Easter Dinner

Tom likes to celebrate all Holiday Dinners. We made an Easter Lamb Dinner. The Lamb was served over Flageolet Beans. This is a very elegant dish. We brought out the nice serving platters. You can find the recipe for Shoulder of Spring Lamb with Flageolet Beans and Olive Relish on our blog of: March 30, 2019. Click the date to get the recipe.

We started with Spring Barley Soup. Which was a thick and delicious Soup. Everyone loved it and the entire dinner.

Spring Barley Soup

New York Times

 

 

Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Monica Pierini.

This soup is as cozy as mushroom-barleysoup and as vibrant as spring. Chewy barley, crisp asparagus and peas lay in a broth bolstered by umami-rich soy sauce and miso. Hits of fresh ginger and vinegar enliven the mix. Feel free to swap in other vegetables that catch your eye: Add leeks and hearty greens with the barley, and quicker-cooking vegetables like sliced turnips or snap peas with the asparagus. For more protein, add cubed soft or firm tofu to bowls, or stir a beaten egg into the pot as you would for hot and sour soup.

 

Ingredients

 

2       tablespoons bamboo shoots

⅛      pound raw lean pork

2       3-inch-by-3-inch-by-1-inch pieces of bean curd (tofu)

2       water chestnuts

2       tablespoons mushrooms

2       tablespoons snow peas or green peas

4       pieces dried wood-ear fungus, soaked 5 minutes in warm water

1       egg

1       tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1/4 cup water

1       tablespoon light soy sauce

¼      teaspoon pepper

¼      teaspoon sugar

4       cups chicken stock

3       tablespoons rice vinegar, or to taste

Salt to taste

1       tablespoon hot sesame oil, or to taste

Preparation

 

The Preparation

Cut bamboo shoots and pork into fine julienne strips. Cut bean curd into 1/2-inch cubes. Slice the water chestnuts and mushrooms. Cut up snow peas diagonally. Beat egg. Mix cornstarch solution with soy sauce, pepper and sugar.

 

The Cooking

 

1.            Bring the stock to a boil, add pork and boil for 1 minute.

2.            Add all vegetables, and boil for 1 minute. Add sufficient cornstarch solution to thicken soup as desired.

3.            Turn heat to low, and add beaten egg in a thin stream, stirring gently but constantly.

4.            Turn off heat, add vinegar, salt and hot sesame oil. Adjust seasonings and serve.