Barefoot Contessa (2002–…): Season 22, Episode 8 - Cooking for Jeffrey: Big Breakfast Buffet - full transcript

I'm the Barefoot Contessa--
I'm cooking for friends,

for fun, and of course,
I'm cooking for Jeffrey.

Our friends, Devon Fredricks
and Eli Zabar

are coming for breakfast,
and the pressure's on

because these
are serious food people.

I'm doing a buffet with potato
and pancetta frittata.

Two easy platters

smoked salmon with
scallion and dill cream cheese

and a gorgeous platter
of sliced fresh fruit.

It looks dramatic, but it's
really simple to pull together.

And, because it's a party,
I'm making overnight



Belgian waffles
with lots of good toppings.

This is my new
favorite breakfast.

Oh, good!
Everything about it.

After this breakfast buffet,
we're all gonna need a nap.

This is gonna be great.

One of my favorite times
to entertain is Sunday.

Everybody's very relaxed.

You've done all your chores
and you're ready

to have a good time,
and the best time
to entertain is,

like, late morning,
so it's not breakfast,

but it's not lunch
and I do some combination.

My friends Devon
and Eli are coming.

I love to see them.

And what I think
I'm going to do....



I'm going to serve,
like, a late breakfast
and a buffet,

everybody is going
to help themselves.

I'm going to start
with a frittata.

So I'm making a frittata
with pancetta,

with potato and basil
from my garden,
so that's potatoes.

I've cooked the pancetta.

I'm just going to
take it out now.

It's nice and crisp.

People always ask me if
Jeffrey cooks for me.

I always tell them the
same thing--"He makes
really good coffee."

As a friend once said,

"Smart men always know
how to make coffee, 'cause
they need it to think."

Can't wait to see
Devon and Eli--haven't
seen them in a while.

And they're always fun.

I'm just gonna add a
little bit of butter.

Just leave the oil in the pan,
and then all the potatoes.

I use Yukon Gold potatoes.
I think they just have
a really great,

kind of, creamy flavor,
and you don't even
have to peel them.

Big advantage.

Okay so, these are gonna cook
for about 6 to 8 minutes,

until they're browned on the
outside and tender inside.

I love to make frittatas.

You can actually put
almost anything in.

Anything is good with eggs.

Okay, I'm gonna whisk
up the eggs, now.

So I have 8 eggs--just
gonna give 'em a whisk.

One of the great things about
living in the Hamptons

is the incredible
local ingredients,

and I got these eggs from
the North Sea Farm

which I adore.

It's a real family operation
run by Richie King

who took over the
reins from his father, Tate,

who sadly,
passed away recently.

They grow the most
incredible produce

and they're famous for
their poultry and eggs.

The farm has been in the
family's hands since 1945,

and I'm now the third
generation.

We specialize in tomatoes,
herbs, eggplants,

small amount of everything.

We also specialize in eggs.

That's what we've
been doing forever.

We collect 300 to
400 eggs a day.

Richie's sister is actually
my friend, Kathleen,

from Tate's Bake Shop
who started out

by selling cookies
at the farm.

This is where it all began.

This is my family house which
I grew up in,

and I started baking
and selling cookies
here when I was 11 years old.

To me, it's rewarding have
lasted this long,

as my father
said "We're still here."

The farm stand is so
beautiful. It's always hard
for me to choose what to buy.

You can really tell fresh eggs
from the color of the yolks.

These are gorgeous.

Okay, we're gonna add
lots of good things--

15 ounces of ricotta.

Then I'm gonna add
Gruyere. You can add any
kind of cheese, really,

but I think Gruyere has
a really nutty flavor--

a kind of Swiss nutty
flavor without being dry.

So that's 12 ounces of Gruyere.

It's easy, I grated it
in the food processor.

And I've got 1/2 cup of milk.

You want it to be really
nice and creamy...

just pour it right in.

And, because you can never
have too much butter.

Mm...

...I'm gonna add 5
tablespoons of melted butter.

I said this was gonna be
delicious. I didn't say
it was going to be light.

My friends Devon and Eli
are coming,

and they're serious food
people, so this has to be good.

Devon actually started
Loaves and Fishes

before she sold it
to my friend, Anna,

so she really knows
what she's doing,

and Eli, is Eli Zabar

and he has
incredible restaurants,

specialty food stores,
Eli's Bakery, E.A.T.

