Billy Oliva's traditional Easter dinner

Billy Oliva, executive chef of Delmonico's Restaurant Group, cooks a traditional Easter dinner that you will want to replicate at home.

STUFFED COLORADO RACK OF LAMB

Ingredients

Marinade for Lamb

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary

2 cloves chopped garlic

Sea salt and cracked pepper to taste

Lamb Racks

2 racks trimmed deboned and butterflied (prepared by your butcher)

Bones reserved for plating

Stuffing for Lamb

1 cup of ground lamb

4 tablespoons of olive oil

1 cup of diced leeks (white part only)

2 tablespoons of chopped garlic

1 cup of wild mushrooms sliced

2 tablespoons of chopped rosemary

1/2 cup of red wine

3 cups of baby spinach

1 cup of crumbled goat cheese

4 tablespoons of chopped black truffle

3 tablespoons of butter

2 tablespoons of chopped Italian parsley

Method

For the marinade

Mix all ingredients together in small bowl. Generously coat trimmed racks with the herb marinate. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

For the stuffing

In large sauté pan add olive oil. When the oil is hot, add ground lamb and cook until brown. Add diced leeks, garlic and mushrooms. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until vegetables soften. Add 1/2 cup of red wine and chopped rosemary. Cook for 3-4 minutes until wine has reduced. Remove pan from heat and then fold in spinach, crumbled goat cheese, black truffles, parsley and butter. Season with salt and pepper. Remove mixture from pan and set aside to cool.

To prepare the lamb, lay butterflied lamb on work surface. Season with salt and pepper. In the center of rack, place a line of stuffing down the center. Fold over and roll until it is a cylinder shape. Repeat with the second rack. With butchers twine, tie the lamb and place in large sauté pan with 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil. Brown the lamb on all sides. Take the reserved bones and place them in pan and sauté with lamb. Put the lamb and bones in roasting pan and cook in oven for 20 minutes at 400 degrees for medium rare. Take out and let rest for five minute. Slice and serve.

ENGLISH PEAS & RAINBOW CARROTS WITH TABASCO HONEY BUTTER

Ingredients

2 Cups Shelled English Peas

1 Pound Rainbow Carrots Peeled

? Cup chopped shallots

Tabasco Honey Butter

? Teaspoon of salt

2/3 Cup of Water

1 Tablespoon Butter

Salt and Pepper To Taste

Method

Cook ½ cup finely chopped shallots with 1 tablespoon butter and ¼ teaspoon salt in large saucepan over medium heat, covered stirring occasionally until shallots are tender about 4-5 minutes. Add 2/3 cup of water, first and your rainbow carrots and simmer covered for 5 to 6 minutes.

When carrots begin to become tender and 2 cups peas and cook together for an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

Add your prepared Tabasco Honey Butter to peas and carrots and toss until well coated, and salt and pepper to taste.

Tabasco Honey Butter

Ingredients

2 Cups white wine

? Cup minced shallots

6 Black peppercorns

1 Tablespoon chopped flat parsley

? Pound unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

4 Tablespoons honey

1 Tablespoon Tabasco pepper sauce

Salt to taste

Method

Combine all ingredients in bowl and whisk until well blended, refrigerate overnight.

ROASTED SWORDFISH LOIN

Ingredients

5-7 Pound Atlantic Swordfish Loin

1 Cup chopped basil

1 Cup chopped flat parsley

4 Cloves chopped spring garlic

2 Chopped spring onions

? Cup freshly squeezed blood orange

? Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

Original Tabasco sauce, to taste

? Cup dry White Wine

? Cup extra virgin olive oil

Salt and Pepper

Method

Add all ingredients to mixing bowl and mix to paste like consistency.

Coat swordfish loin with fresh herb mixture and refrigerate covered for 2-3 hours. Remove from refrigerator and place in greased baking dish and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes for each inch of thickness of the fish ( measured at it's thickest part )

Remove from oven and let rest for about 15 minutes, slice swordfish in 1 inch thick slices and arrange on serving plate with lemon and blood orange slices.

AUNT MARY'S STUFFED ARTICHOKE CASSEROLE

Ingredients

2 Pounds Miniature Purple Artichokes, Blanched & Quartered

? Cup Parmesan Cheese

? Cup Chopped Fresh Garlic

1 ½ Cups Crucolo Cheese

3 Tablespoons Capers (optional)

? Cup Chopped Fresh Basil

? Cup Fresh Italian Flat Parsley

1 Cup Panko Breadcrumbs

1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive oil

4 Ground white anchovy fillets in oil

2 Tablespoons Fresh Lemon Juice

1 Cup Dry White Wine

Salt & Pepper To Taste

Method

Poach artichokes in a mixture of white wine, water, bay leaf, lemon juice, salt and cracked black pepper till tender drain & cool.

Combine all ingredients in large mixing bowl and empty into casserole dish.

Bake covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove cover and bake for additional 15 minutes till top begins to brown

RICE PUDDING CAKE

Ingredients

? cup Granulated sugar

? cup Water

4 cups Half and half

2/3 Cup Arborio rice

? Cup Light Brown sugar

8 Slices lemon Zest

? Teaspoon Ground Coriander

? Teaspoon Salt

3 Large eggs

1 ¼ Teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method

Spray bottom and sides of round 8 inch cake pan with oil. Stir together the sugar and water in high-sided small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar is dissolved, them raise heat and boil without stirring. Occasionally brush down sides of pan with wet pastry brush until syrup takes on a deep caramel color.

Remove pan from heat right away pour caramel into prepared cake pan.

Quickly tilt the pan to cover bottom and set aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Bring the half and half, rice, brown sugar, zest, coriander and salt to a simmer in medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook for 15 minutes or until most of liquid is absorbed. Remove pan from heat and let stand for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, discard all the zest from mixture.

In a small bowl whisk the eggs and the vanilla together then whisk into the rice mixture.

Pour the rice mixture into the cake pan, smooth the top. Bake the cake for about 35-40 minutes or till the top begins to brown but the center is still slightly jiggly.

Let cool completely on rack. Run knife around edges of pan. Invert the cake onto a plate and carefully remove pan.