what to serve with this brunch casserole?

[valchemist]

I am having a casual gathering for my in-laws on Christmas Day. I will be serving the smoked salmon casserole below, and I am wondering if anyone has any good ideas of what else I can serve.

a couple other things you should know:
-There are only going to be 5 people (including me)
-We won't be able to have a formal "sit down" meal because our kitchen table only seats two people and a baby and we don't have a dining room. so whatever else I serve should be easy to eat.
-I am probably going to be making a coffeecake (a tradtional recipe from DH's family) and of course there will be tons of cookies, so I don't need any dessert ideas.

http://www.epicurious.com/db/recipes/photos/107478.jpg

SMOKED SALMON AND POTATO BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

Hot-smoked fully cooked salmon is flaky in texture and fragrant with alder smoke. This dish can be completely assembled and chilled one day before baking.

2 cups (lightly packed) 1/2-inch cubes French baguette with crusts
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 pound hot-smoked salmon fillets, skinned, flaked into bite-size pieces
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2 teaspoons minced fresh dill

4 large eggs
1 cup half and half
3 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Additional sour cream
Capers
Fresh dill sprigs

Preheat oven to 400°F. Arrange bread on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until pale golden, about 5 minutes, then cool.

Butter 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Melt 2 tablespoons butter with oil in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add potatoes. Stir to coat and arrange in single layer. Cover and cook until potatoes are almost tender, about 8 minutes. Uncover; increase heat to medium-high, and cook until potatoes are lightly browned and tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add shallots and sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Gently mix in bread, salmon, chives, and minced dill. Transfer mixture to prepared dish.

Whisk eggs and next 5 ingredients in medium bowl to blend well. Pour custard over potato mixture in dish. Let stand 15 minutes, occasionally pressing bread into custard. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes before baking.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake casserole, uncovered, until custard is set, about 30 minutes. Cut into squares and top with additional sour cream, capers, and dill sprigs; serve hot.

Makes 6 servings.


Bon Appétit
December 2002

[SueK]

How about just a fruit tray? Just some cut up fruit with some type of light fruit dip?

[wallycat]

My first thought was something crunchy and green...to compliment colors and give a texture variation.

Maybe something green-beany...I did some searches on epicurious for green bean recipes and found a few nice ones..one was a spin-off of green beans almondine using pecans (the recipe got mostly 4 forks).

Maybe just a simple salad with a simple dressing.

I was going to suggest a spinich gratin but think that would be too similar in creamy comfort type mouth feel.

[Guest]

I was also thinking fruit. A colorful fruit salad first came to mind. I also think something green, perhaps a salad with spinach, dried cranberries and a sprinkling of nuts, would work with the casserole.

[Cooky]

Looks good. Thanks for posting recipe.

It needs eggs. I would fix Ina Gartens Eggs with Fresh Herbs, and some assorted rolls, bagels and muffins and fresh fruit. Here is the recipe, should you decide to use it, you can adjust if you think its too much.

16 extra large eggs
1 1/4 c half and half
2t kosher salt
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper
4T unslated butter, divided
1T finely chopped parsley
1T finely chopped scallions, white and green parts
1T finely chopped fresh dill

Whisk the eggs in a bowl with the half and half, salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a large pan. Add the eggs and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the desired doneness. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, and the herbs. Stir until butter is mellted. Checke for seasonings. Serve hot.


serves 6

[BlueMoose]

Val, have you made that dish before? It sounds really good, and I'm thinking of doing a brunch on Christmas.

[valchemist]

thanks for all the responses. I haven't decided what I will do yet, but I am definitely going to do one of the ideas I see on this thread. they are great.

Chrisi, I haven't made it, but it got great reviews on epicurious.

[little_bopeep]

Val, I can't explain why because I can't stand the stuff, but this recipe screams, "Asparagus!!" at me. I don't like salmon, either, so it may be screaming, "No! Not Asparagus!!" I'm not sure....:D

[TerriS]

FRUIT! Definitely fruit. If you can get good strawberries, kiwi, or other berries, I recommend making fruit cups with those fruits and drizzling with a sauce:
2 cups fat free vanilla yogurt
½ cup honey
1 tsp. cinnamon

Otherwise, melons, grapes, and whatever else you can find.


