QUICK AND EASY PEASY BOLOGNESE SAUCE with fetuccine

Bolognese sauce (or ragu alla Bolognese), is a classic Italian meat sauce that originated in the city of Bologna, the capital of the Emilia–Romagna region in Northern Italy.  Bologna is a beautiful university town with a long and impressive cultural history. 

A classic Bolognese contains milk or cream and some type of cured meat such as pancetta. I have chosen to omit the cured meat from my sauce recipe. However, adding a little milk or cream makes the sauce velvety.

An interesting fact is that the city of Bologna has created a standardised recipe for "ragu alla Bolognese." That recipe has been deposited for safekeeping with the Bologna Chamber of Commerce. My recipe for Bolognese sauce is deposited in a drawer in my kitchen. Which of the two recipes is more important?  

This easy to make recipe will yield a dense, silky, multi-dimensional sauce. If there are any leftovers, they can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 1 month.

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil 
• 1 large red onion, grated 
• 3 stalks celery, chopped fine
• 2 carrots, grated
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 3 ripe tomatoes, skins removed, chopped
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• red wine, amount according to taste

• For the pasta:

• 1 pound pasta; fettuccine is a good option because this is a hearty sauce that needs a hearty pasta
• chopped parsley and basil
• grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• black pepper

Directions:

• Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven and add the onions, carrots and celery.
• Sauté until the vegetables are soft. Keep stirring and add the garlic. Cook for about a minute.
• Add the ground beef and cook, stirring to mix with the vegetables. Keep stirring and cook until all the meat is no longer pink. 
• Season with salt and pepper and mix. 
• Add the oregano, mix, and cook for about a minute
• Add the tomato paste and mix well.
• Add the wine, lower the heat and cook until the sauce is reduced 
• Add the tomatoes and bay leaf.
• Mix, keep the heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for twenty minutes, stirring occasionally so that the sauce does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Turn off the heat and add the whole milk
• Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. 
• Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package directions. 
• Drain and place on a serving platter. 
• Season with Pecorino Romano cheese, chopped parsley, black pepper and basil.
• Spoon some of the sauce on top and mix. 
• Serve the sauce alongside the pasta.  

NAVARIN PRINTANIER: A French Lamb Stew

A really, truly delicious lamb stew!!!  Navarin printanier is French for lamb stew. "Navarin" refers to a stew which contains lamb, and the word "printanier" alludes to springtime and to the first tiny vegetables appearing in the garden. 

This stew is made from lamb shoulder, a tougher cut of meat which becomes truly flavourful when properly cooked. The stewing method tenderizes tough pieces of meat and allows the flavours of the ingredients to blend deliciously. The dish needs to cook for about 2 hours, partly on the stovetop

 and partly in the oven. In the end, the lamb comes out very tender, the vegetables are sweet, and the sauce is perfect! 

Meat from the shoulder of lamb is fatty, so a good amount of fat trimming needs to take place before it's ready for cooking. This type of meat also contains some bones, which I saved for cooking but discarded before serving. Adding bones to the pot makes the dish that much more flavourful. All too often making stew means cooking with beef. This lamb version is an absolutely delicious change!

   

A previous rendition

Ingredients:

olive oil for sautéing     

2 pounds lamb shoulder, excess fat removed, bones separated. I purchased two pounds and the breakdown was as follows: one pound stewing meat, half a pound of fat which was discarded, and half a pound of bones.      

