How to prepare a great spring buffet brunch

  • Tuesday, April 20, 2004 9:00pm
  • Life

Of all the food-related aromas on my favorites list, the smell of breakfast is at the top. Perhaps because breakfast, above all other meals, is a nurturing meal.

Prepared by someone who must love you very much, indeed, to raise him or herself out of bed to begin the process of cooking for you.

For the less energetic cook, or simply cooks with lots of friends, there’s always the brunch option, which generally takes place at more civilized hour.

And once spring offers up its delectable smorgasbord of seasonal foods, from asparagus, rhubarb and the creamy Haas avocado, to tiny Pacific shrimp, I find myself craving to unite them in one special brunch.

The challenge is to present a colorful and abundant spread buffet-style. But unless you have a serving staff lurking in the wings, ease of self-service is another important consideration, so be sure to provide serving utensils that can be manipulated with one hand.

If your guests are to be seated at tables, the choice of dishes is more flexible than if they will be perched around the house, balancing plates on laps or any available surface.

In the latter scenario, be sure that you have provided generous cloth napkins and either bite-size or finger food that can be managed without a knife — or a dish such as french toast, that can be cut with a fork.

Remember, the best buffet foods are those that are delicious and attractive at a wider range of temperatures, from hot to room temperature. And finally, when planning a brunch, consider the following tips, keeping in mind that the food should be festive, yet comforting. Delicate, not sharp, flavors work best at this time of day.

  • Clear pitchers of freshly squeezed juices in sunshine colors are enticing. Be sure to add sprigs of mint.

  • When serving more than four, choose a main course that does not have to be prepared at the last minute.

  • Instead of butter alone, serve a triple creme cheese along with red berry jam, peach preserves, and a citrus marmalade with a bit of bite.

  • Present bowls of plain and fruity yogurts alongside a selection of favorite toppings, including raisins, chopped nuts, granola, and melon chunks.

  • Slice a french bread lengthwise, spread with butter, and toast under the broiler. Serve with thinly sliced country ham.

  • Add a pinch of cinnamon to freshly ground coffee before brewing and serve with a pitcher of hot milk.

    Melon margaritas

    2medium honeydew melons, chilled

    Juice of 12 limes

    2cups tequila

    1/2cup fresh orange juice

    1cup Cointreau or triple sec

    Peel and seed the melons and cut them into cubes. Puree the melon cubes in a food processor. Mix the puree with the remaining ingredients. Stir with ice in a pitcher or pour into glasses over ice. These margaritas can be made the night before and chilled in the refrigerator.

    Yields 12 to 16 servings.

    Adapted from "New Home Cooking," by Florence Fabricant

    Black bean <

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    cakes with <

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    smoked salmon <

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    and Pacific shrimp

    3cups cooked black beans

    3large eggs, beaten

    3/4cup whole wheat flour

    Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

    4tablespoons corn oil

    3/4cup sour cream or plain yogurt

    8ounces smoked salmon, cut in thin strips

    1/2pound cooked fresh Pacific shrimp

    2tablespoons minced fresh chives

    Mash the beans and place them in a food processor. Add the eggs and process to blend. Transfer to a bowl, mix in the flour, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Preheat the oven to 150 degrees degrees.

    Heat the oil in one or more heavy skillets. Drop tablespoons of the batter into the skillet, flattening each portion into a round cake about 3 inches in diameter. Fry on both sides, then transfer to a platter. Place the fried cakes in the oven to keep warm while you make the rest.

    When ready to serve, top each cake with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt, a few strips of the salmon, and a sprinkling of shrimp and chives.

    Serves 12.

    Adapted from "New Home Cooking," by Florence Fabricant

    This is a colorful dish, old-fashioned springtime classic brightened with roasted red peppers.

    Asparagus tips <

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    and roasted <

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    red pepper salad

    2 1/2pounds fresh asparagus

    6sweet red bell peppers, roasted and peeled (as described below)

    4tablespoons shallot vinegar (or white wine vinegar)

    1cup extra-virgin olive oil

    Salt and freshly ground pepper

    4hard-cooked eggs, chopped

    To prepare the asparagus tips, first cut each stalk to measure 4 to 5 inches long. (Don’t waste the lower portion of the stalk: refrigerate it until later in the week and use in a soup or stir-fry dishes.) Peel the stems to within 1/2 inch of the budded tips. Plunge the asparagus into a large pot of boiling, salted water and cook, uncovered, for 4 to 5 minutes, just until the stems are barely tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Drain immediately and plunge into cold water to stop the cooking and set the color; drain again.

    Arrange the asparagus and pepper strips on a large platter (if done the night before, cover with plastic wrap at this point and refrigerate). Whisk together the vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. When ready to serve, spoon the vinaigrette over the asparagus, and top with the chopped hard cooked egg.

    Yields 12 servings.

