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Lamb and yams with cheerful spring dessert

This week's recipes include Baked Yams, Lime and Honey, Roast Leg of Lamb and Pineapple Upside Down Cake.
FromTheKitchen_withJoyceWalter
From the Kitchen by Joyce Walter

Lavish Easter bonnets and long Easter parades have lost a certain appeal over the years but some traditions stick like glue: Easter egg treats, chocolate rabbits and home-cooked meals.

While many families will embrace the ham as the meat of choice for Easter dinner, others will turn to turkey and lamb for the occasion. This week’s recipes offer ideas for yams and lamb and a simple but delicious dessert.

• • •

Baked Yams, Lime and Honey

  • 3 yams (about 4 lbs.)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 6 tbsps. honey
  • 4 tbsps. butter at room temperature
  • juice of 4 limes
  • 1 1/2 tsps. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Wash yams and place in a baking dish with the water. Bake until yams are soft when tested with a fork and skins are puffy, about 90 minutes. Set aside to cool.

When yams are cool enough to handle, peel and place in a medium baking dish. Add honey, butter, lime juice, salt and pepper. Stir and mash well with a potato masher. Cover with foil and return to the oven for 15-20 minutes or until heated through. Makes 8 servings.

• • •

Roast Leg of Lamb

  • 1-6 lb. leg of lamb, trimmed
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsps. chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 tbsps. chopped rosemary
  • ground black pepper
  • salt to taste

Place orange juice, wine, olive oil, garlic and spices into the blender and mix well. Pour into a large resealable plastic bag and add the lamb. Coat lamb with the marinade, squeeze out excess air and seal. Marinate overnight in the refrigerator.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before roasting. Pat lamb dry. Salt and pepper both sides.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Place lamb on a rack in a large roasting pan. Roast for 30 minutes then reduce heat to 300 degrees F and continue roasting for 10-12 minutes per pound until meat thermometer reaches 130-135 degrees F.

Remove from oven, remove roast from pan, tent with foil and let stand 10-15 minutes before slicing. Serve while hot.  

• • •

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 can sliced pineapple
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsps. baking powder
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
  • 1 cup heavy cream, unwhipped

Butter a 9x10 inch cake pan. Melt butter and pour into pan. Sprinkle the 1 cup of brown sugar on the butter then arrange the pineapple slices over the sugar.

In a bowl sift the flour with baking powder.

Beat the eggs with the 1 1/2 cups brown sugar until light. Stir in the flour mixture and then the cream.

Turn the batter out over the pineapple, being careful not to dislodge the fruit.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees F and cook another 20-25 minutes or until down.

Remove from oven and cool for 5 minutes. Carefully turn the cake onto a serving dish. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream.

Joyce Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net

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