To dye the eggs using natural colors. The most common way is to dye eggs with onion skins.
Place onion skins in boiling water and simmer for a while. The shade can vary form yellow to dark brown, depending on the amount of onion skins. To produce an intensive brown shade, take lots of onion skins and simmer for about 30 minutes.
Wash eggs, place in the pan with onion skins and cook all together for 10 minutes. Take eggs out of the pan, let cold water run over them to cool and dry. Rub eggs gently with vegetable oil to give them a nice shine.
For marble effect, stir a bit of vegetable oil into the saucepan with eggs and onions skins.
For a dot pattern, roll wet eggs in rice, wrap eggs in a piece of nylon to fix the rice and cook on onion-skin brew.
Hints and Tips for Proper Eggs
Use these simple rules to make sure the eggs not only look nice but also taste good:
Never boil eggs that come straight from the fridge. Bring eggs to room temperature to prevent cracking.
Never boil eggs over high heat. Reduce to simmer as soon as they reach the boiling point.
Choose a stainless saucepan just large enough to keep all eggs in one layer. This prevents eggs from rolling around and hitting each other.
Prick the large end of the egg before cooking to let the expanding air escape.
Eggs should be fully covered with water by 1 inch.
Add some salt or vinegar into the water to keep the white from running out.
Dont cook eggs too long as they might get gummy.
Very fresh eggs take 3 minutes longer to cook.
Place boiled eggs immediately under cold water to stop the cooking process. This also helps peel the eggs.
The best way to boil eggs is to place them into a saucepan, add cold water. Heat until the water is just about to boil and reduce the heat. Set the clock and simmer.
Cooking time is affected by the size and age of the eggs, the btu of the stove top and altitude. Here are average cooking times:
3 minutes runny yolk and white
4 minutes firm white and runny yolk
5 minutes firm white and soft yolk (especially in the middle)
7 minutes firm white and yolk (hard-boiled)
Easter Egg Bread
1/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 pkg. active dry yeast
3 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
2/3 c. milk
9 eggs
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
Easter egg coloring kit
1 tsp. water
In bowl, mix sugar, salt, yeast and 1 cup flour.
Heat butter and milk until very warm (125 degrees).
With mixer at low speed, beat liquid into dry ingredients.
At medium, beat 2 minutes.
Beat in 2 eggs, 1 egg white, and 3/4 cup flour, beat 2 minutes.
Stir in lemon peel and 1 1/4 cups flour.
On floured surface knead dough about 5 minutes working in about 1/2 cup flour; place in greased bowl, turning to grease top.
Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1 1/2 hours.
Meanwhile, dye 6 eggs your favorite colors, following directions from Easter egg coloring kit, but do not hard-cook eggs; set aside.
Grease large cookie sheet.
Cut dough in half; form each 1/2 into a 30-inch long rope.
On cookie sheet, twist ropes together to form ring, leaving holes for 5 eggs.
Cover, let rise until double, about 1 1/2 hours.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Insert raw, colored eggs into holes in twist; place 1 egg in center in cup, beat egg yolk with water; use to brush dough.
Bake 30 minutes or until golden.
Cool on wire rack.
Makes 1 loaf, 16 servings.
Mayeritsa (Greek Easter Soup)
1 entrails (liver, heart,
lungs, intestines) of a
very young spring lamb.
4 tablespoon butter
1 med. onion, chopped
2 tablespoon scallion, chopped
2 tablespoon dill, chopped
1 salt & pepper to taste
1 meat broth
1/2 cup raw rice
2 or 3 eggs
2 lemons, juice only
Wash entrails in plenty of water. Scald in boiling water for abt. 2
min. Cool, the cut into small pcs. Melt butter in a pot. Saute the onion
until light golden color, add scallion and cut-up meats, turning meats
several times. Add dill, salt and pepper, and enough broth to cover. Bring
the whole to a boil and cook covered, until meat is tender (1 1/2 to 3
hrs). About 20 min. before it is done, add the rice, and more broth if
necessary. When rice is tender, remove pot from the heat.
