Easter Dinner

Roasted Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Rosemary

Picture includes lamb (left) and ham (right). Ham was simply baked with honey.

Serves: 6

Prep Time: 45 min
Cook Time: 2 hours

Est. WW pts: 8

3 lb boneless leg of lamb

5-6 rosemary stems

1 head of garlic

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil

Prep:

1)      Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2)      Cut top off of garlic, just to expose the garlic cloves

3)      Place garlic on a piece of foil and drizzle with 1 tsp olive oil

4)      Wrap tightly and place in oven for 30 min

5)      Allow garlic to cool about 30 minutes. Squeeze garlic head so cloves come out and make garlic into a paste, set aside

Cooking:

1)      Open leg of lamb and season inside with salt and pepper

2)      Roll lamb and wrap with cooking twine

3)      Rub lamb with garlic paste and insert rosemary under twine

4)      Place lamb in a baking dish and drizzle olive oil over lamb and pat to cover rosemary

5)      Cover lamb with foil and cook for 2 hours or until the internal temp is 160 degrees

To plate:

1)      Remove rosemary and twine from lamb

2)      Slice into 12 slices

3)      Serve with natural juices from pan or mint jelly

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Ratatouille

Serves: 12

Prep Time: 30
Cook Time: 30 – 45 min
Est. WW pts: 2

¼ cup olive oil

1 sm onion, thinly sliced

2-3 garlic cloves, minced

1 sm eggplant, peeled and diced

1 ½ can diced tomato

2 zucchini, sliced

1 yellow squash, sliced

2 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced

1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chiffonade

2 tsp fresh thyme

3 fresh sage leaves, chiffonade

Salt & Pepper to taste

Prep:

1)      Slice onion and mince garlic and set aside.

2)      Dice eggplant into ½ inch cubes and set aside.

3)      Slice zucchini and squash and place in a bowl.

4)      In a bowl, remove thyme from the stalk.

5)      Remove rosemary from the stalk and mince. Place in bowl with thyme.

6)      Chiffonade oregano and sage and place in bowl with other herbs.

Cooking:

1)      Heat oil in a large sauté pan. Saute onions and garlic until the onions become slightly translucent.

2)      Add eggplant, herbs and tomatoes. Cook until eggplant is tender when stabbed with a fork.

3)      Gently stir in zucchini and squash. Cover and cook until all vegetables are tender.

4)      Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To plate:

Pour into a serving dish with a large slotted spoon.

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Potatoes Au Gratin

Serves: 12

Prep Time: 30 min
Cook Time: 2 hours
Est. WW pts: 8

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

5 lg red potatoes, cut into ⅛ - ¼ inch thick

1 med onion, cut same as potatoes

1 ½ cup Gruyere cheese, grated

1 ½ cup heavy cream

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1/8 tsp paprika

Prep:

1)      Using a mandolin, slice potatoes and onions into separate bowls. Grate the cheese in another bowl.

Cooking:

1)      Grease the bottom of a 13 x 9 oven safe dish. Layer potatoes to cover the bottom, over lapping each halfway, to completely cover the bottom; you may need to half some of the potato slices to layer around the edges.

2)      Sprinkle with onions and cheese. Continue to layer until you have about a ½ inch to the top.

3)      In a bowl, break up softened butter with a fork or spoon.

4)      Add cream, salt, pepper and paprika to the butter and stir together. It will be lumpy because the butter is not melted.

5)      Pour mixture over the potatoes. Smooth any butter pieces with a fork or spoon.

6)      Cover with foil and bake for 1 ½ hours.

7)      Remove foil and bake remaining 30 min or until potatoes are tender and cheese has browned.

To plate:

                Slice with a knife and use a large spoon or spatula to serve.

One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.  ~Luciano Pavarotti and William Wright, Pavarotti, My Own Story