Lamb Kleftiko With Herb-Pistachio Yogurt

Lamb Kleftiko with Herb-Pistachio Pesto Yogurt

Kleftiko translates to stolen meat, and it’s named after Greek rebels called the klephts, who challenged Ottoman rule of Greece and roamed the country from the 14th to 19th centuries. When they stole sheep, they would slow-cook them in covert pits to avoid being caught. Here, the traditional Easter dish features lamb shanks and potatoes gently braised in a lemony broth flavoured with oregano and mustard. A tangy, herby yogurt sauce brings a freshness and vibrancy to the tender meat and spuds.  Serves 6

Ingredients:
Herb-Pistachio Pesto Yogurt
1 stalk green garlic, white and light green parts only, or 2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh mint leaves
1/4 cup (60 mL) fresh dill fronds, plus more to garnish
1/4 cup (60 mL) flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup (60 mL) shelled raw pistachios
1/4 cup (60 mL) extra virgin olive oil
1 tub (500 g) full-fat plain Greek yogurt

Lamb
5 medium-size Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered lengthwise
1 large cooking onion, peeled, cut in 6 wedges
1 large tomato, cored, cut in 6 wedges
3 bay leaves
6 lamb shanks, about 6 lbs (2.72 kg) total, at room temperature
1/3 cup (80 mL) extra virgin olive oil
Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp (15 mL) dried oregano
1 tbsp (15 mL) mustard powder
1 tsp (5 mL) sea salt
1/2 tsp (2 mL) freshly ground pepper
6 sprigs fresh oregano
Directions:
For the pesto yogurt, place garlic, herbs and pistachios in a food processor. Pulse a few times to chop. With motor running, slowly pour in olive oil, stopping and scraping down bowl as necessary, until it becomes a paste. Transfer 1 tbsp (15 mL) to a ramekin to garnish. Mix remaining pesto with yogurt. Transfer to an airtight container. (Cover and refrigerate both up to 2 days.) When ready to serve, transfer yogurt to a serving bowl and garnish with pesto and dill.

For the lamb, preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line a 16-inch (40-cm) round, 3-inch (8-cm) deep roasting pan or 3 × 11 × 16-inch (8 × 28 × 40-cm) rectangular roasting pan with parchment paper, overlapping on sides.

Place potatoes, onions, tomatoes and bay leaves in pan. Nestle lamb shanks in between vegetables.

In a medium-size bowl, whisk olive oil, lemon zest and juice, garlic, dried oregano, mustard powder, salt and pepper until creamy. Pour all over lamb and vegetables. Add fresh oregano.

Fold parchment on sides over lamb and cover with another piece of parchment. Tuck top parchment down sides, ensuring it is covered tightly to seal in moisture. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake in oven until lamb and potatoes are fork-tender, 4 to 4 1/2 hours.

Raise oven temperature to 500°F (260°C) and remove foil and top parchment. Bake until lamb is golden, 7 to 8 minutes.

Serve lamb and vegetables straight from pan accompanied by pesto yogurt.   Serves 6

Cider-Brined Spareribs With Maple Pepper BBQ Sauce

Cider-Brined Spareribs with 

Maple Pepper BBQ Sauce

This is an easy method for low-and-slow spareribs when you don’t feel like firing up the smoker or grill. Brining keeps the ribs moist and juicy, plus apples are such a natural partner with pork. A bold spice rub adds more layers of flavour, and quick BBQ sauce brings sweet, sour and peppery heat.

Ingredients:

Brine
8 cups (2 L) non-alcoholic apple cider
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1 head garlic, cut in half horizontally
1 tbsp (15 mL) whole black peppercorns
1/2 cup (125 mL) kosher salt or 6 tbsp (90 mL) fine sea salt

Spice Rub and Ribs

1 tbsp (15 mL) sweet paprika
2 tsp (10 mL) dry mustard
2 tsp (10 mL) onion powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) garlic powder
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground black pepper
1/2 tsp (2 mL) ground coriander
1/2 tsp (2 mL) chili powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) ground sage
2 racks spareribs (St. Louis cut), about 2 lbs (905 g) each

BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup (125 mL) ketchup
2 tbsp (30 mL) apple cider vinegar
2 tbsp (30 mL) maple syrup
2 tsp (10 mL) yellow mustard
2 tsp (10 mL) ground black pepper
1 tsp (5 mL) Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp (1 mL) garlic powder
1/4 tsp (1 mL) onion powder

Directions:
 For the brine, place cider, bay leaf, rosemary, garlic, peppercorns and salt in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and stir until salt is completely dissolved, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Strain into an airtight container. (Brine can be refrigerated up to 2 days.)

For the spice rub, combine spices in a small bowl. Mix thoroughly. Transfer to airtight container. (Spice rub can be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months.)

