Eggs of All Sizes
Easter eggs are not just for kids. We love our pretty little quail eggs when they are dyed with food coloring to decorate the table, but they are even better when deviled with porcini and parmesan. Or use them to make quail egg toasts – often called toad-in-the-hole - with brioche and black truffle butter. So delicious, we recommend 2-3 toasts per person. A golden shell gives way to flavorful wild boar sausage and a soft-boiled quail egg in our diminutive Scotch eggs - irresistible at Easter brunch.
Full-sized chicken eggs are creamy and rich in our shirred eggs recipe. With bacon and Gruyere cheese, they are not only delicious but ridiculously easy to prepare. Or try a gorgeous appetizer with soft and creamy, just-set scrambled eggs crowned with our sustainable French caviar. Serve them in the shells or as passed hors d’oeuvres atop ceramic spoons. Fans of poached eggs will love our asparagus, bacon, and egg salad that just bursts with green flavors and the oozing yolk mingling with the dressing.
The Spanish omelet is not only versatile, but it’s also a lovely option for serving a group at brunch. In Spain, where it is called a tortilla, the omelet is served for breakfast, lunch, aperitif, or a light supper. Our tortilla recipe is packed with the requisite creamy potatoes and sweet onions, but we added spicy cured chorizo and some salty Manchego cheese to kick it up a notch.
Baking Flaky Pastry and Biscuits
Our stunning recipe for chicken confit in pastry looks harder than it is. The flaky pastry can be store-bought and if you can tie shoes, you’ll be adept at creating its braided look. Packed with our chicken confit, mixed mushrooms, spinach, truffle butter béchamel, and two types of cheese, this savory pastry is just right for Easter brunch.
There’s nothing better than gougères (goo-zhehr) served warm from the oven. These little morsels of pâte à choux dough are essentially cheese puffs with a French accent (the dough is made with black truffle butter, bien sur). Stuff them with delicious things and you have a recipe for a happy Easter brunch. Whip up a creamy and smoky ham mousse with our petite heritage ham, or try a variation with porcini-scented gougeres stuffed with creamy mushroom mousse and French prosciutto.
Our black truffle butter biscuits add a little luxury to your brunch game, as breakfast sandwiches with scrambled eggs and our heritage ham, smothered in sausage gravy or simply eaten warm from the oven. Try an alternate recipe for buttermilk biscuits with ramps if you are lucky enough to have this foraged seasonal treat in time for Easter.
Finally, consider one of our all-time favorite brunch recipes: bacon and cheddar scones. Packed with bacon and cheesy flavor, these scones are a delight with scrambled eggs. An Easter brunch buffet is incomplete without them.
Creamy, Cheesy Casseroles Everyone Loves
Casseroles, frittatas, and bread puddings can be great for casual and easy family meals. Be generous with the bacon, ham, mushrooms, and truffle butter that make these crowd-pleasing recipes just perfect for Easter brunch. Our cheesy egg casserole – called strata - is packed with smoky Berkshire ham and vegetables like asparagus and our versatile organic mushroom mix.
Another tasty take on casserole is the bread pudding – more than just a way to use day-old bread, we chose croissants, challah, and brioche to make our bread puddings holiday-worthy. A definite advantage is that you can assemble the night before and then take them from the oven to the table in under an hour. Give everyone their own personal pudding when you bake these in small ramekins.
Gifts of the Season: Mushrooms and Ramps
The morel is a springtime miracle that needs very little to enhance its earthy flavor. Traditionally paired with butter or cream sauce, we’ve found that a square of puff pastry – or toast – makes the ideal platform for morels in cream sauce.
Ramps are another spring favorite and depending on the season, you might have them at the same time as morels. If that’s the case, be sure to combine them in an omelet recipe. With young Fontina cheese, this simple recipe would be a wonderful addition to your Easter brunch spread.
Quiche is a brunch staple, and our easy recipe starts with a spectacular black truffle butter shortcrust and incorporates plenty of mushrooms. Serve it hot or cold along with salad greens dressing with a bright vinaigrette.
Our simple recipe for mushroom stuffed pastry is made with store-bought phyllo and herbed crème fraiche. The black truffle butter glaze makes this a crowd-pleasing addition to Easter brunch.
