Boneless leg of lamb is a particular fave around the Red Brick Ranchero. Especially in the summer when we grill practically every meal. And there are always leftovers, for sandwiches, salads and even standing in front of the refrigerator door snackin’.
Cold grilled leg of lamb dipped in a bit of Dijon mustard has been known to bring a smile to even the grumpiest person in the room.
Seriously.
There are plenty of ways to season lamb before you grill.
The typical garlic stuffed, chopped rosemary and olive oil rubbed is one.
Freshly squeezed lemon, olive oil and crushed red pepper is another favorite, especially with chops.
But this marinade..
this is something else.
Totally different.
Greek leaning towards Turkish and Persian.
Mediterranean, if you will.
It’s a perfectly wonderful..cumin, ground sumac, ground coriander, tomato, extra virgin olive oil and garlic confit conglomeration .
Grill some red and yellow bell peppers, red onions….whip up a quick yogurt, cuke, lemony drizzle…slap some pita bread on the grill to toast…and you’ve got “a slam dunk how did you do this I must have the recipe” dinner on the deck.
Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb Mediterranean
Marinade:
½ large sweet yellow onion, chopped
1 large spoonful garlic confit (or maybe 10 garlic cloves, chopped)
1 small can San Marzano tomatoes, drained (you’ll have maybe five)
½ cup fresh Italian parsley, coarsely chopped
½ cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large tsp ground sumac (this is optional but so so good. Adds a bright citrusy flavor available from Penzey’s)
1-½ tbsp ground coriander
1-½ tbsp toasted cumin (just heat a small skillet, add the cumin..you’ll smell it getting toasty and take off the heat)
1 tbsp sweet Spanish paprika
1 tsp dried thyme
Put the onion, garlic, and tomatoes in blender or food processor and pulse it til smooth. Add the herbs spices and a couple of swirls of extra virgin olive oil to make a paste.
Set aside.
Lamb
1 boneless leg of lamb, about 2-2-½ pounds
Spread lamb out and trim off excess fat. Pour marinade over, rub it in a bit so the lamb feels the love and cover with plastic wrap. You can let it sit out at room temp for several hours, or marinate in the fridge overnight. The longer it sits in this, the better, but be sure to bring lamb to room temp before you grill it.
Heat the grill to medium hot, and grill lamb between 12 to 15 minutes per side, depending on the thickness. We like ours medium rare, so we do about 12.
When done, take off grill and let sit five minutes, slice and serve.
Serves four generously.
Click here for a printable recipe!
One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Grilled Boneless Leg of Lamb Mediterranean
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Radishes, Mint and Ricotta Salata
Somebody shoot me.
Why didn’t I think of this salad?
I could have, given enough time, red wine and an inspirational view.
Maybe.
But it doesn’t matter.
Melissa Clark beat me to it and got it published in the NY Times.
And I am so glad she did.
Sugar Snap Pea Salad with Radishes, Mint and Ricotta Salata
Adapted from a recipe in the NY Times June 2009 by Melissa Clark
1/2 cup sliced radishes
4 ounces sugar snap peas, sliced (1-¼ cups)
4 ounces ricotta salata, crumbled (1 cup)
1/3 bunch mint leaves, torn, (1/3 cup)
1 large clove garlic, minced
Coarse salt , a good pinch
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
A couple of good swirls extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
In large bowl, toss together radishes, peas, ricotta and mint.
In mortar and pestle or with a knife, make a paste of the garlic and the pinch of salt. Place in small bowl and add lemon juice and balsamic vinegar and stir well to combine. Drizzle in the olive oil, stirring constantly and season to taste.
Pour over salad and toss to combine.
Serves 3 generously.
Click here for a printable recipe!
One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Grilled Flank Steak with Thai Cucumber, Tomato and Mint Salad
Cook or no cook, there are items that you should have in house that signify it’s summer.
Homegrown tomatoes are coming into season now…thank God.
Tomato sandwiches are now allowed in the house.
Fresh mint abounds in the garden for iced tea.
Cucumbers are prevalent south of here and will soon be in abundance for cool cuke and cream cheese on dark rye for lunch with a bit of fresh dill.
Limes…for summertime cocktails and a squeeze over grilled shrimp tossed with cilantro and garlic for a quick meal…
And flank steak. Fast grilling, slicing and begging for a cool salad over top to make a quick weeknight or even company meal.
Beg no more…
Grilled Flank Steak with Thai Cucumber, Tomato and Mint Salad
Adapted from Molly O’Neill’s A Well-Seasoned Appetite
1 cup lime juice
½ cup Thai fish sauce or nam pla
A good pinch of vanilla sugar
½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 medium homegrown tomato, diced
½ large English cucumber, peeled, diced
1 cup fresh mint leaves
Small to medium flank steak, about 1-½ pounds, drizzled with a bit of extra virgin olive oil and seasoned with coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and jalapeno pepper in glass or ceramic bowl. Add the tomatoes and the cucumber and refrigerate.
Grill the flank steak about five a side and let stand for five minutes. Add mint leaves to salad and toss. Slice steak thinly and top with the salad.
Serves 3 generously.
Salad lasts several days in fridge.
Click here for a printable recipe!
One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Honey and Cinnamon Baked Granola with Dates, Golden Raisins and Nuts
I love granola. Seriously.
I love it.
But I have had a love hate relationship with it. Maybe that’s too strong of a description of our affair.
I love to eat it, I totally hate to make it.
No, that’s not right. I don’t totally hate to make it.
