Roasted Beet Salad with Grilled Lamb

We were watching Triple D on the Food Channel and this Tacoma pub made a roasted beet salad with a citrus vinaigrette that looked really good.  Then they made grilled lamb skewers over cous cous.  This dish is kind of a combination of the two.

Grilled lamb skewers.
 1 lb ground lamb
1 egg, beaten
About 1/4 cup bread crumbs or panko
Chopped fresh parsley and mint, about 2 tbs
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 tsp each ground oregano and cumin
Spice mix (kosher salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder, smoked paprika), about 1 tbs

Mix all the ingredients using the best tool in the kitchen, your hands.  Form the mixture into little bricks, about 3 oz each.  Cover and put in the fridge for a few hours.

The beets.
Rinse, scrub, and slice the ends off about 2 bunches of beets.  Put them in a bowl, and rub with olive oil.  Wrap tightly in foil and bake at 350 for about an hour.  Remove from oven, open foil, and let cool.  Peel them, chop into big hunks, then toss with a little olive oil and salt.

The vinaigrette.

Juice of about 1/2 orange, 1/2 lemon, 1/4 lime
Minced orange and lemon rind, about 1 tbs
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
About 2 tbs white balsamic, or rice wine, vinegar
1 tbs dijon mustard
Olive oil, maybe 1/4 cup
Kosher salt and ground pepper
2 tbs honey

Whisk together all ingredients except the olive oil.  Then drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly.  Make a few hours, or longer, in advance, and refrigerate.

Light up the barbeque.  Rub the lamb with a little olive oil, and grill for about 4 minutes per side.  Remove and let set for a couple of minutes.  Skewer.

Toss a nice mix of greens with some of the vinaigrette.  Mound on a large plate or bowl.  Add some beets, and some goat cheese crumbles.  Top with skewers and enjoy!

Fresh Pasta 'n Tomato Sauce

Comfort food at its finest.  Home made noo noos and tomato sauce, with stinky cheese.  Yum.

Pasta:
1 1/2 cups durum semolina flour
2 eggs, beaten
2-3 Tbs water
2 Tbs olive oil
1/2 Tsp salt

Mix the ingredients well, using the best tool in the kitchen (your hands).  Knead on a lightly floured board for about 10 minutes.  Shape into a bar, wrap with plastic wrap, and let rest for 30-60 minutes.  Good time to let your arms rest as well.

Tomato sauce:
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs butter
1 large sweet onion, diced
About 1/2 Tsp red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large cans whole plum tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1 Tbs sugar

Saute the onions and pepper flakes in the olive oil and butter, with a big pinch of kosher salt.  Best smell in the kitchen!

Add the garlic, and stir for about 2 minutes.  Best smell in the kitchen just got better.  Puree the tomatoes in a blender, one can at a time (unless you have a ginormous blender).  Kinda like a tomato shake.  Note that whole tomatoes, pureed, are not the same as canned tomato puree.  The latter is very thick and not good for making a reduced sauce.

Add the tomatoes, paste, and bay leaf to the pot.  Stir well, and simmer over low heat for about 2 hours, until the sauce reduces by maybe 1/3 and turns a deep, red color.  Add salt and pepper to taste, and the sugar.

Time to make the 'za.  Slice the dough into toast size pieces.  Run each through the pasta machine, starting on 1 (thickest).  After once through, fold the dough in half lengthwise, and run through again.  Repeat two more times, until you have a wider piece of dough.

Run through the machine at 3, then again at 5.  Cut the long thin piece into half.  Flour both sides, and run through the cutter.  Repeat for the remaining pieces of dough.

Cook the pasta according to package directions.  Wait, there aren't any.  Boil for about 3-4 minutes, or until just done, and drain.  Put back in the pot, and stir with a little olive oil.

Serve with parmesan or romano.  Chow!  Ciao!

Ahhhhhh.



Spaghetti 'n Meatballs

Well, it's the beginning of the critical eating and drinking season.  Perfect time for comfort food.  Let's kick it off with an old fave. 

The Meatballs:
1 1/2 lbs meatloaf mix (1/2 lb each ground beef, pork, and veal).  Most markets carry this, and if it's not on the shelf, the butcher will put one together for you.
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
chopped parsley, about 1/4 cup
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup ground parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Put all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Using the best implement in the kitchen (your hand), thoroughly mix. 

While you're making the meatballs, put about 1 cup olive or canola oil in a deep skillet and heat to about 350 degrees.

Form the mixture into meatballs, size is your preference.  This batch made 12 meatballs in this size:

But there are only 6?  Where are the others?  Ahh, cook half of the meatballs in the oil, until nicely browned, then gently turn them over and brown on the other side. 

