Coronado Concert in the Park with Zoo2 and 2 Many "U"s

It's usually near the end of the evening at Concert in the Park, after too much wine, when we start throwing around ideas for next week's culinary theme. We were all looking forward to Zoo2, a U2 tribute band, and decided that each dish must contain the letter U. After sleeping on it, I felt that was too easy and required each dish to contain at least 2 U's.

The dish I wanted to make fell through when I was unable to locate a critical ingredient in time and I only had a few days to implement Plan B. Most of the cooking magazines feature grilling for the start of summer, so I flipped through Saveur's June/July Grilling Issue and came across Keepers of the Flame - The ancient art of grilling kebabs in Gaziantep, Turkey. It was a fascinating article about the ustas, who work from childhood to master the art of kebab making.

...a true usta is a rare individual whose hard-earned experience, old-fashioned principles, and humble nature render him an elevated culinarian. His role goes beyond kebab preparation; he is the gatekeeper of tradition. Gaziantep's best ustas are local heroes, the pride of the city.

Usta Trapper, Keeper of the Flame

I chose to make one of the kebab recipes included at the end of the article - Simit Kebab (Ground Lamb, Bulgar and Pistachio Kebabs). A thick pistachio puree, made with pistachios, parsley, mint, garlic, onion, scallions, red chiles, chile flakes, and allspice is folded in with ground lamb and bulgar. The mixture is then shaped around skewers, in a particular fashion, and the lamb skewers are chilled well before grilling to help hold them together. The kebabs are grilled until slightly charred, transferred to a platter, drizzled with olive oil, sprinkled with sumac, and served with yogurt and hot sauce.

The art of kebab preparation

On Friday, things went ridiculously out of control when Holli texted me bragging her recipe had 4 U's. She had alluded to uni and I was able to guess Uni Shooter with Ponzu Sauce and Quail Egg. She then increased the count to 5 by changing quail egg to ovum of quail. Mom's recipe also contained 4 U's, so I was determined to find something with 6. Holli got a whiff and texted "Game On!" Our text exchange continued throughout the day until I was up to 51 and she claimed to have 79. 

Stretching it to the limit

Simit Kebab

I made the mistake of sharing my dish and description with Holli, which only served to fan the flames. I could tell by the strut in her walk and her well-stocked ice chest that I never should have expected to win this battle. My worst fear became a reality when she proudly displayed an acrylic stand containing a one-page description of her dish - Uni Shooters paired with Sake Shots stretched out ad naseam to contain 200 U's! [201, I've been corrected and I'm not counting to verify]. She even included periodic "U" counts throughout. It may take you an hour to read it, but enjoy! Holli followed this recipe from Steamy Kitchen, but added caviar and chives. I think it may be time for someone to start her own blog.

