Finally! Lamb Chops with Mint Sauce!

27 Wednesday Apr 2011

Posted by Bob and Robin in Lamb, Local Harvests, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Vegetables

So we finally had the mint sauce with the lamb (the recipe is below). I did forget to serve it on Easter. Yes, I know … As our neighbor Ben said, “Any excuse to eat more lamb!” Funny, Ben! But maybe somewhat Freudian? Maybe. But the dinner last night was good.

Lamb Chops with Mint Sauce
Minted Carrots

And then, too, we still had some of Robin’s

Easter Ricotta Tart
(Torta di Pasqua)

with a nice glass of the remainder of the Hungarian wine, a 2000 Tokaji! Really a fun dinner. Cheers!

Easter 2011 – Roasted Lamb with Mint Sauce

20 Wednesday Apr 2011

Posted by Bob and Robin in Easter Dinner, Lamb, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?

≈ 4 Comments

The Pansy in bloom. The perfect sign of Spring. And in the Springtime, we also have Easter. Our traditional Easter dinner is lamb. I do remember the lamb dinners my Mom made when I was growing up. Scrumptious! Lamb, not mutton! There is a big difference … It’s a matter of time. So, here is what our dinner will look like this year. Do enjoy and do try the recipes. Cheers!

Easter Dinner 2011

Easter Roasted Leg of Lamb
with
Mint Sauce

Green Salad

Creamy Cauliflower Purée

Minted Carrots

Easter Ricotta Tart (Torta di Pasqua)

(We’ll find a wine to go with this dinner!)
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OK. So there’s the menu. Here are some of the recipes. Enjoy!

Easter Roasted Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce

Ingredients:
1 8lbs Leg of Lamb

Marinade:
½ c Pomegranate Vinegar
⅓ c Olive Oil
¼ c Molasses
½ c Mint, fresh, stems removed and chopped
½ t Pepper
¼ t Kosher Salt

Mix all together and pour over lamb roast. Marinate 4-6 hours refrigerated. Roast lamb at 350 ºF until internal temperature is 150 ºF. Let rest 20 minutes before slicing.

Mint Sauce:
10 sprigs Mint, fresh
1 sm Shallot, chopped
2 sm clove Garlic, minced
4 T Cider Vinegar
5 T Olive Oil
2 t Sugar
½ t Kosher Salt

Puree all in a Cuisinart until smooth. Makes 2/3 cup.

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Creamy Cauliflower Purée

Source: The 6-Week Cure for the Middle-Aged Middle, 2009, Mary Dan Eades, MD and Michael R. Eades, MD ISBN 978-0-307-45071-5

Ingredients:
1 lg head Cauliflower
2 T Butter, melted
½ Boursin Cheese with Herbs and Garlic, at room temperature – about 5 oz
2 T Heavy Cream
1/4 t Salt
¼ t Pepper

Directions:
Wash and trim the cauliflower. Slice in ½ and slice in ½ again to make four pieces. Cut each piece into ½” pieces.

Place the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl. Cover and heat on high for 6 minutes. Stir and microwave for another 3 minutes. Allow to cool, slightly.

Place the cooked cauliflower in the bowl of a food processor. Add the melted butter, cheese, 1 T cream and salt and pepper. Prucess pulses to start then on high until smooth. Add mre cream if necessary until purée holds its shape.

Adjust seasonings and serve warm. Should stay warm covered for about 30 minutes.

Spring Garden Salad Suggestion – Bagna Cauda

18 Monday Apr 2011

Posted by Bob and Robin in Recipes, Salads, Spring Vegies, Things To Do, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?

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Now this salad looks like an awesome use of those Spring vegies that have made an appearance in your garden already this year. The recipe and photo comes from Food and Wine. Why not give it a try?

Spring Vegetable Bagna Cauda

Recipe by: Seen Lippert
Source: Food and Wine
Pairing Suggestion: Piedmont, the original home of bagna cauda, is known for its Barolos and Barbarescos, but it also produces refreshing whites with the Arneis variety that pair nicely with the anchovy dip.

Ingredients:
Three 2-ounce cans oil-packed Flat Anchovies, drained and rinsed
10 Garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1½ c Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
4 T cold unsalted Butter
1 T fresh Lemon Juice
1 lbs Asparagus
1 lbs Fava beans or Edamame, shelled (about 4 ounces)
1 bunch Watercress, tough stems discarded
2 med Fennel Bulbs—halved, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 bunches Red Radishes, trimmed
1 lbs Baby Carrots, halved
10 lg hard-cooked Eggs, peeled and quartered

Directions:
In a saucepan, combine the anchovies, garlic and oil. Simmer over moderately low heat until the garlic is very soft but not colored, about 30 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a blender and let cool for 10 minutes. Add the butter and lemon juice and puree until the bagna cauda is smooth.

Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the asparagus to a plate and let cool. Add the shelled fava beans to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Drain and let cool under cold running water. Pat dry; if using favas, peel off the beans’ tough outer skins.