Put the meatballs on a wire rack to drain, then cook the remaining ones.

Meanwhile, make your favorite marinara sauce.

The sauce:
2 large cans peeled plum tomatoes
1 small can tomato paste
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
red pepper flakes, to taste
1 bay leaf
dried oregano, basil, and thyme, about 1 1/2 tbs each
salt and pepper
2 tbs sugar
olive oil

Heat the oil in a large dutch oven.  Add the onions and pepper flakes.  Cook over medium low heat until just done.  Add the garlic and saute for about 2 minutes.  Add the tomatoes (I puree mine in a cuisinart or blender) and the paste.  Add the spices, stir thoroughly, and reduce heat to low.

Add all the meatballs, and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes (or longer, if you want).

Cook the pasta according to package directions, or however you damn well please.  Drain and toss with a little olive oil.  Serve it up with a couple of meatballs and some sauce, top with grated parmesan.  Mamma Mia!!

Gnocchi with Sage Brown Butter

This is really easy to make and oh so yummy.  Simple, yet complex.  Like me.

Gnocchi:
2 russet potatoes, about 2 lbs
1 cup flour (we used gluten free)
1 egg, beaten

Sauce:
4 tbs butter
About 2 tbs chopped sage leaves
Lemon juice, about 1/2 lemon

Cut each spud in half and place in a large pot of cold salted water.  Bring to a boil, and cook until done, about 45 minutes.  Remove to a large cutting board, and peel with a paring knife.  Shred each potato hunk with a fork.  Spread the potato out on the board and let cool.

Gather up the potato into a large mound, pour over the egg, and sprinkle with about 3/4 cup flour.  Using a pastry cutter or spatula, scrape up the potato and mix thoroughly.  Knead the dough gently, adding more flour as necessary.  The dough should be moist but not too sticky.

Cut the dough into about 6 pieces, and roll out each piece to about 3/4 inch diameter.  Cut into 1/2 inch lengths.  Place each piece on the tines of a fork, and press with your thumb.

Boil in salted water, in batches of about 20 each.  They're done when they float.  Spoon into a serving dish with a large slotted spoon.

For the sauce, heat the butter over medium heat until it bubbles.  Add the sage.  Cook until the butter just starts to brown.  Add the lemon juice, and toss with the gnocchi.

Serve 'em up with parmesan cheese and freshly ground pepper.  We kinda had garlic prawns and tenderloins with them.

Marinated 'n Grilled Lamb Steak

This is a simple and quick leg of lamb steak, fun for the whole family.

1 lamb steak, about 1 pound
Marinade:
--about 1/4 cup olive oil
--3-4 large cloves garlic, finely minced
--juice of 1/2 lemon
--minced fresh herbs (rosemary, oregano, sage, thyme)
--about 2 tbs balsamic vinegar
--salt and freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the marinade.  Add all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.

Photo-op:

Put the lamb steak in a large freezer bag, add the marinade, and refrigerate for several hours.

Light the 'cue, and grill the lamb over medium heat for about 10 minutes per side for medium-ish.

Make some fresh pesto.

Slice the lamb and serve with your favorites, we had pesto pasta with fresh cherry tomatoes, and a crisp green salad.

Butter Massaged Rotisserie Chicken with Garlic and Rosemary

This is the best way to cook a chicken, I think.  I have a Ducane; my brother has a nice rotisserie attachment for a basic Weber kettle (his roasted duck is to die for).  It can be done.

The "butter massage" is straight from Julia Child.  It's one of her old TV episodes, most entertaining.

1 chicken, free range if you can catch it, about 5 lbs
About 6 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Rosemary sprigs
1/2 white onion, coarsely chopped
Seasoning mix (I used the same as the smoked turkey breast post)
1 cup or so chicken broth
2 Tbs butter

Rinse the bird and pat dry.  Season the cavity and stuff with the garlic, rosemary, and onion.  Close the cavity with the skin, cross the legs and tie securely with twine.  Tuck the wings under the breasts and wrap once with twine.  Those who know what they're doing would truss the chicken.

Rub the entire bird with butter, then generously season.

Thread the spit rod into the chicken, secure, and load on the barbeque.  Place a drip pan underneath and pour in the stock.  After the meat has started to brown nicely, and so as to not rinse off the seasoning, begin basting with stock.  Baste every 15 minutes or so.  Cook about 15 minutes longer after the last baste, so the skin is crisp.  With my Ducane, the chicken is done in 2 hours.

Remove and let the bird rest for at least 15 minutes.  We served it with fresh corn off the cob, quinoa, and salad.

I simmered the giblets for the doggie.  They are gone.