Easter Dinner

   Easter Dinner

 

Some times we spend Easter in Michigan and go to a restaurant. This year we stayed home and I cooked.

The menu?

• Rosemary and Garlic Lamb
• Whiskey Glazed Carrots
• Roasted Asparagus
• Creamy Polenta
• Panna Cotta with fresh fruit

Rosemary and Garlic Lamb
I purchase several packages of rack of lamb from Sam's Club. There are about 12-15 ribs in each package.  I made 44 lamb pops. This is a very basic and unscientific recipe, adapt as you see fit.

Recipe:
5-6 cloves of garlic minced
3 large sprigs of rosemary minced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

 

I mince garlic and rosemary and mix with olive oil. I sprinkle salt and pepper on the lamb and then rub them with the garlic and rosemary mixture. Then I seal in a ziplock bag for 48 hours before cooking.

Remove lamb from refrigerator 1 hour before cooking to get to room temp. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place lamb on roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes. Turn on broiler and broil meat approximately 6 - 7 minutes. This will add a nice crust to the meat.

Remove from oven, cover with foil and rest for about 10 minutes. Slice and lay on platter. Take juices from roast pan and dribble over meat. Serve and enjoy.

Whiskey Glazed Carrots

This is a Pioneer Woman recipe. We love this dish and I think the glaze could be used on chicken or
pork as well. I made 1 1/2 of the recipe slicing a total of 5 pounds of carrots.


I also browned my carrots more than the recipe illustrates, used fresh chives from my garden, and used Buffalo Trace Bourbon.






Roasted Asparagus

The search of thin asparagus started at Wegmans, unfortunately, I shopped too late and there was only medium thick asparagus.  No matter, I can't have an Easter dinner without asparagus!

Recipe:
Heat oven to 400 degrees
3 bunches of asparagus
Mince 4 cloves of garlic
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Cut ends off of asparagus. Layer asparagus onto a baking sheet. You can line with parchment or foil if you'd like. Drizzle with olive oil and with your hands (the handiest kitchen tool - handiest get it?!) gently mix around the asparagus to coat all of them evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and then sprinkle with minced garlic. Make sure there is garlic on each piece. You may need more than 4 cloves depending on how big your garlic is.

Roast for 15 - 20 minutes. I like mine crispy, not soggy.


Creamy Polenta

So, I'm only 5% Italian so I think it's okay that I use instant Polenta. I just don't have the time to use the regular kind. This recipe is not for the faint at heart or for those watching their waistline. But this is a holiday, so who the hell is counting calories!?!

Recipe:
1 - 1 pound box of instant Polenta

8 cups of whole milk
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 Tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 small container of Mascarpone cheese

Simmer milk in a pan. Be careful not to boil. Slowly, and I mean slowly, drizzle polenta into simmering milk while whisking quickly. The slower the better or else you'll get a clumpy mess. Once all polenta is mixed with the milk, reduce heat. Continue stiring with whisk and add butter and mascarpone. If mixture is too thick, thin with a little bit of cream. Yes, I did say this was a high calorie side dish! It is perfect when you put a scoop of polenta and then set the lamb on top. The juices will seep into the polenta and it will be delish!

Variation: Add a clove of garlic to the simmering milk. Remove before adding polenta.

Dessert Time!!!!

Panna Cotta with Fresh Fruit
I double this recipe. Panna Cotta is a creamy, refreshing desert that is the perfect end to a wonderful meal.

Recipe:

Panna Cotta
2 envelopes (1/4 ounce each) unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup of water
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup of sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla (if you have vanilla beans, you can slice open and add vanilla caviar to the simmering milk)

Fresh Fruit Topping
1 package of black raspberries
1 package of raspberries
1 cup of blueberries
1/8 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of vanilla

Mix gelatin with 1/2 cup of water and set aside. Mix milk, cream and sugar in a sauce pan. Bring to a simmer for about 4 - 5 minutes. Do not boil. Remove from heat and add gelatin. Stir well so all of the gelatin is melted into the mixture. Add vanilla. 

Divide the mixture into ramekins. Cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.

Fresh fruit topping, rinse berries in strainer and then set into a bowl. Gently mix in sugar and vanilla and let sit at room temperature for about 2 hours. Once in a while, toss to coat and help the berries to macerate.