3 tablespoons flour       

2 cups broth       

6 Roma tomatoes chopped well after the skin and seeds have been removed

3 garlic cloves chopped  

1 small red onion, chopped   

1 pound small onions, such as pearl onions, skins removed   

3 carrots        

3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered 

1tablespoon sugar

1 cup frozen peas    

salt and pepper    

a bouquet garni (tie it up) made up of rosemary sprigs, thyme sprigs, parsley sprigs, and two bay leaves     

salt and pepper 

1/2 cup of water  

a few rosemary leaves, a few thyme leaves, and 2 tablespoons chopped parsley 

Directions:

• After removing the fat from the lamb cut the meat into 1½ inch pieces. Keep the bones. Bones left in while cooking provide additional flavour to the stew. Once the stew finishes cooking, the lamb will be very tender, and the bones will just pop away from any meat and can be discarded before serving.
• Use paper towels and dry the meat well because it will not brown if let damp.
• In a Dutch oven heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and brown the lamb on all sides. Brown in batches without overcrowding the pan, and add more olive oil to the pot as needed.  
• Remove the browned lamb to a plate and reserve. 
• If there is a lot of fat in the pot, discard it. If the pot has just a lot of brown bits in it, by all means, leave those alone. 
• Season the meat with salt and pepper and sprinkle the flour on top. Coat the meat with the flour. 
• Return the lamb to the pot and cook, stirring for 2 minutes. This process of sautéing meat with flour will help to thicken the sauce. 
• Add the red onion and garlic. Mix and sauté for about two minutes.
• Add the broth, chopped tomatoes, and the bouquet garni. 
• Bring to a slow boil and deglaze the pot by making sure you gently incorporate into the broth all that brown goodness stuck to the bottom of the pot. 
• Cover and place in a 300°F/150°C oven. Cook for two hours.
• While the lamb is cooking prepare the vegetables: 
• Tackle the onions by first removing the onion skins. When dealing with small onions there is a very easy way to do this: cut off the root and stem ends. Let the onions cook in boiling water for about 2 minutes. Drain them, and when they are cool enough to handle, pick them up one by one. You'll be able to squeeze their skins right off. Next, add a little olive oil to a skillet and sauté the peeled onions until they turn brown. Add 1/2 cup of water, a few rosemary leaves, a few thyme leaves and two tablespoons parsley. Simmer slowly until the liquid evaporates, about half an hour. 
• To the onions add the peas and half of the sugar. Stir for about a minute or two and then remove the onions and peas to a plate and cover to keep warm.    In the same skillet heat a little more olive oil and add the carrots, potatoes, a few rosemary and a few thyme leaves. Stir for about 2 minutes and then add the rest of the sugar. Cook, stirring, for another 5 minutes until the vegetables are browned. 
• When the lamb has cooked for two hours remove the pot from the oven, add the potatoes and carrots, mix, cover again, and place it back in the oven.  
• Raise the oven temperature to 375°F/200°C. Cook for another 30 to 45 minutes until the lamb is really tender. 
• Check periodically to make sure there is enough liquid in the pot. You may or may not need to add a little bit more.  
• Remove the lamb from the oven and discard the bouquet garni and the bones. 
• Stir in the peas and onions. 
• Like all good stews, this lamb stew will need to be ladled into soup plates. And, like all good stews (perhaps it's a cliché to mention it), it will taste better the next day. 

RACK of LAMB with PARSLEY-ROSEMARY PESTO

This recipe is a no-mess, quick, easy and very delicious way to prepare a rack of lamb. I found the recipe on the Epicurious website, changed a few things around, and now I have a new and tasty way to serve lamb. To make the pesto I used parsley and rosemary from my garden. The ingredients were fresh and bright green and smelled and tasted wonderful. After removing and discarding a decent amount of fat from it, I coated the rack of lamb with the pesto and then I baked it for about 25 minutes. The meat came out of the oven moist, tender and juicy. I heartily recommend this dish!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup parsley leaves. Pack the parsley in the measuring cup so that you get a generous amount.

2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, plus some rosemary sprigs for decoration

2  1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

2 garlic cloves

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 rack of lamb

Marinade for the lamb: Score the lamb and season with salt, pepper, and oregano. Sprinkle some olive oil and the juice of half a lemon over the lamb.