Every ice chest should contain trays of uni and cartons of quail eggs

"Ms. I Can Top That" - Her plating alone took close to an hour

Uni Shooters

aka

Utterly Unique, Exquisite, Mouth-watering, Yummy, Scrumptious, Piquant, Luscious, Delicious, Flavorful, Scrumptious, Savorous, Under-the-Sea Urchin (Uni) Shooter Utilizing the Commonly Used in Japanese Cuisine, Citrus-based Ponzu Shoyo Sauce Produced from Katsuobushi Flakes (from Tuna), and Seaweed (Kombu) Heat-Bubbled with a Couple of Other Products over a Medium Temperature , Quail Egg AKA Uzura in Japanese Cuisine and are Frequently Used Uncooked or Cooked as Tamago in Sushi and Frequently Found in Bento Lunches , Squid Ink Roe that is Very Nutritious and can be Distinguished by its Blue/Black Color Unlike (50) Octopus that Produce Black Ink and Cuttlefish that Produce an Auburn Ink, Huy Fong Tuong Ot Sriracha Sauce AKA Rooster Sauce or Cock Sauce Due to the Rooster Featured on its Authentication Label and Formulated by Chinese-Vietnamese Founder David Tran and has Achieved Popularity in the United States and is Inclusive of a Handful of Constituents That Includes Sugar, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Bisulfate, and Xanthan Gum, and Ranks in the 1 Thousand - 2 Thousand Five Hundred Heat Units Range on the Scoville Scale which is Used to Measure the Spiciness of a Chili Pepper, and Allium Schoenoprasum AKA Chives, a Regularly Used Herb in Fish, Soups, and Other Various Grub as in Poland where the Allium are Served with Quark Cheese and also Contain Numerous Organosulfur Compounds Such (100) as Allyl Sulfides and Alkyl Sulfoxides and are Reported to Have a Salubrious Effect on the Circulatory System and also have Mild Stimulant, Diuretic, and Antiseptic Properties, but as Chives are Usually Served in Minuscule Amounts and Absolutely Not as the Main Course, Negative Effects are Rarely Encountered, Although Digestive Difficulties May Occur Subsequently Overconsumption, Plated in a Half Round, Nacreous-like, Miniature Donburi-style Bowl with a Round Support on the Underside of the Cup that are Not Suitable for Boiling Hot Liquids and are “Fabrique en Chine” (Made in China), but Distributed from a Business in Quebec and are Enclosed Securely in an Unclouded, Ductile, Succinct Tube with a Purple Papyrus Public Announcement stating the Quantity as Being One Hundred Minus Eighty-Eight or Twelve, Sustained by a Seishu (or ‘Clear Liquer’) - a Synonym Less Commonly Used Colloquially, but Better Known as Sake which is Alcohol Produced by Fermenting Sugar that is Naturally Present in Grapes and Various Fruits bearing the name Eiko Fuji “Glorious Mount Fuji” Ban Ryu “Ten Thousand Ways” Honjozo Sake manufactured in  Tsuruoka-City Yamagata, Japan and Should be Gratuitously Offered in Guinomi (Sake Cup), Masu (Wooden Box Cup), or Ochoko (Small Cylindrical Cup), but Not Sakazuki (a Flat Saucer-like Cup)(179) and is Light and Fruity with Notes of Cherries and Black Currants and has a Soft Mouth Feel, but According to the Surgeon General Women Should Not Drink Alcoholic Beverages During Pregnancy Because of Risks of Birth Defects and Consumption of Alcoholic Beverages Impairs Your Ability to Drive and May Cause Health Problems (190) that has Been Distributed in 1.5 Ounce Shooter Glasses and are Intended for Adult Use Only, Distributed from Quebec, but ‘Fabrique en Chine’ or manufactured in China. (200!)

The final dish was exactly as described: Utterly Unique, Exquisite, Mouth-watering, Yummy, Scrumptious, Piquant, Luscious, Delicious, Flavorful, Scrumptious, and Savorous. I forced myself to stop at three shooters, but Patrick admitted to downing eight ;-)

Under-the-Sea Urchin (Uni) Shooter 

"Here Comes Trouble" Patrick arrived with a bottle of wine autographed by Bono

Kellee & Patrick; Kellee plating her Sesame-Cucumber and Asian Cucumber Salads

The boys digging into Kai's Pulled Poultry Nachos

Creativity flowed to the wine labels

Cucumbers were a popular choice, but we were surprised hummus and couscous were no where to be found!

More Salads incorporating Cucumbers - Cucumber, Tomato and Onion
and Watermelon, Cucumber and Serrano Chile

Mom has been holding her own the past few weeks and everyone was begging for this week's decadent dessert recipe - Momofuku Milk Bar Gooey Butter Cake Squares! Oh. So. Good.

Momofuku Milk Bar Gooey Butter Cake Squares

It was Carmen who introduced us to Momofuku Crack Pie a few years back, another dessert that should be illegal.  For this concert, Carmen took a break from her voice over studio to whip up a marvelous Rhubarb and Blueberry Mascarpone Trifle!

Carmen's Rhubarb and Blueberry Mascarpone Trifle

We had many more U dishes, including Olivia's Blueberry Muffins, Alec & Nina's Burrata, Prosciutto and Grilled Asparagus Platter, Pammy's Brussels Sprouts Salad, and Sandra's Turkey & Gruyere on Ciabata.

Francesco and Lorenzo made a first-time appearance at Concert in the Park and Francesco gifted me with a new hat. I think they had a pretty fun time and we'll certainly hope for something amazing out of the master pastry chef's kitchen next round.

We welcomed Nina's dad and mom to town for a visit, but had to say goodbye to Sebastian and Katrin, who return to Germany until they can figure out a plan to move to Coronado.

