Easter Dinner from a Dietitian’s Kitchen – Beverage and Hors d’oeuvre

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Following up with those Easter recipes from ours truly!

easter table

Hibiscus Sparkle

With an earthy, hibiscus flower base and effervescent fizz, this mild tea-tail celebrates spring.

Ingredients

1/3 C dried hibiscus flowers

¼ C sugar

¼ C fresh lime juice, plus 1 lime, thinly sliced for garnish

½ C Cointreau

2 C seltzer

Instructions

In a pot, bring 3 ½ cups water to a boil. Remove from heat and add hibiscus flowers. Cover and steep for 4 minutes.

Strain liquid into a pitcher. Stir in sugar, lime juice, and Cointreau, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30-40 minutes.

Just before serving, stir in seltzer.

Serve over ice, and garnish with lime slices. (Serves 4-6)

Broccolini Ricotta Toasts with Preserved Lemon

Ingredients

1 15oz tub whole milk ricottaeaster horduerve

1 T finely chopped preserved lemon (peel and pulp), plus 1 whole preserved lemon, thinly sliced for garnish

1 clove garlic, minced

1 baguette cut on the diagonal into 12 half inch slices

4 T olive oil, divided

4 C broccolini florets, cut into 2-inch lengths

¼ C orange marmalade

Chili flakes and leaves from fresh thyme sprigs for garnish

1 lemon, halved

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Line two baking sheets with tinfoil.

In a medium bowl, whisk together ricotta, finely chopped preserved lemon, ¼ tsp sea salt, and garlic until well combined. Set aside.

In a large bowl, toss the baguette slices with 2 T olive oil and a pinch of salt. Spread slices out onto one lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.

Transfer toasts onto a serving platter.

Lightly baste broccolini with 2 T olive oil and spread on the two baking sheets, allowing room for even browning. Bake florets for 10 minutes, rotate pans, and continue baking for 5 minutes more, until leaves are crisped and browned. Remove from oven.

Spread each toast with a thin layer of marmalade, and top with 1 T of the ricotta mixture and about 3 broccolini pieces. Garnish with a sprinkling of chili flakes, fresh thyme leaves, salt, and preserved lemon slivers, plus a little squeeze of fresh lemon juice. (Makes 12 toasts.) -SY