I love his places, so...

and they're also fun,
which is even better.

Thing about my frittata is
it's got flour
and baking powder in it--

I've got 1/3 cup of flour and
1 teaspoon of baking powder,

and that makes it
nice and light

and puffs up
which is great.

Gonna mix them together
2 teaspoons of salt.

I'm actually doing
this little bowl,
because I think

if you mix it really well
and then mix it in

it gets well distributed.

You don't want it puffing up
in one place
and not in the other.

So mix these together.

Oop. I'm trying to get
it all over myself.

And then sprinkle it on...

...then fold it in.

The best thing about
a frittata is you can really
put anything you like in it.

You can just clean
out your refrigerator.

Whatever's left over from
dinner, last night--you
can put in salmon.

You can put in
chicken, sausage...

I'm gonna put fresh basil
in this one

with pancetta
and potato and basil.

So good.

Okay, fresh basil, and
we're talking fresh 'cause
it's from my garden.

Really nice basil.

So I'm just gonna pull off the
leaves and whatever you have.

If you have dill.

If you have fresh parsley,
scallions--anything
to give it flavor.

Roll them up like this.

Doesn't have to be perfect,

and just do a julienne.

Like that.

Now I could serve
scrambled eggs.

It's easy, but the truth is, I
really don't love
making things

as people are sitting down.

You can only do scrambled
eggs for a few people.

But this, you make a whole
mixture. You put it in the pan.

You put it in the oven, and
an hour later, it comes out.

It's puffed and it's golden.

It's dramatic, and so good.

Okay, so that's all mixed.

Let's see how the
potatoes are doing.

Oh, they're gorgeous.

They're all nice and
browned on the outside,
and perfectly done inside.

I'm going to add back
the pancetta.

You want them to be
well distributed

because I want them all
over the bottom of the pan.

I want every bite of
frittata to have pancetta
and potato in there.

It's perfect.

Okay. I'm gonna turn off
the heat and take

the whole mixture
and just pour it right on top.

How gorgeous is that?

Okay, this is going to go
into the oven 350 degrees

for 50 to 55 minutes,

and we're gonna have

the most delicious frittata.

I can't wait.

Coming up, a beautiful
smoked salmon platter,

easy scallion dill cream cheese,

fantastic fresh fruit

and a delicious
Belgian waffle buffet.

Waffle is delicious.

Breakfast is totally my
favorite meal of the day.

This is really good.

I have friends
coming for breakfast.

I'm gonna do big platters of
things, really easy food.

One thing I like to do,
sometimes, is like
that high low thing.

It's very simple
food, but a little luxurious

especially for breakfast,
nobody expects it.

So, I've got a platter
and I've got these things
that I want to put on it

and I just--in my mind,
I kind of arrange
how I'm going to do it.

I like it to be a
little symmetrical.

So I'm going to do salmon down
both sides of the platter.

I kind of start
not knowing where I'm going

but I have a little bit
of a plan

and hopefully
it'll work out.

And then maybe,
I'm gonna take red onions
that I've sliced really thin

and lemon and
put them down the middle.

Does that look good?
Yeah, that looks good.

Okay, got a plan.

And then what I think I'll
do is I'll make some cream
cheese to go with it.

A flavored cream cheese,
maybe scallion and dill.

That sounds good, doesn't it?

Sunday mornings are great
because I love to, you know,

sort of get ready for a party.

Jeffrey loves to go for
a walk. He walks like an
hour and a half a day.

It's amazing--
It's how he stays fit.

Good for him.

He likes to walk through town--
he goes to the beach.

He's got a different
plan every day.

So this is smoked salmon which
is actually different from lox.

Lox is cured with salt,
like gravlax.

I actually like
Norwegian salmon or Scottish
salmon a little bit drier,

and not quite as salty
as Nova Scotia salmon,
but they're all good.

When I first met Jeffrey,
he'd never had smoked salmon.

I think he thought it
came mixed in cream cheese. He
didn't know it came like this.

So he said "Nah" he
didn't really like it.

And I said
"Do you wanna try it?"

and he tried it and he's
like "This is really good."

So we were off and running.

So I'm gonna put in lemon

just like this.

Just do some lemon and onion.

People can help
themselves if they like.

Very thinly sliced.

