From the Farm to the Fork

By Diane Stopford

Any cook knows that the best ingredients require the simplest of cooking. Beginning with a quality product means that you are already off to a great start. Dean & DeLuca’s Private Reserve Brandt Beef is my recommendation for those beef lovers looking for the ultimate steakhouse steak at home.

Brandt Beef, based in Brawley, California is a family-owned, natural beef producer. When looking for products that don’t just taste good but aren’t punishing the globe with intensive, unsustainable and potentially cruel farming methods, Brandt Beef leads the way – and any serious beef eater should follow.

Brandt cares about their cattle, raising them on an all-natural, vegetarian diet of corn, sudan and alfalfa grasses, which are grown by the Brandt family on their farm. Given this exceptional level of treatment, Brandt does not need to artificially enhance their product with hormones or antibiotics; you will taste the difference and your guests will thank you for it.

I met Eric Brandt and his young son at his home in San Diego, California. Eric is the son of William Brandt, the owner and co-founder of Brandt Beef. As managing partner of the family business, he embodies the “farm to fork” philosophy which is part of everything Brandt Beef does. Eric explained to me the importance of not only producing a superior quality beef for his customers but producing it in a responsible, humane way. For example, the Brandt fields are protected from mice and insects not by synthetic pesticides but by an owl. This is just one of the ways that Eric and his family are leaving a legacy future generations can be proud of.

Eric inspects and hand-stamps the Brandt Private Reserve Beef for Dean & DeLuca’s butcher shop daily. He sees the relationship between Brandt Beef, Dean & DeLuca and the customer as similar to that of an old-fashioned butcher, where the butcher sources and hand-selects the meat. The search for a purveyor who was as passionate and dedicated to fine, quality food as much as the Brandt family are, is what brought Dean & DeLuca to partner with them as their exclusive online retailer.

Eric believes in his responsibility to customers whether they are a top chef or home cook, to provide a quality, consistent product that is 100% traceable from the farm to the kitchen table. Along with the “field to fork” philosophy, Brandt Beef embraces a “tongue to tail” philosophy too, utilizing the entire animal instead of just the popular middle meats, ensuring nothing goes to waste. Eric hopes to encourage his customers to look beyond the basic cuts to the benefits of an environmentally sustainable menu. This is why when you browse through the selection at Dean & DeLuca, you will find the traditional classics but also ox tail, a key ingredient in rich soups and stews, and the Private Reserve Bavette Steaks, a long but thin cut. The bavette is perfect for quick methods of cooking by pan searing or grilling and when I mentioned it to Brandt, his eyes lit up and he confessed it was one of his favorite cuts. It’s one of mine too and I found it tender, juicy and full of flavor, seasoned with Dean & DeLuca’s Southwestern Rub in this simple and spicy steak taco recipe.

Bavette Steak Tacos
with Avocado, Mango & Poblano Chile and Roasted Tomato/Jalapeno Salsa
Serves 4
-3 6-oz Brandt Beef Bavette Steaks
-8 corn or flour tortillas
-2 tbsp Dean and Deluca Southwestern Rub
-2 tbsp vegetable oil
-2 avocadoes, diced
-1 poblano chile, roasted and diced
-1 mango, diced
-½ medium red onion, finely diced
-2 tbsp cilantro chopped
-Juice of 1 lime
-Salt to season

Roasted Tomato/Jalapeno Salsa
-4 ripe tomatoes
-1 small garlic bulb
-1 jalapeno
-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-Salt to season
-Radishes and spring onions to garnish (optional)

