Happy Easter!
Here’s what we’re serving up this Easter Sunday…
Poached Salmon with Feta Caper Dill Sauce
Carrot Radish Salad with Honey Chive Vinaigrette
Wheat Berry Salad with Peas and Pancetta
And for dessert, I took a little help from Giada, with her orange ricotta pound cake. But instead of using Amaretto liqueur, I used St. Germaine, an elderflower liqueur that I think is just loverly for a spring feast. I also spiked my whipped cream with a dash of the liqueur.
What’s on your menu?
1 lb lamb chops (4-6 chops)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp lemon zest
¼ cup parsley, chopped
¼ cup mint leaves, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
½ tsp each salt & pepper
Combine the garlic, zest, herbs, oil, salt and pepper. Schmear (yes, that’s a technical term) the lamb chops with the herb rub and let sit 10-30 minutes to marinade. Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium-high heat. When ready, grill the lamb chops 3-5 minutes per side, depending on thickness of cute, until desired level of doneness. Serve with mint pesto…
Mint Pesto
½ cup packed parsley
2 cups packed mint leaves
3 tbsp lemon juice
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
3 tbsp light oil
1 tbsp agave nectar
Salt & pepper to taste
Water as needed
Combine first seven ingredients in a food processor and puree. Add water, a couple tablespoons at a time if you want a thinner pesto.
serves 4
2 lb salmon filet
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
1 garlic glove, sliced
Couple sprigs of dill
1 tsp yellow mustard seed
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp each salt & pepper
Cucumber slices for garnish
Make a poaching liquid by combing the wine, water, garlic, dill, mustard, lemon zest and juice, salt & pepper in a shallow sauté pan. Bring to a simmer and gently place in the salmon filet, skin side down. Cover and simmer gently for about 10 minutes, until cooked through. Remove salmon from liquid and let cool, then garnish with cucumber slices and serve with Feta Dill Caper Sauce.
Feta Dill Caper Sauce
½ cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup feta cheese
2 tbsp capers
1 tbsp lemon zest
3 tbsp chopped dill
Juice of ½ a lemon
Salt and pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4
1 cup radish, thinly sliced
2 cups carrot, thinly sliced
1 tbsp chives, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp honey
Salt and pepper
Combine radish, carrot and chives in a bowl. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, zest, and honey then pour over the veggies. Stir well then season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4
2 cups water
1 cup wheat berries
½ cup blanched peas
1 clove garlic, minced
2 slices of pancetta, diced
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ red onion, diced
1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
Salt and pepper
Bring the water to a boil then add the wheat berries and a pinch of salt. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until water is absorbed and berries are al dente…about 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water and let drain. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a sauté pan. Add the pancetta and sauté until golden. Add the garlic and sauté a couple more minutes then remove from heat. Stir in the peas, onion, hazelnuts and vinegar then combine with the wheat berries. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 4
1 avocado
1 English cucumber
2 tbsp lime juice
½ cup apple juice
Salt & Pepper
Garnish:
Baguette, thinly sliced & toasted
Diced red apple & chives
In a blender, puree the avocado, cucumber, and fruit juices until smooth. Add more juice or water for a thinner soup. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with toasted baguette slice and diced red apples & chives.
If your kids love applesauce like mine does, then you’re probably always tossing in a 4 or 6 pack of applesauce into your carriage at the market. Well don’t throw out those little containers when the kids have finished scarfing down the ‘sauce! Clean and save them. They are super convenient, and the perfect size, to have on hand and fill up with dip on your kids veggie plate!!!
Puree ripe avocado with a little salt and lime juice for a fresh and healthier option to mayo.
Now, I’m the first one to confess my deep and passionate love for garlic, but sometimes it can just be a pain, especially if you want the subtle flavor of garlic without having to take a big ol’ bite of it. Unless you’re a professional who’s been trained in the art of slicing, dicing, mincing and mashing garlic, chases are you, like me, usually end up with pieces of all shapes and sizes in your food. Not to mention the potent smell all over your hands. But I’ve discovered a fantastic trick for all us garlic lovers. Here’s how it happened… I have a small-grated handheld grater that I use quite often for grating ginger into dishes. One day, weary of yet another chop fest that would leave my fingers sticky and able to fend off the fiercest vampires, I decided to take said grater to my garlic cloves. And the result was glorious! Fine threads of garlic came streaming out that blended perfectly into my food without any overpowering bites. And clean up was a breeze too! I’ve been grating my garlic ever since.
You might have noticed that the little picture in the upper left hand corner has changed. Yep, that’s a new logo you see! A couple months ago I was itching to get a fresh new look for the biz. I had a very faint idea of what I wanted…something reminiscent of the farm & country. Needing some inspiration, I asked my son to draw me a picture of a rooster or chicken. 10 minutes later he presented me with a sketch that I instantly new was going to be the basis of my new design. It was perfect…exactly what I wanted…I was in love! So I passed the sketch off to my graphic designer, Maya Szatai. A few tweaks and feathers later, the GreenChic rooster was born. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Oh, and the rooster is still awaiting the perfect name, so if you have a suggestion, send it along!
