Showing posts sorted by date for query lamb. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query lamb. Sort by relevance Show all posts
I had the family over for Sunday supper this week. We had grilled chicken and a variety of salads along with some garlic bread sticks and roasted asparagus. My sister brought a sugar free apple pie for dessert. It was just nice to get together here at my place as a family. Usually we go to my sister's!
Like always, however, I did cook too much and found myself with some leftovers that I needed to use up. Today I thought I would make myself a delicious Dinner salad! Salad for dinner is a good thing, and this is the start of salad season after all!
WHAT IS A DINNER SALAD
The simple answer is a main dish salad that is hearty and filling. A salad that won't leave you hungry and wanting more!
Dinner salads are usually composed of a delicious mix of salad greens, a variety of crisp vegetables, as well as a protein of some sort. You can make them all vegetarian, or you can add proteins such as cheese, meat, fish or poultry.
They usually also include a delicious dressing that is drizzled over top, and some croutons always go well sprinkled on top.
I had some chicken leftover from yesterday and I also made good use of the soft bread sticks that were leftover to make some croutons. I also was able to use the last of the Boursin cheese that I had in the refrigerator.
I combined that with a few other bits and pieces and some crisp lettuce and I had a salad that was incredibly delicious and substantial.
A touch of Dijon mustard, olive oil, some seasonings, a bit of honey . . . garlic. It was lush and delicious!
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE A DINNER SALAD
There is nothing written in stone. Here is what I used and what worked well together.
- 2 cups coarsely chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce
- 2 pieces of boneless, skinless grilled chicken (about 1 cup, cubed)
- 1 3-inch piece of English cucumber, peeled and cubed
- 6 cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 small ripe avocado, cubed
- 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut into quarters
- 1/4 of a red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (60g) cubed cheese of some sort, pick your favorite
- crisp croutons to sprinkle
Of course any salad is only as good as its dressing and this is what you will need for this one. Its fabulous.
For the dressing:
- 3 TBS olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or one small clove, peeled and minced)
- 1 tsp good Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp liquid honey
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
You don't need to use chicken. Steak or roast pork, leftover ham, lamb, or turkey. You can even use leftover cooked fish. Salmon is particularly good.
If you don't have leftovers, then use cubed deli-meats. Tinned salmon and tuna broken into bite sized chunks are also very nice.
Any cheese goes! You want something nice and creamy and rich in flavor. Today I used Boursin, but goats cheese is lovely as is a nice creamy cheddar. Blue cheese goes especially nice with beef.
Boiled egg is a lovely addition. The yolk from the egg almost emulsifies with the dressing as you are eating it. Loads of crunch from the vegetables. Cucumber is nice, as is celery, hearts of palm, radishes, etc.
I added some halved cherry tomatoes, but any diced tomato would do, and chopped peppers are also nice, raw or even roasted.
Just use what you have! Just make sure all of your vegetables are lovely and fresh and crisp. You might be surprised at the delicious combinations you can come up with!
HOW TO MAKE A DINNER SALAD
It might seem silly to some for me to explain this, but there are some people who do need a bit of direction and there is nothing wrong with that! I'm always here to help!!
First make the dressing. Measure the mustard into a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, one tablespoonful at a time. Whisk in the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and parsley flakes. Set aside.
Divide the chopped lettuce between two pasta bowls.
Top each bowl of lettuce with the egg, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, chicken, and cheese, placing each ingredient on top in an enticing manner, and dividing them equally. Sprinkle the chopped onion and croutons on top of each.
Give your dressing a final whisk and drizzle half over each salad. Serve immediately.
This made for a really hearty and filling supper. I was quite happy with it and felt good that I was eating something healthy as well as using up my leftovers!
We won't talk about the piece of apple pie I finished off with. 😁 It was also very good, and sugar free, so I don't feel too awfully bad about it.
Some other salads here in my English Kitchen that you might enjoy are:
SALAD COMPOSE - Very French with crisp salad leaves, boiled egg, sweet plum tomatoes, crisp salty bacon and buttery crisp garlic baguette croutons. Finished off with a beautiful sherry vinegar vinaigrette dressing!
STEAK MUSHROOM AND BLUE CHEESE SALAD - Perfectly cooked grilled medium rare pieces of steak, combined with tasty rich sauteed mushrooms, capers, creamy tangy blue cheese all tossed together with a rich sherry and honey vinaigrette dressing. Delicious!
