An Easter picnic in Santa Barbara wine country - includes recipes

Sunset, April, 1996 by Christine Weber Hale

Makes: 10 servings

2 onions (about 1 lb. total), chopped 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 cups orzo pasta About 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/3 cup lemon juice 1/4 cup minced parsley 2 tomatoes (about 1 lb. total), cored, seeded, and chopped 1/2 cup minced fresh mint leaves, plus mint sprigs for garnish Salt and pepper

1. Combine onions and oil in a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over medium-high heat. Stir often until onions are browned and taste sweet, about 15 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook the orzo in 2 quarts boiling water until tender to bite, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water until the pasta is cool, then drain again.

3. In a large bowl, mix together cool cooked orzo, chopped onions, 1/2 cup broth, lemon juice, and minced parsley. (If making ahead, chill mixture airtight up to 1 day.) Add tomatoes and mint just before serving. Garnish with mint sprigs, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Per serving: 276 cal., 13% (36 cal.) from fat; 8.8 g protein; 4 g fat (0.6 g sat.); 51 g carbo.; 17 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Greek Easter Bread (Tsoureki)

Cooking time: About 30 minutes

Prep time: About 40 minutes, plus 1 1/2 hours rising time

Notes: This bread is also delicious for breakfast (you may want to increase the sugar to 1/2 cup). If you don't want to bother to braid the bread, simply divide the kneaded dough between two greased 5- by 9-inch loaf pans; omit hard-cooked eggs.

Makes: 10 servings

1 cup milk 1/3 cup butter or margarine 1/4 cup sugar 1 1/2 tablespoons (2 packages) active dry yeast 4 large eggs 1/4 cup orange juice 1 tablespoon grated orange peel 1/2 teaspoon salt 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 4 hard-cooked eggs, dyed red, unpeeled (optional) 2 tablespoons sesame seed

1. Heat the milk and butter over low heat or in a microwave until the mixture reaches 110 [degrees]. In a large bowl, combine the warm milk mixture with 1 teaspoon of the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the milk; let stand until yeast softens, about 5 minutes.

2. Add remaining sugar, 3 eggs, orange juice, peel, salt, and 2 cups flour. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until dough is well blended. Stir in remaining flour.

3. To knead with a dough hook, beat at high speed until dough is smooth, shiny, and stretchy, 10 to 15 minutes. To knead by hand, scrape dough onto a well-floured board. Knead until very smooth and elastic, adding just enough flour to keep dough from sticking to the board, at least 10 to 15 minutes. Dough will be sticky. Let dough rise, lightly covered, in the mixing bowl in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 1 1/4 hours.

4. Transfer dough to a lightly floured board, and knead briefly to expel air. Divide dough into 3 equal portions. Roll each portion of dough into a rope about 20 inches long. Braid the ropes together, then bring the ends together to form a ring, pinching ends to join smoothly. Transfer the loaf to a lightly buttered baking sheet. Press dyed hard-cooked eggs into dough, spacing equally around the ring.

5. Lightly cover loaf with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 30 minutes. Beat remaining egg with 1 tablespoon water to blend; brush half over loaf. Bake loaf at 375 [degrees] for 20 minutes; brush with remaining egg mixture, sprinkle with sesame seed, and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer bread to a rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature. If making ahead, cool, wrap airtight, and store at room temperature up to I day. Reheat, covered with foil, on a baking sheet in a 300 [degrees] oven until warm to touch. (Hard-cooked eggs are not intended for eating).