Part of why I enjoy Easter is not just the look of pure joy on our daughter's face when she finds her Easter basket, overflowing with painted eggs and chocolate bunnies, but the timing.
Even though the Easter holiday lands on a different Sunday each year — the first Sunday following the full moon after the spring equinox — it is always a harbinger of spring.
Hand in hand with Easter come spring lambs, baby chicks, and the fresh vegetables and fruits I look forward to throughout the winter: tender artichokes, leeks, and green garlic; grassy asparagus; tiny fava beans; sweet strawberries; and tart rhubarb. Because the spring bounty is usually in full swing by the time Easter rolls around, an Easter meal is the perfect time to showcase it, whether it's a big sit-down family dinner or a festive brunch buffet following a raucous egg hunt.
Easter brunch is a tradition for many families (or just a good excuse to gather friends and family for a festive occasion). It tends to be more easygoing than a full sit-down meal and, because much of it can be made ahead (or at least before guests arrive) and set out buffet-style at room temperature, the pressure is off. Plus the timing works great alongside an egg hunt.
Coming up with a versatile, uncomplicated menu also doesn't need to be hard.
Start with a centerpiece, such as ham; add an egg-or vegetable-based dish, include something baked; and round it out with a slightly-naughty cocktail for the adults to sip while they watch the kids go haywire.
If you are serving a meal for a lot of folks, you can't go wrong with a freshly baked ham as your centerpiece, especially if you've picked one up from Bud's Custom Meats in Penngrove (I've made many hams over the years for birthdays, baby showers, Easter celebrations, and more, and Bud's is by far the best ham I've ever tasted).
Ham pairs nicely with all of the aforementioned springtime bounty, and it is a popular choice for many Easter tables. But wherever you get your ham — if you are making the recipe below — be sure to purchase a fully cooked, smoked, uncut, unglazed bone-in ham (not spiral cut, and not honey-glazed).
Choose a half- ham ideally from the shank end rather than the butt end, as it will be easier to slice and will contain less gristle; it should weigh around 9 to 11 pounds.
Eggs are often expected at a mid-morning meal — especially on Easter — but trying to serve up a bunch of fried, poached, or scrambled eggs can be a disaster. The solution? Frittata!
Always a crowd-pleaser, frittata is one of the most versatile, easy, and so-not-time-consuming ways to serve eggs at brunch.
The vegetarian frittata recipe here is a favorite in my household and makes use of tender asparagus and buttery leeks, but have fun experimenting with other lightly cooked springtime fare to personalize it to your taste: artichoke hearts, green garlic, baby potatoes, or peas.
Frittata can be served hot, but it's also great at room temperature. That means you can make it ahead of time, or at least pop it in the oven just when your guests arrive.
Also, it can easily be vegetarian and gluten-free (like the recipe below), making it extremely versatile for anyone with dietary restrictions.
Rounding out the meal — at least on my table — would be something baked. Sure, you can pick up treats at the local bakery, but homemade scones, muffins, biscuits, or even a fresh-out-of-the-oven coffeecake will always be welcomed with open arms by your guests.
And if you put streusel on a cake, I guarantee the crowds will gather, mouths watering.
Lightly sweetened strawberries and a thick buttery streusel topping blankets a tender, zest-laden vanilla cake in the recipe below. (Streusel is a crumbly topping made from sugar, flour, butter, and sometimes a bit of spice or some nuts, similar to what you find on top of a crumble.)
Like the frittata, the coffeecake is also pretty versatile, so change it up by swapping out the strawberries for lightly sautéed rhubarb, use Eureka lemon instead of Meyer lemon, swap out the lemon zest for orange zest, or add about 1/2 cup chopped almonds or pecans to the streusel.
Last but not least, try out the recipe for the mimosa-inspired cocktail made from fresh rhubarb and orange juice and topped with a splash of bubbly.
You can make it non-alcoholic by stirring the fruit mixture into sparkling water.
Asparagus, Leek, and Goat Cheese Frittata
Makes 6 to 8 servings
1 small bunch (about 1 pound) medium asparagus, ends snapped, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 heaping cups)
1 medium leek, trimmed, halved lengthwise, rinsed well, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
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