[Un]Happy Easter… Well, Partly.

After six years of being a happy bunny mommy - when Easter was more fun - I was a bit bored this time… Don't misunderstand me, I hate that Easter maddness around those poor white bunnies in the supermarkets, waiting for "adoption", but half of those poor creations usually end in the streets, or on the Easter table as free meat or in a spoiled brat's hands or a coat for next Winter... the list of the horrible death of those bunnies is just as endless as the human selfishness itself. The leftover is usually end in the zoo, where they will become snake "yummies", but only after the holidays, when noone cares yet… NO. I just liked the idea that I have a bunny fellow around this time of the year too, especially because I'm not celebrating the liturgical kind of Easter, but rather the pagan 'Ostara & co. with fluffy bunnies' version. I like Spring, especially Spring rain, but I don't mind if there is good weather with birds and butterflies and flowers, beautiful trees and clouds until it's somewhat quiet outside [no shrieking kids ONLY birds...] or it's not Summer, when noone can breathe normally from the 100°C… I hate Summer, especially in this town. Anyway. So beside I was cooking and watched some of "Aqua’s favourites" I was really bored… and somewhat lonely without her hopping, cheery company.
I coulnd't decide yet whether I bring home a new baby bunny or not. She left a bigger void in my wretched heart then I believed. Well, maybe next year…
or not.

So I cooked.
Although I'm very eclectic in the kitchen, so I usually cook whatever I just want in the certain moment through the year, but as long as my mom lives [I hope for a long time] I certainly stay traditional on the Holidays.
I think last year I wrote something about a typical Hungarian Easter dinner [Saturday], what more or less but the same in many families still today. The dinner is usually contains: the Easter ham [a special marinated and boiled ham], fresh seasonal vegetables and fruits, boiled eggs, horseradish and of course the kalács [sweet plaited loaf].

The serving is a bit posh I know… Relax, I'm not some 1950's housewife-type lunatic, definitely NOT, I just wanted to make my mom happy. My dad used to decorate the Easter table with care, so I think it's my turn to carry on his tradition for a while. It was not a big work, about 10-15 minutes the whole decoration to make…

So Hungarians eat this veggie-ham-kalács combo on Saturday evening, but eat whatever they like on Sunday and Easter Monday.
That's why I chose a Jane Austen menu.
???
Literary cookbooks are fun, although I'm not a fan of Miss Austen's world, due to I dislike romantic literature. I know she was more like a romantic-realist but I can't help it. When I was a teen I liked to watch the tv version of the Pride and Prejudice but that was all. And instead of other girls I never wanted a Mr. Darcy-type man for myself like many girls and women do still today. What I never understood, because – and now my feminism here or there – but many girls today are everything but Elizabeth Bennet… Me neither. And if I think into it, sometimes I'm more like Darcy when he is in that village Dance or whatever in the beginning of the story when he behaves like a stuck-up jerk. Especially when I have to be in a company I really dislike… Hahhaha 

So a couple of years ago my friend visited my other friend in England and they were in the Jane A. Museum and bought me this book, because they knew I like classic English food too [beside cooking]. I don't know whether you can buy this book on Amazon or not, but if you are into Austen things you will love this. The illustrations are cute too.

I chose among the recipes the liver loaf, because I usually make something chicken or duck liver dish at Easter. It's from chicken liver, bread, milk, egg and some other ingredients. The recipe doesn't say certain seasonings and spices, so I used marjoram and rosemary. I never seasoned liver with rosemary, pity, because they make a very good match! 

That scones are from potato. Actually puree with flour, butter, salt, leek and nutmeg, then you make scones with your hands and fried them out in a greased pan on both sides. Easy to make and yummy even just in itself!

The dessert was another interesting new taste for me. It looked like I make a simple orange-butter cake, but the recipe said, put some ground cummin/caraway seeds and nutmeg in it. At first hearing it sounded strange for me, but ohhohoho it was great!!! Sugar-orange glaze on the top. 

Summarized: So at least I ate a good again.

By the way, it's snowstorm outside!!!! Hohohohoo or what the heck now?! It's April for god sakes...
The new symbol of the Hungarian Easter should be, a bunny with Santa hat…  

On 22nd will be the international Earth Day. I don't know what I could say to our Lady Planet. Maybe: Please accept my deepest sympathy. We are both on the same opinion about humans. …and yeah after these years a certain trumper guy still can says that global warming is a hoax… funny, isn't it?

