As Christians celebrate Easter on Sunday, April 17, here are some celebratory recipes to remember the occasion. The reason that Christians celebrate Easter is because that is the day that Christians believe Jesus Christ rose from the grave after he was crucified.
While we don’t know the exact date this took place, we historically celebrate Easter on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the spring equinox. As a historical note, the first ecumenical council of the Christian church established the date for Easter when it met in Turkey in 325 AD.
From Savannah Style, Beef Wellington, a recipe that dates back to as early as 1899 and 1903, is an elegant dish that, if you can find it in restaurants, is very expensive. However, you can prepare it yourself at home for just the cost of the ingredients and a little time and effort. Don’t skimp on the cut of meat. Only the most tender center-cut tenderloin (filet mignon) will do for this special dish.
We found a wonderful pork roast recipe for you in Southern Living’s All-Time Favorites. This can work for a small party for other celebrations
From Feeding the Flock, we have Swiss Chicken Cutlets from Allison Chase. You can make your own cutlets from chicken breasts according to the recipe below by pounding between sheets of waxed paper.
From Charleston Receipts, James Island Shrimp Pie contributed by Mrs. John Jenkins is a shrimp and rice casserole. You need two pounds of shrimp and a cup of raw rice, both of which you cook before making the pie. It is then baked in a moderate oven (350 to 375 degrees) for about 30 minutes or until brown on top. And, from Cooking with Foliage La Sertoma of Apopka, we have directions on how to boil shrimp.
Mary Frances Mancuso’s Garlic Smashed Potatoes, from Apopka Historical Society’s Preserving the Big Potato, is a wonderfully tasty dish for special occasions or any other time.
BEEF WELLINGTON
Recipe from Savannah Style,
a Cookbook by The
Junior League of Savannah, Inc.
6 pound beef filet
Salt and pepper
Butter pastry, recipe below
Duxelles (Filling), recipe next column
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
Roast beef seasoned with salt and pepper on a rack in shallow pan at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 1/2 hour. Cool for 2 hours, then trim fat. Meanwhile, prepare butter pastry.
Butter Pastry:
3-3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons shortening
1 cup cold butter or margarine
3/4 cup ice water
Combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening and cold butter until fine. Add water a tablespoon at a time for stiff dough. Make dough into a square and chill for 30 minutes.
Duxelles:
1 pound fresh mushrooms, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/2 teaspoon marjoram
1 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons flour
1/4 cup cooked ham, finely chopped
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped
Saute mushrooms in butter with onions; cook until liquid evaporates. Add remaining ingredients except hand and parsley. Stir until thickened. Remove from heat, add ham and parsley. Cool.
Roll pastry into rectangle large enough to wrap around beef (about 3 inches longer than beef, 12 to 13 inches wide). Press cool duxelles into pastry, leaving one inch uncovered on all edges. Moisten pastry edges, enclose beef, pressing edges together. Trim off excess pastry from edges so single layer cover ends. Place roll seam side down in shallow baking pan. Cut decorations from pastry and place on top. Brush pastry with egg beaten with water. Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 30 minutes until browned. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.
PEPPERCORN PORK ROAST
Recipe from Southern Living
All-Time Favorites
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (4-1/2 pound) rolled boneless
pork loin roast
1) Heat oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add roast; brown on all sides. Place roast in a roasting pan, and cool slightly.
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
3 tablespoons cracked black pepper corns or multicolored peppercorns
2) Combine mustard seeds and peppercorns in a heavy-duty, zip-top plastic freezer bag; seal. Crush spices with a meat mallet or rolling pin.
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3) Combine crushed spices, 2 tablespoons flour, and next 3 ingredients; stir in 1/4 cup softened butter and 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard. Spread mixture on top and sides of roast. 4) Bake at 475 degrees for 20 minutes; reduce heat to 325 degrees. Loosely cover with aluminum foil; bake 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 160 degrees. Remove roast from pan, reserving 2 tablespoons drippings; keep roast warm.
2 tablespoons reserved drippings
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups apple cider, divided
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
5) Combine reserved drippings, 1 tablespoon flour, 2 tablespoons of the apple cider, 1 tablespoon cider vinegar, and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard. Set aside this flour mixture for step 7.
3 tablespoons apple brandy
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
6) Bring remaining apple cider to a boil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; boil 8 minutes or until reduced to (almost half) 3/4 cup. Stir in brandy; boil 1 minute. 7) Whisk in flour mixture, salt, and pepper; cook over medium-high heat until thickened. Serve with roast. Makes 10 servings.
ALLISON CHASE’S
SWISS CHICKEN CUTLETS
Recipe from Feeding The Flock,
New Vision Community Church
2 thin slices Swiss cheese
4 chicken cutlets (4 ounces each), 1/4-inch thick
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
or margarine
1/2 cup reduced-sodium
chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine or
reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
Chopped fresh parsley or fresh
oregano sprigs for garnish
Cut each cheese slice in half and place one half on top of each cutlet. Starting with short end, tightly roll up cutlets, jell-roll style. Tie securely with string. On waxed paper, combine flour and pepper. Mix well. Add cutlets and toss gently to coat. In large nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add cutlets, cook, turning frequently, until golden, about three minutes. Add broth, wine, and dried oregano to skillet. Increase heat, bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, simmer until chicken is cooked through and sauce is slightly thickened, about 10-12 minutes. Place on serving plate and remove string. Garnish with parsley or oregano sprigs. If cutlets are not available, simply pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves between two sheets of waxed paper to a 1/4-inch thickness.
MRS. JOHN T. JENKINS’
(HESS LEBBY)
JAMES ISLAND SHRIMP PIE
Recipe from Charleston Receipts, America’s Oldest Junior League Cookbook in Print,
a Cookbook by The Junior League
of Charleston, Inc.
1 cup of raw rice
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter
2 eggs
Pinch of mace
5 tablespoons tomato catsup
2-1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire
Salt and pepper to taste
2 pounds shrimp
1 cup milk (approximately)
Cook rice in salted water until very soft and stir butter into it. Combine all ingredients with cooked shrimp (see instructions for cooking below), adding enough milk to make mixture the consistency of thick custard. Put in buttered casserole and bake in moderate oven until brown on top (about 30 minutes). Serves 8.
BOILED SHRIMP
Recipe from Cooking with
Foliage La Sertoma of Apopka
2 pounds raw, headless, unpeeled shrimp, fresh or frozen
3 cups water
1/4 cup salt
Thaw shrimp if frozen. Add salt to water and bring to boil. Add shrimp and reduce heat. Cover and simmer 3 to 5 minutes, depending on size of shrimp. (Shrimp is cooked when opaque in center when tested by cutting in half.) Drain shrimp. Rinse shrimp thoroughly under cold running water. Note: If shrimp has been peeled, reduce salt to 2 tablespoons and cooking time to 2 to 3 minutes, depending on size of shrimp.
MARY FRANCIS MANCUSO’S
GARLIC SMASHED POTATOES
Recipe from Apopka Historical
Society, Preserving the Big Potato
6 tablespoons butter
4 cloves of garlic, peeled
1-1/2 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into eighths
1 cup milk or half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
Melt half of the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add garlic cloves. Cover and cook until golden and tender (about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally. Transfer mixture to a food processor and puree. Cover potatoes with salt water in a large saucepan and boil on medium-high heat until tender. Drain and mash potatoes with a potato masher or electric mixer. Add remaining butter, milk, garlic mixture, and seasonings. Beat until light and fluffy. Serve warm.
