Rosemary and Garlic Roast Leg of Lamb with Minted English Peas

November 22, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Local pastured leg of lamb is coated with fresh rosemary, garlic, coarse salt and cracked pepper then slow-roasted and served au jus with fresh peas, spearmint and fried shallots..

Rinse leg of lamb and pat dry. Remove the fell (a thin membrane covering the fat) if present, then coat with extra virgin olive oil and liberal amounts of fresh rosemary, garlic, sea salt and cracked black pepper.

Chop enough equal parts celery, white onion and carrots (mirepoix) to cover the bottom of a cast iron skillet to a depth of 1/2 inch. Pour in 1 cup of Cabernet Sauvignon then set the lamb on top. Roast uncovered in a 325 degree oven until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest section reads 125-130 degrees, about 75 minutes depending on size. Transfer lamb to a cutting board, cover loosely and allow to rest 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, add 2 cups cold filtered water to the roasting pan and stir to scrape up the brown bits. Place over medium heat and cook until reduced by half. Strain into a clean pan and adjust flavor with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Blanch fresh English peas in 1/4 inch of filtered water for 2-3 minutes, then immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water. Heat butter in a heavy skillet and add a thinly sliced whole shallot. Fry until golden, then add minced lemon peel and cook 30 seconds. Add drained peas and lots of chopped fresh mint and heat through. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon peas onto a serving plate and arrange 1/2 inch-thick sliced of lamb over the top. Dress with reduced pan juices and serve immediately.

Slow-Roasted Wild Salmon with Genmaicha, Fried Capers and Caramelized Lemon

November 8, 2009 / Ren

Wild Alaskan salmon is marinated in genmaicha-infused olive oil before being slow-roasted and served with a pan sauce of caramelized lemons, shallots, garlic, capers, parsley and butter..

Slow-Roasted Wild Salmon with Genmaicha 玄米茶, Fried Capers and Caramelized Lemon

For the Salmon

2 wild Alaskan fillets
6 oz extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons genmaicha brown rice tea
1 teaspoon paprika
coarse sea salt and freshly-ground pepper

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it reaches 185 degrees. Remove pan from heat and stir in genmaicha. Allow to steep until the oil reaches room temperature, about 30 minutes. Pour cooled oil over salmon set in a shallow dish and marinate 1 hour.

Remove salmon from oil, drain briefly and place in a heavy skillet (skin side down) and season with salt, pepper and paprika. Roast in a 225 degree oven until it is brilliant red and flakes easily with a fork, about 12 minutes.

For the Sauce (adapted from a recipe by Michael Symon)

2 tablespoons pastured butter, divided
4 thick slices lemon
1 teaspoon capers
1 1/2 tablespoons shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup parsley, coarsely chopped

Heat half of the butter in a heavy skillet over moderately high heat until the bitter begins to foam. Add the lemon slices and cook until they begin to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Flip the lemons over, add the capers and sauté 30 seconds. Add the shallots and sauté another 30 seconds. Add the garlic, parsley and the remaining butter and cook until the lemons begin to lose their shape, about 1-2 minutes.

To Serve

Spoon sauce in the center of a plate. Place roasted salmon on top and garnish with lemon slices. Serve immediately.

Rosemary Garlic Lamb Chops with Mint Peas and Wild Rice

September 18, 2009 / Ren

Local, pastured lamb loin chops with rosemary garlic demi-glace, fresh peas with fried shallots and mint, and mushroom wild rice.

C’est si bon!

Rosemary Garlic Lamb Chops with Mint Peas and Wild Rice

lamb loin chops from premiumlamb.com via greenling.com

Marinate lamb chops in olive oil, chopped garlic, fresh rosemary, freshly-ground pepper and a three-fingered pinch of coarse sea salt for 4 or more hours (refrigerated). Allow to come up to room temperature before cooking.

