What are we eating ? | Easter recipes

Just before the weekend, all readers who cook ask themselves this eternal question: what are we going to eat? In order to inspire you, La Presse suggests some suggestions for seasonal recipes that will make your mouth water.

Peckish: classic mimosa eggs

Makes 12 deviled egg halves

Ingredients

• 6 free-range eggs
• 125 ml homemade or store-bought mayonnaise
• 10 ml prepared horseradish
• 60 ml chopped chives
• 3 pinches cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

• 1. Half fill a 5 L pot with cold water. Bring to a boil.
• 2. Prepare a container with 4 L of cold water and 2 L of ice cubes, keep near the cauldron.
• 3. Carefully drop the 6 eggs into the boiling water. Leave to boil for 9 minutes.
• 4. Remove the eggs from the boiling water and plunge them into the ice water. Leave to cool for 10 minutes.
• 5. Peel the eggs. Cut them in half lengthwise. Gently remove the cooked yolks and put them in a bowl.
• 6. Add the mayonnaise, the horseradish, 45 ml of the chives to your yolks and mix to obtain a smooth and homogeneous preparation.
• 7. Taste, then adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Fill a pastry bag—a Ziploc bag can also work—with your egg yolk mixture.
• 8. Spread your cooked egg whites on a tray, cut side up. Stuff the cavity of the whites with your yolks with mayonnaise.
• 9. To finish, sprinkle the remaining chives and cayenne pepper over the stuffing.

Source: recipe by chef Éric Dupuis of Taverne Square Dominion (now closed).

Published on lapresse.ca on October 6, 2016.

Quickly done well: potato, ham and cheddar salad

Mélissa Clément is not a fan of potato salad. But for the Easter brunch, she created a recipe, with melted ham and cheese, which has nothing to do with the classic version.

Preparation: 20 minutes

Cooking: 20 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 cups yellow potatoes, diced (unpeeled)
• 2 cups ham, diced
• 1 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup sharp cheddar, diced
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Sprouts or arugula, to taste

Preparation

• 1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
• 2. Cook the potatoes in salted boiling water for about 10 minutes or until tender.
• 3. Meanwhile, place the ham on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle with maple syrup and bake for 15 minutes.
• 4. In a bowl, combine the potatoes, ham, cheddar and green onions while the ingredients are hot. Salt and pepper generously.
• 5. Add the mayonnaise at the last moment and check the seasoning.
• 6. Serve the salad warm and garnish with sprouts or arugula.

Published on lapresse.ca on March 29, 2018.

Call me boss! : frittata with caramelized onions, candied tomatoes and zucchini

It was only natural for chef Mélissa Clément to use eggs. Coconuts are associated with Easter and their color is perfect for a yellow meal.

Preparation: 30 minutes

Cooking: 50 minutes

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients

• 3 large yellow onions, minced
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 C. butter
• 2 cups yellow tomatoes (cherry or cocktail)
• 1 or 2 sprigs of thyme and/or rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 or 2 yellow zucchini, depending on size
• 6 eggs
• 1/4 cup 35% cream (or milk)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 C. chives, chopped
• Shoots and flowers, to taste

Preparation

• 1. In a skillet, caramelize the onions in 2 tbsp. tablespoon olive oil and butter. Halfway through cooking, add a little water to loosen the cooking juices. Repeat several times and then set aside.
• 2. Preheat the oven to 160°C (325°F). In a baking dish, cook the tomatoes in 1/4 cup olive oil, add the herbs, garlic cloves, salt and pepper. Confit for 20 to 30 minutes.
• 3. Cut the zucchini into thick slices, brush with the remaining olive oil (2 tablespoons) and grill for a few minutes in the oven under the broiler. To book.
• 4. In a small bowl, combine the eggs, cream, salt and pepper.
• 5. Butter a round mold, place the caramelized onions in the bottom and then the zucchini. Add egg mixture and feta cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the oven at 175°C (375°F) or until there is no more liquid in the centre.
• 6. Cut the frittata into six wedges. Decorate with the candied tomatoes, chives and sprouts.

