Easter Feast

I miss spending Easter in Siesta Key, preferably in the midst of a two week vacation. But seeing as how that won't be happening anytime soon, we did the next best thing...a nice feast. It was a quiet group for dinner, just Michelle, myself, and the Daley's. Because of that, we decided let's go all out. The plan was to have dinner at the Daley's and Kate cook but due to some home repairs dinner moved to my house and I took point on cooking. To begin....

Cape cod chopped salad

To include bacon, arugula, diced granny smith apple, toasted walnut halves, dried cranberries, & crumbled blue cheese

For the dressing: 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp grated orange zest, 2 Tbsp fresh squeeze orange juice, 2 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup, 1 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 2/3 c. Olive oil

Sides included twice baked potatoes and....

Pan-roasted root vegetables

4 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 white turnip, unpeeled & 1 inch diced
2 carrots, 1 inch diced
2 small parsnips, peeled & 1 inch diced
1/2 celery root, peeled & 1 inch diced
8 Brussels sprouts, halved
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
2 celery ribs, 1 inch diced

Melt the butter in a large sauté pan with tight fitting lid. When melted, add turnip, carrots, parsnips, celery root, Brussels sprouts, thyme, salt, pepper and toss with butter. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Add the celery and stir. Cover and continue to cook for another 5 minutes, until tender.

And for the peace de resistance...Rack of Lamb with Mustard-bread Crumb Crust, a recipe from William Sonoma Steak & Chop

2 racks of lamb (serves 4-6)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 c dried bread crumbs
2 tsp finely chopped rosemary
2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 c olive oil
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard

Season lamb w/salt & pepper & let sit at room temperature for 15-60 minutes. Preheat 450

In large oven proof pan over med-high heat, heat olive oil. Add racks fat side down. Sear until golden brown on all sides, about 2 min each. When browned, transfer to platter and set to cool reserving pan.

To make crust, in bowl, combine the bread crumbs, rosemary, & garlic powder and mix well. Add olive oil until bread crumbs have feel of wet sand. Using spatula, spread mustard over meat excluding bones. Then pack the bread crumb mixture over the mustard.

Return racks to pan and roast in oven until 130 degrees, 12-15 minutes. Transfer to carving board, rest with loosely tented foil for 5-10 minutes before serving.

And for dessert, this had me sweating....French Apple Tart from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics. I am not a baker and though it was pretty all the time, the end product looked great and tasted pretty good too!

For pastry:

2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
12 Tbsp unsalted butter, diced
1/2 c ice water

Place flour, salt, & sugar in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds, add butter and pulse 10-12 times until butter is in small bits. With motor running, pour water down feed tube and pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto floured board and knead quickly into ball. Wrap in plastic & refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat over to 400, line sheet pan with parchment paper

Roll dough slightly larger than 10x14 inches, trim edges. Place on pan.

For Apples

3-4 granny smith apples
1/2 c sugar
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, small diced
1/2 c apricot jelly
2 Tbsp Calvados, rum, or water

Peel the apples & cut them in half through stem. Remove the stems and cores. Slice apples crosswise in 1/4-inch thick. Place overlapping slices of apples diagonally down the middle of tart and continue making diagonal rows on both sides until pastry is covered with apple slices. Sprinkle with sugar and dot with butter.

Bake for 45 min to hour until pastry browned. Rotate pan once while baking.

When tarts done, heat jelly and water together and brush the apples and pastry completely with mixture