Leftover Easter Eggs

After tomorrow you may have a lot of hard-cooked eggs around the house that have to be used up. There are only so many egg salad sandwiches a family can eat. Granted, we both really enjoy a hard-boiled egg for a snack, however, I had many beautiful, farm-fresh, already colored eggs to use for a centerpiece and have not so many people here anymore, so I dug through my cookbook collection for something new to do with all these gifts from the Easter Bunny.

By the way, if you are worried about the cholesterol content of eggs, it has been found that the link between eggs and heart disease is not established. Our bodies actually manufacture cholesterol whatever our diet, and it seems that the lecithin in the whites counteracts the cholesterol in the yolks. So, no more egg-white omelets. Lastly, eggs abound with vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, that are essential to our bodies.

I really scoured to find some ideas that were different and not too difficult to use up my eggs. These three recipes fulfilled my wishes and turned out to be really tasty as well.

Eggs in Aspic

2 cups canned beef consommé (not broth)
1 pkg. unflavored gelatin
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
5 hard boiled eggs, shelled
Italian parsley leaves, watercress or fresh tarragon

Heat consommé, undiluted, until simmering. Soften gelatin in water and then set in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until gelatin is clear but not boiling. (This can be done by putting the gelatin in ¼ cup water in a custard cup and setting in a skillet with simmering water until gelatin is clear). Add gelatin to consommé and stir to completely dissolve. Add ice water to equal 1 ½ cups to mixture. Ladle a small amount of the mixture into a ring mold and refrigerate for 10 minutes, or until set. Dip sprigs of parsley in hot water, cut off stems and dry the leaves. Dip them into the mixture. Arrange the leaves around the mold; refrigerate the mold again. Add another thin layer of mixture, refrigerate, and when the second layer has set, position eggs between the leaves. Add the rest of the consommé-gelatin mixture or until eggs are immersed and mold is full. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. Serve with a green salad for a surprisingly lovely lunch.

Eggs en Croute a la Lynette (serves 6)

6 hard-boiled eggs, shelled
6 English muffins, unsplit
2 Tbsp. melted butter

6 large mushroom caps
6 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. dry white wine

2 Tbsp. softened butter

Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 Tbsp. prepared mustard
1 tsp. dry white wine

2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1 cup vegetable juice (such as V-8)
3-4 dashes Tabasco sauce
2 ounces Parmesan or Pecorino-Romano cheese, freshly grated

Cut out around the whole English muffins with a serrated knife (a grapefruit knife works well), being careful not to cut through the bottom of the muffins and leaving a ½” edge. Pull out the center of each muffin leaving a shell. Reserve the muffin centers. Brush inside of muffin cases with melted butter and put into 250 degree oven for 15 minutes.

In large skillet, melt the 6 Tbsp butter. Pull out the stems and scrape the inside gills of the mushroom caps, leaving a shell. Reserve the stems and gills of mushrooms. Saute the mushroom caps, turning once until browned but not too limp, (about 5 minutes). Remove from pan and set aside. Finely chop the mushroom stems and gills and whirl the insides of the English muffins in a food processor or blender until fine crumbs. Add the chopped mushroom and the crumbs to the skillet with 2 tablespoons dry white wine. Cook, stirring constantly until mixture is golden, but not completely dry.

Slice peeled eggs lengthwise and carefully lift yolks into a medium bowl. Mix yolks, 2 Tbsp. softened butter, salt, pepper, mustard and 1 tsp. dry white wine with a fork until well blended. Taste for seasoning. Fill egg whites with this mixture.

In medium saucepan, melt 2 Tbsp. butter. Add 2 Tbsp. flour and mix until well blended and bubbly but not brown. Add milk, vegetable juice and tabasco slowly, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until bubbly and thick.

To assemble: In an individual gratin dish, well sprayed, ladle or spoon about ¼ cup of tomato-white sauce. Lay muffin case on sauce, slightly off-center. Fill muffin case with mushroom-bread crumb mixture, using about 1 Tbsp. Lay mushroom cap over stuffing. Fill cap with stuffed egg half. Lay other stuffed egg half aside the muffin case in gratin dish. Ladle Tomato-white sauce over all and sprinkle with cheese. Repeat with other egg-muffin cases. Bake at 425 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Scotch Eggs

1 ¼ pounds sausage meat
Flour
8 hard-cooked eggs, shelled
1 egg, beaten
¾ cup fine dry bread crumbs
Fat for deep frying

With your hands, flatten sausage meat on a floured board and cut into eight pieces. Mold meat around each egg, rolling it around with your hands until egg is completely covered. (It helps to have wet hands). Dip eggs in beaten egg, then in bread crumbs and deep fry at 370 degrees for 4-5 minutes.