I ♥ Britain :: Minced Lamb Shepard's Pie

Summer is officially over and today was a sunny, and crisp autumn day here in NYC.  I woke up excited to wear my new schoolboy blazer (which has already become my fall uniform!), had breakfast coffee with A. , and we went on a quick trip to the farmer's market.  I then went to the West Village Library (how fitting with my new blazer!) and took a pile of books to a sunny table at Out of the Kitchen.  We drank cappuccinos as I skimmed through my new finds... a perfect afternoon!

Yes, I am now the proud owner of a New York Library card!  It's pretty amazing... I had forgotten about the wonders of a library.  I got my card and went straight to the "640 section - Cookbooks" and started choosing.  I got three books and went to checkout... it's been such a long time since I've been in a library that I took out my wallet as the librarian scanned my books... then I remembered: it's free!  I'll be coming back very often.  :-)

My first choice was "Tea & Sympathy", the story and cookbook behind the famous West Village tea shop.  I so enjoyed the book, that I finished it today.  

Well, inspired and craving British grub... we cooked Minced Lamb Shepard's Pie based on the Tea & Sympathy recipe of this British favorite.  We replaced the ground beef with minced lamb, and I seasoned the lamb with my usual lamb seasoning mix (I think lamb always needs to be seasoned before cooking).  A. also had the idea to leave the skin on the potatoes for the mash... and it was a great addition.  

Who ever said British food was boring and bland was obviously trying to keep all the Shepard's pie to himself!  My next British endeavor: scones!

Enjoy!

MINCED LAMB SHEPARD'S PIE (adapted from Tea & Sympathy)

1 lb lamb meat, minced

2 cloves of garlic, chopped

Juice of 1/2 a lime

Dash of cumin

1 tsp white vinegar

1 yellow onion, chopped

4 tbsp Worcester Sauce

1 large tomato (or 2 medium tomatoes)

1 cup beef stock (if you are not making your own, I prefer an organic version like Pacific brand)

3 bay leaves 

3 carrots, cooked and chopped

1 1/2 cups of cooked green peas

Extra-sharp Vermont cheddar, shredded

For the mashed potatoes:

3 lbs Idaho potatoes

1/2 stick of butter

3/4 cups of milk

salt and pepper to taste

Season the minced lamb meat (or ground meat) with the garlic, vinegar, lime juice, and a dash of salt, pepper, and cumin.  In a large saute pan over high heat, cook the chopped onion until they become clear.  Add the seasoned lamb meat to the pan and brown.  Add the tomato juice, beef stock, Worcester sauce, and bay leaves.  Continue to cook over medium heat for 30 minutes.  The liquids should reduce to 1/3 of their original state.

Prepare the mashed potatoes by boiling the potatoes in large wedges until soft.  When cooked, strain the potatoes (you can leave the skins on, or at this point you can easily remove... we left the skins on and it resulted in great texture!)and in a large bowl combine them with the butter, milk, salt and pepper.  By hand or with a hand mixer, bring the potatoes to a smooth consistency.  Taste for salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Quickly cook the peas and carrots in boiling water or a steamer.  Do not overcook.  You want them al-dente.  Remove from the water and place in a bowl of ice water to prevent them from losing their color.

Preheat the oven to 350F.  When you are ready to assemble your pie, combine the peas and carrots with the lamb. In ramekins, or a large oven dish layer the lamb and vegetables first to about half way of your container, then layer an equally thick serving of the mashed potatoes.  Top with the shredded cheese.

Cook for 25 minutes.  Afterwards, place the oven on broil in order for the cheese to brown for a couple of minutes.

Allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes.  You can serve with a side salad and simple vinaigrette.

PS: Since it was just the 2 of us for dinner tonight I made small loaf pans of the Shepard's pies to freeze.  Cover with wax paper and a rubber band, and place in a Ziploc freezer bag, and simply reheat in the oven when you are ready for seconds. :-)

Midnight Craving :: Magnolia's Key Lime Cheesecake

Whenever I tell anybody outside of NY we live in the West Village,  the first thing that comes up is: Magnolia Bakery.  

ME:  "We live downtown, on the west side... the west village"

FRIEND NOT IN NYC: "...of course! right next to Magnolia? You must eat cupcakes every night!"

