Dinner Party Fare...Aromatic Basmati Rice

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This is the perfect recipe to have on hand for a dinner party.  It goes well with braised beef, chicken, roast pork, Cornish hens, curries, tagines and fish, particularly if they have a sauce.  It's aromatic and has that wonderful combination of sweet and slightly spicy that goes so well with certain entrees.  I love this rice! Keep it handy for the next time you have to entertain.

Those of us who have been cooking for a long time have our recipes categorized not only by meal course or season,  but also by occasion or holiday.  In this case, I would immediately think dinner party,  paired with a roast pork tenderloin, chicken curry or Cornish hens, three entrees that immediately come to mind when it comes to entertaining guests. Whenever you find a recipe you like, think not only about what you would like to serve it with but also for what occasion.  This rice is festive enough to serve when guests are coming.  It's  not only delicious, it looks like some effort went into its preparation.

It so happens, that it's from master entertainer and West Coast caterer and party planner, Colin Cowie. Remember his Flourless Almond Torte with Coffee Sauce?  If you go to his website you will see that his food and recipes are definitely entertaining fare.  Some may be even simple and straightforward but "dressy " as far as presentation is concerned.  Just like a "little black dress"!

Ingredients

•1 tablespoon unsalted butter

•1 garlic glove, crushed

•1/2 cup red bell pepper, seeds removed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

•1/2 cup yellow bell pepper, seeds removed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes

•1/2 cup chopped yellow onion

•1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

•1 1/2 cups of white Basmati rice

•3 cups of chicken stock or water

•1/4 cup golden raisins

•1/4 cup dark raisins

•1 cinnamon stick

•1/2 teaspoon of salt

•3 tablespoons slivered almonds

•6 whole sprigs of cilantro, for garnish



Instructions

1. Toast the almond slivers by placing them in a skillet over medium heat until they turn a shade darker, about 3 minutes; alternatively, place them on a baking sheet in a 300 F oven for 3 to 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Remove the nuts immediately from the pan and pour them into a glass or ceramic vessel to prevent further toasting.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and add the garlic, bell peppers, onion, and turmeric. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, or until the onion becomes translucent.

3. Add the rice, stock or water, raisins, cinnamon, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to low; cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the liquid is absorbed by the rice.

4. Remove the pan from the heat and keep it covered for 5 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and discard the cinnamon. Transfer the rice to a serving platter, top it with the toasted almonds and cilantro sprigs, and serve.

Recipe courtesy of Colin Cowie

Foodie Friday is at DesignsbyGollum!

A Spring Dinner Party...Provencal Roasted Leg of Lamb

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This is one of the many ways I prepare a leg of lamb, butterflied and roasted.  For a dinner party, it's the only way to go.  There is no hassle when it comes to slicing and serving, which is something to consider when you have a lot of last minute details to think about before you sit down to dinner. This is always the part I dread and the one I mentally rehearse the night before the party.  Pulling it all together with effortless elegance (and cool as a cucumber) is the sign of a good and experienced hostess.

For many years, I have not had a host to share with the duties of hosting a dinner party, although on many ocassions, I have had a dinner partner and/or a maid.  They come in handy, the dinner partner and the maid, but in the end, the success of your party depends mainly on you.    So make things easy on yourself, cook what you know and always try to serve a menu that doesn't require too many last minute details.

To enhance the flavor of this leg of lamb, the meat is brushed with a mixture of mustard and herbes de Provence before roasting. A Chilled Spring Pea Soup, the Sweet Potato & Leek Gratin or Scalloped Potatoes and  the Strawberry Short Cakes wrap up a beautiful and easy Spring dinner party. Oh, and if you are like me, you wouldn't think of eating lamb without mint jelly!


Ingredients:

1 boneless leg of lamb, about 4 lb., butterflied and trimmed of fat

3 Tbs. Dijon mustard

2 Tbs. herbes de Provence, coarsely ground with a mortar and pestle

1 TB minced garlic

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

3 Tbs. olive oil

3 leeks, white and light green portions, cleaned and quartered lengthwise*

1 cup pearl onions, peeled

Directions:

Preheat an oven to 450ºF.

