We have an eclectic holiday celebration.  This year we decided on serving lamb for the second night of Passover and my traditional Easter.  Lamb and specifically lamb Shish kabob is my favorite meal.

My dad would cut the lamb himself but I cheated and asked the butcher.  This was my father’s meal… he was the butcher, the prep cook and the chef.  We watched and waited for a taste of luscious lamb sizzling off the skewer.  It was like waiting for a piece of crisp skin when cutting the turkey at Thanksgiving.

The metal skewers we use are from my Grandmother’s kitchen stored in an old bag made from a remnant piece of carpet. The large pan is also from Grandma’s… it serves a crowd. This recipe can easily be doubled and the veggies can stay about the same.

I serve this with a wonderful unleavened Armenian bread you may call lahvosh and Armenian pilaf.  Of course we added salad and fruit.

 

This really is a complete meal… enjoy!

 

RECIPE: Armenian Shish Kabob

Serves 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
• 5 lbs cubed leg of lamb
• Juice of 3 lemons
• 1 onion diced
• 2 ripe tomatoes diced
• 2 hot banana peppers diced (Use only one if you don’t like the heat!)
• 3 cloves of garlic minced
• Salt and pepper

I ask the butcher to precut my cubed leg of lamb.  I prefer domestic lamb as it is less gamey than New Zealand lamb. Marinate the lamb with the above ingredients.  Then add kosher salt and pepper.  Marinate the day before, this is important to get the best taste.

• 8-10 small ripe tomatoes
• 6 cubanella peppers (sweet peppers)
• 4-6 red peppers
• 4 green peppers
• 4 hot banana peppers
• 8 onions small white or sweet

 

DIRECTIONS:
• Clean the vegetables, cut the peppers in quarters to skewer cleaning out the seeds.

• The next day prepare a “hot” grill.

• Skewer the lamb separately from the veggies… skewer the onions, tomatoes and peppers   each on different skewers.  Have a large covered Dutch oven ready.

• Grill the meat and veggies alternating when done slice off into large pan.  As you do this      you will quarter the onions, and tomatoes.  The mixture will look like stew when                  everything is grilled and in large covered pot put it on the grill at a lower heat to simmer.

• Serve with pilaf and enjoy!

 

RECIPE: Armenian Pilaf  (Click to Read)

 

Wine Suggestions for this Meal (Click to Read)

 

pantry staples: grapeseed oil

April 9th, 2012 | Posted by admin in PANTRY STAPLES - (0 Comments)

For years I used canola oil, vegetable oil, peanut oil and olive oil.  Then I ventured into the better extra virgin olive oils and realized I can tell the difference.  But what about all those other oils on the shelf?  I think grapeseed oil is worth discovering.  It’s lighter than olive oil, a bit nutty and easy to fry with or it makes a great salad dressing.  I use it as I do olive oil with a bit of vinegar or lemon, some Dijon and salt & pepper, a great light dressing.  It has become a pantry staple.

 

After making a quick pasta sauce the other day I know I needed to add another Pantry Staple, San Marzano Crushed Tomatoes.  I always keep a can or two in my pantry.  This is the best product to use for homemade sauce when you are not crushing your own garden tomatoes.  All you need is good olive oil, minced garlic, salt & pepper to taste and a can of these crushed tomatoes… for a start to a great sauce.

 

A night out with good friends, all great cooks, is always the best way to spend an evening.  My dear friend invited us over for a casual meal and basketball games!  As usual our small group seemed to keep growing which just makes the evening all the better.  A group effort, the menu started with steamed artichokes, hummus and veggies.  The crock pot barbecue beer chicken sliders were accompanied by sweet potato fries, kale salad and fruit salad.  I have to note that martini’s, wine and vodka were another side special.  We finished with two different brownie recipes, one a deep chocolate cake-like brownie, oozing with melted morsels, and my best ever Alice Medrich’s chocolate, almost caramel like fudgy,             classic brownies.

 

 

RECIPE: Sweet Potato Fries

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

• Slice and cut three large sweet potatoes into fries.

• Place on cookie sheet, do not overlap fries.

• Drizzle with canola or olive oil and kosher salt.

• Bake for 15 minutes, then toss fries to get all sides crisp… when they look cooked on all     sides remove from oven.

 

 

RECIPE: Kale Salad  (Click to Read)

 

RECIPE: Best Brownies Ever  (Click to Read)

 

RECIPE: Crockpot BBQ Beer Chicken  (Click to Read)