Foodhook.com offers Recipes for a Delicious Three-Course Easter Feast

Hyde Park, NY -- (ReleaseWire) -- 04/04/2014 --The chefs from Foodhook have brought simplicity and fresh ingredients to the traditional Easter dinner. Co-owners and sisters Lori Flynn and Chef Donielle Morgenstern have created an Easter lamb dinner complimented by seasonal herbs, citrus and a red wine granita to welcome the Spring season.

"We embrace simplicity when assembling an Easter feast celebration,” Morgenstern said. “ Seasonal ingredients are paired with vibrant flavors to create this fresh and elegant Spring meal."

The three course meal that serves eight starts out with a melon-kiwi prosciutto salad with ricotta salata . The main course is herb encrusted lamb chops with garlic-mint sauce and cremini risotto with either a side of mango & raw cabbage slaw with apple cider vinaigrette or a side of roasted rustic lemony carrots and asparagus with creme fraiche. The chefs end the meal with a red wine & citrus granita.

Foodhook is an online menu planning service that offers weekly meal plans, organized shopping lists, and personalized support from a professional chef.

Recipe instructions are as follows:

Appetizer
Melon-Kiwi Prosciutto Salad with Ricotta Salata
1/2 ea (lg) Cantaloupe, cut into 8 crescents & rind removed
1/2 ea (lg) Honeydew, cut into 8 crescents & rind removed
2 ea Kiwi, peeled & quartered
4 oz Ricotta Salata, crumbled
5 leaves (lg) Basil, chiffonade
TT Pepper
5 oz Prosciutto, sliced thin

Directions
On a platter, arrange MELON & KIWI. Sprinkle with RICOTTA SALATA, BASIL, & PEPPER. Just before serving, place a single layer of PROSCIUTTO (arrange in a wavy ribbon-like shape) on top.

Main Course
Herb Encrusted Lamb Chops with Garlic-Mint Sauce & Cremini Risotto

Herb Encrusted Lamb
8 (4 oz) ea Lamb Chops, bone-in, trimmed & room temperature
1 Tbsp Sage, dried
1 Tbsp Thyme, dried
1 Tbsp Rosemary, dried
2 sprigs Rosemary, fresh, separated into smaller sprigs for garnish

To prepare HERB ENCRUSTED LAMB CHOPS
Pat dry the LAMB; season with SALT & PEPPER. Coat with OLIVE OIL, SAGE, THYME, & ROSEMARY.

Heat a large pan over high heat, coat with OLIVE OIL. Add LAMB in batches (do not overcrowd). Cook on each side for 3 1/2 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F (medium-rare). Arrange LAMB on a platter. Garnish with ROSEMARY SPRIGS.

Garlic-Mint Sauce
1/2 c Mint, fresh
1/2 c Basil, fresh
2 cloves Garlic, smashed & peeled
1 ea Lime, zested & juiced

To prepare GARLIC-MINT SAUCE
In a food processor, blend MINT, BASIL, GARLIC, LIME ZEST, LIME JUICE, & 1/4 c OLIVE OLIVE. Season with SALT & PEPPER. Pour into a sauce bowl to serve with LAMB CHOPS.

Cremini Risotto
1qt + 3 1/2 c Mushroom Stock
1 1/2 c Dry White Wine
TT Salt
TT Pepper
As Needed Olive Oil
1 ea (lg) Vidalia onion, small dice
1 1/2 # Cremini Mushrooms, stem removed & thinly sliced
2 1/2 c Arborio Rice
4 oz Baby Spinach, chiffonade
1/2 c Asiago Cheese, grated

To prepare CREMINI RISOTTO
In a pot, combine MUSHROOM STOCK & WINE; heat until hot (do not boil). Season with SALT & PEPPER. Cover & keep temperature steady.

Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat; coat with OLIVE OIL. Add ONION & MUSHROOMS; saute' until golden brown; about 5 minutes.

Add RICE; stir & toast for 1 minute.

Stir in 1 c MUSHROOM STOCK-WINE MIXTURE; reduce heat to a simmer. Stir until liquid is fully absorbed. Repeat adding 1 c of liquid at a time until RICE is creamy & al dente. This should take 20 minutes.

Serve on a platter & top with SPINACH & ASIAGO CHEESE.

