I figure Easter has to pretty much be the rabbit's favorite holiday. I know NN planned an online Thanksgiving get together... why not Easter? Most of the United States celebrates the rabbit for one day every year. (China, in contrast, makes the rabbit wait 11 years before once again celebrating all things leporidae lagomorpha.)
The Panic family came into town to celebrate Easter, which gave me a chance to entertain family with a little bit of spring cuisine.
The menu:
- Goat cheese souffles in phyllo cups, atop a fresh frisée and radish salad (recipe)
- Honeybaked ham
- Prosciutto wrapped fresh asparagus
- Fresh herb and English pea risotto†
- Homemade Carrot cake with ginger-orange butter-cream frosting
My FAA and I began our prep work ahead of schedule (we even tested out a recipe or two). Of course, there were also eggs to be boiled (note the spiffy egg timer -- makes the perfect hard, soft or medium boiled egg every time, regardless of the number of eggs or the roll of the boil) for decorating. She also handled the table, and did a great job:
We were cautioned against making the carrot cake because "it's too much work." Well, if Willy Wonka's gunna figure out macarons, I can handle carrot cake. Especially with my secret weapon, which made short work of a few pounds of carrots, grating and chopping them into perfect little bits in no time at all. The pecans were pulverized in about four seconds. Food processors officially kick ass.
The salad worked out quite well, though it was a bit more work than one might usually devote to a salad. This was my first time working with phyllo, carefully buttering them together and gently prodding them into cupcake pans to make the cups, then filling them with the goat cheese mixture before silently baking them and tiptoeing around the kitchen.
I think that the phyllo coups would be equally good filled with berries and mascarpone ... if that doesn't get my FAA to post a comment, I don't know what will.
All in all, though I think that the carrot cake was the winner.* And
making it was a hell of a lot of fun. I brought some of the leftovers into the offices of Nu, Nu & Nu, LLP. Nonny Nu ended up eating the leftover frosting out of a Tupperware container -- with a spoon.
I think I'm going to make another one this weekend -- if Nonny Nu can behave herself.
* My little sis deserves a shout-out for the recipe!
We were cautioned against making the carrot cake because "it's too much work." Well, if Willy Wonka's gunna figure out macarons, I can handle carrot cake. Especially with my secret weapon, which made short work of a few pounds of carrots, grating and chopping them into perfect little bits in no time at all. The pecans were pulverized in about four seconds. Food processors officially kick ass.
The salad worked out quite well, though it was a bit more work than one might usually devote to a salad. This was my first time working with phyllo, carefully buttering them together and gently prodding them into cupcake pans to make the cups, then filling them with the goat cheese mixture before silently baking them and tiptoeing around the kitchen.I think that the phyllo coups would be equally good filled with berries and mascarpone ... if that doesn't get my FAA to post a comment, I don't know what will.
All in all, though I think that the carrot cake was the winner.* And
making it was a hell of a lot of fun. I brought some of the leftovers into the offices of Nu, Nu & Nu, LLP. Nonny Nu ended up eating the leftover frosting out of a Tupperware container -- with a spoon.I think I'm going to make another one this weekend -- if Nonny Nu can behave herself.
* My little sis deserves a shout-out for the recipe!
† FAA pointed out this omission in the initial post
8 comments:
classy.
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I had some of L'il Sis' Carrot Cake, and it was totally gross. If you make another one, Cl. Panic, I suggest you not bother eating it. Bring it in and I will deliver it to the Carrot Cake Disposal site (there's one that I drive past everyday). Don't worry, I'll get rid of it for you--especially if there's a lot of the super-gross frosting on it. You don't want to leave an ultra-frosted one of those in your pretty house. Nobody knows carrot cakes like rabbits, and I will tell you right now that those things are toxic. Bring it in for disposal immediately.
My humble FAA forgot to mention the outstanding
HERB RISOTTO he made (arborio rice, rosemary, thyme, chervil, parsley, etc.)
His only mistake was not filling the extra phyllo cups with fruit, marscapone, icecream, chocolate, or buttercream frosting. mmmm....
Welcome to TWoNN, Cl. Panic's FAA!! By "outstanding," I am sure you really mean "disgusting." No doubt, by "mistake," you mean "smart move." And, by "mmmm.....," of course you mean "BARF." Don't worry--we at TWoNN know how you feel! The Carrot Cake Disposal site has sister disposal sites for risottos and phyllo-contained food items. I think the world should be rid of these foodstuffs (via these disposal sites), don't you?
P.S. How would you like to be known on TWoNN? I hate to keep calling you "Cl. Panic's FAA." I'll wait for your answer before I log you on the Hall of Fame. Lemme know!
After hours of consideration...I've decided to go by A-Dog...although I do find FAA to be somewhat endearing...
A-Dog it is...
although I do find FAA to be somewhat endearing...
Oh please, it's downright romantic!
BARF!
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