But then it happened again!! I figured out what I wanted to make for both a starter and a dessert but I was having trouble deciding on an entree. A conversation with my friend Jon was immensely helpful.
Me: I'm making dinner for Sarah tomorrow. Mixed berry mascarpone tarts and a gorgeous watermelon salad. Need to figure out what I'm doing for an entree though. :) Dessert was the first thing I decided on!
Jon: Unless there's vegetarian concerns, how about lamb?
Me: No concerns at all. Why Jon, that sounds perfect actually. :) Maybe some herbed new potatoes on the side.
Jon: Sounds good. I like something almost gamey and hearty before having a sweet dessert with a little savoriness to it like yours sounds.
(Thank goodness for foodie friends.)
Having never cooked lamb however, this required a lot of research. I think I read 20 or so recipes before deciding which method I wanted to use. I wanted something easy (chops, fo' sho') and non-traditional (no mint jelly!). Below are the fruits of my labor.
First Sarah and I partook in a delicious savory watermelon salad:
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1.5 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t Tabasco
Salt and pepper
1/2 small can chopped black olives
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced/chopped
1.5 lbs seedless watermelon, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/4 flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 c feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
1.5 T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t Tabasco
Salt and pepper
1/2 small can chopped black olives
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced/chopped
1.5 lbs seedless watermelon, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1/4 flat leaf parsley, chopped
1/2 c feta cheese, crumbled
In a small bowl whisk the EVOO, lemon juice and Tabasco together and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in olives and onion pieces. In a larger bowl, pour dressing over watermelon chunks and sprinkle with feta and parsley.
For the main course I found a lamb chop recipe with a gorgeous, tangy, silky lemon sauce:
6 thick lamb chops (mine were an inch thick... thank you Costco)
1 c chicken broth
1 t cornstarch
Zest of one lemon
3 T lemon juice
3 t Dijon mustard
6 thick lamb chops (mine were an inch thick... thank you Costco)
1 c chicken broth
1 t cornstarch
Zest of one lemon
3 T lemon juice
3 t Dijon mustard
Chops: Pre-heat the broiler. Sprinkle both sides of the chops with salt and pepper (can also rub with rosemary, but I forgot to). Broil chops for 4-6 minutes on each side, until desired doneness. I think I cooked mine for 4 minutes on each side and they were medium rare.
Lemon Sauce: Mix broth and cornstarch in a saucepan until cornstarch is mostly dissolved. Add zest, juice and mustard. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens. Spoon over chops.
I also roasted some new potatoes in my typical vegetable roasting fashion. Clean and halve potatoes. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and chopped rosemary and drizzle with EVOO. Toss to coat and roast at 450 degrees for 20 minutes.
Then we took a small respite for a fashion show. Sarah was so patient and kind with all her "ooh-ing" and "ah-ing." :o)
For dessert, mixed berry mascarpone tarts. Bite-sized, creamy, fruity deliciousness:
3 cups frozen mixed berries
3 T granulated sugar
1 t lemon juice
1/2 c mascarpone cheese
1/2 t vanilla extract
3 mint leaves, finely chopped
1/4 c fresh berries of choice
24 store bought phyllo pastry cups (I was unable to find these and had to make my own out of phyllo sheets.)
3 T granulated sugar
1 t lemon juice
1/2 c mascarpone cheese
1/2 t vanilla extract
3 mint leaves, finely chopped
1/4 c fresh berries of choice
24 store bought phyllo pastry cups (I was unable to find these and had to make my own out of phyllo sheets.)
In a small saucepan heat the berries over low heat for about 5 minutes. Place the cooked berries in a strainer over a bowl and allow to drain thoroughly. Use the back of a spoon to extract any additional liquid. Set the liquid aside.
Gorgeous!!!!!
Combine the berries with the cheese, 1 tablespoon of sugar, the vanilla and mint leaves and mix until well combined. (Filling can be kept covered in the refrigerator for up to six hours. Allow to return to room temperature before filling the tarts.)
Add the liquid from the berries to a saucepan along with 2 tablespoons of sugar and the lemon juice. Simmer over gentle heat until the liquid reduces and covers the back of a spoon, about five minutes. Combine with the fresh berries.
Divide the cheese mixture between the pastry cups and top with fresh berries. Serve immediately.
So what was the final decision?
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