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Cookies! Need I say more? The hard part is choosing which to bake first. Will it be the cute-as-a-button glittery lemon sandwiches? Orange pistachio crescents? Dulce de leche half moons? In my case, it'll probably be all three. If you're still hunting for new holiday dishes to add to the big festive day, you're sure to find something tempting in the feature "Comfort and Joy'' which is what the holidays really are all about, aren't... |
 The first time I heard the name Tyler Florence it was in connection to the New York restaurant Cafeteria, which was a favorite spot for the Sex and the City girls and at the time known for having the best Macaroni and Cheese in town. But, the South Carolina native has made the transition well from Master of Mac and Cheese to Food Network Star and virtual household name. In his new book, Dinner At My Place, he shares with us some of his favorite menus. Menus, that is, that he's prepared at his Mill Valley California home where, as he once told a neighbor his, "my house is the best restaurant in town". Tyler - I feel the same way about my own home! This cookbook has a menu designed for everyone and just about every occasion from the common to the obscure. A celebration for Dungeness crab... |
 It’s that time of year again; time that is, for the Project Foodie Top Cookbook choices. This year the selection was a team project with Carolyn, Heather, Peggy and I each selecting our favorite recipes from one of four categories: Baking, General, Seasonal and Specialty. Over then next few posts we will share our choices, starting today with the top Baking cookbooks of 2008. "Martha Stewart's Cookies'' by Martha Stewart. Cookies are my favorite thing to bake, and I've been wanting to bake everything from this book ever since I got it. There are two features of this book that I especially love. One, there are photos of every cookie. And two, the chapters are divided into cookie texture types, such as "Light and Delicate,'' "Soft and Chewy,'' and "Rich and Dense.'' Must try recipes: Chewy Molasses Crinkles, and Brown-Butter Toffee Blondies. – picked by Carolyn... |
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EOS Estate Winery: Spicy Braised Lamb |
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Save Recipe:
Spicy Braised Lamb
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While leg of lamb may be the first dish that comes to mind when you consider having lamb, keep in mind that lamb can be crafted into many other wonderful dishes. Consider, for example, today's recipe "Spicy Braised Lamb" from EOS Estate Winery (Paso Robles, CA). The spicy aspects of this dish, stemming from an assortment of spices including ginger, cinnamon, cumin, mustard and coriander, are complemented by the addition of figs, currants and parsnips. Serve this with some EOS Estate Winery Petit Syrah and you'll have an excellent meal that is a great departure from the more traditional leg of lamb.
Spicy Braised LambFrom EOS Estate Winery (Six servings)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 pounds lamb, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
- Freshly ground black pepper and Kosher salt to taste
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 2 oz dried figs, cut into small pieces
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp dried currants
- 3 slices fresh ginger root
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ¾ cup dry red wine
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 1 pound parsnip, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
- Lemon juice to taste
- Spice Blend:
- ½ tsp of each cumin, black pepper, mustard, and coriander seeds
- 1 ½ tsp turmeric, ground
Mix cumin, mustard, and coriander seeds and toast over high heat in a dry pan. Once spices release aromas, remove from heat and add black pepper corns. Let spices cool and grind finely. Add turmeric and blend in thoroughly. Cover and set aside.
Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Sprinkle lamb with salt and pepper and brown meat on all sides. Remove from pan and set aside.
In the same pot, sauté onion until soft, then add garlic, ginger, and spice blend. Cook until you can smell the aroma of garlic. Add figs, currants, cinnamon stick, and red wine. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half.
Return the lamb to the pot, cover halfway with broth, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for at least 1 ¼ hours. When meat is tender, add parsnips and cook until tender. Remove from heat and discard cinnamon stick.
Reduce heat and continue to simmer liquids uncovered. When liquid has evaporated to desired consistency, adjust seasoning. Add lemon juice to taste.
(Adapted from a recipe seen in the SF Chronicle)
Enjoy with EOS Estate Reserve Petite Sirah.
About EOS Estate Reserve Petite Sirah
 This wine opens with intense, jammy aromas of blackberry, raspberry,
and black cherry with hints of earth and smoke. Intense, dark flavors of
blackberry and cherry are luscious and complex on the palate, and lead to
a long and lingering finish.
About EOS Estate Winery
 The EOS Estate Vineyards are located in the Paso Robles Appellation, in Paso Robles, California. Located midway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, and approximately 15 miles inland from the Pacific Ocean, Paso Robles is a significant part of the noteworthy Central Coast wine growing region. Currently we have close to 700 acres planted, with more plantings planned over the next several years. Since a wine's flavor profile begins in the vineyard, we take extreme care in managing our vineyards for the highest quality yield. Each and every EOS varietal is planted in it's own specific vineyard block that's carefully nurtured to maximize the flavor of that particular varietal. Within each vineyard block we employ the latest techniques in canopy management and crop back vines diligently in our never ending pursuit of perfection. Quality rather than quantity is our focus.
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