Mound the watercress on a large platter. Arrange the fennel, radishes, carrots, eggs, asparagus and fava beans on top in separate piles and drizzle with some of the bagna cauda. Pour the remaining bagna cauda into a small bowl and serve with the vegetable platter.

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So now you are asking yourselves, “What is a bagne cauda?” Here is some information.

Bagna càuda, (from the Piedmontese “hot sauce”, alternatively written bagna caôda or bagnacauda, etymologically related to Italian root bagn-, meaning “wet”) is a warm dip typical of Piedmont, Italy, but with numerous local variations. The dish, which is served and consumed in a manner similar to fondue, is made with garlic, anchovies, olive oil, butter, and in some parts of the region cream. (In the past walnut or hazelnut oil would have been used.) Sometimes, truffles are used in versions around Alba. The dish is eaten by dipping raw, boiled or roasted vegetables, especially cardoon, carrot, peppers, fennel, celery, cauliflower, artichokes, and onions. It is traditionally eaten during the autumn and winter months and must be served hot, as the name suggests.
Originally, in Piedmont, the Bagna càuda was placed in a big pan (peila) in the center of the table for communal sharing. Now, it is usually served in individual pots (the fojòt, a type of fondue pot traditionally made of terra cotta).

Interesting. Cheers and enjoy this salad.

Good Way To Start A New Year!

03 Monday Jan 2011

Posted by Bob and Robin in Lamb, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Recipes, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?

≈ 3 Comments

So now he new year has started. And today, we made our first “from scratch” dinner. Not your traditional fried chicken, potatoes with gravy and peas; Not your Sunday, Old Folks dinner. Rather, Lamb Chops with a Cream and Mustard Reduction, Whole Baby Beets and a Carrot/Parsnip Vegetable Medley.

This might be the year of the sauce. Be fun to work on them this year. The cream and mustard reduction was not hard. In the pan that you slowly cooked the lamb chops, with an sea salt, fresh pepper, olive oil, rosemary, garlic and pomegranate vinegar marinade, deglaze the pan with a good white wine and reduce to 3 Tablespoons. Pour in 1 cup of heavy cream mixed with 3 Tablespoons of mustard. I used a Löwensenf Bavarian Style Sweet Mustard. Over a medium flame, reduce until the sauce is thickened. Spoon over the chops.

The vegetables Carrot/Parsnip Vegetable Medley is shredded carrots and parsnips, olive oil and sunflower seeds. Steam until soft. Here is a photo of the dinner. We enjoyed it.

Braised Lamb Chops
with
mustard cream reduction

Whole Baby Beets

Carrot/Parsnip Vegetable Medley

2007 Davis Creek Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon

Chicken Paillard

10 Friday Dec 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Chicken, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipes, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?

≈ 1 Comment

While watching the Home Depot College Football Awards tonight on ESPN – Kellen Moore, BSU was nominated for the Davey O’Brian Award for Outstanding Quarterback and the Maxwell Award for All Around Player and the Heisman Award coming up later this week (I didn’t see any Ohio school or player nominated for any of these awards), Robin wanted to make this Chicken Paillard with Tomatoes, Fennel and Olives. Enjoy and let us know if you make this.

“Chicken Paillard with Tomatoes, Fennel and Olives

Source: Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Serves: 4

Notes: To check doneness, press your finger into the chicken breast. If it’s firm, it is done. Let the chicken rest about 10 minutes before serving. Leftovers are dynamite over greens, or broccoli, or pasta, or couscous.

“Paillard” is essentially French for cutlet. Pounding meat flat tenderizes it so it cooks faster. Butterfly the breasts by slicing them almost completely in half horizontally and opening them up like a book. Then put them between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound flat using the bottom of a heavy pot.

Ingredients:
1 c Peeled Tomatoes, diced and seeded
¾ c Fennel, thin sliced
½ c Green Olives, pitted and sliced
½ c Shallots, minced
¼ c Pine Nuts, toasted
¼ c Raisins, plumped in dry white wine
2 T Capers, rinsed
4 Thyme sprigs, leaves removed
2 Garlic cloves, minced
½ c Olive Oil, divided
Fine sea salt and freshly ground Black Pepper
4 Chicken Breasts, skinless and boneless. Butterflied and lightly pounded flat
3 T Basil, fresh and chiffonade
2 T Italian Parsley, fresh and chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Toss the tomatoes, fennel, green olives, shallots, pine nuts, raisins, capers, thyme leaves and garlic in a mixing bowl. Drizzle most of the olive oil over the vegetables and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Season the chicken breasts on both sides with salt and pepper. Place the chicken in a single layer on a large baking dish. Cover the chicken with the tomato mixture and drizzle the remaining olive oil over and around the chicken. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle the basil and parsley over the chicken and serve immediately.” (Lynne Rossetto Kasper, http://splendidtable.publicradio.org/newsletter)

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We added the Roasted Yellow Squash, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and the Beets and String Bean Medley. They added so much to the dinner. This was one very delicious dinner.

