I love brunch.
In part, it’s because it’s the one meal that falls between the civilized hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., which in my estimation, is the perfect time to be facing decadent fare: late enough that it looks appetizing, yet early enough so that any overindulgence can be worked off with a little afternoon exercise – say a triathalon and several sets of tennis.
| Easter brunch menu
Mimosas (orange juice and Champagne) Ham and egg bundles Baked potato and onion pie Orange and kiwifruit platter with Timberline poppy seed dressing The Ark Restaurant’s blueberry muffin bread Oregon blackberry-filled tarts Coffee and tea |
To partake of brunch this Easter, I’d say we have a couple of choices. We can all show up at Martha’s front gate in Connecticut and hope for the best, or we can plan our own. If you intend to attempt the latter, you’re probably looking for a menu that eliminates or at least cuts down on last-minute preparation.
The one that follows is just the thing. The entree, ham and cheese bundles, can be assembled 24 hours ahead of time, and popped into the oven about 45 minutes before serving time. It will keep marvelously on a buffet table, so timing doesn’t have to be precise.
The Ark Restaurant’s blueberry muffin bread could be made today and frozen until Sunday morning, and the orange and kiwifruit platter and blackberry filled tarts will hold up just fine when made the day before.
In fact, the only offering on this menu that will require your attention an hour or so before serving is the baked potato and onion pie; but assembly time can be reduced drastically if you’ve sliced the onions and potatoes the evening before and pre-measured the other ingredients. You can store the potatoes in water to keep them from browning.
So if brunch sounds like something you’d like to fit into this year’s Easter festivities, the following recipes should be helpful. Besides, I doubt if even Martha has enough silverware.
4tablespoons butter
4tablespoons minced onion, divided
3tablespoons all-purpose flour
1teaspoon salt, divided
21/4cups warm milk
2tablespoons dry sherry
3cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
310-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
8hard cooked eggs
1teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
3tablespoons mayonnaise
1teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
8thin slices baked ham (approximately 6-inch diameter)
In a 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter. Saute 3 tablespoons of the onion in the butter until transparent. With wire whisk, blend in flour and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt. Remove from heat and whisk in warmed milk. Return saucepan to heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for 1 minute. Reduce heat and stir in sherry and cheese and continue cooking over low heat, stirring occasionally, until cheese is melted; adjust seasonings.
Stir 1 1/2 cups of the cheese sauce into the spinach. Arrange the spinach evenly in bottom of a lightly greased 7-by-11-inch glass baking dish.
Slice hard cooked eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop out yolks. In a small bowl mash yolks with remaining tablespoon of onion, mustard, mayonnaise, Worcestershire and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Fill whites with mashed yolk mixture. Place two halves together to make whole eggs. Wrap a ham slice around each egg; fold ends under. Arrange wrapped eggs over spinach, pressing down lightly. Pour remaining cheese sauce over eggs.
May be refrigerated, covered, at this point for up to 24 hours. Bake uncovered in 350-degree oven (if using metal dish, bake in 375-degree oven), for 35 to 45 minutes, or until bubbly.
Makes eight servings.
From “Creme de Colorado” by The Junior League of Denver
The Ark Restaurant blueberry muffin bread
1 1/2cups flour
1tablespoon baking powder
1teaspoon salt
1/2teaspoon nutmeg
1/2teaspoon cinnamon
1/2cup sugar
1/4cup soft butter
2eggs
1cup canned pumpkin
1/2cup buttermilk
1cup yellow cornmeal
1cup blueberries (fresh or frozen and thawed)
1cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2teaspoon grated lemon rind
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon; set aside. Beat together the sugar, butter and eggs until smooth. Stir in the pumpkin, buttermilk and yellow cornmeal; beat until smooth. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the dry mixture. Gently fold in the blueberries, walnuts and lemon rind. Spread the batter evenly into a greased 9-by-5-inch loaf pan. Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour, or until cake tester inserted into center of bread comes out clean.
From “Bay and Ocean, Ark Restaurant Cuisine” by Nanci Main and Jimella Lucas
Fresh kiwifruit and orange platter with Timberline Lodge poppy seed dressing
6navel oranges
8kiwifruit
Timberline Lodge poppy seed dressing (recipe follows)
Fresh mint leaves for garnish
Peel each orange by cutting a slice from the top and bottom, then slicing away strips of the peel cutting from top to bottom, all the way around the orange, until the juicy flesh is completely exposed. Turn the oranges on their sides and slice into 1/4-inch rounds; set aside.
Peel the kiwifruit, turn on their side and slice into 1/4-inch rounds.
Arrange the oranges and kiwifruit attractively on a platter, garnishing with the fresh mint leaves. Serve with Timberline poppy seed dressing on the side.
Timberline Lodge poppy seed dressing: In blender or food processor, blend 2 cups sour cream, 4 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Pour mixture into serving bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons poppy seeds. Set aside in refrigerator.
Note: the oranges and kiwifruit and dressing may be prepared up to 24 hours ahead; cover tightly and refrigerate.
Dressing recipe from: “Timberline Lodge Cookbook” by chef Leif Eric Benson
4pounds russet potatoes, pared and very thinly sliced (8 cups)
2large yellow onions, peeled and thinly sliced (3 cups)
1/2cup butter
1/2cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper
In a buttered 13-by-9-inch baking dish place a third of the potatoes and a third of the onions; sprinkle with salt and pepper and dot with a third of the butter. Do this twice more. Cover and bake in 400 degree oven for 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender. Uncover and bake until top is lightly browned. Remove from oven, let cool for 5 minutes. Loosen around edge and invert on a heat-proof serving platter. Sprinkle cheese and cayenne on top and return to oven to brown cheese.
Makes eight servings
From “Colorado Cache” by The Junior League of Denver
2sheets (10-by-10-by-1/8-inch each) frozen puff pastry, thawed
1(17 ounce) can Oregon blackberries
2tablespoons sugar
1tablespoon cornstarch
2teaspoons grated orange peel
1teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cut prepared pastry with 23/4-inch round cookie cutter. Place each round into a muffin tin. Cover the pastry cutouts with small squares of foil; fill with dry beans so pastry will hold its shape when baked. Bake in 425 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden. Remove beans and foil; cool on rack.
Drain blackberries, reserving syrup. Combine reserved syrup, sugar, cornstarch, orange peel and cinnamon in saucepan. Cook and stir until mixture thickens and boils, then continue cooking for 1 more minute. Add drained berries. Fill pastry tarts with berry mixture.
Makes 22 to 24 tarts.
Note: The pastry and filling can be made 24 hours ahead, but to avoid a soggy crust, the tarts should be filled within 4 hours of serving
From Oregon Fruit Products Co.
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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