Published on lapresse.ca on March 29, 2018.

Guilty Pleasure: Maple Syrup Pie

Yield: 6 to 8 servings (1 pie)

Preparation: 1 hour (+2.5 hours of rest)

Cooking: 1 hour

Ingredients for the sweet crust

• 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted softened butter (leave butter at room temperature, then work with spatula or fork until soft)
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) icing sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) ground almonds
• 1 large egg
• 2 cups (500 ml) all-purpose flour
• 1 pinch of fleur de sel

Ingredients for the syrup filling

• 1/3 cup (80 ml) 35% cream
• 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) dark maple syrup
• 2 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
• 1 C. tablespoon cold water
• 1 egg

Ingredients for the maple whipped cream

• 2 cups (500 mL) 35% whipping cream
• 2 tbsp. maple sugar
• Ingredients for the finish
• Maple leaf cookie pieces
• butterscotch caramel
• Caramelized pecans in syrup

Preparing the sweet crust

• 1. In a large mixing bowl, mix the softened butter, icing sugar and ground almonds with a spatula. Add the egg and mix well.
• 2. Add the flour and fleur de sel and mix well. Form a disc 3/4 to 1 1/4 in (2 to 3 cm) thick with the dough and wrap it well in plastic wrap. Leave to rest in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
• 3. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it temper for 30 minutes.
• 4. Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
• 5. Flour the dough and work surface, then roll out the dough with a rolling pin to form a circle about 12” (30cm) in diameter and 1/16” (2mm) thick.
• 6. Flour the dough again and roll it over the rolling pin. Then unroll it onto an 8-inch (12 cm) pie pan. Lower it well to the bottom of the mold by pressing with your fingers, then cut off the excess dough on the edge.
• 7. With a fork, prick the bottom in several places. Cover the dough with foil and lay about 3/4-inch (2 cm) thick dried beans, uncooked rice or dried lentils on top to prevent the crust from bubbling and shrinking.
• 8. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned on the rim. Meanwhile, prepare the syrup filling.

Preparing the syrup filling

• 9. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
• 10. In a saucepan, bring the cream and maple syrup to a boil over medium heat.
• 11. Dissolve the cornstarch in cold water.
• 12. Add the cornstarch and water to the boiling mixture, whisking constantly, until it boils again.
• 13. Remove from the heat and incorporate the beaten egg, whisking vigorously.
• 14. Pour the mixture into the pre-baked tart base.
• 15. Bake for 20-30 minutes.
• 16. Let the pie cool completely before adding the whipped cream.

Preparation of maple whipped cream

• 17. In a large mixing bowl, whip the cream with the maple sugar until stiff peaks form.
• 18. Refrigerate until pie is done.

Preparing the finish

• 19. Top the tart with maple whipped cream.
• 20. Decorate, if desired, with a little butterscotch caramel, pieces of maple leaf cookies or, as in the photo, caramelized pecans in syrup. To serve.

Source : Do you want dessert? Here it is!by Rémy Couture, Editions La Presse.

Published on lapresse.ca on April 17, 2021.

Health ! : Abuelita

Montrealers love brunch. Montrealers are (again) starting to love cocktails. Tips and recipes to add sparkle to your Sunday lunches.

Ingredients

• 1/2 oz (15 ml) El Jimador tequila (or any other 100% agave)
• 1/2 oz (15 ml) Campari
• 1/2 oz (15 ml) white Lillet
• 1 fresh lychee (please not canned!)
• 3 oz (90 ml) San Pellegrino Pompelmo (or any other grapefruit soda)

Preparation

• Mash the fresh lychee in a shaker.
• Add tequila, Campari and white Lillet.
• Fill the shaker with ice and shake well for 5 to 10 seconds.
• Strain the mixture into a Collins glass filled with fresh ice. Complete with the San Pellegrino Pompelmo.
• Add straws and garnish with a fresh lychee and a thin slice of lime.

Source: a recipe from mixologist Jonathan Homier.

Published on lapresse.ca on July 15, 2015.