| FOOD PAIRINGS |

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE Yield : 1 cup 4 Egg yolks 2 tbsps . Lemon juice ½ lb . Butter , melted ¼ tsp . Salt

In top half of double boiler , beat egg yolks and stir in lemon juice . Cook very slowly in double boiler over low heat , never allowing water in bottom of pan to come to a boil . Add butter a little at a time , stirring constantly with a wooden spoon . Add salt and pepper . Continue cooking slowly until thickened .

There ’ s never a bad time for bunch , but something about the springtime — flowers , Easter , Mother ’ s Day , warmth — makes the breakfast-lunch meal even more appealing . And what ’ s brunch without a special beverage to make it a celebratory occasion ? The Mimosa , Bellini and Bloody Mary are all classics , but bartenders have been coming up with more innovative brunch cocktails . Chefs and beverage directors are also taking a fresh approach to brunch pairings .

We asked the folks at Brennan ’ s restaurant in New Orleans for a cocktail and brunch dish suggestion . Eggs Hussarde , which appears in the Brennan ’ s New Orleans Cookbook , is a take on Eggs Benedict . It ’ s a match with the restaurant ’ s bright and refreshing Strawberry Sparkler cocktail .

( serves 1 ) 2 Large thin slices ham , grilled 2 Holland rusk toasts ¼ cup Marchand de vin sauce 2 slices Tomato , grilled 2 Eggs , soft poached ¾ cup Hollandaise sauce

Lay a large slice of ham across each rusk toast and cover with marchand de vin sauce . Cover next with tomato and then egg . Top with hollandaise sauce . Garnish with a sprinkling of paprika .

MARCHAND DE VIN SAUCE ( Yield : 2 cups ) ¾ cup Butter 1 / 3 cup Finely chopped mushrooms ½ cup Minced ham 1 / 3 cup Finely chopped shallots ½ cup Finely chopped onion 2 tbsps . Garlic , minced 2 tbsps . Flour ½ tsp . Salt

⅛ tsp . Pepper 1 dash Cayenne ¾ cup Beef stock ½ cup Red wine

In a 9-inch skillet melt butter and lightly sauté the mushrooms , ham , shallots , onion and garlic . When the onion is golden brown , add the flour , salt , pepper and cayenne . Brown well , about 7 to 10 minutes . Blend in the stock and the wine and simmer over low heat for 35 to 45 minutes .

1 pint Louisiana strawberries , chopped into quarters ¼ cup Granulated sugar ½ cup Fresh basil leaves 1 cup Very hot water 3-4 oz . Champagne or sparkling wine

Start by making a strawberry basil syrup : Muddle strawberries with sugar to break berries down until sugar is saturated with juice . Add water and basil and allow the mixture to steep for 20 minutes . Stir and double strain until so that the juice is free of seeds . ( The syrup can be refrigerated for up to 1 week .) For cocktail , place 2 oz . of the cold strawberry basil syrup into a cocktail coupe glass . Add Champagne or sparkling wine to fill and garnish with a basil leaf .

6 | SPRING 2022 • CHEERS @ HOME