Brunch - The Sunday Way

'Brunch - The Sunday Way' by Alan Turner and Terence Williamson is an inspiring new book for those of us looking for a way of freshening up our Sunday Bruch menu. Both chefs are acclaimed champions of the brunch and they freely share their recipes that made their London 'Sunday Cafe' a runaway success. From quick and easy breakfast staples to fabulous group feasts and inspired by a list of global ingredients, this book takes you all the way from poaching eggs, something few people can do successfully, to flipping pancakes and curing salt beef.

Admittedly, the cover of this book is not attractive enough to tempt you to open it, but if you do, and I hope you do, then you are in for a splendid array of over 70 delicious brunch recipes that will revitalise your late Sunday breakfast. It's time to move away from Bacon and Eggs to Salmon Kedgeree with Beetroot Slaw, away from Beans on Toast to French Toast with Caramelized Bananas. 

Cleverly divided into seven sections covering Eggs, Toast, Pancakes, Specialities, Baking, Jams and Drinks, the whole Sunday Brunch menu is covered from start to finish. Beautiful photographs tempt the taste buds on every page, but unlike many recipe books, each dish looks achievable and the adjoining text has clarity in the list of ingredients and the instructions. 

I was immediately attracted to the 'unusual', but achievable, 'Aubergine, Tomato and Harissa Baked Eggs with Tahini and Honey Flatbreads' (above). I love aubergine but there are so few attractive dishes that include this delightful vegetable, and this recipe has a Middle Eastern leaning - even better. Served with the flatbreads and a bowl of yoghurt makes it a full blown brunch -  I didn't want anything extra. It takes 50 minutes to get on the table, so plan ahead. If you love waffles, then this publication provides a wide range of innovative ideas and the 'Pulled Pork on Waffle Benedict' (below) is just one of many. A time consuming dish that is well worth the effort, the waffle replaces the traditional muffin that normally goes with a benedict. Yuzu hollandaise cuts through the salty pork and provides a perfect compliment. Just make sure you can poach the perfect egg! 

If you like salmon with your Sunday Brunch then this 'Corn Fritter with Avocado and Honey Smoked Salmon' (below) will be a real treat.  A painting on a plate is the only way of describing this colourful dish. While the cooking is important, the assembly on the plate is crucial if you are going to do justice to this dish. Alive with smoked salmon, eggs, corn, avocado, spring onions, tomatoes, creme fraiche, salsa and chilli jam, my taste buds are already tingling, I can't wait to dig in!

I can only scrape the surface of this exciting book, as there is so much packed into every section - the Baking, Jams and Drinks pages are packed with new ideas for these brunch essentials. Turner and Williamson aim to encourage food lovers to create a brunch experience at home and prove that even more complicated dishes are within reach. They want this book to become a solid guide for brunching outside the box; one that is well used, engaged with, scribbled with notes and encourages readers to adapt the recipes and make them their own.  

Brunch - The Sunday Way' by Alan Turner and Terence Williamson is published by Frances Lincoln Publishing (2020) ISBN 978 0 7112 4859 5. Price: £14.99 (Available from Amazon Books for £11.31)