sliced thin
⯀ 3/4 cup apple cider or rice wine vinegar
⯀ 1/4 cup water
⯀ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
⯀ 1-2 tablespoons sugar (depending on desired sweetness)
⯀ 1-2 thyme sprigs (optional)
⯀ 1-2 garlic cloves (optional)
Place vinegar, water, salt, and sugar in a mason jar or non-reactive container. Add optional seasonings if using. Shake well to combine. Place sliced onion in a sieve or strainer. Boil a small pot of water and pour over the onions while over the sink. You want to blanch them because they will absorb liquids better while staying crisp. Place onions in the container. Pack down, put the lid on, and shake gently. Place in fridge until ready to use. Ready to go in a few hours and keeps for up to a month.
Homemade Flour Tortilla
MAKES 16
⯀ 1 teaspoon baking powder
⯀ 1 teaspoon salt
⯀ 3 cups all-purpose flour
⯀ 1 cup warm water
TIP: For a gluten-free option, substitute corn masa for the all-purpose flour.
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Make a well and pour in water and oil. Fold in until combined and a shaggy ball of dough is formed. Turn onto a floured work surface and knead until it comes together. Separate into 16 even-sized dough balls. Gently coat in flour and press the center with the palm of your hand. Cover with a kitchen towel and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Roll each ball flat between two sheets of parchment into the desired size. Heat through in skillet, about 1 minute per side. Tortillas can be stored between layers of parchment in the fridge for up to one week or frozen.
Charred Scallion Salsa
MAKES 1/2 CUP
⯀ 1 bunch scallions, roots trimmed and half of whites thinly sliced and set aside
⯀ 3 cornichons, finely diced
⯀ 1 tablespoon capers, chopped
⯀ 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
⯀ 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
⯀ 2 teaspoons brown sugar
⯀ 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
⯀ 2 cloves garlic, preferably roasted, finely diced
⯀ 1/4 cup tomatoes of choice (red or green, roast/char then remove seeds and chop)
⯀ 1 tablespoon Fresno chiles, remove seeds and finely diced (optional)
Turn the grill to high or use the broiler in the oven. Char scallions and tomatoes on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. If done in the oven, line the baking sheet with foil. Char scallions and tomatoes under the broiler. With either method, there should be a little char, but not covered. Chop grilled scallions and tomatoes. Combine cornichon, capers, sherry vinegar, oil, brown sugar, whole grain mustard, garlic, and Fresno chiles, if using.
CHEF BRANDIE LAMB is a resident of Columbia, Tennessee. She is the Executive Chef for Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove by Tisdel, an entrepreneur, and passionate about sharing her love for cooking. Follow her on Instagram at @brandieslamb, view her at youtube.com/tisdeldistributing, and order her delicious handcrafted caramels at saltedcaramels.com.
