Breakfast Sausage Stack - As seen on TGFTR

Yield: 4 servings

 Our creative version of California meets Alaska.  This is the recipe that got a “spectacular” from Tyler Florence and won us the very first cooking challenge on The Great Food Truck Race on the Food Network!!  What a once-in-a-lifetime experience that was!! 

Chef Tyler Florence chowing down and warming his belly in the frigid cold!

Me + Aly Romero + Flora Laundre = Meatball Mamas! We felt so honored to cook for one of our culinary heroes and so incredibly happy to win the first cooking challenge.

Flat Top Mountain, Alaska…stunningly beautiful!

19F couldn’t stop us from venturing into our brand spanking new food truck to whip up a beautiful breakfast fit for a world-renowned chef.  Because Alaska has so much great local product, we decided to incorporate reindeer sausage.  And, since the three of us are all from sunny California, we just had to incorporate some freshness in the form of a lightly dressed bed of greens which cuts through all the richness of this hearty breakfast.  Chef Florence, being from the Golden State himself, appreciated the thought we put into this dish and the satisfying comfort it provided.

 Since sourcing reindeer sausage in Cali is a bit of a challenge, you can substitute with your favorite sausage.  If you buy pre-cooked sausage the process will go much faster.  You can switch out the cayenne with ancho chili powder, but since it’s not hot like cayenne, you can up the amount to 1 tsp.  And make sure your tater tots are thawed out before you toss them with the spices so they stick.

One last note…if you don’t like arugula, use spring greens; if you don’t like sharp cheddar, use your favorite flavorful cheese; if you want to keep it vegan, nix the cheese from the waffle and replace the egg and sausage with large white beans and thick, juicy tomato slices.  Make this dish your own!

Tater Tots

1 pound bag tater tots – thawed

½ tsp cumin powder

¼ tsp cayenne chili powder (or 1 tsp ancho chili powder)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

Grapeseed oil - for waffle iron and eggs

¼ cup sharp cheddar – divided

Bits and Pieces

½ bunch of chives – finely chopped

4 pre-cooked sausages – slice lengthwise 

4 eggs

Kosher salt

2 oz arugula (about 4 small handfuls) 

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil – the good stuff!

Pinch cayenne/ancho chili powder

2-4 oz block of parmesan cheese – grated on a microplane

For the Tater Tots

1.     Allow tots to thaw out at room temperature, then gently toss with all the spices.  They will thaw out faster if you spread then out on a sheet tray, which will take about 30 minutes, but you also can leave them in the fridge overnight.  

2.     Preheat your oven to 200F.  Heat up your waffle iron, then drizzle/spray with oil. Add a scant 1 cup of tots on the iron, sprinkle 1 Tbsp sharp cheddar, then a few more tots to cover most of the cheese.  Close the lid and cook for 8-10 minutes, depending on your iron.  It will be ready when it holds together in its waffle shape.

3.     Once you have all your waffles made, you can place them on a sheet tray in the oven to keep warm while you get the rest of the dish done.

For the Bits and Pieces

1.     While the tots cook/warm, finely chop your chives, put them in a small bowl, and set aside for garnish.

2.     In a large bowl, add arugula, evoo, lemon juice, and a pinch of kosher salt.  Don’t toss the arugula yet though, just set it aside for now.

3.     Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat for about a minute.  Once the pan is hot, add your sausage and sear until heated through.  You can add a little oil, but your sausage may already have some fat in it, which will prevent it from sticking.

4.     Heat a second non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for a minute.  Add about 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil and let that heat up until it swirls around in the pan freely.  Carefully crack your eggs, working with 1 or 2 at a time (depending on how many waffles you have cooking at once), sprinkle with salt, and place a lid on top.  Cook for a few minutes until the whites are cooked and the yolk is still runny.  If you prefer your eggs a different way, go for it!  You could even make scrambled eggs if cooking for a crowd.

To Assemble

1.     When the tater tot waffle is done, remove it from the waffle iron and place on a plate.  If you are keeping them warm in the oven, remove them and place each one on a plate.  Grate some more parmesan cheese on top if you want it extra cheesy.

2.     Place sausage halves on top in an “X” shape.

3.     Toss the salad with the evoo, lemon, and salt.  Place a quarter of it in a high pile on top of the sausage.

4.     Now place your perfect egg on top and sprinkle with a tiny pinch of cayenne/ancho chili powder, chopped chives, and an additional grating of parmesan cheese.

5.     Enjoy!

Tools

2 Large mixing bowls

Small mixing bowl

1-cup measuring cup

Measuring spoons

Large spoon

Sheet tray

Waffle iron

Microplane/fine grater

Tongs

Chef’s knife

2 non-stick skillets (one with a lid)

Spatula – for fried egg