Darina Allen's Game Changing Braised Lamb Shanks with Garlic, Rosemary and Cannelini Beans

Lamb Shanks with Garlic, Rosemary and Cannellini Beans

March is when the rest of the world takes notice and we all become Irish for a day. We start wearing as many colours of green as the Irish hills and dales, drinking green beer and Guinness at our favourite local pubs and singing renditions of Danny Boy in our best pitched voices. L'il Burnt Toast is named after the Emerald Isle so it holds special meaning for us, even if we are not Irish, and we have always celebrated with food. Farm fresh spring lamb flavoured with fresh rosemary, smoked Irish salmon served with Connemara Peated Single Malt Whiskey, and black pudding will exercise your taste buds as you imagine taking in the sights and sounds of the Emerald Isle along one of Ireland’s many tasty food trails. 


So what better way to bring a little Irish into your life than to discover our next Game Changer Darina Allen who is the owner of the internationally renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School in Shanagarry, County Cork, Ireland. As well as running the school and teaching classes there, she writes newspaper columns, articles and cookbooks, most of which focus on Irish cuisine. The school is part of an organic farm that grows much of the food used at the school and the nearby Ballymaloe House bed and breakfast.

Madhur Jaffrey Makes Koftas and Corn with Aromatic Seasonings

Koftas and Corn with Aromatic Seasonings

Born in Delhi, Madhur Jaffrey came to London, England at 19 to study drama at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and pursue her passion for acting. It was here that she learnt to cook from necessity not liking what she saw of campus food. She desperately missed home-cooked meals, so her mother would send her recipes through correspondence which she cooked with growing skill in her kitchen. At the heart of her cooking were fresh ingredients and the vibrant flavours of herbs and spices reminiscent of her home in India.

Cooking with Julia Child in 1995

Madhur acted in TV, film and radio productions in England, then headed to New York, where she wrote food articles to supplement her income and fund her children’s education. This foray into food writing led to hugely successful books and stints on TV programmes, made popular due to Madhur’s straight-talking approach which makes her number 7 in our forray through the list of Fifty women game changers from Gourmet Live.

Forget the mystery of the Taj Mahal, the residence of the Dali Lama or the sacred waters of the Ganges River the true mystery for me is producing outstanding East Indian cooking and the intricate layering of spices. The assortment of mouthwatering recipes of Indian food is simply awe inspiring and for a "newbie" like me rather daunting. Most Indian dishes are easily constructed but complexly layered so I followed along on another journey with Madhur and learned a few more techniques.

Roasted Lamb Loin Chops with Mustard-Herb Crust and Lemon Chive Roasted Vegetables

Roasted Lamb Loin Chops with Mustard-Herb Crust and Lemon Chive Roasted Vegetables

Happy Easter!!!!! Every family celebrates these holidays with different traditions and celebrations. Whether you celebrated yesterday, today, tomorrow or even Monday or simply don't celebrate at all, I hope you are creating unforgettable memories this long weekend. I had a small gathering yesterday and perhaps it is the heady scent of the forsythia, the flowering apricots and magnolias, the warmer days, the gentle buzz of a honeybee or the lengthening hours of light that have made this holiday season what dreams are made of.

I was Crushed by Lamb Kofta Appetizer with Tzatziki Sauce

Lamb Kofta Appetizer with Tzatziki Sauce

As writers and budding cooks we get our inspiration from many different sources. This recipe idea came from an on-line magazine from South Africa....Crush! Kofta is a minced meat kabob, typically molded into the shape of a sausage and wrapped around a skewer. The texture of the kofta comes from grinding the meat into a paste-like consistency and mixing it with herbs and spices of your choice.

Kofta is nothing new here on these pages but what I loved about this particular dish was the idea of serving these as an appetizer with olive-shaped little meatballs. With Easter coming up it seems only fitting that I share a few of my favourite lamb recipes. I like to use lamb for my koftas and serve these tasty morsels canapé fashion with fresh local crudités, tzatziki for dipping and a cool glass of rosé!

