See our talented head chef at work in this WCAX video which aired on Friday. Chef Tom prefers local seasonal ingredients and dishes that show off what Vermont has to offer.

Chef Tom Bivins from Crop Bistro & Brewery joins us with a delicious breakfast meal that highlights Vermont ingredients.

Vermont Rarebit

Yield 4 Orders

4 thick slices of sourdough bread or whole grain bread

¼ lb soft butter

4 slices good quality Vermont Cheddar

4 eggs

Salt and pepper

2 cups Wilted Kale or Spinach

Tomato Mornay

½ lb butter or ½ cup canola oil

½ cup all purpose flour

1 cup Lager or IPA, depending upon your taste in beers and ale (or substitute white wine instead)

2 cups whole milk or low fat milk

1 cup Marinara Sauce or Crushed Tomato

2 cups Grated Cheddar

Tabasco or hot sauce to taste

Salt and Pepper

In a non-reactive pot, heat ½ lb of butter or ½ cup of oil until hot.  Turn down heat to medium low.  Stir in all-purpose flour.  Stir to combine your roux and cook for at least 5 minutes.  Add the beer and the milk together and stir to combine.  Stirring constantly increase heat and bring to a simmer.  The sauce will thicken as it simmers, about 5 to 10 minutes.    Once the sauce thickens, add the marinara or crushed tomatoes and cheese.  Continue stirring to combine.  Season to taste with Tabasco, salt and pepper.  Decrease heat to low to hold the sauce hot.

Heat a large sauté pan.   Spread butter on each side of bread slices.  Punch a 2-inch hole in each slice of bread and reserve the holes.  Place buttered bread and holes in hot sauté pan and toast to golden brown on first side, turn over and begin to toast the second side- remove the bread holes when done and set aside.

Crack egg and place inside the holes of the bread slices.  Increase the heat and season the top of the egg with salt and pepper.  Once the egg is beginning to coagulate or cooks through, turn the toast and egg over and finish cooking to desired doneness.  Top the bread and egg with the slices of cheese and cook until melted.    You can melt the cheese over the bread in an oven if you are still finishing the sauce- this will keep the toast and egg warm.

Warm the wilted kale or spinach and season to taste- remove any excess water- and place the greens in the center of the four plates.  Place the toasted bread and cheese with egg on top of greens.  Spoon the sauce over the toast and serve hot.

Serve with a Vermont brew, a glass of Vermont produced white wine or a glass of local milk.

View story on WCAX site