1. Pre-heat grill to medium high heat.
2. Brush steaks with oil and coat with spice rub, set aside.
3. Brush tomatoes, jalapeno, poblano chile, green onion and garlic with oil and grill for 2-3 minutes each side or until charred and the garlic soft, remove and set aside.
4. Place steaks on grill and cook for 3 minutes per side turning twice (for approximately 10-12 minutes), remove from grill, cover with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.
5. While the steaks are cooking, cut the garlic bulb in half horizontally and squeeze out the garlic, cut jalapeno in half and remove seeds and peel and dice poblano chile.
6. Place garlic, tomatoes, olive oil and jalapeno in blender and blend until chunky salsa, season with salt to taste.
7. In a medium sized bowl, mix avocado, poblano chile, red onion, mango, cilantro and lime juice together, season with salt to taste.
8. Place tortillas on grill to warm and slice steak across the grain horizontally.
9. To assemble, fill tacos with avocado, poblano and mango mix, place slices of steak on top and spoon salsa over steak.
10. Place on serving plate and garnish with crunchy radishes and grilled green onion.

Another favorite is the Private Reserve Boneless Rib Bye, a classic cut of meat where the aging and marbling of the steak is evident in both its moist tenderness and rich flavor. With flavor like this, there is no need to complicate things so I like to season it, sear on a hot grill to medium rare and serve with fresh seasonal vegetables and Dean & DeLuca’s Twice Baked Truffle Potatoes. There’s no need for a sauce – the steak is so tender and moist that I like to top it with Truffle Porcini Butter. The butter mixes with the juices of the steak and creates a sauce right on your plate – perfect for easy, elegant summer entertaining!

Brandt Beef Rib Eye
with Truffle Porcini Butter and Grilled Endive and Twice Baked Truffle Potatoes
Serves 4
-4 Brandt Beef Rib Eye Steak
-4 Discs of Dean & Deluca Truffle Porcini Butter
-Box, Dean & DeLuca Twice Baked Truffle Potatoes
-4 heads endive, halved
-1 cup red and yellow grape tomatoes
– 2 lemons, halved
-1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
-1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
-Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Place Dean & DeLuca Twice Baked Truffle Potatoes on a cookie sheet and bake in a pre heated oven at 350˚F for 40 minutes or until thoroughly heated through.
2. Pre heat one half of gas grill to high and one side to medium high heat.
3. Brush steaks and Belgian endive with olive oil and season with salt and pepper and sprinkle endive with oregano.
4. Place steaks on high heat and grill on both sides until marked, about 2 minutes per side. Move steaks to medium heat, close grill lid and cook for a further 6 minutes on each side for medium rare.
5. Remove from grill and let rest for 8 to 10 minutes.
6. Place endive and lemon halves cut side down and grill over medium heat.
7. Grill lemon on cut side and endive on both sides until marked.
8. Place tomatoes on grill and cook until marked.
9. To serve, place steaks on serving plate with twice baked truffle potatoes and grilled vegetables. Top each steak with a disc of porcini truffle butter and squeeze grilled lemon over endive to create the dressing.

Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, Diane Stopford attended the Faculty of Tourism and Food at the Dublin Institute of Technology where she graduated from the school’s BA in Culinary Arts. Upon her arrival to San Diego in 2003, Diane took a Food and Beverage Management position with a local resort and then went on to work as Culinary Operations Manager for hotelier and restaurateur Brett Miller. She then served as Executive Chef of the Group’s Cendio Restaurant in La Jolla, CA. In 2007, she joined Promark Productions as Managing Editor for InYourKitchen.com, an all-video food and cooking website. Diane is currently the culinary director for UpValley, a wine and food company specializing in hosting food and wine pairing events. She also consults for food and hospitality companies, teaches cooking classes and is a Kansas City Barbeque Society certified barbeque judge. In her free time, you can find Diane browsing the local farmers’ markets, attending Slow Food events and enjoying the laid back beach lifestyle.

Filed under: bavette, brandt beef, California, chef, Diane Stopford, humane, meat, Natural, private reserve, recipes, rib eye, steak, tacos

Indian Cooking at Home

Imagine being able to savor your favorite tandoori chicken in your own home instead of going to the neighborhood Indian restaurant. With 24 hours notice, the Tandoori & Tikka Marinade Sauce from the Australian chef Charmaine Solomon can make that wish come true with this easy and quick recipe. It’s best done a day in advance to give the marinade time to tenderize and flavor the chicken.

