Cooking For Friends Part 9

SERVES 6 6.

1 leg of lamb, about 4 pounds, fat trimmed olive oil for drizzling 34 garlic cloves, skin on, halved few sprigs of fresh thyme juice of lemon 4 tart cooking apples 2 cups hard cider clear honey for drizzling 1 cups lamb or chicken stock (see Chapter 9)

Preheat the oven to 425F. Calculate the cooking time for the lamb: 12 minutes per pound for medium rare, 15 minutes per pound for medium. Score the fat around the leg of lamb in a crisscross pattern. Drizzle a little olive oil over the fat, then rub all over with salt and pepper. Place in a deep roasting pan and scatter the garlic and thyme over and around the leg. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and drizzle on more olive oil. Sprinkle with a little more seasoning. Roast in the hot oven for 20 minutes.

Quarter and core the apples. Remove the lamb from the oven and reduce the heat to 350F. Scatter the apples around the lamb, and baste the lamb with the cider. Turn the leg over and drizzle on 2 tablespoons of honey. Roast for 30 minutes.

Turn the lamb around. Baste with the pan juices, then drizzle another tablespoon of honey over the meat. Continue to roast for the calculated time. To check for doneness, insert a skewer into the thickest part of the lamb, then press the meat lightly: the redder the juices, the rarer the meat. Lift the lamb onto a carving board and cover with a piece of foil. Let rest in a warm place while you prepare the gravy.

At this point, the apples and garlic in the roasting pan should be very soft. Press with a fork, then tip the entire contents of the pan into a fine sieve set over a saucepan. Push down with the back of a ladle to extract all the juices and flavor from the apples and garlic. Discard the pulp. Place the saucepan over medium heat and add the stock. Bring to a boil and let bubble vigorously until the sauce has thickened to the desired gravy consistency. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then pour into a warm gravy boat. Carve the lamb into thin slices and serve with the apple and cider gravy.Lamb shank ca.s.soulet This is my posh version of the cla.s.sic French ca.s.soulet, which was traditionally a layered ca.s.serole made with breast of lamb, salted pork, white beans, and Toulouse sausages. I'm using lamb shanks because I adore their fantastic flavor and texture. This recipe will satisfy four very hungry football players, or you could pull the meat off the shanks and serve the dish quite adequately to six. Serve with sauteed Savoy cabbage and chunks of rustic bread on the side.

SERVES 46 46 4 lamb shanks, each about 12 ounces 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/3 cup chopped lean bacon cup chopped lean bacon 2 Spanish or mild onions, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, chopped 2 tablespoons tomato paste few sprigs of fresh thyme 2 bay leaves 1 cup dry white wine 4 cups lamb or chicken stock (see Chapter 9) 2 cans (16 ounces each) white beans, rinsed and drained 46 fresh Toulouse sausages For serving: 2 tablespoons b.u.t.ter 1 cups fresh bread crumbs leaves stripped from a sprig of fresh thyme

Season the lamb shanks with salt and pepper. Heat a cast-iron or heavy-based ca.s.serole with a thin layer of oil. Fry the lamb over medium heat until evenly browned all over, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer to a large plate and set aside.

Add another tablespoon of oil to the pot and stir in the bacon. Fry for a few minutes until the bacon is golden brown. Add the onions and garlic and stir well. Cover the pot and sweat the onions until they are translucent, 46 minutes.

Remove the lid and add the tomato paste and herbs. Stir for a couple of minutes, then pour in the white wine. Let the wine boil until it has reduced by two-thirds. Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Return the lamb to the pot and put a crumpled piece of parchment paper on top. This will prevent any meat that pokes out of the liquid from drying out. Turn the heat to the lowest setting and gently simmer until the meat is tender and will come away from the bone easily, 23 hours, turning the shanks over halfway through the cooking time.

Remove the shanks to a warm platter, cover with a piece of foil, and let rest. Skim off the excess fat from the surface of the braising liquid, then boil until reduced by more than half. Lower the heat, add the beans and sausages, and simmer until the sausages are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If necessary, return the lamb shanks to the pot and reheat them for a few minutes.

Melt the b.u.t.ter in a frying pan and tip in the bread crumbs, thyme leaves, and a little salt and pepper. Stir over medium heat until the bread crumbs are golden and crisp. Remove the pan from the heat.