Stop for Turkish Lahmacun with Piyaz on the FOODalogue Culinary Tour

Turkish Lahmacun with Piyaz

Turkey is a fascinating country high on my list of countries I hope someday to explore, but for today I am "almost" content to be travelling on a virtual culinary journey with Joan of FOODalogue for her Culinary Tour 2011. I think if I delved into my past life you would find me somewhere in the Middle East browsing the markets. I find myself inexplicably drawn to their cuisine, flavours and culture. I have a special affection for bulgur, yogurt adn lamb none of which appeared on my table growing up in Southern Ontario.

Joan has been travelling virtually wherever her imagination takes us through cuisine, sights, and cultural exploration.  How about meeting her in any one of her itinerary stops and presenting your interpretation of the cuisine from that destination? Who wouldn't enjoy taking a journey around the world even if it is from the comfort of your favourite armchair?? No passport necessary, no cancelled flights or long airport layovers. You can also do a little daydreaming through your taste buds. We have already met up in Panama where we feasted on traditional dishes  and visited the markets, caught our own salmon and alien looking King Crab in Alaska ...so next stop on her tour is, you guessed it:

Agnello Scottadita (Burned Fingers) for our Eat, Pray, Love Challenge

Agnello Scottadita (Burned Fingers)

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know that I have been creating personal challenges based on a theme to infuse new life into my own cooking adventures. At the moment I am not travelling the world on my own personal journey as Elizabeth Gilbert did in Eat, Pray, Love but I can infuse new life into my own kitchen. Since this is a food blog I am going to concentrate on the EAT part of the book so my next personal challenge will see me create an Italian menu from antipasti to dolce to celebrate the opening of Eat, Pray, Love the movie starring Julia Roberts.

Eat , Pray,Love is Elizabeth Gilbert’s wonderfully crafted book about life changing experiences when she trades in her previously perfect life to travel the world "to find herself. " After a heart wrenching divorce she spends a year traveling in Italy, India and Indonesia. Each word in the title Eat, Pray, Love is expanded by her experiences in three countries. In Italy she indulges in the fabulous food and language. In India she finds new meaning in her life on her personal journey of self-awareness and enlightenment spending time in an Indian ashram. Then as a climax to the book she finally finds love in Bali, Indonesia.

Kofta Sliders and Lemon-Mint Sauce for My Cuisine du Terroir Challenge

Kofta Sliders with Lemon-Mint Sauce

I just finished my My World is Blue challenge where I used different techniques to create a menu from start to finish utilizing culinary lavender. Now on to the next challenge here at MTBT!!!

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know that I have been creating personal challenges based on a theme to infuse new life into my cooking adventures. Even every day food should be an adventure either with new ideas or experimenting with a new cuisine. Every day we should be excited about what we are eating even if it just means making use of a wonderful find at our local farmers market.

A Taste of Spring with Cooking Light and Rosemary-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Balsamic Sauce

 

Rosemary-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Balsamic Sauce

We are so glad that you have decided to join us once again for our Cooking Light Virtual Supper Club. This is a monthly event where 5 ladies in two neighbouring countries get together to create a delicious meal with a theme in mind. We all share a love for Cooking Light magazine which has an emphasis on healthy eating and living. Each issue covers light cuisine and includes more than 70 delicious and flavourful recipes. It also explores food and nutrition news as well as fitness, health and beauty. Appreciate this months write-up at their blog Test Kitchen Secrets.

For the month of March we enjoyed each others company virtually and continued with our healthy themes and honoured the season with A TASTE OF SPRING. We created what we consider a delicious and healthy menu from the pages of Cooking Light magazine. The idea is simple because we all share a common interest in cooking and healthy eating. We love to share these ideas with you each and every month through our Virtual Supper Club. This is a team effort where we combine what Cooking Light readers like best...good food with great company!!!

