Month: March 2016

Month: March 2016

HERB CRUSTED & STUFFED LEG OF LAMB

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INGREDIENTS

  • 5- 5 lb leg of lamb -boneless, butterflied
  • ½-¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • cracked pepper
  • 1 C herbs (a mix of 2 or 3 of the following) thyme, sage, rosemary
  • 1 C italian parsley ( about a ½ a bunch) tender stems ok
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 1 T lemon zest
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 5 T olive oil
  • Mint Gremolita
  • ¼ C olive oil
  • ⅓ C finely chopped mint leaves
  • ⅓ C finely chopped italian parsley
  • 1 T lemon juice
  • 1 T lemon zest
  • 1 T chopped capers
  • 1 finely minced garlic clove
  • 2 T finely chopped onion or shallot
  • salt if necessary
  • Roasting veggies
  • 6-8 Cups chopped – potatoes, carrots, celery, root vegetables, onion, garlic cloves
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper

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INSTRUCTIONS

Remove lamb from packaging and pat dry well. Trim away any unwanted fat. A little marbled fat is good, big chunks are not. It’s ok to also remove some or the entire outer layer of fat if that doesn’t appeal to you. Sprinkle all sides with ½-¾ teaspoon salt and pepper. Place outer side (side with fat) down.

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Make the herb paste: Place all the herbs, garlic, salt and pepper and lemon zest in a food processor and pulse until it becomes like very coarse sand. Add oil, scraping down the sides if necessary, pulse until just combined -not too smooth or oily- this should feel like a dry course paste. Spread ⅔ of the paste on the inside of the lamb.

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Roll up the lamb, with the paste on the inside and tie at one inch intervals. You can either do individual strings and knots or wrap up with one very long string. It really doesn’t need to be perfect, just do the best you can. Rub the remaining paste all over the outside of the lamb. If leaving the outer layer of fat on, score the fat a little with a knife and rub the paste into the slits. (At this point you can refrigerate for 1-2 days if making ahead, wrapping tightly in plastic wrap. Make sure to bring to room temp at least 1 hour before roasting.) You can either 1. roast alone on a wire rack, over a pan, 2. roast directly on your oven rack, with a sheet pan on the rack below to catch the drippings, or 3. Prepare a bed veggies for the lamb to rest on and roast over.

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For the veggies, cut any combination of roasting vegetables into bite size pieces. Drizzle with 1 T olive oil, salt, pepper, a few springs of herbs, stir and lay the lamb roast over top.

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Place in a hot 425 F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325F. (If roasting directly on the oven rack, lower temp to 300 F.) Continue roasting for another 50 mins to 1.5 hours….or until lamb registers at least 125 F ( rare) to 135F, remembering that the size of the lamb will determine how long it takes to cook. What you don’t want to do, is open the oven door too much, or fiddle with the heat too much. Remove the lamb from the baking dish, set aside, and let the veggies continue to cook, if needed, while the lamb rests 20 minutes.

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Slice the lamb and serve with roasted veggies & mint gremolita.

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How to care for cutting boards

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If you cook, there’s a very good chance you have a cutting board or two in your kitchen. Cutting boards might seem like a basic kitchen necessity, but there’s actually a lot to know: Which type should you use for which task? Are they dishwasher safe? What’s the best size? Setting the facts straight can make a big difference.

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  1. You’re cutting meat and vegetables on the same board.
    Avoid cross-contamination by using separate cutting boards for meat and poultry, and vegetables. Consider a color-coding system, only using a red plastic cutting board for raw meats and a green one for vegetables. If you prefer wood cutting boards, color code with a small piece of electric tape, which will hold up under water.
  2. You’re chopping on a slippery cutting board.
    Save yourself time—and a finger—by securing your cutting board before you start chopping. Buy a cutting board with grips or place a damp paper towel under your cutting board.
  3. You’re using the wrong size.
    Just like too-small area rugs plague living rooms, too-small cutting boards plague kitchens. Give yourself ample space while you’re slicing and dicing to prevent any hiccups. To make sure your cutting board is large enough, place your knife diagonally across the board. If the length of the knife is longer than the cutting board, scale up; the board’s surface area should be a couple of inches larger than the knife.
  4. You’re putting it in the dishwasher.
    Whether it’s wood or plastic, cutting boards should not go in the dishwasher, where they have prolonged exposure to heat and water, which can cause warping and cracking. Instead, scrub your cutting boards in hot soapy water, and when you want to be extra safe (like after dealing with raw meat), soak the board in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 4 parts water before cleaning.
  5. You’re not oiling your wood boards.
    With enough hand-washing, wood cutting boards can begin to dry out. Oil them with a food-safe mineral oil (also called liquid paraffin) or beeswax. Both will help prevent water absorption.
  6. You’re cutting on glass or marble
    These cutting boards are purely decorative: Their materials will dull your knives with incredible speed. Plus, they’re really slippery.
  7. You’re using bamboo with dull knives.
    Bamboo is much harder than wood, which means it’ll dull your knife faster. If you prefer bamboo over wood for environmental reasons, invest in a knife steel for quick at-home sharpening.
  8. You’re hoarding your old cutting boards.
    Once your cutting boards start to develop deep grooves or indentations that are tough to clean—and easy for bacteria to live in—it’s time to replace them.
  9. You’re refusing to follow the dishwasher rule.
    If it’s too tough to hand-wash your cutting board, buy a composite one, which is made of natural and synthetic materials.

