Brunch is a great way to entertain, especially with overnight guests. Unlike dinner parties, there’s less pressure for formality and complex recipes. Keeping the setting casual is key, but there are ways to put a fun flair on the meal so that it isn’t just… breakfast.

Organization is important for entertaining, but with brunch it becomes vital. However, planning ahead means not waking up incredibly early to cobble the meal together. One way for a stress-free brunch is to choose a simple dish to cook and assemble the rest of the meal with ingredients that require little or no cooking. Extra points go to a dish that can be prepared ahead of time and cooked right before serving.

One of my favorite dishes is a recipe from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. Using her herbed-baked eggs as a centerpiece, a great brunch can be quickly assembled. The herb and garlic mixture can be prepared the night before and the individual dishes of eggs can be baked right before serving. In her Barefoot in Paris cookbook, Ina has a simple recipe for sliced bread served with sliced radishes and salt. Since there is already toasted baguette served with the eggs, little slices of radishes and a pinch bowl of salt are an easy side. Smoked salmon, slices of lemon and onion, and fresh blackberries round out the rest of the meal. The individual servings of eggs make for elegant presentation and arranging the rest into individual platters gives a clean and streamlined look. I altered the recipe slightly, as the original recipe was for two servings. I kept the herb mixture the same, but turned it into a single-serving recipe by halving the eggs.

More ideas for a stress-free brunch

  • Serve a variety of juices and offer prosecco to make bellinis or champagne for mimosas.
  • Smoked salmon is shown here, but any kind of smoked or cured meat would be a nice savory component to brunch. Charcuterie and cheese platters are delicious and easy to put together.
  • Fresh fruit is the easiest to prepare: peel, slice, or wash for a quick side dish.
  • If preparing pancakes, use a large griddle, like this one from Crate and Barrel to ensure that multiple servings can be made at once.
  • Waffles are great, but unless you have multiple waffle irons, preparing one serving at a time will keep you from spending time with your guests and your guests from eating together.

 

Herb-Baked Eggs

(slightly adapted from Ina Garten’s Barefoot Contessa)

Note: This recipe is for a single serving in one gratin dish. The dishes can be broiled all together.

1 teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, minced
1/4 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1 1/2 tablespoon freshly grated Parmesan
3 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoons heavy cream
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toasted baguette, for serving

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the broiler for 5 minutes and place the oven rack 6 inches below the heat.

Combine the garlic, thyme, rosemary, parsley, and Parmesan and set aside. Carefully crack 3 eggs into a small bowl without breaking the yolks.

Place a gratin dish on a baking sheet. Place cream and butter in the dish and place under the broiler for about 3 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Quickly, but carefully, pour the eggs into the gratin dish and sprinkle evenly with the herb mixture, then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper. Place back under the broiler for 5 to 6 minutes, until the whites of the eggs are almost cooked. Remove from the oven and allow to cool and set for 60 seconds. Serve hot with toasted baguette.