Easter Feast

This past Easter Sunday Jodi and I threw together a buffet of ham and lamb for a ladies lunch at my house. You may wonder why lamb along with ham, but I had a vendetta. Last year, the lamb I prepared for Easter dinner defeated me. Naturally, when boneless leg roasts went on sale at Central Market last week just in time for the holiday, I knew it meant a rematch. I was determined to cook a succulent, delicious piece of meat, and I'm proud to tell you, I won big this year.

So what went right this time? First and foremost, I used a much sharper knife to trim the exterior before I roasted it. After reflecting on my blog from the previous mishap, I doubt I did a good job of this very important step. No wonder it was tough; I took off a half a pound of fat from this guy at least. Second, I used a better seasoning blend comprised of mint, parsley, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper to keep the flavors simple. Third, I took a different approach to roasting the leg. I used this recipe from Chow as my guide, and baked it at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes, until its internal temperature was 135 degrees.

 I let it rest for fifteen, then carved the beauty. I thought it was too bloody for the lamb newbies so I put the slices back in the oven for a few minutes until they looked medium rare.  Then on top of the perfect pink slices, I drizzled an herby vinaigrette that added a refreshing bite to the meat. All of the girl's I had over loved it. We devoured the entire platter. 

The ham Jodi prepared was equally satisfying. I usually ignore this dish at holidays, but I gave this cut of swine another chance. And Mom you'll never believe it, but I liked it. The sugar and mustardy crust was the best part. In addition to the meats, we made bacon wrapped asparagus, my deviled eggs, homemade biscuits (mine below is shaped like mushroom), and of course mimosas. Cheers to a successful Easter feast!