Coronado Forever Cake

And finally, Zoo2 - another first-time band to Concert in the Park, delivered a great performance. I can't resist photographing all the cuteness out dancing while I'm up there taking a few photos of the band.

Zoo 2: U2 Tribute Show

"Adam Clayton" - Paul Battillo; "Bono" - Andy McCloud

"The Edge" - Brian Lawson with "Bono" - Andy McCloud;
"Daniel Lanois" - Paul Wilcox; "The Edge" - Brian Lawson

"Bono" - Andy McCloud

We didn't get around to choosing a theme for next week, and I know many in our group will be traveling on and off for the rest of the summer. Also, with all of the Fourth of July festivities coming up, we may need to take a little break from our normal concert cooking themes. There will still be plenty of parties and reasons to cook and I'm looking forward to the annual Bloody Mary Pre-Parade Breakfast and Mary & Dad's Parade Party.

Enjoy your week,

Denise & Usta Trapper

Quinoa, Nice Getting to Know Ya

It seems most of my posts lately are related to my Daring Cooks and Daring Baker challenges, and French Fridays with Dorie.  But, they have all been fun challenges, with recipes worthy of cooking and sharing, so I hope it's all good. I would love to be in the kitchen more, cooking a few recipes from my cookbooks and cooking magazines (I did sneak in a link to the recipe for Tyler Florence's lamb chops and harissa sauce this week, from Tyler's Ultimate), but work gets in the way and we're getting ready for our move in a few months. Also, I did spend quite a bit of time this month preparing and photographing a few dynamite recipes for the Daring Cooks, and am thrilled to be hosting the May Challenge. I'll announce the challenge to the members on April 17, and then everyone will reveal their results on their blogs on May 14!

This week's French Fridays with Dorie recipe, Quinoa, Fruit, and Nut Salad, re-introduced me to Quinoa, which I've only had once or twice in the past. Pronounced keh-NO-ah, or sometimes KEEN-wah, it is a grain-like crop grown primarily for its edible seeds, and native to the Andes Mountains of Bolivia, Chile, and Peru. Although most commonly considered a grain, quinoa is actually related to leafy green vegetables like beet, spinach and Swiss chard. The Incas held the crop to be sacred, and referred to it as the mother of all grains and gold of the Incas. It was the Inca emperor who would traditionally sow the first seeds of the season using golden implements. To this day, it is an important food in South American cuisine.

In the 1980s, two Americans began cultivating it in Colorado. Since then, quinoa has become more and more available as people realize it is an exceptionally beneficial and delicious food. When NASA scientists were searching for an ideal food for long-term human space missions, they declared quinoa unrivaled in the plant or animal kingdom for its life-sustaining nutrients.

Photo from BYU College of Life Sciences

Cooked quinoa seeds are fluffy and creamy, yet slightly crunchy, and have a delicate, somewhat nutty flavor. While the most popular type of quinoa is a transparent yellow color, other varieties feature colors such as orange, pink, red, purple or black.

Organic Red Royal Quinoa from our local Boney's

In its natural state, quinoa seeds have a coating of bitter-tasting soapy saponins to protect against birds and other predators. Most quinoa sold commercially in North America has been processed to remove this coating, but it is still a good idea to thoroughly rinse the seeds to remove any remaining saponin residue before cooking. In South America, the saponin removed from the quinoa is used as detergent for washing clothes and as an antiseptic to promote healing of skin injuries.

To cook the quinoa, add one part of the grain to two parts liquid in a saucepan. After the mixture is brought to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer and cover. One cup of quinoa cooked in this method usually takes 15 minutes to prepare. When cooking is complete, you will notice that the grains have become translucent, and the white germ has partially detached itself, appearing like a white-spiraled tail. If you desire the quinoa to have a nuttier flavor, you can dry roast it before cooking. Simply place it in a skillet over medium-low heat, and stir constantly for five minutes.

Dorie's Quinoa, Fruit and Nut Salad calls for your choice of various dried fruits, nuts, herbs and greens. She adds a touch of ground ginger to the lemon juice and olive oil dressing, and tops the quinoa with yogurt. I went more savory with ours, using toasted almonds, fresh orange supremes, asparagus, spinach, and parsley, and served it with pan-grilled lamb chops and harissa sauce, a recipe from Tyler's Ultimate: Brilliant Simple Food to Make Any Time (recipe also here, and another version of harissa here).  

