c. 1996 Religion News Service

(RNS)-The following recipe for Passover Moroccan Lamb is also a delicious Easter dish, says Chef Jim Cohen of Wildflower, the signature restaurant of the Lodge at Vail, Colo., a Rocky Mountain resort that offers an annual “Ski and Seder” package. For dessert, Cohen serves Chocolate Nut Cake with Grilled Oranges.

PASSOVER MOROCCAN LAMB

Serves 6-8

Two New Zealand rack of lamb, 6-8 pounds each (Kosher shoulder of lamb may also be used)

Salt and pepper to taste

A few strands saffron

2 peeled, chopped garlic cloves

one-fourth cup olive oil

1 teaspoon grated ginger

2 onions, diced

one-fourth cup celery with leaves, chopped

1 carrot, diced

2 Roma tomatoes

1 pound pitted green olives

1 quart chicken stock

2 peeled canned Italian tomatoes, diced

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Rub lamb with salt, pepper and saffron. Sear on grill or in a saute pan just to brown. Let rest.

Next, heat olive oil in a roasting pan and lightly saute this mixture of vegetables: 1 onion, 1 garlic clove, the celery and carrot, 2 Roma tomatoes and 1 cup green olives.

Place lamb on the vegetable mixture and roast, about four hours for medium-rare, five hours for well-done. A meat thermometer may be used. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce: Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan and saute until tender 1 clove chopped garlic, 1 diced onion, 1 cup sliced green olives, the ginger and diced canned tomatoes. Add one-half quart chicken stock and reduce by half.

When lamb is cooked, remove meat from roasting pan and deglaze pan with the remaining chicken stock. Bring to a simmer briefly, scraping bottom of the pan. Strain the liquid and add to sauce. Continue to reduce sauce until it lightly coats a spoon.

Slice the rack of lamb along the bone and arrange slices on individual dishes. Serve with roasted potatoes, with a small amount of sauce poured over the dish.

PASSOVER CHOCOLATE NUT CAKE

WITH GRILLED ORANGES

1 cup pecans

1 cup hazelnuts

1 cup almonds

1 cup walnuts

7 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped

three-fourths cup sugar

8 large eggs, separated

1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest

12 navel oranges, peel and pith cut away and sections cut free of membrane

one-half cup honey

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a nine-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper.

Grind nuts fine in batches in a food processor, pulsing motor.

Grind chocolate fine in food processor, with six tablespoons sugar.

Beat egg yolks until thick with electric mixer; add chocolate mixture. Add citrus zests and beat until just combined. In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat egg whites and remaining six tablespoons sugar to soft peaks. Fold nuts and egg white mixture gently but thoroughly until just combined.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in middle of oven for 55 minutes, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a rack; remove from pan.

Gently toss orange sections in a bowl with honey and let stand 10 minutes. Heat a ridged grill pan over high heat. Grill oranges in batches about 10 seconds on each side.

Serve slices of cake, garnished with grilled oranges.

MJP END