Rinse and prepare true wild rice according to package directions, about 1 hour. Add sautéed wild mushrooms, a teaspoon of pastured butter and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Lightly steam fresh peas until about 2/3 done, then transfer to a skillet with pastured butter and chopped shallots. Fry until browned, then season with chopped fresh mint, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.

Quickly sear lamb chops in a very hot skillet with butter and a little of the marinade until well browned but still rare. Transfer to a side plate.

De-glaze the pan with burgundy then scrape up all the brown bits with the side of a wooden spoon. Add a little brown stock, reduce and finish with demi-glace and fresh rosemary.

Set the rare lamb chops in the pan with the demi-glace until warmed through, about 2-3 minutes.

To serve, heap wild rice in the center of a dinner plate and arrange lamb chops around the perimeter. Spoon demi-glace over the top, then spoon peas in between the chops and garnish with additional mint and parsley.

This post is part of Food Renegade’s Fight Back Fridays

Pan-Seared Salmon, Fresh Peas and Mustard Beurre Blanc

September 2, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Wild Alaskan sockeye with smoked pepper, fresh peas with pastured bacon and thyme and coarse mustard beurre blanc..

Pan-Seared Salmon, Fresh Peas and Mustard Beurre Blanc

For the mustard beurre blanc

1/4 cup white vermouth
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced shallots
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 oz fresh cream
1 tablespoon homemade coarse-grain mustard
4 tablespoons pastured butter, cut into small pieces
sea salt to taste
cayenne pepper to taste

Boil vermouth, vinegar, shallots and garlic until liquid is reduced by 1/2, about 5 minutes.

Whisk in fresh cream and homemade mustard, reduce heat and simmer another 5 minutes.

Strain mixture into a clean pan over low heat and whisk in butter 1 piece at a time. Season with sea salt and cayenne and keep warm until ready to use.

Rinse fresh, wild Alaskan salmon fillets, pat dry and season with sea salt and smoked black pepper. Set aside.

Blanch fresh peas in salted boiling water until not quite done. Drain and rinse under cold filtered water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Fry pieces of fresh pork belly or uncured bacon until crisp. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat then add blanched peas and fresh thyme. Cook until peas are fork-tender, perhaps 5 minutes. Keep warm.

Meanwhile, sear salmon presentation-side down in a little clarified butter or unrefined coconut oil until brilliant orange and slightly crisp on the edges, about 2-3 minutes.

Turn salmon over and place pan in a 400 degree oven until the fish is medium-rare, about 3 minutes depending on thickness.

Spoon peas in a circle around perimeter of plate and spoon beurre blanc into the center of the plate. Place salmon on top of sauce and dress with a squeeze of fresh lemon.

This post is part of the Real Food Wednesdays Blog Carnival

Fresh Fava, French Carrot and Arugula Salad, Mustard Crème fraîche

July 29, 2009November 14, 2016 / Ren

Lightly steamed fresh fava beans, French carrots and peppery arugula tossed in extra virgin olive oil and white balsamic vinegar and dressed with homemade mustard crème fraîche..

Fava, French Carrot and Arugula Salad

String and split fava bean pods and remove the beans. Split small round French carrots.

Steam the beans and carrots together in a bamboo or wire steamer until just barely done, perhaps 2 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking process; we want the vegetables to be tender, yet cooked as little as possible to preserve the color and nutrients.

Meanwhile, make a simple vinaigrette of high quality extra virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, minced garlic and slivered shallot.

Drain the vegetables and toss with arugula micro-greens and vinaigrette. Season with black salt and coarsely ground pepper and dress with a teaspoon of homemade lacto-fermented mustard combined with a tablespoon of homemade crème fraîche (Crème fraîche is similar to sour cream, but thicker and slightly more sweet than sour. Mix together 3 parts fresh heavy cream and 1 part buttermilk or plain yoghurt. Cover and allow to stand on the counter overnight before refrigerating).

Serve with toasted crusty bread if you like..