Celebrate Easter with delicious brunch

Make chocolate French toast, potato cakes, roasted asparagus

Video: Easy, economical Easter breakfast eats

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>>> we're in "today's" kitchen and we're getting saucy with chef melissa.

>> she's the host of the food network 's $10 dinners. she's no stranger to putting together food and inexpensive holiday brunch. i'm not trying to correct you.

>> this is the woman who's dearabian.

>> that's her name.

>> it's d apostrophe a. it's a natural mistake.

>> when we moved to the u.s. we changed it to dearabian because not everyone has -- there you go.

>> you're a sweetheart. thank you for that.

>> we like you.

>> what are you cooking for us.

>> thank you for having me. today i am making up a crispy potato cake which is going to be perfect for your easter table. take a nice russet potato , the cheapest potato you can buy.

>> gold potatoes not for this?

>> not for this.

>> they're very starchy and sticky.

>> i love those.

>> yukons are a little waxier. they're in between. if you want to go with the russet, super cheap. it's going to give you the starch to make your potato kick. shred it up and put it in a pan like this. this couldn't be easier.

>> why is it pink?

>> you want to work quickly when you're working with potatoes because it oxidizes from the air. this happens in minutes. no problem. you're going to cook it. if it gets oxidized, you won't see it once it's cooked.

>> all right.

>> a little butter and vegetable oil . this is it.

>> that's it?

>> press it in here. that's exactly right. try to press it in --

>> you do want to get it equally.

>> exactly right. press it in so you get the starch that's going to make the cake. i actually made these for my twins when they were little . you know what? i did. look. this is a clean task.

>> so this is it after it's cooked?

>> yes. after about eight minutes or so it will be cooked on one side. you want it to be nice and crispy. you don't want to disturb it once you press it down.

>> you just want to leave it there.

>> you can do the julia child flip. or you can just do this.

>> nobody trusts me. do it. let's see you flip it. no. i don't know how to do that.

>> one hand on here. one hand on here. and there you go. how is that for easy?

>> perfect. you only cook it on the one side? you cook it on the other side, too?

>> it's going back in. another seven or eight minutes on this side so it will get nice and crispy. look what we're doing here. we're taking some sunny side up eggs. i'm going to slide it right on top. that's going to make a perfect easter brunch. and this whole thing was, like, 60cents.

>> that's more than one person.

>> this is actually for two people. you don't eat carbs, right?

>> i do.

>> very little .

>> i don't eat sweets or bread.

>> perfect. great. you can always use a bigger pan. and use two potatoes. it will be like a buck and it will feed four people. there you go. a little parsley on the top. let's give this a try.

>> thank you. she's had it before.

>> oh, yeah, get the yolk. that's the fun part. what's great about this is it's elegant enough for a dinner party . but it's also really great for kids. you know --

>> for brunch it's perfect.

>> brunch, it's perfect. it's inexpensive.

>> we just have a minute.

>> fantastic.

>> it's perfect. here i've got some roasted asparagus. have you ever roasted asparagus before?

>> i have not.

>> that is what you need to do.

>> i'm going to have another bite. this is delicious.

>> you'll get a super sweet flavor on your roasted asparagus.

>> that's delicious.

>> isn't it a whole different fare?

>> did you try that, kath ?

>> just make a simple vinegarette with dijonne, olive oil .

>> what is this?

>> chocolate french toast . i'm tell ing you, this is the one that on my facebook fans, this is the big hot dish . oh, yeah. they love it.

>> what's your website?

>> foodnetwork.com/tendollar din foodnetwork.com/tendollardinner. also on your website.

>> you are adorable.

>> i call her chef melissa. we'll be back with more of "today" on nbc.

>>> cheers, everybody. tomorrow, we have

Show transcript

TODAY recipes

updated 3/31/2010 11:32:23 AM ET

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Celebrate Easter (or any day) with a delicious brunch featuring chocolate french toast, potato cakes and roasted asparagus. Melissa d’Arabian, host of the Food Network’s “Ten Dollar Dinners,” shares her recipes.

Recipe: Chocolate french toast (on this page) Recipe: Roasted asparagus with lemon vinaigrette (on this page)

Recipe: Crispy potato cake (on this page)

Recipe: Chocolate french toast

Melissa d'Arabian

Ingredients

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup butter, divided
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch kosher salt
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
2 eggs
6 slices white bread, crusts removed and cut into triangles
9- by 5-inch baking dish

Preparation

In a small pot over low heat, add 1/4 cup cream, milk, sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, vanilla and salt and bring to a simmer. Put the chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in the cream mixture. Let sit until the chocolate is melted, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs and mix until well combined. Grease the baking dish with the remaining tablespoon of butter, and line it with the bread slices, overlapping slightly. Pour the chocolate mixture over the bread, making sure to cover the tips. Push the bread down with your fingers to coat the bread completely. Refrigerate, covered, for at least 2 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake until the custard sets and the bread turns golden at the edges, about 30 minutes.

Add the remaining cream to a chilled bowl and whisk until soft peaks form. Serve the french toast on individual plates with a dollop of cream.

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Recipe: Roasted asparagus with lemon vinaigrette

Melissa d'Arabian

Ingredients

For asparagus
3/4 pound fresh asparagus, woody stems removed
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For vinaigrette
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl toss the asparagus in the olive oil, and liberally season with salt and pepper. Spread the stalks out on a baking sheet, in a single layer, and roast until tender but still firm and moist, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, vigorously whisk together the mustard and lemon juice. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking quickly to emulsify the olive oil into the juice mixture. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter, toss with the vinaigrette and serve. The dish may be eaten warm or cold.

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Recipe: Crispy potato cake

Melissa d'Arabian

Ingredients

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons butter
2 large russet potatoes, peeled and grated
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley leaves

Preparation

In a nonstick 10-inch sauté pan, heat the vegetable oil and butter over medium heat.

Press grated potato into pan. Season with salt and pepper. Let cook undisturbed until crisp on bottom, 8 to 10 minutes. Gently flip onto a plate and then slide other side into pan to cook. Salt and pepper second side. Cook another 5 to 10 minutes, until potato cake is cooked through and nicely browned.

Cut into wedges, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

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