From South Philly's acclaimed Noord, an Easter brunch to make at home

Jellybeans, coconut-cream eggs and chocolate bunnies are often the culinary highlights of Easter, overshadowing the ham and potato salad menu that is traditional for many families. Many who celebrate are church-bound in the morning, and by dinnertime the sugar crashes have given way to late-afternoon naps for otherwise energetic people.

Joncarl Lachman, chef at the Scandinavian-inspired Noord restaurant in East Passyunk, believes a hearty Easter brunch is the way to go. First of all, a midday meal can provide ballast against all that sugar. And, he says, a casual buffet is more fun and relaxed. The meal tends to feature make-ahead dishes that are easier to cook. "Brunch isn't fussy. Plus, you'll have the rest of the day to clean up," says Lachman.

For this kind of midday repast, forget the hulking ham or leg of lamb. This Easter, prepare a brunch with lighter fare, but create a menu that still  makes it feel like a special occasion.

Gravlax certainly ticks all the right boxes. Silky, savory slices of cured salmon are a luxurious part of Lachman's ideal Easter brunch spread. There is something distinctly upscale and impressive about cured fish. Your guests might think you took a cooking class, but "really, it's hard to imagine anything easier," says Lachman. Curing your own gravlax at home requires little in the way of kitchen skills or active time.

According to Lachman, the best thing about gravlax for Easter brunch is you have to make it ahead. There's no last-minute cooking or mixing. "Then when you're ready, just slice and serve," he says.

His recipe has one small extra step you don't see in every gravlax recipe. Before you add the salt-and-sugar coating that cures the fish, you sprinkle it generously with freshly grated lemon zest. "The citrus really balances the flavor of the salmon," he says.

Like most of the dishes Lachman favors, this recipe is very flexible. "If you like orange or grapefruit, those zests would be fine, as well." The only ingredient he insists you stick to, other than the salmon, of course, is kosher salt. "It's the best -- I don't go in for fancy salts," he says. Fleur de sel would definitely make things too fussy for this chef.

Gravlax makes for a beautiful presentation, but it isn't typically eaten by itself. Lachman pairs it with sour cream and Danish-style bread, but cream cheese and bagels are also classic accompaniments. A few pickles served with the gravlax complement the fish's flavor and cut through the richness of the salmon. Lachman makes his own beet pickles at Noord, though any store-bought variety you like will do.

Eggs are a staple of Easter, and no holiday brunch table would be complete without them. Lachman likes the idea of sharing a big skillet filled with eggs and vegetables.

His current favorite recipe was sparked by a recent trip to Amsterdam, where he likes to mine the markets and street fairs for ingredients and inspiration. "I had a soup called aardpeersoep," he says. The direct translation is "earth apple soup," but when Lachman tasted it last year, it was made from sunchokes and pears. Almost immediately, he imagined using the same flavors and ingredients in a frittata -- a flat, Italian-style omelet.

Sunchokes look like ginger but taste like a combination of artichoke and potato. A cool-weather crop, sunchokes are typically in season from October through April. You can buy them at  farmers' markets or  specialty grocery stores, but if you can't find them, no worries. "Potatoes are just as good here," says Lachman. Either potatoes or sunchokes will go well with the ripe, juicy pears that make this particular frittata such a sweet surprise.

If at all possible, get your eggs from a local source, like Reading Terminal Market's Fair Food Farmstand. Lachman especially likes the eggs from Deep Roots Valley Farm in Mohrsville, Pa. He uses them at one of his other restaurants, the Dutch in Pennsport. "I used to think it didn't really matter, but fresh local eggs just glow. They're prettier and they taste better," he says.

Like the gravlax, this frittata is also a dish that can be made in advance. Reheat it before brunch, or even serve it at room temperature. Leftovers -- if there are any -- make for a good packed lunch.

To finish up Easter brunch, Lachman prefers to stick with the holiday's candy theme by serving homemade chocolate bark. If the words candy making strike fear in your heart, relax. This confection requires no thermometer, and there is no scary boiling sugar. All you need are chocolate chips and some nuts or dried fruit.