To brine ribs, place rib racks in a large roasting pan and add brine. Cover and place in refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours. Do not brine any longer or ribs will get too salty.

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).

Remove ribs from brine, rinse lightly, and pat dry with paper towel. Season ribs all over with spice rub. Place ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet. Cook on middle rack until fork-tender, about 2 hours.

While ribs are cooking, make BBQ sauce. In a small bowl, whisk all ingredients until combined. Set aside.

Remove ribs from oven and raise heat to 450°F (232°C). Brush ribs generously with BBQ sauce. When oven reaches temperature, return ribs to oven, and cook until sauce is set and brown, about 5 minutes. Remove ribs from oven and brush once more with sauce. Rest for 5 minutes then cut into individual ribs. Serve immediately with remaining BBQ sauce on side.  Serves 4 to 6

Celery Seed Salad Dressing

Celery Seed Salad Dressing

This recipe is the famous Celery Seed Dressing from the former Charter House Restaurant in Bellevue Ohio. Unless you are needing 0ne and one-half quarts of dressing, divide this recipe by halves or fourths. Also the dressing tends to be a little sweet. Adjust the sugar to your taste. I use 2 cups sugar for the full recipe. Yield 6 cups

I have divided the 2nd recipe for a 12 ounce recipe  (1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika*
3 tablespoons dry mustard
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vinegar
6 tablespoons grated fresh onion
1/2 cup water
4 1/2 cups salad oil
2 tablespoons celery seed

Directions: 

Place ingredients in blender ot Vita-Mix reserving celery seed. Blend on high speed until well blended: add celery seed and place in container,  Refrigerate.

*Can be made without the paprika. Tasty on a vegetable or fruit salad.

The Original Recipe divided into 1/4 Recipe
Yield 1 1/2 cups   (12 ounces)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/8 teaspoons paprika
2 1/8 teaspoons dry mustard
1/2 cup sugar + 1 tablespoon
1 tablespoon + 3/4 teaspoon vinegar
1 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh onion
2 tablespoons water
1 cup + 2 tablespoons salad oil
1 1/2 teaspoons celery seed

Directions: 

Place ingredients in blender or Vita-Mix reserving celery seed. Blend on high speed until well blended: add celery seed and place in container  Refrigerate.

Can be made without the paprika.  Tasty on a vegetable or fruit salad.

Mushroom Soup ~ Jimmy's Gotcha

Mushroom Soup  ~  Jimmy's Gotcha

Jimmy's Gotcha was a restaurant in Marblehead Ohio. One rainy cold day when we were in that area closing our summer home and winterizing the boat, we stopped by for lunch. The daily special was a delicious Mushroom Soup. Jimmy shared his tasty recipe with me.
Ingredients:

Saute in butter;

onion

Sliced or diced mushrooms

add flour to make a roux

Add chicken broth and 1/2 & 1/2

Season with

thyme, 

tiny pinch

dry mustard, 

tiny pinch Garlic salt or a whole garlic clove  

salt

white pepper

Directions:

Saute in butter onion till translucent, then add mushrooms,   When mushrooms have sautéed and the liquid is evaporated add flour to make a roux and stir in gradually the chicken broth to make the roux smooth.  Add chicken broth and 1/2 & 1/2.  Season with thyme, dry mustard and whole garlic clove or garlic salt and white pepper.

TIP...By using a whole garlic clove the flavor is more sweet and not strong.

Pulled Pork Bar-B-Que

Ingredients
Dry Rub:
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon dry mustard
3 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1 (5 to 7 pound) pork roast, preferably shoulder or Boston butt

Cider-Vinegar Barbecue Sauce:
1 1/2 cups cider vinegar
1 cup yellow or brown mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Pan drippings from the pork
12 hamburger buns
1 recipe Cole Slaw, recipe follows
Pickle spears, for serving

Cole Slaw:
1 head green cabbage, shredded
2 carrots, grated
1 red onion, thinly sliced
2 green onions (white and green parts), chopped
1 fresh red chile, sliced

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 lemon, juiced
Pinch sugar
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
Several dashes hot sauce
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Mix the paprika, garlic power, brown sugar, dry mustard, and salt together in a small bowl. Rub the spice blend all over the pork. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to overnight.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Put the pork in a roasting pan and roast it for about 6 hours. An instant-read thermometer stuck into the thickest part of the pork should register 170 degrees F, but basically, what you want to do is to roast it until it's falling apart.

While the pork is roasting, make the barbecue sauce. Combine the vinegar, mustard, ketchup, brown sugar, garlic, salt, cayenne, and black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Simmer gently, stirring, for 10 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Take it off the heat and let it sit until you're ready for it.

When the pork is done, take it out of the oven and put it on a large platter. Allow the meat to rest for about 10 minutes. While it's resting, deglaze the pan over medium heat with 3/4 cup water, scraping with a wooden spoon to pick up all of the browned bits. Reduce by about half. Pour that into the saucepan with the sauce and cook 5 minutes.