Tandoori & Tikka Marinade
Yield: Dinner for 2
-1 free-range chicken, about 3 ½ lbs, split into quarters
-½ jar Tandoori-Tikka Sauce
-1 16-oz. container of Greek-style yogurt
-1 orange, finely grated peel and juice
Mix the Tandoori-Tikka Sauce with the yogurt in a bowl large enough to also hold the chicken pieces. Add in the orange peel and juice. Add the chicken and then transfer all to a plastic bag.

24 hours later:
Preheat your oven to 350°. Line a roasting pan with foil. Place the chicken on the pan (with the marinade still on) and roast for 40 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 165°. It will get lovely dark and crunchy areas on it. By the time it has had a chance to rest, it will be cooked through to the perfect doneness.

Tikki Masala Sauce
-Remaining ½ jar Tandoori-Tikka Marinade Sauce
-1 15-oz. can coconut milk
-¼ c Marsala cooking wine
Combine all of the ingredients in a saucepan and heat until reduced down about a third.

Favorite sides with this recipe are saag paneer and a blend of basmati rice, cashews, golden raisins and coconut.

Basmati Rice with Golden Raisins, Cashews and Coconut
-1 c basmati rice
-1½ c chicken broth
-½ c golden raisins
-½ c cashew pieces
-½ c shredded coconut
-1 T olive oil or ghee
Place all of the ingredients in a microwaveable container. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then prick two very small holes in the top. Microwave for about 5 minutes. Let it steam in the bowl for another 2 minutes and then check the doneness. Always lift the plastic wrap facing away from yourself.

Saag Paneer
-1 32-oz. bag chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
-1 8-oz. container of Greek-style yogurt
-2 T of olive oil or ghee
-2 T dry vermouth
-To taste: Saag Paneer Blend — 1 T Murray River salt, 2 t of Curry Powder Blend, ½ t of tellicherry peppercorns, 1 t of tarragon, ground together
Cook the spinach in the olive oil or ghee until tender. Add the yogurt, vermouth and the blend to taste.

Enjoy this extremely concentrated sauce that bursts with flavor. It can be used in a variety of ways – lentil soup, brushed on halibut, or even a vinaigrette.

Filed under: basmati, charmaine solomon, chicken, herb, indian, maggie radzwiller, marinade, recipes, saag paneer, sauce, spice, tandoori-tikki, tikki masala

Light, Flavorful, Refreshing

As an intern at Dean & DeLuca, my palate is often introduced to new and sophisticated flavor combinations like the pasta salad recipe that I found on our website here. Being a budget-conscientious vegetarian, this dish met both of my requirements. It was my first time experimenting with orzo, a rice-shaped pasta that was surprisingly affordable at $1.59 for 2 cups. Seemingly simple with few ingredients, the unusual grouping of onion, acid and mint are flavors that I had never paired.

Orzo Salad with Lemon, Mint & Ricotta Salata

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/3 cup shallots, minced (Grate it if you’re like me and not good with a knife!)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest, or more to taste

salt and pepper to taste

1 cup uncooked orzo
1/2 cup very finely diced yellow bell pepper

1/2 cup very finely diced seedless cucumber (Peeled, if you prefer.)

1/2 cup crumbled ricotta salata cheese

3 tablespoons minced fresh mint leaves

Directions:
1. Stir together the olive oil, shallots, lemon juice, garlic, and lemon zest in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Cook the orzo in a large kettle of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain pasta completely in a colander, running under cold water. Transfer orzo to a bowl, stir in the olive oil mixture, and let cool. Stir in the bell pepper, cucumber, ricotta salata, and mint until combined well. You could serve the salad immediately or let it stand at room temperature for 2 to 3 hours. Serves 4 to 6.

