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I mentioned in yesterday’s newsletter about the value of roasting a leg of lamb in a barbecue, but I also wanted to give you a great recipe for cooking a leg of lamb in the oven. This recipe from the north of France is a long, slow braise of the leg with plenty of aromatic garlic. It’s a great recipe to start soon after breakfast, and you just need to finish it before your guests show up. C’est magnifique!

 Seven-Hour Roasted Leg of Lamb with Lots of Garlic
recipe adapted from Cooking Meat

Serves 8 to 10

 Ingredients:

1 (6–7 pounds)                 bone-in leg of lamb
to taste                               salt and pepper
1 cup + 2 Tbsp                  olive oil (divided)
4 bulbs                                garlic, split into whole, peeled cloves (30–40 cloves)
6                                           rosemary sprigs
2 cups                                 beef Stock
2 Tbsp                                 lemon juice

 Method

 1. Preheat the oven to 500°F.

2. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and rub in the 2 Tbsp of oil. Place the lamb on a roasting rack and set the roasting pan in the oven. Roast until golden, about 20 minutes. Remove the lamb from the oven, and turn down the oven temperature to 250°F.

3. In an ovenproof casserole dish just large enough to fit the leg of lamb, heat the remaining 1 cup of oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and rosemary and fry until the garlic starts to release its aroma. Place the browned lamb leg on top of the garlic, then add the stock. Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, and place in the oven. Roast for 7 hours, or until fork tender

4. Remove the casserole dish from the oven and carefully transfer the lamb to a serving platter (it will want to fall off the bone) and cover with aluminum foil while you make the sauce.

5. Using a ladle, skim off and discard as much fat as possible from the top of the roasting juices. Discard the rosemary stems.

6. Place the casserole over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Strain the roasting juices through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, using the back of the ladle to push the cooked garlic through, puréeing it as you do so. Scrape the underside of the strainer, ensuring all the good bits of garlic get into the sauce. Discard the solids from the strainer. Bring the sauce to a simmer over medium heat, season to taste, and pour into a gravy boat.

7. To serve, remove the foil from the lamb and set the garlic sauce alongside. Using a fork and knife, pull chunks of the lamb away from the bone and serve.

You don’t have to line up in the blazing heat at a RibFest to enjoy delicious pork ribs: they are easy enough to make at home. These ribs are simply dry-rubbed and basted with a juice-vinegar mixture while they roast slowly over wood smoke. I like to use a charcoal grill to cook the ribs, but a regular barbecue works just fine too.

Barbecued Side Ribs

Recipe adapted from Cooking Meat

Serves 2 to 3

Ingredients:

1 rack of side ribs

1 cup Smoky Pork Rub

1 cup wood chips

1 cup apple juice

3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Method:

1. To remove the membrane from the underside of the ribs, slide a paring knife under the membrane at the cut edge of one of the middle bones. Lift up a few inches of the membrane, then grasp it with a paper towel and pull the rest of the membrane away from the bones. Discard the membrane.

2. Place the ribs in a large nonreactive pan and cover them all over with the rub, using your hands to massage it right into the meat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours.

3. Preheat the barbecue to 250°F. If you are using a charcoal grill, soak 1 cup of wood chips in water for 30 minutes while the barbecue is preheating. When the grill is hot, toss half of the wood chips on the coals. (Add the other half partway through the cooking time.) If using a propane grill, preheat to 250°F and smolder the soaked wood chips in a smoker box.

4. Place the ribs on the grill, cover, and cook for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is pulling away from the rib bones. Stir the juice and vinegar together and baste the ribs every 15 minutes or so. Once the meat is falling off the bone, place the ribs on a baking tray and wrap tightly with aluminum foil to rest for 20 minutes.

5. To serve, cut the ribs between each bone, arrange on a platter, and serve!

Ham is a bit of a no-brainer. A good smoked ham is ready for the oven—all you need are some cloves and a roasting pan. The ginger beurre blanc in this recipe is an indulgence, and completely unnecessary, which makes it much more enjoyable.

Baked Ham with Ginger Beurre Blanc
recipe adapted from Cooking Meat

Serves 10 to 12

1 (about 10 pounds)       smoked ham, skin-on and bone-in
2 tbsp                                  vegetable oil
20                                        whole cloves
2 cans (355 mL)                ginger ale (divided)
1 cup                                   water
1 cup                                   white wine
3 Tbsp                                 chopped fresh ginger
4 sprigs                               thyme
2                                           bay leaves
to taste                               salt and pepper
½ cup                                  butter, cold, diced

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Have a roasting pan with an elevated roasting rack ready.

