Easter

[Heather]

I got the bright idea to go out for Easter brunch yesterday. Calling around, everyplace was either booked, or not the kind of place you take two small, sugared up children dressed in their finest. So, I will be cooking. Maybe brunch, maybe an early dinner...I haven't decided and thought I would get some ideas from the talented home cooks on DR.com.

The easiest thing would be to get a ham, and make some sides to go with it. Asparagus with hollandaise, tiny little biscuits, a coconut cake.

[zoramargolis]

The easiest thing would be to get a ham, and make some sides to go with it.  Asparagus with hollandaise, tiny little biscuits, a coconut cake.

That sounds delicious. Why do you need other ideas? Yours are already perfect.

[goldenticket]

I just saw one of Michael Chiarello's shows that had a menu very similar to what you mentioned. He did a Toasted Spiced Ham drizzled with Honey with asparagus bundles (blanched spears wrapped in prosciutto and roasted with some seasoned bread crumbs. The starter was a pea soup and dessert was lemon curd with fresh berries and crumbled biscotti. The recipes for the sides are linked on the right side of the page that I linked to above.

This link has the recipe for the Toasted Spice Rub (which they try to sell you on the first link)

[Heather]

That sounds delicious. Why do you need other ideas? Yours are already perfect.

Because I do the same stupid thing every Easter. The Michael Chiarello recipes look good - thanks!

I'd still like to hear what everyone else is cooking.

[mktye]

For Easter, we usually have grilled leg of lamb (marinated with wine/garlic/oregano/onions) and risotto made with some of the onions from the marinade that have cooked in a pan under the lamb. But we are having friends over and one of them has issues with lamb... so I was thinking of some sort of stuffed pork loin. Maybe with roasted new potatoes as a side. Asparagus is our usual veggie for the day too. For dessert, I'll probably make a lemon meringue pie and also something chocolate for my non-baby-animal-eating-pie-disliking friend.

[ScotteeM]

Mr. S has long maintained that the traditional dinner for Easter must be rabbit. I've not indulged that notion.

We usually have lamb when it's just the two of us.

How about devilled eggs? You'll probably have plenty of hard-boiled eggs available.

Fresh (or frozen) spring peas in a little reduced heavy cream with tarragon is one of my new easy favorite sides.

[Halloween]

My mother has announced that she wants turkey and dressing for Easter. Yes, this is new. No, we have never had turkey and dressing for Easter. Yes, my brother and I are going to give our dear mother what she wants.

My question to you my dear food friends: Where can I find a decent turkey? Do grocery stores carry them year round? I have no idea because I almost never buy meat. Also, are there any light, spring dishes that will compliment the turkey and dressing?

Thanks.

[Pat]

I've been so busy that I didn't know when Easter was and so bought a nice semiboneless leg of lamb at the Old Town Whole Foods a couple of weeks ago, thinking Easter was sooner than it is. I consulted the calendar, then wrapped the lamb well and put it in the freezer . If I remember to defrost it in time, I will be making it for Easter dinner . I generally roast leg of lamb with a lot of garlic and pepper. I eat lamb with mint jelly because that's the way I grew up eating it. My husband thinks that's disgusting.

I will probably make an Indian Spiced Potato Gratin recipe (from the NYTimes a decade ago. I've previously posted it here.) to accompany it.

I think I'll buy some asparagus at Eastern Market to round out the meal and maybe a loaf of bread from Firehook and/or a simple salad. This is all contingent on my having any actual time to make a meal on Sunday.

[Pat]

My mother has announced that she wants turkey and dressing for Easter.  Yes, this is new.  No, we have never had turkey and dressing for Easter.  Yes, my brother and I are going to give our dear mother what she wants.

My question to you my dear food friends:  Where can I find a decent turkey?  Do grocery stores carry them year round?  I have no idea because I almost never buy meat.  Also, are there any light, spring dishes that will compliment the turkey and dressing? 

Thanks.

You should be able to find a decent whole turkey in a supermarket. I recall my one experience with grilling a whole turkey outside (remarkably good) was in the summertime.

For accompaniments, I'd go with asparagus or maybe fresh peas. If it's not too much with the stuffing, you could try rice pilaf. I also like this orzo primavera recipe from Rachael Ray. I use whole wheat orzo.

