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I love the same things with lamb that I like with ham and turkey - it's versatile. Last weekend I had a leg of lamb that was melt in your mouth delicious. I usually buy New Zealand lamb and prefer bone in. I will say that I don't enjoy leftover lamb as much as some other meats, although someone today talked about Shepherd's Pie with lamb that sounded good. Back to your question - any gratin would be good, especially potato or cauliflower. I like rutabagas mashed with a little butter, roasted asparagus, waldorf salad. I'm not a fan of mint jelly, but many like that with lamb. Whatever you like to eat and prepare for other holiday meals would probably pair well.

With this weather, your post made me think of spring.....it will be here soon, it will be here soon, it will be here soon Toto.

I generally do a boned leg of lamb and a stuffed boned turkey breast (for the non-lamb eaters or just to add another protein). I vary the stuffing in them - usually doing something Greek in the lamb and something Italian in the turkey breast. Sides can be the same for both so they make a good pair. This may be a good solution for you if you have enough people coming.

Is this an event where you will decide the menu or is it up for a vote with your family? If you get to choose, just pick the menu you like and don't over-tweak it because of the tastes of others. There's an old adage that you can't please everyone. If someone doesn't like the lamb they can have the turkey. Widely-favored sides should be relatively easy to figure out.

give it back to her. :)

I love chiff0nade's idea of doing a stuffed turkey breast along with the lamb -- that way there's something for everyone. As for sides, roasted asparagus is great and so easy, or you could do a mix of roasted spring vegetables, very colorful. Baby carrots (real baby carrots, not "baby cut") are delicious roasted and also look beautiful. As for a starch, I made a puree of celery root and potatoes with truffle butter for Thanksgiving that everyone semed to love (I'm not a potato fan myself) -- recipe here:
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/230990
It's also good because you can make it a day ahead, so that's one less thing to worry about on Easter.

Also, pardon the shill, but the magazine I work for has a beautiful Easter menu -- it will be on newsstands on March 1. It's called All You and it's sold at Wal-Mart (published by Time Inc.). Good luck!

There's something great about tomatoes with lamb, and even the wretched supermarket tomatoes taste good if stuffed with garlicky bread crumbs and then baked. Or a saute of the little cherry tomatoes. My experience with lamb is that folks who like beef are apt to like lamb.

My husband always insists on yorkshire pudding with his lamb. He stuffs a leg with whole garlic cloves and rosemary then roasts it. Make sure if you go the mint direction, get Coleman's mint sauce...not that nasty jelly stuff. You can typically find it in the "ethnic" section of the market with other British stuff. He's also a traditionalist with other sides---roasted potatoes, brussel sprouts, carrots.

My question is how many other people will be there and how many of them are picky eaters? For larger crowds you can drive yourself crazy trying to please everybody. My ex-son-in-law was a very picky eater and for the first few years he came to gatherings I really tried to accomodate. Long story short - he was annoying - I got tired of trying - so I just made what pleased me and let him sit and pick stuff out. Decide on your menu and don't let a lot of last minute opinions derail you. Just be confident in your talents and your dishes and everyone will love it and have a wonderful time.

The potential problem, as I see it, is not to give Easter back, but that you will do such a bang-up job, you will be doing it for many years to come! That always seems to backfire on me that way. That's what happens when you are people pleasers, like us. It's a constant struggle to get over that.

You could make life easy for yourself and do a big beautiful Spring salad with something like a honey-raspberry vinaigrette (and if it's acceptable, a sprinkling of fresh raspberries on top). I agree with the others who suggested roasted asparagus. That is so perfect for a Spring meal. Just roast it w/ a little evoo, sea salt and fresh pepper. When you take it out of the oven, drizzle w/ butter, lemon zest and shaved parm or piave. Simple and yum. If brussels sprouts are an option, a creamy gratin would be great. I think your idea of new potatoes is perfect - also throw some baby carrots and parsnips in there and finish w/ parsley or fresh herb butter. Or creamy whipped potatoes with roasted garlic mashed in would compliment the lamb quite well.

What about dessert?

A fruit sorbet might be nice after relatively heavy mains--the indomitable David Lebowitz has some amazing recipes for them. I think JEP's suggestions of lemons or strawberries is a great one.

Maybe a tart?

@perky:

Don't want to hijack the thread, but in a nutshell, you take a center-cut loin (you can do this with veal, too) and slice like you're going to butterfly, butwhen you reach about 1/2" from the other side, turn the roast a quarter turn and repeat, then repeat again. Basically, you're cutting the roast into a big flat steak. Some butchers will do it for you, too. Spread stuffing matter of your choice and roll back to original shape. Tie it off and cook. It works really nicely with something containing dried fruit (prunes, apricot, etc.) and a little prosciutto, but sky's pretty much the limit.

Here's a pic from another website that shows what it should look like:
Spiral Roast

If you don't have the patience to do the repeated butterflies, just stick a very sharp knife through the center (lengthwise) from one end, then the other, and open up the cavity you create to about 1-1/2" diameter (I use a well-cleaned honing steel). Force stuffing into the cavity, or pipe it in.

Kate - you should be able to get good green beans. If you have a Costco, you can get a big bag of gorgeous haricots vert (the really skinny French green beans). Over the holidays I did oven-roasted green beans and finished them with a compound butter, which you can have done way ahead and just keep refrigerated or freeze. I did a Lemon, Caramelized Shallot and Thyme Butter that turned out great. I like the roasted green beans so much that I don't think I'll ever just steam them again. You would really have to watch the haricots closely, though - they probably wouldn't take very long.

I'm really big on fruit tarts and crostatas. They are lovely and impressive looking, especially when served on a footed cake plate. All you have to do is dust with a little powdered sugar, plop a little whipped cream on - bingo, you're done. Individual bread puddings would be nice also, with a little creme anglaise and some fresh berries, or you could have a cheesecake done ahead and just top with some yummy berry coulis and a melange of berries (red and golden raspberries, blackberries, whatever you can find the freshest) on top.

If you can get your hands on some fresh new peas, they're brilliant with lamb; just steam them until they're bright green , which would be a couple of minutes. Even frozen peas can be very good: just get the small ones, and stir fry them in a scant spoon of oil, or some of the cooking juices from the meat for about a minute in a very hot pan, until the vapour rising off them no longer feels cold when you hold your palm a few inches above them (when they first hit the pan, you'll feel cold air rising from them).

Rabbit is an option too, and very Easter-y; 'The Splendid Table' has a simple and delicious recipe for Wine Basted Rabbit, and this is a meat that is not hard to 'take to'.

Last year for Easter I made Gordon Ramsay's Rabbit with Tagliatelle. I may make it again this year. However, if I don't, then I might do individual salmon wellingtons. You can make them ahead of time and pop them in the oven shortly before dinner.