Just kind of--
just like that.

Maybe some capers--
I drained them.

Just a few capers on top.

Just give it a little...

and some fresh dill. A
big bunch of fresh dill.

Devon and Eli called
and said on the way here

they're gonna take
their dogs for a walk
at Maine Beach.

Love Main Beach.

It's a gorgeous day.

Seems like everybody is
out walking except me.

Can't wait to see them.

Okay, a little pepper.

Okay--that's the platter.

Now I'm gonna make
scallion cream cheese with
a little fresh dill in it.

It's gonna be great with bagels.

Come on. Let's go.

Oh, my god. I'm
getting so hungry.

I can't wait.

Yeah.

Do you think Jeffrey
will be there, Devon?

I hope so. Yes! Of course, he's
there. Of course he's there.

When Devon and Eli
come back from their walk
I thought it would be nice--

I'm gonna have
a whole buffet all ready,

everybody can help themselves--
very easy and casual.

So to go with the smoked
salmon platter, I'm making
a flavored cream cheese.

Just thought it would
taste better, why not?

Everybody knows vegetable cream
cheese, scallion cream cheese.

Nobody every needs to have
chocolate cream cheese.

I've seen that, ew!

But I'm gonna make scallion
and dill cream cheese.

I think it will be
really good with it.

So I've got one pound
of cream cheese.

It has to be room temperature.
It's really important.

1/2 cup of dill,

1/2 cup of scallions chopped.

and just to make it a
little creamier,

I put in
2 tablespoons of milk.

A little salt and pepper.

Make sure it has
lots of flavor,

and just give it a quick blitz
in the food processor.

Until it's nice and creamy.

This is why it's important for
it to be room temperature.

If you want
a little extra milk
you can always add it

because you want them all
to combine really well.

Doesn't get any
easier than that.

Into a bowl.

You've got scallion
and dill cream cheese.

Now, all you need is a bagel.

Okay.

This is gonna be really fun. I
can't wait to see everybody.

Now, just so--

I make sure everybody knows
exactly what's in this.

I'm gonna put a little
fresh dill on the top.

Ready to go--done.

Coming up, incredible
overnight Belgian waffles
with delicious toppings.

The secrets of my fast and
easy food platter, and then,

it's great friends and good
times at the Garten house.

This is brilliant.

I guess they like it.

My friends Devon and Eli are
coming for breakfast buffet.

We're talking huge
breakfast buffet.

Since I believe anything
worth doing is worth doing
to excess,

I decided I'd make
Belgian waffles, as well.

And the best part
of this is most of it

you make you night before,
so it's mostly make ahead.

So this is the batter.

Let me tell you how I made it.

I added lukewarm milk
to a mixture of warm water,

yeast and sugar
along with melted butter...

...some honey, vanilla
extract and a pinch of salt.

I stirred it,
then added flour

and whisked it
until the batter was smooth,

covered it in plastic wrap
and let it sit

overnight at cool
room temperature.

So the only thing
I need to do this morning

is to just whisk the eggs,
2 eggs.

I'm gonna put a little bit
of baking soda in it,

just makes them rise nicely.

Just 1/4 teaspoon.

I just put it in the eggs,
and then the whole thing
goes into the batter.

Just like that.

Okay, just beat this in.

It's not much to do, I
can still be half asleep.

Okay, so I've got a
Belgian waffle iron,

which is really deep.

I used to think that you made
Belgian waffles in any iron,

but it has to be
a really deep one

for those thick Belgian waffles
which I love.

I'm just gonna brush the
waffle make with butter,
just to make sure.

No point in making these
if they don't come off.

One nice thing
about waffles is

you can actually make them
a little in advance

and keep them warm in the oven,
so I'm gonna make them early.

I use about 1/3 to a 1/2 cup
of batter per waffle

to make sure
they're really good and thick.

So I think I'm gonna do
these with banana, toasted
coconut, and crème fraîche.

How's that sound? That sounds
pretty good, doesn't it?

I hope everybody is
working up an appetite on
their respective walks.

5 minutes and we're
gonna have waffles.

We got a chance to
go to the beach.

We've gotten our exercise.

Now we're gonna have
a great breakfast, some of
my favorite Kenyan coffee.

Let's go. Come on. Let's go.

I think the waffles are
ready--the first batch.

Oh, my god--do they
look fantastic.

