Spring lamb feast - cooking

Sunset, April, 2001 by Linda Lau Anusasananan

2. Rinse orange and lemon; with a vegetable peeler, pare off colored parts of orange and lemon peel in thin strips. In unwashed frying pan, mix peel and remaining 1 cup sugar, pressing peel with a wooden spoon to release oils.

3. Add milk and cream to citrus-sugar mixture. Set over medium-high heat and stir occasionally until steaming (do not boil). Cover pan and remove from heat; let stand 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a bowl, beat egg yolks and port to blend. Pour hot milk mixture through a fine strainer into a 1-quart glass measure; discard peel. Gradually whisk milk mixture into egg yolk mixture until blended.

5. Set caramel-lined pie pan in a slightly larger baking pan about 2 inches deep. Pour custard mixture over caramel. Carefully transfer both pans to a 350[degrees] regular or convection oven. Pour about 1 inch boiling water into outer pan.

6. Bake until center of custard barely jiggles when pie pan is gently shaken, 40 to 45 minutes. Lift custard from hot water and chill until cold, about 1 1/2 hours; cover and chill at least 12 hours or up to 2 days.

7. Run a knife between flan and pan edge. Invert a large rimmed platter over flan; holding pan and platter tightly together, invert and let flan and syrup slip out. Lift off pan.

8. Cut flan into wedges and use a pie server to transfer to plates. Spoon syrup equally over portions; garnish with sliced strawberries, if desired.

Per serving: 468 cal., 54% (252 cal.) from fat; 7.5 g protein; 28 g fat (15 g sat.); 48 g carbo (0.1 g fiber); 62 mg sodium; 394 mg chol.

Portuguese Easter Dinner

Salted Roasted Almonds [*]

Cheeses: Queijo da Serra (or Brie), Serpa (or a fresh sheep's-milk cheese), and Queijo da Ilba (or white cheddar)

White or Tawny Port

Garbanzo and Watercress Soup [*]

Butter Lettuce and Cilantro Salad [*]

Portuguese Dry White Wine or Sauvignon Blanc

Roast Leg of Lamb with Herbs [*]

Mint-dusted Asparagus [*]

Pilaf with Peppers [*]

Crusty Country Bread

Portuguese Red Wine or Pinot Noir

Citrus-scented Port Flan [*]

Tawny or Ruby Port

Espresso

(*.) Recipe provided

Preparation countdown

* Up to 2 days ahead: Roast almonds and bake flan.

* Up to 1 day ahead: Make soup, rinse and crisp lettuce for salad, season lamb, and cook asparagus (if serving at room temperature).

* 2 hours ahead: Roast lamb.

* 45 minutes ahead: Cook pilaf.

* 15 minutes ahead: Reheat soup, dress asparagus, and make salad.

* 10 minutes before dessert: Unmold flan and slice berries.