Craving some inspiration. What's everyone making this week?!
- Thread starter miainmd
- Start date
Had a GORGEOUS Sunday and made lamb-kebobs, wild rice and a fab salad (more inside for rec
I bought a lovely spring leg of lamb (USA) and cut it into good -size chunks. Marinated them in zinfandel,olive oil, garlic, Dijon, rosemary, and salt. Threaded them with chunks of onion, mushrooms,and sweet red pepper. I grilled them over hot coals for only about 10 minutes I think...so the lamb was still pink inside. The kebobs get "unthreaded" into a big, pretty bowl to serve. Sometimes I drizzle garlic butter over all.
REC. for a favorite (simple) WILD RICE:
1 cup good quality wild rice
2 cups canned chicken broth
1 sm.to med. onion studded with 3 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup cream
1-2 Tbls.butter
In a medium saucepan place the onion (with cloves stuck in it)in the center of the pan. Add the rice, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce to simmer and time for 1 hour. Do not peak at any time! After 1 hour, turn the heat off and let rice sit for 15 minutes. Again, do not lift the cover. After 15 minutes, the rice should be fluffy and the liquid absorbed. Remove the onion and bay leaf, and scald (in separate tiny pan) 1/3 cup cream. Melt the butter in the cream and pour into the rice. Toss...add garlic salt and pepper to taste.
SALAD:
Mixed favorite greens
Avocado
Mandarin oranges (drained)
Red onion
Candied pecans
Girard's White Balsamic Dressing (a new one and just delicious!! Has a mild citrus flavor.)
Cutting up the lamb was the only real effort. This meal was very simple and so delicious.
I bought a lovely spring leg of lamb (USA) and cut it into good -size chunks. Marinated them in zinfandel,olive oil, garlic, Dijon, rosemary, and salt. Threaded them with chunks of onion, mushrooms,and sweet red pepper. I grilled them over hot coals for only about 10 minutes I think...so the lamb was still pink inside. The kebobs get "unthreaded" into a big, pretty bowl to serve. Sometimes I drizzle garlic butter over all.
REC. for a favorite (simple) WILD RICE:
1 cup good quality wild rice
2 cups canned chicken broth
1 sm.to med. onion studded with 3 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup cream
1-2 Tbls.butter
In a medium saucepan place the onion (with cloves stuck in it)in the center of the pan. Add the rice, broth and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover tightly, reduce to simmer and time for 1 hour. Do not peak at any time! After 1 hour, turn the heat off and let rice sit for 15 minutes. Again, do not lift the cover. After 15 minutes, the rice should be fluffy and the liquid absorbed. Remove the onion and bay leaf, and scald (in separate tiny pan) 1/3 cup cream. Melt the butter in the cream and pour into the rice. Toss...add garlic salt and pepper to taste.
SALAD:
Mixed favorite greens
Avocado
Mandarin oranges (drained)
Red onion
Candied pecans
Girard's White Balsamic Dressing (a new one and just delicious!! Has a mild citrus flavor.)
Cutting up the lamb was the only real effort. This meal was very simple and so delicious.
barbara-in-va
Well-known member
If its raining tonight I will try: Fish Tagine w/Lemon & Tomatoes from CL.
Tonight- Lydia Bastianich's (whew-that's a mouthful) Penne alla Vodka - simple and SO good. REC:
From Lidia's Italian American Kitchen cookbook:
Penne alla Vodka
One 35-oz can Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano) with liquid
1 lb penne
1/4 cup EVOO
10 cloves garlic, peeled
Crushed hot red pepper
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil for finishing the sauce, if you like
2 to 3 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Pour tomatoes and liquid into food processor. Using quick on/off pulses, proces the tomatoes jut until they are finely chopped.
Stir penne into boiling water. Cook until done, 8 - 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and add them to the hot oil. Cook, shaking skillet until garlic is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Carefully (they will splatter) add tomatoes. Bring to a boil, season w/salt and crushed red pepper and boil 2 minutes. Pour in the vodka, lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer and simmer until pasta is ready
Just before pasta is done, fish the garlic cloves out of the sauce and pour in the cream. Add the 2 tablespons of butter or oil, if using, and swirl the skillet to incorporate into the sauce. If skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the water with a wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. If not, drain pasta, return to pot and pour in the sauce. Check seasoning. Sprinkle parsley over the pasta and boil unitl the sauce is reduced enough to cling to the pasta.
Remove from heat, sprinkle 3/4 cup of cheese over pasta, toss to mix.
From Lidia's Italian American Kitchen cookbook:
Penne alla Vodka
One 35-oz can Italian plum tomatoes (preferably San Marzano) with liquid
1 lb penne
1/4 cup EVOO
10 cloves garlic, peeled
Crushed hot red pepper
1/4 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter or olive oil for finishing the sauce, if you like
2 to 3 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Pour tomatoes and liquid into food processor. Using quick on/off pulses, proces the tomatoes jut until they are finely chopped.
Stir penne into boiling water. Cook until done, 8 - 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Whack the garlic cloves with the side of a knife and add them to the hot oil. Cook, shaking skillet until garlic is lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Carefully (they will splatter) add tomatoes. Bring to a boil, season w/salt and crushed red pepper and boil 2 minutes. Pour in the vodka, lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer and simmer until pasta is ready
Just before pasta is done, fish the garlic cloves out of the sauce and pour in the cream. Add the 2 tablespons of butter or oil, if using, and swirl the skillet to incorporate into the sauce. If skillet is large enough to accommodate the sauce and pasta, fish the pasta out of the water with a wire skimmer and drop it directly into the sauce in the skillet. If not, drain pasta, return to pot and pour in the sauce. Check seasoning. Sprinkle parsley over the pasta and boil unitl the sauce is reduced enough to cling to the pasta.
Remove from heat, sprinkle 3/4 cup of cheese over pasta, toss to mix.
barbara-in-va
Well-known member
Hi Judy,No rain but I was able to squeeze in a real dinner anyway (yardwork prevails!)..
It was delicious! I don't think I have ever had "real" tagine so I don't know what a tagine is supposed to be like/taste like, so I can't compare. But, this fish was delicious. Layered inbetween layers of onion and tomatoes and dripping with a multi spiced marinade. I bought a couple of beautiful halibut fillets and they cooked perfectly in the 40 minutes suggested. Try it if you get a chance. And, I will look up Ina's taboulleh!
It was delicious! I don't think I have ever had "real" tagine so I don't know what a tagine is supposed to be like/taste like, so I can't compare. But, this fish was delicious. Layered inbetween layers of onion and tomatoes and dripping with a multi spiced marinade. I bought a couple of beautiful halibut fillets and they cooked perfectly in the 40 minutes suggested. Try it if you get a chance. And, I will look up Ina's taboulleh!