15 recipes for Easter dinner
Easter dinner is as much a celebration of spring as it is a religious holiday. It is often a meal of traditional Easter foods such as eggs (a symbol of rebirth), lamb (a symbol of spring) and hot cross buns (the cross a symbol of, well, the cross). And because it falls in the spring — usually the first Sunday after the vernal equinox — the meal often features fresh spring produce such as asparagus, artichokes and peas. Ham — ready to eat in the spring after curing through the winter — often replaces the lamb here in the United States. Homemade rolls or biscuits typically grace the table and you’ll surely want potatoes, perhaps roasted crispy or with herbs. An Easter soup makes a nice starter. At the end of the meal, a carrot cake can be a subtle reminder of the Easter Bunny — the ostensible source of those chocolate eggs. Easter falls on March 27 this year.
Everything spice deviled eggs
Deviled eggs are bite-sized flavor bombs that offer a study in both texture and balance. The sprinkle of everything bagel spice that garnishes these ties all the flavors together.
Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Yields Makes 24 deviled eggs
Mayeritsa Greek Easter Soup
Authentic Mayeritsa is made with lamb heart, lungs and other organ meats. These days adaptations such as the lamb shanks or neck bones called for here are permissible.
Time Active work time: 30 minutes
Total preparation time: 1 1/2 hours
Yields Serves 8
Asparagus with egg and anchovy
This asparagus is dressed simply with hard-cooked egg, anchovy, shallots, olive oil and fresh lemon juice. The dish is finished with a sprinkle of fleur de sel.
Time 35 minutes
Yields Serves 6
Roast Lamb With Fresh Peas and Turnips
Russ Parsons’ recipe for lamb served with braised peas and baby turnips is a spring classic.
Time 4 hours 30 minutes
Yields Serves 6
Pork tenderloin roasted in rosemary salt with fingerling potatoes
The pork tenderloin comes out moist and tender and, along with the potatoes, suffused with a gentle, almost haunting, fragrance of rosemary.
Time 50 minutes
Yields Serves 4
Chipotle- and orange-glazed ham
Sweet and spicy, this glazed ham is a perfect centerpiece for a holiday feast.
Time 2 hours 10 minutes
Yields Serves 10 to 12
Drop Biscuits
These rich and creamy biscuits provide all the comfort of traditional flaky biscuits but without the hassle of rolling and cutting them out.
Time 25 minutes
Yields Makes about 15
Hot Cross Buns
Even before you taste the citrus in these tender buttery hot cross buns, you can smell it in the glaze.
Time 4 hours
Yields Makes about 20 buns
Spring sauté
Everything in this dish is green, albeit of different hues. The shapes and forms vary, including the complicated artichoke, the layers of asparagus tips and the hidden geometry of peas.
Time 1 hour
Yields Makes 4 to 6 cups of mixed vegetables
Springtime Peas
Fresh whole sugar snap peas and shelled English peas make for a great combination of textures and flavors.
Time 15 minutes
Yields Serves 6
Easter Herbal Potatoes
New potatoes roasted with herbs make a great accompaniment to the Easter lamb or ham. But these aren't just any roasted potatoes; the herbs are inside them.
Time 1 hour
Yields Serves 4
Perfect English Roast Potatoes
Perfect English roast potatoes are the best a potato can be with their fluffy inside and crunchy outside. Great as a side dish to a variety of mains.
Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Yields Serves 4 to 6
Vegan Carrot-Banana Cake
Packed with carrots, this cake is simple to make vegan without sacrificing its original deliciousness.
Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Yields Serves 8 to 12
Lemon-Rosemary Shortbread Cookies
Boldly flavored with lemon and rosemary, these shortbread cookies are made with fewer than five ingredients.
Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Yields Makes 20 cookies
Chocolate-dipped almond eggs
The dry milk in these hand-dipped chocolate eggs with almond butter centers makes for a light, malty crunch.
Time 40 minutes
Yields Makes about 2 1/2 dozen
