BEST BRUNCH WASHINGTON DC RECIPES

Steps:

• Pulse salt, sugar, and 2 cups flour in a food processor until combined. Add butter and lard and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with a few pieces of butter and lard visible, about fifteen 1-second pulses. With motor running, drizzle in 6–7 Tbsp. ice water and pulse until dough is still crumbly but just holds together when squeezed.
• Turn out dough onto a work surface. Knead 1–2 times, pressing to incorporate any shaggy pieces. Press into a 6"-wide disk. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour.
• Place rack in lowest position of oven; preheat to 375°. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 14" round. Transfer to pie dish. Pick up edges and allow dough to slump down into dish, letting excess dough hang over dish. Trim, leaving about a 1" overhang. Fold overhang under; pinch and crimp. Chill 30 minutes.
• Line dough with parchment paper or foil, leaving some overhang. Fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until crust is dry around the edges and just beginning to brown, 25–35 minutes. Carefully remove parchment and weights and reduce oven temperature to 350°. Bake until crust is set and beginning to brown in the center, 15–20 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool.
• Do Ahead: Dough can be made 3 days ahead; keep chilled, or freeze up to 2 months.
• Cook bacon, shallots, lard, thyme, and bay leaf in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until lard begins to bubble, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low (mixture should still slowly bubble) and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon and shallots are very soft, about 20 minutes. Let cool 1 hour. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve; pluck out thyme and bay leaf. Transfer bacon and shallots to a medium bowl; set aside.
• Meanwhile, heat half-and-half in a medium saucepan over medium-high until it begins to bubble. Immediately remove from heat. Let cool 1 hour.
• Place rack in middle of oven; preheat to 325°. Purée eggs in a blender on medium-high speed until foamy, about 30 seconds. Add half-and-half, salt, cayenne, and nutmeg. Beat on medium-low until custard is smooth, about 15 seconds.
• Place pie plate on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle cheese evenly over bottom of crust. Top with bacon mixture. Pour half of the custard into crust. Transfer quiche to oven, then carefully pour remaining custard into crust. Bake quiche until edges are set but center slightly wobbles, 55–75 minutes (it will continue to set after baking). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool at least 3 hours before slicing.
• Do Ahead: Quiche can be baked 1 day ahead. Tightly wrap and chill. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter and dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
• Combine mashed banana, sour cream, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar on medium speed in another large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3½ minutes. Add eggs one at a time and beat on medium speed until fully combined, about 1 minute each. Add banana mixture and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds. Add dry ingredients in 2 batches, beating on low after each addition and scraping down sides of bowl if necessary, until fully incorporated, about 20 seconds per batch. Fold in walnuts. Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan and smooth top with a spatula.
• Bake, rotating halfway through, until batter is set, top is dark golden brown and starting to crack, sides are starting to pull away from pan, and a tester inserted into center of bread comes out clean, 60–65 minutes. Cool in pan on a wire rack at least 15 minutes. Run a butter knife around perimeter of pan to loosen loaf, then tap pan gently on its side until loaf releases. Transfer to a cutting board or plate and let cool completely before slicing. DO AHEAD: Banana bread can be baked, cooled, then wrapped in plastic and left at room temperature up to 3 days, or frozen up to 3 months.