BRUNCH

Here is one of the delicious, late morning breakfasts we made on Cape Cod.  It was a real group effort, this one.  Good to enjoy on a sunny summer Sunday.  The sausage in the picture is from Loveless Cafe in Nashville, TN and you can order it online.  It is the best sausage I have ever tasted.

Feta Portobella Scramble

(recipe by Serena Haller)

serves 8-10

1 large red onion

6 small portabella mushrooms, cut into slices

1/2 block feta cheese, crumbled

1 handful fresh basil leaves, julienned

8 egges

1 cup whole milk

1/2 tablespoon butter

salt/pepper to taste

1-2 tomatoes, chopped as optional garnish

Melt butter in pan, add chopped onion and sautee until onion softens.  Add portabellas, sprinkle with a small amount of salt while sauteing.  Cook until soft.

Beat eggs until a bit frothy, add milk and beat until well blended.  Pour eggs into pan with onions and portabellas, and let sit for a minute or two on medium heat.  Then stir slowly, allowing eggs to cook on low heat, adding feta while eggs finish cooking.  Sprinkle with pepper and serve immediately.

Cheddar Chive Biscuits

(recipe by Leslie Feist with a little help from epicurious.com)

makes 8 biscuits

1-3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

4 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 stick butter cut into 1"cubes

6 oz extra sharp Cheddar, coarsely grated (plus extra slices to place on top)

1-1/3 cup milk

3 scallions, coarsely chopped

Heat oven to 450F, butter one large baking sheet.

Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl.  Blend in butter cubes with your fingers until mixtures resembles coarse meal.  Stir in grated cheese and scallions, add milk and stir until just combined.

Drop dough in 8 equal mounds, 2 inches apart.  Place slice of cheddar on top of each, bake until golden (about 15 minutes).  Remove and cool for about 10 minutes, cut in half and serve.

Brunch Bellini

(recipe from HFH adapted from The Barefoot Contessa)

serves 8-10

5 perfectly ripe peaches

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 lemon

2 bottles good champagne or prosecco (we used Scu Do Prosecco Brut) well chilled

Cut the peaches in half and mash, skin on, in a bowl with a potato masher.  Sprinkle sugar as you mash.  The peaches must be well ripened, so buy them a day or two ahead of time if necessary.  Press the juice and pulp through a fine sieve into a pitcher.  Squeeze a bit of lemon into the pitcher and mix.  Refrigerate mixture until chilled (about 45 min).

When serving, pour 1" worth of the peach nectar into each glass, then fill with prosecco, serve.