After what has seemed like an eternity, the northern hemisphere (read that The Great White North) can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Heavy winter coats are lifted along with people’s spirits.  With the turn of the calendar Spring has finally arrived!!!!Although in truth winter never really seemed to arrive here in the valley this year. It was mild, warm and snow free!! We are hovering between seasons here in the valley, the robins are back and they will be counting daffodils soon. Nevertheless it’s time to give winter staples "the boot" and dedicate suppertime to everything the change in seasons has to offer!!!!!.

 Spring is when everything seems to come alive!!!!! The days are longer and the markets begin to burst with the colours of the bountiful fruits and vegetables of the season. This is the time to enjoy fresh rhubarb, sweet garden peas and furled fiddleheads . It is the season for asparagus and escarole and a wide variety of lettuce handplucked from the garden for green salads. The delightful fragrance of chives, mint, chervil and tarragon fill the air to season your dishes. All of these tastes of Spring are bursting from our gardens, forests, markets and window boxes.

Teanna of Spork and Foon says, "The advantages to cooking with fresh, seasonal ingredients are endless. The produce tastes richer, fresher, and is more nutritious. The beauty of cooking with ingredients that are freshest in the Spring months are their pure simplicity.  The standout flavours are the fresh, natural ingredients themselves... the sweet taste of a carrot or the pop of a freshly shelled pea. Toss arugula with cherries, red wine vinegar, a touch of extra virgin olive oil, freshly ground black pepper, and thyme with some creamy goat cheese and you will have a dynamic spring starter. Top poached halibut with an orange vinaigrette and serve with asparagus sautéed in a bit of olive oil and topped with a dash of sea salt and shaved parmesan cheese or sauté fresh peas with spring onions in butter and delicate chervil for a side that is surprising ripe with flavor."

For those who are lucky enough to live near a farmers market as I am, we would be hard pressed not to be aware of which fruits are at the peak of their season. Pods of fresh peas and stalks of beautifully green asparagus will cook beautifully in a sauce of lemon zest, butter, mint and tossed with pappardelle or fettucini noodles. Later in the Spring season you can pick up sweet, deliciously ripe red strawberries or cherries that spill out of their baskets and pair them with early sweet-tart red rhubarb for a delicious galette. Add a bit of whipped cream topped with fragrant mint and you have the ultimate springtime dessert.

For me, just hearing the word Spring, turns my thoughts to lamb. In real time my daughter and friends came to dinner and we enjoyed the ultimate Rosemary-Crusted Rack of Lamb With Balsamic Sauce found in Cooking Light magazine.  I will make it time and time again with its crisp bread crumb coating. The sweet balsamic sauce made the perfect accent to the dish, my only regret was there was not enough so double the recipe!!!!! No need to rely on complicated recipes featuring heavy sauces or lengthy cooking times to create a mouthwatering dish such as this!!! To accompany the Spring lamb virtually Shelby of The Life and Loves of Grumpy's Honeybunch brought a mind-blowing staple of Zucchini Ribbons with Saffron Couscous. Adding to our healthy menu Aggie of Aggies Kitchen cooked up a colourful and flavourful Spring Giardiniera.  For finesse Jamie of Mom's Cooking Club wowed us with Strawberry Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing. Spring has arrived!!!!! To end our meal with a finale worthy of late Spring flavours Helene of La Cuisine d'Helene prepared  the ultimate delicious dessert....Raspberry-Almond Crumb Cake.

Although distance always prevents us from gathering as a group in each others homes we have enjoyed sharing a well balanced meal through our Virtual Supper Club this month and hipe you have enjoyed our healthy Spring menu. These dishes from Cooking Light magazine are sure to bring "daffodil smiles" to your own table.

What would you bring to the table? Link to the Cooking Light blog Test Kitchen Secrets when you see the post in a few days or to one of our blogs here and make something delicious from the pages of the magazine to add to our TASTE OF SPRING menu...the more the merrier!!!! 

