Mother's Day Delicious Brunch Menu: Strawberry and Rhubarb Clafoutis  Watercress Salad with Citrus Glazed Dates, Lardons and Clementine Vinaigrette  Smoked Salmon Crostini 

This is part two of the Mother's Day Brunch menu series by my friend, Los Angeles private chef Kat Randazzo. You can find part one here and three here.

Kat has given us a good excuse to eat, basically, dessert for breakfast by serving a clafoutis in the way you'd serve a dutch baby. And it's surprisingly easy to make. She puts it alongside a watercress salad with citrus and lardons and all of the sweet, salty and tart flavors are just so good together. You could easily leave it at that, but it you've got a crowd coming and need to fill out the menu, add on the Smoked Salmon Crostini.

TIPS: You can make the Clafoutis a day in advance and refrigerate. Bring it to room temperature to serve. It may be warmed again for serving if desired. You can serve the Crostini as given for a lovely presentation or, if you're short on time, serve the individual components for your guests to assemble their own.

 

 

Strawberry Rhubarb Clafouti with Vanilla Sweet Cream

serves 8

1 ½ cups strawberries, hulled and halved lengthwise
1 ½  cups rhubarb, sliced ½” thick
⅓ cup granulated sugar
1 cup all purpose flour
½ tsp kosher salt
3 each eggs, lightly beaten
1 ¼ cup heavy cream
2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 T butter, for greasing pan

¼ cup confectioners sugar, for dusting

1 pint heavy cream
1 T vanilla bean paste
1 tsp sugar
small pinch kosher salt

 

• Preheat the oven to 350° F.
• Grease a 10” pie dish with butter.
• Toss the strawberries and rhubarb in a mixing bowl with the sugar. Then pour the fruit mix into the baking dish and place cut side down in an even layer.
• Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• In a measuring cup, combine the beaten eggs, heavy cream and vanilla bean paste.
• Pour the wet mix over the flour mix and stir to combine until you have a smooth batter.
• Pour the batter over the strawberries and rhubarb and bake for about 35 minutes until golden brown and puffed up.
• Allow to cool 10 - 15 minutes and dust with the confectioners sugar.
• In a cold metal mixing bowl beat the heavy cream with the vanilla bean paste, sugar and a small pinch of salt. Beat until stiff peaks.
• Serve the clafouti with a dollop of the cream and enjoy!

 

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Watercress Salad with Citrus Glazed Dates, Lardons and Clementine Vinaigrette

Serves 8
30 minutes

 

12 oz watercress
12 oz arugula
Zest of 2 clementines
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

8 oz dates, pitted
Zest and juice of 2 clementines
⅛ tsp ground clove
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste
½ T butter

8 oz smoked bacon. sliced ¼” thick across the short width

Zest and juice of 2 clementines
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp dijon mustard
1 T white wine vinegar
4 oz extra virgin olive oil
⅛ tsp red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

 

For the lardons:

• Heat a saute pan over medium high heat.
• Add sliced bacon to the heated pan and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove from the pan and let cool on a paper towel.

For the dates:

• Using the same pan as the lardons were cooked in, heat pan over medium heat.
• Add the butter, dates, zest and ground clove. Season with salt and pepper.
• Stir to combine and cook gently. Add the clementine juice and glaze.
• Once they are coated with a nice glaze remove from the pan and set aside.

For the vinaigrette:

• In a mixing bowl add zest and juice of the clementines, maple syrup, dijon, white wine vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
• Drizzle in the olive oil and whisk until smooth.

To assemble:

• In a large serving bowl combine the watercress, arugula, zest, salt and pepper. Mix gently with your hands to combine.
• Add the lardons and glazed dates.
• Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad and toss with your hands to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.
• Serve and enjoy!

 

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 Smoked Salmon Crostini with Chive and Dill

Makes roughly 30 pieces
30 minutes

 

1 baguette, sliced into ½” slices on the bias
¼ cup olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

 

8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
2 T dill, roughly chopped
2 T chives, thinly sliced
Zest of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and pepper, to taste

 

12 oz smoked salmon, sliced
½ cup dill, picked
¼ cup chives, cut into 1” sticks
cracked black pepper

 

For the crostini:

• Preheat the oven to 350° F.
• Arrange the sliced baguette on a sheet tray and brush with olive oil, season with a little salt and pepper.
• Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown, but soft in the center.

 

For the cream cheese spread:

• Combine the softened cream cheese, dill, chives, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Use a rubber spatula to fully incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary. If you’d like more acid, add some lemon juice.

 

To assemble:

• Using the back of a spoon, smear a tablespoon of the cream cheese on each slice of bread.
• Seperate the smoked salmon slices and twist into loose spirals. Place one on top of each crostini.
• Garnish with the picked dill, chive sticks and a little cracked black pepper. Arrange on a platter.
• Serve and enjoy!