Directions:

1. Marinate the lamb in the refrigerator for about an hour. Take it out and let the meat come to room temperature.
2. Position the cooking rack in the centre of the oven and preheat to 450°F.
3. Place parsley, chopped rosemary, grated Parmesan cheese and garlic in the food processor. Process to a coarse paste. With the machine running, gradually add the olive oil. Season the pesto with salt and pepper.
4. Place the lamb on a small rimmed baking pan.
5. To make cleaning up easier, I like to line my pan with aluminium foil or parchment paper. After cooking, I remove it and throw it out. The foil or the paper will hold the cooking grease, and the pan will remain virtually spotless.
6. Spread all of the pesto over the rounded side of the lamb.
7. Roast for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 400°F and roast to desired doneness, about 15 minutes longer for medium-rare.
8. Remove to a plate and slice. After slicing, arrange the chops on a serving platter, surround with rosemary and pour the juices from the plate over the lamb.

ROAST LEG OF LAMB AND POTATOES GREEK STYLE FOR EASTER! ARNI PSITO

For this year's Easter Sunday dinner we roasted two legs of lamb. Very easy to make. The lamb was out of the way once it started to roast, and that freed us up to do so many other things...The recipe given below is for one leg of lamb. Since I cooked two, I doubled it. Sometimes I make this same recipe with lamb that's off the bone. Works just as well. I cook lamb the low and slow way which makes it very juicy and meltingly soft. If you scroll down, don't get discouraged by the length of the recipe. I give detailed instructions, that's why the length, but let me reiterate that this is an easy recipe. And boy oh boy, no tough, fatty lamb for dinner with this one!

Ingredients:

1 leg of lamb on the bone (about 6 pounds) 
salt and pepper to taste
6 cloves garlic, peeled and cut in half
4 or 5 celery stalks
3 carrots  
6 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into wedges
4 sprigs rosemary
2 tablespoons dried oregano
6 sprigs thyme
Some grated pecorino Romano cheese
olive oil
1 large lemon
water
1/4 cup lemon juice


Directions:

• Trim some of the fat from the lamb. How much? As much as your conscience wants you to. 
• With a small knife make about 6 slits in the lamb and insert a piece of garlic into each one. Twist some kitchen twine around the lamb. Three rounds will be enough. I have devised this method so that I can keep the herbs attached to the meant as it cooks. 
• In a small bowl, add two tablespoons of olive oil and the juice of one lemon. Whisk to combine, and rub the mixture over the surface of the lamb. Season with salt and pepper and with one tablespoon of the oregano.
• Leave the carrots unpeeled; place them along with the celery on the bottom of a heavy baking pan and add the lamb on top. These vegetables are meant to serve as a rack, therefore arrange them accordingly, letting them rest mostly beneath the lamb. They are to be discarded once the lamb finishes cooking.
• Pour one cup of water around the lamb.
• Place in a preheated 450 F oven and roast for 20 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven, turn the lamb over, and roast for another 20 minutes. 
• Lower the heat to 300 F and remove the pan from the oven. 
• Arrange the potatoes and any remaining cloves of garlic around the lamb. 
• Season with salt, pepper, the remaining oregano and with a small portion of the thyme and rosemary. 
• Add the rest of the rosemary and thyme on top and underneath the lamb, wedging it in the twine. 
• If the water was evaporated, replenish it so that it measures about 1/4 of a cup. Add the lemon juice to it.  
• Sprinkle the Pecorino Romano cheese on top of the meat and potatoes. 
• Cover with parchment paper and aluminium foil and place back in the oven. If the pan has a lid, add the lid on top of the aluminium foil. This will give you an exceptional seal, and that's what you want. 
• Bake at 300°F for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until the meat can easily be pulled away from the bone.
• Remove the aluminium foil and parchment paper and raise the temperature to 400°F; allow the lamb and potatoes to brown some more (about 20 minutes, but you be the judge with your own oven).
• Take the lamb out of the oven, cut the twine and dress with some olive oil and if you like lemon juice, get yourself another lemon and go to town squeezing its juice over the lamb. 
• Let rest before serving. 

