Easter Dinner

Clockwise beginning from upper left: Easter Braid, Grilled Asparagus, Home-made Garlic Mayonnaise Devilled Eggs, Pork Loin Braised in Red Wine and Vinegar, Morrocan Potato Casserole (From A Stove with a House Around It), and in the center Mushroom and Onion Gravy.

Well, here it is a week later and I'm finally posting up Easter Dinner from a week ago. It's been a busy week! Between brunch and Dinner, I spent most of the day the same as most holidays at home--in the kitchen (happily).

* * *

Pork Loin Braised in Red Wine and Vinegar with Mushroom and Onion Gravy

Ingredients:

• Pork Loin Braised in Red Wine and Vinegar (Up to the gravy steps)
• Juices from Pork Loin
• 1 onion
• 2 TB butter
• 2 cups baby bella mushrooms
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 TB flour

Directions:

• Slice onion thinly and saute in 2 TB butter for half and hour to an hour
• Add mushrooms and saute for 10 minutes until soft.
• Stir beef broth into juices from roast while it roasts.
• In a small bowl stir a couple of tablespoons of broth into 1 TB of flour. Add a couple more tablespoons until the flour and broth mixture is thin.
• Pour into the rest of the broth in a slow steady stream while whisking.
• Continue to whisk until gravy thickens.
• Add vegetables and keep warm until ready to serve.

* * *

Home-made Garlic Mayonnaise Devilled Eggs:

For Mayonnaise:

• 2 garlic cloves
• kosher salt
• 1 egg yolk
• Salt and White Pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil

For Devilled Eggs:

• 6 hard boiled eggs
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp pepper
• Paprika to sprinkle on top

Directions:

• In a mortar pound garlic and salt into a paste.
• Break egg yolk into small mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper.
• Mix on medium low for about a minute, until the yolk becomes pale.
• Add lemon juice and mix thouroughly.
• Mix in garlic paste.
• Mixing constantly on medium low add oil a drop at a time until it starts to thicken and then in a slow and steady stream, until thick and creamy.

• Slice eggs in half and carefully scoop out yolk.
• In a small bowl mash egg yolk and stir in mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
• Spoon yolk back into eggs and sprinkle paprika ove the top.

* * *

Grilled Asparagus

Ingredients:

1 LB asparagus, ends removed, sliced into inch to 2 inch pieces
2 TB olive oil
1 TB lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients in a mixing bowl.
• Lay on Foreman grill in one layer and cook 10 minutes.

Easter Braid

• 1 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 3 1/2 cups white flour
• 1 cup wheat flour
• 1 tsp ground cardamom seeds
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1 tsp rapid-rise active dry yeast.

For the Glaze:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 TB water

For the Topping:

• 4 TB candied pecans
• 3 TB sugar
• 1 tsp rum extract
• 2 tsp water

Equipment:

Bread Machine

Directions:

• Pour milk into bread machine pan
• Add eggs
• Sprinkle the flour over
• Add the salt, sugar and butter in separate corners.
• Make a shallow indention in the center of the flour and add the years.
• Set on the dough setting.
• When the dough is done, on a lightly floured surface, punch thedough down, and then divide into three equal pieces and roll into 26 inch ropes.
• Lay the three pieces next to each other and starting from the center, braid the pieces together.
• Bring the ends ofthe braid together to form a circle and pinch to seal.
• Place on a greased baking sheet, cover with plastic and leave for 45 minutes to an hour.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Make the glaze by mixing the egg yolk and water in a bowl.
• In another bowl mix the pecans, sugar, rum extract, and water.
• Brush the glaze over the loaf and sprinkle the topping over the bread, and tuck bits into the braid.
• Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 10 to 15 more minutes.

Waiting for the crazy woman to stop taking pictures so he can eat.

PRINT