    Roasted and peeled peppers: Place washed peppers under the broiler and broil on all sides until black all over. Remove them to a bowl and place a plate or lid on top. Leave them to steam and cool for about 10 minutes (the steaming process helps loosen the skins). When cool enough to handle, peel the blackened skin off the peppers. Core and remove the seeds. Cut into long, thin strips. This can be done several days ahead, then covered and refrigerated.

    Adapted from "Easter Menus by Chuck Williams," a booklet by Williams-Sonoma.

    Overnight <

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    french toast

    1pound egg bread, firm white bread, or brioche loaf, cut into 1-inch thick slices

    12eggs

    1tablespoon vanilla extract

    3tablespoons granulated sugar

    2tablespoons grated fresh orange peel

    1/2teaspoon freshly grated (if possible) nutmeg

    1 1/4cups half-and-half

    1/2cup unsalted butter

    Powdered sugar

    Spread the bread slices in a single layer in 1 or 2 baking pans. If the slices are large, halve or quarter them.

    Beat the eggs until well blended but not frothy. Add the vanilla, granulated sugar, orange peel, and nutmeg, then stir in the half-and-half. Pour this over the bread, turn the slices to coat both sides, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

    Preheat the oven to 150 degrees.

    Melt some of the butter in 1 or 2 heavy skillets over medium heat and fry the bread slices, turning them once, until lightly browned on both sides. Add more butter as needed. Transfer the cooked slices to a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep them warm. Just before serving, dust the toast with sifted powdered sugar. Be sure and serve with a variety of toppings, such as rhubarb-strawberry jam, maple syrup and raspberry jam.

    Recipe from "New Home Cooking," by Florence Fabricant

    Ham, potato <

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    and onion au gratin

    1/3cup unsalted butter

    3pounds onions, peeled and sliced thin

    2tablespoons Herbes de Provence

    4pounds russet potatoes

    Salt and freshly ground pepper

    2 1/2 pounds cooked ham, cut into 1/8-inch thick slices

    3cups heavy cream

    Butter two 4- to 4 1/2-quart baking dishes.

    Heat the butter in a large frying pan. Add the onions and Herbes de Provence and cook, covered, over low heat until transparent, about 2 minutes. Stir several times during cooking and do not let them brown.

    Meanwhile, peel and slice the potatoes evenly into thin rounds. You can use a mandoline or food processor if you have one. Rinse the slices in cold water and dry thoroughly on paper towels. In each of the baking dishes, layer one quarter of the potatoes in overlapping rows. Sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground pepper, remembering that the ham is salty.

    Spread one quarter of the onions over the potatoes in each of the dishes, then arrange the ham in a single layer. Top each dish with the remaining onions and finally, the remaining potatoes in an overlapping layer.

    Pour 1 cup of cream evenly over the potatoes in each dish (you will use a total of 2 cups). Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and cover each dish loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.

    The casseroles can be prepared to this point 24 hours ahead and refrigerated.

    About 2 hours before serving, place the casserole in a 375 degree oven and bake for 1 hour, brushing the potato slices several times with the remaining cream.

    Remove the foil and continue baking for another 30 minutes (if the dishes have been refrigerated, you may need to give them an additional 10 or 15 minutes in the oven), brushing the potatoes with cream several more times. If necessary, tilt the dishes and baste with the cream from the bottom of the dishes. The potatoes will absorb most of the cream and be very tender; top should be golden.

    Yields 12 servings.

    Adapted from "Easter Menus by Chuck Williams," a booklet by Williams-Sonoma

    Almond crumb loaf

    2cups all purpose flour

    1 1/4 cups sugar

    2teaspoons baking powder

    1/4teaspoon salt

    2/3cup butter, room temperature

    1/2cup[ chopped sliced almonds

    3/4teaspoon cinnamon

    1/4teaspoon ground allspice

    2eggs

    3/4cup milk

    1teaspoon vanilla extract

    1/2teaspoon almond extract

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Line bottom and sides of pan with single piece of waxed paper, allowing 2-inch overhang of paper at the top.

    Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into medium bowl. Add almonds, cinnamon and allspice and mix until well blended. Stir eggs, milk, vanilla and almond extracts into remaining mixture; beat until blended.

    Pour about 1 cup of batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the nut mixture. Repeat twice, ending with nut mixture. Bake until tester inserted in center comes out clean, about 75 to 80 minutes. Let cool in pan on rack for 15 minutes. Loosen sides of loaf pan with wide spatula. Grasp waxed paper firmly and carefully pull loaf out of pan. Transfer to rack. Discard waxed paper. Let loaf cool on rack before slicing. May be prepared up to 24 hours ahead or frozen for several months. Makes 1 loaf.

    Recipe from "Breakfasts and Brunches," by the Editors of Bon Appetit

    Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, cookbook author and artist. Readers can contract her by e-mail at janrd@proaxis.com.

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