An Easter Menu Courtesy of Emma's Eatery
FRESH PEA SOUP
serves 6-8
Ingredients
2 tbsp butter
2 cups chopped leeks, white & light green parts (about 2 leeks)
1 small spanish onion, choped
2 clove garlic, minced
4 c chicken stock (you could use vegetable stock as well)
5 c fresh shelled peas or 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen peas
2 tsp kosher salt
cracked black pepper
Directions
1. Heat the butter in a large soup pot and add the leeks and onion, cook over medium low heat for 5-10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes
2. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil.
3. Add the peas and cook for 3-5 minutes until tender (frozen peas will only take about 3 minutes)
4. Add salt and pepper
5. Puree the soup in batches until smooth
6. Return pureed soup to the pot and simmer for 20-30 minutes to allow flavours to develop
7. Garnish with fresh peas, fresh blanched asparagus & a seasoned soft boiled egg
*This soup could also be served chilled
ROAST LEG OF LAMB
serves 6-8
Ingredients
4.5 lb boneless leg of lamb
2 tbsp rosemary sea salt (I make this by blitzing together rosemary & sea salt, perfect for seasoning meat)
Cracked black pepper
Directions
1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees
2. Rub down your leg of lamb with the rosemary salt and cracked black pepper
3. Place in a baking dish and bake for 1 hour - 1 hour 15 minutes
4. For a nice medium rare you want an internal temperature of 125 degrees
5. Allow lamb to rest for 20 minutes before serving, do not foil as this will continue to cook the lamb
6. Serve with chimichurri
Chimichurri
Ingredients
1 small bunch parsley
1 small bunch mint
2 sprigs oregano, fresh is preferred
2 garlic cloves
1 shallot
3 tbsp olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tbsp red wine vinegar
Place all ingredients in a blender and bend until combined
ASPARAGUS SIDE
serves 6-8
Ingredients
3 bunches of asparagus
1/4 cup crumbled feta
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, toasted
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 sprigs of mint, chopped
salt & pepper
Directions
1. Blanch asparagus for 5 minutes in boiling slated water (*chef tip, to keep your asparagus a bright green, remove asparagus from boiling water immediately plunge into an ice bath for 5 minutes)
2. Toast bread crumbs & cool
3. Toast pine nuts & cool
4. Combine feta, bread crumbs, pine nuts, lemon zest, mint, salt & pepper
5. Arrange asparagus on platter and top with the lemon herb gremolata
SHAVED SPRING SALAD
serves 6-8
Ingredients
4 zucchini, mix of yellow & green, shaved on a mandolin (alternatively use a Y peeler)
4-6 large heirloom or valentine radish, shaved
1 fennel bulb, shaved
1 red chilli, thinly sliced into rings
1 lemon, juice & zest
1 good plug good quality olive oil
2 sprigs mint, roughly chopped
salt and pepper
fennel frawn and baby basil to garnish
Directions
1. Shave all of your vegetables and combine in an oval shallow serving bowl
2. Toss the vegetables with lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper
3. Sprinkle the chilis, fennel frawns, mint & baby basil over as garnish
4. Serve immediately and enjoy
GREEN SALAD & HERB BUTTERMILK DRESSING
serves 6-8
Ingredients for the salad
1 container arugula
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 head green leaf lettuce
1 handful snap peas
1 handful raw green beans cut in half
1 handful watercress
Ingredients for the buttermilk herb dressing
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup mayonnaise (I prefer the olive oil based mayo)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp chopped chives
1 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 small garlic clove, minced
salt & pepper
Directions
1. Wash and cut lettuce, arrange in salad bowl
2. Wash snap peas and top to tail
3. Wash green beans and cut in half
4. In a jar or bowl whisk together all of the ingredients for the buttermilk herb dressing
5. Toss salad and serve immediately
CANDIED LEMON LOAF
served 6-8
Loaf Ingredients
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup butter
1 3/4 cup sugar
zest of 2 lemons
3 eggs
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup buttermilk
Icing Ingredients
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 tbsp lemon juice or milk
Directions
1. With the rack in the middle position, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Flour and butter a bundt or loaf pan
2. In a bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside
3. In another bowl, cream butter, sugar, lemon zest with electric mixer. Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until smooth. At a low speed add the dry ingredients alternating with lemon juice and buttermilk
4. Pour into pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
5. Allow to cook before glazing
6. To make the glaze, mix the icing sugar with lemon juice and drizzle over the loaf
CHOCOLATE BARK
Ingredients
3 pacakages semi sweet chocolate, melted
2 packages mini eggs
1/2 cup toasted almonds
1/2 cup shredded coconut
Directions
1. Melt chocolate over a double boiler
2. Pour onto a lined cook sheet
3. Sprinkle over mini eggs, almonds, coconut
4. Allow to harden, 1 hour
5. Break, serve, enjoy
VANILLA CAKE
serves 10-12
Ingredients for Cake
2 3/4 cups flour, sifted (you can also use cake flour)
4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
4 egg whites
3/4 cup butter
1 cup milk
2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup white sugar
Ingredients for Icing
1 cup of butter, softened
4 cups icing sugar
4 tbsp milk or cream
1 tbsp vanilla
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. In a bowl combine all the dry ingredients
3. In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy, add 1/2 cup of sugar gradually and continue beating until only meringue will hold up in soft peaks
3. In another mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth. Gradually add remaining 1 cup of sugar and cream together until light and fluffy. Add dry ingredients alternately with milk, beating after each addition until smooth. Add in vanilla
4. Add in meringue and fold thoroughly and delicately into batter
5. Butter and line two 9 inch baking pans or three 8 inch baking pans and divide batter evenly
6. Bake for 25-30 minutes and allow to cool
Directions for icing
1. In a mixer with a paddle attachment cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy
2. Add in vanilla and milk 1 tablespoon at a time
To ice the cake
1. Use a vanilla buttercream between each layer of cake, chill cake between each stage of layering.
2. Do a "crumb coat" of buttercream around the whole cake and chill
3. Ice the entire cake and decorate with flowers and curled rhubarb