Easter Evening Dinner

After the Easter Brunch, and a great day of strolling and people watching in New Hope, PA, I came home and served this great lamb dinner - perfect for any special occasion.

Rosemary Garlic Boneless Lamb

One boneless lamb roast (I bought mine at Trader Joe's but you can get it anywhere - check your local farmer's market!)

3 sprigs of rosemary 

2 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp. salt or to taste

1 tsp. fresh ground pepper

2-3 cloves fresh garlic, chopped

Place lamb in a quart-sized plastic bag. Add rosemary, oil, pepper, salt, and garlic. Coat lamb entirely with the mixture and marinate 1-2 hours, or overnight for the best flavor. 

Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place marinated lamb in shallow baking dish coated with a bit of extra virgin olive oil. Make sure the rosemary and garlic are coating the lamb - you can add additional herbs and seasonings at this time. Cook 10 minutes at 475, then flip over and cook for another 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and continue cooking an additional 15-25 minutes depending on desired doneness. I like mine rare and slightly pink. Remember that meat continues to cook once it is out of the oven, so consider this in your cooking time. Let me meat rest before slicing to concentrate the juices and achieve the best flavor. Natural mint jelly such as Cross and Blackwell brand makes a good accompaniment.

Israeli Couscous with Roasted Vegetables and Ricotta Salata

8 oz. Israeli Couscous (this differs from regular couscous in that it has a larger grain, resembling small beads)

1 3/4 cup water, chicken broth, or vegetable broth (Imagine brand No-Chicken Broth is great for a vegetarian version)

1 red or yellow pepper (or combination of both)

1 medium sweet onion, sliced

Squeeze of lemon juice to taste

2 tbs. good quality extra virgin olive oil

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

5 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (meaning the leaves are stacked, rolled, and slice into shreds)

3-4 sprigs fresh thyme

1 tbs. fresh chopped oregano 

2-4 tbs. fresh chopped parsley

1 cup diced Ricotta Salata or Feta Cheese

In a 2 quart saucepan, satute the couscous with 1 tbs. olive oil over medium heat until grains are lightly browned. Slowly add the water or broth and bring to a boil. reduce heat and simmer for 12 minutes until liquid is absorbed and couscous is done. You may need to add a little extra liquid - everyone's stove is different.

Set oven to high broil. To roast the vegetables, add a bit of oil to a baking sheet and lay sliced peppers and onions, skin side up, in a single layer. Broil until peppers begin to get black spots - checking after about 7 minutes. This part can be done a few days ahead.

In a large bowl, ad vegetables to the cooked couscous. Ad fresh herbs, seasonings, cheese, and lemon juice. Toss to combine. This can be served warm or cool depending what you prefer. For a quick version, you can use jarred roasted peppers or leftover roasted vegetables you may have in the fridge - asparagus, sundried tomatoes, kalamata olives are also a good addition especially for a cold summer salad.

I also served roasted asparagus with lemon and garlic at this meal - the recipe can be found in my previous post featuring Passover side dishes.

Wine Suggestion:  I served Michael Pozzan 2006 Pinot Noir - lush and inexpensive (under $15 per bottle). Bearboat Pinot Noir would also make for a great pairing.