2. Using a sharp knife, score the skin of the ham, over the curved top side, in a crosshatch pattern at 2-inch intervals. Rub the scored skin with vegetable oil, then press a clove into every second “X” of the crosshatch.

3. Set the ham on the baking rack and pour 1 can of ginger ale and the water into the roasting pan. Cover the ham with aluminum foil and bake until it is hot all the way through, about 2 hours. A meat thermometer inserted in the ham should read 160°F.

4. Remove the foil and bake until the skin is dry and dark golden, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow it to cool on the rack.

5. While the ham is roasting, make the beurre blanc. Pour the remaining can of ginger ale into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the wine, ginger, thyme, and bay leaves, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the liquid to 1 cup, about 5 minutes, then turn down the heat to very low. Gradually add the butter, whisking until the sauce is emulsified. Strain the beurre blanc through a fine-mesh sieve into a gravy boat.

6. To serve, slice the ham around the bone and arrange it on a platter. Set the beurre blanc alongside.

Pro-tip: save the bone to make a delicious soup!

Pureed nuts make a wonderful thickening agent for stews and sauces, assuming the flavour profile is desired in the final dish. In this week’s recipe, I use cashew nuts to both thicken and flavour a south-east Asian inspired curry. Ready in less than an hour, it makes for a great weeknight meal.

Coconut-Cashew Chicken Curry

Serves 8

Ingredients:

6 pc                      boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1” cubes
1 tbsp                   vegetable oil
1                            onion, diced
3                            garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp                   ginger, minced
1                            large carrot, diced
2 tbsp                   curry powder 
1 tsp                     cinnamon 
3                            potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup                    roasted cashew nuts, pureed
1 can                    coconut milk
1 can                    chicken stock
To taste               salt and pepper
½ cup                   roasted cashew nuts, for garnish
sliced green onion or cilantro for garnish 

Method:

1.      In a saucepan over medium high heat, sauté the chicken in oil. Season with salt and pepper and stir frequently until the chicken is just cooked through.

 2.      Add the onions, garlic, and ginger, and stir well. Cook for 5 minutes until onions are softened.

 3.      Add the carrot, curry powder, and cinnamon, and stir well to incorporate. Add the can of coconut milk, then use the can to measure an equal volume of chicken stock and add to the pot. Stir well.

 4.      Bring the curry to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes.

 5.      Add the potatoes and the pureed cashews, stir well, and continue simmering for an additional 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the curry cool slightly before adding the whole cashews and the green onion or cilantro. Serve with steamed rice.

This is a great starting recipe for those of you who haven’t cooked a rabbit yet. The meat is lean and flavourful, and only takes an hour in aromatic liquid to tenderize. The brininess of green olives is an assertive flavour that works very well with the more neutral rabbit.

*Recipe abridged from Cooking Meat*

Braised Rabbit with Potatoes and Green Olives

Serves 3 to 4

 Ingredients

2 Tbsp                  olive oil
1                            rabbit, 3.5 to 4 lbs, cut in 6 pieces (shoulders, loin, leg)
to taste                Salt and pepper
1                            onion, finely diced
3                            garlic cloves, minced
1                            celery stalk, finely diced
1                            carrot, finely diced
6                            thyme sprigs
2                            bay leaves
1 cup                    white wine
3 cups                  Chicken Stock
4                            medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced in ½-inch-thick rounds
4                            plum tomatoes
12                         large green olives with pits
1 Tbsp                  finely chopped Italian parsley
1 Tbsp                  unsalted butter, cold, cubed

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium heat. Season the rabbit pieces with salt and pepper, add to the pan, and brown on all sides until golden, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the rabbit to a plate and set aside.

3. Turn down the heat to medium-low, place the onions in the pan and sweat, stirring frequently, until slightly translucent. Add the garlic, celery, carrots, thyme, and bay leaves, and cook, stirring frequently, until all the vegetables have softened. Return the rabbit to the pan, add the wine, and reduce the liquid by half, about 5 minutes.

