In Europe many Easter traditions are closely linked with the arrival of spring, an annual promise of new life and all the delicious bounties that come with it. This, coupled with the fact that many Christians would fast or refrain from eating certain foods leading up to Easter, made Easter Sunday a particularly important day for family gatherings where traditional dishes were part of the celebrations.
The Easter egg and hot cross bun have stood the test of time, but here’s my Easter inspired menu with a 2014 twist. Enjoy!
EASTER MENU
Italian-style baked artichokes with white wine, garlic and golden breadcrumbs
Roast spring lamb with Greek flavours
Spanish torrijas
ITALIAN-STYLE BAKED ARTICHOKES WITH WHITE WINE, GARLIC AND GOLDEN BREADCRUMBS
For this dish you want to use whole fresh artichokes. When choosing them look for the smaller, heavier ones. According to an Italian friend’s mother, if you rub two together and they squeak, they’re fresh. Prepare the artichokes following the instructions belo. Pop into water with a little lemon juice to stop discoloration. Place the artichokes in a baking dish and add 3 or 4 cloves of slightly crushed whole garlic. Add 2 cups of white wine and a little water – you want to cover the artichokes about two-thirds with liquid. Pop into the oven and bake for about half an hour on 180°C until they are nice and tender.
While cooking, mix 1 cup of fresh breadcrumbs with the zest of one lemon, a handful of chopped parsley, a pinch of salt and pepper and a heaped tablespoon of grated Parmesan cheese. When the artichokes are cooked remove from the oven and drain off all the liquid, keeping the now soft garlic with the artichokes. Sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the artichokes, finishing with a good lug of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Grill until golden brown and serve with some crusty bread and good olive oil.
HOW TO PREPARE YOUR ARTICHOKES
- Cut off the top one-third of the leaves.
- Remove all the outer leaves, until they become yellowish-green and waxy.
- With a paring knife remove the base of the leaves around the top of the stem.
- Peel any bumps off the stem with a potato peeler.
- Cut in half from the top all the way to the end of the stem.
- With a teaspoon remove the furry core (choke).
ROAST SPRING LAMB WITH GREEK FLAVOURS
Lamb is the centerpiece of most European Easter meals as it symbolises new life, and has many references in religious writings.
Roasting a whole lamb is not practical for most families, so I’d recommend a whole leg for this dish.
In a roasting pan large enough and deep enough to hold the lamb, put a few lugs of olive oil, 1 sprig of rosemary and a 2-3 cloves of garlic. Pop this in the oven at 180°C until the oil is hot and the garlic is sizzling away.
While you wait for the oil to heat season the lamb. In a small bowl add a nice lug of olive oil, a teaspoon of sweet smoked paprika, 2 teaspoons of oregano (fresh or dry), the juice of one lemon, salt and pepper. Mix well and rub all over the lamb. Take the dish out of the oven and place the lamb into the hot oil, turning and browning the lamb. Add 2 cups of dry white wine, a handful of thyme and rosemary, a couple of bay-leaves, 3 cups of beef stock, one sliced onion and a chopped carrot. Cover with tinfoil and turn the oven temperature down to 130°C. Roast for about 3-4 hours depending on the size of the leg.
When the lamb is pulling from the bone, remove and rest, covered, for at least 20 minutes. Strain all the liquid – discarding the solids – and serve the lamb knapped (broken) in its broth with baby steamed veggies and minted Greek yogurt.
SPANISH TORRIJAS
During Easter time in Spain you’ll find these little treats in the windows of many bakeries and coffee shops.
In a pot warm 2 cups of milk, the zest of one lemon, 2 tablespoons of white sugar, a pinch of salt and a stick of cinnamon. Don’t boil the milk – just warm and allow the sugar to melt slowly. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool. Once cooled add two beaten eggs.
Warm up a non-stick pan with a little olive oil. Briefly soak slices of French loaf in the mixture and gently fry the bread. Serve the slices sprinkled with cinnamon sugar or drizzled with honey.
Paul Sheppard from Marco Paulo 031-502 2221