Ricotta salata is a firm, salted cheese made from sheep’s milk and can be found in our markets. The texture is similar to feta, which I substituted. Dean & DeLuca has never steered me wrong and besides cheese, I didn’t stray from the tried-and-true recipe, although the combinations that would complement this dish are endless:

• Grilled asparagus, chickpeas, Kalamata olives, spinach and grape tomatoes have always been a favorite of mine in pasta salads.
• The lemon in this version made it pop and was unmistakably summertime but I imagine a Dijon mustard or honey vinaigrette would have the same effect.
• Mint really freshened up this salad and rosemary, oregano or parsley would also brighten it.
  

Because it’s best after being out for a couple of hours, this dish has become a new staple at my summer cook-outs, lakeside weekends and picnics.

This wasn’t the only dish that pleasantly surprised me – find the rest in our recipes section.

Filed under: affordable, dean, deluca, grill, orzo, picnic, recipes, simple, summer, vegetarian

Spanish Potato Omelet (Tortilla Espanola)

The Spanish Potato Omelet (Tortilla Española) is a dense moist cake of potato, egg, and onion, totally different from both the French omelet and the Mexican tortilla. Omelet is not exactly the right word to describ this unique Spanish treat. It is as much like a frittata as anything else.

Soothing, homey, creamy, and satisfying, when first tasted it is often thought to contain cheese. The creaminess comes not from cheese, but from the slow cooking of the potatoes in the olive oil. Serve it as an appetizer before a Spanish meal, as lunch with a salad, for brunch, or even for dinner.

Serves 4 – 6

Ingredients:
1/2 cup olive oil
1 pound russet potatoes
1 medium onion, halved through the root and sliced thin
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
coarse salt for sprinkling the tortilla
Spanish olive oil for sprinkling the tortilla

Directions:
1. Heat the oil in an 8-inch or 9-inch nonstick or well seasoned cast-iron skillet over moderate heat. Peel the potatoes and slice them very thinly (we like to use a mandoline or a less expensive slicing machine made from plastic). (Do not put the potatoes in water.) Add the potatoes and the onion to the skillet, and stir until they are completely coated with the oil. Reduce the heat to moderately low, and cook, stirring often so the vegetables will not color, until the potatoes are cooked through, about 12 minutes (they should remain separate).
2. Remove the potatoes and onion with a slotted spoon to a baking sheet lined with paper towels, and let them drain.
3. Pour the oil out of the skillet and into a cup. Wipe out the skillet and remove any pieces of onion or potato stuck to it. Add 3 tablespoons of the oil from the cup back to the skillet. Carefully, transfer the potato mixture to a shallow bowl, pour the eggs over them, turning to coat well, season with salt and pepper, and let stand for 10 minutes.
4. Heat the oil in the skillet over moderately high heat until very hot, but not smoking, and add the potato and egg mixture, spreading the potatoes evenly. Reduce the heat to moderately low, and shake the pan often to prevent sticking.
5. When the top is no longer runny (about 10 minutes), cover the skillet with a plate and turn the tortilla out. Add 2 more tablespoons of the reserved oil, return the tortilla, cooked side up, to the skillet, and cook for about 5 minutes longer, or until cooked through and the underside is moderately browned. Let the tortilla rest until it comes to room temperature.
6. When ready to serve, cut into 4 – 6 wedges, and sprinkle each wedge with a little coarse salt and Spanish olive oil.

Filed under: breakfast, brunch, dinner, lunch, omelet, recipes

Breast of Veal – Boned, Rolled, & Braised, Spanish-style

Boned, Rolled, and Braised Breast of Veal, Spanish-Style

This delicious, chorizo-stuffed breast serves 8 and is great with garlicky roast potatoes or rice flavored with saffron.