Good Day!/Szép napot! ✌

Holiday Menu

It's unbelievable how a year can passes so fast. Especially for me who is born in January… times go too fast… Anyway it's Christmas time again and although nowadays my current my mood is rather 'halloween' I like this and that about Christmas. First of all I would be very ungrateful to my parents if I would say I don't care about at all. In my childhood we lived a very modest life [not but that I would have a tonnes of money now…]; but despite the everyday financial problems we always had delicious things on the holiday table, a beautiful tree, presents I dreamed of and a small but - at least - a normal and loving family around me. I mean normal: dad and mom and that was all; we never invited relatives onto Christmas due to almost all my relatives are a big#@&f.$… . Better to not write down my honest opinion about them… and they wonder why am I not into the family matters... ~bah humbug There are some nice and normal people in the family but of course they are living too far to meet them or some live outside of Hungary like my French cousin with my adorable nephews whom I can only see once a year although they are the only ones I could see everyday... :((((((

When I was a child magic could find me anywhere around Christmas, now if I want a little magic in my life I have to search for it. Adulthood…
So, what I like about Christmas is of course the Main Course… besides I like some albums and movies, but - I'm sorry - but definitely not the typical kitchy American 'Santa+elf+hohoho+Vince Vaughn+other odd funny faces' comedies what gives me the creeps... I rather prefer the T.Nightmare B.C. or other classic animations or a family movie with adorable animals and beautiful Winter landscapes. Or last year I saw the Krampus movie and liked it, what is not a very festive movie either Haha but at least was funny to me…
As a Winter-born girl "I'm just dreaming of a white Christmas just like the ones I used to know" when I was a child, but thanks to climate-change this will remain a dream in the future too. We are happy if we see some snow till April… but not in April as four years ago on Easter…

As in every family we also have our own holiday menu; leastwise we had the same in the past 10 years for sure. I really can't remember what was on the table before, except one, Fisherman's soup, due to Hungarians usually eat something fishy on Christmas, so we always had this great soup. If you missed the last year's post, here you can read about the soup and other things around a Hungarian Christmas.

With my father's death I changed this or that on the family traditions, because almost everything reminded me for the old – and happy - Christmases what was a torture to endure on the first Holiday without him. So I bought new ornaments for the family tree and put the old ones in a box and I took down in the cellar for good...

The only thing I couldn't change at all [I didn't have the heart], the menu of the Evening; what usually is:
1. Fisherman's soup á la Szeged [or á la Dad, because I have his recipe version, what is more than great!]
2. My thing the Breaded Turkey-breast with smoked cheese and dried plum
3. Dessert A: My mom's best, the Habtekercs, what is a meringue roll, half part baked meringue and half part sweet pastry with walnut and much confectionery sugar [we use powdered birch sugar now] on top ~Yummy

4. Dessert B: Sweet Chestnut Puree [Gesztenyepüré] with preserved cherry, rum and whipped cream on top
5. Homemade mulled wine [with cardamom, allspice, orange zest and black peppercorn]

On the third day of the holiday [26. I call it third day, because Hungarian Christmas starts with the evening of 24, I mean presents and everything] we usually have stuffed chicken with apples and other goodies, but in this year I want to try out something else, but also something traditional Hungarian. I thought about making Harcsapaprikás [Catfish Paprikash] what they usually serve with Túrós Csusza [Hungarian pasta dish with túró/cottage cheese, sour cream and fried bacon on top]. Not another Hungarian 'low-calorie meal' for sure… but once or twice a year I don't care. I eat vegetable dishes and live mostly meatless on the average weekdays anyway so I have the balance. :)

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Here is my turkey recipe, if you are interested in or I don't know, just for. Last year I posted the Fisherman's soup so I thought I will post this dish this time, what is not traditional Hungarian but nevermind... Haha

Breaded Turkey-breast Rolls With Smoked Cheese And Dried Plum

You'll need
3/4 pack dried plums [1 pack=200 g]
one big pinch of ground cloves
3 dl good quality sweet red wine [of your taste]
grated smoked cheese [in Hungary the best choice is the Karaván Sajt]
6 turkey breast fillets
salt
ground pepper
wheat flour
3 eggs
bread crumbs
about 3 dl sunflower oil for frying

Method to make it
Tenderize the turkey fillets with a mallet. Salt and pepper them then put aside.

Set a small cooking pot and pour the wine into it. Add the dried plum and start to boil it. When the wine is boiling turn the heat to the lowest. Add the cloves. Cook the plums till they soaked up all the wine and became soft. If the wine gone but the plums are not soft enough add some more wine.
Take a meat. Pour grated cheese on its surface, then grease it with the spicy plums. Carefully roll up the meat, then bind it with a string or use toothpicks to secure the roll. Repeat this with the other 5 fillets.

Set 3 deep plates. Pour flour into the first, break 3 eggs into the second [and scrumbled them with a fork] and finally pour bread crumbs into the last plate.
Carefully take a meat roll with your hands and dip it into the flour, then in the egg and finally the breadcrumb. Cover the meat rolls well.

In a deeper frying pan heat the oil. When its hot enough turn the heat to the lowest. Fry the meat rolls on every side till the breadcrumb is golden brown.

Then dip the rolls well with a paper towel. Serve the rolls cut into half and with mashed potato [seasoned with ground mace].

I know I know I eat evertyhing with mashed potato, but that is my weakness!

Enjoy it!/Jó étvágyat!

[There are many nice covers on this guy's site]

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Oh and I placed the links of my websites below [end of the blog], so you can watch all my works if you are interested in and have some time!

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I wish to you Happy Holidays [or at least have peaceful days]!/Kellemes Ünnepeket! ✌