Earlier in the day we made Latkes, but not as good as we had the other day. We adjusted the recipe and added fresh apple to the latkes before cooking. Different. Also, we didn’t have any apple sauce, but we did have Pear Apple Butter.

Cauliflower Soup And More!

07 Tuesday Dec 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Salad, Soup, Special Information, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?

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At the Buzz Bistro the other night, we met and sat with Gail Ewart. She was talking about a Cauliflower Soup that she had made and said it was extremely good. I asked her to send the recipe and that she did. The recipe comes from the November 2010 More Magazine and the recipe is by Christine Hendricks. Gail also sent the recipe for a Green Bean with Basil – Garlic Dressing that sounds good, too. Enjoy these. If you Left-Click on the graphic you can get a larger image and then further enlarge from the second screen. Thank-You Gail for the recipes!

Scallop and Shrimp Dinner

01 Friday Oct 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Main Dish, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Seafood, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?

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Let’s see …. Today is September 30th. That means tomorrow, is October first and the Fall season is in full swing. And don’t forget, for those of you in Boise, 06 October is the historical 1st frost!! So we have to use some more fresh vegetables. But let’s do something different. Check this menu out. Cheers!

Le Menu

Broiled Tarragon and Lemon Zest Scallops

Broiled Lemon Thyme and Lime Shrimp

Fresh Sautéed Summer Squash
with
Green and Red Onion and Yellow Pepper

Green Tomatillo Sauce

It certainly was a good dinner. Good vegetables and good seafood! Cheers!

Green Tomato Relish

29 Wednesday Sep 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Canning, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Things To Do, Tomatoes, Vegetables

≈ 5 Comments

Well, it is that time of year. Parts of Idaho and not far from Boise, have already had their first frost – The elderberries are ready for picking! And the historical first frost in Boise is October 6. Not far away. And with that first frost, we loose our tomatoes. Ours were really good this year and a full crop. But now the evenings are in the low 40’s here and the tomatoes will not do anything but wait for the killing freeze. Time to pick them all and make some Green Tomato Relish. Click the link for the recipe. Thanks Margaret for the green tomatoes you gave us. I picked all that we had and there were many. Green Zebra, Roma, and several different slicing tomatoes. I made a double recipe. The photo is of three out of 35 pints. Fun to do, but far more fun to eat later in the year. Great in Tuna Fish and on Hamburgers. My next task will be to find 7 pounds of cabbage from the Boise Saturday Market and make some Sauerkraut. Yum-O! Pork, Mashed Potatoes and Homemade Kraut. I can taste it now! Cheers!

Massaged Kale Salad

28 Saturday Aug 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe By: Robin Young, Things To Do, Vegetables, What's For Dinner?

≈ 3 Comments

Actually this was an awesome dinner that Robin made.

Braised Scallops in Garlic

Massaged Kale Salad
(Mango and Oil)

Cous Cous
(Tomato and Herbs)

Sautéed Chard
(Baby Onions and Lemon)

So how good was that? I’d say, “Awesome and full of surprise flavors.” Look at the recipe for the Massaged Kale Salad. That is a real surprise for being a raw salad. The kale is not tough or sharp or bitter. It is very good. We served the entire dinner with a 2008 Root:1 Chardonnay. A Chilean wine from the Cassablanca Valley, that is outstanding. Look for the “… melon, honey and toasted hazelnut” flavors. A powerful, but not overpowering, Chardonnay. Even at this age! Good balance of acid and alcohol – 13.8%. Cheers!

Dinner – Corn Pie!!

22 Sunday Aug 2010

Posted by Bob and Robin in Local Harvests, Main Dish, Photos, Photos By: Bob Young, Recipe: Bob and Robin Young, Vegetables

≈ 1 Comment

There are certain things that we all remember from, our childhoods. I will submit that most of them have to do with food. In my case, one of several food items that I remember and cherish is Corn Pie among other things such as liver, which, Like Johnny Carson said, “Cook it any way you want. It’s still liver!” But that is another discussion. For now, it’s Corn Pie and Sliced Tomatoes for dinner. Here are some photos of the process. The recipe is listed above.

The Corn Pie getting ready for the oven.

Here it is just out of the oven. Notice the succulent golden brown crust.

And now, the dinner is plated.

Corn Pie

Sliced Green Zebra Tomato and Red Tomato
with
Basil Strips and Nasturtium Blossom

2007 Indian Creek Star Garnet Reserve
(This wine just tops off the dinner and goes fantastically well with the acid of the tomatoes)
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Please note that the corn was local grown, the pie crust is locally produced, the tomato and basil is from our garden. That makes this a Locovore Dinner. Enjoy! And as it has been said before, Keep a song in your heart, Keep looking up and Cheers!