Mary had a Little.....

Lamb, which comes from sheep less than a year old, is a lean, tender meat with delicate flavor. It is a great source of protein, vitamins and minerals, but just be sure to choose leaner cuts on most occasions, reserving the fattier pieces for weekend treats.

Common cuts include lamb chops (which come in loin, rib and shoulder varieties), leg of lamb, shoulder, top round and ground lamb. The loin offers the most expensive and tender cuts, and is leaner than meat from the rack. The leg also offers large, lean cuts that can be quite tender, like those from the sirloin, or less tender from the shank half.

This guide can  help you understand more about the different cuts of lamb available.

In this recipe we see how to prepare  Roast Leg of Lamb with Rosemary.

                                                                    

For a  different flavor you could do Asian Lamb Cutlets with Peanut Sauce.

Ingredients:

 8 lamb cutlets, trimmed

 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

 2 teaspoons peanut oil

 1/2 onion, chopped

 1 garlic clove, crushed

 1/2 teaspoon finely grated ginger

 1 teaspoon ground cumin

 1 teaspoon ground coriander

 Pinch chilli powder (optional)

 2 teaspoons teriyaki sauce, extra

 1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter

 1 cup water

 Carrot and celery sticks, to serve

 Blanched green beans, to serve

Method:

1. Place the lamb in a large non-metallic bowl and add teriyaki sauce. Toss to coat, then cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened and light golden. Add the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander and chilli (if using) and cook for 1 minute. Stir in extra teriyaki sauce, peanut butter and water.
3. Reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring regularly, for 5 minutes or until well combined and slightly thickened. Remove from heat, set aside and keep warm.
4. Heat a grill or barbecue to high heat. Remove the lamb from the marinade. Grill lamb in batches for 2-3 minutes each side or until cooked to your liking.
5. Place lamb on serving plates and serve with peanut sauce and carrot, celery and green beans.

Quinoa, the Healthy Alternative

Quinoa, pronounced “keen-wah” is broadly referred to as a grain, although technically, it isn’t one. Quinoa is what one would call a “pseudo-cereal,” because it is eaten and cooked like a grain and has similar nutritive properties. However, the quinoa plant is actually in the same family as beets, Swiss chard, and spinach. Quinoa may be having an identity crisis, but its remarkable nutrient density puts many grains to shame, specifically in terms of protein, fat, and mineral content. 

Quinoa is native to the Andes mountains regions of South America and is considered a valuable superfood. It looks a bit like couscous and is as versatile as rice, but quinoa has a richer, nuttier flavor than either of them. 

Quinoa can be eaten on its own as a side dish, with a bit of butter or oil, salt and pepper, or other seasonings. It also makes a great breakfast dish mixed with dried fruit, cinnamon, milk, and maple syrup or honey. Paired with chili, stir-fries, beans or curries, quinoa is a healthy substitute for rice, and it also makes a tasty pilaf. As a main course, use it to make meat-free burgers, mix it into stews or toss it into salads. Quinoa works as a baking grain as well, and makes for delicious and nutritious breads and muffins.

Here's how to cook Quinoa as a simple Side Dish.

Or try Quinoa and Black Beans as an alternative to Rice and Black Beans.

Maybe you'd just like to have this Kale, Quinoa and Avocado Salad instead.

Your Brief Guide to Steak

Steaks are basically any piece of meat that falls under the category of "fast-cooking" cuts - cuts that have a relatively smaller amount of connective tissue so that they don't require the long cooking times that "slow-cooking" cuts require. The difference between a steak and roast essentially comes down to size. Any good roast can be cut into individual steaks.

The tenderness of a steak is inversely related to the amount of work that a muscle does during the steer's lifetime. Hence, while cheaper cuts like sirloin, flank, and skirt are becoming increasingly popular and available these days, the kings of the steakhouse are still the filet mignon or tenderloin. the strip, T-bone and ribeye. They are by far the tenderest pieces of meat on the steer. That, coupled with their small size make them the most expensive cuts at the butcher. 

In this video we get a demonstration of how to cook the perfect steak in a skillet on the stove top.

 

Or if you prefer to do an oven roast you can try this delicious recipe.

Mustard and Herb Crusted Beef

Ingredients:

1 tbs. olive oil

800g-1kg fillet of beef roast, centre cut

3 tbs. parsley, finely chopped

3 tbs. tarragon, finely chopped

2 tsp. thyme, finely chopped

1 clove of garlic

1/s tsp cajun pepper

20g butter, softened

4 tbs. Dijon mustard

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs made with 2 day old bread

2 tbs. Parmesan

Salt and pepper

Method:

1. Pre heat your oven to 180C. Remove the meat from the fridge 30 minutes before cooking. Drizzle with a little oil and season with salt and pepper. In a stove-safe roasting pan, brown the meat all over. Remove and rest on a tray. 
2. In a mini food processor, blitz the 2 tbs. parsley and tarragon and 1 tsp. of thyme add mixture to the breadcrumbs and add Parmesan. To make the garlic butter, in the same food processor, add some more herbs, dijon, butter and garlic.
3. Using a pastry brush or a spoon, spread the butter, Dijon and garlic paste over the meat. Press the breadcrumb mix over the butter. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes for medium rare. The internal temperature should be around 51C. If you would like it cook it to medium, leave in the oven for a further 5-10 minutes. 
4. Rest uncovered for 10 minutes before slicing into thick medallions. Serve with your favourite roasted potatoes and a green salad.

Flavorful, Light & Creamy Soups

Soups are great on their own or as the perfect starter for a gourmet meal or holiday occasion. Many are quick and easy to prepare, calling for fresh, raw, or cooked ingredients. Some require a bit of basic prep and the slow cooker does the rest. However, the essential ingredient in most good soups is an authentic stock. This can always be done beforehand and stored in the freezer. 

