WEARIN' O' THE GREEN ~ MINT BUTTERFLIED LEMON LEG of LAMB / CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE with IRISH WHISKEY FROSTING

"Laughter is brightest where food is best."

~ Irish Proverb

~ Shamrock

( Oxalis regnellii)

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MINT BUTTERFLIED LEMON LEG of LAMB
~ 'Spring lamb' ... perfect for the season
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1 5-6 lb. boned, trimmed & butterflied leg of lamb (fat removed)
2 lemons & zest
3 minced garlic cloves
4 Tbsp. chopped mint
4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

MINT SAUCE:
1/2 cup good mint jelly
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
zest from above lemons
1 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. Coleman's dry mustard

• Flatten lamb to 2-inch thickness. Score skin side of lamb criss-cross fashion. Wipe with damp cloth. With tip of knife make about 10 large deep cuts in flesh. Sprinkle with salt & cracked pepper.
• Grate the rind and squeeze the juice of 2 lemons. Finely chop the garlic. Combine lemon rind, juice, garlic, mint, oil, salt & pepper in small bowl. Pour over lamb and marinate several hours or overnight.
• Make mint sauce: Combine mint jelly and remaining ingredients in saucepan. Stir over low heat until jelly melts. Bring to boil, remove from heat and let cool.
  Remove meat from refrigerator. Pour cooled mint sauce over lamb, turning occasionally, allowing lamb to come to room temperature before grilling.
• Remove from sauce and grill over medium hot coals 30-45 minutes (depending on thickness), basting several times with sauce and turning occasionally. (Do not overcook ~ should be pink on inside) While lamb is cooking, bring marinade to boil, reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes.
• Remove from heat and let rest before carving. Serve with remaining sauce, boiled buttery new potatoes, crisp green salad and crusty peasant bread.
  

CHOCOLATE STOUT CAKE with IRISH WHISKEY FROSTING

~ Twirled and adapted ... a good thing!

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1 cup room temperature stout (such as Guinness)

1 stick + 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups sugar

3/4 cup sour cream

2 organic eggs

1 Tbsp. good vanilla extract

2 cups flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

Glaze:

2 oz. best bittersweet chocolate

2 Tbsp. Irish whiskey

1/4 cup unsalted butter

• Cake: Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Spray 9-inch springform pan with no-stick spray (e.g. Pam Cooking Spray).
• In medium saucepan, heat stout with butter until butter is melted. Remove from heat and whisk in cocoa powder and sugar.
• Whisk sour cream with eggs and vanilla and our into stout mixture. Stir until smooth.
• Combine flour, baking soda & salt. Add to batter, stirring just until combined.
• Pour into prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes. Test with toothpick to see if it comes out clean. Remove cake and let cool completely in pan.
• Frosting: Melt chocolate and whiskey in top of double boiler until smooth. Remove from heat and beat in butter, one tablespoon at a time. (If it separates, add a little cream and whisk until smooth). Spread icing over top of cake (rough dripped finish is good).

SUNDAY NIGHT 'BIRTHDAY' SUPPER ~ TYROLEAN BEEF TENDERLOIN / RASPBERRY FOOL

~ PRIMROSE

(I Can't Live Without You)

The Language of Flowers

TYROLEAN BEEF TENDERLOIN

~ Perfect for a 'special' person on a 'special' day

(adapted from Jan/Feb Bon Appetit 1973)

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1 5 lb. filet of beef

coarse salt & freshly ground pepper

2 cloves minced garlic

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 large chopped onion

1 cup chopped mushrooms

1 chopped carrot

1/2 cup chopped celery

Herbes de Provence

(rosemary, marjoram, basil, crushed bay leaf, thyme and crushed lavender flowers))

2 6 oz. packages sliced Swiss cheese, divided

• Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Trim all fat and sinew from beef. Slash filet lengthwise and open, butterfly style. Sprinkle meat on all sides with salt & pepper. Massage in garlic.
• Heat butter and saute onion, mushrooms, carrot and celery until lightly browned. Cool.
• Spoon mixture onto cut surface of meat and sprinkle with 'herbes de Provence'. Dice one package of Swiss cheese and sprinkle over vegetables. Fold butterflied meat half over filling and fasten with string. Place in shallow roasting pan. Roast in hot oven for 40 minutes.
• Remove from oven and cut strings. Arrange remaining slices of Swiss cheese over meat. Return to oven and roast for another 5 minutes, until cheese melts.
• Let rest 15 minutes before serving.
• Arrange thick slices on platter surrounded by steamed asparagus (white or green) spears, sauteed mushroom caps, and roasted baby carrots. ( 6 servings)