Asparagus sounds good too.

[Valerie226]

I like fruit salad too. a mix of what looks good. I like satsuma, apple, pomegranate, and banana. I like to toss in some lime yogurt & top with a sprinkle of toasted almonds.

Or a green salad with some oranges and almonds.

[buddie]

here is a WONDERFUL fruit salad recipe

fruit salad recipe with poppyseed dressing:
4 oranges
4 grapefruit (to make it easier just buy a few cans of canned grapefruit)
3 avacado
(peel slice and section all of the above)

adding strawberries is wonderful too!


DRESSING
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp dry mustard
pinch of salt
1/3 cup apple cider vinager
3 green onions very finely chopped
1 cup salad oil (vegetable oil)
1 1/2 tbsp poppyseeds

Mix the dressing ingredients (except oil) with electric mixer. THEN gradually add oil mix until very thick and smooth. stir in poppyseeds!

spoon over fruit salad

[Cooky]

Oopsy! For some reason I didn't see the part where you have eggs in the dish. Great! Definately fruit, and asparagus does sound good. Tough choices here.

[knunes]

Val,
For a combo of fruit AND greens, you could go with the spinach salad with strawberries that was in CL (I think this summer. I could check if you are interested). It had a nice poppyseed dressing. Katie

[alicerh]

I like the idea of fruit and this is a great brunch dish. I don't know about the curry flavor with salmon but you could leave it out or add another flavor like sherry or cinnamon.

Maude's Curried Fruit Bake


1 15 oz can each pear halves, apricots, pineapple chunks, peach halves drained
1 small can bing cherries, pitted , drained
1 orange, thinly sliced, skin left on
1 T grated orange rind
1 T grated lemon rind
3 T brown sugar
1 t curry powder
freshly grated nutmeg
3 T white wine

Mix together grated rinds, brown sugar and curry. Arrange fruit in a 2-3 quart casserole in layers. Over each layer, sprinkle brown sugar mixture. Grate nutmeg on top. Pour wine over all. Bake at 350 for 30 min or until hot. Serves 12. Can be made ahead and reheated before serving.

[robinf]

I always like tomatoes on a bagel with cream cheese and lox/smoked salmon. How about a tomato and mozzarella salad with basil, capers and a good balsamic vinaigrette?

[wallycat]

Val, did you decide on your dish??

[Beth]

I like the fruit, asparagus and the green salad with fruit and nuts -- but depending on how early your bruch is, I would lean toward the fruit or possibly the asparagus. I can't get excited about a green salad before noon, but that's just me. The fruit could be as simple as grapefruit halves -- plain, broiled with a dusting of brown sugar and/or topped with some berries -- or as extravagant as you're up for.

The Salmon sounds great. I know DH would love it, but no one else I can think of being around for brunch.

[LaurenP]

Fruit and greens sound the best to me. I like Katies idea of making the spinach salad with the strawberries, sound like you get the cool fruit and crunchy greens to go with the warm casserol and flavors whn't compete.

[valchemist]

I would love to make the spinach salad with feta and cranberries I have seen on the BB. but not everyone (read: DH) likes sweet things in salad. The strawberry spinach salad sounds great to me, but strawberries aren't in season so they are either yucky or expensive. The green beans or asparagus would be good, but I don't like the thought of those little veggies rolling around and off peoples plates in my living room (remember, I have no table for people to sit at).

I have decided to go with a tray of fresh fruit.

thanks for the suggestions everyone! If the casserole comes out well, maybe it will be a yearly tradition and I can use the other ideas in the future. (maybe we will have a bigger house in the future, too.)

[chena1224]

Valchemist- I was inspired by the beautiful picture of this casserole to make it for my Cooking Light Club's first "brunch meeting". The casserole is not your typical casserole- it looked like a fancy & different one to make. I loved the flavors together- it was my first time trying smoked salmon. The other members liked this casserole too- I will definately make it again. I think it would be a perfect dish to serve at a Sunday brunch or a bridal shower/baby shower. Thanks for the receipe!