Breakfast 2025

[blue_dolphin]

1 hour ago, Shel_B said:

TJ's tots, extra crispy

What's your method for an extra crispy tot?  I know some swear by deep frying them.  Maybe an air fryer would do the same? 
Whenever I heat a frozen item I want to be crisp, I use a temp 25° higher than specified, place the items on a mesh tray and cook for a few minutes longer. Never thought of calling it extra crispy, just the way I like it. 
 

Today's breakfast is the Broccoli, Egg & Cheese from A Super Upsetting Cookbook About Sandwiches by Tyler Kord. 

The broccoli is deep-fried in a light, tempura-style batter, the egg is scrambled, the cheese is smoked Gouda (which the recipe specifies is melted on to the top while you dance to “Easy Lover” by Phil Collins and Philip Bailey exactly 2 times*) and the book adds ketchup but I used tomato chutney, which I always think of as “adult ketchup.” 
It should be on an English muffin but I used a small ciabatta roll. 

* that’s a 5 min song and I’d already pre-toasted the bun so one round of dancing was sufficient and easily accomplished whilst frying the broccoli. 

[Shel_B]

1 hour ago, blue_dolphin said:

What's your method for an extra crispy tot?  I know some swear by deep frying them.  Maybe an air fryer would do the same? 
Whenever I heat a frozen item I want to be crisp, I use a temp 25° higher than specified, place the items on a mesh tray and cook for a few minutes longer. Never thought of calling it extra crispy, just the way I like it. 

 

I do it in one of two ways.

 

The first, I preheat the Breville at 425 or so degrees for a few minutes, cook for 20-21 minutes, then add a minute or two of the broiler at 500-degrees.

 

The other method is to heat the tots in the microwave for three-four minutes, crush 'em a bit to create more rough edges, and them cook 'em in the preheated Breville at high temp.

 

Both work well for me although the results are slightly different.

[blue_dolphin]

29 minutes ago, Shel_B said:

Both work well for me although the results are slightly different.

Thanks!
Which method did you choose today and what guides your choice?

[Shel_B]

41 minutes ago, blue_dolphin said:

Thanks!
Which method did you choose today and what guides your choice?

 

Today I used the first method, non microwave.

 

What guides my choice can be any one of several things, and sometimes a combination of things.

 

If, for example, I may have recently eaten something very soft, let's use whipped potatoes as an example, or hummus, I may want something with more crunch to provide strong contrast. The first cooking method can provide somewhat greater crunch ... I can get the tots almost kettle-cooked, rippled potato chip crunchy.

 

The choice of seasoning affects the decsion. Sometimes, like today, I'll use straight vinegar, usually malt or cider. The straight vinegar soaks into the tots more than other condiment choices, like ketchup or hot sauce, both of which are thicker or more roughly textured. To offset the soaked vinear somewhat, method one is helpful.

 

My microwave oven sits at an elevated position, and because of my complicated back issues, it may be uncomfortable to raise the plate with the tots to oven height, so method one is used. OTOH, if my back isn't bothering me, or if I've taken my pain medication, I'm more inclined to use the microwave method.

 

And then there's my mood. I may not want to take the extra steps to plate the tots, microwave them, crush them with a fork, and then Brevillize them. Just dumping a few straight from the bag onto the tray in the Breville is more to my liking - quicker, less fuss, allows me to do other things besides baby sitting Potato Tots.

 

HTH