Easter is far more than a festival of jelly beans, chocolate bunnies, and deviled eggs. It is a celebration of resurrection and renewal, a day for rejoicing at church and feasting at home.

From the first course — a colorful soup enriched with smoked salmon and bacon — to the light, sweet cake that’s served as dessert with fresh fruit, this menu is a combination of luxury and convenience. Several of the dishes can be made ahead of time, so your holiday isn’t frazzled with a lot of last-minute chaos. Then final preparations can be made as the centerpiece, a glorious maple-glazed ham, bakes in the oven.

Some lovely orzo featuring two kinds of peas and a bright lemon dressing is perfect for springtime, while roasted carrots and parsnips are an easy accompaniment showcasing the beauty of simply prepared vegetables. Both of these dishes are vegan, thus offering something more than a plain green salad to those who choose not to eat meat or other animal products. They’re so flavorful that everyone at your table will enjoy them immensely.

To round out the meal, there are some quickly made biscuits that take advantage of refrigerated dough. Spice them up a bit by brushing them with a mustard-and pepper-infused butter. These complete your dinner plate by offering a savory contrast to the sweetness of the main dish.

A holiday feast that offers beautiful and delicious dishes without a huge amount of fuss and bother? That’s certainly cause for, and worthy of, a celebration.

RECIPES

Smoked Salmon and Corn Chowder

2 strips bacon, diced

2 tablespoons butter

1 large yellow onion, minced

½ fennel bulb, stalks removed, cored, minced

1 carrot, peeled, finely diced

1 celery rib, finely diced

½ small red bell pepper, finely diced

⅓ cup flour

4 cups 2 percent milk

1½ cups frozen corn kernels

2 ounces smoked salmon, diced

2 teaspoons salt

Generous splash of Tabasco sauce

⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Cook the bacon in a 3-quart saucepan set over medium heat until it renders its fat and gets crisp; add the butter and let it melt. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the fennel, carrot, celery, and bell pepper and cook for 10 minutes more, until the vegetables have softened.

Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir well for 1 minute. Slowly pour in the milk and stir constantly to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly to avoid scorching. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.

Stir in the corn kernels and smoked salmon. Season with the salt, Tabasco, pepper, lemon zest, and dill. Serve immediately or let cool to room temperature, cover, and refrigerate for up to 2 days. Reheat slowly, and add more milk if the soup is too thick.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Source: Adapted from Judy Wicks and Kevin von Klause, White Dog Cafe Cookbook.

Maple Baked Ham

1 5-pound boneless pre-cooked smoked ham

1 cup maple syrup

1/​4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup water

1/​2 teaspoon powdered mustard

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

Preheat the oven to 325F. Place the ham fat side up on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Do not cover or add water. Insert a meat thermometer and bake the ham; the internal temperature should be 130F when finished.

After 45 minutes of baking, pour the pan juices into a medium saucepan. Skim off excess fat and set the drippings aside. Pour the maple syrup over the ham and return to the oven. Occasionally baste the ham with the syrup from the pan while it finishes baking; cook for another 60 minutes.

To make the sauce, remove the ham from the pan and set aside on a carving board. With a whisk, blend the flour into the reserved drippings in the saucepan. Add the water, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and maple syrup drippings from the roasting pan and combine. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then remove from the pan and keep warm.

Carve the ham into thin slices. Pour the hot maple sauce into a gravy boat and pass with the ham.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Source: Marcia Adams, Cooking from Quilt Country.

Spring Pea Orzo

8 ounces uncooked orzo

1/​4 cup minced shallot

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/​2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/​2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/​2 cup lemon juice

1-1/​2 cups cooked peas

1 cup sugar snap peas, blanched and chopped

1 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/​2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

1 lemon, zested

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

Whisk together shallots, oil, mustard, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Toss together pasta and shallot mixture. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 1 to 48 hours.

Toss together pasta, peas, sugar snap peas, herbs,almonds, and lemon zest just before serving. Add salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste.

Yield: Makes 8-10 servings.

Source: Adapted from southernliving.com.

Roasted Parsnips and Carrots

3 pounds parsnips, peeled

2 pound carrots, peeled

6 tablespoons good olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 tablespoons minced fresh dill

Preheat the oven to 425F.

If the parsnips and carrots are very thick, cut them in half lengthwise. Slice each diagonally into 1-inch-thick slices. The vegetables will shrink while cooking, so don't make the pieces too small. Place the cut vegetables into a roasting pan. Add the olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss well. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the size of the vegetables, tossing occasionally, until the parsnips and carrots are just fork-tender. Sprinkle with dill and serve hot.

Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Source: Adapted from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics.

Mustard and Black Pepper Biscuits

1/​4 cup butter

2 teaspoons prepared Dijon-style mustard

4 drops Tabasco sauce

1/​2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 10.2-ounce cans Grands Homestyle buttermilk biscuits

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.

In a small saucepan over low heat, melt together the butter, mustard, Tabasco, and pepper. Place the biscuits onto the prepared baking sheet, 1/​2 inch apart. Brush the tops of the biscuits with the butter mixture, then bake for 20 minutes until biscuits are risen and golden.

Yield: 10 biscuits.

Source: Adapted from allrecipes.com.

Brown Sugar Pound Cake with Moscato Glaze

Cake:

1/​2 cup butter, softened

3/​4 cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1/​2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-1/​4 cups all-purpose flour

1/​2 teaspoon baking powder

1/​4 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease and flour an 8"x4" glass loaf pan. Place the oven rack in the center position.

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy; beat in the eggs and the vanilla until well combined.

Beat in the flour, baking powder and salt just until combined.

Spread batter in the prepared pan, depressing the batter a bit in the center. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean; the top will crack a bit, giving the cake a rustic look. Let cool for 20 minutes, then remove from pan; let cool on a rack.

Glaze:

1 cup confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Moscato

Whisk together the glaze ingredients, then pour over the cake and spread the glaze. Let the glaze set completely before cutting. Serve with fresh fruit.

Yield: 10 slices.

Source: Mary Bilyeu.

First Published March 31, 2015, 4:00 a.m.