Divide the lamb shanks among warm plates and spoon the beans, sausages, and sauce around them. Sprinkle with the crisp bread crumbs and serve immediately.Roast rib-eye with caramelized shallot and red wine gravy As with any roast, a great end result depends as much on the quality of the meat as on the cooking. Spend a little more on a good beef roast and you're halfway there. If you buy a bone-in rib-eye roast, choose one that weighs 4 to 5 pounds for this dish.

SERVES 68 68 3- to 4-pound boneless beef rib-eye roast, trimmed 2 tablespoons olive oil large handful of fresh rosemary, leaves from a few sprigs chopped Gravy: 2 large shallots, thinly sliced 1 garlic clove, crushed 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 12 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2/3 cup red wine cup red wine 2 cups beef stock (see Chapter 9) few sprigs of fresh tarragon, leaves chopped

Preheat the oven to 450F. Drizzle a little olive oil over the meat, then rub all over with salt, pepper, and the chopped rosemary. Put the beef, fat-side up, on a bed of rosemary sprigs in a large roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375F. For medium-rare beef, continue roasting for 12 minutes per pound, or 18 minutes per pound if you prefer it medium. Turn the beef over halfway through the cooking. To check for doneness, insert a thin skewer and press lightly: the pinker the juice, the rarer the meat.

Remove the beef from the oven, transfer to a warm platter, and loosely cover with a piece of foil. Let rest for 1520 minutes while you make the gravy.

Remove the rosemary sprigs from the roasting pan, then pour off all but about 2 tablespoons of the fat. Set the pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, and a little salt and pepper. Fry, stirring frequently, until the shallots begin to soften, 56 minutes. Increase the heat slightly and fry the shallots until they are golden and lightly caramelized. Add the flour and stir for a few minutes. Pour in the vinegar and red wine and stir well to mix. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil. Boil until the sauce has reduced and thickened to your liking, 1015 minutes. Season to taste and stir in the tarragon.

Carve the beef thinly and serve with the gravy in a warm gravy boat.

Lamb stew with bacon, sweet onions, and prunes I love the combination of flavors in this stew-sweet onions and prunes offset salty, smoky bacon to create a sweet and savory sauce for tender lamb. If you have some quince paste (membrillo), stir a couple of tablespoons into the stew to give it another dimension of flavor and sweetness. The stew is delicious served with creamy, b.u.t.tery polenta or b.u.t.ternut squash puree.

SERVES 46 46 1 boneless leg of lamb (sirloin half), about 1 pounds 23 tablespoons olive oil 8 ounces thick-sliced bacon or pancetta, chopped 1 large Spanish or mild onion, finely sliced scant 1 cup pearl onions, peeled tablespoon sugar generous splash of dry white wine 1 cinnamon stick 1 teaspoon ground ginger 2 tablespoons quince paste (optional) 2/3 cup soft pitted prunes, halved cup soft pitted prunes, halved 2 cups lamb stock (see Chapter 9)

Trim off the fat and sinew from the leg of lamb and cut it into small chunks. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a heavy-based pan or a cast-iron ca.s.serole until hot. Fry the lamb in several batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. The pieces should take about 2 minutes to brown on each side. As they are ready, remove to a plate and set aside.

Add a little more oil to the pan and fry the bacon until lightly browned, 34 minutes. Tip in the Spanish and pearl onions and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to soften, 46 minutes. Add the sugar and a little more salt and pepper and cook until the onions have slightly caramelized, 23 minutes longer. Deglaze the pan with a generous splash of white wine, sc.r.a.ping the bottom with a wooden spoon to dislodge the sediment. Let the wine boil down until reduced to a sticky glaze.

Return the meat to the pan and stir in the cinnamon, ginger, quince paste (if using), and half the prunes. Pour in the stock and bring it to a gentle simmer. Cover the pan and turn the heat down to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 1 hour. Add the remaining prunes to the pan and cook until the lamb is very tender, about 30 minutes longer. Taste and adjust the seasoning before serving.

Braised chicken legs with honey and five-spice This is a delicious and unusual chicken dish. I like to serve it with parsnip mash and wilted hearty greens on the side. You could also make this with duck-a good way to introduce children to this meat.

