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Luscious brunch

Serve this fast, elegant and delicious meal this spring.

9:15 AM, Mar. 25, 2010 |
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Brian Leatart for USA WEEKEND

Written by

Pam Anderson

Filed Under

Food
Recipes

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Asparagus Quiche
Per serving: 322 calories, 18g carbohydrates, 13g protein, 22g fat (11g saturated), 115 mg cholesterol, 2g fiber, 202 mg sodium

Fruit Kebabs
Per serving: 68 calories, 17g carbohydrates, 1g protein, 0g fat (0g saturated), 0 mg cholesterol, 3g fiber, 2 mg sodium

Tomato-Onion-Bacon Salad
Per serving: 150 calories, 7g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 13g fat (4g saturated), 15 mg cholesterol, 2g fiber, 242 mg sodium

Beignets
Per serving: 202 calories, 21g carbohydrates, 3g protein, 12g fat (2g saturated), 16 mg cholesterol, 1g fiber, 73 mg sodium

If you're looking for an elegant yet inexpensive way to host family members and friends this spring, invite them over for brunch.

This quiche recipe has it all: a crisp, golden-bottomed puff pastry crust that's effortless; a filling that simultaneously cooks and compresses the pastry; and a light, silky custard.

A spinach, tomato and red onion salad with warm bacon dressing plus bright fruit kebabs round out this colorful meal.

For dessert, make classic beignets. The dough can be made early in the morning or the day before. Serve with Creamy Lemon Dipping Sauce.

Light and Crispy Asparagus Quiche

1 pound asparagus, ends snapped off and discarded, stalks cut into 1-inch lengths

4 to 5 green onions, trimmed and sliced thin (about 1Ú2 cup)

1 Tb. olive oil

Salt and ground black pepper

1 sheet (half a 17.3-ounce box) puff pastry, thawed

3 large eggs

3/4 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup (4 ounces) sour cream

1/2 tsp. dried tarragon

1 & 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese (about 5 ounces)

Adjust oven racks to lowest and upper-middle positions and heat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss asparagus and green onions with olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Roll pastry on a lightly floured surface into an 11-by-16-inch rectangle. Fit into a 10-by-15-inch jellyroll pan, making sure the pastry is not stretched. Evenly distribute asparagus mixture over pastry. Bake on lowest oven rack until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees and remove pastry from oven.

Whisk eggs, milk, sour cream, tarragon, and 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture evenly over crust and sprinkle with cheese.

Put quiche on upper-middle rack; bake until filling is just set, 20 to 25 minutes. Turn on broiler; broil until cheese bubbles, about 2 minutes. Remove, let the quiche rest a few minutes, then cut and serve. Serves 8.

Easy Fruit Kebabs

1/2 pineapple, cut into bite-sized chunks

1 pint strawberries, left whole (or halved if large)

2 kiwis, peeled and cut into 8 chunks each

1 mango, peeled, cut into large chunks

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Thread 1 piece of each fruit onto each of 16 4-inch skewers. (Kebabs can be covered and stored at room temperature for up to 2 hours.) Serves 8.

Zesty Spinach, Tomato and Red Onion Salad With Warm Bacon Dressing

8 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tsps. Dijon mustard

2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

Salt and ground black pepper

2 Tbs. olive oil

10 ounces (about 15 cups) pre-washed baby spinach

1/2 medium red onion, sliced thin

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved and lightly salted

Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Drain on paper towels, reserving 1/4 cup of the warm drippings. As bacon fries, mix mustard, vinegar, and a large pinch of salt and pepper in a small bowl. Whisk in oil, then set aside.

Place spinach, red onion, tomatoes and bacon in a large bowl. Whisk warm bacon drippings (reheat, if needed) into dressing. Add dressing to salad; toss to coat. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary, and serve. Serves 8.

Beignets With Creamy Lemon Dipping Sauce
You can prepare the dough the day before your brunch and put it in the refrigerator. Before you go to bed, put the dough on the kitchen counter so it can rise overnight.

3/4 cup lukewarm water

1 envelope (or a generous 2 tsps.) active dry yeast

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 cup evaporated milk

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 Tbs. butter, softened

1/2 cup lemon curd

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 to 2 quarts vegetable oil for frying

Confectioners' sugar for dusting

Measure water in a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup; whisk in yeast and sugar. Let stand until frothy, about 5 minutes, then whisk in salt, egg and milk.

Measure flour in the work bowl of a food processor. Add yeast mixture and butter. Process to form a soft, smooth dough, about 15 seconds.

Turn onto a floured work surface; knead into a smooth ball, then place in a large bowl coated with vegetable cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise until it has doubled in size, about 2 hours at room temperature. (Or, you can make the dough a day ahead and refrigerate it. Before you go to bed, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it stand at room temperature.)

Whisk lemon curd and heavy cream in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

About 30 minutes before serving beignets, carefully turn dough onto a floured surface without punching down dough. Gently stretch it into an approximate 10-inch square. With a dough scraper or a sharp knife, cut dough into 24 rectangles.

Meanwhile, heat oil over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. (Use 2 quarts of oil in a large, heavy roasting pan if you want to fry in 1 batch; use 1 quart of oil in a large, deep skillet or a soup kettle to fry in 2 batches.)

Drop dough pieces into hot oil (in 1 or 2 batches, depending on pan size). Fry until golden brown on both sides, flipping once halfway through, about 5 minutes total.

Drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Sprinkle generously with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately with Creamy Lemon Dipping Sauce. (Beignets can be kept warm in a 200-degree oven for up to 30 minutes.) Makes 2 dozen.