Spring lamb is the order of the day for Easter. Roasting the whole lamb on the spit is the most popular choice of meal, but small family groups (like ours) will cook a roast instead, served alongside a range of traditional Easter favorites like kalitsounia and Easter meat pie. Beware of over-indulgence! This often happens after a fasting period, which is probably practiced for health reasons these days just as much for its purely religious significance (which, in any case, ritualised the health aspect of fasting in older times).
There is no shyness when it comes to selling meat in Greece. This photo was taken a few days ago at one of the biggest supermarkets in Hania. The local butcher in a village will display his wares in a similar fashion.
This photograph highlights the fact that all parts of the lamb are used; nothing is wasted. A traditional Easter recipe is associated with each part of the animal, even the intestines. Some of them are quite laborious but these days, with easier storage facilities, it is not a difficult task to partly prepare each of these delicacies in advance (so important for the busy household in which both spouses are working) and freeze them for cooking at a more convenient time.
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I made a leg of lamb for our Easter last Sunday, but I noticed how few people were buying them. Here, most people opt for ham, which is nice but who needs all that salt?
ReplyDeleteI loved the photo with the lamb heads. My (Italian) father used to split those in half & cook them out on the grill when I was young. A great delicacy!
Bring on the spring lamb goodness! I'm doing a rack in the oven myself...
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful photo - not for the squeamish, however.
ReplyDeleteWe have great lamb here on this island as well and my meat shop takes special orders. I had a whole leg, which I boned out and stuffed with a mushroom duxelle. I used the bone with the extra trimmings to make 'brasto'
Lamb over ham - any day.
Oh woww..that pictures says a lot. When I was a child and my grandpa would sacrifice a goat or a lamb, I remember him keeping almost every part of the animal. I used to eat them too. Now, it's so much more difficult to do for me.
ReplyDeleteA couple weeks before Easter I spoke with my dear Greek friend and she had bought a whole goat from a farmer. I was surprised that it was a goat and not a lamb. Is goat also common at this time of the year in Greece for people to eat? She said goat meat has less fat.
I got our lamb and offal mid-week and it's a good thing...our guy (Kostas) sold out by Thursday!
ReplyDeleteKali Anastasi and I look forward to seeing your Haniotiko feast.
I love lamb, but it is very difficult to get hold of in this area of Oklahoma. I have to make a special order with the butcher, and it is very expensive. I confess, I have never eaten lamb's head though.
ReplyDeleteA very Happy Easter to you and yours, enjoy your feast.
Maria,
ReplyDeleteΧρονια Πολλα και Καλι Ανασταση
Just finished preparing the lamb for tomorrow. My wife has been cooking for three days. The mageritsa for tonight is simmering on the stove and we will eat it when we come home after the Resurrection service. The snow has finally melted and we can see the grass sprouting.
A blessed Pascha to you and your family.