Easter Inspiration

Sue-Ann loves Easter. It's the only holiday in the calendar that isn't interrupted by vineyard or cellar duties, so it's the biggest friends and family event in her personal calendar. 

Here are a few of Sue-Ann's favourite recipes for Easter weekend:

CRUNCHY FRIED FISH
Pair with 2020 Riesling Loved By Lu for a Good Friday feast
Ingredients
o    2 lbs fish (ex: cod, haddock, halibut) cut into portion sizes removing any pin bones
o    1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, divided
o    ½ cup cornstarch, divided
o    1 tsp baking powder
o    16 ounces club soda
o    1 tsp salt (plus seasoning of your choice like Old Bay, Lemon Pepper, etc)

Method
Mix 1 cup flour, ¼ cup cornstarch, baking powder and salt in a bowl.  Stir in enough club soda to make a batter about the consistency of thin pancake batter – just thick enough to nicely coat the back of a spoon.
In another bowl, mix remaining ¼ cup flour and ¼ cup cornstarch plus any desired seasoning.
Heat 3” to 4” oil in a deep pan to 375°F (using a candy thermometer if you need to).  
Dredge fish in the dry flour mixture.  Shake off any excess.  Dip dredged fish into batter allowing any excess to drop off before adding fish to the hot oil.
Cook fish one or two pieces at a time until golden brown.  Do not start another batch until the oil temperature returns to 375°F
Drain on paper towels or a cake cooling rack over paper towels.
Serve with chips.  Or potato salad.  Or Coleslaw.  Or … whatever is easiest (because ... it is a holiday!)
Source: allrecipes.com.

SWEET POTATO & ORANGE LOAF
Pair with Fancy Farm Girl Frosty Fizz for Easter Brunch
Ingredients
o    1 small sweet potato
o    1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
o    2 tbsp orange zest , (about two oranges)
o    2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
o    1 tbsp baking powder
o    1/2 tsp salt
o    3 eggs
o    2/3 cup canola oil
o    1/3 cup fresh orange juice , strained (about 1 orange)
 
Glaze
o    3 tbsp orange marmalade
o    1 tbsp lemon juice
o    candied clementines , (optional)
 
Method
Prick unpeeled sweet potato several times with a fork. Microwave on high until tender, turning halfway through, 5 to 8 min. Let cool 20 min. Cut in half and scoop into a small bowl. Mash until smooth. Reserve 1/3 cup and set aside.
Position rack in centre of oven, then preheat to 350F. Spray a 9×5-in. loaf pan with oil.
Rub sugar and orange zest in a medium bowl with your hands to release the natural oils. Whisk in flour, baking powder and salt.
Whisk eggs, oil, 1/3 cup reserved mashed sweet potato and orange juice in a large bowl. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Scrape into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake until a tester inserted into centre of loaf comes out clean, covering with foil if top browns too quickly, 60 to 65 min.
 Allow loaf to cool for 10 min in pan. Remove to a rack to cool completely.
 Glaze: Whisk marmalade and lemon juice in a small bowl until smooth. Brush loaf with glaze, then decorate with candied clementines if desired.
Kitchen Tip: To make candied clementines, thinly slice 3 clementines into 1/4-in. rounds. Remove any seeds. Boil 1/2 cup each water and granulated sugar in a large saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, then carefully add clementines. Simmer until slices look slightly translucent, about 20 min. Remove from heat, let cool in syrup before using.
 Source: Chatelaine
 
BEETROOT & GIN CURED SALMON
Pair with The Windsock Cabernet Sauvignon Rosé as an Easter Dinner appetizer
Ingredients
o    500-600g piece of salmon fillet, skin on
o    2tbsp juniper berries
o    ½ tsp black peppercorns
o    2tbsp sea salt
o    2tbsp sugar
o    5tbsp gin
o    150g raw beetroot, peeled and grated (wear rubber gloves!)
o    3tbsp grated horseradish
 
