Celebrating Lamb At Thanksgiving.

The appeal of a weekday feast was very intriguing, while visiting my daughter this past week. What started out as a foursome, soon went to five, and then to seven extraordinary family and friends. It was a short celebration of a life time of events and joy, crammed into a homey atmosphere. 
Leg of lamb, blue cheese meatballs, brussel sprouts, green beans, arroz con gandules, mashed sweet potatoes, flan, Stephaine's cheese cake, Maria's coquito and wines completed the menu.
No need to to worry about how to prepare the leg! It does it for itself. Most legs come trimmed and show a little visible fat that  adds to the tenderness. What you end up with is a succulent cut of meat that is easy to slice and serve.
The lamb needed rosemary, minced garlic, salt and pepper. I took my cajun rub and it came in handy. A cup of wine and mint jelly comes at the end for added flavor/sauce.

1 leg of lamb
3 sprigs of rosemary, chopped
1 T Cajun rub, optional
Salt & pepper to rub, 1 teaspoon each
1/4 c olive oil
1 cup wine
1- 8 oz jar Mint jelly
Take leg out of the fridge forty-five minutes before goes in the oven.
Make a paste with the rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper in a mortar pestle adding olive oil to wet. Score the lamb about 1 inch apart to create a crisscross pattern.
In a deep roasting pan, season meat with Cajun rub, olive oil and paste. Let sit at least half an hour at room temperature.
Turn on broiler to 400/HI. Set pan an inch or so from fire an cook for ten minutes. Turn and do same to the other side. 
Lower oven to bake @ 350* and place pan on middle rack. Bake for about 1 1/2 hours for medium rare. 
Remove from oven, foil tent meat loosely and let rest 15 minutes.
You will get nice pieces of medium well from first cuts. Save au jus.
At the same time, last 30 minutes,  the brussel sprouts can be roasted. Sarahi seasoned them with olive oil, salt, pepper and strips of bacon. Anything goes well with bacon!

That Key Lime Pie... I did it again!

This is the real Key Lime Pie. Nothing green here or a pudding texture.
You should see a pale yellow color that comes from the egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk.
This  an easy recipe but don't overbake.

Crust:
16 Honey Maid  Graham Crackers, crushed
2 T sugar
1 stick butter, unsalted, melted

Filling:
5 egg yolks
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup key lime juice (approximately 16 limes)
2 t grated lime peel

Mix the crust ingredients and pressed into a 9 inch pie pan
Bake in a 350* oven 10 minutes

Beat egg yolks until thickened of a yellowish color
Add condensed milk and mix on low
Mixed in the lime juice slowly
Add lime zest and continue mixing
Pour mixture into pie shell and bake at 350* for 10 to 12 minutes to set pie center
Serve with whipped cream

Roasted Cauliflower Soup

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets
3 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, peeled, sliced 
4 garlic cloves, smashed
1 celery stalk, peeled, cut into 1 inch pieces
6 cups chicken stock
1/2 c half and half
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Heat oven to 400* on broil
Place florets in a ss bowl, 
Add 2 T olive oil and mix to coat
Put on middle oven shelf and broil for 15-20 mins after 10 mins, pour back in bowl, mix and return to oven 
Meanwhile, sauté onions and garlic about 5 mins 
In a stock pot, add water, onions and florets cook 15 mins
With immersion blender, purree till smooth 
Add 1/2 and 1/2 and nutmeg.

Soup On The Menu ... Butternut Squash

1 Butternut Squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in one inch cubes
2 Carrots, peeled and sliced one inch pieces
1 onion, peeled and chopped
Olive oil to coat veggies for roasting
8 cups Chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Salt and fresh black pepper 

Set oven to 375*
In a baking tray roast veggies for 45 minutes
In a stock pot, add chicken stock, nutmeg, salt & pepper and veggies
Cook on medium fire for 20 minutes
Puree ingredients using an immerion blender
Adjust seasoning  

Health Salad/WSJ

This is like a farm to table type of meal. A good balance of texture is achieved from the cooked farro, a nutty grain. Then, to the toothsome grains, add toasted nuts, currants, fragrant herbs, a sharp citrus dressing, and finishing with greens of your choice ... all playing off one another.
Vinaigrette:
1/4 c fresh lemon juice
1/2 t Dijon mustard
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
Salt and pepper
1/3 c olive oil
In a small bowl, whisk together juice, Dijon, pinch of salt and chile
drizzle in olive oil while whisking until emulsified. Season to taste. Set aside.

1 c cooked farro 
1c thinly shaved fennel
3/4 c julienned Granny apple
3/4 c julienned kohlrabi
3/4 c julienned celery root
1/2 c currants or cherries
1/2 c toasted almonds or pistachios
1 c  kale, spinach, or arugula.
 3/4 c mint leaves, chopped
3/4 c dill, chopped
zest from 1/2 lemon

In a large bowl, toss together farro, fennel, apples, kohlrabi and celery root. Toss in currants, almonds, greens and herbs. 
Lightly toss salad and vinaigrette. 

Just a Malbec!

Made a peach cobbler without self-rising flour as the recipe called for.
Used all purpose and baking powder, no salt added!
Just returned from Jax. My daughter requested an old fashion Sunday meal while there.
Knowing it is the Labor Day weekend, we had hamburgers, roasted asparagus and a Feta cheese salad. We finished off her Calem 1996 Vintage Porto.
Did you know, once opened, Port wine must be drank within the 48 hours?
The cobbler turned out fine. To go along, we opened a Sayanca Malbec 2015. Full of berries, vanilla, spices with a citrus note.
This was a low price Aldi selection. I was more interested in the Argentina signature grape, still with a lot of demand. You can't go to a party or event and not find a Malbec being served. One reason the supply is still strong.
Other choices I am looking for: a Trevento 2012 Golden Reserve Malbec. Steven Racine drunk with his prime rib. Also,  a Chateau du Cedre 2012 Cahors.

Oh Honey!

When the mighty dollar is involved, it is only then, New Zealand want to call the indigenous Maori people "Honey."
New Zealand's honey makers recently made a beeline for the country's Intellectual Property Office seeking exclusive international right to "manuka."
The name the Maori people gave the tree whose nectar is the basis of the honey.
The honey's antibacterial properties are the product of substances in the nectar produced by the tree's flowers.
Scientific research has shown the benefits of manuka-honey: it can help heal wounds, ulcers and burns, to soothing a sore throat, and boosting the immune system.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the sale of manuka-honey products in the United States.
The honey, which can bring a price of $3.40 an ounce, compared to .20 cents for the "plain Jane," type honey, according to the New Zealand government. This is making the Maroi people the Kiwis' closest friends.