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Festive Brunch Extravaganza
December 17
I love a good festive brunch. Whether it’s on Christmas day itself or the days in between when you have time to indulge, a breakfast spread shared with family and friends is one of the true highlights of the season.
While we lived in Los Angeles, both our boys were born around Christmas so we ended up hosting a Californian Christmas twice during the 5 years we were there. In many ways it took the pressure off the traditional Christmas fare and we embraced main heroes like Korean baked pork shoulder and bao buns filled with sticky turkey. We also made our way to Malibu for a slightly warmer Christmas day swim than can be expected in the Irish sea.
Smoked Salmon Plate
Brunch LA Christmas style was inspired by one of my favourite food spots, Gjusta, who make a seemingly effortless Smoked Salmon Plate filled with good things. Rye bread, pickled fennel, labneh and some of the best quality smoked salmon you can get your hands on.
Get the recipe here.
One Pan Tomato Breakfast Eggs
For a speedy option with inspiration slightly closer to home, what about my One Pan Tomato Breakfast Eggs – these are plonked onto a busy table for a crowd throughout the year and are always a winner. Not just because they are easy to make but also because they can be adapted to whatever numbers you need to serve too. If you ever spot tins of cherry tomatoes, snag at least six, they are wonderful in this recipe and a good replacement for the fresh variety which can be like bullets this time of year. Serve the pan with plenty of sourdough toast for dipping purposes and you have the bones of an excellent brunch.
Get the recipe here.
Eggs Benedict Feast
Finally the classic, an Eggs Benedict Feast, the ultimate in breakfast treats and my favourite thing to order in a fancy hotel for breakfast. It might seem a little daunting to make for family especially on an already stressful day but there are a few tricks to make it easy. The eggs can be poached ahead of time and plunged into ice water and stored in water in an airtight container for 2 days. Revive them in hot tap water for 2 minutes, when you are ready to serve. As for the hollandaise sauce, it’s best made fresh so make it an assembly job by having the ingredients laid out. Whether you choose to serve, florentine with spinach, benedict with ham or royale with smoked salmon, the choice is yours.
Get the recipe here.
