Roast Lamb Leftovers...Lamb Pita Pockets With Tzatziki

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 After last week's lamb roast with couscous and grilled tomatoes, I had more leftover lamb than I cared to throw out.  You know my penchant for using leftovers.  Nothing gets thrown out of this house;  but lamb is a toughie, unless you go out of your comfort zone and consider other cuisines...like Greek.  Yes, dear readers, I know I have been going out of my comfort zone and yours recently, but that is what good cooks do, venture out and try new things.

Nothing exemplifies Greek cuisine more than the use of lamb.  Think moussaka.  This week, at my local Costco's, they were serving samplings of tandoor baked naan with tzatziki.  The circle around the man making the naan was three deep. I had already sampled his wares on my last trip but had been so elated to see Costco selling naan, that I did not stop to taste the dip.  This time I did, brought it home, and served it with my leftover lamb.  Voila!

What I came up with is really a favorite  Greek fast food, souvlaki, sometimes made with pork, and others with chicken or lamb.  If you want an easy, healthy and delicious midweek meal, here you have it.

Although I have titled the recipe with pita pockets, you should really try it with naan.  It is so much better!!!

Lamb Pita Pockets With Tzatziki

Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups cooked lamb
1 TB. olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
1/4 cup crumbled Feta cheese
2 small tomatoes chopped
1 cup chopped cucumbers (optional)
3 TB diced red onions
3 TBs Tzatziki*
4 whole wheat pita rounds or naan
chopped mint leaves (optional)

Directions:

Sautee the lamb in the oil until warm.  Set aside. 

Combine the lettuce, tomato, feta, red onion and cucumber if using. 

Prepare the Tzatziki.

Warm the pita or naan in a skillet on top of the stove.

Divide lamb among the pita bread or naan.

Top with lettuce mixture and the tzatziki.

Sprinkle with chopped mint if desired.

 Tzatziki:

 Cool and creamy, this tangy cucumber dip flavored with garlic is the perfect compliment to grilled meats and vegetables. It's served on the side with warm pita bread triangles for dipping, and is also used as a condiment for souvlaki.

 Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, minced finely
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. white pepper
• 1 cup greek yogurt, strained
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 tsp. chopped fresh dill

Preparation:

 

Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Using a whisk, blend the yogurt with the sour cream. Add the olive oil mixture to the yogurt mixture and mix well. Finally, add the cucumber and chopped fresh dill. Chill for at least two hours before serving.
Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill just before serving.


All photos Lindaraxa
except last Wikipedia

Poached Salmon With Two Sauces And Fingerling Potatoes

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If you are wondering why so many salmon recipes are popping up all of a sudden, the reason is simple: Copper River salmon season is upon us.

This 300-mile-long Alaskan river, which empties into Prince William Sound, is famous for its summer runs of King, Sockeye and Coho salmon. Because of the length and nature of the run, these fish are high in unctuous, delicious, healthy omega-3 oils.

We’re right at the height of the Sockeye salmon season, and the smallish, deep red fillets are in area Whole Foods Markets and Costco, among other outlets. The markets should have plenty for the next two weeks and possibly the next month.  Don't miss this once a year treat and remind yourself that salmon is a seasonal treat.

To me a perfect companion to salmon, whether hot or cold, is fingerling potatoes.  At my friend Sandra Jonas' vegetable garden the crop is just coming in, together with luscious yellow squash and sweet onions. Sandra is the well known garden designer and owner of Recreating Eden Garden Designs.  Her noteworthy landscapes have appeared in  Better Homes & Gardens, Southern Living, and HGTV.  Stop by her blog and check out her beautiful garden and landscapes.    We are teaming up and linking to each other's blogs as the harvest comes in and I come up with recipes for all to enjoy.  In the next post I will be using some of her sweet onions and making a popular French recipe for an Italian friend.  How's that for networking?