Side
Mango & Raw Cabbage Slaw with Apple Cider Vinaigrette
1/3 c Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Tbsp Honey
1/4 c Olive Oil
1 tsp Celery Seeds
1 tsp Poppy Seeds
1/2 tsp Dry Mustard Powder
6 c Red Cabbage, shredded
1/2 c Carrot, shredded
1 ea (lg) Mango, medium dice
TT Salt
TT Pepper

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together VINEGAR, HONEY, OLIVE OIL, CELERY SEEDS, POPPY SEEDS, & DRY MUSTARD POWDER. Add CABBAGE, CARROTS, & MANGO. Season with SALT & PEPPER. Toss to coat. Chill & allow to marinate 10 minutes before serving

Side
Roasted Rustic Lemony Carrots & Asparagus with Creme Fraiche

Carrots
3 # Carrots with Stems, peel & trim stem to 2"
6 cloves Garlic, minced & divided (3 cloves for CARROTS & 3 cloves for ASPARAGUS)
2 ea (lg) Shallots, minced

As Needed Olive Oil
TT Salt
TT Pepper
1 1/2 Tbsp + 2 sprigs Thyme, divided (1 1/2 Tbsp minced for roasting & 2 sprigs for garnish)
2 ea (lg) Lemon, divided (1ea for CARROTS zested & juiced; 1 ea for ASPARAGUS zested)

To prepare CARROTS
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

On a sheet pan, combine CARROTS, GARLIC, & SHALLOTS. Coat with OLIVE OIL.

Season with SALT, PEPPER, & THYME. Roast in oven until tender; about 10-15 minutes.

Stir occasionally. Drizzle with LEMON JUICE & LEMON ZEST. Serve on a platter & garnish with THYME SPRIGS.

Asparagus
2 1/2 # Asparagus, trimmed & peeled
8 oz Creme Fraiche

To prepare ASPARAGUS
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F
On a sheet pan, combine ASPARAGUS & GARLIC. Coat with OLIVE OIL. Season with SALT & PEPPER. Roast in oven until tender-crisp; about 10-12 minutes. Arrange on a platter. Drizzle with CREME FRAICE & LEMON ZEST.

Dessert
Red Wine & Citrus Granita

5 c Semi-dry Red Wine
3/4 c Sugar
2 ea (lg) Orange, juiced
1 ea (lg) Lemon, zested & juiced
1 ea Pink Grapefruit, juiced

Directions
(Easy to prepare a day or two in advance.)
In a pot, combine WINE, SUGAR, ORANGE JUICE, LEMON ZEST, LEMON JUICE, & GRAPEFRUIT JUICE. Heat & stir to dissolve SUGAR. Transfer to a shallow baking dish & allow to cool. Place in freezer. When mixture begins to freeze, scrape off top layers using a fork to create shavings. Serve in individual bowls.

Spring Dinner Menu Shopping List
Baking Goods
Sugar, 3/4 c
Breakfast Foods
Honey, 3 Tbsp
Canned/Jar Goods
Mushroom Stock, 1 + 3 1/2 c

Dairy
Asiago Cheese, 1/2 c
Creme Fraiche, 8 oz
Ricotta Salata, 4 oz
Meat
Lamb Chops, bone-in, 8 (4 oz) ea
Prosciutto, sliced thin, 5 oz

Oils & Dressings
Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/3 c
Olive Oil, 1/4 c + As Needed
Pasta/Rice/Beans
Arborio Rice, 2 1/2 c
Sauces & Spices
Celery Seeds, 1 tsp
Dry Mustard Powder, 1/2 tsp
Pepper, TT
Poppy Seeds, 1 tsp
Rosemary, dried, 1 Tbsp
Sage, dried, 1 Tbsp
Thyme, dried, 1 Tbsp

Produce
Asparagus, 2 1/2 #
Baby Spinach, 4 oz
Basil, 5 leaves (lg) + ½ c
Canatloupe, 1/2 ea (lg)
Carrot, shredded, 1/2 c
Carrots with Stems, 3 #
Cremini Mushrooms, 1 1/2 #
Garlic, 8 cloves
Honeydew, 1/2 ea (lg)
Kiwi, 2 ea
Lemon, 3 ea (lg)
Lime, 1 ea
Mango, 1 ea (lg)
Mint, fresh, 1/2 c
Orange, 2 ea (lg)
Pink Grapefruit, 1 ea
Red Cabbage, shredded, 6 c
Rosemary, fresh, 2 sprigs
Shallots, 2 ea (lg)
Thyme, 1 1/2 Tbsp + 2 sprigs
Vidalia Onion, 1 ea (lg)

Alcohol
Dry White Wine, 1 1/2 c
Semi-dry Red Wine, 5 c

Home cooks can sign up for Foodhook at http://www.foodhook.com or through social media at http://www.facebook.com/foodhook. Meal plans cost between $6 and $10 per month.