LOW FAT CHICKEN TACO SALAD - A mix of salad greens, black beans, corn, peppers, black olives, along with crispy chicken strips combined with a low fat creamy spicy dressing and some baked tortilla crisps on top. Fabulously tasty!
Dinner Salad
Yield: 2
Prep time: 15 MinTotal time: 15 Min
With the warmer temperatures some nights we enjoy a delicious salad for our dinner. This is one really fabulous version, with plenty of crunch, protein and a killer honey mustard vinaigrette dressing. Sized perfectly for two. Its also a great way to use up any bits and bobs you might have in the refrigerator that need using up!
Ingredients
- 2 cups coarsely chopped iceberg or romaine lettuce
- 2 pieces of boneless, skinless grilled chicken (about 1 cup, cubed)
- 1 3-inch piece of English cucumber, peeled and cubed
- 6 cherry tomatoes halved
- 1 small ripe avocado, cubed
- 2 hard boiled eggs, peeled and cut into quarters
- 1/4 of a red onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup (60g) cubed cheese of some sort, pick your favorite
- crisp croutons to sprinkle
For the dressing:
- 3 TBS olive oil
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or one small clove, peeled and minced)
- 1 tsp good Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp liquid honey
- 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- 1/2 tsp dried parsley flakes
Instructions
- First make the dressing. Measure the mustard into a small bowl. Whisk in the olive oil, one tablespoonful at a time. Whisk in the lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper and parsley flakes. Set aside.
- Divide the chopped lettuce between two pasta bowls.
- Top each bowl of lettuce with the egg, cucumber, tomatoes, avocado, chicken, and cheese, placing each ingredient on top in an enticing manner, and dividing them equally. Sprinkle the chopped onion and croutons on top of each.
- Give your dressing a final whisk and drizzle half over each salad. Serve immediately.
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HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE CROUTONS
I found myself with some leftover garlic bread sticks after the weekend. I think it was a bit of a stretch for the maker to call them bread sticks, as they were more like hot dog buns brushed with a bit of garlic butter. Anyways, I had some leftover and I used about six of them to make homemade croutons.
Making your own homemade croutons for salads and soups is really easy, and (you will discover) much more delicious than any ready-made variety!
All you need is a quantity of somewhat stale bread or rolls. Cut them into 1/2 inch cubes with a serrated knife and place them onto a baking sheet. Preheat your oven to 400*F/200*C/gas mark 6.
Spread the bread cubes out into a single layer on a lipped baking sheet. Give them a good spritz with some olive oil spray. I find the spray the best thing to use because it allows you to evenly coat the bread pieces, whereas if you use just oil, it soaks into some and misses others.
Toss together with your hands along with some of your favorite seasonings. I used 1 tsp of garlic Italian seasoning today. But you can use any combination of herbs or seasonings you enjoy.
Toast them in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring them every 5 minutes or so, until crisp and golden brown.
Store in an airtight container. They will keep for a few weeks or even longer depending on how crisp you get them. Great sprinkled over salads or soups!
Thank you so much for visiting! Do come again!
Roast leg of lamb is something that a lot of people like to enjoy for Easter. One, this is the season of Lamb, Spring, and two, its just that tiny bit more special than a regular roast and much different than the turkey of Christmas.
Lamb just feels glamorous.
Shoulder of lamb is also very nice. I have cooked it on here before and it is succulent and melts in the mouth. You can find my recipe for slow roasted shoulder of lamb here. I've also cooked a boneless leg of lamb.
Today I am roasting a bone in leg of lamb and I am channeling Mary Berry's recipe for a Greek Roast Lamb. It is quite different than my usual leg of lamb.
First of all it is very simple and requires only a very few ingredients. Secondly it cooks long and slow. I am used to lamb being served medium rare, so this makes a bit of a change. I wasn't sure, but, if Mary Berry says its good, who am I to quibble!
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A LEG OF LAMB
Lets face it, lamb is not the cheapest meat around. If you are going to spend your hard earned cash on a piece of meat you want to make sure you are getting the best cut possible for your money spent.
When buying lamb, you want to look for meat that is brownish pink in color with a layer of creamy white fat on the outside.
