Easter Dinner Recipes

Easter Dinner Recipes

The most popular Easter dinner recipes are for ham and lamb. A ham, covered in glaze, can be an enticing entrée but I prefer to celebrate Easter with a nice leg of lamb. This recipe uses basil, mint, garlic and lemon to enhance the rich flavor and the tender meat of the lamb leg.

Ingredients

• 1 3 pound leg of lamb, trimmed
• 2 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons of fresh basil, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of fresh mint, chopped
• ¼ cup of freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 teaspoon of grated lemon zest
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil

Instructions

1. About an hour before you want to start to cook your lamb take it out of the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.
2. Place your oven rack in the center of your oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
3. Finely chop the fresh herbs as well as the garlic, you can use a garlic press if you like.
4. Place the chopped herbs and garlic in a bowl and mix them with the cheese, lemon zest, and oregano.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Using a paring knife make several small slits about a quarter of an inch deep all over the lamb.
7. Stuff a small amount of the herb mixture into the slits.
8. Rub the meat with the olive oil.
9. If you like you can place some peeled carrots, turnips or potatoes in the roasting pan with the lamb.
10. Roast the lamb for 15 minutes at 425 degrees and then turn the heat down to 350 degrees.
11. Roast the lamb for one hour at 350 degrees.
12. Using your thermometer check the temperature of the lamb when it hits 130 degrees it is done.
13. Remove the lamb from the oven and place it on a cutting board.
14. Tent the lamb with a piece of foil and let it rest for 15 minutes before carving it.

Sides to serve with your lamb can include:

• Asparagus
• Wax beans
• Caesar Salad