About six months ago I had bought a couple of racks of lamb at Costco, which were marked down for some reason. They looked fine so I brought them home, repackaged them and froze them to use at a later date.  This weekend I thawed one out and roasted it for our Sunday lunch.

 

It was absolutely beautiful. I can't think why it had been reduced, perhaps the original packaging had been punctured or some such. In any case there was nothing wrong with it at all.

 

Lamb is not something we ever ate when I was growing up. Mom did try to cook some lamb chops once, but they were not popular with any of us.  I suspect strongly that they were mutton and not lamb as they smelled like she was burning a pair of mittens when she was cooking them!

 

When mom was in the hospital having my brother (over 60 years ago!) she had remembered having a lamb stew and she always talked about how delicious it was.  Until moving here to the UK, chops that smelt like burnt mittens and  mom's memory of lamb stew were my only experiences with lamb.

 

I have come to love and enjoy lamb very much here in the UK. We have some of the most beautiful tasting lamb in the world.  Our hillsides are covered with sheep, everywhere you look.  That was one thing I noticed when I first moved over here and had a chance to wander about in the countryside.  Sheep, sheep everywhere.

 

We also pay a lot more for local lamb than we do for New Zealand lamb.  I am not sure what is up with that, but I can tell you, local lamb is worth the extra cost. It's is simply wonderful.

 

I decided to use a recipe for a glazed rack of lamb that I found on Linger.  It sounded delicious with a fabulous Apricot and Mustard glaze.

 

The original recipe was for the use of two racks of lamb. I cut it in half successfully.

 

It called for a full 4 cloves of garlic for the full recipe. I tried it with two, but I could tell that it was going to be obnoxious as soon as I had minced it all with the thyme. The smell was far too strong.  I cut both in half yet again and that was perfect.

 

She talked about the glaze becoming somewhat of a sauce to spoon over the lamb. I didn't end up with a sauce.  My glaze  was simply a glaze, but it did taste beautiful and I feel it was a smart move on my part to cut back on the garlic and the thyme.

 

The full whack would have totally over-powered the natural taste of the lamb.  I like to taste what I am eating.  Any complimentary flavours should do just that.  Compliment, not overpower.

 

Just my opinion of course!  But if you are paying a huge price tag for a beautiful piece of meat, lets taste the meat!

 

The timings were spot on.  I ended up with beautifully roasted lamb, nice and pink just like we enjoy it.

 

I loved the glaze just as I did it. It was fruity and mellow and went perfect with the lamb.

  

We both really enjoy this delicious entree. I served it with the Balsamic Roasted New Potatoes & Asparagus I shared the other day with you.  This was a perfect Springtime menu.

 

If you have some lamb and are looking for a beautiful and delicious way of preparing it, this would not be a bad choice!  I think this would make an excellent dinner party entree with two racks and maybe a Potato Gratin on the side.  Bon Appetit as they say! 

 

 

 

The recipe I am sharing with you today proves  that you can make a salad  out of just about anything.  I was very lucky the other day that my good friend Tina picked me up a head of iceberg lettuce and left it on my doorstep.  You never know what you are going to miss until you can't get it. That is precisely when you are going to start craving it, and all last week I had a craving for lettuce and cabbage.  Thankfully Tina was able to get me both!

 

I am quite lucky in that I have a fair amount of meat and fish in the freezer, mostly chicken of course, but I think I might have some pork chops in there somewhere, and maybe a piece of lamb. In any case I used some of the chicken to create this fabulous Almost Fried Chicken Salad!

 

You can use chicken tenders if that is all you have to use. I cut chicken breasts into strips, and then rolled them in some buttermilk and then a flavourful dry coating mixture, of flour, dry bread crumbs and a mis of herbs and spices.

 

These were baked in a hot oven on a oil sprayed baking sheet.  I also sprayed them with a bit of oil. (Low fat canola oil cooking spray)  I baked them until they were golden brown and crisp, turning them and spraying them again, halfway through the bake time.

 

The salad itself was a mix of what I had in the house  . . .  chopped boiled egg, chopped broccoli and cauliflower  . . .

 

Chopped cucumber and radish. I cut my radishes in half with zig zag edges to provide visual interest  . . .

 

I forgot to add tomatoes which I had, but feel free of course. I also added some chopped spring onion.