I forget to make it and I totally hate that I do that because it means that I have to eat the store bought highly sugared not so very good for you granola that doesn’t taste a bit like what I can make at home.
I’ve talked about Richard Sax and Marie Simmons’s cookbook, Lighter Quicker Better in several posts. It is one of the better healthy eating cookbooks around. Having only done “dinner items” from the book, and searching for a granola recipe, I came across theirs.
I haven’t looked back.
You can add or subtract ingredients. Dates sometimes, almonds others, walnuts always. Golden raisins sometimes, dried apricots or blueberries, or all of the above. And it’s baked in honey and cinnamon with a touch of oil.
So you get good granola, that’s good for you.
I love that!
Honey and Cinnamon Baked Granola with Dates, Golden Raisins and Nuts
Adapted from Lighter Quicker Better by Richard Sax and Marie Simmons
2 cups old fashioned or quick cooking oats, not instant
1-½ cups chopped nuts…walnuts, pecans or almonds
¾ cup raisins, golden or dark, dates or any dried fruit you like
2 tbsp canola oil
½ cup wild honey
1 tbsp cinnamon
Heat oven to 350.
Spread the oatmeal, nuts, and raisins in 13 x 9 pan.
In small saucepan, combine oil, honey and cinnamon and bring to a boil. Pour over the oatmeal mix in pan and stir to combine.
Bake 25-30 minutes stirring often til mixture is golden.
Makes about three cups. Store in plastic bag or airtight jar.
Click here for a printable recipe!
One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Roasted Pepper Bisque with Zucchini-Shrimp Salsa
85 degrees, humidity ooching on up into a typical Middle Tennessee almost summer day.
Just perfect for soup.
Sweet roasted red and green bell peppers with onion and garlic swirled into a bisque and topped with zucchini shrimp basil salsa from Molly O’Neill’s A Well Seasoned Appetite.
A cold soup, you say?
Oh, heavens no.
Remember I am a quadruple Gemini, which means that at least one of me wants to buck the trend and have a hot soup.
I compromise…it turned out more like a room temp. But this could be hot. It could be cold.
Whichever way you want to do it, you’ll love it.
Roasted Red Pepper Bisque with Zucchini-Shrimp Salsa
Adapted from Molly O’Neill’s A Well Seasoned Appetite
Bisque:
One good swirl extra virgin olive oil
3 red bell peppers, roasted and cut into large pieces
3 green bell peppers, roasted and cut into large pieces
4 medium sweet yellow onions, chopped
2 cups roasted chicken stock
1 good spoonful garlic confit
6 tbsp plain Greek yogurt
1 lime, squeezed
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat oven to 375.
Heat large Dutch oven over medium heat and add the swirl of extra virgin olive oil. Add the peppers, onion and ½ cup roasted chicken stock. Simmer, stirring occasionally , for 20 minutes. Stir in garlic confit, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Put mix into food processor and hit pulse several times to make it smooth. Add remaining roasted chicken stock, yogurt, lime juice, salt and pepper to taste and pulse til smooth. Transfer to saucepan, or if serving cold, put in container in fridge to chill.
Salsa:
2 medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise , then into half moons
12 large shrimp, sautéed, chopped and seasoned with lime juice
3 medium green onions, chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh basil
Lime juice to taste
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place zucchini on baking sheet and roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Add remaining ingredients and toss to combine.
Heat soup, if you like, until just hot. Ladle into bowl and top with the salsa.
If you are serving this cold, swirl a bit of Greek yogurt through the soup and top with salsa.
Serve with lime wedges.
Serves 3 generously.
Click here for a printable recipe!
One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Plumped Ginger-Caramel Shrimp
Look at those shrimp.
Don’t they look like they’re having a great time….doing the backstroke for 20 minutes or so in a sweet and spicy chile powder brine waiting on you to chop fresh garlic and ginger and throw that in a very hot pan with a couple of swirls of extra virgin olive, freshly ground black pepper and a bit of salt.
This goes so fast, you know…the garlic goes a lovely warm gold, vanilla sugar is sprinkled on top, the shrimp do a swan dive into the hot pan and you cook them until they get that pinky soft color that makes you say…oh. My. god…now this is going to be a good supper!
You can also add a bit of blanched asparagus or sugar snaps in you’re of a mind to have a bit of veg with your dinner.
Plumped Ginger Caramel Shrimp
Adapted from The Splendid Table ‘s How to Eat Supper
Brine:
½ cup kosher salt (not iodized)
1/3 cup vanilla sugar
1/3 cup medium hot chile powder
2 cups warm water
1-½ pounds large frozen shrimp
Saute:
6 large garlic cloves,
1 4 inch piece fresh peeled ginger
A couple of good swirls extra virgin olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp vanilla sugar
Coarse salt
In a medium glass bowl, blend salt, sugar, chile powder in warm water and add the shrimp. Let stand 20 minutes.
Drain the shrimp, peel off shells if you need to…pat the shrimp dry.
Chop garlic and ginger together. Heat oil in large heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add the garlic and ginger , pepper to taste and a good pinch of coarse salt. Cook for a minutes, stirring with wooden spatula, blend in the sugar and keep stirring until garlic is pale gold. Immediately add the shrimp and stir until the shrimp are pink and barely firm.
You can toss in a bit of blanched asparagus or sugar snap peas if you like.
You can serve over rice or eat straight out of the pan.
This is wondrous.
Serves 3 generously. The Splendid Table says 4...but they don’t live at our house!!!
Click here for a printable recipe!
One Year Ago on Feeding Groom
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