LEG OF LAMB WITH POTATOES

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1 4-5 lb. leg of lamb, bone in, fat trimmed
  • Salt and pepper
  • Olive oil, more for later
  • 5 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced; more for later
  • 2 cups water
  • 8 medium gold potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
  • 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into wedges
  • 1 tsp paprika; more for later
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 recipe Lebanese rice, optional
  • Fresh parsley for garnish, optional

For the lamb rub:

  • 15 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 2 tbsp dried oregano
  • 2 tbsp dried mint flakes
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • ½ tbsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • 2 lemons, juice of

Take the leg of lamb out of the refrigerator and leave in room temperature for about 1 hour. In the meantime, prepare the remaining ingredients and make the lamb rub.

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To make the rub, in a food processor combine the garlic cloves, oregano, mint, paprika, nutmeg, olive oil and lemon juice. Blend until smooth. Set aside (or in the fridge, if making ahead).

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When ready, pat the lamb dry and make a few slits on both sides. Season with salt and pepper.

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Turn the oven on broil. Place the leg of lamb on a wire rack; place the rack directly on the top oven rack so that it’s only a few inches away from the broiler element. Broil for 5-7 minutes on each side or until the leg of lamb is nicely seared. Remove from the oven, and then adjust the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. When the lamb is cool enough to handle, insert the garlic slices in the slits you made earlier.

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Now cover the leg of lamb on all sides with the wet rub you made earlier and place it in the middle of a roasting pan with an inside rack. Add two cups of water to the bottom of the roasting pan. Season the potato and onion wedges with the paprika, garlic powder and a little salt, then add them to the pan on either side of the lamb.

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Now tent a large piece of foil over the roasting pan, then place the pan on the middle rack of the 375 degrees F heated-oven. Roast covered for 1 hour. Remove the foil and return the roasting pan to the oven for another 10-15 minutes or until the lamb temperature registers 140 degrees F for medium. Remove the pan from the oven and let the leg of lamb rest for at least 20 minutes before serving.

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If you choose to, midway through roasting the lamb, you can make the Lebanese rice according to this recipe (optional). Place the lamb and potatoes in a large serving platter over the rice.  Garnish with parsley. Or, you may carve the lamb first, and then arrange the sliced lamb with the potatoes over the rice.

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How To Clean Stainless Steel Pots and Pans

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Stainless steel is where it’s at in our kitchen. Suffice it to say, our stainless steel pots and pans are constantly in use. As you probably know, stainless steel pots and pans are not non-stick. There are times when things don’t stick, but cooking the pans are generally covered with ‘stuff’ that doesn’t want to come off.
A little TIP for cooking with stainless steel: heat the pan first and then add cold cooking oil.

How to clean stainless steel pots and pans the green way

For the past umpteen years I’ve been using good ol’ fashioned elbow grease to clean our stainless steel pots and pans. I usually let the pans soak overnight and then in the morning wash with hot, soapy water. I never wash the pans in the dishwasher-this could damage the stainless steel finish.
Friends of ours were visiting a few weekends ago and we cooked dinner together. One of the pans took a beating and was a challenge to clean even after soaking overnight. We decided to look into a few other ways to clean stainless steel.