So now, I'm just
gonna cut them apart.

Let's see.

Hopefully, they're
gonna come off.

Perfect.

Look how thick they are.

That's what I love
about Belgian waffles.

You can make these,
actually, in advance.

I'm just gonna put them in
the oven, keep them warm.

They'll stay nice and crisp.

They're so crisp and you
can really smell the yeast.

Okay, I'm gonna put these
in the oven then come back
and make another batch.

Okay, next batch.

This is my kinda breakfast.

Coming up, a fantastic easy
fruit platter is the final
dish in my breakfast buffet.

Then it's friends and fun
on a Sunday morning.

Smoked salmon and waffles
is like my kind of waffle.

How perfect is that?

One last thing to do
for my breakfast buffet.

I always like a big
platter of fresh fruit.

Everybody loves fresh fruit
and it looks gorgeous.

Eli is bringing his coffee.

Jeffrey will be very happy
somebody else is making coffee.

He's got a whole new line
so we're gonna test it out.

Okay, now I'm gonna
assemble the fruit platter.

Okay, first some fig leaves.

Next, honeydew melon,

and then some cantaloupe.

I think pineapple is next.

And, big sprigs of mint
right in the middle.

Fresh figs. You want
to group them together.

Fresh raspberries.

Big pile...oops.

Fresh blueberries.

How easy is that?

That's not my worst
platter, ever.

I always think it's going to be
a mess, but it turned out okay.

I'm gonna get this on the
buffet and I'm gonna pull
everything else together.

Hmm. Think that's enough for
four people for breakfast?
More like for 40 people.

Okay, need one more thing.

Warm maple syrup
for the waffles.

This is gonna be
a great breakfast.

Hi guys!

Hey!

Perfect timing.

How was your walk on the beach?

Heavenly. Heavenly. Heavenly.

So happy to see you.

It was heaven?

Heaven.

What did you bring?

I'm desperate for coffee.

This is your new
coffee, isn't it?

Right. Kenyan AA.

Kenyan AA?

Right.

And what is this?

A babka.

Babka, I love babka,

Not made by me.

...and you make the best babkas.

Not me, but you'll
like this. Fabulous.

Me. Forget all of
that. I want the babka.

And who are these guys?

Gio Ponti, Pippa, say hi to Ina.

Hi!

So I made smoked
salmon, fresh fruit.

Hey, guys.

Jeffrey's here.

Jeffrey.

What do we got?

I always say "Cook
and a man shows up."

That's right.

You brought your own coffee.

This is Kenyan, and I love it.

So what is the
difference between this
coffee, and say,

coffee I would buy
somewhere else?

It's been grown with care.

It reflects the soil and
the terroir just like in wine.

Oh, it's good.

This is really special.

You know, I love those waffles.

Is there something
special about those?
Yeah, they're great.

I make them over night.
They're made with yeast.

They're Belgian waffles.
You want a little maple syrup?

Uh, no. I don't want any.
No? Okay.

I'm going to have smoked
salmon on my waffle.

That's a great idea.

And I want a little bit of
cream cheese or crème fraîche.

It's crème fraîche. You
want some crème fraîche?

Okay.

I have never heard of
smoke salmon on a waffle.

I like the idea of smoked
salmon and waffles. Who knew?

What would you like, Jeffrey?

Syrup. It has my name on it.

Why did I think there was
going to be syrup in your...

Whoa!
That's enough. Whoa!

Is it good?

The waffle is delicious.
This is really good.

Everybody is like fried
chicken and waffles.

I've never had that,
but smoked salmon
and waffles.

It's like, my kind of waffle.

Would anybody like frittata?
Oh yeah.

Yeah, give me a
little bit of that.
Oh yeah.

Tell us about that.
Potato, basil,
pancetta frittata.

Uh-huh.
Oh, wow.

Oh, my gosh.
How do you get it so fluffy?

I put in flour
and baking powder.
Ah!

And it really just kind
of puffs up, and it's
not so dense, right?

Delicious--
absolutely delicious.

Yeah, it's really light.
Almost like a souffle.

Ina, it really is.
Thank you.

This is brilliant.
I guess they like it.

Mm! This is my new
favorite breakfast.

Oh, good!
Everything about it.

All I need is for
you to make it...

every day.

Oh, I never cook for
you. Why would I do that?