Lay the leg of lamb flat on a cutting board. Using a meat pounder, lightly pound the lamb to an even 1 1/2-inch thickness. In a small bowl, stir together the mustard, herbes de Provence, olive oil and minced garlic, salt and pepper. Brush the mustard mixture evenly over the inside surface of the lamb. Roll up the lamb and tie securely with kitchen twine at 2-inch intervals. Rub the outside of the lamb with salt, pepper and another 1 Tbs. of the oil.

Heat a roasting pan over high heat. Sear the lamb on all sides until browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

In a bowl, stir together the leeks, pearl onions, the remaining 1 Tbs. oil, salt and pepper. Arrange the vegetables around the lamb. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375ºF and continue to roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat registers 130º to 135ºF for medium-rare to medium, about 45 minutes more. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board, cover loosely with aluminum foil and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

Remove the twine from the lamb, cut the meat into slices and arrange on a warmed platter. Skim the fat off the pan drippings and transfer the drippings to a sauceboat. Serve the lamb immediately with the leeks and pearl onions. Pass the pan drippings alongside. Serves 8.

*Substitute carrots for the leeks if you are serving the Sweet Potato and Leek Gratin

Adapted from Williams Sonoma Kitchens

10 Recipes for Leftover Ham!

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Easter is one of the best holidays for leftovers.  If you baked a big ham, there is a bonanza of recipes you can make and even freeze using both the bone and the meat.  By the time I'm finished with that ham everybody is threatening a ham boycott!

To begin with, never, ever, ever throw a bone away. In most cases, they are the the basis for a great soup or broth and even a sauce. Always look inside your refrigerator for interesting things to cook with what you already have. Take a look inside the "old cemetery" and see what is going to go bad before too long. Some things may already be too dead to salvage. Throw those out! As to the rest, you will be surprised at how many ideas will pop in your mind.

Some of our best and most creative recipes sometimes come from these leftovers, and I can't tell you how proud you will feel after you have used them. You don't have to use up all the ham in one week either.  Slice it, freeze it and save it to make any one of the following recipes next week, or next month! Chopped frozen ham defrosts quickly and can also be used in omelettes and sofritos for rice and other dishes. If you haven't used that Easter ham yet, freeze it  before it's too late.

So, forget those ham sandwiches and take a look at these great suggestions for what's left:

Croque Monsieur

Ham Croquettes

Deep Dish Ham Quiche With Asparagus Salad

Broccoli and Ham Casserole

Ham Tetrazzini

Split Pea Soup

Basic Ham and Bean Soup

Ham, Gruyere and Caramelized Onion Frittata

Ham, Gruyere And Spinach Bread Pudding

Ham And Green Eggs

and...more recipes in:

 My Kitchen By The Lake

This should tie you over 'til next Easter!

Ham, Gruyere And Spinach Bread Pudding

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Ingredients

Custard:

4 large egg whites

4 large eggs

1 cup Half and Half

Seasonings:

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

Bread & filling:

4 cups Italian or French  bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (crusts removed if desired)

5 cups chopped spinach, wilted (see Tip)

1/2 cup chopped jarred roasted red peppers

1 cup diced ham steak (5 ounces)

Topping:

3/4 cup shredded Gruyere cheese


Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Coat an 11-by-7-inch glass baking dish or a 2-quart casserole with cooking spray.

To prepare custard: Whisk egg whites, eggs and milk in a medium bowl. Add mustard, pepper and rosemary: whisk to combine.

Toss bread, spinach, roasted red peppers and ham in a large bowl. Add the custard and toss well to coat. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and push down to compact. Cover with foil.

Bake until the custard has set, 40 to 45 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and continue baking until the pudding is puffed and golden on top, 15 to 20 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and cool for 15 to 20 minutes before serving.

To wilt greens, rinse greens thoroughly in cool water. Transfer them to a large microwave-safe bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and punch several holes in the wrap. Microwave on high until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Squeeze out any excess moisture from the greens before adding them to the recipe.

Oh, and dont' forget to check 10 Recipes for Leftover Ham!

Recipe adapted from EatingWell.com

Cafe Boulud's Chilled Fresh Pea Soup

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About six years ago, I had an operation in New York and had to stay four weeks recovering before they would let me fly home. That's the bad news..the good news is I convalesced at a hotel apartment on Madison called the Surrey, right next to Cafe Boulud. Guess where room service came from? It was fun for a while, but after a few meals, you really felt like some good old fashioned home cooking for a change!

