Saturday, March 23, 2013

Lamb Stew with Onions and Potatoes

Each time I make a new recipe I take a photo of it, intending to blog about it right away. Unfortunately, no matter how much of a hit a dish may have been, it doesn't always make it from table top to laptop as timely as I'd like.

We made this lamb stew one cold weekend at the beach, months ago. Aside from the lamb itself, you likely have everything else you need on hand. And, unlike beef stew, which I find tends to come out tasting a little bland no matter how much you doctor it up, this was more complex. The wine certainly helped, as did the gaminess of the lamb. Served with plenty of crusty bread for sopping up the silky gravy, it was perfect for a cold, windy night on PI.


The calendar may say it's Spring but, with another snow storm predicted for the next couple of days, there may be one last stew dinner we can indulge in. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
  • 1/4 C olive oil
  • 3 lbs. boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of excess fat and sinew, and cut into 2" cubes
  • 2 T flour
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 C dry red wine
  • 3 1/2 C beef stock
  • 1 (15 oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 T tomato paste
  • 1 large onion, large diced
  • 12 small red-skinned potatoes, halved
  • 2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
Method:
  1. Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium-high heat.
  2. Sprinkle the lamb with salt and pepper. Toss the lamb with the flour in a large bowl to coat.
  3. Working in 2 batches, add the lamb to the pot and cook until brown, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a bowl.
  4. Pour off the excess oil.
  5. Add the garlic to the same pot and saute over medium heat until tender and fragrant, about 1 minute.
  6. Add the wine and simmer over medium-high heat until reduced by half, stirring to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot, about 5 minutes.
  7. Return the lamb to the pot.
  8. Stir in the broth, tomatoes with their juices, and tomato paste. Cover partially and simmer over medium-low until the lamb is just tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour.
  9. Add the onions, potatoes, and carrots to the stew.
  10. Simmer until the lamb and vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes longer.
  11. Season the stew, to taste, with salt and pepper.
Source:  Food Network

Old Fashioned Apple Crisp

We eat well at the beach. Anywhere, really, but at the beach especially.

It helps that your internal clock switches to "vacation time" as soon as you come over the bridge into Newburyport. Whether you're there for the night, a weekend, or your summer vacation week, there's something that's just different about time spent on the water.

And, how can food not play a huge role in that, when each day starts with a "committee meeting" to decide on the day's culinary adventure? Most often it's breakfast in (unless someone suggests Mad Martha's...and the wait's not too long), lunch out (but a grilled ham and cheese at home works, too), and dinner in (well...what does the Plum Island Grille have for specials?!). Grocery lists are drafted, reservations made, plans set.

It's a lazy, comfortable, fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kind of time - is it any wonder it's one of my favorite places to be?!

We'll next be there for Easter weekend, and we have a fabulous menu planned.  Can't wait to share it with you!


This apple crisp is by far the best I've ever had. Most crisps tastes pretty much the same to me - not much distinguishes one from the next. Until now. The orange and lemon put it truly over the top. And they aren't just background flavors; they compliment the apples perfectly while standing on their own, as well.

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
  • 5 pounds McIntosh or Macoun apples
  • Grated zest of 1 orange
  • Grated zest of 1 lemon
  • 2 T freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 2 T freshly squeezed lemon  juice
  • 1/2 C granulated sugar
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 1/2 C flour
  • 3/4 C sugar
  • 3/4 C light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 C oatmeal
  • 1/2 lb. (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
Method:
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9 by 14 by 2-inch oval baking dish.
  2. Peel, core, and cut the apples into large wedges.
  3. Combine the apples with the zests, juices, sugar, and spices. Pour into the baking dish.
  4. To make the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly and the butter is the size of peas. Scatter evenly over the apples.
  5. Place the crisp on a sheet pan to catch any juices and bake for 1 hour or until the top is brown and the apples are bubbly. Serve warm.
  6.  

Friday, March 22, 2013

Friday Cockail Hour: Citrus Limoncello Martini

TGIF! It wasn't quite the Friday we had last week, but it is definitely nice to see the work week come to an end.

