Easter Sunday -- Fifteenth Sunday

I can't decide what I love most about our Sundays -- is it the scintillating family and friends or is it the delicious food? I have to say it's a tie. Easter Sunday was yet another collaboration of chefs creating delicious food and a full happy house.

The food prep started Saturday at our household with an ill-fated attempt at an Easter Bunny cake. The cake mold in the form of a Bunny was a purchase of four years ago at Williams Sonoma. The pan is very intricate and from past negative experiences, we know it has to be well oiled in order for it to release it's cakey contents. This year I was determined that the cake would be:
a. delicious
b. recognizable as a bunny and
c. elegant.

I can pretty much say I struck out. The cake was a lemon bundt with a great flavor but way too dry from having sat out all night (all be it covered). The layers were put together with a semi-sweet chocolate ganache and covered with a white chocolate ganache glaze. This is where the vision went horribly wrong. The white chocolate ganache glaze, made the bunny look ill. I tried icing him three or four times, until I finally gave up and whipped the ganache, then piped the results all over the bunny The bunny was barely recognizable and far from elegant. However, the participants were game to try it, and today all that is left is the head.

However, the rest of the meal was truly incredible. We started out with a delicious silky smooth carrot soup enhanced with a bit of saffron. Next time, I will omit the saffron as it is expensive and added nothing but a slight aftertaste. The next dish was a spring salad served with a vinagrette prepared by R from a Cooks Illustrated recipe. Eldest prepared the goat cheese disks which also came from C.I. The melba toast coating was definitely key, though we both agreed that the recipe requires to much egg mixture.

Plates were cleared belts loosened and the main entree plus sides were served. MIL and FIL's (aka Old Hickory) delicious smoked organic turkey was front and center. I can't say enough about the depth of flavor and how succulent it was. Even as I'm writing this, my mouth is watering a little bit thinking of that turkey.

R. prepared an orange avocado salsa as a garnish which complemented the turkey very well. Green rice, black beans, asparagus made by Eldest, fingerling potatoes a la M and popovers made by Jr. served to round out the meal-- and what a meal.

As a group we decided that the bellies needed some exercise so we took ourselves outside and walked en masse around the block -- Lydia included. What a glorious day what a glorious meal. We came back a little colder, a little less full and attacked the Bunny cake and washed it down with tea and coffee. Just thinking about it makes me happy.

Can I say again, how fortunate I feel that I have such a great family? I am very fortunate. I love working with them in the kitchen, talking with them, playing with them, eating with them. I just love it. You can check out the food by clicking on the turkey or here.

Every holiday celebrated, every dinner eaten together makes me realize how blessed we are and how thankful I am. I miss those that aren't physically present at the meals, but I know that they are around me in the traditions we maintain, in the eyes and hearts of those that love them and in the conversations we have. I wish you could have been here too, I know you'd have loved it.

I promised I would put up the recipe for the green rice which was quite a hit. My one caveat is that both times I have prepared this dish, I have burnt a layer of the rice. I blame the milk... (of course not me) as such I'm going to try this dish next time, using more broth, decreasing the amount of milk and using skim milk instead of whole milk. I will report the results when I do.

Until then, I present you Fine Cooking's Green Rice:

Green Rice
1/2 cup tightly packed fresh cilantro sprigs (about 1/2 oz.)
1 cup tightly packed fresh stemmed spinach leaves (about 1-1/2 oz.)
1-1/4 c chicken broth
1-1/4 c milk
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 Tbs. olive oil
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
1-1/2 c long-grain rice (I use basmati)
1/4 c finely minced onion
1 clove garlic, minced (I use 3 cloves sometimes even 4)

Put the cilantro, spinach, and broth in a blender and blend until the vegetables are puréed. Add the milk and salt and blend a bit more until well combined.

In a medium (3-qt.) heavy-based saucepan (with a good lid) over medium heat, heat the olive oil and butter. When the butter is melted, add the rice and sauté, stirring about every 30 seconds, until it just begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the onion and garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the contents of the blender, stir well, turn the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, turn the heat to very low, and cook for 20 minutes. Stir the rice carefully to avoid crushing it, cover, and cook another 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let the rice steam in the covered pot for 10 minutes. Serve hot.

By the way if you're interested... I won the Amazing Easter Race. Check it out here.