You are reading this post on More Than Burnt Toast at http://morethanburnttoast.blogspot.com. Content must be credited to this author.

Christine Cushing Lamb Souvlaki

Lamb Souvlaki

If you have been following More Than Burnt Toast you will know I have started a weekly feature to highlight Canadian Chefs. Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. As the fifth installment in my Canadian Chef series I will introduce you to:

Carlo Rota and The Great Canadian Food Show....

Lamb Toutiere

Through your TV networks, or perhaps on other blogs, or even just right here on More Than Burnt Toast you may have heard of some of our Canadian chefs. For those of you who haven't, I hope you will find it interesting to see what our chefs are up to, a little about their history and how they came to love what they do. For the next few months I will be featuring one of our Canadian chefs each week. As the second installment to my Canadian Chef series I will introduce you to Carlo Rota. Many of you will know him as an actor, a host, and for his clever sense of humour, but most of all Carlo Rota is an outgoing individual who appreciates culture, great food, and above all loves putting on a performance!!!

Kofta

Break out the barbecue ladies and gents. Val is having a "hankering" for some Middle Eastern foods. She also needed to use up some of the ingredients she has in the refrigerator and freezer and create something delicious. I decided upon some beef kofta to satisfy my cravings. This would also be delicious with lamb. The texture of the kofta comes from grinding the meat into a paste-like consistency and mixing it with herbs and spices of your choice. And as long as the sun is shining ...throw it on the bar-bee-cue. I served it up with an accompaniment of Tabbouleh as well as a dip made of beans and arugula with naan bread and za'atar.

Do you think my craving was satisfied...oh YES!!!! Now lets move on to the next craving....Carrot Cake!!!!!

** Kofta**

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh parsley
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh coriander ( I used arugula instead since I already had it)
1 onion, quartered
500g lean ground beef or lamb
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground mild paprika
1/2 tsp ground allspice
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
10 saffron threads
1 T milk, heated
200ml container natural yogurt
2 T chopped fresh coriander, extra
2 tsp olive oil

******************
Line a large baking tray with foil. Place parsley, fresh coriander and onion in the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely chopped. Add mince, ground coriander, cumin, paprika, allspice and season with salt and pepper. Process until well combined and paste-like.

Preheat tour barbecue grill to medium-high. Mould a heaping tablespoon of meat mixture around a wooden or metal skewer into a sausage shape. Repeat with remaining beef mixture and skewers. Cover and set aside.

Place the saffron and hot milk in a small bowl and set aside. Combine the yogurt, coriander (or in my case arugula), salt and pepper in a small bowl and set aside.

Brush the kofta with a little of the oil and cook on the barbecue grill, turning carefully once and brushing with the oil, for 5-8 minutes or until browned and just cooked through.

Add saffron mixture to yogurt mixture and mix well. Serve kofta with saffron yogurt.

NOTE: If using bamboo skewers make sure to soak them for at least an hour immersed in water before using. This prevents the skewers from burning and catching fire on the barbie!!!!

Serves 8

A Greek Tribute with Rolo me Abelophylla with Avgolomeno

Rolo me Abelophylla with Avgolomeno

One of the perks of blogging is meeting some very kind hearted people who ultimately become your friends. In the two years that I have been blogging one of these people would be Ivy of Kopiaste. On a recent trip to the Central Market in Athens, with her good friend Marianna of History of Greek Food, Ivy thought of me. Even though we are thousands of kilometers away and an 11 hour plane ride from each other our love of food, Greece and friendship brings us together. Thank you Ivy!!!

Taste of the Mediterranean-Pastitsio Venetsianiko

Mediterranean-Pastritsio Venetsianiko

Tony from Olive Juice highlights fresh and colourful Mediterranean flavours through his event Taste of the Mediterranean . It’s a food blogging event sponsored by igourmet.com and each month, a journey and celebration of each dish takes place, focusing on a popular dish from each of the regions of the Mediterranean.This month's event is being co-hosted by Peter at Kalofagas. So check it out!! Close your eyes and imagine yourself on a Greek island.