Quinoa, Asparagus, Orange and Almond Salad

Adapted from Quinoa, Fruit and Nut Salad

Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours

4-6 servings

1 cup red quinoa

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups water

Supremes from 2 oranges

1 cup sliced blanched almonds, toasted

6 ounces fresh asparagus, sliced diagonally into 2 inch pieces, and blanched

6 ounces baby spinach, sauteed briefly in a tablespoon of olive oil so it's slightly wilted

Juice of one lemon

1/4 cup chopped parsley

1 shallot, minced

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon walnut oil

Place quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer, and run cold water over it while gently rubbing the seeds together with your hands, to thoroughly rinse off any residual saponin.

Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan, salt the water, and add the quinoa. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 12-15 minutes.

While quinoa is cooking, make the dressing by whisking lemon juice, shallots, parsley, olive oil, and walnut oil together in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Drain the quinoa in a sieve and transfer to a bowl. Season with salt and pepper and allow to cool slightly. Add the orange supremes, almonds, asparagus, spinach and dressing. Toss gently, and serve.

We love the texture of the quinoa, its nutty taste, and versatility in mixing in various fruit, nut and vegetable combinations. I am looking forward to trying it Dorie's way, with dried fruits, ginger and yogurt.

French Fridays with Dorie is an online cooking group dedicated to Dorie Greenspan‘s newest book, Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours. As members of the group, we have purchased the cookbook and cook along as much as we can. There is a new recipe each week, and we post about that recipe on Friday. We are asked to refrain from posting the actual recipes on our blog. Dorie always tells a personal story behind each recipe, which makes it that much more intriguing.

The Crown Jewel Affair: Braised Lamb Shank Ragu Over Crisp Polenta Triangles

We're continuing with a series of posts dedicated to POM Wonderful's pomegranate season and The Crown Jewel Affair, a POM Wonderful Dinner Party we hosted on November 14, 2010. The first post, here, provides an introduction, brief recap of the six-course Chef's Menu, and two videos. The subsequent posts in the series share additional photographs of the food, party, and recipes. Our welcome cocktail, and each course served, incorporated the use of pomegranate juice and/or the arils.

When planning a menu or researching an ingredient, I often consult The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America's Most Imaginative Chefs. This book is a guide to hundreds of ingredients, summarizing key aspects of each ingredient's essence (season, taste, weight, volume, and primary function), most recommended cooking techniques, helpful tips to keep in mind when working with it, compatible flavors, flavor pairings to avoid, and examples of dishes from notable chefs using that ingredient.

I was amazed to discover the versatility of the pomegranate. One "highly recommended" pairing with pomegranates is salad (especially cucumber, fruit, and green salads). "Frequently recommended" pairings include cardamom, chicken, cinnamon, desserts, ginger, grapefruit, lamb, lemon, roasted meats, orange, and sugar. Then there are approximately 40 more ingredients and spices that are "recommended" pairings with pomegranates.

Chef Cindy Pawlcyn's Chiles en Nogada, my fourth course, uses chile peppers, onions, garlic, cinnamon, pork, walnuts, and lime, all recommended flavor pairings with pomegranates.

I considered some kind of taco to complement the Chiles en Nogada, and wanted to use lamb. I came across Bobby Flay's Roasted Venison with Spicy Mexican Cranberry Sauce, and knew I could modify that recipe with the use of lamb instead of venison and pomegranate juice and arils instead of cranberry juice and cranberries. I liked the idea of braising lamb shanks in the sauce, yielding tender pieces of lamb, but then wasn't so sure what else I would add to the tacos. Sometime around 3:00 a.m. one morning, when I seem to do my best menu planning, the thought of a deconstructed lamb taco floated into my head, with the crispy polenta stepping in for corn tortillas, and that's how this course evolved. The primary ingredients and spices (lamb, allspice, cinnamon, onions, garlic, chicken stock, and red wine), are all listed in The Flavor Bible as recommended pairings with pomegranates.

Braised Lamb Shank Ragu

Spicy Pomegranate Mexican Cinnamon Sauce

Polenta Triangles, Cojita cheese and pomegranate arils

Adapted from Bobby Flay's

Pan Roasted Venison with Spicy Cranberry Mexican Cinnamon Sauce

4 large lamb shanks

Salt and freshly ground pepper
Olive oil
1 large onion coarsely chopped
6 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 large carrots, coarsely chopped
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon Mexican cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1 cup red wine
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup POM Wonderful pomegranate juice
3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

Polenta Triangles (recipe follows)
Pomegranate seeds, for garnish
Cojita cheese, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Season each shank with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven and sear the shanks. Remove once browned.