4. Pour in the stock, bring to a simmer, cover, and place in the oven for 30 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, score the tomatoes with a small “X” on the bottom end (not the core end). Fill a bowl with cold water and add a handful of ice. Bring a pot of water to boil. Carefully drop the tomatoes into the boiling water and blanch for 10 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the tomatoes to the ice water and allow them to cool completely. When cool, peel the tomatoes and discard the skin. Cut the flesh into quarters and discard the seeds. Set the tomatoes aside.

6. Using the side of a large flat knife, press down on each olive until it cracks, and you can get at the pit. Discard the pits and set the olives aside.

7. At the 30-minute point, add the potatoes to the pot with the rabbit, using tongs or a spoon to submerge them. Cover the pot, return it to the oven, and cook for 15 minutes.

8. At the 15-minute point, remove the pot from the oven and check the doneness of the rabbit. The meat around the legs and shoulder should have a bit of “give” from the bone. (If the joints feel too tough, cook the rabbit for another 10 minutes.) Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the rabbit and potatoes to a serving platter and arrange nicely.

9. Place the pot on the stovetop over medium-low heat, add the tomatoes and olives and bring to a strong simmer for about 5 minutes to reduce the sauce. Turn off the heat and add the parsley and butter, stirring until the sauce until velvety and emulsified. Season with salt and pepper.

10. To serve, pour the sauce over the rabbit and potatoes and serve immediately.

Navarin is a French dish of lamb (or mutton if you can find it), stewed with a medley of vegetables until tender. It is a traditional springtime dish, when fresh peas are available to dot the dish with pops of green: a delight after months of grey winter.

Lamb Navarin

Serves 6

Ingredients

4 tbsp                   duck fat (or olive oil), divided
3 lbs                      lamb shoulder stew
1 lbs                      lamb bones
2 tsp                     sugar, divided
to taste                salt and pepper
2 tbsp                   flour (all purpose)
1 liter                   chicken stock
2                            small tomatoes, quartered
2                            garlic cloves, crushed to break apart (not sliced)
2                            bay leaves
6                            thyme branches
12-15                    pearl onions, peeled
4                            turnips, peeled and cut into wedges
2                            carrots, peeled and cut into 1.5 inch lengths, then cut lengthwise into even wedges
1 cup                    green beans, tips removed and cut into 1.5 inch lengths 
12-15                    small “new” potatoes, peeled
1 cup                    green peas (fresh are best, but frozen will do the trick)

Method:

1)     In a heavy bottom pan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp of the duck fat. When hot, add the lamb stew. Season with 1 tsp of sugar, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until brown all over. Drain any fat, leaving about 2 tbsp in the pot. Add the flour and mix thoroughly so the flour mixes and cooks with the fat and meat. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes, thyme, and bay leaf. There should be enough liquid to just cover the meat. If you need more liquid, add water until the meat is covered. Bring the stock to a simmer, reduce the heat to low, and cover the pot. Summer for one hour.

2)     While the lamb is cooking, prepare your vegetables. In a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat, melt 2 tbsp of duck fat. When hot, add the peeled onions and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown all over. Remove from pan. Add the turnips to the same pan, and season with 1 tsp of sugar, salt, and pepper, and sauté until lightly caramelized. Remove from heat and set aside.

3)  After an hour of cooking, remove the lamb stew pieces from the pot using a pair of tongs. Strain the braising liquid into a clean pot, and skim for any fat or impurities. Add the lamb back to the liquid and bring to a simmer again over a low heat for an hour.  

4)  Add the vegetables to the pot in stages, as they all cook at different times. After the first 20 minutes of the second lamb cook, add the onions, potatoes, carrots, and green beans. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the caramelized turnips.

5)     Simmer for an additional 20 minutes, then add the green peas (if fresh – if using frozen peas add them after an additional 30 minutes). After the hour is done, remove the pot from the heat. Allow to cool for a few minutes and serve.

 Note that this recipe can be made up to three days ahead of time in the refrigerator. Reheat gently before serving.

It’s the first day of spring, and I am very happy about it. The older I get, the less attractive winter can be. I generally don’t participate in many outdoor winter sports, and the lack of sunlight brings me down. The cold temperatures and snow are just added insults to an already dreary season. Spring brings a hope of sunnier days, shorter sleeves, and BBQs with pals. I’m here for it!

From a culinary viewpoint, we are in a bit of a middle point between braising and grilling. Sure, you could do either, but depending on the thermostat I get pulled in both directions when planning my meals. Today I wanted to share a recipe that is a slow cook, but with a BBQ flavour. Best of both worlds!