Avoid lamb that is grey in color, excessively bloody or has very yellow greasy fat. This means that the lamb is not as fresh as it should be, and I would be very suspicious of it.
Age and breed of the animal can vary the color somewhat. Rare lamb breeds or older animals tend to have more deeply colored flesh.
Leg of lamb can come both bone in and boneless. The boneless will have had the bone removed and the meat rolled and tied into a roast shape. Both are very good.
WHAT YOU NEED TO COOK MARY BERRY'S GREEK ROAST LAMB
Very simple ingredients and not a lot of them.
- 4 lb. (2kg) leg of lamb
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut into slivers
- 2 large rosemary sprigs, chopped
- 1 TBS olive oil
- salt and black pepper
- chopped fresh rosemary to garnish
You could use dried rosemary for this, but I think that fresh rosemary is much better. In England rosemary used to grow wild in a lot of the hedges. I was never very far from fresh rosemary. I miss that!
It seems like a lot of garlic, but don't worry, it is the perfect amount. For the most part the slivers melt right into the meat, giving it the perfect flavor.
HOW TO MAKE MARY BERRY'S GREEK ROAST LAMB
It really couldn't be easier. Trust me. Trust Mary!
Bring your lamb to room temperature by taking it out of the refrigerator at least half an hour prior to roasting it.
Take a sharp knife and cut small incisions down into the lamb. Insert a sliver of garlic into each incision.
Rub the lamb all over with the chopped rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pop the roast into a deep roasting tin.
Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C. gas mark 7. Once the oven is hot put the roasting tin with the lamb into the oven.
Roast for 30 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 285*F/140*C/ gas mark 1. Cover and cook for a further 3 1/2 hours, or until the lamb is really tender.
Remove from the oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil and leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes.
Carve the lamb and serve hot, garnished with rosemary with any pan juices spooned over top if desired.
SOME TASTY SAUCES TO SERVE WITH LAMB
Mint sauce - Combine 3 TBS finely chopped mint in a small bowl with 1 - 2 TBS fine sugar. Add 3 TBS white wine vinegar and stir well to combine.
Cumberland Sauce - Spoon 4 TBS of red currant jelly into a small saucepan. Heat gently to melt. Add 1/2 cup (120ml) red wine and the finely grated zest of one orange. Simmer, whisking constantly for 5 minutes. Whisk in the juice of 1 orange and 1/2 lemon. Simmer for a further 5 minutes and then strain into a sauce boat.
Tzatziki Sauce - Put 2/3 cup/150g of Greek yogurt into a small bowl. Whisk in the grated zest and juice of one lemon. 1 crushed clove of peeled garlic, 1 TBS chopped fresh mint and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill until needed.
I will admit that I had a few reservations with this. I am used to my lamb being a lot pinker, but this was incredibly delicious. Tender and juicy.
The garlic was not overpowering in the least but flavored the lamb beautifully. It melted right into the meat. The fat on the outside was nice and crispy
She did suggest spooning the pan juices over the meat if you wanted to, but I have always found lamb juices to be a bit on the fatty side and prefer to either make a gravy separate, but mostly I just like to enjoy it with a sauce like mint sauce, or Cumberland sauce.
I also really love mint jelly with lamb.
This was delicious served with some boiled new potatoes rolled in butter and fresh herbs. I also served peas and carrots (with a bit of mint stirred in), some mashed sweet potatoes and mint sauce.
Some other delicious side dishes that you might enjoy are:
TWO POTATO GRATIN - Thinly sliced potatoes, sweet and white, layered in a dish with chopped onion, a bit of flour, seasoning and milk. The milk thickens and creates a rich and creamy sauce.
CAULIFLOWER & BROCCOLI CHEESE - You can also use just one or the other. Lovely tender vegetables in a rich and delicious cheese sauce, baked until golden brown on the outside.
BUTTER FRIED PARSNIPS - If you enjoy parsnips prepare to fall in love. Exactly what it says. Tender crisp golden rounds of parsnip fried in butter. Delicious!
HONEY DILL GLAZED TURNIPS & CARROTS - Lightly glazed with some butter and honey, then flavoured with dill . . . these arrive at the table glistening like jewels.
Yield: 6
Mary Berry's Greek Roast Lamb
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 4 HourInactive time: 10 MinTotal time: 4 H & 20 M
Perfectly cooked tender and juicy. Just what you would expect from Mary Berry.
