Marbled Chinese Eggs

Tea and soy infused eggs

Although the snow outside makes it look more like Christmas, it is Easter again. To go with the non-traditional weather we are making some unconventional Easter eggs: Marbled Chinese Tea Eggs. They take little effort and look absolutely stunning.  You can use regular eggs or try quail eggs for an even cuter result.

These eggs are super tasty and not only for Easter. They make a great snack or little side dish for a dim sum style dinner; or add them to a salads and stir fries.

 

Ingredients
6 regular eggs (or 18 quail eggs)
6 tbsp light soya sauce
2 tbsp dark sweet soya sauce
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp sugar
3 pieces of whole star anise
8 black peppercorns, left whole
1 long cinnamon stick
1 tea bag or 2 tbsp loose black tea leaves

Recipe

1. Place the eggs in a large saucepan or pot, and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil, and then remove from heat and let stand for 10 minutes. (Place quail eggs in boiling water for 4 minutes)
2. Use a slotted spoon to place the eggs in an ice bath for a few minutes. Leaving the hot water in the pot.
3. Once the eggs are cool enough to handle, tap and roll them to break the shells all over.
4. Add the soy sauces, salt, sugar, star anise, cinnamon, pepper corns to the hot water.
5. Hang the tea bag into the water (or sprinkle in the tea leaves.)
6. Return the cracked eggs to the pot.
7. Cover and bring to the boil. Cook at a low simmer for 2 hours. Ensure that the eggs are covered in liquid, adding water if necessary.
8. Turn off the heat and allow to cool completely. Refrigerate the eggs in the liquid over night.

Tips & Variations

Consider some of the following

• Chinese five spice powder
• mandarin rind or juice

Other Easter egg recipes

• Naturally dyed eggs
• Beet pickled (deviled) eggs

Devilled Eggs – Plain or Pretty in Pink

Delicate Devilled Eggs….either plain….

….or pretty in pink…

I love making Devilled Eggs for finger-food parties. Granted they are a little old fashioned. Or maybe I should say they are a classic – at every party they disappear within no time.

This recipe is a gorgeous looking twist on the usual plain eggs. The eggs are pickled in beet juice and turn a stunning pink.

If I am totally honest personally I prefer the delicate flavour of plain deviled eggs, but these eggs look so stunning I am sure I will make them again.

 

Ingredients
(Pickling recipe from blog ‘Go Lightly Gourmet”
Devilled Egg recipe from “Komm Koch und Back mit mir” – my first cookbook ever)
6 eggs

Pickled eggs:

30ml (1/4 cup) of agave syrup (or 30g sugar)
125ml (½ cup) of apple cider vinegar
125ml (½ cup) of water
½ teaspoon of sea salt
½ teaspoon of whole cloves
½  teaspoon of whole allspice
1 cinnamon stick
3 medium beets
½ onion sliced into very thick slices
6 large farm fresh eggs, hard boiled, cooled and peeled

Devilled egg filling:

3 tbsp mayonnaise
1,5 tsp mustard
Salt, Pepper

Recipe

Pickled eggs:

1. To make the pickling mixture, add all the ingredients except for beets, onion, eggs to a saucepan.
2. Bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat.
3. Wash the beets. Cut off the ends and cut into quarters. (Be carful not to touch the cut surfaces or use gloves.)
4. Place in a pot and cover with water. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until beets are just tender.
5. Pour off water and allow beets to cool slightly.
6. Place hard-boiled eggs, onion, cooked beets in a large glass jar or a zip lock bag. Pour in the pickling mixture.
7. Place in the fridge and pickle for a minimum of 24 hours and up to 2 weeks. The longer the eggs pickle the deeper the pink will seep into the egg. (The eggs on the photograph were pickled whole for 48 hours. I then cut them open and removed the egg yolk to make the deviled egg filling. I returned the egg white halves to the pickling mixture for another 24 hours.)

Devilled egg filling:

1. Carefully cut the eggs open lengthwise. (I wipe my knife in between eggs as not to transfer egg yolk onto the white.)
2. Use a teaspoon to remove the egg yolk.
3. Use a tablespoon to push the egg yolks through a sieve.
4. Add mayonnaise, mustard, salt and pepper to the yolks and combine. Adjust amounts to suite your taste.
5. Spoon the mixture into a piping bag and decorate the eggs (alternatively you can use two teaspoons to place the filling into the eggs.)
6. The eggs can be prepared earlier in the day and stored in the fridge. I have even made them the day before despite the fact that I always read that eggs, once boiled and peeled, should be refrigerated in water.

