Food for thought: Easter Feast

Easter/Passover/Spring

Spring, combined with the holidays of Easter & Passover, create unique themes in food. There's a tinge of the hard truths of human nature coupled with fertile rebirth.

I like foods that conjure the Old Testament and the foods/regions mentioned in scripture: lamb, figs, almonds, rosemary, mustard seed, red wine/grapes/raisins, unleavened bread, potatoes, sage, olives and olive oil, dates, and apricots. One gets the idea. Poke around epicurious.com for recipes. I prefer Gourmet's recipes, as they seem to be well-tested to me. BettyCrocker.com tests recipes well too, but they rely more heavily on processed foods in their ingredient lists.

Some ideas:

Meat and Fish
Decadent crusted lamb with honey-apricot relish--recipe follows

Smoked duck with pomegranate-maple syrup

Sauteed rosemary chicken breast with portobello mushrooms and petite peas

Ham with fruit chutney

Firm fish (tilapia) poached, with a lemon zest, dill and green onion sauce


Side Dishes
Grilled asparagus with lemon butter

Bitter/spicy salad greens such as frisee, radicchio, endive, and arugula with a lemon-tahini dressing

Snow peas with tarragon

New potatoes with fresh sage

Petite peas or steamed cauliflower with tarragon-avacado vinaigrette

Fava beans with lemon pepper

Flat bread (pita bread, lavash) with tapenade

Rice steeped in beef broth, lemon and oregano

Caramelized red onions and balsamic vinegar


Desserts
Fig-raisin bread (as in a dessert bread to serve with wine and cheese)

Date-Apricot pie with almond topping

Baklava


Recipe: Apricot & Rosemary Lamb (Betty Crocker)

It is divine! I make this on many special occasions. Notes: Usually, I marinate the leg for 24 hours. I use balsamic vinegar instead of the red wine. I also add about 16 cloves of garlic instead of the 8 listed and crust the lamb with dried rosemary, a couple crushed peppercorns, salt and dried thyme. Sometimes I've added sweet onion to the relish or the marinade. Trimming the fat and adding lots of fresh rosemary really improve the flavor!

5-pound bone-in leg of lamb
8 small cloves garlic, cut lengthwise in half
4 rosemary sprigs, each about 4 inches long, cut into 4 pieces
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) apricot halves in light syrup, drained and syrup reserved
1/2 cup dry red wine or nonalcoholic red wine
1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1. Make 16 small slits, each about 1/2 inch wide and 1 inch deep, over surface of lamb. Insert 1 garlic and 1 rosemary piece in each slit using tip of knife. Place lamb in large resealable food-storage plastic bag or shallow glass or plastic dish.
2. Mix reserved apricot syrup, the wine, oil, 1 tablespoon of the honey and the salt; pour over lamb. Seal bag or cover dish and refrigerate at least 8 hours but no longer than 24 hours, turning lamb occasionally.
3. Heat oven to 325ºF. Remove lamb from marinade; reserve marinade. Place lamb, fat side up, on rack in shallow roasting pan. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in thickest part of lamb and does not touch bone or rest in fat.
4. Bake uncovered about 2 hours, brushing once or twice with marinade, until thermometer reads 140°F. Cover lamb loosely with foil and let stand 10 to 15 minutes or until thermometer reads 145°F. (Temperature will continue to rise about 5°, and lamb will be easier to carve.) Reserve 1/4 cup marinade; discard any remaining marinade. Garnish with additional apricot halves and fresh rosemary leaves if desired.
5. Meanwhile, place apricots in food processor or blender. Cover and process until smooth. In 1-quart saucepan, heat apricots, 1/4 cup marinade, remaining 1 tablespoon honey and the chopped rosemary. Heat to boiling. Boil 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve sauce with lamb.

Wine pairings: a light, fruity red, such as Beaujolais Nouveau, a Red Zinfandel, or a really dry Rose with a fruity character. A Moscato or Muscat would bring out the honey and grape flavors of a dish. With rich dishes combining green vegetables and cream or butter, try a buttery Chardonnay or a snappy Sancerre.