SERVES 4 4.

4 free-range chicken legs 1 teaspoon Sichuan peppercorns 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder 12 tablespoons olive oil 2 medium onions, finely sliced 1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger 2 tablespoons clear honey splash of dry white wine 1 cups chicken stock (see Chapter 9) 1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water (optional)

Trim off the excess fat from around the chicken legs; set aside. Put the Sichuan peppercorns in a dry roasting pan and toss over high heat until fragrant, 12 minutes. Tip into a mortar and add the five-spice powder and a generous seasoning of salt and pepper. Lightly grind the mixture with a pestle. Sprinkle the ground spices all over the chicken legs.

Heat a deep saute pan with a little olive oil. Add the chicken legs and turn the heat down to medium. Cook until the legs are evenly browned, 34 minutes on each side. Remove them to a plate.

Add the onions and ginger to the pan with a little more oil, if needed. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, 67 minutes. Add the honey and white wine. Simmer until the pan is quite dry and the wine and honey have reduced to a sticky glaze. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.

Return the chicken legs to the saute pan and braise until tender, 4045 minutes, turning them over halfway through the cooking. If you prefer a thicker sauce, add the cornstarch mixture and simmer for a couple of minutes until thickened. Serve immediately on warm plates.

Duck b.r.e.a.s.t.s with port and cherry sauce Duck and cherries are a cla.s.sic pairing. Use fresh cherries in the summer or a jar of preserved cherries in kirsch at other times of the year.

SERVES 4 4.

4 duck b.r.e.a.s.t.s, skin on, each 78 ounces 3 shallots, minced 1 cup port 2 cups cherries, pitted 2 tablespoons black cherry preserves 1 cups chicken stock (see Chapter 9) teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot mixed with few tablespoons water (optional) Braised bok choy: 1 tablespoon b.u.t.ter 8 small heads of bok choy, each about 3 ounces, halved lengthwise

Season the duck b.r.e.a.s.t.s with salt and pepper. Place, skin-side down, in a dry frying pan. (You don't need to add any oil to the pan, because the duck skins are very fatty.) Set the pan over gentle heat and cook until most of the fat has been rendered, 810 minutes. Increase the heat slightly and fry until the skins are golden brown. Flip the b.r.e.a.s.t.s and cook on the other side until the meat feels slightly springy and the duck is cooked to medium rare, 34 minutes longer. Remove to a warm plate and let rest.

Pour off most of the fat from the pan (save for roasting potatoes). Add the shallots and stir over medium to low heat until soft, 45 minutes. Increase the heat and pour in the port to deglaze. Boil until the port has reduced right down and the pan is quite dry. Add the cherries, cherry preserves, and chicken stock. Bring back to a boil and boil until reduced by more than half and the sauce is syrupy. If you prefer the sauce thicker, add the cornstarch mixture and boil for a few minutes longer.

When you are about ready to serve, put 1 cup of water, the b.u.t.ter, and some seasoning into a saute pan over high heat. As soon as the b.u.t.ter has melted, add the bok choy and braise until just wilted, about 2 minutes, turning the heads over halfway through the cooking. Drain on a large plate lined with paper towels.

Divide the bok choy and duck b.r.e.a.s.t.s among warm serving plates and spoon the port and cherry sauce over the duck. Serve immediately.

savory pies and tarts My mother, even as a working woman with four children, would bake a few savory pies or tarts every Friday night. We'd have them for supper and there'd still be leftovers for tea on Sunday. I adored my Mum's shepherd's pie, and it's still one of my favorite dishes to this day. I order it with a side of zucchini every time Tana and I go to The Ivy restaurant in London. They make it amazingly well-add a few dashes of Worcesters.h.i.+re sauce, and I'm in heaven!

To me, savory pies and tarts represent casual, relaxed cooking, and I wish more people still had the time or inclination to make them. As well as being enjoyed at suppers and picnics, pies and tarts can be elevated to fine dining. At our restaurant in Paris, we serve a cannon of lamb with a side dish neatly filled with a small serving of shepherd's pie. Everyone loves it, and it makes me proud to present our version of a British cla.s.sic to our French guests.