Balsamic Lamb Tenderloin and Fig Kabobs

I got the blues. The Monday after a super fun and indulgent three day weekend kind of blues.

And I’ve got them bad.

You know your weekend is pretty badass when you lead off with Friday night fire works and surf and turf. Follow it up with multiple trips to the beach and some at home beer tasting and sausage smoking and you have the recipe for a kick butt weekend.

And then comes Monday. Crashing down on all your weekend glory.

The only thing that can get me through a brutal Monday such as this? A bike ride and a tasty meal. This twist on a summer favorite is just the ticket.

You will need…

1 ½ lbs lamb tenderloin, chopped into 1 inch pieces

2 cups figs, quartered

½ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup olive oil plus 2 extra tablespoons

1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

3 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by whisking together the vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil, garlic and rosemary. Season well with salt and pepper.

Pour the marinade over the lamb in a shallow dish.

While the lamb marinates for 30 minutes up to over night, soak 8 wooden skewers in water so they will not burn.

Preheat the grill to a medium high heat.

Brush the figs with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper and set aside.

When the lamb has marinated, skewer the meat and figs alternating. Reserve the marinade.

Grill the kabobs over a high heat until the lamb is cooked to medium rare. About 4 minutes a side. 

When the lamb is cooked, remove from the heat and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.

While the lamb is grilling, pour the marinade into a small saucepan. Simmer the marinade over medium heat and allow it to reduce. When the sauce has thickened and reduced by half, remove from the heat. About 15 minutes.

To serve, drizzle the reduced marinade over the kabobs and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Balsamic Lamb Tenderloin and Fig Kabobs

1 ½ lbs lamb tenderloin, chopped into 1 inch pieces

2 cups figs, quartered

½ cup balsamic vinegar

¼ cup olive oil plus 2 extra tablespoons

1 tablespoon finely chopped rosemary

3 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by whisking together the vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil, garlic and rosemary. Season well with salt and pepper.

Pour the marinade over the lamb in a shallow dish.

While the lamb marinates for 30 minutes up to over night, soak 8 wooden skewers in water so they will not burn.

Preheat the grill to a medium high heat.

Brush the figs with olive oil and season well with salt and pepper and set aside.

When the lamb has marinated, skewer the meat and figs alternating. Reserve the marinade.

Grill the kabobs over a high heat until the lamb is cooked to medium rare. About 4 minutes a side. When the lamb is cooked, remove from the heat and cover with aluminum foil. Let rest for 5 minutes.

While the lamb is grilling, pour the marinade into a small saucepan. Simmer the marinade over medium heat and allow it to reduce. When the sauce has thickened and reduced by half, remove from the heat. About 15 minutes.

To serve, drizzle the reduced marinade over the kabobs and serve hot. 

Grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops

It’s official. I’m a cat lady.

How the hell did this happen? I’m allergic. I get wheezy and sneezy and a bunch of other things that sound like Disney dwarfs.

But something told me I had to adopt this orange little fluffball with no home and no history of human contact.

So I did. And then she went in a chimney and we bathed her and forced her to let us pet her and just loved her. She hissed until hissing has lost meaning and she bit me. But now she does things like this.

And this.

And my heart melts. Every little step she takes is such a big deal because she was sooooo damaged when we got her. She didn’t blink for three days. Now she sleeps with the most peaceful expressions.

There were days I felt like we were doing more harm than good. But now I know we saved her.

So yeah. Now I’m a cat lady. I’ve said it. Now I’ll try and keep it to myself and not bombard you with cat photos. And by that I mean I promise not to post cute things she does EVERY time I post.

While I may now be an admitted cat lady, I’m still bringing the A game in the kitchen. She likes to watch me cook.

This dish is the kind of delicious that is like my love for Junior. Simple and from the heart.

You will need…

8 lamb chops (I got two rib chops)

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, roughly shopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating your grill to a high heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the rosemary, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard and season well with salt and pepper.

Dry the lamb well and season with salt and pepper.

Brush the lamb with the rosemary olive oil.

Seer the lamb on a hot part of the grill until it has nice grill marks. About 3 minutes a side. Brush the lamb with any excess olive oil after you flip.

When both sides have a nice seer, move the lamb to a more moderate heat and cooked until medium rare. About 15 minutes.

Remove the lamb from the heat and cover with aluminum foil while it rests. After the lamb has rested for 5 to 8 minutes, serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela 

Grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops

8 lamb chops (I got two rib chops)

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, roughly shopped

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating your grill to a high heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the rosemary, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard and season well with salt and pepper.

