UNITED STATES-EASTER RECIPES.
Free Range on Food is a forum for discussion of all things culinary. You can share your thoughts on the latest Washington Post Food section, get suggestions from fellow cooks and food lovers, or swap old-fashioned recipes the new-fashioned way. This week, Food Section staffers are preparing lamb and exploring the traditions of Greek Easter dinner. They were online Wednesday, April 8 at 1 p.m. ET.
Archive of past discussions
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Joe Yonan: Welcome, Rangers and Rangettes, it’s time to get your chat on. We’re here as always to take your questions and turn them into answers. Hopefully answers you can use. As you may have noticed, we were all about Easter, Greek or otherwise, in the section today, so if you have questions along those lines, Mr. Real Entertaining, David Hagedorn, is on deck to assist.
But surely that’s not the only thing on your mind, in your pantry, on your back burner, right? Right?
For our favorite posts today, we have two giveaway books: Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough’s new "Cooking Know-How" and Carol Gelles "100 Best Vegetarian Recipes."
Let’s do this thing.
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lamb for a small group: The leg of lamb recipe you printed calls for 4 pounds to serve 6 to 8 people. Is it possible to get a smaller cut? Before I go to the butcher, I want to know whether I’ll be asking for a small leg cut or if we need to use some other lamb cut. It will be just the two of us. We’re open to a single meal’s worth of leftovers, but not several meal’s worth. (No wonder the Passover commanded that smaller groups that couldn’t eat a whole lamb be invited to join with a bigger group!) Thanks.
David Hagedorn: You could buy a sirloin-end of the leg which would weigh between two and three pounds.
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Washington, D.C.: I really like the recipe for the Greek honey-spice cookies featured in the Food section and I’m wondering whether it would be possible to make them without the Cognac. I’d like to make them for someone who doesn’t consume any alcohol. Should I just omit it, or is there an alcohol-free substitution that’s appropriate? Thanks!
Bonnie Benwick: I think you could use a good apple juice.
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Rockville, Md.: Your article on smelts in today’s Post brought back a lot of memories. My mother was an immigrant from Eastern Europe, and she prepared smelts exactly as you described, except no lemon juice. (And I luvvved them!) One question: in my home we spoke Yiddish and the Yiddish name for smelts was "stinkas." (not exactly sure of the spelling) I’ve often wondered if the "stink" in "stinkas" was in any way related to the "smell" in "smelts."
Bonnie Benwick: Not sure! Article author Bonny Wolf tried to research the etymology and got as far as the German "schmelt." Any linguists among us today?
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My mouth is watering!: Loved the story on Greek Easter -- made my mouth water. Do you have a recipe for that Greek cheese pie she mentioned?
Bonnie Benwick: Jennifer Poulakidas gave us one but we didn’t test it. Here you go:
Tiropita (Cheese Pie)
24 servings
Phyllo dough is usually sold frozen. For this recipe, it should defrost overnight in the refrigerator or for 4 to 5 hours at room temperature.
From Jennifer Poulakidas.
1 pound feta cheese, finely crumbled
1 pint small-curd cottage cheese and/or ricotta cheese (use either or a combination)
12 large eggs
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
About 1/3 cup sauteed leeks (optional; from 1 small leek, cleaned, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch rounds and cooked until soft with a little olive oil)
8 ounces unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 pound phyllo dough (thawed and ready for use -- note, phyllo is often sold frozen and must be thawed for 4-5 hours on countertop or overnight in refrigerator)
Combine the feta and cottage and/or ricotta cheeses in a large bowl; mix well.
Use a whisk to beat the eggs for 2 to 3 minutes in a separate bowl, then add the cheese mixture and stir to incorporate. Add the Parmesan, white pepper and sauteed leeks, if using;
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a little of the melted butter to grease the bottom and sides of a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.
One by one, layer half the phyllo sheets on the bottom of the baking dish, gently brushing each sheet with some of the melted butter before adding the next phyllo sheet.
Pour the cheese-egg mixture over the phyllo, making sure it is spread evenly. Layer the remaining phyllo sheets on top, again brushing each sheet with melted butter before adding the next.
Brush the top of the pie with any remaining melted butter. Use a sharp knife to carefully score it into about 24 square pieces; do not cut into the filling or it will ooze out.
Bake for 60 to 75 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for about 20 minutes before serving; cut along the scored lines.
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Fairfax, Va.: I prefer my lamb well done. Do you have a recipe for butterflied leg of lamb? Thanks!
David Hagedorn: Here’s a link to one I did a few years ago here:
The Spanish paprika makes it sing. Even well-done, it may still hum a little.
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Indianapolis: I have a bone-in shank half ham, sweet potatoes, carrots, salad and rolls on the menu for Easter so far. Anything different or unusual I could do with the ham this time? I have roasted plain, with a brown sugar glaze and a mustard glaze and would like to expand my horizons beyond these basics.
Bonnie Benwick: Sounds like a ginger-mango glaze would go well with the rest of your menu. You’ll find that recipe here. And here are suggestions from our archives:
When it comes to glazing fully cooked hams, Alexandria caterer Orva Schultis thinks "pineapples are grossly overdone." As for the "whole clove business, that’s been done for dog years."
Schultis prefers to glaze hams with brown sugar mixed with some combination of mustard, liquor and fruit. Because she thinks that most fully cooked hams are "chockablock" with water, Schultis likes to heat a ham first to reduce its moisture. She applies the glaze during the final 15 minutes of cooking; most recipes recommend this to prevent burning.
To make each of the following glazes, mix sugar, fruit and mustard (if used) and thin to a thick paste with the liquor or wine (orange juice may be substituted).
CRANBERRY GLAZE: 16-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, Madeira or sherry to moisten.
APRICOT GLAZE: 1 cup apricot jam, 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, bourbon to moisten.
ORANGE GLAZE: 1 cup orange marmalade, 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard, 1/2 cup light brown sugar, rum to moisten.
HOISINBERRY GLAZE: 1 cup hoisin sauce, 16-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce, 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root, 1/2 cup light brown sugar.
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Greek lamb: That was cruel, making me read about all that Greek food at breakfast when all I had time for was a granola bar and drive-thru coffee. I know you didn’t include it, but do you have any Greek lamb recipes or guidelines I could follow to make it at home (for less than 150 people, of course!)?
Joe Yonan: David’s recipe for Roast Leg of Lamb with Herb Jus is solidly Mediterranean. You know, it’s all Greek to me. (Sorry.)
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Hillcrest, D.C.: I am hosting Easter brunch, and hope to do as much the night before and just re-heat on Sunday morning. I’m planning a ham and goat cheese strata, which I can make ahead, and put in the oven on Sunday morning. What about ham? Can I cook/glaze it on Satu