 BBQ Sauce Braised Beef

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

3 lbs                                     beef blade roast
3 tbsp                                  Smoky Pork Rub
2 tbsp                                  vegetable oil
1                                           large (or 2 small) onion, sliced
1 bottle (500 ml)              Dad’s BBQ Sauce
2 cups                                 water

Method:

1.      Preheat the oven to 320°F.

2.      Rub the beef blade roast with the Smokey Rib Rub, getting the spice mix into all the crevices of the roast.

3.      Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed pot over a medium heat. Sear the beef blade on all sides to brown the outside. Once browned and crispy, remove the beef and set aside.

4.      Add the onions to the pot and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and allow the onions to steam and release their water for about five minutes. Stir the onions well to scrape up any bits of beef and spice mix. 

5.      Once the onions are starting to colour, add the Dad’s BBQ Sauce and water to the pot and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, add the roast back to the pan. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and place in the oven on a center rack. Braise until fork tender, about 2.5 to 3 hours. Check the pot at the halfway mark and add more water if necessary.

6.      Once cooked, allow the roast to cool for 20 minutes. Tear the meat apart with two forks and stir well to coat with the sauce. Serve with rolls and coleslaw.

Since we’re celebrating both PI Day and St Patrick’s Day this weekend, I decided to share a recipe that combines both delightfully tasty holidays. You can make the pie without the stout, but you would lose the richness that Guinness brings to the dish.

Beef and Guinness Pie

Makes one 10-inch pie

Ingredients:

For the pie dough:

4 cups                  all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp                  salt
1 tsp                     granulated sugar
¾ cup                   butter, cold, cubed
⅓ cup                   cold, rendered lard (if unavailable, replace with more cold butter)
Scant ½ cup        ice-cold water

For the filling:

1 pound               stewing beef, preferably from the blade, in 1½-inch cubes
To taste               salt and pepper
2 Tbsp                  vegetable oil
1                            medium onion, cut in small dice
1                            medium carrot, cut in small dice
1                            celery stalk, cut in small dice
2                            garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp                  tomato paste
2 Tbsp                  all-purpose flour
1 can                    Guinness stout ale
1                            bay leaf
¾ cup                   Beef Stock
2 tsp                     Worcestershire sauce
½ cup                   medium diced potatoes
1 Tbsp                  chopped thyme
1 Tbsp                  chopped rosemary
1 tsp                     lemon juice
1                            egg

 Method:

For the pie dough:

1.      Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix to combine. Add the butter and lard and mix at low speed until it looks coarse and mealy

 2.      With the motor running, pour the water into the dough and allow the dough to gather around the paddle. Turn off the mixer.

 3.      Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and gather it together in a pile. Cut the dough in half, place each piece on top of each other, and press together, using a decent amount of force. Repeat this step three times.

 4.      Cut the dough in half again, wrap each half in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

 5.      Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and place each piece on a floured work surface. Roll each piece of dough into a disk, about ⅛ inch thick. At this point you can refrigerate (or freeze) the pie shells until you’re ready to fill them. They’ll keep refrigerated for 5 days or frozen for 3 months. Let frozen dough thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

 For the filling and pie:

1.      Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2.      Place the beef in a bowl and season liberally with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof pot over medium heat and, working in batches, brown the beef on all sides. Transfer the beef to a plate and set aside.

3.      Add the onions, carrots, and celery to the pot and sweat, stirring often, until slightly caramelized. Add the garlic, and sweat until fragrant. Add the tomato paste and cook for another 2 minutes. Return the browned beef to the pot, dust with the flour, stir well to incorporate, and continue cooking for another 3 minutes.

 4.      Deglaze the pot with the beer, scraping up any cooked bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Bring to a simmer and reduce slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the bay leaf, stock, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer, cover, then set the pot on a center rack in the oven and stew for 30 minutes. Turn down the heat to 325°F and cook for 1½ hours more.

 5.      Add the potatoes to the stew, stir well, and cook in the oven until the potatoes are cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove the pot from the oven and stir in the thyme and rosemary, then season with salt, pepper, and the lemon juice. Allow to cool completely at room temperature.

 6.      Preheat the oven to 375°F.

 7.      Roll out each piece of dough to just larger than your pie plate. Invert your pie plate onto one of the circles. Using a paring knife, cut around the circumference of the dish. Set this top piece aside.

 8.      Line a pie plate with the other dough disk, pressing it into and up the sides. Use a pair of scissors to cut away any overlapping pieces of dough. Fill with the beef mixture to just under the top of the pie plate.

 9.      Make an egg wash by whisking the egg with a splash of water. Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash around the lip of the pie shell. Place the top piece over the filling, press down gently, and crimp the edges of the pie to seal the top to the bottom. Use the leftover bits of dough to make designs, if you like, then brush the egg wash over the whole pie crust. Bake until the crust is deep golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes.

10.   To serve, allow to cool slightly and cut into individual servings.

Beef bourguignon is a specialty from the region of Burgundy, France. It is a simple, yet polished beef stew that incorporates a lot of red wine, bacon, and onion to produce a luxurious and robust dish, perfect for a cold evening with lots of crusty bread for soaking up the juices.

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

3 lbs                      beef stew, cut at about 1.5” to 2”, preferably from the beef blade (shoulder) muscle
2 tsp                     salt
750 ml                 red wine (Burgundian pinot noir or Beaujolais is traditional), divided
8 branches          fresh thyme
2 leaves               bay leaves, preferably fresh
4 branches          fresh parsley
8 oz (240 gr)       sliced bacon, cut into thin lardons (cross-cut strips)
1                            large carrots, peeled and cut in half
1                            onion, peeled and cut in half through the equator
6                            garlic cloves, minced and divided
2 tbsp                   tomato paste
2-3 cups               beef stock
2 tbsp                   butter, divided
18                          pearl onions, peeled
1                            large (or 2 small) carrots, peeled and diced in uniform sizes (about 1 inch)
2 lbs                      button mushrooms, wiped clean and cut in half
1 tbsp                   butter, softened
1 tbsp                   flour
2 tbsp                   fresh parsley, chopped finely
to taste                salt and fresh ground pepper

Method:

1.      Place the beef stew in a mixing bowl. Add the salt and enough red wine to marinate (it should be about a cup). Tie the thyme, bay leaves, and parsley branched together and nestle in the beef. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

 2.      Preheat the oven to 325°F.

 3.      In a large heavy pot over medium low heat, cook the bacon until it has released its fat and is crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove the bacon and reserve.

 4.      Drain the red wine from the beef and reserve with the herb bundle. Pat the beef dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel. Turn the heat under the pot up to medium high. Working in batches as to not overcrowd the pot, brown the beef in the hot rendered bacon fat, about a third of the beef per batch (depending on the size of the pot). As the beef is browned, remove it from the pot and reserve until all the beef is browned.

5.      Once all the beef is browned, add the carrot halves and onion halves to the pot, and cook until golden, about five minutes. Add half of the minced garlic and lightly cook for a minute, then add in the tomato paste, stirring well and cooking for another minute. Deglaze the pot with the reserved wine and herb bundle from the marinade, then add the remaining wine. Reduce until the wine has evaporated by half.

 6.      Add the beef stock and the browned beef back to the pot and stir well. Lower the heat and bring to a simmer. Skim and discard any foam that floats to the surface of the stew. Cover the pot and place in the oven to braise for 1.5 hours, or until the beef is just tender.

 7.      Start to cook the garnish about 30 minutes before the beef is finished. Melt 1 tbsp of butter in a large pan over medium high heat. Add the pearl onions and carrots, and, stirring frequently, sauté until golden brown all over, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and remove from pan and reserve. Melt a second tbsp of butter in the same pan over medium heat and add the mushroom and remaining minced garlic. Stir frequently until the mushrooms are golden and have released some of their liqueur, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and reserve the mushrooms and their juices with the pearl onion and carrot.

 8.      When the beef is just tender, take out of the oven and place over a medium low heat, continuing to simmer. Remove the herb bundle, halved onion, and halved carrot and discard. In a small work bowl, mash the soft butter and flour together to make a paste. Ladle about a half cup of the braising liquid to the paste and whisk to emulsify. Pour the emulsification back into the pot and stir to incorporate. This will thicken the stew.

 9.      Add the reserved crisp bacon, pearl onions, carrots, and mushrooms (with the liqueur) back to the pot, stirring well to blend everything together. Add the chopped parsley, stir, and remove from the heat. Taste for seasoning and allow to cool slightly before serving.