Brunch Recipes
Mimosas, family and friends. If you missed this week’s story about hosting an impromptu brunch party, check out the post then come back here for two of the featured recipes!
Toasted Sandwiches
Gather & Prepare
Make the Pesto Mornay Sauce by melting 1/2 stick butter in a small sauce pan. Add a heaping 1/4 cup of fresh all-purpose flour. Cook on low until it turns a pale golden color (about 3 to 5 minutes). Over medium low heat, gradually add in 2 to 3 cups of whole milk, allowing the sauce to thicken. When it gets to a nice creamy smooth texture, take the pan off the stove and fold in 1 cup of pesto and 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese. Season with salt. Take one slice of white or sourdough bread, layer on sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, a sprinkle of salt and pepper, and torn basil leaves. Press the second piece of bread on top.
Serve & Enjoy
Place the sandwiches on a lined baking sheet with a rack (so they don’t get soggy and both sides get toasted). Spread on the Pesto Mornay Sauce, sprinkle with grated parmesan and bake at 350 convection for 30 to 40 minutes until the top is bubbly and toasted to dark-brown deliciousness. You can serve these hot or at room temperature.
Spanish Salad
Gather & Prepare
I like to think of this salad as a modern “Ensaladilla Rusa,” a little bit of everything.
Prepare the main ingredients: thinly sliced Jamon Serrano, arugula and bibb lettuce, pan fried chorizo, roasted fingerling potatoes, wedges of ripe tomatoes, blanched green bean and pea pods, and hard-boiled eggs.
Prepare the eggs using the 555 Method. Place half dozen eggs in a sauce pan and just cover with water. Bring to a boil, when it reaches a boil, start a 5-minute timer. After the first 5 minutes, turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit in the hot water for 5 more minutes. Then shock the eggs in running cold water for 5 minutes.
Serve & Enjoy
Lay the sliced ham on the bottom of a large platter. Layer on the lettuce and nest in the rest of the ingredients. Garnish with basil and olives and season with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil. Serve a classic Champagne Vinaigrette dressing on the side (or pick up a bottle of Vert’s house dressing in our Denver restaurant!).
Merci beaucoup!
Noah Stephens
Q&A with Noah
Which of your travels inspired the Spanish Salad?
At a tapas bar in Madrid, they served the tiniest salad that had all these big Spanish flavors. It was fresh and light and I loved it!
Where can I get more details about your travels?
Check out my instagram @noahvert.
Visit us at Vert Kitchen in Denver, CO or pick up Overt by Vert Kitchen Grab & Go at a Natural Grocers near you!