Dry the lamb well and season with salt and pepper.

Brush the lamb with the rosemary olive oil.

Seer the lamb on a hot part of the grill until it has nice grill marks. About 3 minutes a side. Brush the lamb with any excess olive oil after you flip.

When both sides have a nice seer, move the lamb to a more moderate heat and cooked until medium rare. About 15 minutes.

Remove the lamb from the heat and cover with aluminum foil while it rests. After the lamb has rested for 5 to 8 minutes, serve hot. 

Lamb, Proscuitto and Fig Ragu with Beet Pasta

Figs are just one of those things.

They are one of those ingredients that are so stunning, but yet you still are often at a loss of what to do with them.

In my house, figs were not a regular staple. Perhaps that is why I often am at a loss of what to do with them.

Their hearty and sweet characteristics have been the driving force that has lead them to many of my slow cooked dishes. They hold up on their own while spreading their tasty love around any dish that is cooked for a long time.

No wonder this isn’t the first ragu they have found their way into.

You will need…

1lb ground lamb

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 large figs, chopped

4 ounces proscuitto, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup fresh grated pecorino cheese

Beet fettuccini

Start by heating the olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot.

When the oil is hot, add in the lamb and the proscuitto and cook it till it is browned. Breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

When the meat is browned, add in the rosemary and garlic and season well with salt and pepper. 

Continue to simmer until the garlic is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Add in the mushrooms and figs and cook for an additional two minutes. Just until the mushrooms start to softened.

Stir in the tomato paste until everything is lightly coated.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a simmer. Simmer the liquid slowly, stirring every couple minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. About 20 minutes.

Serve hot with the beet fettuccini or pasta of your choice and topped with cheese.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Lamb and Fig Ragu with Beet Pasta

1lb ground lamb

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 large figs, chopped

4 ounces proscuitto, chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, chopped

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 cups chicken stock

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup fresh grated pecorino cheese

Beet fettuccini

Start by heating the olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot.

When the oil is hot, add in the lamb and the proscuitto and cook it till it is browned. Breaking it up with a spoon as it cooks.

When the meat is browned, add in the rosemary and garlic and season well with salt and pepper. Continue to simmer until the garlic is fragrant. About 1 minute.

Add in the mushrooms and figs and cook for an additional two minutes. Just until the mushrooms start to softened.

Stir in the tomato paste until everything is lightly coated.

Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a simmer. Simmer the liquid slowly, stirring every couple minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. About 20 minutes.

Serve hot with the beet fettuccini or pasta of your choice and topped with cheese.

Herb Butter Grilled Lamb Chops with Summer Squash

I deserve some sort of punishment. I’ve been a bad blogger. Before I let you sentence me to something ridiculous like ten year peeling potatoes or trimming the ends of one million green beans, at least let me plead my case.

For starters, work has been insane. I know, I know. People always say that. But seriously, I went into work on Sunday. ON. A. SUNDAY. When did I become one of those people who work on the weekends just to get caught up? Whenever it happened, I don’t think I like it. Don’t get me wrong, I’m learning and growing, but oh my is it rough sometimes.

Things got a little more complicated last week when Wes moved into a new place and I was his trusty assistant. The good news about the move is that he moved into an awesome little one bedroom that we are both really excited about. The bad part about the move is that we moved till two on Friday moment and then decided (and by decided I mean I made us) to paint his vaulted ceilings. Genius. Straight Genius.

At this point, I’m pretty sleepy, with way more work to do, but nothing could keep me away from the kitchen.

Between the work and boxes and painting, I needed some Zen time in the kitchen and manning the grill.

And this is what came from it

You will need…

8 medium sized lamb chops

2 small zucchini, halved and thinly sliced

2 small yellow summer squash, halved and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 ears of corn in the husk

10 tablespoons garlicy lemon and marjoram butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating your grill to a medium high heat.

While the grill is heating, soak the cornhusks in water.

When the grill is hot, add the corn to the grill and turn every 5 minutes until the corn is cooked through.

After the corn is cooked through with grill marks, remove from the grill and allow them to cool enough to handle. When they are cool enough, cut the kernels off the ear and set aside. 

While the corn is cooling. Lightly brush the lamb with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Add the lamb to the grill and sear on a really hot part of the grill. About 3 minutes a side.

Move the lamb to a slightly cooler part of the grill and top each chop with 1 tablespoon of butter.