The new crop of fingerling potatoes from Sandra's Garden

Chilled poached salmon with a refreshing horseradish sauce makes a lovely summer lunch dish. When I serve it as part of a buffet, though, I like to serve it with two very distinct sauces, one with heat the other with a little more depth to it.  Roast or steam the fingerling potatoes or prepare them as in the recipe below. They go well with either sauce.


Poached Salmon With Horseradish Sauce
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

1 (3-pound) skin-on salmon fillet
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup white wine
1 yellow onion, sliced
1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
1/4 cup chopped dill, plus 8 whole sprigs
1 TB prepared horseradish sauce
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream
1 cucumber, peeled (1/2 seeded and chopped, 1/2 sliced)

Directions

Season salmon with salt and pepper. Put 1 cup water, wine, onions, peppercorns and 4 sprigs of the dill into a roasting pan or fish poacher large enough to hold the fillet. Add the salmon. If not covered by liquid, add just enough water to barely cover the fillet, then gently bring it to a simmer. Cover and simmer about 10 minutes, until salmon is just opaque in the center. (Allow about 10 minutes of cooking time per inch thickness of fish.) Remove from heat and let salmon cool slightly in liquid. Transfer salmon to a large platter and set aside to cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate for several hours.

Meanwhile, make the Horseradish Sauce.

In a bowl, stir in crème fraîche, horseradish, lemon juice, chopped cucumber and chopped dill. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Chill until ready to serve.

Peel skin off salmon once cooled. Garnish platter with remaining 4 dill sprigs and cucumber slices. Serve with horseradish sauce on the side

Tarragon Sauce*

Ingredients
2 large bunches fresh tarragon (about 1 ounce total)
1 large bunch fresh chives (about 2/3 ounce)
1 large shallot
3/4 cup fresh flat-leafed parsley leaves
1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup rice vinegar (not seasoned)
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Directions
Pick enough tarragon leaves to measure 1/2 cup (do not pack). Chop enough chives to measure 1/3 cup. Coarsely chop shallot. In a food processor puree tarragon, chives, and shallot with remaining sauce ingredients until smooth and season with salt and pepper. Sauce may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring sauce to cool room temperature before serving.

*This sauce is also used in a poached salmon recipe from Epicurious served with the fingerling potato recipe below..

Fingerling Potatoes

Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/8-inch-thick slices. In a steamer set over boiling water steam potatoes until just tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Spoon sauce onto 6 plates and arrange some potatoes in a circle, overlapping slightly, on top of sauce . Season potatoes with salt and arrange salmon on top of potatoes. Garnish salmon with peas.

 Photos courtesy of Whole Foods and Sandra Jonas

Cranberry Sauce With Port

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This year I am going to do a variation of my Cranberry Orange Sauce by reducing the orange juice by half and adding port.  That's it!

Makes 2 Cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup ruby port

Three 1-by-3-inch strips of orange zest, cut into thin matchsticks

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

12 ounces fresh cranberries

3/4 cup sugar

Directions

1.In a medium saucepan, combine the port with the orange zest and orange juice and bring to a boil. Add the cranberries and sugar and simmer over moderately low heat until the sauce is jamlike, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and serve warm or at room temperature.


Make Ahead

The cranberry sauce can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

You might also like:

Cranberry Orange Sauce 
 
Photo: William Meppen

Lindaraxa's Tidbits...How to Cook, Serve and Eat An Artichoke

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Artichokes are probably one of the most intimidating vegetables on the face of the earth, but if you've ever had one, especially with hollandaise sauce, you know they are divine!

My husband used to say it was the only vegetable where you ended up with more on your plate when you finished than when you started.  Artichokes were also my son's favorite vegetable when he was in kindergarten. One day I got a phone call from his teacher who wanted to share with me what had happened at school when she asked the class to write down their favorite things.  When it came to food, most kids wrote down things like hot dogs, pizza, hamburgers etc.  then she saw my son raise his hand to ask "How do you spell artichokes with hollandaise sauce?"  True story, no joke.Yes, my children were introduced to everything from an early age and if it took hollandaise to get them to eat artichokes, I am still grateful!.

