lamb navarin with summer vegetables

This is an off-the-cuff version of French lamb stew, usually made with tiny turnips and potatoes and the first peas of Spring. Don't be put off by the steps - it actually doesn't take much time at all. You saute, pop in the oven with herbs and broth ( wine or beer optional), sieve, and briefly cook again before serving. What you get is a heady, herby broth with chunks of tender lamb and slightly crunchy sugar snap peas and carrots. Mine is a version of Julia Child's from Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Preheat oven to 350F.

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1 pound of lamb ( I used a center leg slice, which had almost no fat )

2 T. olive oil

1 T. unsalted butter

kosher salt

fresh pepper

a three or four inch sprig of rosemary

1/2 t. thyme

1 T. flour

2 cups beef stock

1 cup beer ( I used Corona, which was all I had) Or wine.

1 cup canned plum tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, peeled and smushed gently

2 bay leaves

1 large onion, peeled, halved, and cut into slices

Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium skillet. Cut the lamb into 1 inch chunks and pat dry with paper towels.

Saute the lamb in small batches, browning on two sides. Remove lamb to a casserole as you saute, continue until all the lamb is sauteed.

Sprinkle the lamb with salt, pepper, thyme, and flour and toss.

Add the beef stock, optional beer, rosemary, tomatoes, garlic, bay leaves, and onion.

Cover and slide into the oven.

Cook for one hour.

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Set a sieve over a large bowl and drain the Navarin. Cool, and pick out the lamb chunks.

Pour the broth into a saucepan, add the lamb chunks again and add:

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1 1/2 cups peeled, cut carrots

another sprig of rosemary

another 1/2 t. thyme

salt and pepper

1 T. unsalted butter

Simmer until carrots are barely tender, then add:

1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas

Cook a few minutes then serve with a nice crusty bread ( and maybe a cool Corona).

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What I'm reading?

Beach book time - lots of mysteries!

Hope you're enjoying your summer ♥

Featured in TasteSpotting!

winter means Harpoon chili time!

It's time for the chili. The snow is deep, the thermometer low, and I'm craving a pot of Harpoon Chili. Heady clouds of cumin, garlic, and chili powder waft along with an undertone of nutmeg-scented Harpoon Winter Warmer ale. Since it's a seasonal ale, I grab a 6-pack in November, when it's on the shelves, and hide it until the chili day announces itself.

The only two ales I know that make this chili zing are Harpoon Winter Warmer, and Sam Adams regular ale. I tried a Harpoon IPA once, and it was bitter, so be forewarned. If you use the Sam Adams, add 1/4 t. nutmeg. You can also use leftover steak instead of poached chicken, and whatever your favorite choice of beans is. I like black beans with a few kidney beans.

The original recipe came from a book called Recipes from the Night Kitchen, but, as usual, I've tinkered around with it over the years , as I hope you will, to make a mouth-watering winter chili you crave. And of course, it tastes even better the next day! After one night in the fridge, the chili darkens as the chili powder seeps deeply into it ( see top photo). Top with cheddar and sour cream for an even tastier bowl - but it's heavenly just on its own.

To Make:

You'll need a large, heavy bottomed stock pot for this, with a lid

2 large onions, chopped

2 T. olive or canola oil

1 stalk celery, chopped

6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 t. chili powder

1/2 t or more red pepper flakes

1 1/2 T. cumin

1 red pepper, washed, trimmed, roughly chopped

1 green pepper, washed, trimmed, roughly chopped

1 zucchini, washed, quartered lengthwise, and sliced into 1" pieces

3 15.5 oz. cans black beans, drained

1 15.5 oz. can dark red kidney beans, drained

2 bottles Harpoon Winter Warmer ale

3-4 cups chicken stock

1 20 oz. can of whole plum tomatoes, with juice,cut up

1 T. oregano

1 t. thyme

The poached chicken:

3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, poached for 7 minutes in water, then set aside with a lid on for ten minutes. Remove when needed and dice.

The finish:

salt and pepper as needed

2 T. unsalted butter

1 t. chili powder

1 T. cumin

3 T. minced parsley

The diced chicken or leftover beef

Heat the oil and add the garlic, onions, and spices and cook for 10 minutes on medium low, with a lid on.

Add the zucchini, celery, tomatoes, beans, Harpoon ale, chicken stock, and tomatoes and red and green peppers.

Add the oregano and thyme and stir.

Cook on medium for at least an hour, checking to make sure it's not scorching, and stirring every now and then. (you can poach the chicken while waiting, then dice once cooled)

At this point, you'll be ravenous - but hold off! The final touch:

Taste before seasoning, then add the finish seasonings - the butter, chili powder, cumin, parsley, and cubes of chicken or beef, and the salt and pepper.

Serve as is, or with crusty bread, or on top of rice. Enjoy!

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What I'm reading:

Sing Them Home by Stephanie Kallos

Gardening at the Dragon's Gate by Wendy Johnson

classic french beef bourguignon: chasing away the chill

I knew I was coming down with something last night - was it the faintness after shopping, the chill in the air, the brooding grey sky, the frozen toes? As soon as I woke up, I craved chile peppers in soup. I managed to pull together a hasty red pepper and udon noodle soup for breakfast, but I knew what I really needed - this classic French red wine and beef stew, fragrant with bacon, thyme, merlot, and beef, balanced with a touch of garlic and salsa.

