Brunch

Brunch is what I consider a convenient and forgiving meal. It's the thing I most look forward to on a weekend if I've had the good fortune of a sleep in. Brunch is the meal that forgives the fact that you've missed breakfast and that it's too long to wait for lunch.


What I love about brunch is that the rules that might be associated with breakfast and lunch don't apply. If I feel like bacon and eggs but want to have a chocolate muffin as well, then that is just fine.

The other thing I like about it is that it's social meal that doesn't eat into the whole day. Breakfast always seems to early to invite friends around or to meet at a cafe. While a weekend lunch will take up most of the afternoon. But brunch comes at a more civilized hour allowing you to catch up with friends but then get on with the rest of your day.


I made roasted tomato, spinach and goat cheese on toasted sourdough for brunch recently. The tomatoes roast away in the oven and need no attention while you prepare coffee, juice or fruit or all of the above. The sharpness of the goat cheese is lovely with the sweet roasted tomatoes and the sourdough soaks up all the lovely roasted tomato juices. This is a really nice brunch alternative that's so tasty but easy to prepare.



Roast tomatoes, spinach and goat cheese on toasted sourdough

Makes 2

Ingredients:
4 roma tomatoes, sliced in half lenghtways
2 thick slices of sourdough bread
2 large handfuls of baby spinach
60g goats cheese
1 garlic clove, cut in half (optional)
Olive oil
S&P
1 tsp raw caster sugar

1. Preheat oven to 180C.
2. Place tomatoes on an oven tray. Drizzle with olive oil, sugar and S&P. Bake for 20-30 minutes until the tomatoes start to break down.
3. Toast the sourdough and rub garlic if using across the toasted bread.
4. Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a non stick pan and saute the baby spinach for a couple of minutes.
5. To assemble, spread half the goats cheese on each slice of sourdough, top with the baby spinach and tomato.