Spring Brunch Menu
Recipes & tablescape for a beautiful spring brunch
Spring is here! For those of you who have been following along, Jordan and I moved back to NY last August to be closer to our friends & family. Between the move and trying to decorate an empty house, we were in no position to host while it was warm enough and I have been itching to have my friends up to our place!
What started out as a girls’ brunch quickly turned into a girls’ brunch while the guys went on a hike…followed by them coming back to my place and eating any last crumb in site (which, honestly, I love). So it worked out that I went a little overboard with the menu.
I get so much of my hosting inspiration from Pinterest. I usually start by saving visuals first, think tablescape and food presentation, and then figure out the recipes second.
I pulled recipes from a mix of sources, but mainly NYT Cooking, the Super Simple by Tieghan Gerard, and Isabelle Heikens. Some I have followed exactly, others I’ve adapted. I’ve credited each creator below their respective recipe and linked the original source in case you’d rather follow along there.
I hope you enjoy this menu and happy hosting x
Table of Contents:
Starters
Olive & Feta Snack Plate
Ingredients:
Castelvetrano olives
Feta cheese
Olive oil
Red pepper flakes
Flaky salt (Maldon’s is my fave!)
Lox Spread Dip
recipe adapt from The Baker Mama
Ingredients:
2 cups (16 ounces) whole milk ricotta
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Capers
Smoked salmon
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
Everything bagel seasoning
Fresh dill
Lemon zest
Combine ricotta, cream cheese, and lemon juice in a food processor and mix until smooth.
Spread whipped mixture onto a serving plate and add toppings.
Roasted Garlic & White Bean Dip
recipe by Sarah Jampel via NYT Cooking
Ingredients:
1 head garlic
1 tsp, plus 5 tbsp EVOO
2 (15 oz) cans cannellini beans
3 tbsp lemon juice (or one lemon)
1 tbsp roughly chopped rosemary leaves
1/4 tsp black pepper
cayenne
1 tbsp hot water
1 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Roast Garlic: heat oven to 400F. Peel away most layers of the garlic’s outermost skin, but leave the whole head intact. Trim 1/4” off the top to expose the cloves. Place garlic onto a piece of aluminum foil, then drizzel with 1 tsp EVOO and close the foil pouch. Back for about 40 minutes until the center is soft.
Squeeze roasted garlic gloves into a food processor. Add white beans, 4 tbsp EVOO, lemon juice, rosemary leaves, black pepper, cayenne (to taste), hot water, and salt. Puree until smooth and adjust as necessary.
To serve, drizzle with EVOO and garnish with a sprinkle of cayenne and a sprig of Rosemary.
Labneh Dip with Sizzled Onions
recipe by Alison Roman via NYT Cooking *I had some issues with the scallion oil and adjust the directions from the original
Ingredients:
1/3 cup olive oil
4 scallions, white and light green parts, thinly sliced
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp finely chopped chives, plus more for garnish
Flaky sea salt
Black pepper
2 cups labneh, full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Heat the olive oil, scallions, red-pepper flakes and cilantro in a small pot over medium-low heat. Cook, swirling occasionally, until they start to visually and audibly sizzle and frizzle. Remove from the heat, and let cool enough to taste without burning your mouth, then season with salt and pepper.
Combine the labneh and lemon juice in a medium bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Spoon into a bowl and swirl in the sizzled scallion mixture. Top with extra chives.
I served both dips with crudités and freshly made naan.
Mains
Ham & Dijon Quiche with Butter Pie Crust
recipe by Isabelle Heikens - you can find the quiche and crust recipe directly on her site!
Leek Quiche with Whole Wheat Crust
recipes by Martha Rose Shulman via NYT Cooking
Whole Wheat Crust
Yield: 2 tarts
Ingredients:
2 tsp active dry yeast
1/4 tsp sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature, beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1 cup unbleached flour
3/4 tsp salt
Fresh Rosemary, chopped (optional for flavor)
Dissolve the yeast in 1/2 cup warm water (approx. 105-110F), add the sugar, and allow to sit until the mixture is foamy, about 5 minutes. In a stand mixer, beat in the egg and the olive oil. Combine the flours, salt, and chopped rosemary, and stir into the yeast mixture. Work the dough until it comes together in a coherent mass, adding flour as necessary.
Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead gently for a few minutes, adding flour as necessary, just until the dough is smooth — do not overwork it. Shape into a ball. Place in a lightly oiled bowl, cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap, and allow to rise until doubled in size, about one hour.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, gently knead a couple of times, and cut into two equal pieces. Shape each piece into a ball without kneading it. Cover the dough loosely with plastic wrap, and let rest for five minutes. Then roll out into thin rounds and line pan. If not using right away, freeze the dough to prevent it from rising and becoming too bready. The dough can be transferred directly from the freezer to the oven.
I rolled my dough into the pie crust and froze overnight. The crust does NOT need to be defrosted before using.
Leek Quiche Custard
Ingredients:
3 large leeks, white and light green part only
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Salt
1 garlic clove, minced
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
Freshly ground pepper
3/4 cup milk
3 oz Gruyère, grated
Prepare leeks. Cut away root and dark green leaves from the leeks and cut in half lengthwise. Soak in cold water to remove sand. Drain well. *I did this the night before and stored them in a ziplock bag.
Preheat oven to 350F. Heat the oil or oil over medium heat in a lidded skillet or saucepan and add the leeks and a pinch of salt. Cook gently, stirring, until they begin to soften. Turn the heat to medium-low, cover and cook gently until the leeks are very soft but not browned, stirring often, 10 to 15 minutes. If they begin to stick or brown, add a little more salt and/or a spoonful of water or wine. Stir in the garlic if using and cook for another 30 seconds to a minute, until fragrant.
Beat together the egg yolks and egg in a medium bowl. Set the tart pan on a baking sheet to allow for easy handling. Using a pastry brush lightly brush the bottom of the crust and place in the oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Add salt (about 1/2 teaspoon), pepper and the milk to the eggs and whisk together. Spread the leeks in an even layer in the crust. Sprinkle the cheese in an even layer on top. Pour in the custard filling. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until set and just beginning to color on the top.
Remove from the oven and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Dessert
Coconut Carrot Cake (nut free!)
recipe adapted from Half Baked Harvest Super Simple by Tieghan Gerard
Ingredients:
Cake
1 1/2 cups canola oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 eggs, at room temp
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 lb carrots, grated
1 cup swettened shredded coconut
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1tsp kosher salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz cream cheese, at room temp
1 cup salted butter, at room temp
3 cups confectioners sugar
2 tsp vanila extract
Preheat over to 350F. Grease two 9” round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Lightly grease the parchment paper.
Make the cake. In a stand mixer, beat together canola oil, buttermilk, eggs, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Beat in the carrots and coconut. With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour, baking poswer, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix until there are no longer any climps of flour.
Divide batter evenly into prepared cake pans. Bake unilt the top is just set, about 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the over and allow to cool for about 1 hour.
Make the frosting. In a stand mixer, beat together the cream cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vamilla, beating until combined. *Adding a small drop of purple gel food coloring to your frosting can help to neutralize the yellow tone
Once the cake is completely cooled, place the first layer on a serving dish and spread a thin layer of frosting. Add small dollops of frosting to the perimeter, then add the second layer, pushing down gently. Spread the top layer evenly with frosting, then place 5 large dollops along the perimeter. Using your offset spatula, press and smooth the frosting into a spiral design (or any style of your choosing!). Top with thinly shredded carrots. Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 1 day
Tangelo Sherbet
Tangelos have a short season and this was the perfect sweet treat to finish the night. I have a separate post here with the full recipe.
Tablescape
Ahh my favorite part of hosting! I have to say this is one of my favorite centerpieces EVER. I was inspired by a wild meadow and stuck with a neutral white and yellow color palette for my florals. Flower selection is completely personal (and, of course, limited to what is available), but here is what worked for me:
Supplies:
Preserved or faux moss
Tall, rigid flowers (Gerbera Daisy, Chrysanthemum, Peony, Anemone, Craspedia)
Soft filler (Stock, Chamomile, Hydrangea, Baby’s Breath)
Green filler
I was able to find a great mix at Trader Joe’s and spent about $40 in total. My main tip is to select a variety of shapes and sizes, stick to a color palette, and buy a little more than you think you need!
Shop My Tablescape