One of the things I never tired of was their green pea soup which was on the menu every day, night and day. Years later, when I bought the Cafe Boulud Cookbook, it mentioned that in Spring, this soup was always on the menu. Check! My stay was during April and May, a wonderful time to be in New York, even if you are sick.

Daniel Boulud’s deliciously light and clean-tasting soup is a mix of sweet peas, favas, pea shoots, snap peas and snow peas. I have skipped the labor-intensive fresh favas, as well as the pea shoots. Instead, just use sugar snaps, snow, and fresh peas or frozen baby peas. The result is just as good! I also sometimes use mint instead of rosemary. Peas and mint are a fantastic combination and this surely is the time for it.


Ingredients

8 slices of bacon
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 celery ribs, thinly sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 leek, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
5 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
Two 4-inch rosemary sprigs (or mint if you are substituting)
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1/2 pound sugar snap peas, thinly sliced
1/2 pound snow peas
1 lbs of fresh peas or 2 10-ounce boxes frozen baby peas
1/4 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
1 cup heavy cream
1 garlic clove, minced

Fresh Mint for decorating


Directions

In a medium soup pot, cook the bacon over moderate heat until browned and crisp, about 6 minutes. Transfer the bacon to a plate. Pour off the fat in the pot.

In the same pot, heat the olive oil. Add the celery, onion and leek and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 7 minutes. Add the chicken stock, 4 slices of the cooked bacon, 1 rosemary sprig and a pinch each of salt and white pepper. Simmer until the vegetables are very tender, about 15 minutes. Discard the bacon and rosemary. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to a blender.

Meanwhile, bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the sugar snaps and cook for 3 minutes. Add the frozen baby peas or fresh peas and the parsley and cook just until heated through, about 1 minute; drain. Add the sugar snaps, baby peas and parsley to the blender and puree until smooth, adding a few tablespoons of the broth to loosen the mixture. Transfer the soup and the remaining broth to a large bowl set in a larger bowl of ice water to cool.

In a small saucepan, bring the heavy cream, garlic and remaining rosemary sprig (or mint) to a boil. Simmer over low heat until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Strain the garlic cream into a bowl and let cool.

Ladle the chilled pea soup into bowls and drizzle with the garlic cream. Crumble the remaining 4 slices of bacon into each bowl and serve.

You can make ahead... the soup and cream can be refrigerated separately for up to 2 days

Photo Credit: Quentin Bacon for Food and Wine

Succotash...A New Found Favorite

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It's funny how taste changes with age. I used to hate succotash when I was in boarding school and they used to serve it at least once a week, or so it felt.  Now, all of a sudden, I love it. The traditional recipe, that is, if you are Southern, has heavy cream added towards the end.  I frankly don't think it needs it so I have omitted it.  To be frank, more often than not, I just cook the lima beans and corn together in water and add a little butter at the end.  I only gild the lily if guests are involved.

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 cup chopped red pepper

2 cups frozen or canned corn, drained

2 cups frozen lima beans

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons butter

Salt and pepper

2 slices of Bacon (optional)


Directions

Cook bacon in moderate heat, stirring frequently, until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

In a saucepan, heat butter and cook red pepper until tender about 1 minute. Stir in corn, lima beans and water. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 3 minutes. Stir in butter and season to taste. Garnish with crisp bacon.

Easter Tables...Happy Easter!

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Martha Stewart

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a nice Easter Sunday.  It is usually the first time in the new year where we can sit outside, at least for awhile,  and enjoy the day.  It is also the first time when we can start adding some color to our table with flowers, dishes and tablecloths.  It is probably the best time to go out and buy flowers if you don't have any in your garden.  Tulips, hyacinths, African violets, daffodils, hydrangeas you name it, you have your pick of any color combination you want so take advantage of it. Here are some pictures for inspiration:

Carolyn Roehm

Tartan Scot

Martha Stewart

Williams Sonoma

Apartment therapy

House Beautiful

Martha Stewart

Southern Living

Eddie Ross

My sous chef, Lucy, and I want to wish you a beautiful Easter Sunday with lots of family and friends around you.  Have a wonderful day and remember...don't sweat the small stuff!

Happy Easter Y'all!