MAX SAYS:
I said it on the show and I will back it up here: egg breakfasts do not excite me. Scrambled, omelette, sunny-side whatever - eggs just bore me. There are a few egg exceptions, of course: a slightly runny poached egg on toast, a greasy fried egg with bacon, or - better yet - eggy-in-the-hole, that classic egg-and-bread dish that goes by any number of names. I’m not really a huge breakfast person in general. I wouldn’t say no to a bowl of cereal (woo, Peanut Butter Puffins!) or a chocolate croissant, but other than that, I’d rather sleep in than eat breakfast.

So replacing those eggs we used up making the tortilla española wasn’t a big deal to me. I figured I’d get around to it. Eventually. Apparently, Rebecca figured otherwise - and I learned it’s not wise to piss off your hungry, post-run sister, especially when you’re crashing on her couch. I had to scramble (see what I did there?) to come up with breakfast, fast, and without eggs. Luckily, I had some peaches left over from the peach salsa I made to go with the tacos de lengua, and a heaping carton of blueberries from had our last visit to the market. These were some legit blueberries: bright and tart and awesome. We also had a quart of yogurt from Hawthorne Valley Farm, and steel-cut oats and whole raw almonds in the pantry. Breakfast was practically going to serve itself.

Of course, it would have been perfectly acceptable to just rinse and serve the fruit raw on top of the yogurt and Rebecca’s incredible homemade granola, but I really wanted to showcase the fruit’s potential as a cooked item. Plus, I owed Rebecca, and she wasn’t about to let me bow out with a diced fruit cup. Compote was the obvious option.

Making fruit compote is deceptively simple. It can be done with fruit that’s fresh, overripe, or frozen. And it only takes about 10 minutes to make from start to finish. Just cut up your fruit, throw it in a pan with some simple syrup (a 1-1 ratio of sugar and water), a little lemon peel for the pectin, and whatever flavors you desire (vanilla, cinnamon, citrus, spice) and let it reduce. Not only will you have a freakin’ awesome topping for parfait, but you will have a base for a near endless list of desserts: Bake the compote in a tart shell for pie; add butter and brown sugar to the granola and heap over the compote for cobbler; add some whole black peppercorn to the pot for a sweet-savory flavor (just be sure to remove the peppercorns before serving); reduce a little further with some more lemon juice and zest (for the pectin) for homemade jam.

Oh, and if someone figures out how to make a great banana compote, please let me know.

REBECCA SAYS:

I’m going to be honest: I was blown away by how good the granola was. I don’t know why, but for some reason I expected it to be lackluster - as if the combination of oats slowly baked in butter and maple syrup could disappoint. It was crunchy, sweet but not sugary (thank you, maple syrup) and the hint of vanilla and the chopped roasted almonds added depth and complexity. This is the kind of breakfast you can throw into the oven as you shower and dress, and come back 30 minutes later to a perfect bowl of granola. And granola’s as expandable as compote: try a dash of  cinnamon with the vanilla; sesame or flax seeds, walnuts or flaked coconut; tiny cubes of apple or cranberries, raisins or currants. Granola with this much latitude, cheaper and tastier than any cereal you could get in a store? I’m never buying granola again.

Max’s compote was so delicious that I forgave him for not living up to his end of the “tortilla española bargain”. The blueberries and peaches remained distinct from each other; the lemon juice balanced the sweetness of the simple syrup; and with the granola and the rich, creamy yogurt from Hawthorne Valley, breakfast felt as indulgent as cobbler and ice cream. I’m still not letting go of eggs poached, fried, and scrambled, but homemade granola and compote are definitely going to be a regular breakfast fix from now on.

GRANOLA RECIPE

• 1/4 cup natural almonds
• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup Grade “A” maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roast the almonds in a tinfoil pouch until lightly toasted, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the nuts and set aside; when cool, chop roughly.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (in our oven, anyway - you might try 325ºF). Pour the oats in a shallow baking dish. Melt the butter in a small bowl in the microwave and pour over the oats, along with the maple syrup, vanilla, and salt. Stir well with a rubber spatula and spread the oat mixture in an even layer

Set the timer for 30 minutes. Go take your shower or make your coffee. After 15 minutes, stir the oats around - vigorously if you like them “loose,” more gently if you prefer your granola clumpy. Bake another 15 minutes while you dress.

When the oats are lightly browned, remove from the oven and let them cool and get crispy. Layer in a bowl or tall glass with yogurt and compote and enjoy.

COMPOTE RECIPE

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 pieces (about 2” each) of lemon peel
• 1 cup of peaches
• 1 cup blueberries
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Boil the water, sugar, and lemon peel, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Add in the fruit and, stirring, bring back to a simmer. Let simmer for 5 minutes or until the blueberries burst. Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, then let the compote cool and thicken. Layer in a bowl or tall glass with yogurt and granola and enjoy.