If you are hosting an Easter meal for family and friends, you might consider adding these three delightful recipes from Chef Sabyasachi Gorai to your menu.
Start the meal with Egg Hash With Basil Pesto that makes unusual use of sunny-side-up eggs.
Move to yummy Baked Potatoes With Mustard Cream Sauce, served with maybe a Roast Chicken, and end the meal with a lovely Walnut Chocolate Pie.
All photographs: California Walnuts
Egg Hash With Basil Pesto
Serves: 2
Ingredients
For the basil pesto
- ¼ cup peas
- 2 cups packed basil leaves
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup walnut halves
For the egg potato hash
- 2 medium potatoes, cubed
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp or less jeera or cumin powder
- ¼ tsp cayenne
- ¼ tsp salt
- 4 eggs, cooked sunny side up
Method
For the basil walnut pesto
- Combine all the ingredients for the basil walnut pesto in a food processor and pulse until thick and smooth.
Keep aside to add to the potato hash later.
For egg potato hash
- Scrub the potatoes and cut, peel on, into small, even cubes.
Heat the butter and olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan.
Add the potatoes and cook for 5 minutes.
Turn the potatoes with a spatula and allow them to crisp on each side for a total cooking time of about 15 minutes.
Take off heat, season with the cumin powder, cayenne, salt.
Divide into two portions and serve topped with the basil walnut pesto and two sunny-side-up eggs each.
Note: The remaining pesto can be utilised for a pasta dish. It will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For an eggless meal, opt to top the potato hash with stir-fried tofu cubes or fresh buffalo mozzarella cheese. Vegans should also skip the butter and use only olive oil.
Baked Potatoes with Mustard Cream Sauce
Serves: 2
Ingredients
For the potatoes
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 15 baby potatoes, sliced, around ¼ inch thick, skin on
- Salt, to taste
- Pinch black pepper powder
For the mustard cream sauce
- ½ cup walnuts
- ½ cup water
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic pods
- ¼ cup fresh parsley leaves
- 1 tbsp snipped fresh chives
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
For the garnish
- 2 tbsp chopped walnuts
- Sliced spring onion tops
Method
- Preheat the oven to 190°C.
Drizzle oil over the potatoes and toss well to coat.
Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer to a small tray lined with foil and roast for 30 minutes or until potatoes are soft and lightly browned, stirring once halfway through baking.
For the mustard cream sauce
- Puree the walnuts, water, Dijon mustard, vinegar, olive oil and garlic in the blender until smooth and creamy.
Add the fresh herbs and pulse further.
- Toss the warm potatoes with this sauce and warm over low heat for a minute or 2 to heat through.
Serve garnished with the chopped walnuts and spring onion tops.
Note: Baked Potatoes with Mustard Cream Sauce pairs well with Chef Punit Kewalramani's Roast Chicken.
Chocolate Pie with Spiced Cream
Serves: 2
Ingredients
- 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup maida or all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Readymade baked pie crust (please see the note below)
For the spiced cream
- ½ cup heavy cream, chilled
- 1 tbsp confectioners' or icing sugar
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
- Pinch ground nutmeg
Method
- Preheat the oven to 175˚C.
- Stir together the brown sugar, flour, baking powder, cinnamon in a bowl.
Add the eggs and stir until well blended.
Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
Pour into baked pie crust.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until lightly browned and set.
Take out from the oven and set on a rack to cool.
For the spiced cream
- Mix together the cream, confectioners' sugar, vanilla, ground cinnamon, nutmeg.
To serve
- Serve the pie slightly warm or at room temperature with the spiced cream on the side.
Note: Follow the pie crust method in this recipe to make the crust for the Walnut Chocolate Pie
For a vegan version, skip the eggs in the pie recipe. It will turn out fine without the eggs. And replace the cream in the spice cream recipe with coconut cream.
For a sugarless version opt to use sugar-free chocolate chips, available online and stevia powder instead of sugar. Each brand of stevia has its own stevia for sugar substitution ratio provided on its packing.
To make it low carb, opt to use oat flour instead of maida.
For low-sodium pie, skip the baking powder -- it is not essential.
Chef Sabyasachi Gorai is a consultant chef and mentor.
