Tag: thyme

Let’s Talk about Lamb Baby or Baby Lamb :)

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This is the time of the year when people think of lamb. I love eating lamb all year round.
Spring lamb is tender and flavorful. I enjoy most cuts of lamb and here we have a simple meal of chops.
This can be a weeknight meal or a great option to entertain with.


I like to get a rack that is preferably ‘frenched’ by the butcher which just means that the meat has been removed from the bones. This makes for a prettier presentation.
Season generously with salt and pepper. Here I rubbed some dijon mustard and fresh thyme.

But one of the reasons that I am writing this post is to remind myself to change the seasonings to an Indian inspired palette.
I plan to do that by substituting the mustard with tamarind paste, the black pepper to cayenne and the thyme to dried mint (preferably Turkish mint which is so much more flavorful).

Sear meat side down on medium high heat for about 5 minutes and then turn over – no that is not burnt – I promise you.
Finish cooking the lamb in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes or till the meat registers 140 degrees.

I served the chops over mushroom pilaf.
You can create a pan sauce by adding some broth or wine to the pan you cooked the lamb in.
Use the sauce to drizzle over the chops or use it to make the pilaf.

When I do the Indian inspired meal – I think I will serve it over spicy chickpeas or lentils.

I will be sure to share the results when I make it.

In the meantime I really hope that you add lamb to your repertoire. It is a great option over all the chicken and beef we may be eating.

Until I cook again!

Hearty chicken stew with potatoes over Couscous

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IMG_2549.jpgI love making one pot meals as you may have noticed from my previous posts and also hearty stews are so comforting.  They are easy to make and soul satisfying to me.

This is a chicken stew I made in a rich tomato sauce with potatoes

Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper and sear on high heat till the chicken is golden brown.  I throw in some fresh thyme while this is happening – you can use rosemary, oregano or almost any herb of your choice.

 

Because I am lazy or very smart – you decide – I make some room at the side of the pan and add a couple of table spoons of flour.  I brown this for a few minutes until the flour is brown and cooked through.  You might have to add a little oil to make sure this happens well.

 

Next, I add a cup or two of wine – red in this case since that’s what I was drinking.  You can add white wine and or stock – even water works, I tell ya.

I also like to add tomato paste along with the flour for a deep rich color but I didn’t have any handy.  The stew still came out well.

And if you get anything from my recipes – just know that they are suggestions and not the gospel – once you master some techniques, you can experiment.  Don’t sweat or worse, not cook just because you don’t have one ingredient.

 

IMG_2535.jpgSticking with the lazy or genius theme. I throw in a chopped onion or two and they will cook down just like you sauteed them in the beginning.  At this time I like to add some more thyme and more salt and pepper.

 

Now for 6-8-10 cloves of garlic, crushed and a can of whole, peeled tomatoes, smushed up.  Yes, that’s a word 🙂

IMG_2545After the garlic and tomatoes, I covered and simmered the chicken for about 30 minutes and then add the potatoes – cooking for another 20 minutes or until the potatoes and chicken is cooked through.

Next, taste the sauce for salt and adjust to taste.

Sometimes, I will add a few tbs. of wine which I don’t cook out – this gives the stew a unique flavor.  Also a couple tbs. of vinegar can be nice in rounding out the flavors.

Serve this in one of many ways – as is with crusty bread, or over rice, pasta, couscous.

I like to make enough t so that I can eat it for a few days in different ways.

I hope you try this and other stews – they basically cook themselves and you get to look like the star in your kitchen.

Until I cook again!

Short Ribs Braised in Port Wine Sauce

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A few days ago I made short ribs for a party that I was having.  This is a real crowd pleaser and you can make it easily with very little effort on your part.

What short ribs are : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_ribs

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Season generously with salt and pepper and sear in a dutch over over high heat till you get a beautiful brown sear.

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Add some aromatics like rosemary, thyme and a chopped onion.

The sear is very important since that is what imparts flavor to the dish.

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Next, add a liquid like wine, port, stock or even water to create the braising liquid.

I used port since I had it laying around – you can use a combination of the above.

Add a bay leaf and bring to a boil.  Then simmer over low heat, covered for about three to four hours or until the meat is falling off the bone.  At some point you can add tomatoes and also some root vegetables in the last half hour of the cooking.  Sometimes, I add potatoes, turnips and parsnips to create a hearty meal.

After the meat is cooked, cool and refrigerate to help form a layer of fat that can be removed the next day.

This is a very fatty dish and requires you to remove the fat.  If you are serving the same day – use a ladle to skim off the fat.

Now for the not so good looking part of the procedure:

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Here’s how it will look after you refrigerate it.  I remove the meat before hand.  Remove the fat and store it in the freezer for making potatoes or even fried eggs.

When ready to serve, bring the sauce to a boil and add the meat.  Simmer till the meat is heated through and then serve either in chunks or shred it as I did.

I served it over mashed potatoes as tiny bites since it was a cocktail party.

You can even add a dash of red wine just before serving for a delicious rich flavor.

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The final dish as presented to the guests.

I hope you try this dish and let me know how it turned out.

Until I cook again!

SIMPLE ROAST CHICKEN OVER VEGETABLES

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There is nothing more comforting than a roast chicken for dinner.

While it is the easiest thing to prepare, it is also the test of a good cook.  When I was in cooking school, we spent a lot of time learning how to roast the perfect chicken and I think I have mastered it.

I would like to share some of the things I learned.

Get the best chicken you can afford – from a butcher or Whole Foods.

Kosher chickens are fabulous as they are treated with salt and cook faster and have a wonderful flavor without having to work at it.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Dry the chicken with paper towel and remove any innards that might be in the cavity.

Cut up vegetables that you like – for example potatoes, carrots, sweet potatoes, turnips, squash – anything.

Season with salt and pepper and your favorite herbs like thyme, rosemary or marjoram.

Season the chicken inside and out with salt and pepper and add an onion, lemon and herbs in the cavity.

Now massage it generously with olive oil or butter.

Place the chicken over the vegetables and bake at 450 degrees for 40 minutes.

Turn the heat to 300 and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.

Check with a meat thermometer and it should read 160 degrees.

Let the chicken rest on the counter, tented for about 10 or 15 minutes.

Carve it and serve with vegetables.

You can removed the vegetables, add broth and or white wine to create a sauce if you like.  If you add wine, make sure you cook it out on a high heat and finish with a pat of butter for a luscious sauce.

Spoon over chicken and vegetables and dinner is served.

Until I eat again!