Easy Brunch Recipes for a Late-Summer Soiree

Enjoy the final days of the season with this simple menu for a lakeside get-together.

By Dorothy Hernandez

Summer officially ends on Sept. 22, so make the most out of the fleeting days of the season and dwindling lake time with a simple yet delicious brunch menu.

This menu can be made ahead of time; frittatas can be cooked the day before and served room temperature, while the croutons and peach mixture for the panzanella can be made while your frittata cooks. These two dishes are extremely versatile and showcase tomatoes and peaches, which are nearing the end of their season but are still at peak tastiness and flavor (when it’s chilly out, you can swap in other ingredients, but we won’t talk about that yet). All you have to do day-of is set the table, pour the mimosas and toast with friends!

The Menu

• Roasted tomato and Parmesan frittata
• Peach panzanella
• Blueberry-lemon thyme bars
• Mimosa bar: Peach-raspberry, pineapple-strawberry and orange juice

Roasted Tomato, Caramelized Onion and Parmesan Frittata

Serves 4-6

Swap the cherry tomatoes, herbs and cheese for whatever combination you like. Bacon and cheddar is not a bad idea, and neither is spinach and feta. Let your imagination and your stomach be your guide.

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup canola oil

1 pint cherry tomatoes

3 cloves garlic, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 yellow onion, sliced into half moons

2 tablespoons butter, plus more if needed

12 eggs

1 cup heavy cream

2 cloves garlic, minced

½ cup Parmesan

¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 400 F.

In a bowl combine the ¼ cup of oil, tomatoes, garlic, salt and pepper. Spread tomato mixture in a single layer on sheet pan and roast in the oven for about 30 minutes, until tomatoes are soft and bursting. Let cool to room temp.

Preheat oven to 350 F.

In a cast-iron skillet, heat butter. Add the onions and let cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with salt. Cook until caramelized, at least 30 minutes or up to an hour, depending on how dark and rich you like it or how much patience you have. If the onions look like they are burning, add another tablespoon of butter. Turn off the heat and let stand while you make the frittata mixture.

Whisk eggs in a medium bowl until well beaten. Add heavy cream and whisk. Add garlic, Parmesan and flat-leaf parsley.

Pour egg mixture into cast-iron skillet with the onions. Cook for about 30-45 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer reads 165 degrees when inserted.

Peach Panzanella

Serves 6-8

This traditional Italian bread salad is usually made with tomatoes, but peaches add a sweet element to a typically savory dish. Add fresh cheese such as burrata and prosciutto, or leave it out for a vegan dish.

INGREDIENTS

1 baguette, torn into pieces

2 tablespoons canola oil

Salt and pepper to taste

4 ripe peaches, sliced

¼ cup red wine vinegar

½ cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic

Handful of fresh basil, leaves rolled up and sliced thinly

Handful of fresh of mint, chopped

Optional: fresh mozzarella or burrata and 3 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Toss baguette pieces in a bowl with canola oil until evenly coated. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a sheet pan and toast in oven until crunchy, about 10 minutes. Set aside.

In a bowl, combine peaches, red wine vinegar, olive oil and garlic. Season with salt and pepper. Chill in the fridge for at least an hour.

When ready to serve, combine the croutons and peach mixture. Mix well. Add the fresh herbs and cheese and prosciutto if using.

Blueberry-Lemon Thyme Bars

Serving size: Makes about 20 squares

INGREDIENTS

For the crust

2 cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup powdered sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

For the filling

1 ½ cups granulated sugar

¼ cup flour

4 eggs, room temperature

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1 cup fresh blueberries

Powdered sugar, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the dry ingredients. Switch to the paddle attachment, and add the butter until it’s incorporated into dry ingredients. Transfer to a 9-inch by 13-inch pan, and press into the pan to make a layer of crust. Cook for 20 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and cool slightly while you make the filling.

Whisk sugar and flour. Add eggs, lemon zest and juice. Pour mixture into crust pan and sprinkle blueberries on top.

Bake in oven for about 20 minutes until filling is set. Remove from oven and let cool. Before serving, sprinkle with powdered sugar and cut into squares.

Mimosa Bar

INGREDIENTS

1 bottle sparkling white wine or Champagne

1 bottle sparkling rose

32 ounces orange juice

 

Peach-Raspberry Mimosa

2 cups peach nectar, chilled

1 pint raspberries

 

Pineapple-Strawberry Mimosa

2 cups pineapple juice, chilled

1 cup strawberries, sliced

 

Display and assembly

Pour juices into 3 different carafes and place sliced fruit garnish next to appropriate vessel.

In a Champagne flute, pour in 2 ounces of desired juice. Top off with sparkling wine and garnish with fruit. Toast to the end of summer!