Easter Sunday brunch ideas from Chef Kelli

8 servings                   

    2# bulk breakfast sausage
    ½ cup Spanish onion diced 
    ¼ cup maple syrup
    2 pears sliced thin
    2 eggs beaten
    ½ cup Panko bread crumbs
    1 cups shredded cheddar
    Salt and pepper to taste
    1 sheet puff pastry
    Egg Wash-1 egg plus 1 tablespoon milk blended

Method:

1.    Over medium heat in a large skillet cook sausage and onion. Drain off fat and add pears.  Cook until tender and add syrup.  Cool.
2.    Combine sausage with cheese, bread crumbs and beaten eggs.
3.    Place puff pastry sheet on a cutting board and roll out slightly.  From the short side cut in 2 inch towards the center on each side in 1 inch intervals.  Place the filling down the center.
4.    Lift a strip from the left and then the right side over lapping as you continue down the pastry to form a braid.
5.    Brush entire loaf with egg wash and back at 400 until golden brown.  Cool 5 minutes.  Slice with a bread knife into 8 portions.

Puff pastry bakes best at a high temperature and when the butter in the pastry is still cold.  If time allows.  Freeze the braided strudel for a ½ hour before egg washing and baking.  Entire braided strudel may be made up in advance and frozen for up to 1 month.  Bake from frozen a 400 until golden. 

Feel free to switch fillo dough for puff pastry 

Apple Wood Pork Tenderloin with a Honey Mustard Glaze, Sweet Corn & Braised Savory Cabbage 
Serves 12-15

Marinade 

Mix the following and marinate pork tenderloins 45 minutes to an hour

    ¼ cup Dijon
    ¼ cup salad mustard
    2 cloves of garlic minced
    1 Tb balsamic vinegar
    2 tsp paprika
    2 Tsp olive oil
    1 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
    2 tsp honey

Grill pork on flat heavy rondo style pan or grill until internal temperature reaches medium 145-155 depending on your preference of doneness let rest

Corn Timbale

    6 ears of corn (or 4 cups good quality frozen) 
    1 onion diced fine
    1 & ½ cups chicken stock
    1 Qt heavy cream
    10 whole eggs
    6 egg yolks
    2 tsp sea salt 
    2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper 

1.    Take corn off the cob, simmer in stock until tender
2.    Simmer onions in stock until tender
3.    Puree mixture in batches with heavy cream (in mixer) do not over aerate
4.    Stain corn cream mixture into a bowl and add whole as well as egg yolks; spray molds or pan and bake in a water bath at 325 (cover top with parchment) for 25-30 minutes until set.

Creamed Cabbage

    1 large head Savoy cabbage cut thin strips
    4 oz raw applewood smoked bacon
    1 TB olive oil 
    1 large tart apple peeled and diced
    ¾ cup apple cider 
    1 & ½ cups heavy cream
    1 onion diced fine
    1 shallot diced fine
    1 tsp honey
    1&1/2 cups chicken stock 
    Sea salt, pepper and cayenne to taste    

1.    Render bacon until  it starts to crisp add onions & shallots and sweat from a couple of minutes add apple and cabbage and continue to cook over medium heat for a few minutes; deglaze cabbage with apple cider and cook down over medium low heat until mist of the cider has evaporated .  Stir in heavy cream an d reduce by close to half and season

Apple Wood Bacon Relish 

    5 oz Apple wood peppered bacon~ diced medium
    1 onion diced
    1 tart apple peeled & diced 
    1 Tb Olive oil
    ½ cup apple cider 
    3 TB dark brown sugar 

Method 

Sauté bacon, add onion and sweat for a couple minutes until translucent and bacon starts to crisp. Add apples and deglaze with cider, simmer over low heat for a few minutes add brown sugar and reduce until thick and gooey 

Arrange corn and cabbage on large platter, arrange slice pork tenderloin and garnish with apple cherry bacon relish 

Also great pared with root vegetables 

Easter Egg Dying 

Supplies Needed 

    Eggs
    Tongs 
    Jars
    Paper Towel
    Scissors 
    Pins and foam (If making egg drying board) or Cooling Rack
    Newspaper  

Dye with:

    Assorted colored dyes
    Rubber bands
    Masking Tape
    Glitter Pens or paint
    Stickers 
    Herbs or flowers
    Nylon cut into 4 inch squares
    String    

1.    Prep Eggs by applying rubber bands, stickers, tape etc., you can also dye a few first, let dry and apply items on top of color for variation or plaid effect. 
2.    When using fresh herbs or flowers apply egg white to the back of the leaf with a paintbrush then use nylon to tie on with string. Submerge in dye for 5-10 minutes. For a natural dye,  use tea for coloring.
3.    Prepare Dyes in jars with water and vinegar.  Use about 20 drops of food coloring in 1 cup of hot water and 1 teaspoon of vinegar. Protect your work area with newspaper and paper towels. 

The more vinegar you add to the dye, the more intense the color will be.

4.    Make Egg Drying Pin Board. Or set up drying rack. 
5.    Dye eggs, leaving eggs in dye for varying times to differentiate color intensity.  Leave in dye for at least 3 minutes for minimal color. 
6.    Let eggs dry, on pin board or cooling rack. Then reveal colored eggs!
7.    Hard Boiled eggs with keep for 4 days in the refrigerator if eating.  You can also blow out and hollow the eggs to keep them year after year. 

2 UNIQUE'S CHOCOLATE BUNNY BARK

    1 1/2 lbs. white chocolate
    ¼ cup jelly Beans
    ¼ cup chopped pastel colored malt balls
    ¼ cup broken pretzels
    Assorted sprinkles & sugars

Method

1.    Melt chocolate in double boiler
2.    Stir in ingredients
3.    Spread evenly over cookie sheet
4.    Chill for ten minutes or set in cool place until firm. 
5.    Break chocolate slab out of pan and into pieces.