Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb with Roasted Garlic Sauce

There is only one thing I love more than garlic.

Roasted garlic.

It smells even better than fresh garlic, it isn’t as aggressive as its fresh version and it is super good for you.

So naturally I was drawn to this recipe with its whopping twenty garlic cloves and roasted garlic sauce.

Heaven.

The only thing that could have been more heavenly would be if I had cooked the lamb properly.

Whoops number one.

Whoops number two happened when I brought the roasted garlic with me to work and was then tortured by its enchanting aroma for an entire work day.

Dummy.

You will need…

2 racks of lamb, fat cap removed, frenched (bones exposed)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus 1 tablespoon

1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

20 cloves garlic, peeled

1 cup dry white wine

2 cups beef stock

1 tablespoon butter

Start by preheating the oven to 450 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a pan that can go into the oven over medium high heat.

When the oil is very hot, add the lamb searing it until golden with the fat side down.

Remove the lamb from the pan and allow it to rest for 5 minutes.

Brush the mustard onto both sides of the seared lamb. Season with salt and pepper.

Mix together all of the herbs and then dredge both sides of the lamb in the herbs, pressing lightly so the herbs adhere.

In the same roasting pan the lamb was cooked in, add the 20 cloves of garlic and place the lamb on top.

Or be silly like me and make a house of garlic.

Cook the lamb in the oven for 15 minutes or until medium-rare.

When cooked, remove the lamb from the roasting pan and wrap in aluminum foil to rest.

Place the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium heat.

Remove the garlic and set aside.

Discard all the fat and add the thyme, white wine, and the stock to the pan and reduce the liquid by half.

Place half of the roasted garlic in a blender.

Add the reduced stock and wine mixture and puree until smooth.

Add the tablespoon of butter and pulse to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper.

Slice the rack of lamb every rib.

Drizzle with the roasted garlic sauce and serve.

Mmmmm. Garlic.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Chicken Diane

I wrote about the steak version of this dish a couple of weeks ago. Which made me realize that I have never posted this dish before.

It is by no means a new food, but it is my absolute favorite dish. It is what I requested for my birthday dinner from birthdays nine through fifteen. The favorite dish from the time I could request birthday dishes till nine was beef stroganoff , but the noff got ousted the second that little Diane goodness hit my lips.

The first couple of times my mom made this for dinner she made it to the recipe, but after a couple of times she realized that if she didn’t double the sauce we would all have a meltdown.

Don’t worry, I went ahead and doubled the sauce for you. No meltdown necessary.

You will need…

4 chicken breasts pounded very thin

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons butter

6 tablespoons green onions, chopped

Juice of one lemon

4 tablespoons brandy

6 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1/2 cup chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating one tablespoon of oil and one of butter in a large pan over medium high heat.

Season your chicken with salt and pepper and when the butter has melted, add the chicken to the pan.

Cook the chicken until it is cooked, about four minutes a side and set it aside in a dish.

Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan and when the butter has melted, add in the onions, cilantro, lemon juice, mustard and brandy.

Using a spoon, combine the mixutre well and make sure to scrape off all the chicken browns on the bottom of the pan. These add great flavor to your sauce.

Add in the chicken broth and bring the sauce to a simmer while mixing.

Pour the sauce over your chicken and serve hot.

If I have a daughter and name her Diane, please don’t judge me.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Asian Marinated Salmon

When I was younger, my father used to go on an Alaskan fishing trip with some work buddies every year.

For him this meant a week of wildlife sightings, beautiful scenery and man time.

For my brothers and I it meant he was coming home with a ridiculous amount of fish that none of us really wanted to eat. Basically, every small child’s nightmare.

Now that I’m super into food, he no longer goes on these fishing trips.

Figures.

But, our neighbor recently went on a similar trip. And since these trips yield such a ridiculous amount of fish, we were lucky enough to receive some of it.

Delicious king and coho salmon to be exact.

I just had to figure out a way to compliment it.

Mission accomplished.

You will need…

1 side fresh salmon, boned but skin on (about 3 pounds)

For the Marinade…

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons good soy sauce

6 tablespoons good olive oil

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

Start by turning on your grill on to a medium heat.

