It was a very different Easter by any standards. It's been years since I didn't hold a big Easter dinner or at least bake lots of Easter treats for everyone. This year I just didn't have enough sugar and butter to bake the way I usually do. So, I raided my coffers to see what I could pull together just to feed my kids and their SO's and my two old friends down the street. I ended up dropping off Easter dinner for 8 people, on their porches of course. I made leg of lamb, Spring lemon pasta and garlic green beans.
The Chef gave me a beautiful leg of lamb as a gift a while back. I defrosted it and larded it. Lardoons are cut from fatback and sliced into thin strips.
Then I coated them with a paste made from smashed garlic and spices.
I used fresh and dry herbs such as parsley, oregano, thyme and S&P.
This was the first time I cooked a boneless leg and it was held together with netting. I always get a bone-in leg which makes carving more difficult but I usually prefer bone-in in any cut of meat.
The leg is pierced all over and a lardoon is stuffed into each hole.
I left most of the fat on the leg so it could slowly baste the lamb as it cooked.
The roast is then covered with a combination of sliced scallion, shallot, more herbs, olive oil, and salt and pepper.
Doesn't this look good?
It is covered and sits in the fridge for 24 hours.
The next day, 2 cups of wine is added and then it cooks for 4-5 hours in a 325-degree oven. Baste it every half hour.
After it cooks, remove from the oven and strain and de-fat the juices. Add 2 cups of meat stock and reduce it to make a gravy. Pour the gravy over the lamb just before serving.
Once again, I forgot to take final pics as the food was whisked away for delivery. These pics are from my daughter and The Blog Tech. The meat was not actually gray. I made bunny dinner rolls to go with the food.
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| Do you ever notice how some people just get goofier as they age? |
My neighbors didn't know they were getting Easter dinner and they were beyond thankful.
Willie snoozed to the soothing smells. If I am in the kitchen, Willie is in the kitchen. He never gives up that he might benefit in some way.
I made fresh orange rolls too.
These smelled so good and everyone said they loved them. It was a new recipe.
I frenched the damn green beans which took forever. I guess it was worth it because the beans were the first to disappear.
The best part of the day was receiving delivery on an order that I placed over a week ago. I am a rich woman.
Willie wants to know if I'll share. No Willie, you can go poop in the woods. We might have to join you there at some point.
I hope you had a nice, though secluded, Easter.
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