There is no reason to be put off by the sight of an artichoke.  They are very easy to cook.

Choose globes that are dark green, heavy, and have "tight" leaves

Cooking Artichokes

Cut the stem to about 1 inch so they will lay down flat on your plate.  Put them on top of a steamer inside a big pot and steam for about 45 minutes.  You will know when they are done if when you stick a knife through the stalk  it is soft like a potato when its done. That's it!  You can serve them cold with a French vinaigrette or hot with my favorite,  hollandaise sauce.  For my easy, no fail recipes go here

Serving artichokes.

There are beautiful artichoke plates you can buy, or you can simply serve them on a regular plate with a bowl on the side to place the discarded leaves.  You will need a knife and a fork for when you get to the best part, the heart.  I always serve them as a first course so they can shine on their own!.  The hollandaise is passed around so everyone can take a couple of spoonfuls and place in their plates to dip the leaves and later eat with the heart.  Same with a vinaigrette, except in that case, everything is served cold and you should really cut the top third of the artichoke before you steam them.  It makes for a nicer presentation and you can drizzle some of the vinaigrette inside.

 These are my plates. Notice at left is a place for the sauce.

How to eat an artichoke

Start by pulling off one of the outermost petals.  It is both proper and polite to pluck the leaves with your fingers, leaving fork and knife aside for now. Pull off a leaf, holding it by the pointed end. If you're provided with a dip such as a vinaigrette or mayonnaise, put a small part of the edible portion of the leaf in the dip and scrape with your teeth. Don't overdo it on the dip or you won't taste the artichoke. (the edible portion of the leaves becomes greater as you get closer to the center of the artichoke). Discard remainder (you'll want to have an empty bowl ready in which to drop them).


Just before you get to the very center, leaves will become almost white with purple tips. Be careful of these leaves because their purple ends are prickly.

When the leaves are pulled, you will be left with the base, the heart, crowned with a fuzzy patch. You have now reached the best part of all, the very reason for eating artichokes: the heart. Carefully scoop away the fuzzy stuff with your knife or spoon. With knife and fork, cut bites from the heart like pieces of prime fillet.

Here's a video:
http://www.oceanmist.com/products/how-to-prepare/how-to-eat-an-artichoke.aspx
 

Finger Bowls
 
If you have them, this is the time to use them!

Wine Pairings

If eating with a hollandaise sauce, a dry French Chardonnay or Fume Blanc is best.  Be conscious of the fact that after eating an artichoke, the red wine served with the main course may taste a bit acidic.  A piece of bread after finishing the artichoke and before tasting the wine will help.

...more tidbits!

First developed in Sicily, Italy, artichokes were brought to this country (California) by the Spaniards in 1600's but did not become popular until the 1920's.  They were the third largest crop in the valley in 1929.

Did you know Marilyn Monroe was crowned Artichoke Queen in 1948? That made them super popular afterwards!

80% of the artichokes in the US are grown in Castroville, CA, 98 miles south of San Francisco (been there!)

The thicker the stalk, the bigger the heart!

Morels in Cream On Brioche...Morilles A La Creme

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There used to be a restaurant named Mortimer's, in the space that is now Orsay, on Lexington Avenue and 75th Street in New York City.  It was the kind of place frequented by "the ladies who lunch" and ruled with an iron fist by its owner Glenn Bernbaum.  There really was nothing memorable to the restaurant,including the decor and the food, except as a place to see and be seen by those who made up cafe society at the time.  I was not a frequent visitor, except for lunch once in awhile.  Surprisingly, the prices were reasonable and it was fairly close to where I lived at the time.  It was also the only place outside of France where I would find morels in cream sauce when they were in season.

With Mortimer's now gone and me living on a lake in Georgia, I buy them whenever I find them and enjoy them at home.  March is the time for morels so be on the lookout for them in the supermarket or at places like Whole Foods and Dean & Deluca.  If you can't find fresh ones, buy the dry ones and reconstitute them. They are just as good and they keep forever.

