Rocking Breakfast – Recipe #5

One thing I find myself regretting more than anything else, is my limited capacity for food and drink. Human bodies just can’t eat and drink all of the things. The problem is that I want to eat and drink all of the things. Dagnabit.

Sunday is going to be one of those times when this specter of regret once again raises its ugly head. That’s when Josh Coletto is making the trek up to Albany to make us the brunch of his dreams. And this guy dreams big. Of course, the items on this month’s menu won’t be repeated in March.

So I’ve worked out a little side deal with the chef. Every month, he’ll share a recipe from the previous brunch. Something that people didn’t get a chance to try. In the past, Josh has shared one of the items that sold out. This time, it was something he and the staff found super delicious, but for one reason or another, failed to capture the imagination of eaters who came out to The Low Beat for Rock N Roll Brunch 10.

My guess was that those who wanted something sweet opted for the Nibble donut French toast with late season peach preserves.

I’ll let Josh introduce this recipe in his own words.

Citrus curd is always a hit, whether you are just eating it, mixing it with yogurt (possibly my favorite use) or throwing it on some cookies. At the last brunch, it was a staff favorite served all over the monkey bread.

Grapefruit Curd

5 egg yolks (the better the eggs, the better this will be, I like to use my own duck eggs…which are always incorporated into the brunch)
3/4 cup sugar
2 ea grapefruit
1 stick butter, cut all up in small pieces

Add enough water to a medium saucepan to come about 1-inch up the side. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, combine egg yolks and sugar in a medium size metal bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute. Zest the grapefruit and juice. You should have around 1/3 cup of juice. Add juice and zest to egg mixture and whisk smooth. Throw the bowl on top of the water for the double boiler set up. Whisk until thickened, about 8 minutes or until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and whisk in butter a piece at a time, allowing each piece to melt before adding the next. Once all butter is in, put curd into a container with plastic wrap directly on the surface. Refrigerate.This will last up to 2 weeks!

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For Rock N Roll Brunch XI the sweet dish is the Meyer lemon and ricotta hand-pie with local honey. That sounds great, but I’ve got my eyes on the fried oysters, the breakfast burger, the pozole, and the French toast sandwich with house made sausage. And of course, there are always the biscuits with gravy, which remain the one dish that’s a permanent feature of the brunch menu.

As always, there is a vegan option (and plenty of vegetarian choices). Doors open at 10:30 a.m. Now, I have no idea what people will do this week, but my inside line tells me that in January there was a crush of people at the beginning, but then it thinned out later in the day. Of course December was so busy that those who didn’t arrive early lost out.

It’s a crap shoot.

But God forbid you show up late for brunch at The Low Beat and it’s mobbed, you are in the midst of all kinds of off-the radar restaurants, each more delicious than the other. On that strip of Central Avenue you are a stone’s throw from Mr. Pio Pio, Taiwan Noodle, Dan’t Place Two and Northeast Dumpling House.

So come to The Low Beat whenever you like. Apparently we don’t all need to cram in there like savages at 10:30. Hopefully you can make it. This will be the first one I’ve been able to attend in months. If you do spy me, please come over and say “Hi.” I promise I won’t think you are creepy. Meeting readers live and in person is a treat.

And don’t forget to buy some grapefruits, because Josh’s recipe sounds both easy and delicious. But that’s what he does. I’m not really surprised.