Wednesday, May 23, 2007

Dinner at Home

We had some new friends over for dinner. They brought several scotches for tasting and Alexis cooked up a hearty meal that would stand up to the scotches.


Garlic Rosemary Roasted Leg of Lamb
This leg of lamb was marinated for 24 hours, then roasted to a perfectly succulent medium rare. This recipe is as impressive as it is easy. It takes about 5 minutes of hands-on prep time.

Marinade:
-1/4 cup each olive oil, balsamic vinegar and dijon mustard
-1 tb each sea salt and ground pepper
-1 head garlic, cloves peeled and minced
-several spears fresh rosemary, leaves removed and chopped

Put the leg of lamb in a large bowl and pour the marinade over it. Rub the marinade into every nook and cranny of the boned leg. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for 4 to 24 hours. Place the leg on a roasting pan and roast on 375 until the internal temperature reads 125. (I use an internal electronic thermometer that stays inserted in the middle of the leg of lemb throughout the cooking process. Remove from the oven and let rest for at least 20 minutes. During this time the internal temperature of the lamb will rise to about 135, a perfect medium rare.


Roasted Rutabaga
Fewer carbs and more flavor than potatos. This often over-looked root vegetable is delicious when slow roasted.

-2 whole rutabaga, peeled and cut into large chunks
-salt and pepper to taste
-1 tb olive oil

Coat the rutabaga and with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the rutabaga in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake on 375 until tender, about 45 minutes to an hour.


Garlic Green Beans
Garlic makes everything better.

-1 lb trimmed green beans
-8 cloves garlic, minced
-1 tb butter
-1tb olive oil
-salt and pepper to taste

Sautee the garlic in the butter and olive oil until just beginning to turn golden. Add the green beans and sautee, moving the beans frequently, over medium heat until the beans are tender and the garlic is browned. Season with salt and pepper.


Fresh Blueberry Tart
Fruit tarts with a homemade crust are one of the easiest desserts to make. They are quite healthy since I add no sugar, and thus the full flavor of the fresh fruit shines.

-4 cups fresh blueberries
-1 cup flour
-1 stick butter, diced

Mix the cold pieces of butter into the flour with your hands until the mixture resembles cornmeal. Then add water, a tablespoon at a time until you can form it into a ball. Press the dough into a buttered pie pan and push up the sides to create the crust. Pre bake on 350 for 10 minutes, until just beginning to color, and dry to the touch. Add the blueberries and bake for another 1/2 hour or so, until the fruit is bubbly and the crust is golden.

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