Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb or Braised Beef Back Ribs

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb

Braised Lamb

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - Ingredients

Ingredients

• One 1 1/2-pound lamb shank
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 large onions, coarsely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, smashed
• 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 1/2 cup ruby port
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 3 large carrots, peeled
• 1/4 cup mixed chopped parsley, mnt
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325°. Season the lamb with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the lamb and cook over moderately high heat until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a plate and pour off the oil.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add the onions, garlic and celery. Cook over moderate heat until browned, 12 minutes.

Add the wine and port and boil until reduced to 1/3 cup, about 4 minutes.

Transfer to a roasting pan and add the rosemary and carrots. Arrange the lamb shank in the pan, add 3/4 cup of water and cover with foil.

Bake for 2 hours, turning the lamb once, until the lamb is very tender.

Transfer the lamb to a bowl. Keep warm.

Strain the pan juices into a saucepan. Boil over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, 7 minutes.

Shred the shank meat and add it to the pan juices; season with salt and pepper.

Sprinkle the herbs and lemon zest over the carrots. Surround the carrots with the lamb and sauce and serve.

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - add the onions, garlic and celery

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb – add wine

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb – add port

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - boil until reduced

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil. Add the lamb and cook over moderately high heat until browned on all sides

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - Arrange the lamb shank in the pan

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - Bake for 2 hours, turning the lamb once, until the lamb is very tender

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - Bake for 2 hours

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - Transfer the lamb - Keep warm.

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - Strain the pan juices into a saucepan

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - Strain the pan juices into a saucepan

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - Boil over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - Shred the shank meat

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - Shred the shank meat

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - add it to the pan juices

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb - add it to the pan juices

Ready to serve…

Cooking at Home - Braised Lamb, Mushroom Risotto with Rainbow Carrots

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Cooking at Home - Braised Beef Back Ribs

If you are one of those folks who do not enjoy lamb replace the lamb with bone in beef. We found a cut called beef back ribs. About two pounds worked just find. Also replace the mint with some chives…

Cooking at Home - Braised Beef Back Ribs

Cooking at Home - Braised Beef Back Ribs

Cooking at Home - Braised Beef Back Ribs with Yukon gold Garlic Mash Potatoes and Roasted Carrots…

Cooking at Home - Braised Beef Back Ribs with Yukon gold Garlic Mash Potatoes and Roasted Carrots

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Wine tasting a Wicked Cellars – Visiting King Charley’s Snohomish and Nacho Family Mexican Restaurant Lake Stevens

Ray Bloom of Vinum Distributing at Wicked Cellars Everett

Purple Star Winery and For a song wine tasting with Ray Bloom of Vinum Distributing at Wicked Cellars Everett…

Purple Star Sauvignon Blanc 2011*** tropical fruit, peach

Purple Star Rose 2011*** strawberry, melon

Purple Star Cabernet Sauvignon 2009*** red fruit, plum

Purple Star Syrah 2009*** dark chocolate, black pepper

For a Song Melody Red Blend**** black fruit, dark cherries

For a Song Petit Verdot***+ dark cherry, blackberry

About Purple Star Wines ...

In 2008 Kyle and Amy Johnson set out to start a winery with a specific vision: to embody the soul of wine from vineyard to bottle to table. Their philosophy is that wine should be accessible, approachable, and affordable. But most of all, they believe a wine’s purpose is to bring together family and friends!

With 10 years of viticulture and winemaking experience in Washington State, Kyle knows a thing or two about making wine. For starters, Purple Star’s varietal blends are grown from some of Washington State’s finest appellations including Wahluke Slope, Yakima Valley and Red Mountain. With grapes handpicked at their optimal flavor profile and juice fermented at cooler temperatures for longer periods, their wines exhibit soft tannins and retain the character of each varietal.

Kyle and Amy also feel very strongly about membership in community. As a result they have chosen to donate 15% of Purple Star Wines’ proceeds to Seattle Children’s Hospital to benefit uncompensated care. It’s their way of “paying it forward.”

Wicked Cellars Everett 

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King Charley’s - Snohomish

King Charley’s - Snohomish

We have been driving past this little burger stand for over 40 years and have never stopped in, until now. I’m sure back in the early sixties when King Charley’s first opened the hand made fry’s and milk shakes were delicious. I’m also sure the used fresh ground beef, but now… The french fries were like the ones you can buy from the frozen food, the shakes were from the same machine of a fast food chan. We had the bacon cheeseburger, it was ok. The bacon was lost in the sauce they used, next time we will only order the cheeseburger with no fries or shake.

King Charley’s - Snohomish - Bacon Cheeseburger   

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Nacho Family Mexican Restaurant - Lake Stevens

Nacho Family Mexican Restaurant - Lake Stevens

Nacho Family Mexican Restaurant - Lake Stevens

When we walked into Nacho Family Mexican Restaurant for the first time it felt like home. The owners were fun and easy to talk to. The fresh hand made tamales were the best I have had in the state. So far we have only eaten off the A la Carte part of the menu and have no complaints. Give them a try…

Nacho Family Mexican Restaurant - Lake Stevens

Nacho Family Mexican Restaurant - Lake Stevens

Nacho Family Mexican Restaurant - Lake Stevens - A la Carte Chile Relleno and Tamale 

Nacho Family Mexican Restaurant - Lake Stevens - A la Carte Tamale and Refried Beans

 

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New Everett Waterfront Restaurant and Cooking at Home - Avocado Crostini

Blue Mango Bistro Everett Washington – Asian Fusion Cuisine

Blue Mango Bistro Everett Waterfront Washington

Blue Mango Bistro located on the Everett waterfront is now open. When we stopped by last week to check it out it only had been open for a few days. Haven all ready eaten we decided to have a couple of appetizers and a drink.

Blue Mango Bistro Everett Waterfront Washington - Waterfront side

Blue Mango Bistro Everett Waterfront Washington - Waterfront side

As with the now closed Daruma Japanese Restaurant there are two dining rooms separated by the kitchen. As always we sat on the water side. Love that view…

Blue Mango Bistro Everett Waterfront Washington - The View

For those sushi lovers out there Blue Mango Bistro is not a sushi bar it is what they call Asian Fusion Cuisine. 

Blue Mango Bistro Everett Waterfront Washington

Blue Mango Bistro Everett Waterfront Washington

Blue Mango Bistro Everett Waterfront Washington

We enjoyed the view and the new space. We hope over time the service improves as they become familiar with running the two sides of the restaurant.

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Cooking at Home

Avocado Crostini with Parsley Pesto and Sea Salt

Avocado Crostini with Parsley Pesto and Sea Salt

Crostini dell'avocado con Pesto di prezzemolo e sale marino

Avocado Crostini with Parsley Pesto and Sea Salt

Avocado Crostini can be made with the traditional baguette, French bread (as we did) or a well made gluten free bread…

Avocado Crostini with Parsley Pesto and Sea Salt - Parsley Pesto

Avocado Crostini with Parsley Pesto and Sea Salt - Parsley Pesto

Ingredients

• baguette, French bread or a well made gluten free bread cut into diagonal slices
• cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
• flat-leaf parsley leaves
• garlic cloves
• sea salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• Hass avocados—halved, pitted and thinly sliced

Avocado Crostini with Parsley Pesto and Sea Salt

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the baguette slices with olive oil baking sheets. Bake the baguette slices for about 8 minutes, until they are lightly browned and just crisp.

In a blender, combine the parsley leaves, garlic and olive oil and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper

Top the baguette toasts with the avocado slices drizzle the parsley pesto over the crostini add sea salt to taste

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