Have you dyed your Easter eggs, bought your ham or leg of lamb, cleaned your asparagus and strawberries? The symbolic foods of Easter are traditional and not only celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, but of life itself—Spring!
Both the pig and the lamb are traditional Easter meats. A wild boar was the main course of Middle Europe, Scandinavia and England and the lamb was preferred eastward. In America, the pig predominates presented in a glorious glazed ham, but leg of lamb is a very close second.
Many other dishes traditionally served at Easter time have symbolic significance. Eggs represent the new life that bursts forth at springtime and colored eggs can be traced back to the Egyptians and Persians. Asparagus and many other tender young green vegetables make their first appearance in early spring and belong on the holiday table. Strawberries and “new” cheeses, i.e. cream cheese, fresh farmer’s cheese or ricotta cheese are in starring roles for Easter.
Making a festive table is much simpler at Easter than the other holidays, I think. A basket of beautiful colored eggs is a wonderful centerpiece—or an Easter egg tree. I make mine with a branch of a budding bush or tree, forced in water for a week prior to Easter and hung with eggs that I have purchased or made.
There are several novelty dishes that are fun and easy. The one that comes to mind first is Jell-O eggs. If you’ve never made them, here’s how:
2 packages (3-oz) of fruit flavored gelatin (Jell-O) for every dozen eggs. Use different flavors for color variety.
3 cups water
12 eggs
Prepare gelatin as directed, using only 1 ½ cups hot water for each package. Chill until slightly thickened.
To blow out eggs: using a large needle or small skewer, puncture a small hole in the narrow end of each egg; puncture a wider hole in the broader end. Hold egg over bowl and put lips to the smaller hole; gently blow egg out of the shell into the bowl. Repeat with each egg. Wash shells gently with cold water. Blow all water out of shells. Light a candle and hold over the smaller hole of each shell, allowing the melting wax to drip over it to seal. Set aside to harden.
Pour slightly thickened gelatin into empty egg shells, using a small spoon or funnel. Set shells upright in carton and refrigerate at least 3 hours to set. To remove “eggs”, crack shells by rolling on a table and peel gently, wetting hands to handle gelatin. Refrigerate until serving time. Arrange on shredded carrot or lettuce “nests”.
I think that cheesecake with fresh strawberries makes a spectacular Easter dessert, but if that’s a bit too rich for you after all the other festive food, another novelty dessert is meringue nests with ice cream eggs or—even lighter—meringue baskets with fresh strawberries.
Easter Nests
3 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
Ice cream in 3 flavors
Strawberries
To make meringues: Beat egg whites with vanilla, cream of tartar and salt till frothy (I use heavy-duty mixer with whip attachment). Gradually add sugar, beating till stiff and sugar dissolves.
Cover large baking sheet with parchment to fit. Using a pastry bag or spoon, form 6 “nests” or shells. You can make rings or complete shells with bottom and sides. Bake at 275 degrees (very low oven) for 1 hour. Turn off heat and let shells dry in oven (door closed) 1 ½ hours.
Make 18 ice cream balls, and using two large spoons, form them into oval egg shapes. Fill nests with ice cream.
Serve with sweetened crushed strawberries.
If you have a lot of hard-cooked eggs left over from the morning hunt, here’s a recipe that is sure to please everyone:
12 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. pickle relish, drained
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
Salt to taste
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
2 Tbsp snipped fresh chives
6 Tbsp. mayonnaise
Paprika, for garnish
Whole fresh chives for garnish
Halve the eggs lengthwise and carefully remove yolks. Place the yolks in a bowl and mash them with a fork. Add mustard, relish, Tabasco, salt, pepper, tarragon and snipped chives. Stir in the mayonnaise. Fill the whites with the egg yolk mixture and dust the tops lightly with paprika. Makes 24 pieces.
Happy Easter!
Both the pig and the lamb are traditional Easter meats. A wild boar was the main course of Middle Europe, Scandinavia and England and the lamb was preferred eastward. In America, the pig predominates presented in a glorious glazed ham, but leg of lamb is a very close second.
Many other dishes traditionally served at Easter time have symbolic significance. Eggs represent the new life that bursts forth at springtime and colored eggs can be traced back to the Egyptians and Persians. Asparagus and many other tender young green vegetables make their first appearance in early spring and belong on the holiday table. Strawberries and “new” cheeses, i.e. cream cheese, fresh farmer’s cheese or ricotta cheese are in starring roles for Easter.
Making a festive table is much simpler at Easter than the other holidays, I think. A basket of beautiful colored eggs is a wonderful centerpiece—or an Easter egg tree. I make mine with a branch of a budding bush or tree, forced in water for a week prior to Easter and hung with eggs that I have purchased or made.
There are several novelty dishes that are fun and easy. The one that comes to mind first is Jell-O eggs. If you’ve never made them, here’s how:
2 packages (3-oz) of fruit flavored gelatin (Jell-O) for every dozen eggs. Use different flavors for color variety.
3 cups water
12 eggs
Prepare gelatin as directed, using only 1 ½ cups hot water for each package. Chill until slightly thickened.
To blow out eggs: using a large needle or small skewer, puncture a small hole in the narrow end of each egg; puncture a wider hole in the broader end. Hold egg over bowl and put lips to the smaller hole; gently blow egg out of the shell into the bowl. Repeat with each egg. Wash shells gently with cold water. Blow all water out of shells. Light a candle and hold over the smaller hole of each shell, allowing the melting wax to drip over it to seal. Set aside to harden.
Pour slightly thickened gelatin into empty egg shells, using a small spoon or funnel. Set shells upright in carton and refrigerate at least 3 hours to set. To remove “eggs”, crack shells by rolling on a table and peel gently, wetting hands to handle gelatin. Refrigerate until serving time. Arrange on shredded carrot or lettuce “nests”.
I think that cheesecake with fresh strawberries makes a spectacular Easter dessert, but if that’s a bit too rich for you after all the other festive food, another novelty dessert is meringue nests with ice cream eggs or—even lighter—meringue baskets with fresh strawberries.
Easter Nests
3 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp cream of tartar
1/8 tsp. salt
1 cup sugar
Ice cream in 3 flavors
Strawberries
To make meringues: Beat egg whites with vanilla, cream of tartar and salt till frothy (I use heavy-duty mixer with whip attachment). Gradually add sugar, beating till stiff and sugar dissolves.
Cover large baking sheet with parchment to fit. Using a pastry bag or spoon, form 6 “nests” or shells. You can make rings or complete shells with bottom and sides. Bake at 275 degrees (very low oven) for 1 hour. Turn off heat and let shells dry in oven (door closed) 1 ½ hours.
Make 18 ice cream balls, and using two large spoons, form them into oval egg shapes. Fill nests with ice cream.
Serve with sweetened crushed strawberries.
If you have a lot of hard-cooked eggs left over from the morning hunt, here’s a recipe that is sure to please everyone:
12 large hard-cooked eggs, peeled
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. pickle relish, drained
2 dashes Tabasco sauce
Salt to taste
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp finely chopped fresh tarragon leaves
2 Tbsp snipped fresh chives
6 Tbsp. mayonnaise
Paprika, for garnish
Whole fresh chives for garnish
Halve the eggs lengthwise and carefully remove yolks. Place the yolks in a bowl and mash them with a fork. Add mustard, relish, Tabasco, salt, pepper, tarragon and snipped chives. Stir in the mayonnaise. Fill the whites with the egg yolk mixture and dust the tops lightly with paprika. Makes 24 pieces.
Happy Easter!
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