Recipes For A Midwestern Easter Sunday Dinner

I’ve invited guests to a Midwestern Easter Sunday Dinner with deviled eggs to start, mustard-glazed ham garnished with pineapple slices, baked spring chicken, homemade biscuits, steamed asparagus, green salad with vinaigrette and coconut cake and fresh berries for dessert. I’ll add an international twist to the buffet dinner with Pomme de Terre Anna with truffles, pour Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir with dinner, and offer espresso after dinner. Here are three main-course recipes.

Happy Easter and bon appétit!

Mustard-Glazed Ham Garnished With Pineapple(Serves 10-12)1, 5- to 6-pound ready-to-eat ham

About 30 whole cloves

1 to 2 cups water for bottom of the panFor the glaze:2 and 1/2 cups light brown sugar

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of ground cloves

About 2 tablespoons pineapple juice (from drained pineapple)

1 can sliced pineapple rings, without extra sugar, drained

8 to 10 maraschino cherriesTo prepare:Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Place a rack inside a roasting pan that will accommodate the ham.

Cut away any skin and excess fat that surrounds the ham.

With a sharp knife, score the ham cutting through the fat and into the meat (about 1/2 inch) into a diamond pattern.

Insert cloves into the ham where the lines intersect.

Place ham, fat side up on the rack in the pan. Pour water in the bottom of the pan.

Cover the ham and pan with aluminum foil and securely crimp the foil around the edges to seal.

Bake for two hours.

Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. In a saucepan over moderate low heat, add sugar, mustards, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and pineapple juice, simmer until the sugar is dissolved and glaze is liquid. Reserve.

After two hours, remove foil, brush glaze over the ham, return to the oven and bake until the glaze is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and using toothpicks, attach pineapple over the top of the ham, then place a cherry in the center of each ring. Drizzle the remaining glaze over the entire affair and bake until an instant-read meat thermometer registers 140 degrees F, about 30 minutes longer.

Transfer the ham to a carving board and let rest about 15 minutes before carving.Baked 
Lemon-Scented Chicken(Serves 10-12)2 whole chickens (about 4 pounds each)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 lemons, zested and juiced

About 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

4 shallots, minced

1 teaspoon ground sage (or slivers of 4 fresh sage leaves)

3 lemons, (2 sliced and 1 cut into wedges for garnish)

About 1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

1/4 cup dry vermouth

Fresh sage leaves for garnishTo prepare:Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line two baking pans large enough to accommodate the chicken pieces with parchment paper and lightly coat with oil.

Wash chicken, cut into serving-size pieces (separate legs and thighs, breasts, and wings) and pat dry with paper towels.

Mix about 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper (or more to taste) and lemon zest together and rub the mixture under and over the skin of the chicken.

Arrange chicken on prepared pans with the larger pieces around the edges and smaller in the center, drizzle with oil, and roast until the skin is brown, about 15 minutes.

Reduce the heat to 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix shallots, sage, lemon slices, and one-half of the chopped parsley together.

Scatter the shallot/lemon mixture over and around the chicken, drizzle with oil and lemon juice, and bake until the juices run clear when pierced with a two-pronged fork, about 30 minutes (check after 20 minutes.) The cooking time will depend on the size of the pieces.

Transfer chicken to a warm platter and pour the pan juices into a saucepan over high heat.

Add vermouth and bring to a boil, simmer until the juices are slightly reduced and flavorful, about five minutes, and transfer to a pitcher.

Garnish the platter with lemon wedges and fresh sages leaves, and pass the “au jus” at the table.Pomme De Terre Anna 
With Black Truffle(Serves 8-10)6 to 7 large Idaho baking potatoes, peeled

1/2 black truffle (if available) shaved into paper-thin slices, then cut into julienne

Or substitute truffle-infused oil (available in gourmet specialty stores)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Extra virgin olive oil for drizzling

About 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheeseTo prepare:Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Lightly coat the bottom of a 9- by-13-inch baking/serving dish with olive oil.

With a benriner, mandoline, or by hand, cut potatoes into concentric slices.

Arrange them overlapping in a layer, and if using truffle oil, drizzle a few drops on the potatoes; if using fresh truffles, scatter a few slivers over the slices.

In the next layer, arrange slices going the opposite direction.

Continue layering until all potatoes are in the dish.

Sprinkle salt and pepper according to personal preference. (If using fresh truffles, drizzle olive oil over the top layer of potatoes.)

Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.

Place in center of oven, reduce the heat to 375 degrees and bake until the top is an even golden brown and the potatoes are tender when pierced with a table fork, about 50 minutes to one hour.

If top browns too fast, reduce the heat and increase the cooking time.

Can be done ahead and gently reheated before serving.

Let rest for 15 minutes before cutting into serving pieces.