 

You can use any combination of vegetables you have that you might enjoy . . . cooked beetroot, cooked sweet potato, carrots, etc.  All work very well.

 

I had actually made some sweet potato chips (crisps) the other day that I used as croutons on top, you could use normal croutons, or no croutons.  Just what you have and what you fancy.  There really is no right or wrong about this!

 

I added a grating of cheddar cheese to the top.  You could use crumbled blue cheese or feta.  Again, whatever it is that you fancy or that you have!

  

The dressing is a homemade kind of a Ranch/Garlic dressing.  I used the rest of my sour cream in it, but you can also use plain yogurt if that is what you have, or even buttermilk if you happen to be so lucky to have it.  Those three things are all tangy, rich and pretty much can be used in place of the other.

 

This really satisfied my craving for a wholesome and hearty salad!  For Todd I added a baked potato.

  

He was happy, I was happy  . . .  it was a great meal and we made great use of just what we had that needed using.  No waste here!

 

Has your cooking become rather inventive during the lockdown?  What are some of the things you have been doing?  I really want to know!  They say this might go on for as long as twelves months.  We will all be in need of some culinary inspiration by then I reckon!  I said to Todd I want to go out for a slap bang meal at a good restaurant, no matter the cost!

 

Todd always likes to complain that I have too much food in the house.  I do like to keep the fridge and freezer full and I have a healthy store cupboard.  The last time I went to Canada without him, he made a huge dent in the store cupboard.  He bragged that he didn't have to spend more than £10 a week on groceries. (I seriously doubt that, but you know men!)  In any case I reckon he must have had the strangest meals, made up of whatever tinned food he could get his hands on. I dare not think of it.  I can only tell you that it took me a while to build it back up again, and he broke the can opener when I was away.

 

I can tell you one thing, however  . . .  in these past couple of weeks he has come to appreciate my store cupboard in a way he never has before.  I confess I am a bit worried that we won't be able to make it last.  We are quite lacking in fruits and vegetables.  I have tried to create an online order for some, but you can't get a delivery space at all, and there is no telling if you will even get what's on your list if you did.  I have heard stories of people only getting a fraction of what they needed.  I have also contacted some home delivery vegetable schemes, but again, have had no response. I am afraid we have what we have and that is that.

 

For the moment we do have plenty of frozen protein and I have potatoes and onions, garlic.  Canned tomatoes, beans, mushy peas, corn, apples, peaches, pears, mandarins and pineapple, and I also have tinned fish, chicken and ham, as well as corned beef and some spam. 

 

I am so very grateful for the frozen fish that we have.  We have cod and salmon, haddock and squid rings.  I get all of my fish from Seafresh Quality Foods, which is an online fish monger.  We have always been more than happy with the service and product which we have received from them.

 

Their Cod Loins are exceptional.  Sustainably sourced from the cold waters of the North Atlantic, they are meaty and sweet and beautifully white in colour.

 

They also have much more than fish and seafood available in their online shop. You can also buy chicken and duck, beef and lamb and an assortment of oven ready products.  I love, LOVE their fish fingers! 

 

All of the restaurants and pubs are shut down in the UK now.  Even McDonalds is closed.  Who would have ever thunk that such a day would come.  We are having to get really inventive at home, but really that's no hardship. We have plenty of time on our hands now . . .

 

Today I created a quasi-Fish & Chip supper for us, using some of our precious potatoes and some Cod Loins. I have given quantities for four people but you can easily cut it down to feed two.  I did.

 

You cut the potatoes into fingers and toss them together with some oil and Italian Garlic seasoning.  Spread out on a baking sheet, they go into a hot oven while you prepare your fish.

 

I had thawed my fish out in the refrigerator over night.  I just patted it dry with some paper towel and popped it onto another baking sheet.  I created an herb, garlic and cheese mixture to spread over it and once the chips were about halfway done I popped them into the oven to cook.

  

The end result was perfectly cooked, tender and flavourful cod and chips that we both enjoyed immensely.  I opened a small can of mushy peas to enjoy along with them.  Not quite like the chippy, but probably a whole lot healthier!

  

How are you coping with the restrictions we are having to live with at the moment?  I am a bit worried that what I have will last, but we will see.  In the meantime I think we are very blessed to have what we have.

A few things about Seafresh: