Featured Recipe: Easter Lamb with Creamers and Sugar Snap Peas

Copyright Linda Gassenheimer

Lamb chops coated with a Mediterranean sauce of garlic, ground cumin, cucumber and yogurt is an easy, quick dinner and also perfect for this Easter holiday weekend. These lamb chops are cut from the leg with a very small round bone in the middle. They’re juicy, tender and cook in minutes.

Sweet, little creamer potatoes or new potatoes are a harbinger of spring. They have a very short season from April to June. Look for the very small ones, about 3/4 to 1-inch in diameter, which are really very sweet and don’t need a lot of cooking.

Recipes

EASTER LAMB

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

Olive oil spray

3/4 pound lamb chop cut from the leg

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup plain, nonfat yogurt

1 garlic clove, crushed

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup peeled, diced cucumber

Heat a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Spray with olive oil spray. Add lamb and saute 2 minutes. Turn and sprinkle salt and pepper on cooked side. Saute for 2 minutes. Lower heat to medium, cover with a lid and cook 2 minutes for 1/2-inch thick chop, 4 minutes for 1-inch thick. A meat thermometer should read 125 degrees for rare or 145 degrees for medium.

Mix yogurt, garlic, cumin and cucumber together. Spoon over lamb and serve. Makes 2 servings.

CREAMERS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS

Recipe by Linda Gassenheimer

3/4 pound creamers or new potatoes

1/4 pound sugar snap peas, trimmed

2 teaspoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Wash potatoes, do not peel. Place in a large saucepan and add cold water to cover the potatoes. Cover with a lid and place over high heat. Boil 15 minutes. Add sugar snap peas and boil 1 minute. Drain and toss with olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 servings.

Nutrition Information

EASTER LAMB: Per serving: 357 calories (39 percent from fat), 15.6 g fat (6.0 g saturated, 0.2 g monounsaturated), 137 mg cholesterol, 45.3 g protein, 6.1 g carbohydrates, 0.3 g fiber, 152 mg sodium. CREAMERS AND SUGAR SNAP PEAS: Per serving: 198 calories (22 percent from fat), 4.7 g fat (0.7 g saturated, 3.3 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 5.2 g protein, 35.0 g carbohydrates, 3.7 g fiber, 11 mg sodium.

Shopping List

To buy: 3/4 pound lamb chop cut from the leg, 3/4 pound creamers or new potatoes, 1 small carton plain, nonfat yogurt, 1/4 pound sugar snap peas, 1 cucumber, 1 small bottle ground cumin and olive oil spray.

Staples: Garlic, olive oil, salt and black peppercorns.

Helpful Hints

Any type of lamb chop can be used.
A waxy potato such as red or yellow can be used instead of creamers. Cut them into 1-inch pieces.
Green beans, cut into 1 to 2-inch pieces or snow peas can be substituted for sugar snap peas.

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