Tony says, "Imagine a culinary getaway with all your food-blogging friends to all the hot spots around the Mediterranean. It’ll be like island hopping, but better - country hopping!"

Gozleme for Savory Pies Event

Gozleme

Part of the wonder of blogging is coming across recipes that you have never heard of previously. I was browsing sites one fine morning when EMJ of Blog From Our Kitchen caught my eye with a post about gözleme. Her original post is here .Not knowing what it was I had to Google it and am now fascinated with this Turkish street food. EMJ described watching the Turkish ladies prepare them at the market. According to Wikipedia Gözleme is a savoury traditional Turkish hand made and hand rolled pastry. Fresh pastry is rolled out. The thinly rolled out dough is filled, sealed, and cooked over a griddle. It is served hot with a slice of lemon.

Barbequed Spiced Lamb Sliders

Barbecued Spiced Lamb Sliders

If you wait long enough the foods you remember from your childhood (that perhaps you were embarrassed to admit you loved) will eventually morph into something chic? In some very upscale establishments I have seen versions of "good 'ol" mac 'n cheese, shepherds pie and even stew. If you live in the States you may recall sliders from the White Castle. They have been transformed into something trendy in a lot of establishments.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Tzatziki

In case I haven't already mentioned this fact my daughter is back in town for the summer from university in Vancouver. Yay!!! We decided...or perhaps I decided... that it would be nice to touch base once a week and have a nice dinner, good conversation and perhaps a movie. It is so nice to have her back in K-town for these next few months. The other good thing is that she will keep me on the right track as far as eating healthy meals goes. I do fall off the bandwagon every once in a while when left to my own devices! Seeing as she is studying to be a dietician she can consider me her first case! It is nice to catch up and have a "girls night in" as well!!!

Anthony Sedlak is a fellow British Columbian hailing from Vancouver. In June 2006, he participated in and won the "Superstar Chef Challenge" on the Canadian Food Network. As part of his win his new series "The Main" was developed. Whenever I can catch his show on television I am always impressed by his delicious and flavourful recipes. Since my daughter is living on the coast for the most part these days it is fitting that I should make a dish from a Vancouverite.

What follows is Anthony's recipe for grilled lamb chops that are so chocked full of flavour. He serves these with a classic homemade tzatziki sauce. I also added a nice green salad topped with grilled asparagus and a new potato and mint salad. For dessert...grilled pineapple in a rum/butter sauce. Just a simple fare but worthy of the barbeque grill. I had wanted little "lollipop" chops to serve my guest, but when I asked the butcher for chops he gave me what I asked for. I just thought that since the rack of lamb had the bone attached I would have something to hold on to. Oh well...I will know for next time that I have to be more specific and ask for the bone to stay. Bone or no bone it did not affect the flavour of these chops which was superb!!!

**Grilled Lamb Chops with Tzatziki**

Lamb and Marinade

3 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 T fresh rosemary, chopped
1/3 cup chopped parsley (about 1/2 bunch)
2 T Dijon mustard
1/3 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp pepper
2 racks of lamb, each cut into 6 chops
1 lemon, squeezed for juice
coarse sea salt

Tzatziki

2 cups greek or whole milk yogurt, drained (500 ml)
1/2 medium english cucumber, peeled and grated
pinch salt
1 small glove garlic, finely minced
handful chopped fresh mint
coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

***********************************
Lamb and Marinade:

To prepare lamb combine garlic, rosemary, parsley, Dijon mustard, olive oil and pepper together in a medium mixing bowl and smear on chops. Cover and let marinate for at least on hour
Just before grilling, season lamb generously with coarse sea salt. Grill on high heat, 2-3 minutes on each side, including fat side. Squeeze lemon juice over chops while cooking. Remove from heat and let rest.