Well, I'll be honest... I'm not a huge cupcake fan.  :-(  Birthday cake: yes, but cupcakes: not so much.  Secondly, if you ask most New Yorkers, and most West Village-ites for that matter, they'll tell you there are better place in NYC to go for a good cupcake.   For example: Sugar Sweet Sunshine (plus they deliver!).  Yes, it's true... a lot of West Villagers Magnolia neighbors get their cupcakes from the Lower East Side.

But there are a couple of things worth waiting in line at Magnolia.  Oh and yes, I have even waited in line in the rain. 

One being their banana pudding... yummy goodness all in a to-go container.  

But my favorite? Magnolia's Key Lime Cheesecake!!!  

There are no words to describe the creamy, whipped topping, and the tangy key lime curd, all on a thin, buttery graham cracker crust! ...well I guess those are a few words.  :-) But, plain and simple: it's delicious.  

So that's what I'm planning on doing on my way home tomorrow: waiting in line! :-)

PS: In one of my favorite NYC moments, last summer we came across two small boys who had set up shop outside Magnolia selling funfetti cupcakes for $1 right next to the long line of cupcake-obsessed tourists.  Funfetti cupcakes? Genius, that's something I'll stand in line for! 

Catching up w/the Aussies :: Fried Plantains

Our friend S. was visiting from Sydney and we were lucky to be able to catch up with him and his girlfriend over dinner.  On the menu?  Tilapia en papillote with fried plantains and oozing brown butter plum cake for dessert! 

I love serving fish with fried plantains (or 'tostones'), the plantains crunch and saltiness complement the fish perfectly and you can't help but feel like your in the Carribean! 

Well, the other reason for plantains... after my tortilla experiment, I decided to buy a tortilla press.  And what better use for it than flattening plantains!  These also make a perfect anytime snack, or appetizer when entertaining.  Serve them with a fresh salsa on the side or get creative and serve individually w/ toppings.  My favorite: a top each 'toston' add a smear of creme fraiche, a slice of lox, and sprinkle scallions... yum.

PS:  The tortilla press is currently being stored in the microwave ...I'm sure all of you with a tiny kitchen can appreciate that.  On the bright side, I think I can buy a few more kitchen gadgets now that I discovered how much extra cupboard space you get when you use the microwave and the oven as storage.  Ice cream maker, here I come!  :-)

FRIED PLANTAINS (or TOSTONES) serves 4

2 green plantains

Vegetable oil

Salt to taste

Cut the plantain in 1 1/2 inch pieces.  Remove the outer skin with your hands.  I find that it comes off pretty easily once the plantain has been cut into small pieces, if not, use a pairing knife to remove any left behind pieces.

Fill your frying pan with plenty of oil. You want at least 2.5 - 3 inches of depth.  I use a small pan, a saucier, and use a small bottle of vegetable oil.  

Heat the pan on high.  When the oil is bubbling (be careful!) start adding your plantain pieces.  Only add a few at a time making sure to not crowd the pan.  When they just start to brown, remove them from the pan and set aside on a plate lined with a towel to absorb the grease.  Continue with all the pieces.

Now to press!  With a tortilla press, or a plate, lay a piece of the plantains between 2 pieces of parchment paper (or between a ziploc bag if you don't have wax paper) and press! You want the plantain to be about 1/4" thick.  Repeat.

You can set them aside if you are working in advance, the 'just fried' texture makes all the difference so I always do the re-frying fry right before serving. 

Reheat the oil.  When hot, start adding the pressed plantain.  Fry each for a minute or so, until light brown and crispy.  Remove from heat, and use a paper towel to soak the extra oil.  Then sprinkle with a generous amount of salt.

PS: If you want to give them more flavor - you can soak the plantain in a bit of cold water with a few cloves of mashed garlic after the first frying and after pressed.  But be careful to dry them thoroughly before you re-fry!

Enjoy!

For Breakfast :: Lobster Rolls!

We were in Newport, RI this weekend, and it was beautiful!  But, the best part of Newport? Lobster rolls for breakfast!!!  Yes, for breakfast... I think I could live here.  :-)  

Maybe it's New England drizzle, the boats by the dock, and the fishermen coming in from the fog with their crates of live seafood... but it doesn't get more local than this.

Well, now we are back in NYC and still craving lobster rolls.  It got me thinking, what makes a great lobster roll and started looking for recipes. 

I found this snippet in NY Mag of Jasper White's (chef/owner of the Summer Shack in Cambridge & author of 'Lobster at Home')  essentials to the perfect roll:

1. A good amount of meat.  A lobster roll should contain the meat from a one-pond lobster, about 3.5 ounces of meat
2. A flat-bottomed, or 'top-loading' hot dog bun, butter-griddled like a grilled cheese sandwich.
   
3. The right dressing.  Hellman's is great, but mayo isn't enough.  Try a little mustard and diced cucumbers instead of celery.
4. On the side, some kind of pickle is important to add a little acidity; potato chips are nice.
5. Eat with your hands! 

Click here for The Summer Shacks lobster roll recipe. 

Enjoy!

Fall is Here :: Tuscan Pork Tenderloin in Baguette

Every once in a while I reorganize my many cookbook... and by 'many' I really mean that I have a compulsive cookbook shopping problem!  I buy them, read them like they are books, stare at the pictures, I even take them to the gym sometimes and flip through them while 'working out'.

But, I'll admit that I hardly pull them out when cooking.  I do, however, stuff them with loose recipes I've found or been given.  Yes, instead of getting more books, I need a recipe organization system!  ...On my to do list.

Well, in the midst of my organizing books, I found this wonderful recipe I had been given for a pork tenderloin cooked in a baguette.  It sounded so tempting and different, and a perfect dish for the recent crisp NYC weather, so I decided to try it.

It was delicious!  The pork remains perfectly moist and flavorful, all the delicious juices stay in the crusty bread.  I served it warm out of the oven, and A. said it one of the most delicious 'sandwiches' he's had!

Well, I'm not sure this is supposed to be a 'sandwich', but it got my thinking that it would be even tastier at room temperature or slightly cold... think of an 'au jus' sandwich.

Pair with a mixed green salad (I added melon to ours!) don't you think this would be the perfect meal for an outdoor fall picnic? Enjoy!

TUSCAN PORK TENDERLOIN IN BAGUETTE (adapted from Joanna Weir recipe)

1 pork tenderloin (1 - 1.5 lbs)

1 baguette (I used a demi loaf)

1 1/2 tbsp herbes de Provence

1 Worcester Sauce

Leaves of oregano & chives, or other fresh herbs you have handy

2 cloves Garlic

Dijon Mustard

Lime

Butter

Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven at 350F.  Marinate pork tenderloin with herbs, Worcester sauce, garlic, 1/2 tbspDijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper for a couple of hours and leave in the fridge.  

Heat a non-stick skillet over high heat with a bit of olive oil to coat the pan.  Pat the tenderloin dry with a paper towel.  Add the tenderloin to the skillet and sear.  You want to create a crust without cooking the meat, so only leave for a couple of minutes on each side.  Remove from heat, and set aside on a plate.  Preheat the oven to 350F.

Make a cut down the middle of the baguette, and open it slightly (note: do not cut all the way down to create 2 pieces).  Scoop out a bit of the filling to allow enough room for the tenderloin.

Spread about a tablespoon of butter along the inside, and then smear a bit of the dijon mustard on top (about 1/2 a tablespoon, depending on the size of your bread).  

Place the tenderloin inside the baguette topping with any juices from the cooking.  With twine,  tie the baguette together every coupe of inches.  If you are using a large baguette, cut of the ends.  Place in an oven safe dish and cover with aluminum.

Place the baguette in the oven and cook until the inside reaches 170F, about 30 minutes. When ready remove from the oven and allow it to cool for 5 minutes.  

Slice, and enjoy! 

Happy Labor Day :: Spicy Fish Tacos w/Homemade Tortillas

The long weekend has come and gone...

We hosted three dinner parties this weekend - Friday, Saturday, & a lunch on Monday. Yes, 3! Can you believe it? Lots of cooking, but I can't imagine anything better to do on a weekend than hang out with A. e, and have dinner with our friends. :-) We also had a delicious lunch at Spice Market on Sunday and I found my new obsession: Vietnamese coffee! ...I guess condensed milk makes anything better.

After waking up at noon (yay for days off!) on Friday, I spent the afternoon wandering around Whole Foods in Tribeca thinking of menus for the weekend. I picked up lots of great ingredients: gruyere for croque monsiuers, oxtails for a beef stew, a Caribbean coconut sorbet for dessert, freshly ground honey roasted peanut butter (my favorite stand at whole foods), fresh tilapia, even short ribs. My favorite find? A giant orange bag of Mexican corn flour. Not sure what I would use it for, but I picked it up anyway.

Then I thought: homemade tortillas!