 
Serve with

Other pink foods for a baby shower: (recipes will follow over the next few days)

• Quick Pink Salmon Mousse
• Quinoa Beet Verrine with Smoked Salmon
• Beet Bread – Shockingly Pink
• Raspberry Chicken
• Beet Hummus
• Mini Meatballs – Plain or Pink
• Raspberry Yoghurt
  

  It’s a girl! Baby shower food

Pizza Rustica for Easter

Pizza Rustica - Easter Pie with Smooth Ricotta and Italian Meats

Why only stick to the traditions you know? Holidays are a fabulous excuse to discover new ones. This Easter I  experimented with Pizza Rustica. A true family dish that seems to have endless variations. I combined bits of inspiration from about four different recipes. Therefore, you should consider the below recipe as no more than a guideline.  Especially the pastry seems to come in many different forms: from pizza dough to thin layers of flaky pastry.

As you serve this pie at room temperature it would also make for a great picnic dish.

Ingredients
Crust
280g (2 cups) flour
30g (¼ cup) sugar
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp baking powder
120g (1/2 cup) cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 large eggs

Filling
8 eggs
900g (2 lb) ricotta
220g (8 oz) mozzarella
80g (1 cup) parmesan and/or pecorino
100g  (3,5 oz) Salami (one or two different types)
80g (3 Oz) Prosciutto
1 bunch of flat-leaf parsley
1/4-1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp salt

Recipe
Crust

1. Combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder in a food processor and pulse to mix.
2. Cut the butter into cubes and evenly distribute over the flour.
3. Pulse again until mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
4. Add the eggs and continue to pulse until dough forms a ball.
5. Remove dough and divide into two pieces – one of them a little larger than the other. Shape two disc and separately wrap in cling film.
6. Chill for at least half an hour (or up to over night).

Filling

1. Into a large bowl, break 3 eggs and beat thoroughly.
2. Add the ricotta and stir to incorporate thoroughly.
3. Cube the mozzarella. Grate the parmesan. Cube the meat. Chop parsley.
4. Add all the ingredients to the ricotta.
5. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Stir again to incorporate.
6. Refrigerate the filling until you are ready to assemble the pie (you can prepare the filling the day before).

Assemble 

1. When you are ready to make the pie. Heat the oven 190C (375F).
2. Prepare a round cake tin by lining the base with baking paper.
3. Roll out the larger disc of dough first. Place in the cake tin. Allow the edges to hang over the side.
4. Spoon in filling and smooth the surface. Using a table spoon make four evenly spaced indentations.
5. Break the eggs into the indentations.
6. Fold the overlapping edges towards the center.
7. Roll out the second disc. Cut the pastry the size of the cake tin and use it to cover the pie. Press the edges together (you can use a fork).
8. Cut the leftover pastry into leaves and decorate the pie.
9. Cut a cross into the center of the pie as a vent.
10. Lightly beat the last egg and brush onto the pie.
11. Place the pie in the oven and bake for 50-80 minutes. Check the pie after about 30 minutes. If it is browning too fast, cover loosely with aluminum foil.
12. To check if the pie is done insert a knife into the air vent. It should come out clean.
13. Once done, remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly. Remove the ring of the cake tin.
    Allow to cool to room temperature before serving.

Easter Eggs with Natural Dye

Easter Eggs with All Natural Dyes

Happy Easter!

In our family a holiday is not complete without a project.  This Easter we decided to dye our eggs using only natural products. The verdict is unanimous: much more beautiful than any artificial colour….and so much more fun!

 

Eggs Dyed With Red Cabbage

and Red Beets

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients
White eggs
4 tbsp white vinegar
1 red beet (brown)
½ a head of red cabbage (blue)
200g spinach (light green)
1 tbsp turmeric (light yellow)
Stockings
String
A few pretty leaves
A pair of latex gloves

Recipe

1. Hard-boil the eggs (Click here for Julia Child’s method for boiling eggs).
2. Chop the cabbage into chunks. Place into a pot and cover with water.
3. Peel the beets and cut into cubes. (Protect your hands with gloves).Place into a pot and cover with water.
4. Place spinach in a pot with water.
5. Place turmeric in a pot with water.
6. Bring the pots of water to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the water has reached the desired colour (your eggs will be a lighter shade than the dye). I cooked the beets and cabbage for one hour and the cabbage for around three hours.
7. Pour the dye into individual jars.
8. Add 1 tbsp vinegar to each of the jars.
9. Allow the dye to cool.
10. Place a leaf on each egg and wrap tightly in a piece of stocking. Attach a long piece of string to the egg (this will make it easy to place in the dye and remove them when done).
11. Place the jars in the fridge over night.
12. Remove the eggs and cut off the stockings (protect your hands with gloves).