Put all the ingredients into a large saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Continue to simmer for approximately 40 minutes. Let cool and store in glass jars in the refrigerator. You can store jam for about 4 weeks in the refrigerator. At the diner, we refrigerate our preserves in quart-size containers because of the volume we use daily. However, you could can or freeze the jam, if you prefer.
The Bob Wolfe Omelet
MENU
The Bob Wolfe Omelet
Red Flannel Hash
Home Fries
Irish Brown Bread “Scones”
THE BOB WOLFE OMELET
Serves 1
I met Bob Wolfe more than two decades ago. Bob had just been named principal of Korn Elementary School in Durham, Connecticut. I lived about a mile from the school. The then–superintendent of schools Dr. William Breck came to the diner and introduced me to Bob. It was the beginning of an incredible friendship. I shared with Bob that I had always wanted to work with children. From that day on, I spent a part of each Wednesday at his school, teaching life skills to an academically challenged student. That expanded to helping his food service ladies, working in a summer camp, supporting fund-raisers, and teaching adult education cooking classes. Bob was on the committee to rebuild the diner after the 2006 fire and was instrumental in ensuring that the diner opened again. This omelet started as his special order, and then it was then placed on the menu. Today it is the second-best-seller after the Dubliner. Like our friendship, the omelet is special.
| 2 | slices bacon |
| 2–4 | tablespoons chopped tomatoes |
| 3 | medium-sized eggs |
| 2 | tablespoons butter |
| 2 | slices provolone cheese |
| 2–4 | tablespoons Guacamole (page 14) |
| 2–4 | tablespoons Red Flannel Hash (page 83) |
| Fresh fruit of your choice, for garnish |
In a skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crispy. Put it on paper towels to drain, then crumble. Pour off most of the bacon fat, reserving about two tablespoons in the skillet. Sauté tomatoes in the fat over low heat until just cooked.
In a bowl, whisk the eggs thoroughly. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and pour in the eggs. When the eggs begin to cook, lay the provolone, bacon, tomatoes, Guacamole, and hash across the middle of the omelet. (Envision your omelet being a trifold with your ingredients in the center.) When the eggs are cooked, fold each edge of the omelet over the hash. Flip the omelet over, so that the seam is on the bottom. Cook 1 minute more. (Avoid overcooking—the inside should stay moist.) Garnish with fruit.
HOME FRIES
Serves 8
There are so many variables at play when you are making home fries. Even at the diner, where we follow the same recipe and have made them a million times, they don’t always turn out the same. The outcome with home fries depends on the quality of the potatoes, the size of the potato when diced, boiling the potatoes to the proper texture, frying them with the right amount of onion and spices, and how busy it is at the diner.
| 6 | medium potatoes, any variety, cut into ¾-inch dice, peeled or not |
| 1 | stick margarine or butter |
| 1 | onion, diced |
| 3 | tablespoons paprika |
| 1 | teaspoon salt, plus more for the potato-boiling water |
| 1 | teaspoon black pepper |
| 1 | teaspoon garlic powder |
In a large pot, cover the diced potatoes with cold salted water. Bring them water to a boil, then turn off the heat and check the potatoes for doneness every 2 minutes; when a fork can easily be inserted and removed, they are done. Rinse and shock the cooked potatoes in cold water. Drain well.
NOTE Although it’s not necessary, I refrigerate my cooked potatoes overnight and grill them the next morning. I like the consistency that results with this method.
Melt the margarine or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the potatoes, onion, spices, and salt. Cook until the Home Fries have a nice brown color.
IRISH BROWN BREAD “SCONES”
Makes 10 scone-size brown breads
Irish Brown Bread can be found throughout Ireland, and everyone’s grandmother makes the best, according to the family. There are countless variations of brown bread. Once you have perfected the basic recipe, explore different flavors and textures by experimenting with various grains and add-ins. You can also try different shapes by using a muffin pan or making round loaves. Be sure to adjust cooking times accordingly.
Our Irish Brown Bread was once served at the White House as part of a program to feed the hungry. What a thrill I had when the FedEx truck arrived at the diner to pick up my bread for delivery to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue!
| 2 | cups whole wheat flour |
| 1¼ | cups all-purpose flour |
| 1 | cup wheat bran (crumbled bran flakes or All-Bran may be substituted) |
| ¼ | cup sugar |
| 1 | teaspoon baking soda |
| ½ | teaspoon baking powder |
| ½ | teaspoon salt |
| ½ | stick butter, plus more for greasing the cookie sheet |
| 2 | cups buttermilk |
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a cookie sheet.
Mix all the dry ingredients together into a bowl. Cut in the butter using a paddle blade on a stand mixer, or hand-cut into the dry ingredients using a pastry blender or your fingertips. Add the buttermilk and stir just until incorporated. Do not overmix! Using a large ice cream scoop (#20, which holds about 2 ounces), place the dough on the prepared cookie sheet about 4 inches apart. Place in the oven as quickly as possible from the time the mixture is incorporated!
Bake for 12 minutes. Rotate the cookie sheet in the oven and bake for about 5 more minutes or until the brown bread feels solid to the touch. Remove from the oven, let sit for 10 minutes, then cool on a wire rack. The scones may be split in half horizontally and grilled with butter.
Variation GUINNESS-OATMEAL BROWN BREAD
To make, substitute 1 cup of Guinness stout for 1 cup of buttermilk and 1 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats for ½ cup of all-purpose flour and ½ cup of whole wheat flour.
Add 1 cup of raisins or ½ cup of sunflower seeds if desired.
GUACAMOLE
Makes 2½ cups
Guacamole goes with so many things—eggs, chicken, seafood. You name it. Guacamole and tomato makes a great summer sandwich, as does guacamole and cucumber.
| 4 | ripe avocados |
| ¼ | cup diced red onion |
| ¼ | cup diced fresh tomato |
| ¼ | cup minced onion |
| ¼ | cup fresh cilantro leaves cut into chiffonade (see Note) |
| Juice of 2 limes | |
| 1 | teaspoon chili powder |
| 1 | teaspoon kosher salt |
| 1 | teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted |
Cut the avocados in