  1. Cover the bottom of the pan with vinegar. Sprinkle in some baking soda. My kids love to watch the interaction between the vinegar and baking soda-they will fizz and bubble. Let the mixture sit for 2-3 minutes. Rinse it out and wash.
  2. Heat the pan after use and then pour in hot water. Once the water is hot use a wooden cooking spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen and remove excess food. After you’ve loosened most of the food, dump the water from the pan and wash in warm, soapy water. Don’t put hot stainless steel into cold water in the sink-this could warp the pan.
  3. Fill the dirty pot or pan with 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water. Bring the mixture to a boil. Let it cool to the touch, then wash thoroughly with hot, soapy water and dry.
  4. For tough stainless steel stains and burns: Mix together equal parts baking soda and water to form a paste. Apply it to the burned or stained area. Allow the paste to sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing it away with sponge or a clean cloth. Wash the pot with warm, soapy water or poor in a cup of vinegar and sprinkle in baking soda. Add a half cup of water, and allow it to simmer on the stove for at least 20 minutes. Pour the mixture out and scrub the pot clean.

Proper Care and Handling of Fruits and Vegetables

From Purchase to Preparation

 Fruits and vegetables are an important part of a healthful diet. They are low in calories, fat, and sodium. They also supply fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other health-promoting phyto chemicals.

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People who eat five or more servings of fruits and vegetables every day have half the risk of developing cancer as those who only eat one or two servings a day. A diet containing fruits and vegetables also may reduce the risk of heart disease, diabetes, stroke, obesity, birth defects, high blood pressure, cataracts, diverticulosis, and osteoporosis.

However, there have been rare cases of people becoming ill from eating contaminated fruits and vegetables. Outbreaks of foodborne illness have been caused by sprouts, melons, tomatoes, and lettuce contaminated with harmful bacteria. Very young children, the elderly, and people with impaired immune systems are particularly at risk from foodborne illness.

Many people also have concerns about pesticides on the surface of fruits and vegetables. However, pesticide residues are generally well within limits set by the federal government, which means they are not present at levels that could harm individuals. Contamination with harmful bacteria and viruses is a far greater threat to health.

Simple steps can ensure that the fruits and vegetables you eat are safe. To reduce your risk of exposure to microbial and chemical contaminants, follow these guidelines.

At the Grocery Store

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  • Purchase only high-quality fruits and vegetables. Bruised, shriveled, or slimy produce may harbor harmful bacteria.
  • Be sure the produce you buy has been kept refrigerated or on ice. Most bacteria grow slowly, or not at all, at temperatures below 40°F.
  • Add perishable fruits and vegetables to your cart toward the end of your shopping trip, so that they remain cool.
  • In the shopping cart, keep meats, fish, and poultry in plastic bags to prevent juices from dripping onto fruits and vegetables. Make sure these items are packed in separate bags at the checkout counter.

 

 

In the Kitchen

 

  • Immediately refrigerate perishable fruits and vegetables. Store them in the refrigerator’s crisper drawer to maintain quality and safety.

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  • Put meats, poultry, and seafood in containers, then store them below fruits and vegetables in the refrigerator. This will prevent meat juices, which may contain harmful bacteria, from dripping on your produce.
  • Potatoes, tomatoes, pears, whole melons, and other fruits and vegetables are sometimes stored at room temperature to maintain quality or speed ripening. Keep these items in a clean, dry place, away from areas where meats, fish, and poultry are prepared.
  • Discard fruits and vegetables that have been stored beyond their shelf life, or that are shriveled or slimy.

 Preparation

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  • Wash your hands before preparing foods. Hands should be washed thoroughly with hot, soapy water for 20 seconds before and after handling fresh produce, raw meat, poultry, or seafood, as well as after using the bathroom, changing diapers, or handling pets.
  • Removing outer leaves or peeling may decrease the amount of pesticide residues or harmful microbes on fruits and vegetables.
  • Wash all fruits and vegetables with cool tap water to remove dirt and residues. Some companies are marketing “produce-cleaning” solutions, but these have not been proven more effective than plain water in removing microorganisms.
  • Scrub firm produce with a clean produce brush. Melons and cantaloupes have been involved in several cases of foodborne illness. Before slicing these fruits, the rind must be scrubbed thoroughly to prevent the knife from transferring bacteria to the cut surface.
  • Don’t wash fruits and vegetables with household soaps and detergents. These products have not been approved for washing produce.
  • Don’t cross-contaminate. Use clean cutting boards and utensils when handling fresh produce. Use one clean cutting board for fresh produce and a separate one for raw meat, poultry, and seafood.
  • Wash surfaces often. Cutting boards, dishes, utensils, and countertops should be washed with hot, soapy water after coming in contact with fresh produce or raw meat, poultry, or seafood.
  • Cutting boards and countertops can be sanitized with a solution of one teaspoon of chlorine bleach in one quart of water. However, be aware of the hazards associated with storing and using bleaches, and do not apply the solution directly to fruits and vegetables.
  • Refrigerate fresh produce within two hours of peeling or cutting. Discard cut produce left at room temperature for more than two hours.