It is not too often that we have a chance to slow down and enjoy the everyday rhythms of life. Chopping an onion, mincing a clove of garlic can all seem like tedious stepping-stones to the practice of dinner. But holidays are different. There is something soothing about the melody between a knife and cutting board when your kitchen is filled with the hum of family. Each step of preparing vegetables, setting the table and washing dishes always seems more memorable then the meal itself. This Easter, celebrate the act of Sunday dinner by unraveling your kitchen twine and picking the first, fresh herbs of spring with Martha Stewart’s Roasted Chicken with Brioche Stuffing. Remove layer upon layer of savory artichoke leaves while you relish the presence of too many cooks in the kitchen. Finally, enjoy hours of candle-filled remembrances over Berry Meringue Crisp as you realize that there are more important things then dishes singing at your table right now.
Bring your family together, like I have brought my friends, to celebrate hope, love and grace as you fill your Easter table with the passions of springtime.
Roasted Chicken with Brioche Stuffing
1 (3 lb.) chicken
Brioche Stuffing
5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 cloves garlic, peeled
Lemon
Coarse salt
Ground pepperBrioche Stuffing:
1 c dried brioche breadcrumbs
1 3/4 c unsalted butter, room temperature
2 Tbsp minced fresh rosemary
2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
Coarse salt
Ground pepper
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Starting from the neck end of the chicken, carefully run your finger under the skin to separate from the meat, leaving it attached in the center to the sternum. Do not tear the skin.
2. Place breadcrumbs and butter in a medium bowl. Add rosemary and lemon zest and gently mix to combine; season with salt and pepper. Transfer stuffing to a pastry or a large disposable plastic bag with a 1/2-inch opening cut from one bottom corner.
3. Evenly pipe brioche stuffing under the skin of the legs and breasts. Season inside of chicken with salt; place rosemary and garlic in cavity of bird. Prick lemon all over with the tines of a fork and add to cavity. Truss chicken and transfer to a refrigerator to chill at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours.
4. Place chicken in a roasting pan and transfer to oven. Roast chicken until juices run clear, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and loosely cover with parchment paper-lined aluminum foil. Let stand 30 minutes before carving and serving.
Roasted Chicken with Brioche Stuffing recipe from MarthaStewart.com.
Artichoke Appetizer with Roasted Garlic Butter
Large artichoke
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 c of unsalted butter
1. With kitchen shears, trim off points on all artichoke leaves. With knife, trim the top of the artichoke to reveal the inside layers.
2. Boil 2 quarts of salted in water in large pot. Once boiling, place artichoke in water and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and turn upside down to remove all water.
4. Saute minced garlic in EVOO until lightly brown over medium heat in saucepan. Melt butter and pour over artichoke leaves or in a bowl for dipping.
Berry Meringue Crisp
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1 c white sugar
Pinch of salt
1 c heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp powdered sugar
2 c fresh berries
1. Preheat over to 250 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, with an electric mixer add egg whites, vanilla and salt. Mix at low speed. Add the sugar in tablespoons while increasing the speed of the mixer as the meringue begins to form from soft peaks to firm peaks.
2. On a parchment lined baking sheet, plop the firm meringue with a large serving spoon and swirl at the top. Repeat to form cookies with remaining meringue.
3. Bake for 60 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Using a large electric mixer, mix the heavy whipping cream and powdered sugar to form the fresh whipped cream.
5. Place a spoonful of whipped cream on cooled meringue crisp and top with berries.
Photos by the beautiful and talented Jenny Dougherty JDoughWeddings.com.
LBDujour 