Braised Lamb Shanks with Castelvetrano Olives & Potatoes

April 10, 2024 No comments

Braising a naturally tough cut of meat like lamb shanks takes some time, but don’t fret— it is all hands-off time. No matter if it is lamb shanks, short ribs, a pot roast, or even turkey legs, braising in all instances means searing the meat first to create a lovely brown crust, then slowly cooking the seared meat for a long time in aromatics, vegetables and some sort of liquid.  The liquid can be broth, but it can also be wine.  Braising is one of my favorite ways to cook on a lazy weekend because the results are always tender, fall-off-the-bone meats, with tons of flavor.

For this specific braise, I seared the lamb shanks in olive oil until browned, then removed them from the pan while I sauteed some garlic, leeks, carrots and celery with some fresh rosemary.  I then added some rich tomato paste into the pan, along with some chopped, fresh tomatoes and some white wine to deglaze the pan.  I had a lot of homemade chicken stock on hand, so that is the liquid I chose to cook the lamb in.

  No need to completely cover the lamb with liquid, simply submerge it about halfway.  When about half of the cooking time has lapsed, turn the shanks over; when there is about 30 minutes left, that is when you add the finishing touches: briny Castelvetrano olives and some halved, baby potatoes. (And feel free to use this exact recipe for a variety of meats like I mentioned!  The same cooking method, veggies, aromatics, and liquids would be a perfect match for any of the other meats listed above.)

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Maple-Vanilla Carrots’

April 9, 2024 No comments
Recipe Courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Recipe Courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Recipes like this make me smile.  Recipes that highlight just a few quality ingredients and that transform these relatively simple ingredients into something grand.  Here, we are highlighting carrots, maple syrup and vanilla beans.  Organic, peeled carrots are cut on the diagonal for an elegant appearance, and cooked in a pot of water along with a sweet vanilla bean until tender.  Once the water is absorbed you add in a pat of butter, the maple syrup and salt and pepper to flavor the already sweet carrots.  It might sound odd to add sweet flavorings into a somewhat savory side dish, but believe me, this is one of the best carrot dishes you will ever taste!

Lemony-Roasted Sunchokes with Capers, Watercress & Feta Cheese

April 8, 2024 No comments

Have you ever tried cooking with sunchokes?  Also known as Jerusalem artichokes, these knobby-looking root vegetables are versatile and couldn’t be easier to cook.  (Before cutting them into bite-sized pieces, these root veggies do need to be washed and scrubbed, just to remove any remaining dirt.) Once cut and placed on a prepared baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, they roast in about 25 minutes.

The sunchokes do not need to be peeled which is nice and saves prep time; one of my favorite ways to serve these funny looking veggies is to roast them like I mentioned, with some lemon slices and capers, and then to serve them warm with crumbled goat cheese over peppery watercress greens.  They remain a tiny bit crunchy after being roasted, and really can take on just about any flavor profile you like!  (Try roasting them alongside a chicken sometime, they pair up wonderfully and are lovely served with the roasted chicken juices.)

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Salad Pizza’

April 7, 2024 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Bon Appetit Magazine

Oh what a delight! Picture this: your favorite pizza crust baked with a fragrant garlic oil until puffed and lightly browned, then topped with a refreshing Bibb lettuce salad. It’s like your pizza and side salad all-in-one!  The salad is not only tender leaves of Bibb lettuce, but also thin sliced of prosciutto, quick-pickled red onions, crumbled blue cheese, snipped peppery chives and a red wine vinaigrette.  I decided to also add some halved multi-colored cherry tomatoes to the top of the salad pizza, simply for extra color and for their natural burst of sweetness.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/salad-pizza )

Saffron Rice with Green Peas, Pine Nuts & Tarragon

April 6, 2024 No comments

With heirloom tomatoes starting to pop up at farmer’s markets and with our local CSA, I have had my thinking cap on this week on original ways to use them.  A batch of homemade tomato sauce is always a good choice, a classic caprese salad is a must, and of course sliced right onto a turkey sandwich at lunch. 

