Easter traditions

Seasonal tastes of spring

Brown Sugar Pecan Mustard-Glazed Ham
Brown Sugar Pecan Mustard-Glazed Ham

Easter is a time when traditions are especially important to us. One week from today, on Easter Sunday, families will rise early to go to church, all decked out in their Sunday best, and afterwards, they will gather around the table to enjoy a time of togetherness and a holiday feast of traditional Easter fare.

Today we have gathered a few such recipes, hoping they might serve as an inspiration and/or starting point for your own Easter menu.

BROWN SUGAR PECAN MUSTARD-GLAZED HAM

1 (5- to 6-pound Hormel Cure 81 ham

1 (8-oz.) jar Terrapin Ridge brown sugar pecan mustard

2 tablespoons pineapple juice

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

  1. Heat ham according to package directions. Remove ham from oven; increase oven temperature to 425 degrees.

  2. Blend mustard, pineapple juice and pecans; brush or spread over top and sides of ham.

  3. Return to oven 10 minutes; watch carefully to prevent burning.

DIJON RACK OF LAMB

2 (8-rib) lamb rib roasts (2 to 2 1/2 pounds each), trimmed

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 cup fresh herb focaccia breadcrumbs

Directions:

  1. Rub lamb evenly with salt and pepper.

  2. Cook lamb in hot oil in a large skillet over high heat 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Place lamb, fat side up, on a rack in broiling pan.

  3. Bake at 425° for 20 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest portion registers 145°.

  4. Remove lamb from oven; leaving oven on. Cover lamb loosely with aluminum foil, and let stand 10 minutes or until meat thermometer registers 150°.

Brush lamb with mustard; cover with breadcrumbs. Return lamb to oven, and bake 4 to 5 minutes or until golden. Cut into chops, and serve.

ROASTED ASPARAGUS WITH BROWN BUTTER PECANS

2 pounds fresh asparagus

Olive oil

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

6 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Prepare asparagus by washing it and snapping off the tough ends of the stems.

  2. Place asparagus in a large bowl or plastic baggie. Pour in a couple tablespoons of oil and season with salt and pepper. Mix until asparagus are evenly coated. Spread asparagus, in a single layer, onto a large, rimmed sheet pan.

  3. Roast asparagus for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on desired doneness and how thick your spears are), or until spears are just tender and beginning to brown. Taste and season with salt, if desired.

  4. While asparagus is roasting, make brown butter pecans. In a medium saucepan set over low heat, melt butter and stir in pecans. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter browns and pecans are toasted, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. During the process, the butter will foam and then the foam will die back down. Watch closely so that the butter turns brown but doesn’t burn.

  5. Transfer asparagus to a serving platter, pour brown butter pecans over the top, and serve hot.

SCALLOPED POTATOES

1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing

1/2 clove garlic

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

4 fresh bay leaves

1/2 cup grated gruyere cheese (about 2 ounces)

Directions:

  1. Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.

  2. Generously brush a large skillet with butter, then rub with the garlic. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat.

  3. Add half of the potatoes, sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste, then arrange the remaining potatoes on top. Sprinkle with 3/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.

  4. Pour the broth and milk over the potatoes, then add the nutmeg and bay leaves; simmer 3 minutes.

5.Generously brush a shallow baking dish with butter and slide the potatoes into the dish; arrange with a fork, if desired. (If your skillet is ovenproof, you can skip this step and bake the potatoes right in the skillet.)

  1. Dot the potatoes with the cut-up butter and sprinkle with the gruyere. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Discard the bay leaves.

SPRING PEAS & PANCETTA

1/4 pound pancetta, diced (1 cup)

1 shallot, sliced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

Grated zest and juice of 1 orange

3 cups shelled fresh peas (about 1 pound)

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Kosher salt

Directions:

  1. Cook the pancetta in a large skillet over medium-low heat until crispy, about 5 minutes. Add the shallot and garlic, cook 1 minute and then add the orange juice.

  2. Increase the heat to medium, add the peas and cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the orange zest, parsley and butter. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary, though you shouldn’t need much, if any, because the pancetta adds a natural saltiness to the dish.

HOT CROSS BUNS

3/8 cup milk

3/8 cup water

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup white sugar

4 tablespoons margarine

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon orange zest

3 cups bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

3/4 cup confectioner’s sugar

1 tablespoon water

Directions:

  1. Place milk, 3/8 cup water, egg, salt, white sugar, butter or margarine, cinnamon, nutmeg, peel, bread flour, yeast, and raisins in the pan of the bread machine. Select the Dough setting, and Start.

  2. Form into 15 rolls. Place into a greased 13 x 9 inch pan. Let rise for one hour.

  3. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes. Cool.

  4. Make icing with confectioners’ sugar and 1 tablespoon water. Drizzle over buns in the shape of cross.

EASTER GINGER CAKE

5 pieces preserved stem ginger in syrup, chopped

2 tbsp ginger syrup (from the jar of stem ginger)

1 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp grated fresh root ginger

6 oz butter (softened)

6 oz golden caster sugar

3 large eggs (at room temperature

1 tbsp molasses syrup

8 oz self-rising flour

1 tbsp ground almonds

2 tbsp milk, at room temperature

Icing ingredients:

8 oz icing sugar (sifted)

Juice from 1 lemon

Directions:

  1. Whip the butter and slowly add in the sugar. Cream for at least 5 minutes until the mixture becomes fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and whip for a minute or two after each. Gently stir in the molasses. (“Folding” will achieve the best results.)

  2. Add the flour and ground ginger, followed by the almonds, root ginger, and stem ginger. Bake in a greased baking pan for 40 to 50 minutes at 325F. If you use an extra deep pan to get the look of the cake pictured, you may need to adjust your baking time and temperature.

  3. Combine the two ingredients for the icing. You should get a nice thick texture. Allow the cake to cool before pouring the icing over the top. Decorate with candy and present on an Easter cake stand.

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