French toast with kumquat syrup
This is a great way to use leftover bread. At Gone we use cornbread for this recipe. Cornflour is more common in Croatia and we get the most wonderful, freshly grounded corn flour from an authentic watermill located in a small village just outside Split. But you can use whatever bread you have and like.
The procedure for making kumquat syrup is almost the same for making jam (see notes below). If you feel inspired to experiment further with these aromatic cuties, try adding a little star anise and cinnamon for more spicy preserves.
Kumquat syrup
If you don’t have it in stock already, you need to start with the syrup.
Ingredients
Kumquats (as many or few as you have)
Water
Sugar
Lemon juice if you like it a bit more sour sweet
Procedure
Slice the kumquats thinly with a small, sharp knife. Halfway through every kumquat you need to carefully remove the seeds. The easiest way is just to use the tip of the knife to peel them out. As we are making a syrup and not a jam you can discard the seeds for this recipe.
Put the kumquat slices in a pot and add just enough water to cover. Leave them to soak overnight or for about 8 hours. Then add the same amount of sugar (in deciliters) as the soaked kumquats (including the water).
Bring to boil, turn on medium heat and cook until the kumquats are translucent and the liquid is syrupy. If you like your syrup a bit more tart you can balance with some lemon juice.
Pour on scalded glasses, cool and store in the fridge.
Note: If you want to make jam instead, you keep the seeds and put them in a teabag and cook it with the fruit and sugar (the pectin from the seeds will thicken the jam). Jam need to cook a little longer to thicken (make the jam test).
French toast (4 pers.)
Once you have the syrup, the French toast are quite easily made.
Ingredients
Four slices of bread
1 egg
1/2 dl milk
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 pinch of salt
Butter for frying
Pomegranate seeds (about 4 tbs, one for each slide)
A handful of toasted almonds chopped roughly (or whatever nuts you have, walnuts are great too)
Kumquat syrup (about 2-3 tbs for each slide of bread)
Procedure
Beat the egg with the cinnamon and a pinch of salt and add the milk. Dip bread in egg mixture, turning to coat both sides evenly. Cook bread slices on lightly greased nonstick pan until nicely golden on both sides.
Meanwhile check your kumquat syrup. If its a bit too thick when cooled, you can warm it up a little in a small pot. Maybe add a little lemon or orange juice.
When serving, pour the syrup over the french toast and drizzle with pomegranates and nuts.