This is a delightful lunch for four with a salad or it can be served as a first course for a more formal lunch.

Serves 4
 
Ingredients

1 cup heavy cream

3 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup white wine

1 pound fresh morels, trimmed, washed well, and patted dry*

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Freshly ground white pepper

5 thin slices brioche or challah bread, crusts discarded, each slice cut into 4 triangles and toasted


Preparation

Heat cream in a small saucepan until hot.

Heat butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté morels, stirring frequently, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the wine and reduce until almost all evaporizes. Sprinkle in flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in hot cream and reduce heat to low. Gently simmer, covered, stirring once, until morels are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper.

Arrange 5 toasts on each of 4 plates and spoon morels and sauce on top. Serve immediately.

*Cooks' note:

You can substitute 1 ounce small dried morels (1 1/3 cups) for the fresh. Soak dried morels in 2 1/2 cups warm water until softened, 10 to 30 minutes. Lift from soaking liquid, then rinse well and pat dry with paper towels. Pour soaking liquid through a paper-towel–lined sieve into a bowl. Add 1/2 cup soaking liquid to cream when heating (dried morels absorb more liquid than fresh).

Thanksgiving...Cranberry Orange Sauce

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This simple recipe just takes a few minutes and surely beats the one we buy in a can.  There are times when Im willing to cut corners, just like in the frozen pearl onions for the gratin, but not here.  Really, after you have gone through all that trouble, go the extra mile and make this for your dinner, even if you can't stand the sight of another pot!

 8 Servings    Prep: 5 min   Cook: 10 min

Ingredients:

Zest and juice of 1 orange
1/2 cup sugar, plus more if desired
Pinch salt
One 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries, rinsed

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, heat 1/2 cup water with the orange zest, orange juice, sugar and salt over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the cranberries and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the cranberries burst and the sauce has thickened slightly, about 7 minutes. Sweeten with more sugar, if desired. Let the sauce cool to room temperature.  Refrigerate overnight and bring back to room temperature before serving.

The sauce can be made a couple of days ahead and kept in the refrigerator.

Ted's Babyback Ribs

Pin It If there is something I'm very proud of is having two children who are great cooks! My daughter Christina is the baker and her cookies are legendary not only in our family, but also with friends and neighbors. My son Ted, on the other hand, is the grill master. He used to be the burrito king but ever since he moved to Georgia he's developed into a great griller.

Last Christmas he got a smoker from his grandmother in law and since then, no one can touch him. About a couple of months ago, when I visited the family in Atlanta, he served me some of the best ribs I have ever had... no question!

Under his guidance and without a smoker I served these about a month ago and they were outstanding. If you don't have a smoker, he recommends cooking them in beer in a 250 degree oven sealed for about two hours. He makes his own rub (of course!) I had Emeril make mine. The barbecue sauce is all mine!

I am posting this early so you can start planning ahead for your Labor Day Weekend which is a week from tomorrow.

Ingredients

2 Slabs Pork Baby Back Ribs

1 can light beer

2 TB. Emeril's Rub for Pork

Barbecue Sauce (Recipe follows)


The night before you cook them, rub spice mixture over the ribs. I used Emeril's because it was the only good one I could find at the store I went to, but others will do too. Seal in tin foil paper and place in fridge. Before you cook then, open tin foil and pour 1 small can light beer. Reseal tight and place in the oven at 250 degrees for 2 hrs. Remove from the oven bring to room temperature and set aside until ready to grill. Remove from tin foil and place in a medium hot grill. Cook each side for 10 minutes. Brush barbecue sauce on one side and cook an additional 10 minutes. Do the same for the other side. You will be cooking a total of 40 minutes..10 mins. each side without sauce, 10 mins. each side with sauce. Let rest for 10 minutes. You can serve with leftover barbecue sauce on the side.


