Recipe(tried): Gina's Easter Menu 2010

Hello!

Easter is once more upon us just as flowers are beginning to bloom for Spring. The daffodils have just about worn out their welcome and the bearded irises will soon make their appearance. This year's menu is all tried and true's.

Two vegetable dishes I will be serving, Brussel Sprouts and Dilled Carrots, were both enjoyed at someone's party last month. I just had to have the recipes as well as the Bramble Cake that someone brought. The cake was beautiful and looked like a European bakery treat. The lady who brought it told me it was homemade. She also brought a very savory Ham, Cheese and Leek Savory Bread Pudding which I will also share with you because it was delicious and perfect for using with leftover Easter ham.

Happy Easter!

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EASTER 2010 MENU

Smoked Spiral Cut Honey Ham
Baked Sweet Potato Boats
Dilled Carrots with Baby Pearl Onions*
Brussel Sprouts with Pecorino Cheese*
Yeast Rolls with Butter
Deviled Eggs
Sweet Tea/Coffee
Apple and Bramble Cake with Whiskey Sauce*
For using leftover ham:
Ham, Cheese and Leek Savory Bread Pudding*

*Recipe follows

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DILLED ROASTED CARROTS WITH BABY PEARL ONIONS
Serves 6

2 lbs. carrots, cut diagonally into 1-inch thick slices
1 1/2 cups frozen pearl onions
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill*

Position rack in lower third of oven. Preheat to 375 degrees F.

In large bowl, toss carrots and onions with oil, butter, salt, pepper and half of the dill until well coated. Spread in a single layer on an ungreased large jellyroll pan.

Roast on lower oven rack until tender, about 30-45 minutes (depending on oven). Sprinkle with remaining dill and stir.

*The recipe did not indicate when to put in the dill so I used half when roasting and half when done. You could probably just put it in all in the bowl for coating.

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BRUSSEL SPROUTS WITH PECORINO CHEESE
Serves 6

Brussel sprouts
Olive oil
Salt and pepper (to taste)
1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese

Arrange Brussel sprouts on baking pan. Drizzle olive oil over them, sprinkle salt and pepper and pecorino cheese.

Cook in 350 degree F oven for about 20 minutes.

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APPLE AND BRAMBLE CAKE WITH BUSHMILL'S CUSTARD
Serves 8

FOR THE CAKE:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 cup sugar
4 eggs
3 cups self-rising flour
2 cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced
1/2 cup of blackberries
4 dessert apples, peeled, cored and sliced thinly (for top of cake)
3 tablespoons apricot jam (for glaze)

FOR THE BUSHMILLS CUSTARD:
1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/4 cups cream
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup Bushmills Whiskey* (I would use a tablespoon or less because 1/4 cup really tastes boozy to me.)

TO MAKE THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a (9-inch) springform pan and line with waxed paper.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then sift in the flour. Stir in diced apples and blackberries. Pour batter in the pan. Arrange the apple slices around the top of the batter.

Bake 45 to 50 minutes, until lightly browned or a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool in the pan. Loosen around the edges of the cake and turn onto serving plate.

In small saucepan over low hear, melt the jam and brush over the top of the cake.

TO MAKE THE CUSTARD:
Bring the milk and cream to a boil over medium heat, then turn off the heat. Whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and fluffy. Slowly pour in the milk/cream mixture into the eggs, whisking continuously. Return to sauce pan over low heat and cook until custard is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Stir in whisky.

TO SERVE:
Slice the cake and spoon the custard over each slice.

This Bread Pudding is awesome. It would be great for using leftover ham and serving it for diner with a salad or even a brunch.

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HAM, CHEESE AND LEEK SAVORY BREAD PUDDING
Serves 8

1 tbsp. butter
1 leek, washed and sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 loaf day-old French bread, sliced and cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 pound cooked ham, diced
6 oz. grated Cheddar cheese
4 oz. grated Gouda cheese
5 large eggs
2 cups milk
3 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt and ground black pepper (to taste)

Generously grease a 2-quart ovenproof baking dish.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leek and garlic and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until soft. Remove from heat and set aside.

Spread half of the bread in the bottom of the baking dish. Evenly distribute half of the ham and half of each of the cheeses over the bread. Spread leeks over the top and then repeat layering with remaining bread, ham and cheeses.

In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour over the bread mixture, cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.

Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.

Remove plastic wrap and bake until the top is golden brown and the pudding is set, about 40 minutes.