On the menu:
Lamb chops (which I have never had lamb before)
Asparagus with Aioli (utilization of my new food processor - thanks Karen)
Quinoa, Pea & Mint Salad (first experience with Quinoa - pronounced "KEEN-wah")
Mini-Lemon Tarts (also a use of the food processor - and an attempt at a recreation of a dessert David & I had while on vacation in Gearhart)
Unfortuntalely, I didn't get a picture of all the food on the table - but it was quite a spread.
I used Martha's cookbook for all but the lemon tart recipe.
- Lamb chops:
I ventured to New Seasons - which is a rare occurrence and sprung for some lamb rib chops. These are pretty small - but I got enough for 2 per person. I just pan fried the chops seasoned with a bit of salt & pepper. I cooked the chops in shifts in my pan - so as to give them plenty of room to get happy. Once they were all nice and seared and cooked to a medium-rare - medium, I threw them all back in the pan and tossed with some lemon juice and zest. The flavor of lamb is difficult for me to describe. It was interesting and different - and I'm afraid in my effort to not overcook some pricey cuts of meat - some of it may have been a tad on the rare side.
- Asparagus with Garlic Aioli:
I paired some blanched asparagus with a garlicky aioli. I loved being able to try out my new food processor with something I would normally never make. Aioli is basically mayonaisse - which I don't normally like - but I thought I'd give a shot with homemade. I zipped together an egg, 1 clove of garlic, 1/2 cup of canola oil and 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil. 1 clove of garlic was almost too much! It complemented the asparagus with a twang but I felt like with a little taste I could ward off vampires.
- Quinoa Salad with Pea & Mint:
Quinoa is something I have heard about from a few of my co-workers. They supplement their traditional white grains (rice, pasta, etc) with this nutty-flavored grain in the effort to get more nutrients in their diet. Martha's cookbook has a tidbit about it being the only non-animal protein that contains all of the essential amino acids. I found this grain in the bulk section of the natural foods portion of Fred Meyer. At 1.49 a lb, 1 cup of this stuff isn't too spendy at all - only a few cents. I cooked up 1 cup of rinsed quinoa (use a super small sieve or it will all end up in the sink) with 2 cups of chicken stock. It cooks up for about 20 minutes with the addition of 1 cup of peas during the last 5 minutes of cooking. It was a refreshing alternative to a traditional starch side.
- Mini Lemon Tarts:
In my hunt for a tart pan at BBB, I came across a set of 6 mini 4" tart pans. Since it's just the two of us - it doesn't make sense for me to own a traditional sized tart pan - so I opted for the single serving dessert choice. Since we had a table of six - the small dessert pans worked out perfectly. This dessert was a bit time consuming. I started the dough the night before. Start to finish probably took me about 2-3 hours - which is a bit rediculous. I welcomed the time in the kitchen, but would not make this dessert on any type of regular basis. The food processor produced a flaky tart crust that held up well to the lemony filling. The dessert David & I enjoyed in a restaurant in Seaside had a much more creamy type of lemon filling - but perhaps on the next try.
This dinner was a great special occasion dinner. It was great to be able to share time with my husband and friends around the dinner table. It was great to take a short break from studying to enjoy life a bit :)
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