Easter Sunday Dinner

I prepared these recipes for Easter, but you can enjoy them any time of year!

Rosemary and Garlic Marinated Lamb with Blackberry Mint Sauce

You can use whatever cut you want for this recipes (chops, loin, leg, etc.) but I used rack of lamb. You can also cook it any way you'd like.

2-3 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

2 tbs. fresh rosemary, chopped

4-5 cloves garlic, chopped

1 tbs. fresh chopped mint

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste (at least 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt is advised)

Place your lamb in a shallow dish or a large plastic bag. Rub all over with olive oil and add seasonings. Make sure the meat is evenly covered in garlic, mint, and rosemary mixture. Refrigerate and let marinate for at least an hour - overnight is best to really develop the flavors. Baste the lamb with about half of the Blackberry Mint sauce (see below) before cooking. Cook using your favorite method of braising, broiling, or roasting (depending what cut of meat you use, different methods work better). I personally roasted the lamb in a 400 degree oven for about 30-35 minutes, however you'll need to adjust the cooking time according to the size of your cut. I like my lamb medium-rare, but you can cook it to your personal taste. 

Blackberry Mint Sauce

1/2 cup good quality seedless blackberry jam or preserves

1/2 cup good quality all-natural mint jelly (I used Scott's brand)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. fresh chopped mint (optional)

Sprinkle of fresh ground pepper

Combine all ingredients together and heat in the microwave or in a saucepan until mixture liquefies. Use half the sauce for basting before you cook the lamb, and the other half for pouring on top, or dipping.

Potato and Onion Gratin

3-4 Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced in thin rounds

1 medium sweet onion, sliced

1/2 cup shredded Asiago, Parmesan, Gruyere, or Parmesan Blend

1/2 - 3/4 cup half and half or Silk soy creamer

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the bottom of a deep, medium-sized casserole or baking dish. Place in a layer of potatoes and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper. Top with a layer of onion slices and a light sprinkle of cheese. Repeat another layer of potatoes (don't forget to season them), then onions, then cheese. Repeat another layer if you have any room in the dish and/or remaining ingredients. End with a top layer of potatoes and a generous amount of cheese. Pour the half and half or cream overtop of the entire dish. Bake for 35-40 minutes until potatoes are tender and top is brown and a little bubbly. If the top is getting too browned but the potatoes aren't finished cooking, you can cover the dish with foil, then remove the foil for the last few minutes of baking to crisp the top.

Leftover potatoes and onions can be incorporated into a delicious Fritatta!

Sauteed Green Peas with Garlic and Mint

12 oz. bag organic frozen peas

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbs. fresh chopped mint

Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

1/2 cup creme fraiche (optional for topping)

In a skillet on medium-high heat, heat olive oil and saute the garlic lightly. Add the peas and the mint and season with salt and pepper. Saute about 4 minutes until peas are tender and heated through. Top with a dollop of creme fraiche before serving if you'd like.

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.