Ingredients:
1 large piece of veal breast (about 6 pounds)
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 pound chorizo sausages (about 3)
2 large onions, quartered, plus 1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
salt and pepper to taste
flour for coating the veal
olive oil for brushing the roasting pan (for a rustic dish like this, we recommend McEvoy Extra Virgin Olive Oil http://www.deandeluca.com/pantry/olive-oil/olive-rustic/mcevoy-ranch-extra-virgin-olive-oil.aspx?ref_code=blogspotprod)
2 carrots, cut into thin rounds
3 green bell peppers, seeded and cut into large chunks
dry white wine and beef stock for braising the veal

Directions:
1. Ask your butcher to bone the veal breast, yielding a wide, flat piece of meat that weighs approximately 2 pounds. Ask the butcher to give you the bones as well. Let the veal breast come to room temperature.
2. Prepare the stuffing: Place the milk and the fresh bread crumbs in a saucepan. Bring to boil and boil for 2 to 3 minutes, until mixture is very thick. Place in mixing bowl. Remove chorizo casings, and mince half the chorizo very finely. Cut the other half into medium dice. You should have about 1 1/2 cups of sausage meat. Add to mixing bowl. Sauté the 1/4 cup chopped onion in the butter over moderately high heat until the onion starts to turn soft, about 5 minutes. Add to mixing bowl along with the egg. Beat vigorously and season with salt and pepper.
3. Place the boned veal breast, cut side up, on a counter, making a rectangle with the long side directly in front of you. Season with salt and pepper. About one third of the way past the bottom edge of the rectangle, the edge that’s nearer you, spread out the stuffing in a long mound, working from left to right. (Do not allow the stuffing to come to the left or right edges of the boned veal; the stuffing mound should start and end about 1 inch from the left and right edges of the veal.)
4. Grab the bottom edge, the one that’s closest to you, and roll it away from you, over the stuffing, rolling until you reach the top edge. You will now have a cylindrical, stuffed roast. Tie it well at the two ends to prevent stuffing from oozing out, and tie it at 2-inch intervals to make sure the flap stays closed during cooking. Season well with salt and pepper, and coat lightly with flour.
5. You will need a very large pan to cook the breast; it’s about a foot-and-a-half long, and you will need a pan with high sides to accommodate the braising liquid. A deep, very heavy-gauge roasting pan is probably your best choice. Brush the pan with olive oil and place it over moderately high heat.
6. Place 4 or 5 veal bones in the pan along with the quartered onions, carrots, and green peppers. Sauté until the vegetables start to brown, about 10 minutes. Make a space in the center of the pan, increase the heat to high, and place the rolled veal breast in the pan. Brown on all sides (this will take about 10 minutes).
7. Then, add enough white wine and beef stock (using equal amounts of each) to the pan until the liquid comes halfway up the side of the veal breast. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and bring to a bare simmer. Cover with a lid or with aluminum foil.
8. Cook on top of the stove, or in a preheated 325 degrees oven, checking the liquid to make sure it’s gently simmering, for 3 hours.
9. When the breast is done, remove from the pan, place on a cutting board, and cover with a tent of aluminum foil to keep warm. Taste the braising liquid; if it needs to be intensified, boil it until it is reduced to the desired consistency and season it. (We like to serve it as it is, with the remains of the braising vegetables strewn over slices of the veal breast.)
10. When ready to serve, remove the strings, then cut veal breast into 1-inch slices.
Serve immediately with sauce.

When a breast of veal is boned, stuffed, and rolled, it’s a little less messy, a little easier for everyone to handle. It can also be cut into thinner, more delicate portions, making it easier to serve more people from one breast of veal.

This delicious, chorizo-stuffed breast is great with garlicky roast potatoes or rice flavored with saffron.

Filed under: recipes, Spanish, veal

Video recipes

At DEAN & DELUCA, we want to share with you our passion for food of incomparable quality and taste. For more than 30 years, we have made it our mission to search the globe for the finest, most extraordinary foods and kitchenware. Our goal has been to offer products that meet our – and your – uncompromising standards.

When we discovered Rouxbe – an amazing online cooking site that delivers the very best instructional cooking content we have ever seen – we knew we had found the right partner to carry on our mission. Visit http://www.deandeluca.com/video/misc.aspx?id=2256 for delightful dishes and extraordinary instruction, all exquisitely shot. New recipes and techniques await you.