Ingredients
- 4 lb. (2kg) leg of lamb
- 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and cut into slivers
- 2 large rosemary sprigs, chopped
- 1 TBS olive oil
- salt and black pepper
- chopped fresh rosemary to garnish
Instructions
- Bring your lamb to room temperature by taking it out of the refrigerator at least half an hour prior to roasting it.
- Take a sharp knife and cut small incisions down into the lamb. Insert a sliver of garlic into each incision.
- Rub the lamb all over with the chopped rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper. Pop the roast into a deep roasting tin.
- Preheat the oven to 425*F/220*C. gas mark 7. Once the oven is hot put the roasting tin with the lamb into the oven.
- Roast for 30 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 285*F/140*C/ gas mark 1. Cover and cook for a further 3 1/2 hours, or until the lamb is really tender.
- Remove from the oven, cover loosely with aluminum foil and leave to rest in a warm place for 10 minutes.
- Carve the lamb and serve hot, garnished with rosemary with any pan juices spooned over top if desired.
Notes
Some sauces for lamb:
Mint sauce - Combine 3 TBS finely chopped mint in a small bowl with 1 - 2 TBS fine sugar. Add 3 TBS white wine vinegar and stir well to combine.
Cumberland Sauce - Spoon 4 TBS of red currant jelly into a small saucepan. Heat gently to melt. Add 1/2 cup (120ml) red wine and the finely grated zest of one orange. Simmer, whisking constantly for 5 minutes. Whisk in the juice of 1 orange and 1/2 lemon. Simmer for a further 5 minutes and then strain into a sauce boat.
Tzatziki Sauce - Put 2/3 cup/150g of Greek yogurt into a small bowl. Whisk in the grated zest and juice of one lemon. 1 crushed clove of peeled garlic, 1 TBS chopped fresh mint and salt and pepper to taste. Cover and chill until needed.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
I had a medical appointment today about an hours away from where I live. You know how those go. Your appointment is at a certain time. They want you to be there early to register and then you often sit waiting for quite a while after your appointment time before you even get in.
I knew that by the time I got home I would be really tired and I wouldn't feel a lot like cooking. I also knew however that I would be hungry and so I decided to make myself something quick and easy for my supper today.
I spied this recipe for Cheesy Ranch Chicken & Bacon Foil packs on the Kitchn the other day. They looked really simple and tasty to do.
I love foil pack cooking. These little foil pack dinners are really easy to make and cook very quickly. They are also very convenient. You can make them up ahead of time and just throw them in the oven or on the grill when you want to cook them.
I thought that it would make the perfect dinner for today when I knew time was short and my energy would be flagging. I actually put them together this morning before I left and stuck them in the refrigerator, ready to throw into the oven for my supper tonight.
I did take them out about half an hour before I cooked them in order to bring them to room temperature. Here you have a delicious mix of sweet and white potatoes, along with broccoli, topped with chicken, cheese and bacon, with the flavors of ranch dressing running through out.
Here in North America Dry Ranch Salad dressing is quite available. You can buy it in most grocery stores and online. I know that is not the case in some other countries. You can easily make your own however.
You will need 1 cup (140g) buttermilk powder, 4 tablespoons dried parsley, 2 tablespoons garlic salt , 2 tablespoons onion powder, 4 teaspoons dried chives, 2 teaspoons dried dill weed, 3 teaspoons salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper.
Just mix it all together in a food processor or spice grinder, give it a quick blitz, and Bob's your uncle. Dry Ranch Dressing Mix. Keep it stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container ready to use when you need some. It comes in very handy. It will keep for about six months.
I know that buttermilk powder can also be hard to come by and I have a confession, when I lived in the UK I used dry milk powder. It wasn't quite as tangy, but it still worked well.
WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE CHEESY RANCH CHICKEN & BACON FOIL PACKETS
Quantities are for two basic servings You could multiply to feed more if you wish. It is very easily done.
- 1 medium baking potato, peeled and cut into six chunks
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into six chinks
- 1 small broccoli crown, trimmed and broken into florets
- 2 smallish boneless, skinless chicken breast portions
- 1 TBS dry ranch dressing powder, divided
- 1/2 TBS canola oil
- 1/2 cup (60g) grated cheddar cheese, divided
- 3 rashers crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
Each one of my potatoes was about the size of my fist. I have a smallish hand so not overly large. My broccoli crown was also on the small size, I guess I got about 1 cup of florets from it, so 1/2 cup for each packet.
