Oh, thanks for explaining.
We don’t celebrate Easter but it’s a VERY long weekend for us as classical singers - church services abounding. So, as a reward for getting through ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL of that singing, we had a fabulous dinner last night - rack of lamb with roasted tomatoes and a mint gremolata, roasted asparagus with Meyer lemon, Yukon Gold potato gratin with gruyere, thyme and caramelized shallots, and rhubarb sour cream pie for dessert. More carbs than I usually eat in a month, especially given that the potatoes are the most addictive recipe I have ever created. I made a 9x13 pan full and we ate half of it in one sitting. Luckily it freezes well so I can put the remainder away for another splurge in 6 months or so!
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That sounds like a great meal. I really like the idea of the mint gremolata as I’ve never cared for mint jelly. Care to share that potato recipe??? 
I may make this tonight- I have a lovely bunch of asparagus to use and I’d defrosted shrimp last night thinking I would batter some as well as the fish fillets, but I already had plenty!
I’m still thinking about it this morning
Good to know it sounds worth it!
I’m not a fan of mint jelly either, but I do love mint with lamb, so I generally make a mint pesto or chimichurri to go with it. The gremolata was a nice variation because it was lean, and the lamb had plenty of fat on its own (I don’t trim or french my racks - I score the fat instead and let it render well, so you get lots of crispy fat bits all around the outside of the meat). Sometimes pesto and chimichurri can be overwhelmingly oily with the fat included. Anyway, I just whizzed mint, fresh horseradish, garlic and some Meyer lemon zest in my mini-food processor. Delicious on the lamb and the tomatoes.
Here is the potato recipe - they really are killer. I used the 4mm slicing blade on my food processor this time but I usually use the 2mm blade and I think I prefer the thinner slices - YMMV.
2 T. butter
1.5 lb shallots, thinly sliced
3-3.5 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced (you can leave the skins on if they’re tender)
2 c. heavy cream
10-15 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed from stems (or to taste; dry works fine too)
3/4 lb. gruyere cheese, shredded (or a blend - I usually use part parmesan)
1.5 t. salt
pepper to taste
Caramelize the shallots in the butter using whatever method you prefer. Set aside. Combine the potatoes, cream and salt in a microwave safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are softened and somewhat flexible.
Preheat oven to 375 and grease a 9x13 pan with butter. Layer 1/3 of the potatoes on the bottom, followed by half of the shallots and 1/3 of the cheese. Generously season each layer with pepper and thyme leaves. Repeat, ending with the third potato layer and reserving the remaining 1/3 of the cheese. Pour over any cream that remains in the bowl and lightly press down on the casserole to ensure that the cream squishes through all of the layers. Cover with foil and bake approximately one hour, or until the potatoes are tender all the way through when pierced with a knife.
Remove potatoes from the oven and turn broiler to high. Add the remaining cheese evenly to the top of the casserole and broil until cheese melts and browns. Allow to rest at least 10 minutes before serving (I often allow the casserole to rest, covered, for 10-15 minutes before broiling, and then serve it immediately after broiling).
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Thanks for ALL of that!!! Making lamb shanks tonight. If I can find the mint under our snow from last night I’ll try this.
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This sounds perfect for lamb! I do like mint jelly, but this would be a very nice non-sweet combination with lamb. Thanks!
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I find mint jelly too sweet for my tastes. Much prefer the classic British mint sauce - just mint, malt vinegar and a balancing act with some sugar. Cider or white wine vinegar works OK, but malt brings more astringency to cut through the fatty sweetness of the lamb.
Let’s see… the diet vibes are still going strong @casa lingua, so there just may be another big-ass salad topped with pan-roasted chicken breast. It would also be a little less hassle than making piccata, and I’m on the clock again at 8.
Game time decision.
WFD: Easter Monday ~ Ricotta ravioli. Marcella’s 1-2-3 tomato sauce: 2 c Italian tomatoes with juices; 5 T unsalted butter; 1 onion sliced in half, use both halves; 1 t salt. Combine in saucepan, simmer uncovered 45 minutes. Finito. I only use that sauce with ravioli. We don’t cook ravioli frequently. <[chuckle, chuckle]>
~ Mixed tossed salad with simple red wine vinegar and olive oil vinaigrette.
WWFD ESun.: Centerpiece was about 3 dozen daffodils (I stopped counting.) Roast leg of lamb w garlic and rosemary, Baked polenta with peas and pancetta, Orzo, spinach, feta salad. Pineapple spears. For afters the most decadent chocolate cannoli I ever tasted. Filled with slightly sweetened fresh ricotta with just a soupcon of cinnamon and nutmeg. Espresso.
Tutto delizioso.
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That sounds interesting - I do love malt vinegar. Do you add anything to it to add body to the sauce, or leave it thin?
We leave it thin.
Chop the mint fairly finely. Add enough vinegar to make it wet. Then add a little sugar to mute the vinegar. You’ll know when it tastes right.
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Some wonderful Easter meals have been posted.
We’ve had a dull/rough Easter thanks to a virus. The only meal I made was a Peruvian chicken with green sauce - I think lingua posted the recipe link a few weeks back. http://www.onceuponachef.com/2013/01/peruvian-style-roast-chicken-with-green-sauce.html It was good, the green sauce especially. I also took the four year old out to a new Indian restaurant close to the holiday apartment. Best saag I’ve had in New Zealand, not too much cream and plenty of fresh ginger.
Tonight will be a freezer dive. Possibly the chicken pho stock I made a few weeks back with a squeeze of lime and some fresh herbs added. Tomorrow I’m hoping we’ll all be fever and hacking cough free.
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Do you have a ricotta ravioli recipe that you prefer? I haven’t made them in a long time and used jfood’s at the time.
The potatoes are all assembled - and the dog got to like the bowl that had the cream in it I really did have to push the snow aside to get to the thyme
I hope you like them! I’m sure the dog was happy 
For husband a plate of faux Mexican slop…what a waste of
a delicious grass fed skirt steak…It pained me to make this.
BTW the skirt steak was $6.49 per lb… I thought that was
kind of inexpensive.
For me a frittata with leftover roasted fingerlings,
asparagus and muenster.
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Easy dinner tonight - bunless burgers. A new vegetable side was a real winner, though - roasted cauliflower with garlic, fresh jalapenos, cilantro and Meyer lemon. I tossed the cauli in melted butter and threw it in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes, then added lots of minced garlic and chopped jalapenos and reduced the heat to 375. Another 10-15 minutes and done. Threw in a handful of chopped cilantro and a squeeze of lemon. Born of the ingredients needing to be used in my fridge, but I’ll make it a regular part of the rotation!
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