We hope you enjoy your pre-paid membership in Rouxbe, courtesy of the team at DEAN & DELUCA.

Filed under: recipes, rouxbe, video

Roasted Red Pepper Bisque recipe

Roasted Red Pepper Bisque as prepared in DEAN & DELUCA’s Kansas City kitchen

Yield 3 ½ qts

½ stick Butter
½ cup celery, diced
½ cup onions, diced
½ cup carrots, diced
1 quart Chicken stock
3 cups Roasted red peppers with juice
1 cup Tomato paste
1.5 cups Ketchup
1 quart Heavy whipping cream
1 Tbsp Kosher salt
2 tsp Ground black pepper
¾ tsp Dried oregano leaves
¾ tsp Dried basil leaves

Method:
1. melt butter and saute celery, carrots, and onions to soften
2. add stock and roasted red peppers to the vegetables
3. bring to a boil
4. add remaining ingredients to boiling stock and vegetable mix
5. reduce heat and let simmer 10-15 minutes
6. add seasonings and puree mix until smooth
7. adjust seasonings as needed

For more recipes, please visit us at http://www.deandeluca.com/?ref_code=blogspothome and click on “RECIPES” in the bottom nav bar.

Filed under: bisque, KC, recipes, red pepper, roasted

Fantastic fava bean puree recipe from umamigirl.com

Carolyn Cope’s Fava Bean Purée, adapted from Alice Waters, The Art of Simple Food
½ cup olive oil4 pounds fava beans4 large garlic cloves, roughly choppedA sprig of fresh rosemary, thyme, or tarragon, or another herb of your choice½ cup waterSalt and pepper¼ cup extra virgin olive oilLemon juice and grated zest, optional
To prepare the fava beans for cooking, remove them from their pods. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, and fill a large bowl with ice water. Blanch the beans in the boiling water for one to two minutes, until they slip fairly readily from their skins. Transfer the beans with a skimmer or slotted spoon to the ice water. When they’re cool, drain the water and remove the beans from their skins.
To make the puree, heat the ½ cup of olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the shelled, skinned beans, garlic, herbs, water, and a good couple of pinches of salt and pepper. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender (about 15 minutes), adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning, and adding more water if necessary. Remove the pot from the heat, and remove the herb sprig. Mash the beans with the back of a spoon or pass the mixture through a food mill.
Stir in the ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil and a bit of water if necessary to achieve a nice, thick but spreadable consistency, along with a squeeze of lemon juice and a bit of grated zest, if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with toasted baguette slices.
Our thanks to Carolyn for sharing this recipe. Visit her fantastic food blog at http://umamigirl.com/. Her writing is as fresh and wonderful as the food she features.

Filed under: Carolyn Cope, fava bean, puree, recipes

Herb & Mustard Crusted Rack of Lamb

We used this recipe to prepare a Herb & Mustard Rack of Lamb for DEAN & DELUCA’s Personal Shoppers this week. Those of us who already love lamb were delighted by its rich aroma, flavor, and texture. The few lamb skeptics among us were 100% converted after their first bite.

Total time: 60 to 90 minutes

1 rack of lamb; frenched (whole & half lambs, leg of lamb, and crown roasts available at http://www.deandeluca.com/butcher-shop/game-other.aspx?ref_code=blogspotcat)

2-3 Tbsp Olive Oil we used the Terrabianca for its depth of flavor http://www.deandeluca.com/pantry/olive-oil/terrabianca-extra-virgin-olive-oil.aspx?ref_code+blogspotprodx?ref_code+blogspotprod) 4 Tbsp cup Dijon mustard,Sea Salt, freshly ground black pepper, 1 Tbsp finely chopped marjoram, 2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage, 1 Tbsp finely chopped thyme, 1 Tbsp finely chopped fresh Italian parsley; 5 cloves garlic minced.