Method
Remove any pin bones from the salmon with tweezers. Line a baking sheet with clingfilm and place the fish on it, skin side down.
Crush the juniper and peppercorns in a pestle and mortar. Mix together these spices with the remaining ingredients. Spread the mixture over the salmon and press down. Wrap clingfilm around and over the top of the salmon a few times. Place another baking sheet on top and weigh it down with jars or cans. Leave in the fridge for at least 36 hours and preferably 3 days.
Unwrap the fish and scrape off the marinade. The salmon will freeze very well at this point. It will keep for 5 days in the fridge.
To slice the salmon, you’ll need either a proper smoked salmon knife (worth the investment if you make this a few times a year) or a fish-filleting knife, which has a flexible blade. Make sure the knife is really sharp and cut the salmon into thin slices. 
Serve with crème fraiche and pickled cucumber.
 
PICKLED CUCUMBER
Ingredients
o    75g caster sugar
o    1½ tsp sea salt
o    175ml white wine vinegar
o    10 peppercorns
o    rind of ½ lemon
o    1 cucumber, peeled, deseeded and sliced
 
Method
Dissolve the sugar and salt over a gentle heat then add the white wine vinegar, peppercorns and lemon rind. Set aside to cool, then pour over the cucumber, cover and put in the fridge for at least 1 hour or overnight.
Source: Woman & Home
 
LAMB & STOUT STEW
Pair with The Chestnut Tree Cabernet Franc
Ingredients
o    1 leek, rinsed, sliced lengthwise then crosswise into 1/2" pieces
o    1 stalk celery, diced
o    1/2 medium onion, diced
o    2 slices bacon, chopped
o    2 pounds lamb from a leg of lamb, chunked into 1" pieces, excess fat and silver skin trimmed
o    2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
o    2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2" pieces
o    4 small red skinned potatoes, quartered
o    4 sprigs thyme
o    2 sprigs rosemary
o    1 bay leaf
o    1 1/2 cups beef broth
o    1 14 ounce can Irish stout beer, such as Guinness
o    1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 teaspoons water
o    1 cup frozen peas
o    1 cup frozen pearl onions
o    1/4 cup chopped parsley
 
Method
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 
In a large dutch oven, brown the chopped bacon over medium high heat. Transfer crisped bacon to a paper towel lined dish. Set aside. 
In two or three batches, brown lamb in dutch oven, using bacon fat to sear the meat. Use tongs to turn the chunks of lamb over and brown all sides. 
Add all the lamb back to the pot and stir in the leeks, celery and onion. Cook over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until vegetables begin to soften. Add the chunks of parsnips, carrots and potatoes.
 
Knot a piece of string around the thyme and rosemary and add to the pot. Add bay leaves, broth and stout. Heat just to boiling, place the lid tightly on the pot and transfer to the oven. Braise for 2 1/2 hours. 
Remove pot from the oven and stir in the cornstarch and water mixture to thicken sauce slightly. Add the peas and pearl onions, stir to combine and place the lid back on the pot to warm them through. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and reserved bacon.
Source: Food52.com
 
MILK CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
Pair with The Wisteria Tree Cabernet Franc Icewine
Ingredients
o    7 ounces milk chocolate, chopped into very small pieces
o    2 egg yolks
o    2 tablespoons sugar
o    1/4 cup heavy cream, plus 1 cup

Method
In a large glass bowl, place the chopped milk chocolate and set aside. 
Add the egg yolks and sugar to a small bowl and whisk until pale in color. 
In a saucepan, over low heat, bring 1/4 cup of the cream to a simmer, and slowly add the cream into the yolk and sugar mixture to temper. Pour the creamy mixture back into pan and stir with a wooden spoon until it coats the back of the spoon. 
Pour hot mix into a fine mesh sieve placed directly over bowl with the chopped chocolate. Stir until completely smooth. 
In another bowl, whip remaining 1 cup of the cream to almost stiff peaks. 
Fold half the whipped cream into the milk chocolate mix to lighten and then fold in the remaining whipped cream. 
Pour into four serving bowls and refrigerate until set. 
Source: adapted from Claire Robinson’s White Chocolate Mousse recipe on foodnetwork.ca