Hints:

1. It will be more convenient to slice the lamb on a cutting board and then place the meat onto a platter; it's just easier and more efficient to do this in the kitchen and not at the dining table. 
2. Remove the potatoes to a serving dish. None of that fancy surround the lamb with them! Forget about it! Make things easy for yourself on this busy day.
3. For those who want jus, strain the fat out the pan juices, then pour them into a gravy bowl. 
4. This year we served everything buffet style by placing all the dishes on the server in the dining room. We had two tables set for guests, and both tables were within close proximity of the server; everyone helped themselves. One of the best ideas ever!!!!! It was informal and a lot of fun. And it was also more enjoyable for moi, the hostess!!!

LAMB FRICASSEE AVGOLEMONO: a Greek Lamb Stew

This is a traditional stew of lamb in avgolemono (egg-lemon) sauce. It's worth it to mention that there are several variations to this type of stew; the greens can be lettuces, or spinach, or leeks, or endive ... and sometimes pork takes the place of lamb. More often than not, I cook it without meat, and that's a fast and delicious way to prepare a meal! But the recipe here,  which makes enough for a decent sized gathering, is a great dish to serve to company. Those who like Greek food will adore it! A lamb fricassee is usually served in avgolemono sauce, however, if you don't feel like making the sauce, go ahead and just add the lemon juice; the result will be equally delicious. 

Ingredients:

about 3 pounds boneless leg of lamb
1 large onion, chopped
5 cloves of garlic
1 bunch of scallions, chopped
4 hearts of romaine lettuce or two heads of romaine lettuce
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
4 stalks of celery, chopped
2 large eggs
the juice of one large lemon
1/4 cup ice water (make it really cold!)
vegetable broth or chicken broth or water
salt and pepper to taste
8 tablespoons olive oil

Directions: 

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. 
• Trim the lamb of any fat. Cut it into 1 1/2 inch pieces and place the pieces in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Let sit in the refrigerator to marinate for about 2 hours. Bring out and allow the meat to come to room temperature. 
• Into a Dutch oven heat 4 teaspoons of the olive oil and saute the lamb until it's browned on all sides. Remove the meat from the pot and reserve.
• Add the remaining olive oil to the pot, heat and saute the onion and celery. Cook stirring until the onion is translucent. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute. 
• Return the meat to the pot. Add enough broth to just cover and season with salt and pepper.  Bring to a slow boil, cover and place in the oven. Cook until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, wash the lettuce thoroughly, then chop it into 2-inch pieces.
• When the lamb is cooked, remove it from the oven.
• Add the lettuce, scallions, dill and parsley, and cook on the stove top for another 20 minutes. 
• Make sure there is always enough liquid in the pot by adding some more broth if necessary. The stew should have some liquid but it should not be soupy. 
• When the lettuce is cooked, turn off the heat. The stew can be served as is, without the avgolemono sauce. Just plate it and sprinkle a little lemon juice on top before serving.

To make the avgolemono sauce:

• Juice the lemon and reserve.
• Separate the eggs: place the yolks into a small container and place the egg whites in a larger container. Have at the ready a hand mixer equipped with the whisk attachment. 
• Beat the eggs whites until they are nice and frothy but don't turn them into meringue.   
• Add the ice water to the yolks and beat well. Can use a handheld, non-electric whisk for this step.  
• Add the yolks to the egg whites, grab your electric whisk, and beat until mixed. 
• Add the lemon juice and beat well. 
• By now you should have a nice, frothy, creamy mixture. Next up comes the tempering of the eggs:
• Remove a ladleful of broth from the stew and very slowly whisk it into the egg-lemon mixture. 
• Once done, the avgolemono sauce is ready! The hand mixer is no longer needed and the sauce can be added to the stew.  
• Slowly, stir the sauce into the stew. Make sure it's well incorporated and serve the stew right away. Once the avgolemono sauce has been added, don't bring the stew back to the boil.