Passover Lemon Cheesecake

I was looking to branch out this Passover and discovered this amazing recipe at Epicurious. I loved it - and I don't even like cheesecake!

Ingredients:
For crust
3/4 cup sliced blanched almonds, toasted and cooled
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup matzo cake meal
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

For filling
3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F with rack in middle.
Pulse almonds, sugar, matzo cake meal, and salt in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a bowl and stir in butter until combined well. Press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of springform pan. Bake until crust is firm and a shade darker, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool crust completely in pan on a rack.

Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.
Beat together cream cheese and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add eggs 1 at a time, mixing until incorporated. Mix in zest and vanilla.

Put springform pan in a shallow baking pan and pour filling into cooled crust. Bake until filling is set 1 1/2 inches from edge but center is wobbly, 45 to 50 minutes (filling will continue to set as it cools). Transfer cake in pan to a rack and immediately run a knife around edge, then remove side of pan. Cool completely, 2 to 3 hours.


One Year Ago: Rosemary Mustard London Broil with Wild Mushroom Glaze and White Cheddar and Red-Skinned Potato Gratin
Two Years Ago: Chocolate Caramel Matzah
Three Years Ago: Spiced Butternut Squash Stew with Couscous

Lemon Cakes

Made for our Game of Thrones premiere party - courtesy of Tom Colicchio.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup sugar plus additional for dusting ramekins
2 eggs, separated
3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
Pinch kosher salt
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Finely chopped zest of 1 1/2 lemons

Directions:
Heat the oven to 300. Butter and lightly sugar 6 4-ounce ramekins.

Beat the egg whites until they hold soft peaks then set
them aside.

Sift the sugar with the flour and salt. In a mixer, using the whisk attachment, combine the buttermilk, lemon juice, egg yolks and lemon zest.

Gradually add the flour mixture then fold in the egg whites. Divide the batter between the prepared ramekins.

Place the ramekins in a water bath (set the ramekins in a larger pan; fill the pan with enough hot water to come half way up the ramekins) cover with aluminum foil.

Bake until the cakes rise - about 25 minutes then uncover and continue baking until the tops are lightly golden and the cakes spring back when touched, about 15 minutes more.

Unmold and serve.

Roasted Leg of Lamb With Carrots and Honey-Mint Sauce

So we had a viewing party for the premiere episode of Game of Thrones and I tried my best to make an authentic "medieval" dinner. This recipe courtesy of Real Simple.

Ingredients:
1 lemon, strips of zest removed with a peeler and juice squeezed
6 cloves garlic
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and black pepper
1 6- to 7-pound bone-in leg of lamb, at room temperature
3 pounds very small carrots, scrubbed; or regular carrots, peeled and cut into thin sticks
2 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 cup fresh mint leaves
6 scallions, chopped
2 teaspoons honey

Directions:
Heat oven to 400° F. In a food processor, pulse the lemon zest, garlic, 2 tablespoons of the oil, and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper until coarsely chopped.

Place the lamb in a large roasting pan and rub with the lemon mixture. In a large bowl, toss the carrots, 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper; set aside.

Roast the lamb to the desired doneness, 90 to 105 minutes for medium-rare (internal temperature registers 130° F*), adding the carrots to the pan after the lamb has cooked for 50 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

Meanwhile, in the food processor, puree the parsley, mint, scallions, honey, lemon juice, the remaining ½ cup of oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ½ teaspoon pepper. Serve with the lamb and carrots.



One Year Ago: Chicken Sausage & Pepper Hoagies
Two Years Ago:  Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes