A good cold weather dish...

[yellerpup]

Mr. Pup has been working maniacal hours since the beginning of the year and I've been stir crazy because of all the ice and snow piled up. Last night, I made a special dinner so we could relax and get away from it all after work.



Found this five-fork recipe for lamb on epicurious and couldn't wait to try out the unusual cumin-cocoa-ground coffee dry rub. If you like rare lamb chops, this came out perfectly using a large cast iron skillet. I didn't stress out when I couldn't find arugula or blood oranges but just enjoyed myself making stuff up as I went along with what I had on hand. The salad was terrific, but I'd still like to try the recipe as written. The brown basmati rice dish is not one I could make again. I wouldn't have made it the first time if I hadn't had ground pecans and a handful of (a little too) dried dates sitting out on the counter. I'm sure the rice and dates could work well together as a cold salad in the summer, but I made mashed russets to go with the leftover chops for tonight's dinner and found the mash much more satisfying. A link to the recipe follows the menu.


January 19, 2011
Home for Dinner Celebration

Mushroom Stuffed Mushrooms
Whole Wheat-Flax Bread

Spice Coated Rack of Lamb

Avocado and Orange Salad
w/Orange-Rice Wine Vinaigrette

Brown Basmati Rice w/Dates and Pecans


Blackberry-Cabernet Sorbet

Goat Cheese, Pear, Poppyseed Crackers
Plum Liqueur

Red Wine - White Wine - Espresso

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Spice-Coated-Rack-of-Lamb-for-Two-with-Arugula-Avocado-and-Blood-Orange-Salad-351234

[cbayer]

1. That looks so good and the lamb is cooked perfectly!

I have used this epicurious recipe for the lamb before, and agree that it is really great, but the whole menu looks absolutely perfect.

:hi:

[yellerpup]

3. Thanks, C!

It really is delicious. I bet you were intrigued by that rub, too. Right? :hi:

[cbayer]

5. Yep! I use their weekly menu planner a lot and some of the recipes make me go

"Is this right?". It turns out really well much more often than not and adds a lot of variety to our dinners.

Hope you are doing well.

:hi:

[yellerpup]

6. It's been a long while since I've been disappointed

by a recipe from epicurious. Doing okay, hoping for better, and ready for the snow and ice to take a break, but I am well. Hope you are healthy, happy, and have a great 2011. :hi:

[Lucinda]

2. The salad looks soooo good!

And I think i'd like the rice... But I like weird rice combos. Sounds like a wonderful meal :)

[yellerpup]

4. The salad was scrumptious and the dressing was a nice

accompaniment. I've had the date-rice combination before and I did like it. It wasn't terrible, it just wasn't incredible. :hi:

[Dover]

7. Ooooolala! A work of art!

You must have had such a fun, creative time preparing it, and I'll bet your hubby was delighted and rejuvenated. Food prepared with such love is the charm.

It's remarkable how restorative food can be to the mind. body and spirit. I swear if hosptials could acknowledge the importance of that, and find a way to make it available to patients and hard working staff, it would do wonders in the healing/recovery/care process.

Thanks so much for sharing the pics and recipes too!

[yellerpup]

8. ..."food is restorative to mind, body, and spirit..."

I like that! I think of food as both medicine and celebration. The points you make about happiness in the healing process is so true. Too often people hear "care" but they see dollar signs at the very mention. A kind word, a thoughtful act (such as preparing a favorite meal) small comfort, even a smile can all speed recovery and make life easier for the caretaker at the same time. Hubby does appreciate and that is another reward. Always my pleasure to share. :hi:

Edit for typo