Prog Chefs Unite!!!

I knew the lamb would be great the moment I read your description, and I'm a huge fan of chocolate cheesecake, so yours with the choco-crust sounds just great

no no Raff!  Peanut oil only for wok cooking! .. it takes the massive heat best (though olive can be OK in a pich )

Raff wrote: I'll be sure to try it, David - though I have to admit I use extra-virgin olive oil for just about everything! Today's lamb curry was so delicious that it felt like we were eating at a very posh Indian restaurant. The lamb (simmered for close to 2 and a half hours) melted in our mouth, and all the flavours had melded perfectly.

I don't think I've had lamb any better than in an Indian curry.  Although the first dish I made for my eventually to be wife was a leg oven roasted over thinly sliced potatoes, tomatoes, and onions.  Make cuts in the lamb to insert fresh rosemary (apologies to all you vegetarians).  It was actually a bit of big dinner for two but the leftovers didn't go to waste.

@Dean: that's pretty close to how I do it, although it's been a while.


Today I made shrimp spaghetti for the kids and myself (replacing the shrimp with smoked chicken cubes for my wife, who doesn't like seafood). Simple, but a great diner, they'd have eaten their fingers with it, if I hadn't provided cutlery.
Finely chop two cloves of garlic, cut a zucchini in small dices, and cut two dozens of cherry tomatoes in halves. While cooking the spaghetti, sauteh the garlic, zucchini and tomatoes. Add some black pepper and salt, and when the pasta's nearly done stir in 200-300 ml of creme fraiche and some chopped chives and the 200-300 grams of pre-cooked shrimp. Don't let it boil, so use low fire and take it off when it just about starts bubbling. My wife bought the pre-cooked, normally I would use raw shrimp and briefly sauteh them with the vegetables before adding the creme fraiche and chives.
Drain the pasta, mix it with a little bit of garlicy olive oil, then mix with the sauce. I had two helpings, the kids had the other 4 amongst the two of them.

Atavachron wrote: I knew the lamb would be great the moment I read your description, and I'm a huge fan of chocolate cheesecake, so yours with the choco-crust sounds just great no no Raff!  Peanut oil only for wok cooking! .. it takes the massive heat best (though olive can be OK in a pich )

I do this flaked coconut chicken tender salad and will only use peanut oil from now on. Really brings out the flavor of the coconut, but isn't over powering in the least.

E

That's a wonderful suggestion, and I'll be sure to try it as soon as I can. Both Micky and I love hummus and mushrooms, and I believe this would be a very big hit. And you've also reminded me to buy asparagus next time I'm around a grocery store... I want to make risotto with them, it's delicious!

i mentioned to my wife this morning as she was leaving for work  what she would like for dinner this evening and as I would be home from work myself tonight after twisting the crap out of my knee a couple of days back we could have dinner together.

They would complain and I would have a mutiny on my hands if I did not offer cream and ice-cream. The youngest asked if it was possible to have custard as well to go with it. I do know the way with using oatmeal, I also seen coconut used as well but this was the way my mum made it and you know if its mums......... well.  I have tried in the past to offer other alternatives but to no avail if anything Double cream is the way to go they would say. Everybody here seems to like Hot Desserts covered in sweet sauces,custard or cream.

When I was a kid I used to love ice cream with custard.

been wanting to do a pan-roasted bird for awhile, this recipe looks tempting;

1 whole (3-1/2 to 4 lb.) free-range chicken
3 large garlic cloves, minced fine
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs of choice, or a mixture (sage, parsley, tarragon, rosemary, etc.)
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 tablespoons olive oil

In a small bowl, combine the garlic, lemon juice, zest, herbs, salt, pepper, pepper flakes, and half the olive oil; set aside.

Place the chicken breast-side down on a cutting board. Using either a pair of poultry shears or using a large cook's knife, cut the chicken completely through the bones on either side of the backbone. Remove the backbone and turn the birdie over breast-side up. Place a second cutting board on top of the chicken and press down with all your might. If friends are over, have someone else press as well. Sit on it if you need to.  Turn the now flattened chicken over once more and slather with the seasoning mixture, anywhere you can get to, including under the skin. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate anywhere from 45 minutes to 24 hours.

Wrap 4 bricks with aluminum foil and preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.   Place a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 5 minutes.  Add the remaining olive oil to coat the pan and place the chicken in skin-side down.  Place a cookie sheet over the chicken then place the bricks on the cookie sheet to further flatten the bird. Cook for 5-7 minutes on the stovetop, then place the whole works in the preheated oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven, take off the bricks and cookie sheet and turn the chicken over (being careful not to tear the skin) and roast an additional 20 minutes.

I watched Tyler's Ultimate on FoodTV this morning and he did a Puerto Rican dish called Pernil(?) that looked awesome. Basically a slow roasted pork shoulder with an adobo marinade. May have to do up that little baby this weekend.

E