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RASPBERRY FOOL

~ "A 'fool' is a traditional British dessert made of mashed fruit with cream or whipped cream, sometimes cooked, sometimes not. Gooseberries are a favorite. Although there have been some 'fool' recipes without fruit, it's thought that the dish known as a 'fool' began as mashed fruit with cream, as it is now. Therein lies a clue as to how it got the name 'fool': It's thought that the name 'fool' came from the French word 'fouler', which means 'to mash'." (The Penguin Companion to Food~ Alan Davidson)

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3 cups fresh raspberries

2-4 Tbsp. sugar or to taste

2 1/2 cups whipping cream

splash of Chambord (raspberry liquor)

fresh mint

• Mash (DO NOT USE FOOD PROCESSOR) raspberries with sugar, reserving a few perfect berries for garnish.
• Whip cream until soft peaks form. Add splash of Chambord, continue beating until stiff peaks form. Fold into puree, leaving streaks. Chill well.
• Spoon into parfait glasses and garnish with mint leaves and reserved raspberries. ( serves 8 )

HOT! HOT! HOT! ~ LEMONADE CHICKEN / HONEY MUSTARD SLAW with FRESH BASIL / FROZEN 'CREAMSICLE' CAKE

~ Garden Clock

(Mother's Day Gift)

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LEMONADE CHICKEN

~ A 'tart' very old standby, perfect for a hot summer evening.

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3 lbs. assorted favorite chicken pieces

1 6 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

juice and zest of 1 fresh lemon

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tsp. celery seed

2 cloves minced garlic (1/4 tsp. garlic powder)

freshly ground cracked pepper to taste

• Combine lemonade concentrate, fresh lemon juice, zest, soy sauce, celery seed, garlic and fresh pepper.
• Marinate chicken in large plastic bag or large container for several hours in refrigerator, turning often.
• Let rest at room temperature while grill fires up. Remove chicken and grill over medium coals for 30 minutes, basting with sauce the final 30 minutes.

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HONEY MUSTARD SLAW with FRESH BASIL

~ Easy and delicious.

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8 cups shredded red and green cabbage

2 medium shredded carrots

(or 2 bags prepared cabbage with carrots)

1 large julienne sliced red pepper

1 chopped red onion

1 can sliced black olives (optional)

handful of chopped fresh basil

freshly ground black pepper

8 oz. bottle Newman's Own Light Honey Mustard Dressing

• Combine cabbage, carrots, red pepper, onion, black olives, basil and fresh pepper.
• Pour dressing over cabbage mixture and toss. (8 servings)

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FROZEN 'CREAMSICLE' CAKE

~ Refreshing summer dessert adapted from

'The Ultimate Grilling Issue' Gourmet (June 2002)

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16 finely ground shortbread cookies (eg. Lorna Doone)

2 tsp. finely grated fresh orange zest

2 tsp. unsalted butter

1 Tbsp. light corn syrup

1 heaping cup slightly softened orange sorbet or sherbet

1 heaping cup slightly softened good vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt

finely julienned fresh orange zest for garnish

fresh mint leaves

• Line a 3-1/2 x 7-1/2 (3-1/2 cup) loaf pan with double layer of plastic wrap, allowing a few inches to overhang.
• Melt butter and let cool. Combine cookie crumbs, zest, butter and corn syrup in small bowl. Press mixture into bottom of of pan.
• Spread sorbet or sherbet over crumb crust and freeze 30 minutes.
• Spread softened ice cream or yogurt evenly over first layer of sorbet (sherbet). Cover with plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Using excess wrap on sides of pan, lift frozen cake and peel off plastic. Garnish with orange zest and mint leaves. Let rest 5 minutes. Cut crosswise into 4 slices.