Why don't you give these two flavorful, light and creamy soups a try!

 Spiced Carrot and Lentil Soup

Ingredients:

2 tsp cumin seeds
pinch chilli flakes
2 tbsp olive oil
600g carrots, washed and coarsely grated
140g split red lentils
1L hot vegetable stock
125ml milk
plain yogurt
naan bread, to serve

Method:

1. Heat a large saucepan and dry-fry the cumin seeds and chilli flakes for 1 min, or until they start to jump around the pan and release their aromas. Scoop out about half of the seeds with a spoon and set aside. Add the oil, carrot, lentils, stock and milk to the pan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 15 mins until the lentils have swollen and softened.
2. Whizz the soup with a stick blender or in a food processor until smooth (or leave it chunky if you prefer). Season to taste and finish with a dollop of yogurt and a sprinkling of the reserved toasted spices. Serve with warmed naan breads.

Pea and Watercress Soup

Ingredients:

1 onion, peeled and chopped

2 sticks celery, trimmed and chopped

1 medium potato, peeled and cubed

2 litres chicken or vegetable stock

500g fresh peas, podded

200g watercress, washed and spun dry

sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

142ml soured cream

extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Heat a large saucepan and pour in a little olive oil. Throw in the chopped onion and celery. Turn the heat down and cook very gently with the lid on for 10 minutes, or until the onion has softened, but not browned.
2. Add the potato and stock and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the potato is cooked. Next, drop in the peas and watercress and simmer for a further 5 minutes until the peas are cooked.
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Whiz the soup with a hand blender, or in a liquidizer, until smooth. Taste, then season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve the soup with a spoonful of soured cream swirled in, a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and some crusty bread and butter.
5. Tip: You can use frozen peas – just simmer them in the stock a couple of minutes

Not sure how to make your own stock? Check out this video.

Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad

Salads can be healthy, satisfying meals on their own or perfect accompaniments to main dishes. Making a gourmet salad at home is easy if you follow a few simple guidelines.

• Keep it simple. Pick a few key ingredients and showcase them.
• Be sure to have a balance of flavors. You'll want sweet, acidic and savory in each bite (depending on the salad).
• Pair different textures. Textures are what make your salads interesting.
• Eat the rainbow. A good variety of greens, root vegetables, and colorful vinaigrettes make a salad reach restaurant stature.

 In this video, featuring once again our Trini chef Jason Peru, we see how to make a Grilled Shrimp Caesar Salad. The key to a great Caesar salad is a great Caesar dressing. Though most people buy Caesar salad dressing in a bottle, homemade is incredibly easy to make and tastes so much better than store bought and chef Jason demonstrates how to do just that!

Let's Talk Herbs

Herbs can bring wonderful flavor to dishes whilst eliminating the need for loads of salt, butter, and cheese. Adding a little green to a meal not only makes it more attractive and appetizing, but can provide some great health benefits, as well. If available, fresh herbs are the best option.

Basil (left) is minty and slightly peppery with a touch of sweetness and is ideal for sauces and pesto.

Parsley (right) has a grassy, mild and slightly peppery flavor and is wonderful for pasta dishes, eggs, fish and meat.

Dill  (left) is sweet and grassy and is perfect for fish dishes and dressings.


Mint (right) is cool and refreshing and is great when paired with lamb or combined with chocolate.

Oregano (left) may have a lemony, minty or peppery taste and can be used for seasoning pasta dishes, dressings and poultry rubs.

Rosemary  (right) can taste like pine or be faintly lemony and goes well with potatoes and poultry
dishes.

Sage (left) is slightly peppery and faintly minty and can be used to complement rich or creamy dishes.

Thyme (right) is also lemony, slightly peppery and minty and can be used in stews, rice dishes, dips and sauces.

Love those Veggies

Broccoli

Quick Steamed Broccoli

•  Heat 1 inch water with 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil,
• add bite-size florets, cover and cook for 4 minutes,
• drain and toss with melted butter or enjoy plain.

Blanching

• This refers to cooking something in boiling water until it is less than perfectly cooked.
• Blanching and shocking (cooling in cold water) helps green vegetables retain their bright green color.

Your blanched broccoli can then be used to make a yummy Cheesy Broccoli (Broccoli Au Gratin)!

Here's how to make that bechamel (white) sauce for your Cheesy Broccoli.

Cauliflower

Roast Cauliflower to bring out its sweetness.

• Toss bite-size florets with olive oil,
• lay in an even layer on a baking dish,
• sprinkle with salt,
• roast at 375 F until soft and golden (25 minutes).

You can also steam your cauliflower and use it to make delicious Garlic Mashed Cauliflower, a low-carb alternative to mashed potatoes!

Delicious Pan Roasted Chicken

Roasting

• Crisping chicken skin in a hot skillet before transferring it (skillet ad all) to the oven, creates perfectly browned skin together with tender roasted meat. 
• The direct heat of the skillet is needed to make the skin as crispy as it can be.
• The indirect heat of the oven is required to cook chicken all the way through especially when it is on the bone. The cold bone makes it difficult to cook evenly in a pan.

Gravy

• Pan roasting chicken provides plenty of drippings for a quick pan gravy.
• Remove the cooked meat and heat the pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup broth and a sprig of dried thyme and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan to remove bits.
• Simmer liquid for 5 minutes to concentrate flavors. Remove from heat and swirl in 2 tablespoons butter until melted and season with salt and a dash of vinegar to brighten.

For a classy spin on this you could do Stuffed Chicken Breasts and this video shows you how to do the perfect butterfly cut!