Add the onions, garlic, carrots and celery and cook until lightly golden brown. Add the cinnamon and allspice. Return the shanks to the pot. Add the wine, chicken stock and pomegranate juice and season with salt and pepper.

Bake covered in the oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until the shanks are very tender. Remove the shanks from the pot and strain the sauce mixture into a clean small saucepan. Over medium heat, swirl in the butter, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. When the shanks have cooled enough to handle, remove the meat and tear into bite-size pieces. Add meat back to the sauce. At this point, you can refrigerate and then reheat before serving.

When ready to serve, place a polenta triangle on each plate, top with Braised Lamb Ragu, and garnish with Cotija cheese and pomegranate seeds.

Basic Italian Polenta

6 cups water

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups Bob's Red Mill Corn Grits

3 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup Parmesan, grated

In a large, deep pan, over high heat, bring water and sea salt to a boil. Gradually stir in polenta. Reduce heat and simmer gently, stirring frequently to prevent sticking, until mixture is very thick (about 20-30 minutes). Use a long-handed spoon to stir because mixture pops and bubbles and can burn. Stir in butter, and more salt if needed. Serve immediately, topped with freshly grated cheese.

To make Crisp Polenta Triangles:

If making into polenta triangles, oil a 9 x 12 inch baking pan, spoon polenta into pan while hot, spread evenly, and smooth the top. Let cool, cover, and refrigerate.

Once the polenta is cooled and firm, you can cut it into squares, lift the squares out of baking pan with a spatula, and cut each square into two triangles, wrapped and refrigerated until ready to use. Remove the prepared triangles from the refrigerator about an hour before you are ready to saute.

Heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a large saute pan and heat to 350 degrees F. Using a metal spatula, gently lower the polenta triangles into the oil. Don't overcrowd the pan; saute in two batches if necessary. Saute the polenta triangles until golden brown on each side and then transfer to a paper towel to drain briefly.

You won't want to miss dessert, coming up next, Chocolate Pavlova, Pomegranate Frozen Custard, and Pomegranate Pink Peppercorn Syrup!

***

Concert in the Park Piss-Up, a New Zealand Food & Wine Extravaganza!

Inspired by my Daring Bakers' Challenge of the month, Pavlova, I suggested New Zealand cuisine for our Sunday Concert in the Park Culinary Challenge of the week. Kai nominated John to prepare the traditional Maori hangi, but we attract enough attention as it is.  Can you envision John, getting to the park extra early, and digging a deep hole to be lined with red-hot stones and covered with vegetation, in preparation of cooking our Kiwi picnic fare? Our wagon is chocka, and now Big Ugly is chocka - that's just sammy short of a picnic!

So, what exactly is New Zealand cuisine? According to my web sources, New Zealanders enjoy quality local produce from land and sea. Similar to the cuisine of Australia, the cuisine of New Zealand is a diverse British-based cuisine with Mediterranean and Pacific Rim influences as the country becomes more cosmopolitan. For dishes that have a distinctly New Zealand style, there's lamb, pork and cervena (venison), salmon, crayfish (lobster), Bluff oysters, paua (abalone), mussels, scallops, pipis and tuatua (both are types of New Zealand shellfish), kumara (sweet potato), kiwifruit, tamarillo and pavlova, the national dessert. It's also good to know a little New Zealand slang before embarking on such an adventure, and you'll notice I've had a little fun with it throughout this post....

Ladies a Plate means please bring a dish of food to share; Entree is an appetizer or hors d'oeurve; Main is the primary dish of a meal; Take-away means food to be taken away and eaten; Tea is the evening meal, dinner; and my favorite, Piss Up - a party, social gathering, and excuse for drinking alcohol...BINGO! As if we need an excuse to drink wine!

Before I get into our entrees and main, please realize these Concert in the Park Culinary Challenge blog posts are primarily photo recaps, featuring one or two recipes and/or links to recipes that inspired us. I do not request recipes from everyone who participated each week. If you decide to host your own theme party, along the lines of one of our challenges, I hope these posts will simply provide you with ideas. Ok then, let's get started!