Beat eggs; add lemon juice, beating it in well. Slowly add some of the
hot liquid from the pot, stirring constantly. After the egg-lemon mixture
is well blended, pour it into the soup; stir. Serve hot.
NOTE: The broth is usually made from the lamb's head, breast, or
shoulder, but you can use any meat stock.
Fruit Glazed Easter Ham
5 to 7 lb. shank half smoked ham
1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained
1/3 c. orange marmalade
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
dash of allspice
1/3 c. flaked coconut
Place ham, fat side up, on rack in open roasting pan.
Insert meat thermometer so bulb is centered in thickest part. Be careful bulb does not rest in fat or on bone.
Do not add water.
Do not cover.
Roast at 325° degrees until meat thermometer registers 130 degrees to 140 degrees for "fully cooked" half ham (18 to 24 minutes per pound) or 160 degrees for a "cook before eating" half ham (22 to 25 minutes per pound).
Meanwhile, place pineapple, orange marmalade, lemon juice, cinnamon and allspice in small saucepan and cook slowly for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat; stir in coconut.
Spread glaze over ham during last 20 minutes of baking time.
Easter Fruit Salad
1 can Comstock lemon pie filling
1 can chunk pineapple
1 can fruit cocktail
2 c. miniature marshmallows (colored)
2 or 3 bananas, sliced
2 c. whipped topping
Drain pineapple and cocktail.
Combine pie filling and whipped topping.
Fold in fruits and other ingredients.
Chill well.
Serve on lettuce, topped with a cherry.
Easter Cheese
1 dozen eggs
1 quart milk
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
cheesecloth bag
Heat milk, sugar and salt until dissolved.
Beat eggs well and add to milk.
Over low heat, stir constantly until the consistency of scrambled eggs and the liquid is almost clear.
Place cheese in cheesecloth bag and drain.
Place on paper towels on a dinner plate and refrigerate overnight with weight on top.
Easter Sunday Eggs And Potatoes
4 potatoes, boiled
1/4 c. oil
1/2 c. diced cooked ham
1/4 c. sliced onion
1/4 c. thinly sliced green pepper
2 Tbsp. diced pimento
6 eggs, beaten
1/4 tsp. salt
dash of black pepper
1/2 c. finely diced Swiss or Jack cheese
chopped parsley
Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.
In skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add potatoes and fry until evenly browned.
Add ham, onion, green pepper and pimento.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender.
In bowl, combine eggs, salt and pepper and add to potato mixture.
Stir in diced cheese.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until eggs are cooked and cheese begins to melt.
Sprinkle with chopped parsley.
Makes 4 servings.
Easter Biscuits
3 oz margarine
3 oz caster sugar, plus extra for dredging
1 finely grated rind of 1 lemon
6 oz plain flour, sifted
1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
2 oz currants
1 egg, beaten
Preheat oven to 190°C,375°F. Cream together margarine and sugar
until soft and fluffy. Add lemon rind, then fold in flour and mixed spice
with currants and enough egg to bind mixture to a stiff dough (about same
consistency as shortcrust pastry).
Roll out biscuit dough to approximately half-inch thick and press out
rounds with a 4 inch cutter. Place on greased baking trays. reroll any
leftover pastry to make more biscuits.
Bake biscuits in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown.
Sprinkle with extra caster sugar, then transfer to a wire tray. Allow to
cool before serving.
Beat cream thick, and combine with sugar and egg yolks which have been
beaten together. Then add 1 1/4 tumblers brandy (to taste) and stiffly
beaten egg whites. It may require more sugar according to taste. Keep cool
until served. Sprinkle with nutmeg, if desired.
From: Pennsylvania Dutch Cook Book - Fine Old Recipes, Culinary Arts Press, 1936.
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