Easter is in March this year so it is a good opportunity to have a couple of recipes for that weekend. Good Friday comes before Easter Sunday, when a fish dish is traditionally served in many households. All over the world, where there has been a European influence, the main dish for Easter is Lamb, cooked in a way that reflects local customs, flavoured by a variety of ingredients.
My choice therefore is two recipes – one of fish and one of lamb.
PESCE IN “SAOR”
First course for 4 persons:
Ingredients
400g fish including whitebait, prawn and white fish 200g red onion
50ml olive oil 100ml wine vinegar Salt and pepper
Preparation
1. wash all the fish and cut white fish into strips, the size of the whitebait
2. heat the oil in a large frying pan and when really hot, fry all the fish together until coloured
3. dry it all in kitchen paper
4. slice the onion into fine rings
5. in an earthenware casserole place alternate layers of fish and onion rings, seasoning adequately
6. cover with wine vinegar, making sure all is under the vinegar level, pressing down if necessary
7. cover the casserole with cling film and leave to marinade for 5 days
COSTATA D’AGNELLO ALL’ AGLIO
E ROSMARINO
Meat course to serve 4 persons
Ingredients
2 best end (also called rack) of lamb trimmed and with the cutlet bones cut short
2 medium size sprigs of rosemary 1 head of garlic
100g fresh breadcrumbs 1 egg
100ml of dry white wine 100ml of strong stock Salt and pepper
200g mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot, 4 bay leaves)
Preparation
1. take as much fat from the lamb as possible
2. use only the needles of the rosemary
3. crush the garlic and free it from the “skins”
4. place all in a blender, add the crumb, egg, salt and pepper
5. reduce all to a paste adding a little oil if too dry
6. with this paste reconstitute the lamb’s natural fat layer
7. in an oven tray, grease the base and place the mirepoix on it and over it, the lamb
8. roast in a hot oven (180º) for 25 minutes
9. remove lamb from oven and keep hot in sepa rate dish
10. drain excess fat from the oven tray and over a fierce heat bring the mirepoix to the boil, fry it for 5 minutes, stirring all the time and then add the wine, reduce the liquid by half, then add the stock
11. bring to the boil, reduce a little more, then strain into a small saucepan
12. bring to the boil, adjust the seasoning and thicken with a little Bisto granules (or cornflour)
The Lamb is now ready to be served. Either cut it as cutlets or cut in half giving each person half of each best end. Ideally this is served with garden peas, roast potatoes and carrots (English). Or po- lenta and radicchio salad (Italy-Veneto), Lyonnaise potatoes and lettuce salad (French) or whatever you prefer.
A wine of choice is a Chianti Reserva or a good Rioja but again there’s a wide choice of strong red wine to stand the united taste of garlic and rosemary.
Giovanni Fontebasso
“Buon Appetito”
BRICKS Catering 01483 276780