If you don't like broccoli you can use any other vegetable that you do like. Cut green beans, cauliflower, sliced carrots, halved brussels sprouts, etc. Just bear in mind that they need to cook in the specified time.
HOW TO MAKE CHEESY RANCH CHICKEN & BACON FOIL PACKS
Nothing could be easier. The hardest part is folding the foil over the chicken and vegetables, but if you cut your foil large enough, this is a real doddle too.
Preheat your outdoor grill to medium high. Alternately preheat your oven to 425*F/230*C/ gas mark 6.
Tear four strips of aluminum foil measuring 8 inches wide. Stack them one on top of the other, making two piles.
Place both potatoes and the broccoli in a bowl. Toss together with 1/2 of the ranch dressing mix and the oil. Divide the mixture evenly between the foil stacks, leaving a nice border around the edges.
Top each pile of vegetables with 1 of the chicken breasts. Season the chicken with the other 1/2 TBS of ranch dressing mix. Top with half of the cheese and half of the bacon.
Pull the foil up over the chicken and vegetables to meet in the centre. Pleat closed. Crimp the foil at both ends to completely contain the chicken. Place both foil packets onto a baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven or on the grill for 20 to 25 minutes, at which time the vegetables should be cooked and tender, the chicken juices should run clear and the cheese will have melted.
Take great care when opening as the steam from these is very hot.
You could round out the meal with some garlic bread which could be thrown in the oven along side of the foil packets, or a packaged salad or coleslaw. Today I could be bothered with anything as I was just that tired from all the running around.
It was also garbage day and I had to get all my garbage ready to put out by the road for tomorrow. Days like that I wish I did have a man around to do that chore for me. I know, that is sexist. Like garbage is a man job. lol
To my way of thinking, it is, but alas, I have to do what I have to do! There are worse things to suffer through! 😏
I have always been a huge fan of foil cooking. Especially in the summer months when we can just throw the packs on the grill. If you are too, you may enjoy the following:
GRILLED CHICKEN FOIL PACKS - I give you three different versions here for ways to make chicken foil pack dinners. There is a Sweet and Sour Chicken pack, a Hunter's Chicken and Potato pack and a Honey Mustard Chicken pack. All are equally delicious!
You can cook anything in a foil pack like this. Salmon fillets are nice. Pork, lamb, beef. You can really use your imagination and put them together very easily. If you have children you can let them put together their own. Children love to think they are cooking! These really are great for camping or cookouts!
Yield: 2
Cheesy Ranch Chicken & Bacon Foil Packs
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 25 MinTotal time: 35 Min
Quick, easy and delicious. No fuss, no muss and very little to clean up. You can cook this easy dinner for two in the oven or on the grill.
Ingredients
- 1 medium baking potato, peeled and cut into six chunks
- 1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into six chinks
- 1 small broccoli crown, trimmed and broken into florets
- 2 smallish boneless, skinless chicken breast portions
- 1 TBS dry ranch dressing powder, divided
- 1/2 TBS canola oil
- 1/2 cup (60g) grated cheddar cheese, divided
- 3 rashers crisp cooked bacon, crumbled
Instructions
- Preheat your outdoor grill to medium high. Alternately preheat your oven to 425*F/230*C/ gas mark 6.
- Tear four strips of aluminum foil measuring 8 inches wide. Stack them one on top of the other, making two piles.
- Place both potatoes and the broccoli in a bowl. Toss together with 1/2 of the ranch dressing mix and the oil. Divide the mixture evenly between the foil stacks, leaving a nice border around the edges.
- Top each pile of vegetables with 1 of the chicken breasts. Season the chicken with the other 1/2 TBS of ranch dressing mix. Top with half of the cheese and half of the bacon.
- Pull the foil up over the chicken and vegetables to meet in the centre. Pleat closed. Crimp the foil at both ends to completely contain the chicken. Place both foil packets onto a baking sheet.
- Bake in the preheated oven or on the grill for 20 to 25 minutes, at which time the vegetables should be cooked and tender, the chicken juices should run clear and the cheese will have melted.
- Be extremely careful when opening the packets due to steam escaping. Serve hot.
Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!
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