I love brunches so when Sunday Brunch: Simple, Delicious Recipes for Leisurely Mornings by Betty Rosbottom came in for review, I was elated. Not only do I love to cook, I’m also a foodie and by the looks of the cover, this is a foodie book.
The cover shows Pan-Fried Eggs and Mixed Mushroom Sauté on Toasted Sourdough Slices which looked great. Since we are asked to test three recipes, I decided this one would be my first. The mushroom sauté was wonderful; there is something extra special in the taste of rehydrated dried mushrooms. Add garlic and rosemary to the mixture and you’ve got yourself a dish that is to die for. Put this mixture on toasted sourdough slices (oiled and grilled in a hot pan) with fired egg garnished with fresh rosemary. Add a glass of orange juice and a cup of freshly brewed coffee and you have a meal that not only tastes great, but is sustaining as well.
The second recipe I tested was Wine-Glazed Grapefruit Cups. After removing the segments from the cut-in-half grapefruit, I combined the juice with wine and sugar in a saucepan and cooked it until it was reduced to half. After it was cooled, I drizzled the syrup over the segments which were placed back into the grapefruit half. Yum!! The wine added a great flavor and the sweetness of the syrup cut the sourness of the grapefruit.
The third recipe I tested was Grape Tomato and Blue Cheese Tart. The crust was a shortbread type made from flour, cream cheese, and butter. Once baked, the crust was cooled for about five minutes. The topping was crumbled bleu cheese, grape tomato halves, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar, baked for 12 minutes. Topped with parsley and green onions the tart had the appearance of a pizza but much more appetizing making it a great brunch item. Add a green tossed salad and freshly brewed coffee and you’ll find the whole tart will be gone in no time. I’ll be making this one again!
Article comments
1 - b rosbottom
Many, many thanks for your enthusiastic review of my new book, Sunday Brunch. I hope you'll continue to cook from it and enjoy brunches all through the year. Best, Betty Rosbottom