For dinner last night, I decided to stuff a couple of the ripe tomatoes with a yummy saffron rice studded with sweet green peas, fresh tarragon and buttery pine nuts.  The tomatoes make for a nice color compliment in the dishes overall presentation and their sweet burst of flavor when baked for a bit is a lovely contrast in texture to the whole dish as well.  This rice dish would also be nice served on its own, or even in zucchini boats or halved, baked sweet bell peppers.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Puttanesca Pork Chops’

April 5, 2024 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Eating Well Magazine

This gorgeous puttanesca sauce recipe would work really well not only with pork chops, but chicken, shrimp, scallops or your favorite fish fillet. Heck, it would even do what it traditionally does best—drape itself effortlessly over al dente pasta. If you aren’t familiar with a classic Italian puttanesca sauce, it is a homemade tomato sauce flavored with garlic and anchovies, that is studded with briny olives and capers as well.  This specific recipe calls for cherry tomatoes that melt right into the olive oil, garlic and anchovy fillets, but if you have large heirloom or slicing tomatoes, those would work well, too.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/262749/puttanesca-pork-chops/)

Spinach & Tomato Frittata

April 4, 2024 No comments

The beauty of a baked egg dish like this one is in its possibilities.  The add-ins can be any of your favorite cheeses, fresh herbs, veggies or even leftover cooked bacon or cooked root vegetables if you have those on hand. For this colorful frittata I flavored the eggs with grated Pecorino cheese, fresh thyme, halved cherry tomatoes and some wilted spinach.  Baked until fluffy and lightly browned around the edges, I like to finish this sort of egg dish with a drizzle of quality olive oil for added flavor.  Perfect for weekend company, this luxurious baked egg dish comes together in no time, and is a perfect accompaniment to a toasted English muffin, fruit salad and a French press filled with your favorite java.

(To view this recipe, click on the blue title of the blog post above*)

‘Blueberry-Lemon Ricotta Pound Cake’

April 3, 2024 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Eating Well Magazine

What makes this pound cake on the healthier side of traditional pound cakes is the use of whole wheat flour, a minimal amount of butter, and a ton of fresh blueberries. The cake itself is very moist, thanks to the use of part-skim ricotta cheese, and gets its added flavor from lemon zest, lemon juice, vanilla extract and a drizzle of a tart lemon glaze. I added some sliced almonds to the top of the cake for crunch and I can also see a few poppy seeds added into the batter itself being a nice addition to this luscious cake.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/251419/blueberry-lemon-ricotta-pound-cake/ )

Crostini with Mascarpone & Balsamic Strawberries

April 2, 2024 No comments
Photographs by Scott Martin

At first the thought of combining tart balsamic vinegar with sweet, ripe strawberries might sound strange.  I understand because I felt that way when I initially tried the combination.  But believe me, you will be pleasantly surprised at how the balance of flavors between the reduced, syrupy balsamic vinegar and the season’s ripe strawberries is a match made in culinary heaven.  The balsamic vinegar actually becomes sweeter in taste when you reduce it down to half its original amount in a small saucepan, which makes these the perfect bites of sweet, tangy and creamy. Top these gorgeous, bite-sized treats with a sprinkling of fresh mint and what do you have? The colors of the Italian flag, of course!

 

‘Chicken & Red Plum Salad’

April 1, 2024 No comments

Recipe Courtesy of Good Housekeeping Magazine

I loved this idea for a simple entrée salad made with tender grilled chicken and juicy grilled stone fruit;  both served over peppery arugula leaves with some fresh dill, scallions, and toasted almonds for unique fresh flavors and a bit of crunch.  The recipe doesn’t really specify a vinaigrette or dressing so-to-speak, so I drizzled the entire salad with a vibrant lemon and turmeric vinaigrette.  If you have the time, I also recommend marinating the chicken breasts in the fridge for a few hours with either a tangy sesame-ginger dressing or even an Italian garlic-and-herb dressing.

(To view this recipe, click on the following link: https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/easy/a21601672/chicken-and-red-plum-salad-recipe/)

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