Easter Sunday Brunch 2024

 

As usual, I try to do something just a bit different, so I did a Welsh menu.

Snails in the Shell

I get my cooked snail meat online (comes in a package of cooked snail meat in a can and cleaned empty snail shells).

• cooked meat from 12 giant snails (drained)
• 12 empty giant snail shells (rinsed in boiling water and patted dry)
• 1 tblsp butter
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/8 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup pouring cream

1. Heat butter in a heavy-based pan over medium heat. Add the snail meat and stir for a couple of minutes or until well coated. 
2. Add the white wine and simmer until the wine has reduced by half, then add the pouring cream. 
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
4. Arrange the shells on a serving plate and spoon a piece of snail meat with some sauce in each shell.

Seared Lamb Loin Chops

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 tblsp seasoned salt
• 2 sprigs rosemary, leaves stripped from the stem
• 8 bone-in lamb loin chops
• 1 oz unsalted butter

1. In a ziptop gallon bag, pour in vegetable oil and seasoned salt, and add half the rosemary. 
2. Put in the lamb chops to coat thoroughly and seal. 
3. Store in the fridge until ready to cook. 
4. Let return to room temperature before frying.
5. Take the lamb chops out and pat dry. 
6. Heat butter over high heat in a heavy-based frying pan and sear the lamb chops on both sides. Turn the heat down to medium. 
7. Cook each chop for a minute and a half on each side or until desired doneness. 
8. Remove and let rest for a few minutes and plate. 
9. Garnish with remaining rosemary.

Cockles and Laverbread with White Wine Sauce

It is impossible to get laverbread in the US, so I had to improvise. 

Laverbread is great with cockles and bacon for a Swansea Breakfast

I get fresh cockles from Hmart (via Instacart)

• 1 oz unsalted butter
• 4 strips of bacon, diced
• 1/4 cup diced white onion
• 1 lb cockles, purged
• 1/8 cup white wine
• 1/4 cup pouring cream
• 1/2 cup laverbread (see Swansea Breakfast)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Place butter in a heavy-based saucepan and cook over medium heat until bubbling. 
2. Add bacon and stir for 2-3 minutes or until most of the fat has rendered. 
3. Sauté onion until translucent. 
4. Add the cockles and stir for a couple of minutes or until well coated. 
5. Add the white wine and simmer until the wine has reduced by half, then add the pouring cream and laverbread. Season to taste with salt and pepper. 
6. Place the lid on the pot and shake for 1-2 minutes or until the cockles have opened. 
7. Spoon into individual ramekins and pour remaining sauce on top.

Pan-fried Root Vegetables

• 1/2 lb carrots, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 turnip, about 1 lb, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 swede or rutabaga, about 1 lb, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 strips of bacon, diced
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Place bacon in a cold pan over low heat, and render out the fat.
2. Turn the heat to high and add the vegetables. Fry until they are cooked through and nicely browned. 
3. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.

St. Paul Sandwich

 

Since this is something I definitely cannot get anywhere in Chicago, and I really enjoyed it when I had it in St Louis, I’ve got to try making it, so here’s my version of St Paul Sandwich with Shrimp. Ingredients cost me almost 10 times as much as eating one at the restaurant. 

Granted I did get them delivered, and there’ll be leftover ingredients, but yeah, this is still a rather very expensive sandwich, so don’t anyone try to tell me it’s cheaper to cook at home!

• 1/2 cup shrimps, peeled
• 1 tblsp light soy sauce
• 1 tblsp cornstarch
• salt and white pepper to taste
• 2 oz bean sprouts
• 1/4 white onion, diced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tblsp vegetable oil
• 1 lettuce leaf
• 1 slice of tomato round
• 1 slice of onion round
• 5 slices of dill pickle
• 2 slices of plain white bread
• 3 tblsp mayo

1. Boil water and add shrimp. Turn the heat off and let sit for about 15 minutes. Drain the shrimp and pat dry.
2. In a bowl, mix light soy sauce, cornstarch, salt, white pepper, bean sprouts, diced white onion, and beaten eggs. Add the cooked shrimp.
3. Heat oil in a small frying pan on medium high. Pour in a layer of batter and fry on both sides until the patty is brown on both sides. Remove and pat dry.
4. Spread mayo on one side of each slice of bread.
5. Assemble in this order:

• One slice white bread, mayo side up
• Lettuce (I would have preferred butterhead, but romaine would have to do)
• Egg foo young patty
• Tomato slices
• White onion
• Dill pickle slices
• One slice white bread, mayo side down

It wasn’t easy to eat, but it was actually really good.

Will I make it again? It's a lot of work, but if I want to eat it again, unless I go to St. Louis, I'll have to make it again.

Update:

I tried it a second time with egg foo young (hold the gravy) from a Chinese restaurant. It worked well and so much less hassle.