Simple and Delicious Recipes for Easter Brunch

With Easter just around the corner, it’s time to start planning a tasty spread for Sunday brunch. If you’re looking for something new and different, try one of my delicious herring recipes.

Herring is a traditional Wisconsin treat that is great in a variety of recipes. It is tasty and healthy – full of healthy omega-3 fatty acids, as well as calcium, protein and vitamin D.

Add a local and unique twist to Easter Brunch with one of my recipes, including the Ma Baensch Bloody Mary, Ma’s Herring and Green Olive Spread and Ma Baensch Herring Salsa: 

Ma Baensch Bloody Mary

Ingredients:

• 2 parts vodka
• 4 parts clamato juice
• 1 heaping t horseradish
• ½ t Worcestershire sauce
• ½ t + hot sauce
• 1 t fresh lime juice
• 1 t wine sauce from Ma Baensch Herring in Wine Sauce
• ¼ t celery salt
• Dash fresh ground black pepper
• 1 wedge fresh lime
• 2 green olives
• 1 piece of Ma Baensch Herring in Wine Sauce
• 1 toothpick

Mix all ingredients and pour into a glass filled with ice. You may wish to rub lime juice on the outer edge of a tall glass and then roll the rim in celery salt. Garnish with a wedge of fresh lime and a toothpick with a piece of Ma Baensch herring sandwiched between two green olives. Perfect for an Easter brunch - enjoy!   

Ma’s Herring and Green Olive Spread

 Ingredients: 

• 1 – 12 oz jar Ma Baensch Herring in Wine Sauce (approximately 24 pieces) 
• 1 – 8 oz cream cheese, softened 
• 1 – 10 oz jar green queen olives (approximately 28 olives)

Variations: 

• Herring and green olive (Basic) 
• Herring, green olive and pimiento 
• Herring, green olive and onion 
• Herring, green olive, onion and pimiento 

Drain herring well in a colander and discard wine sauce. Sort through herring pieces and remove onion slices, setting aside for use in variation that contains onion. Continue to drain herring. Drain olives well in a colander, discard liquid. Using a toothpick, carefully remove pimiento from each olive, setting aside for use in variation that contains pimiento. Continue to drain olives.  

Basic Variation*: With a sharp chef’s knife finely mince herring pieces and green olives. With a fork cream/mix herring, cream cheese and olives until all ingredients are blended. Place in sealed container or form into a ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill to allow flavors to combine.  

For additional variations, finely mince pimento and/or onion. Add additional minced ingredients when you reach the cream step.

 
If you choose to make all four varieties, divide all ingredients by four before you begin, i.e. 2 oz. cream cheese, 6 pieces herring, 7 olives, 7 slices of pimiento and 1 T marinated onion. Then make the four individual spreads. This makes a colorful presentation if you shape the creamed mixture into balls and serve on a platter with small pieces of pumpernickel, rye bread or crackers of your choice.  

*May also blend ingredients in a food processor until smooth and spreadable. This will create a smoother spread, without the small chunks of herring, olive, pimiento and onions.

Ma Baensch Herring Salsa

Ingredients:

• 1 - 24 oz jar Ma Baensch Herring in Wine Sauce, drained, discard sauce, reserve onions, and cut tidbits in ¼
• 1 C peeled and diced Spanish onion
• 1 seeded, cored and minced jalapeno chili, optional
• Juice of one lemon freshly, squeezed removing pulp and seeds
• Reserved onion
• 1 C cleaned, seeded, cored and diced red bell pepper
• 1 C fresh cilantro, minced

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, toss gently. Place Herring Salsa in a large resalable container and refrigerate. 

Uses: 

• Cold Fish Tacos - serve Ma Baensch Herring Salsa in soft flour tortillas, garnished with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and shredded Monterey jack cheese.
• A Cold Appetizer - serve Ma Baensch Herring Salsa in a small bowl, garnished with fresh cilantro and served with a side of sour cream and corn tortilla chips.
• Served as a Salad - arrange lettuce leaves on a chilled plate, surround leaves with wedges of tomato, slices of cucumber, spoon Ma Baensch Herring Salsa onto leaves and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Herring is an excellent addition to any recipe. Check out my herring and seafood recipes on MaBaensch.com or on my Facebook page!