For tzatziki:

Hang yogurt in sieve or fine mesh strainer over medium bowl. Let stand at least one hour, letting excess liquid drain away.

Very lightly salt grated cucumber and let hang in same manner.

Combine thickened yogurt, cucumber, garlic and mint in a medium bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

Barbequed Lamb and Beef Kofte

Spring has finally arrived. How do I know this besides the fact that the forsythia are blooming? I went to the farmers market yesterday morning. Living in the Great White North we don't have year round local produce or indoor food markets (at least not here in K-town). I was hoping that there might be an abundance of interesting foods available. There was the usual organic meats, breads and cheeses, but other than that only Spring lettuce, radishes and spring onions (scallions as you might call them). I thought there might be a garlic scape or two, rhubarb or some purple headed broccoli that I have seen popping up on all your blogs. Something that I would have to Google to find out how to prepare it and do some research on. But....no such luck. Mostly the farmers market here is a big craft sale with the perogy lady thrown in for good measure. I am not complaining, even though it may sound like I am, because if all else fails I can pick up some of the best hothouse tomatoes and cucumbers on the planet. Maybe even an eggplant or two. Therefore it is not always a total loss.

In the vein of positive thinking I cooked up some Turkish Kofta for lunch fired up on the barbeque!!! The backbone of this recipe comes from Gourmet magazine and uses a turkish blend of spices called baharat (follow the link to prepare your own). In keeping with my usual style, and using what I have on hand, I used some of the za'atar I had made previously. I also used only a few red pepper flakes as I don't like my foods uber hot!!! Was I being innovative or just lazy...doesn't matter because it was an exceptional substitution and added its own unique flavour to the meat mixture. The za'atar also has sesame seeds mixed in so this adds another dimension to the meat mixture as well. I also used a combination of lamb and beef because I find the beef to be too lean on its own. The recipes I came across for Turkish kofta used only lamb.

With this I served up a dish that struck my fancy that I found on Julia's blog A Slice of Cherry Pie . She is cooking up a storm in Kent, England. She says, " I’m a self-taught cook who’s passionate about good food and home cooking". I fell in love with her Jersey Potatoes with Feta & Watercress Sauce .The sauce went very well with the koftas too!!!!! If I were to make this sauce only for a dipping sauce with the kebabs I would omit the watercress. The koftas have enough spice on their own and do not need to compete with the mild peppery flavour of the watercress. Of course we don't have potatoes from the island of Jersey in the English Channel here in Canada, but we do have small new potatoes from the market. There were some new potatoes on sale at the farmers market but I already had a bag waiting for me at home from the grocers. Julia's recipe will come later. It rocks!

This was one of my favourite barbeque meals. I should have remembered to use metal skewers because even with soaking the wooden skewers in water all morning it didn't save them from the Barbeque Flame Monster. They also need to be more cigar shaped, but they sure were good!!! I was one very satisfied Cheshire cat after licking my lips with this one!!

Now I need to prepare my dish for the barbeque at a friends place tonight. I am also making a dish for an event as well. I need to enjoy the afternoon as well in the sunshine. Sunday is my only day off!!!! Cheers!!!!

**Turkish Ground Beef & Lamb Kofte with Feta Cheese Sauce**

2 slices firm white sandwich bread, torn into pieces
1 lb ground lamb (or lamb and ground beef mixture)
1 small red onion, minced or grated
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 T baharat spice mix* (I used za'atar or dukka whatever you want to call it)
1- 1/2 tsp Maras pepper flakes* (optional)
*1- 1/2 tsp Urfa pepper flakes * (optional)
*2 tsp salt

16 soft lettuce leaves for wrapping (optional)
Feta Cheese Sauce

*Available by mail order from Formaggio Kitchen (888-212-3224)
************************************
Cover bread with water in a bowl and soak 30 minutes, then squeeze bread to remove as much moisture as possible. Prepare grill while bread soaks.

Transfer squeezed bread to a large bowl and add remaining kofte ingredients, then mix well with your hands until thoroughly blended. Divide lamb mixture into 16 portions and form each into a ball. Roll each ball into a 7- to 8-inch-long "cigar," rolling first between your hands and then on a work surface (be sure the köfte are thin enough for even cooking). Slide a skewer lengthwise through center of each kofte.

Grill on oiled grill rack, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes.

Serve warm with sauce.

NOTE: Kofte can be broiled on a baking sheet 5 inches from heat, turning over once.

Serves 4 - 6

Sharing Dolmades with Friends...

Dolmades with Avgolemono

Another beautiful day here in the Okanagan. After another long walk in the sunshine it is time to get cracking and make something comforting. Spring is coming at least for a fleeting moment. Blogging has taught me many things over the past year. The obvious pleasure is meeting new people from around the world and discovering new cuisines and ingredients, new twists on old favourites and innovative ideas. There are certain blogs that I am drawn to for their expertise. Anyone who has followed my blog knows that I am in LOVE with all things Greek!!! I hope you don't get tired of hearing about it after a while but part of the reason I blog is for my own pleasure and to record recipes I love for generations to come. Perhaps my grandchildren will be interested in my recipes some day...hint...hint...

Feta & Lemon-Stuffed Lamb with Potato-Parsnip Mash

Today is another snowy day here in the wild wild west. As always when the weather is less than perfect I dream of warmer climates...and anywhere but here......
I was dreaming of a nice roast, but, I will be eating Moussaka for days to come. Not that that is a bad thing!
When I lived at the house and had my vegetable and herb gardens I would make this rolled lamb dish. It uses sprigs of fresh thyme which are minimally available this time of the year in my neck of the woods. A pork roast would be nice prepared this way as well. You could also roast it in the barbeque using indirect heat.

It is a simple and yet flavourful dish!!


**Feta & Lemon Stuffed Lamb with Potato-Parsnip Mash**

1 (2-3/4 lb) rolled boneless leg of lamb, trimmed
1/3 cup goats milk feta cheese
2 T chopped fresh or 2 tsp dried thyme
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, divided
10 fresh thyme sprigs
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

**Mash**

5 cups cubed Yukon Gold potatoes (about 1-3/4 lbs)
2 cups chopped peeled parsnip
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
fresh thyme sprigs (optional)

*************************
Preheat oven to 250F. To prepare lamb, unroll the roast. Combine cheese, chopped thyme, and rind; spread over roast. Drizzle with 2 tsp juice. Reroll roast; secure at 1-inch intervals with twine. Place 10 thyme sprigs in the bottom of a shallow 2-quart baking dish; place the lamb roast over thyme sprigs in dish. Pour remaining juice and wine over roast. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.

Bake at 250F for 1 hour. Turn roast over, and bake an additional 1-1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thickest portion of roast registers 145F (medium-rare). Remove from oven.

Place roast on a cutting board; let stand 10 minutes.Strain pan juices through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until reduced to 2 T (about 5 minutes).Remove twine; cut roast into thin slices. Arrange slices on a serving platter; drizzle with reduced pan juices.

To prepare mash, cook potatoes and parsnip in boiling water 25 minutes or until very tender. Drain; place in a large bowl. Add yogurt, oil, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Mash with a potato masher. Serve with lamb. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Serves 10

Hotel Grand Bretagne Moussaka

Greece is on my mind and in the news a lot lately with all the fires and human tragedy. My friends in Greece have e-mailed and are all AOK. It is so dry there this time of the year, I just hope it all works out and quickly. Usually when I find myself thinking of Greece I am remembering my sojourn last Spring...sipping raki, dancing to the strains of bazouka with new found friends hiking through small untouched Zagorian villages and eating very, very well....