Preparation: 10 minutes.

Combine the freshly chopped herbs and garlic in a bowl. Add mustard and lightly season with salt and pepper. Stir this mixture with a spoon until it begins to form a “paste”. After the herbs and mustard have been well mixed, slowly drizzle in olive oil to act as a binder and emulsify the paste. The consistency should not be runny or overly thick, more like a pesto paste. Once the herbs are combined and well mixed, set aside and for 10-15 minutes while preparing the lamb.

Preheat oven to 375° F – most people will advise 350° F, but I like the “crust” that comes from a slightly higher cooking temperature.Preparation: 12 minutesPat dry the rack and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add a light coat of olive oil and let it heat for 30 seconds. Gently (be careful to avoid spattering) place the rack, fat side down in sauté pan and sear until browned (2-3 minutes). Carefully, flip the rack and sear the remaining sides. Remove and allow the rack to ‘rest’ for 5-7 minutes.

Preparation: 2 minutes

Once the rack has cooled, rub the herb infused paste generously over the rack. Caution; make sure the exposed, frenched bones are kept clean to avoid looking burnt after cooking. Make sure that front, back and bottom of the rack are coated with the herb mixture.Brush the mustard onto both sides of the seared lamb and then season with salt and pepper. Mix together all of the herbs and breadcrumbs and coat both sides of the lamb in the mixture, pressing lightly so the herbs adhere.

Cooking time: 15-20 minutes – Internal monitored temperature of 130° FPlace the rack on a roasting rack or directly in a roasting pan. If placing directly in the pan lightly coat with oil. Place the tray in the oven and cook for approximately 15-20 minutes based on weight.

Rest the rack for 5-7 minutes before cutting to let the internal juices settle and flavor the meat.

Filed under: lamb, Personal Shoppers, recipes

Leg of Lamb – Moroccan style

Chef Andy used this Moroccan style recipe to prepare a leg of lamb for us this week.

Unbelievable flavor, perfectly cooked, and seasoned.

Moroccan styled rubbed leg of lamb

One 6-7 pound boneless leg of lamb (now available at http://www.deandeluca.com/ViewProduct.aspx?ProductID=160211580?ref_code+blogspotprod)
Extra virgin olive oil, Sea Salt, freshly ground black pepper, 3 Tbsp finely chopped Italian parsley, fresh 5 cloves garlic minced, 1/3 Cup Curry powder

Preparation: 15 minutes
Homemade curry powder:
6-7 dried chilies with seeds
1 tsp rubbed sage
1 Tbsp fenugreek seeds
1 Tbsp coriander seeds
2 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp powdered garlic
2 dried bay leaves
5 cloves
1 tsp annatto seeds
2 whole dried mace husks
2 Tbsp cumin seeds
2 tsp sesame seeds
1 small stick of cinnamon

Roast everything except the chilies until lightly toasted. Cool and then blend and grind in a spice grinder. Powder can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to six months.

Preparation: 10 minutes
Pat dry the leg of lamb and place on a rack in a roasting pan. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the lamb and rub the lamb to insure a light coat of oil over the entire leg. Generously salt and pepper the leg of lamb. Rub the curry powder on the leg covering the entire leg; make sure that you also rub the powder into the crevasses made from de-boning the leg as well. Sprinkle parsley over the leg and let the rubbed leg rest at room temperature for 10 minutes before placing in the oven.

Cooking time: 1 to 1 ½ hours – Internal monitored temperature of 130° F
Place lamb in a 350° F oven for1 to 1 ½ hours. Approximately 20 minutes per pound. This varies if the leg is being cooked with a bone as opposed to without. The internal temperature of the lamb at its thickest point should not exceed 130° F. Because of the size of the leg, allow it to rest for about 15 minutes before cutting into it.

The lamb will continue to cook while it is resting and it will be extremely moist.
Believe me, after smelling the lamb cooking for over an hour, it didn’t last long after this photo.

Filed under: lamb, recipes