And also, I really liked this recipe for deviled eggs from the current Bon Appetit as an appetizer. I added more garam masala than the recipe called for. It seems like a good Easter food.

[Al Dente]

Whole Foods would procure one for you.

[goldenticket]

My question to you my dear food friends:  Where can I find a decent turkey?  Do grocery stores carry them year round?  I have no idea because I almost never buy meat.  Also, are there any light, spring dishes that will compliment the turkey and dressing? 

It's Thanksgiving all over again, huh?

Martha has this on her "spring buffet" menu - Butter Bean and Sugar Snap Pea Salad - or this - Green Bean and Butter Bean Salad. One of them might be a nice variation on the old green bean casserole.

Maybe Whole Foods would have a fresh turkey. Frozen seems a bit iffy, you might be able to thaw a small one by Sunday if you get it today and put it in the fridge.

[ScotteeM]

Monique,

I think I just saw fresh turkeys at the WF in Springfield. Call your local WF, and as others have said, they probably can get one for you if they don't have them already in the case.

This will be our first Easter in more than 30 years without my mother-in-law. Her favorite Easter dinner was the same as other holidays: roast chicken with stuffing, baked tomatoes, sauerkraut, whipped potatoes with gravy, green beans with spaetzle (frozen), and some other frozen vegetable. It was always enough to feed an army, even though it was always just the three of us. I'm planning to make that for Mothers' Day.

Mr. S is trekking in Bhutan now, which is where he should be. I'm contemplating a quiet day, maybe tackling a batch of chicken stock to put in my freezer--haven't done that in a very long time.

[Halloween]

Thanks, Pat, al dente, and goldenticket. I'll let you know how Thanksgiving in April turns out.

ScotteeM, Thanks for your post. I'm sorry to learn that this will be your first Easter in 30 years without your mother-in-law, but i'm glad that you will be honoring her in fine fashion by serving "her meal." She will surely be with you in spirit, food, and memories. Take care.

[Barbara]

Monique:

If all your Mother wants is turkey and dressing, then this is certainly doable. It's the side dishes at Thanksgiving that cause all the controversy. Since it's Spring, there are many other options. Can you skip the mashed pototoes, candied sweet potatoes, pecan/pumpkin pie? If so, you can come up with a much lighter, different meal using what's coming on the market right now. For example, make a Rhubarb and Strawberry Crisp for dessert (or just make a similar sauce to put over ice cream). Look at the other thread on Fava beans for a side or appetizer. Asparagus is mandatory.

You can do this.

Barbara

[Sthitch]

I had intended on making a rack of lamb, but I could not find any nice meaty American Lamb, and the dainty stuff from the other side of the world will just not do. So I am going with a stuffed leg of lamb. I plan to stuff it with a menagerie of herbs (mint, parsley, rosemary, and ramp greens), ramps, dried dates, and slivered almonds. My mother-in-law has the most pathetic grill known to man, so it will have to be roasted. With that I am serving a wine/cumin reduction (using lamb stock), Kalamata olive risotto, and eggplant stacks (basically pureed roasted eggplant, and garlic with roasted plum tomatoes between two pieces of fried eggplant, this is topped with some a yogurt that include roasted red pepper in it). As a salad, I am doing a radish and watercress salad simply dressed in a mustard vinaigrette.

[mktye]

The final Easter '06 menu:

Quick-Pickled Zucchini

Lemon, Rosemary & Garlic Marinated California Black & Green Olives

Anchovy/Oregano Sfogliata (the picture shown with the recipe is incorrect, it is a gorgeous, swirled bread)

Spring Pea Puree & Bacon on Mini Toasts

Roasted Shallot & Thyme Custards

Rosemary & Panchetta Roasted Red Potatoes

Spinach & Sun-Dried Tomato-Stuffed Grilled Pork Loin with Garlic/Truffle Sauce

Baby Lima & Green Bean Salad with Tarragon & Dijon Vinaigrette

Asparagus w/Morels

Focaccia

Italian Easter Cheese Bread

Sage & Roasted Garlic Parker House Rolls

Scarborough Fair Shortbread

Chocolate Hazelnut Bars with Creme Anglais & Caramel Sauce (would that make them Twix bars? )

and....

Coconut Cake (yes, I actually did it )

[hillvalley]

There is drool all over my keyboard.