I love labor intensive foods, there's something so romantic and satisfying about a cooking process that have been around for so many generations... A. thought I was crazy to be spending an hour kneading dough, flattening it with a cast iron skillet (I need a tortilla press asap!), then a rolling pin, and patiently sitting by the stove on a hot day as each tortilla bubbled up and browned, when Whole Foods sells perfectly good tortillas ... but when he came home and saw the warm stack of fresh corn tortillas he said 'absolutely amazing!'. Told you so! :-)

So, that was the menu on Friday: Spicy Tilapia fish tacos with homemade tortillas!

 

TORTILLAS
2 cups corn masa
1 1/2 cups warm water with a dash of salt

Mix the corn masa with the salted water. Knead the dough until thoroughly mixed together to make a large ball.

Then make small golf ball sized rounds. As you are working through the dough, keep it covered with a damp towel to prevent drying. Flatten each small ball very thin either with a tortilla press or with a rolling pin and then cut into round shapes (click here for a step by step).

Heat an ungreased non-stick skillet on high. When the skillet in very hot add a tortilla, one at a time and cook for 30 seconds on each side. If the tortilla sticks, the skillet is not hot enough.

Serve the tortillas right away or keep covered for a couple of hours.

Now to the tacos...

TILAPIA TACOS w/ADOBE CHILE SAUCE
4 tilapia filets
juice of half a lime
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp fresh cilantro chopped, + additional leaves for garnish
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup sour cream
2 chipotle chiles in adobe sauce, canned (seeded)
1 ripe avocado, sliced
salt & pepper

Season tilapia fillets with lime, cilantro, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

In the meanwhile, make the spicy chipotle sauce. Combine the chiles and sour cream with a dash of salt in the food processor. Set aside.
In a nonstick skillet over medium high heat with a bit of olive oil, add the tilapia. When cooked, flip over until golden. Remove from heat.

To assemble the tacos: add a smear of the chipotle sauce to the fresh tortillas, plenty of tilapia, a couple of slices of avocado, and fresh cilantro. You can top each taco with a fresh salsa (recipe below) or serve on the side.

Enjoy!
SIMPLE PICADILLO SALSA
1 large tomato
1/2 white onion
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
2 tbsp white vinegar
juice of 1/2 a lime
1/2 of olive oil
Tabasco and salt (to taste)

Combine all ingredients and chill. Keeps in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

From the Oven :: Homemade Cranberry Granola

I love yogurt and granola! It's such a perfect anytime snack... especially with fresh fruits on top.  Yum!  ...But packaged granola often has alot of processed sugars and fats.  Sugar, corn syrup, and fructose are usually the main ingredients in the store bought mixes, or in 'healthy' granola bars.  Humm, not exactly the healthy snack I'm envisioning.  

So I decided to bake my own granola!  ...It's not as convenient as grabbing a box off the supermarket shelf, but it doesn't require more than 5 minutes of prep work and it will keep in the fridge for months.  Well worth the effort just to know what you're eating.  And the taste will be delicious.  You can make any flavor combination you can imagine, and your apartment will smell like sweet, cinnamon-y goodness all day! :-)

I couldn't wait to have it for breakfast.  So the next morning, I surprised A. by making us 'to-go' breakfast yogurt parfaits.  

In glass mason jars, I layered Fage greek yogurt (0% fat), my freshly baked granola, and diced melons ... delicious!!  So easy and healthy... not to mention how cute the jars look. 

You can even make the parfaits the night before, leave in the fridge, and grab as you're rushing out in the morning.  I love these glass jars because you don't have to worry about leaking.  If you are worried about the granola getting soggy overnight, cut out rounds of parchment/wax paper the diameter of your container.  Place the round of paper between the yogurt and the granola.  Problem solved! 

CRANBERRY GRANOLA

6 cups old fashioned oats (not quick cook)

1/2 cup honey

2 tbsp butter

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla extract

dash of salt

1 cup dried cranberries (you can replace with raisins)

optional: 1 cup nuts, seeds, coconut flakes, even chocolate chips!

Preheat oven at 350F.  In a large bowl with the oats with the honey, room temperature butter, cinnamon, vanilla, salt, and nuts if you are adding them.  Spread oats on a baking pan and bake for 40 minutes, until golden brown.  Remove from the oven and add dried fruits or chips.  Allow the granola to cool to room temperature and store in a sealed jar in the fridge.

Enjoy!

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