Spoon & Shutter

Every Easter table needs a bunny

From Susan: While no one wore Lily Pulitzer, we had a pink and green Easter dinner. This was entirely unintentional, but, as I think about it, the color scheme was very much in keeping with the glorious spring weather (Easter is often cold, rainy or, god-forbid, snowy, here in Northern New Jersey) and the buds and leaves emerging on the trees and from the ground.

Our Easter menu:

Scottish Smoked Salmon (pink)

Edamame Guacamole with Crudite (green)

Wood-grilled Leg of Lamb (pink)

Roasted New Potatoes (pink)

Steamed Sugar Snap Peas (green)

Divine Lime Pie (green)

We’d love to hear what you had for your Easter feast!!

Scottish Smoked Salmon

Edamame Guacamole ingredients in processor

Edamame Guacamole with Crudite

Lef of Lamb on the Grill

Fresh off the Grill

Wood Grilled Leg of Lamb

Divine Lime Pie

Here are a couple of great GREEN recipes!

Edamame Guacamole

1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed (note to self – be sure to buy the shelled edamame, shelling them is a pain in the %&$!)

1 small ripe avocado, peeled and pitted

1 chipotle pepper in adobo, finely chopped (you can leave this out if you wish, but it adds some nice smoky heat)

1/3 bunch cilantro

3 scallions, white and tender green parts, coarsely chopped

juice of 2 limes

2-3 tbsp. water

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Put all ingredients except for salt and pepper in a food processor and pulse until almost smooth. Add enough water to make a creamy consistency and pulse again. Add salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to bowl and serve. Note – if not serving right away, stick the pit of the avocado into the middle of the guacamole to prevent browning.

Recipe adapted from Whole Foods

Divine Lime Pie

(I’ve been on a citrus/meringue kick lately and Ted said “Please, no more lemon desserts.” so I went with lime – I LOVE this pie!)

Butter to grease pie plate

4 large eggs, room temperature

1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 1/2 cup sugar

2-3 large, juicy limes

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup cold heavy cream

Preheat oven to 275. Butter deep, 9-inch pie plate generously. Separate eggs, placing egg whites into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add cream of tartar and beat at high speed until foamy. Add 1 cup sugar a little at a time, continuing to beat on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form when beaters are lifted. Pile meringue mixture into pie plate and using a rubber spatula, create a pie shell shape by smoothing meringue evenly over bottom and up sides. Bake 50-60 minutes until meringue is firm and creamy white. Turn off oven and let meringue stay in oven with door closed for 1 hour. Remove and cool completely on cooling rack.

Meanwhile, make the lime curd. Grate one lime and set zest aside. Squeeze limes to make 1/3 cup juice. In a heavy medium saucepan, place egg yolks and whisk until light and lemon-colored. Stir in 1/2 cup sugar, salt and lime juice, cook over medium heat until mixture thickens – do not allow to boil. Stir in lime zest and let cool completely.

Two hours before serving, whip cream until stiff yet billowy peaks form. Stir a spoonful of cream into lime curd, then gently fold in the rest of the cream. Pile filling into meringue shell and spread evenly to fill. Chill at least two hours. If you wish, garnish with more whipped cream and  lime slices. I like to serve this pie with sliced strawberries.