I'll begin with Kai's Rewena paraoa (potato bread), since kai is the Maori word for food. Nigel Olsen, author of Curious Kai, The Curious New Zealand Food Blog, dedicates three posts to the preparation of this bread, with the complete recipe and step by step photos. The first post starts here. Our Kai served two loaves, still warm from the oven, with garlic butter...we were very impressed that he went through the 3-day process to make this flavorful bread! Kai also served Grilled New Zealand Lamb Chops, but discouraged my photo shoot because they were served on one of Max's monkey plates ;-)

John pissed around for days before finally choosing a recipe I suggested from Hors d'Oeuvre at Home with The Culinary Institute of America, Lamb Brochettes with Mint Pesto (recipe provided at the end of the post).  John, and Minute Chef, Brad, made a mad rush to the store just hours before the concert. However, these brochettes turned out incredible, even with the shortened marinating time. Good on ya, mate!

When Alec and Nina started preparing Seared Scallops with Kiwi Salsa, I had to pinch myself repeatedly. Were we really dining at picnic tables in the middle of a park, or at one of the top restaurants in town! As Alec quickly seared the scallops in a pan on the grill, Nina plated the salsa on little white plates and had the fried parsnips ready for the final garnishing. A perfectly seared scallop that melted in my mouth...crash-hot!

Jim and Carmen arrived with a hot basket of Green Lip Mussel Fritters and Kiwi & Tomato Salad.

We were all fascinated how the lovely grape tomatoes and kiwi complemented each other in this simple, summery salad. Carmen said she used about ten kiwis, peeled and sliced; about thirty cherry tomatoes, halved; about two tablespoons of finely chopped parsley; and a splash of Temecula Olive Oil Company Citrus Reserve Olive Oil.

For her Mussel Fritters, Carmen started with the Chowhound forum, here, and adapted her own recipe. Chowhound links to a recipe by Pat Churchill, Cooking Down Under in that forum, and I am so tempted to try Emeril's Smoked Mussel Fritters with Roasted Red Pepper Aioli!

Pam and Brad tossed together two outstanding summer salads. Pammy's Kiwi and Kumara Chippie Salad...

And Bradley's Pear and Gorgonzola Salad, inspired by Andrea's recipe at So D'lish, New Zealand's food blog website. 

Sparks, still trying to figure how to convert her unused kitchen into a day spa for Riley, elicited some crikey dick with authentic New Zealand Meat Pies, homemade by Aunty Devi's Meat Pies! Aunty Devi personally made the drive to the island to deliver a few dozen Steak & Cheese and Chicken pies from her Escondido kitchen. They were quite nice.

Nina's freshly baked Bran Date Muffins, a recipe shared by Linette at Plum Tree Cottage in New Zealand, and Spinach and Feta Muffins, adapted from this recipe, were both awesome.  Several Bran Date Muffins disappeared as take-aways for breakfast the next morning.

For pudding, I presented my various Pavlovas from the Daring Bakers' Challenge...Chocolate Pavlova with Whipped Cream and Brandied Cherries

And a more traditional Pavlova with Passionfruit-Orange Cream and fresh kiwi, mango and blueberries... Recipes and additional photos are in my previous blog post, Dancing in New Zealand with a Slice of Pavlova.

Finally, as promised, here is the recipe for John's Lamb Brochettes...

Lamb Brochettes with Mint Pesto

Hors d'Oeuvre at Home with The Culinary Institute of America

Makes 30 brochettes

Ingredients:

2 1/2 pounds boneless leg of lamb
2 Tbsp lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
3 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp chopped mint
8 ounces pancetta, thinly sliced, or bacon* (about 15 slices)
2 cups mint pesto (jarred or homemade)

Directions:

Cut the lamb into 3/4-inch cubes. Combine the lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk until blended. Add the oil and mint.

Toss the lamb in the mixture to coat well, cover, and marinate in the refrigerator, tossing occasionally, at least 4 hours.

Soak thirty 6-inch bamboo skewers in water for 30 minutes to prevent burning. Thread 2 pieces of lamb and 1/2 slice of pancetta onto each skewer; arrange on a sheet pan.

Roast the brochettes in a preheated 450 degree F oven until the lamb is nicely browned outside, yet still pink and juicy inside, 8 to 12 minutes.

