Our Easter Feast....

We had a lovely quiet Easter at home this year (usually we pack up the car and head north to Country Victoria to stay with family) but having just got back from holidays it was nice just to have four days at home.  I still wanted to make Easter a special festivity, so I planned some yummy meals and thought I would share some recipe's and photos with you - just to prove I do leave my sewing machine sometime!

 Here are two of my favourites.

Good Friday Prawns Chermoula Prawns

2 tsp sweet paprika
1tsp ground ginger
1tsp chilli powder
1tsp ground cumin
1tsp ground corriander
1tsp ground white pepper
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/2tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1tsp salt
2tbsp lemon juice
60ml olive oil
1kg green prawns
skewers, soaked in water.

Mix all the spices, salt and lemon juice and olive oil to form a smooth paste.  Shell and de-vain the prawns and coat with the chermoula prawns and marinate for 30 minutes. Thread prawns onto skewers.  You can put one prawn on each skewer length wise if you are serving to a lot of people, but I just put 3-4 on each one. Cook on a hot bbq for 2 minutes on each side.
Serve with simple salad and tzatkiki.

The prawns were amazing as were the crumbed calamari....yum yum yum!

On Easter Sunday I cooked quail for only the second time.  The first time I cooked quail I made a very intricate stuffing and it involved lots of processes, but this time I chose a simple glaze...

Easter Shiraz-glazed quail

4 quails (2 each)

1/2 cup of Shiraz

1/4 cup Caster sugar

1/4 cup of sherry vinegar (I couldn't find Sherry Vinegar, so i substituted it for a little Red Wine Vinegar and a dash of port)
pinch of salt
oil

Spatchcock each quail by inserting a sharp knife into the cavity and to through the neck.  Hold the point of the knife and cut through next to the backbone pressing down firmly.  Trim backbone away and any excess skin.

Make the glaze first - this can be done well ahead of time if you like. Place shiraz, sugar, vinegar and salt into a small saucepan and bring to the boil, then simmer for 4-6 minutes until it has reduced slightly and is syrup-y. allow to cool.

brush the quails with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  place the quails either on a bbq grill (or I did mine on a saucepan.  Brush the quails liberally with the glaze while cooking.  Turn the quails over and keep adding the glaze.  The quails should only need 5-6 minutes each side.  I actually finished mine off in a hot oven just to brown it up a little more.  Served with cous cous and roasted asparagus, cherry tomatoes and red onion.   Take a look!