Barbecue Sauce

Makes 3 cups

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
3 tablespoons light-brown sugar
2 cups ketchup
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper


Directions

In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in mustard powder and red-pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds.

Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire, vinegar, molasses, and black pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.

I usually serve ribs with my potato salad and sliced tomatoes with balsamic and fresh basil. An Australian Shiraz or Argentinian Malbec goes well with it.

Miss the Paris Cafes? Have a Croque Monsieur!

Pin It The Croque Monsieur, or “Crispy Mister,” appeared on Parisian café menus in 1910. The original Croque Monsieur was simply a hot ham and Gruyere cheese sandwich, fried in butter. Some believe it was accidentally created when French workers left their lunch pails by a hot radiator and came back later to discover the cheese in their sandwiches had melted.

Found all over France today, the Croque Monsieur - casually referred to as a Croque - has as many recipes and variations as it has cooks. I like mine fancy, with a nice Mornay Sauce* on top! It is second on my list only to the Reuben which is, hands down, my all time favorite. (the Pulled Pork sandwich is not far behind!)

This crunchy sandwich is served as an appetizer, snack, or casual meal. Try this recipe for an incredible experience. Bon appetit!

A nice double espresso should get you through the afternoon!


Serves 4 for a meal or 8 for a snack


Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups hot milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
12 ounces Gruyere, grated (5 cups)
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
16 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed
Dijon mustard
8 ounces baked Virginia ham, sliced but not paper thin


Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Melt the butter over low heat in a small saucepan and add the flour all at once, stirring with a wooden spoon for 2 minutes. Slowly pour the hot milk into the butter–flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thickened. Off the heat add the salt, pepper, nutmeg, 1/2 cup grated Gruyere, and the Parmesan and set aside.

To toast the bread, place the slices on 2 baking sheets and bake for 5 minutes. Turn each slice and bake for another 2 minutes, until toasted.

Lightly brush half the toasted breads with mustard, add a slice of ham to each, and sprinkle with half the remaining Gruyere. Top with another piece of toasted bread.

Slather the tops with the cheese sauce, sprinkle with the remaining Gruyere, and bake the sandwiches for 5 minutes. Turn on the broiler and broil for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the topping is bubbly and lightly browned. Serve hot




*A Mornay sauce is a Béchamel sauce with shredded or grated cheese added. Usually, it consists of half Gruyère and half Parmesan cheese, though some variations use different combinations of Gruyère, Emmenthal cheese, or white Cheddar

Father's Day Barbecue...Grilled Sausages with Chimichurri Sauce

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 The best Chimichurri Sauce I have ever had was made by my Salvadorian housekeeper...the one my children terrorized whenever I went away on long business trips abroad. I am sure my Argentinian friends will cringe at the thought of soy sauce in their famous asado sauce. But it works. Funny thing is she kept the recipe a secret from me for a long time until one day leafing thru my Joy of Cooking I found it, with just the ingredients listed, no amounts. I have made it many times, always stopping when I come to the soy sauce and always acquiescing in the end.


Ingredients

Argentinian sausages from El Gaucho
 or assorted Italian sausages
Baguettes
Dijon Mustard
Chimichurri Sauce


 I sometimes boil the sausages for 30 minutes and then place them on the grill for another 5-10 minutes to char. Most of the time, I cook them directly on the grill for about 30 minutes. Make sure you place them on the outside fringe of the fire where the temperature is medium hot. You can warm up your baguettes on the grill also. When they are done, cut them in slices or serve them whole on small plates. Serve with mustard and chimichurri on the side and the hot baguette.

Figure on 1 1/2 sausage per person. These are quite filling so serve them early to give your guests time to recover before the main course!


Chimichurri Sauce

1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 TB red wine vinegar
2 TB chopped garlic
2TB chopped onion
1/2 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. Soy Sauce or to taste
Red pepper, to taste
Salt

Mix well in a bowl. Set aside. Do not refrigerate! Make sure you make enough to serve with the grilled skirt also.