Serve the brochettes with mint pesto sauce for dipping.

Note: If using bacon rather than pancetta, blanch it in a large saucepan of slowly simmering water for 5 minutes. The bacon will become opaque and firm. Drain and pat dry before using.

***John used bacon and grilled the brochettes at the park.

G'day mates, I'm buggered!

***

Recreating a Favorite Restaurant Dish at Home: Not Your Momma's Lamb Meatloaf, from Urban Solace

Urban Solace, located in the heart of the North Park community of San Diego, offers New American Comfort Food. We've dined at the restaurant twice, and I absolutely love Chef Gordon's Not Your Momma's Lamb Meatloaf, made with ground lamb, figs, pine nuts, and feta cheese, drizzled with fig jus, served with sweet potato mash, and garnished with crispy onions.

During our last visit, I inquired about the recipe and was told it had been featured as one of the winners of San Diego Home & Garden Magazine's 2009 Silver Fork Awards. I immediately searched the web, located the recipe, and added it to my "must try at home and blog about" list.

Yesterday, while enjoying a crackling fire, our beautiful Christmas tree, and Bocelli playing in the background, I spent a relaxing Sunday afternoon in the kitchen recreating this dish.

The published recipe states it makes one loaf, but with close to 4 lbs. of ground lamb, and all of the other ingredients, that would be one mighty large meatloaf! I made the full recipe, and used two, regular-sized loaf pans. I guess you could cut the recipe in half if you're not feeding the neighborhood, but I think freezing the extra uncooked meatloaf would work well.

The list of ingredients seems quite long, but it really doesn't take that long to prepare (30-40 minutes) plus cooking time of 1 hour and 15 minutes. It's definitely worth the effort for the incredible and unique flavors. I love the chewiness of the figs, crunch of the pine nuts, slight kick from the cayenne, and sweetness of the jus.

Not Your Momma's Lamb Meatloaf
Chef Matt Gordon, Urban Solace, San Diego

Ingredients:

1 large yellow onion, finely diced
1/4 cup celery, finely diced
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
1/4 cup sherry wine
3 3/4 lb. ground lamb
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 1/2 cups chopped dried black figs (soak for a few minutes and chop them wet)
1 1/2 cups seasoned bread crumbs
1 cup toasted pine nuts
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
1/4 cup steak sauce (A-1 or Heinz 57)
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup chopped fresh marjoram
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 tablespoon plain paprika
2 teaspoons ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
12 strips bacon for molding loaf pans

All the ingredients, with the exception of the bacon, are mixed together in a mixer bowl with the hook attachment. As you prepare the ingredients, just start adding them to the bowl.

Start by toasting 1 cup of pine nuts.

Sauté onion and celery in olive oil, until softened. Deglaze the pan with sherry or dry white wine and let reduce. Remove pan from heat and set aside to cool.

Soak dried black figs (I used another splash of white wine) and then coarsely chop them. Measure 1 cup of crumbled feta cheese.

Chop the fresh herbs: Basil, mint and marjoram (I was unable to find fresh marjoram and substituted about 2 tablespoons dried)

Add Worcestershire sauce, A-1 steak sauce, and Pomegranate Molasses.

Ground Lamb

Mix all ingredients, with the exception of the bacon, in a mixer bowl with the dough hook, until combined.

Prepare the loaf pans by lining, lengthwise, with three strips of bacon

Press half of the meatloaf mixture into each pan and lay the remaining strips of bacon lengthwise over the tops of the loaves.

Invert the pans onto a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F.

Remove from oven and lift off the pans. Return to the oven to brown the outsides and remove when internal temperature is 130 to 135 degrees F. Let rest about 15-20 minutes, slice, and serve.

The published recipe does not include the fig jus, which really does add nice flavor. For the jus, I sautéed a large minced shallot in a little olive oil, and then added 1/4 cup chopped figs, 1 cup red wine and 1/2 cup port. I reduced this by about half, added 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, and reduced until slightly thick. I then added a tablespoon of cold butter and strained the jus. I sautéed some sliced shallots, until crispy, for garnish on top of the mashed potatoes.

Jim (head of the table) and Melinda arrived in town and joined us for dinner. Meatloaf is one of Jim's favorites and they both loved it! Melinda, really, cooking is fun!

Happy Holidays!