Continue to cook until medium rare and the butter has melted. About 6 minutes.

Remove the lamb from the grill and cover it with foil to rest for about 10 minutes.

While the lamb is resting, heat the remaining olive oil and garlic together in a medium pan over medium high heat. When the garlic is fragrant add in the bell peppers, squash, zucchini, corn and remaining butter. 

Cook until the peppers are slightly softened and the zucchini, squash and corn are hot. About 5 minutes.

Lay out the veggies on a platter, top with lamb chops and serve hot.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela  

Herb Butter Grilled Lamb Chops with Summer Squash

8 medium sized lamb chops

2 small zucchini, halved and thinly sliced

2 small yellow summer squash, halved and thinly sliced

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 ears of corn in the husk

10 tablespoons garlicy lemon and marjoram butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by heating your grill to a medium high heat.

While the grill is heating, soak the cornhusks in water.

When the grill is hot, add the corn to the grill and turn every 5 minutes until the corn is cooked through.

After the corn is cooked through with grill marks, remove from the grill and allow them to cool enough to handle. When they are cool enough, cut the kernels off the ear and set aside. 

While the corn is cooling. Lightly brush the lamb with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season well with salt and pepper.

Add the lamb to the grill and sear on a really hot part of the grill. About 3 minutes a side.

Move the lamb to a slightly cooler part of the grill and top each chop with 1 tablespoon of butter.

Continue to cook until medium rare and the butter has melted. About 6 minutes.

Remove the lamb from the grill and cover it with foil to rest for about 10 minutes.

While the lamb is resting, heat the remaining olive oil and garlic together in a medium pan over medium high heat. When the garlic is fragrant add in the bell peppers, squash, zucchini, corn and remaining butter. Cook until the peppers are slightly softened and the zucchini, squash and corn are hot. About 5 minutes.

Lay out the veggies on a platter, top with lamb chops and serve hot.

Pea Puree Crusted Rack of Lamb

Autumn is in full swing in sunny southern California. Meaning, the temperature finely dropped below eighty degrees, I can’t look at my summer wardrobe anymore so I’ve taken to wearing boots and scarves and somehow I’ve convinced myself that it’s too cold outside to barbeque.

So inside I go. To create warmer, heartier, homier food.

If I can pretend that the weather is cold outside, then so can my diners (my family members who live with me and are forced to eat my food).

So get read for some serious fall dishes.

You will need…

2 racks of lamb

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups thawed frozen peas

¼ cup fresh mint leaves

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1 shallot, roughly chopped

¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees F.

While the oven is preheating, combine the peas, mint, garlic, mustard, shallot and walnuts in the bowl of food processor and blend until the mixture is pureed.

Taste the puree and season it with salt and pepper to taste.

Then, heat the oil in an oven safe pan over medium high heat.

When the oil is very hot, season the lamb well with salt and pepper and seer it till it is nice and browned. Start with the fatty side down.

As soon as the lamb has a nice seer, remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.

Cover the lamb with aluminum foil and let it rest for 5 minutes.

After the lamb has rested, remove the foil and rub the puree all over the lamb.

When the lamb is rubbed down, place the pan in the oven and cook it for 12 minutes for medium rare.

Remove the pan from the oven, remove the lamb from the pan and let it rest, covered with aluminum foil, for another 5 minutes.

Slice and serve hot. 

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Pea Puree Crusted Rack of Lamb

2 racks of lamb

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups thawed frozen peas

¼ cup fresh mint leaves

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

1 shallot, roughly chopped

¼ cup walnuts, roughly chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven to 450 degrees F.

While the oven is preheating, combine the peas, mint, garlic, mustard, shallot and walnuts in the bowl of food processor and blend until the mixture is pureed.

Taste the puree and season it with salt and pepper to taste.

Then, heat the oil in an oven safe pan over medium high heat.

When the oil is very hot, season the lamb well with salt and pepper and seer it till it is nice and browned. Start with the fatty side down.

As soon as the lamb has a nice seer, remove the pan from the heat and set it aside.

Cover the lamb with aluminum foil and let it rest for 5 minutes.

After the lamb has rested, remove the foil and rub the puree all over the lamb.

When the lamb is rubbed down, place the pan in the oven and cook it for 12 minutes for medium rare.

Remove the pan from the oven, remove the lamb from the pan and let it rest, covered with aluminum foil, for another 5 minutes.

Slice and serve hot.