While the grill is heating, lay the salmon skin side down on a cutting board and cut it crosswise into 4 equal pieces.

Whisk together the mustard, soy sauce, olive oil, and garlic in a small bowl.

Drizzle half of the marinade onto the salmon and allow it to sit for 10 minutes.

When the salmon has finished marinated and the grill is hot, place the salmon skin side down on the hot grill; discard the marinade the fish was sitting in.

Grill for 4 to 5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Turn carefully with a wide spatula and grill for another 4 to 5 minutes.

The salmon will be slightly raw in the center, but don't worry; it will keep cooking as it sits.

Transfer the fish to a flat plate, skin side down, and spoon the reserved marinade on top. Allow the fish to rest for 10 minutes. Remove the skin and serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.

Anyone want to take me fishing? I promise Ill make you something this tasty.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Steak Diane

Have you ever eaten something so tasty that you literally wanted to lick the plate when you were finished?

Did you actually follow through and lick the plate?

Would you judge me if I confessed that I have?

On multiple occasions.

I admit it! I’ve licked my plate clean.

My mother made a chicken version of this dish when I was growing up and it was the first thing I ever tried to make on my own. I made it in my college dorm room for a group of boys before a cocktail party. I splattered oil on my dress.

Shocker.

I licked my plate clean as a child and in that dorm room in front of all of those boys.

This sauce is that tasty.

Even though my mom has made the chicken version for me no less than three hundred times, I had never had the steak version. I had seen it on menus at many delicious restaurants but was never bold enough to go for it.

Well, I finally bit the bullet and made it myself. And now I feel like a dunce for not eating it sooner because it’s every bit as good as its chicken friend.

You will need…

Four 6-ounce hanger steaks (Flat iron steaks)

Kosher salt and cracked black peppercorns

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 medium cremini mushrooms, sliced ¼ inch thick

2 small shallots, finely chopped

¼ cup brandy

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut in ½-inch cubes

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

½ teaspoon Dijon mustard

Start by generously seasoning the steaks with salt and pepper and set them aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil until it just begins to smoke. Add the steaks and cook over high heat until the edges begin to brown, about 3 minutes.

Turn the steaks over and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until the steaks reach the desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium rare. Transfer the steaks to a plate and cover with foil.

Discard all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the skillet and increase the heat to medium-high.

Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are golden brown, about 4 minutes

Add the brandy and Worcestershire to the pan, whisking to remove the browned bits from the bottom. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the butter, one piece at a time. (Or if you can't wait like me, 3 at a time.)

Once the butter has been incorporated, remove the skillet from the heat and whisk in the parsley, lemon juice and mustard.

If the sauce begins to break, return the skillet to the stove over low heat and whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons of warm water to re-emulsify.

Return the steaks to the skillet and rewarm over low heat for 1 minute.

Transfer the steaks to a cutting board. Thinly slice the steaks and divide among 4 plates.

Spoon the sauce over the meat and serve immediately.

Plate licking good.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Asparagus with a Dijon Vinaigrette

It is the night before the Munch-A-Thon ya’ll. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve.

Tonight, I am going to relax, get a good night sleep and starve myself in anticipation for tomorrow’s gorge fest.

Okay, I’m not really capable of starving myself, but I will have something light and healthy in preparation.

As if the food themed obstacles and food pit stops along the away wasn’t enough, the best of the best in food trucks will be at a festival immediately following the “run.”

Pants with a stretch waist band are a must.

To be honest, I’m not really sure what to expect from this food themed 5K. But you better believe I’m bringing the camera to capture every delicious and hilarious moment of it.

In the mean time, I’ll leave you with this tasty side dish that I will probably be munching tonight instead of starving myself.

You will need…

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons sherry or red-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 pound thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 1/2-inch lengths

Start by whisk together the mustard, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium bowl.

Then season it with salt and pepper.

Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add the asparagus, and season with salt and pepper.

Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook the asparagus, stirring frequently, until are just tender, 10 to 12 minutes. If the spears begin to brown, reduce heat to low.

Transfer the asparagus to a serving dish and drizzle with the vinaigrette.

Toss, and serve immediately.

I know you are on pins and needles to hear how this goes, but try to contain yourself.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela