Passover and Easter will be taking place on Wednesday and next Sunday, respectively. Passover continues to be a strong religious and symbolic celebration. Easter is a little bit different. It continues its religious meaning and celebration for Christians. Some families who are not Christian or religious celebrate Easter too, but their celebrations are secular. For these individuals, the coming of the Easter bunny and spring is similar to Santa Claus and winter. To get a jump-start on Passover and Easter, fellow food columnist Elizabeth Gage and I have collaborated on a menu. Her additions can be found on page C1.
When many think of celebrating Easter, the entree is usually ham. That seems to be the traditional standby for many families. It was a little different years ago on my dad's side of the family - the Easter entree was a whole fire-roasted goat. The Mariani family is from the Dalmatian region of Croatia, where goat is very popular.
I have heard stories of how my Grandma Mariani would go to the butcher shop a few days before Easter and purchase her goat. As the goat would hit the meat counter with a thud, she would inspect the meat, give her approval and have it wrapped up to be transported home. On Easter morning, the goat would be seasoned and roasted on a spit, periodically turning over an open fire.
In more modern times, the goat my grandmother served gave way to lamb. I think lamb is one of the best entrees to serve for Passover and Easter. Part of the original Passover was the sacrifice of a lamb. Some Passover seders symbolize the sacrifice of the lamb through the inclusion of a lamb bone or lamb as part of the meal. For Easter, lamb is served as a symbol and reminder of Christ's roll as the "Lamb of God."
Aside from some cultures in the United States, much of the population does not eat lamb. Many Web sites I researched show that annual lamb consumption per person is only about 1 pound. I think many people may be turned off by the taste of lamb because it has an unusual flavor compared to beef, chicken and pork. I think this is the reason that mint jelly is usually served with lamb. It helps disguise the flavor. If people took a little extra time to prepared it in a different style, lamb can be very tasty. In fact, when my dad serves lamb at a dinner every year, many people think they are eating beef.
The best cut of the lamb to serve at a holiday meal is the leg. The leg of lamb is a cut that is very lean and lends itself to a variety of recipes. The average leg size, about 6 pounds, will feed approximately 10 people based on one 1/2 pound of cooked meat per person. When selecting a leg of lamb, make sure the meat appears to be pink or light red. It should look fresh and feel firm.
This week's recipe features a boned and butterflied leg of lamb. If you are uncomfortable with selecting a leg of lamb and unfamiliar with how to bone and butterfly a leg of lamb, the butcher at your supermarket will help you select one and butterfly it for you too. To save time, visit the meat counter prior to doing the rest of your shopping. Select your leg of lamb, ask the butcher to butterfly it and continue shopping. This will give you plenty of time to shop and enough time for the butcher to complete the process if he or she is busy.
This leg of lamb is marinated and, of course, grilled. Do not serve mint jelly with this lamb. The flavors of fresh garlic, oregano and rosemary will balance and mellow the flavor of the lamb perfectly. You may use dried oregano and rosemary, but the flavor will not be the same. Although many may serve red wine with lamb, it is essential that it be marinated in a white wine that is not too dry or too sweet. Using red wine will actually stain the meat, and its appearance will not look as appetizing.
Mariani Family Grilled Leg of Lamb
From Mitch Mariani
Serves approximately 10
6-pound leg of lamb, boned and butterflied
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup minced garlic
1/4 cup minced fresh oregano
1/4 cup minced fresh rosemary
1/3 cup olive oil
2 2/3 cup white wine
Step 1: Use a liberal shaking of salt and pepper on the both sides of the butterflied leg of lamb.
Step 2: Mix all other ingredients non-reactive bowl to create the marinade.
Step 3: To marinate the leg of lamb, use a non-reactive container such as a glass or ceramic baking dish. Pour 1/3 of the marinade on the bottom of the container; place the leg of lamb in the container and cover with the remainder of the marinade. Cover and marinade the lamb at least overnight, but preferably 24 hours. Every few hours, turn the leg of lamb to help ensure that it is well-saturated by the marinade. When removing the lamb from the marinade, make sure plenty of garlic and herbs are on the meat. When grilling, some of the garlic and herbs will fall off, but those that remain will make a nice presentation after grilling.
Step 4: Over a medium high fire, grill the lamb for about 15 to 20 minutes on each side, depending upon thickness or until an instant read thermometer reads about 150 degrees for medium and 160 degrees for well. The temperature of the cooked meat will increase a little after it comes off the heat. Make sure you rest the lamb after it comes off the fire for at least 10 minutes so the juices will not run out when slicing. Slice and serve with a garnish of whole sprigs of oregano and rosemary.
Mitch Mariani Mitch L. Mariani II is a self-taught amateur chef. Questions, comments and suggestions can be directed to him via e-mail at mixedgrillsouthvalley@yahoo.com. For tips and recipes, visit www.geocities.com/mixedgrillsouthvalley. His column runs weekly.
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