Lamb & Patron Peppers

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Lamb & Patron Peppers: A favorite Farm to Table easy dinner.

Saute or Grill skillet
Heat up to med/high with good spanish olive oil
Add lamb after dusting each side with paprika
Put the patron peppers all around the lamb
Again, med to high and turn lamb only once after 4 or 5 minutes, depending on size
Keep turning the peppers over and you want them to get brown and pop
All will finish at the same time
Serve right away and can use same skillet to serve
Steam some rice or couscous and pour over the juice/sauce from the lamb and peppers
Pair with a good Spanish wine, as it goes perfectly with the paprika

Sizzling Shrimp on the Grill Swimming in Pesto

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Sizzling Shrimp on the Grill Swimming in Pesto

I lb (10-12) size Shrimp/Prawns (Fresh or Fresh Frozen) Wild Mexican are the best
Bottle of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
White Pepper

Pesto

3 cups Basil
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup extra virgin olive oil

In cuisinart, add basil, garlic, pine nuts, cheese
Pulse several times, then pulse and add slowly the olive oil
Taste, check taste and texture
Pour into bowl

Grill, saute, or grill on stovetop, the shrimp
2 or 3 minutes on each side in extra virgin olive oil
Turn heat off and sit up on end of shrimp, let sit for a few minutes
You will need this to stand your shrimp up for plating
Finish with white pepper

On a platter, use ceramic thai soup spoon, or small container and add pesto
Place the one shrimp in each one
This is a good tray pass for entertaining

Point Reyes Stuffed Strawberries

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Point Reyes Stuffed Strawberries

12 Ex-Large or Large Strawberries, all the same size
8 ounces Point Reyes Blue/Bay Cheese
1/3 cup Pine Nuts (Toasted)
4 ounces Honey
Black Pepper

Wipe each strawberry with fresh white damp towel
Cut in half, leaving the green stem on
Push a large piece of blue cheese in each center of the strawberry
Take several pine nuts and place on top of blue cheese and lightly push to stick
Place on platter you will be serving on, and pour honey over each one
Use fresh black pepper to finish

This is a winning tray pass at any type of party
Pairs with bubbly and rose wine or (for you red wine only people), a good pinot with strawberry finish

Matcha Truffles

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Oh, the pairing of these little gems, and with some full bodied red wine, please, be still my heart.

1 cup heavy cream

¼ cup maple syrup

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons Matcha

12 Ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Pinch of Matcha Salt or Kosher Salt

Bring the cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over gentle heat, add the maple syrup and brown sugar, stir until dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add I Tablespoon of the Matcha, stir until dissolved, and set aside. Place the chocolate in a large mixing bowl and pour in the cream mixture. Mix thoroughly and pour onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Smooth it out with a rubber spatula. Cool in the refrigerator for about an hour. Scoop out a heaping teaspoonful and make a ball using your palms. Repeat until all the chocolate is used—you should end up with about 50 truffles. Line them up on a tray or plate and dust them with the remaining tablespoon of matcha using a fine sieve. Top with a very light sprinkling of Matcha Salt.

Matcha Salt

Combine ¼ cup sel gris salt or kosher salt and 1 teaspoon of Matcha. Matcha is powdered green tea. It is named after the ceremonial tea in Japan.

Lavender Lamb Chops

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For those of you that know me, you know I eat very little meat, but when I do I am really naughty. I love gamey, outdoor musty meat. Rack of Lamb has become my go-to meat, any way that I can get it. Oven, Roast, Grill and anything in-between. I love Lavender and I love Lamb and I love pairing them together. I drink the wine of the area I am cooking in, so because I cooked this in Woodinville, I paired it with one of my favorite blends. As I am writing this recipe to you, I am sipping this wine and meditating the diverse flavors and blends of each varietal of grapes. Baer Winery, Ursa 2006. If you can still find it, buy it. You can drink now or lay down for a short while.

Lavender Lamb Chops or Rack

Lamb and lavender herb create one of those transcendent combinations. Nothing more is needed, except maybe a splash of lemon right at the end to wake it up. Serve with Roasted Sweet Potatoes, and a great green salad with green beans.

1 Rack of Lamb, about 1 ½ pounds
Liberal dusting of Lavender Salt (easy to make)
Liberal dusting of fresh ground Black Pepper
1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Lemon, preferably Meyer, zested and quartered

Lavender Salt

¼ cup sel gris or other coarse sea salt and 1 Teaspoon Lavender Dried Buds.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Rinse and dry the lamb and sprinkle both sides with the salt and pepper. Melt olive oil and butter in an ovenproof sauté/fry pan over high heat until very hot but not smoky. Sear the lamb on both sides about 1 minute each. Roast for about 20 minutes, depending on size. Do not OVER cook the lamb. It is to be rare to medium at the most. Let it rest for 10 minutes on a cutting board. Slice into individual chops, divide them among the plates and squeeze some lemon over them, adding a touch more lavender salt and pepper. Top with lemon zest, and finish with your very VERY best olive oil.

Sweet Onion Pecan Pizzette

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This appetizer was created to go with just about any light white wine. It’s based on a common staple treat in Provence, equal to a Spanish Tapas, known as pissaladiere, the French version of pizza, which is topped with onion, anchovies, and black olives. This can result in a very salty treat-but also wonderful with a local red table wine. You may even try it with Rose, which pairs well with salt. The garnish of pecans, have a subtle flavor and crunch that goes well with the texture of onions.

My wine recommendation is Viognier, Sauvignon Blanc or a White Wine Blend

4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Pound Onions, Finely Chopped
8 Ounces of Pizza Dough
1 Teaspoon Dried Thyme
1 Cup Pecan Halves

(Makes 36 Pieces)

In a large heavy saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, stir well, and reduce heat to low, the onions should cook very slowly without coloring at first. Cook for 45 minutes, or until they’re quite mushy—it will seem as if nothing much is happening except that your kitchen smells increasingly good for the first 30 minutes, and then they’ll begin to brown nicely.

Preheat the oven to 450F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 12 inch square about ¼ inch thick. Transfer to a lightly oiled heavy baking sheet. Brush the top of the dough liberally with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and sprinkle the thyme over it. Spread the onions over in a layer. Place the pecan halves in rows
about 2 inches apart. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a deep golden color. Remove from the oven. Let cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. Cut into 2-inch
squares between the pecans and serve.