While the pork is still warm, you want to "pull" the meat: Grab 2 forks. Using 1 to steady the meat, use the other to "pull" shreds of meat off the roast. Put the shredded pork in a bowl and pour half of the sauce over. Stir it all up well so that the pork is coated with the sauce.

To serve, spoon the pulled pork mixture onto the bottom half of each hamburger bun, and top with some slaw. Serve with pickle spears and the remaining sauce on the side.

Cole Slaw:
Combine the cabbage, carrots, red onion, green onions, and chile in a large bowl. In another bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar. Pour the dressing over the cabbage mixture and toss gently to mix. Season the cole slaw with the celery seed, hot sauce, salt, and black pepper. Chill for 2 hours in the refrigerator before serving.

Chicken With Persimmon Sauce

Chicken With Persimmon Sauce

Use the pulp of the hachiya persimmon for this recipe. The sauce is a glorious dark color with a strong flavor that enhances the chicken. Serve with rice and sugar snap peas and garnish with fuyu persimmon if you have one on hand.

Ingredients:

2 tsp garam masala or curry powder

1 tbsp honey

1 tsp dry mustard

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp persimmon pulp

2 tbsp olive oil

4 boneless chicken breasts with skin on

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Sauce

½ cup white wine

1 tsp garam masala

1 tbsp wine vinegar

1 tsp honey

1 cup chicken stock

½ cup persimmon pulp

2 tbsp finely chopped coriander

Directions:

Combine garam masala, honey, mustard, lemon juice, persimmon pulp and 1 tbsp olive oil. Brush on chicken. Leave to marinate for 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in ovenproof skillet on medium-high heat. Add breasts skin-side down and sear 2 minutes or until skin is golden. Turn over and sear second side for 1 minute.

Place skillet in oven and bake chicken for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once or until juices run clear. Remove chicken to a serving platter.

Skim off any fat in skillet, leaving any juices. Add wine, garam masala, vinegar, honey and chicken stock. Bring to boil over high heat and boil for 5 minutes or until reduced by half and slightly thickened. Stir in persimmon pulp and coriander. Simmer together for 1 minute. Slice chicken and serve with sauce.   Serves 4

Italian Sausage Breakfast Bread Pudding

Italian Sausage Breakfast Bread Pudding 

With Provolone Cheese, Fresh Tomatoes And Basil

Serves 8 to 10.
Ingredients:

1 lb. Italian pork sausage
10 cups cubed day old or toasted French or Italian bread (1 lb.)
2 cups grated Provolone cheese
6 T. chopped fresh basil, divided use
10 eggs slightly beaten
4 cups half and half or whole milk
1 tsp. dry mustard
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. onion powder
Fresh ground pepper to taste
3/4 cup diced seeded plum tomatoes
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Break up the sausage into chunks and cook, stirring and breaking into small pieces, for 8 minutes or until sausage is well browned and cooked through. Remove to a strainer to drain off excess fat.

Place bread cubes in a well-buttered 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Sprinkle with cheese and 4 T. fresh basil. Whisk the eggs, milk, dry mustard, onion powder and pepper in a medium bowl. Pour evenly over the bread and cheese. Sprinkle sausage over the top. Let rest for 15 minutes before baking. (Casserole may be covered and refrigerated overnight at this point.)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Bake uncovered for 45 minutes. Sprinkle with tomatoes and then Parmesan cheese and continue baking for 15 minutes or until casserole is set. Immediately sprinkle with remaining 2 T. basil. Let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Gone-In-A-Minute Spareribs

Ribs With The Rub Ribs In Packets Ready For The Oven Hot Off The Grill And Dinner Is Ready!

Our daughter-in-law Susan came across this recipe and suggested we try it as the published photo looked very inviting. Personally, I think our finished ribs looked better than the photo and were very tender and soooo delicious. Even the grandchildren ate a man-sized portion.

Gone-In-A-Minute Ribs

Ingredients:

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

2 teaspoons chili powder

1 3/4 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 racks baby back spareribs

Lime wedges for serving

***

Directions:

Heat oven to 400F and place rack in lower third. For dry rub: combine is small bowl, chili powder, sugar, salt, dry mustard, paprika, and cinnamon. Reserve 2 teaspoons mixture.

Rinse ribs and pat dry. Place rack of ribs on sheet of heavy duty foil or two layers of regular foil, large enough to wrap around ribs making an airtight seal. Rub ribs on both sides with dry rub and wrap in foil making airtight seal. 

Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet: roast 1 hour  to 1 hour and 30 minutes depending on thickness of ribs.

Heat grill to medium high. Sprinkle ribs with reserved dry rub, remove foil 
and grill turning occasionally, until grill-marked and deep brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Slice and serve with lime wedges. Makes 4 to 6 servings