Although I normally eat almost vegetarian, there are times when the deep flavors of meat and wine with herbs can resurrect me like nothing else. Forget the pre-Thanksgiving jitters, the memories of my father on Thanksgiving, the silent phone, the bleached grasses just before the snow, the tension that November brings. The hours of the wine blending with the beef make for an extraordinary experience. This is, indeed, Slow Food at its best. This is the one stew I don't add carrots and onions to, because it's perfect, just as it is. There is a deep robustness to this stew, that is unlike any other I've made.

So throw a log on the fire as the pot bubbles, and take joy in this day.

To make:

a pound of stewing beef

4 strips of bacon ( I use thick cut), sliced into slivers

3 cups merlot, or other robust red wine

olive oil and unsalted butter for the saute ( about 2 T. each) butter is optional.

2 cups beef bouillion

2 T. good salsa (I use Green Mountain Gringo, from Vermont)

3 cloves mashed garlic

1 t. thyme

bay leaf

salt and pepper

Place beef on paper towels and blot until dry.

Put bacon in a skillet and cook until brown. Remove to paper towels.

Add olive oil and butter to the skillet and brown, about five pieces at a time, the beef chunks. Remove beef when browned, reserve, and continue to brown beef until all the chunks are done.

Place browned beef in an oven-proof dish or pot.

Drain the fat from the skillet, then add the merlot and beef bouillon, and the thyme, garlic, salt and pepper, and the salsa. Simmer for a few minutes, scraping up the browned bits.

Pour over the beef, then add the bacon bits.

Cover and place in a 325F oven for two hours.

Taste the stew and adjust seasonings, then serve with good bread and butter, or buttered noodles.

Enjoy!

zuni stew with squash and chiles

I was browsing through my cookbooks looking for just the right recipe to use some of the lovely squashes and pumpkins I got from the farmer's market. As I pulled out the Betty Crocker's Southwest Cooking, a flood of memories came back. Was it the Cub Scouts or the fifth graders I taught? Whoever it was, we basically explored history through cooking. And I suspect it was my son's passion for all things chile ( and chili) that directed us to this recipe. The minute he saw the jalapenos on the list, he nudged the votes. I like this recipe because it uses those lovely squashes and the last of the zucchini and corn - in addition to the chiles.

This is a satisfying vegetable stew, Southwestern style, with the zing of hot peppers, but the sweetness of those colorful vegetables. You can serve this with a nice cornbread, or the naan I made a while ago, and set out bowls of sour cream, shredded cheese, and bottles of hot sauce, and serve with some grilled steak or chicken.

The recipe lacked the bold tastes I think of when I make chili, so I added in more herbs and spices. But for a book published in 1989, I was surprised by both the great color photos and the recipes - which both hold up just fine.

You will need:

1 large onion, chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 T. vegetable oil or olive oil

1 red pepper, seeded, cut into 2" strips

2 medium fresh poblano chiles, seeded and cut into 2" strips

2 T. (+ or -) nacho sliced Jalapenos ( I used Casa Fiesta)

2 cups cubed, peeled winter squash like acorn or butternut

1 can chicken broth plus water if needed

salt and pepper

1 can or 1/1/2 cups cooked pinto beans

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

1 cup zucchini, yellow or green, in medium chunks or large dice

2 t. (or more) ground cumin

1 t. basil ( or more)

1 t. oregano

2 T. butter ( stirred in at the end) (optional)

In a large pot, drizzle oil in and add garlic and onions. Cook on medium high for five minutes, then add the red pepper, poblano, and jalapeno. Cook another 15 minutes.

Stir in the winter squash and chicken broth, salt and pepper, and cumin. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, until the squash has softened.

Stir in the corn and pinto beans and zucchini and cook another 10 minutes. Add the basil and oregano, and taste for salt, pepper, and the right degree of hotness. Stir in the unsalted butter just before serving.

Serve with shredded cheese and/or sour cream if desired.

chicken marengo with orzo

Last night I made this classic chicken stew - plump chicken pieces simmered in broth with tomatoes, wine or vinegar, mushrooms, and tarragon. Oh my, it is delicious on a chilly night! It's also easy when you have company, or need to get dinner together quickly. The simmering part takes an hour to an hour and a half - but it takes just a few minutes to pull it together and stick it in the oven. I served it with orzo and a salad, but you may want to also have some chunks of rustic bread to mop up the broth.

You will need:

Preheat oven to 350F.

6 pieces of chicken ( I used legs and thighs) skin removed

2 T. olive oil

2 T. unsalted butter (optional)

Rinse and pat the chicken pieces dry.

Heat the butter and oil in a skillet, and when it is hot, sear the chicken pieces until they are slightly browned.

Remove chicken pieces to an oven proof casserole dish.

1 cup white wine ( or 1/2 cup water, 1/2 c rice vinegar)

1 heaping t. tarragon ( dried)

salt and pepper

2 cups canned plum tomatoes, with some of the juice

10 sliced mushrooms

2 cloves minced garlic

Pour the wine or vinegar/water into the skillet, scraping up the bits left in the pan. Add the tarragon and garlic, salt and pepper, and then the tomatoes and mushrooms. Stir together, then pour over chicken.

Put a lid on the dish, or cover with foil. Place in oven for approximately an hour and a half, or until chicken is very tender.

Enjoy with chunks of good bread and a salad!