Easter menu

Otto Say’s

Pasta sanza vino e come il cuore sanza amore

Pasta without wine is like a heart without love

Easter 2015 and Good Friday in Canada

Good Friday is on April 3 in 2015 and Easter Monday is on April 6.

Good Friday is the Friday before Easter Sunday and it is a federal statutory holiday across Canada.

It's a complicated but precise formula that determines the day Easter Sunday is celebrated: It is the first Sunday after the first full moon in spring (after March 21st) which can occur as early March 22 and as late as April 25.

Good Friday marks the death of Jesus Christ according to the Christian religion. It is a fundamental part of Christianity along with the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday. Many agree that this is a more important holiday than Christmas since it is the ultimate proof that Jesus is the son of God because he came back from death.

In provinces where Family Day, Islander Day and Louis Riel Day are not observed Good Friday is the first stat holiday after New Years Day.

Here are several traditions for this time of the year. Egg painting is very popular and easy to do. Egg paint kits can be purchased in stores but you can also dye hard boiled eggs using a jar of beet juice! To give eggs extra shine you can rub them with fat - bacon is perfect for this. You laugh now but once you try it you'll see how well this works!

Petting zoos are popular around Easter, too, where kids get a chance to pet and feed bunnies and other animals. Some people even buy pet bunnies but you should only do this if you are ready to truly commit to having a pet.

Family get-together are also part of the Easter weekend. After Christmas and Thanksgiving the Easter weekend meal is the third largest meal nationwide.

Easter Menu

Truffled Deviled Eggs

Tangerine-Glazed Easter Ham With Baby Carrots

Scalloped Potatoes

Old-Fashion Oatmeal Pie

Irish Martini

Ruffled Deviled Eggs 12

Ingredients

6 eggs
325ml. Mayonnaise
15 ml. truffle oil
Pinch cayenne pepper
30 ml. finely chopped black
Chopped chives, for garnish

Method

1.Place the eggs in a pot and cover with tap water. The level of the water should be about 1 inch above the eggs.

2.Bring the pot to a boil and cover for 13 minutes

3.Uncover and run the eggs under cold water if using right away or refrigerate until ready to use.

4.Peel the eggs and cut in half lengthwise. Remove the yolks from the whites. Mash the yolks with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, truffle oil, cayenne and truffle peelings.

5.Whip until very light and fluffy. If you want a little more truffle flavour add a little more truffle oil. Proceed with caution, it is very easy to over truffle.

6. Spoon or pipe the yolk mixture into the whites. Sprinkle with chopped chives. If piping, fill the pastry bag with the egg mixture then cut the tip of the bag off to form a hole about 5mm in diameter. Pipe the mixture into the egg white halves.

Tangerine-Glazed Easter Ham With Baby Carrots ( 10 t0 12 )

Ingredients

4 kg smoked ham, bone-in, skin on
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch fresh sage leaves
75 ml extra-virgin olive oil
200 gr butter, cut in chunks
2 tangerines, sliced thin, seeds removed
500 ml tangerine juice
500 ml light brown sugar, packed
250 ml water
2 ml ground whole cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
750 gr carrots,large chunks peeled

Method

Preheat the oven to 160 C

1.Put the ham in a large roasting pan, fat-side up. Using a sharp knife, score the ham with cuts across the skin, about 4 cm apart and 1 cm deep.

2.Cut diagonally down the slashes to form a diamond pattern; season the meat generously with salt and pepper. 3.Chop about 8 of the sage leaves and put it in a bowl; mix with the oil to make a paste. Rub the sage-oil all over the ham, being sure to get the flavour into all the slits.

2. Bake the ham for 2 hours. Now there is plenty of time to bang-out the tangerine glaze.

3.For the glaze: Place a saucepan over medium heat. Add the chunks of butter, tangerines, tangerine juice, brown sugar, water, and spices. Slowly cook the liquid down to a syrupy glaze; this should take about 30 to 40 minutes.

3.After the ham has being going for a couple of hours, pour the tangerine glaze all over it, with the pieces of fruit and all. Scatter the remaining sage leaves on top and stick the ham back in the oven and continue to cook for 11/2 hours, basting with the juices every 30 minutes.

4.Scatter the carrots around the ham and coat in the tangerine glaze. Stick the ham once again back in the oven and cook for a final 30 minutes, until the carrots are tender, the ham is dark and crispy, and the whole thing is glistening with a sugary glaze.

5.Set the ham on a cutting board to rest before carving. Serve the carrots and tangerine glaze on the side.

Simple Scalloped Potatoes ( serves 10 to 12 )

Ingredients

60 gr butter, cut into pieces, plus more for brushing
1 clove garlic
2 kg russet potatoes, peeled and sliced 3 mm thick

salt and freshly ground pepper
300 ml chicken stock
140 ml skim milk

2 ml ground nutmeg

4 fresh bay leaves
125 ml grated Gruyere cheese

Method

1.Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 230 C.

2.Generously brush a large skillet with butter, then rub with the garlic.

3.Heat the skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the potatoes, sprinkle with salt, and pepper to taste, then arrange the remaining potatoes on top.

4.Sprinkle with salt, and pepper to taste.

5.Pour the broth and milk over the potatoes, then add the nutmeg and bay leaves; simmer 3 minutes.

6.Generously brush a shallow baking dish with butter and slide the potatoes into the dish; arrange with a fork, if desired.

7.Dot the potatoes with the cut-up butter and sprinkle with the Gruyere. Bake until golden, about 25 minutes. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Discard the bay leaves.

Old-Fashion Oatmeal Pie

Ingredients (serves 6 to 8)

1 pie crusts
4 eggs
250 ml sugar
30 ml flour
5 ml. cinnamon
1 ml salt
225 ml corn syrup
75 ml melted butter
drop vanilla

225 ml. quick cooking oats

Method

1.Preheat oven to 190 C.
2.Beat eggs until frothy.
3. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl.
4. Add eggs, mix well.
5. Add corn syrup, melted butter, and vanilla.
6. Mix oatmeal.
7. Pour into uncooked shell.
8. Bake for 45 minutes.
9 Before serving sprinkle with icing sugar

Irish Martini

Go green with your martini, just hold the vermouth and replace it with some crème de menthe. You’ll have the Irish spirit in no time. While aromatic bitters are customary, mint bitters are an equally nice compliment.

Ingredients

30 ml gin

15 ml green crème de menthe

2 quick dashes of bitters

1 mint leave

Smile and Be Sweet

The best way to win a friend is to listen and

Smile it only takes a minute” – Otto