We both liked this week's martini better than last. It's a little on the sweet side, but we swapped the amounts on the Limoncello and vodka on the second round and that did the trick. I think it would be nice with a splash of prosecco or champagne at the end, too.

Happy weekend!



Ingredients:
  • 1/4 C fresh orange juice
  • 2 T Limoncello
  • 1 T vodka
  • Splash of fresh lemon juice
Method:
  1. Combine in cocktail shaker filled with ice.
  2. Shake vigorously then strain into a martini glass.
Source: Laura in the Kitchen

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Beef Barley Soup

In honor of what I hope is the last snow storm of the season, I served up steaming bowls of this hearty soup for dinner tonight. I threw it together this morning before logging into work - a little chopping, a little sauteing, and the prep was done in fewer than 20 minutes.

The beef practically fell apart, the veggies were tender without being overcooked, and the barley had a nice bite to it. Thankfully it was delicious, since it looks like we'll be eating it for the rest of the week for lunch!

Happy day before Spring!



Ingredients:
  • 3 lbs. beef stew meat, cut to uniform size
  • 1/2 C flour
  • Salt and pepper
  • 2 T canola oil, divided
  • 4 carrots, finely diced
  • 1 large white onion, finely diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1 T Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 28 oz. can petite diced tomatoes
  • 1 Quart beef stock
  • 3/4 C pearled barley
Method:
  1. Heat 1 T of oil in large saute pan over medium heat.
  2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in gallon sized Ziploc bag. Add half of the beef and shake to coat evenly.
  3. Remove beef from bag, shaking off excess flour. Add to saute pan and brown on each side. When done, remove beef from pan and add to slow cooker.
  4. Repeat process with remaining oil and beef.
  5. Add about 1/2 C of the stock to the hot saute pan and deglaze, scraping up browned bits from bottom of the pan. Add stock from saute pan to crock pot, along with the remaining stock.
  6. Add all remaining ingredients to crock pot, except barley. Stir well.
  7. Cook on low for 9 hours.
  8. Add barley, increase to high, and cook for another hour.

Saturday, March 16, 2013

Friday Cocktail Hour: The Vesper

I broke my company's intranet yesterday.

Ok, I didn't break it. I am assured it's a known systems issue that's long been on the update list. But I happened to be the one entering an article when it broke.

Oh, and Chicopee schools had a half day yesterday so Brian's after-school program - all 42 students - was three hours longer than usual.

TGIF...and cocktail hour couldn't come soon enough!



Ingredients:
  • 2 oz. gin
  • 1 oz. vodka
  • 1/2 oz. Lillet blanc
  • Orange twist
Method:
  1. Combine, shake like mad, strain into a martini glass and try not to guzzle it down.

Thursday, March 14, 2013

Herb Shrimp Scampi

Shrimp scampi is one of my favorite dishes. And I love the way I make it so much that I rarely order it out. I have no problem with sun dried tomatoes, artichokes, or capers - but they have no place in my scampi!

Last Friday, my friend Sue served delicious grilled herb shrimp at a girls' night cocktail party she hosted. They were a delicious appetizer - light but really flavorful, and they were gone in no time. Sue followed the recipe's instructions and grilled them. They were so good that I decided to depart from tradition and saute them as a scampi for dinner last night. Huge success!



Ingredients:
  • 1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 small yellow onion, finely diced
  • 1/4 C fresh parsley, minced
  • 1/4 C fresh basil, minced
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 C olive oil
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • About 1 C white wine
Method:
  1. Combine all ingredients except wine and 1 tsp olive oil in a large zip lock bag and allow to marinate at room temperature for 1 hour or in the fridge for up to 2 days.
  2. When ready to cook, heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large saute pan over medium high heat.
  3. When oil is hot, dump in shrimp and marinade.
  4. Saute until shrimp are cooked through and most of the marinading liquid has cooked down, about 5 - 6 minutes.
  5. Stir in wine and stir to de-glaze pan.
  6. Simmer until wine reduces and sauces thickens.
  7. Toss with hot, drained angel hair pasta and serve.