Every civilization in the modern world has a holiday set aside to honor their mothers. As children, friends, siblings and spouses, we use Mothers’ Day to give the moms in our lives something special and often, that means brunch made by our own hands. Everyone at the table will appreciate the classic simplicity of dishes such as Quiche Loraine or Antoine’s Eggs Sardou.
Eggs Sardou
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
4 whole artichoke hearts, trimmed and blanched until tender
Salt and pepper
4 large eggs
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
2 ounces prosciutto or Serrano ham, cut into thin chiffonade
Essence, recipe follows, for garnish
Chopped chives, garnish
Sauteed spinach, or frozen spinach drained and warmed through.
Sautee the artichoke in the butter until warm, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Fill a large saucier or frying pan with water until about 2 inches deep and bring to a gentle boil. With the water barely simmering, break the eggs individually into a small container so that you can gently slide it into the water for poaching. (There is also a wonderful silicone poaching “pod” available along with special poaching dishes.) If you have experience poaching eggs, you can certainly poach all four at once; otherwise, cook them one-by-one. Once the whites have set slightly, gently spoon any stray egg white back over the egg, gently lifting and dipping the egg two or three times. Poach until the whites have set completey and the yolk is soft to the touch. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Hollandaise sauce:
3 egg yolks
2 tsp. water
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1-1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
Pinch of cayenne or red pepper
Hollandaise is reputed to be a difficult sauce only because the eggs require constant whisking over a double boiler. In reality, it is a simple, delicious sauce that can be whipped up in minutes.
Start by whisking the yolks and water in the top of a double boiler. The water should be only gently boiling. Whisk until the yolks become a thick, creamy, pale yellow. Remove them as needed from the boiler to prevent over cooking (you don’t want scrambled egg yolks). Remove the eggs from the boiler then drizzle in the melted better, whisking all the while. When the mixture is thoroughly combined, add the lemon juice and spice, whisk once more and it’s ready to serve!
Place the artichoke hearts and spinach on mom’s plate, then top with a poached egg. Cover in hollandaise, garnish with prosciutto, chive, and seasoned salt to taste. Serve immediately – mom won’t want to wait any longer for this rich brunch classic!
Crab Benedict
For this variation on classic Eggs Benedict, you may by all means make your own fresh crab cakes (a wonderful recipe is available at Williams-Sonoma.com!) but for the sake of making this fabulous brunch dish easy for children (and husbands), I would simply pick some up ready-made from your grocer’s seafood counter or freezer. Topped with homemade Hollandaise, mom will never know you took a shortcut!
Simply prepare the crab cakes as directed on the package. Poach as many eggs as you need as detailed above, top with Hollandaise, garnish with parsley and serve hot! Nothing could be simpler or more elegant!
Quiche Lorraine
1 ready-to-bake pie crust, available frozen or refrigerated
6 slices of bacon (cooked crisp)
3/4 c. heavy cream, room temperature
3/4 c. milk, room temperature
3 eggs, room temperature
1 Tbs. unsalted butter, melted
1 c. Gruyère cheese, grated
Salt and pepper
Cayenne pepper
Nutmeg
Pre-heat oven to 425 F. Par-bake the pie crust for 10 minutes until just firm. Meanwhile, whisk or blend the eggs, cream, seasoning to taste, until thoroughly combined. Add the cheese and mix once more. Crumble the bacon, spreading it across the bottom of the pie crust, then pour the egg mixture over it and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the custard is set and a knife comes out clean (though somewhat cheesy). Let it set about 10 minutes then serve warm!
Nothing would pair so well with Quiche Lorraine as your favorite buttermilk pancakes and jam or syrup!
Or, for an easy variation on traditional pancakes, look to the side of a box of Jiffy cornbread mix for their cornmeal pancake & waffle recipe – mom will applaude your creativity!
Other excellent brunch ideas include
Eggs baked in prosciutto cups
Brioche bread pudding with pancetta
Smoked duck and fig salad
Asparagus and prosciutto Hollandaise with poached eggs
Apple-cranberry turnovers
Crepes with ham and Gruyère
Smoked salmon benedict
Banana-stuffed French toast
For morning drinks, let the kids mix up some fruity smoothies with red berries, pineapple, bananas, or mangos. Mom and dad might enjoy some of these while the children are cleaning up the kitchen!
Champagne with Raspberries
Macerate 8 quartered raspberries in 3 Tbs. sugar (or more if you like!) for about 15 minutes. Spoon a little into a flute, followed by champagne, prosecco or sparkling wine.
Classic Bellini
Pit one ripe peach then blend it well in a food processor with 1 tsp. fresh lemon juice and 1 tsp. simple syrup (1 tsp. sugar blended with 1/2 tsp. warm water). Gently pour in a bottle of sparkling wine, champagne or prosecco and combine. You can also make this with sparkling grape juice for the kids to enjoy!
Other classic brunch drinks include
Bloody Mary
Gin fizz
Kir Royale
Mimosa
So far as decor, gifts make the best decorations! Choose a beautiful flowering bonsai rather than cut flowers, or a 3-month subscription to fresh flower delivery over a single arrangement. Or give mom a gift certificate to her dream spa in an elegant new picture frame.
