Thirty-fourth Post ~ Rosemary Lamb Tenderloins en Papillote

As Entry #2 in the previously mentioned "en Papillote Files," I feature my favorite red meat of all time: Lamb. I don't eat red meat that often, so when I do, I sometimes will splurge on lamb tenderloins. Lamb and rosemary are a beautiful combination!

I'm truly loving the "en papillote" style of cooking. It typically uses no oil and relies on steam for the cooking, so it's healthier than a lot of the pan-cooked options, and it has this way of melding all the flavors together in a way unlike any other!

Here's what you'll need for tonight's dinner:

~ Lamb tenderloins

~ Rosemary (fresh or dried)

~ Balsamic vinegar

~ Garlic

~ Mushrooms

~ White wine

~ Parsley (fresh or dried)

~ Salt/pepper to taste

~ Asparagus

Boil the asparagus in salted water just until tender. Mince some garlic, preheat your oven, cut your cute heart out of parchment (see Post #33). When the asparagus is just pierceable, drain and set aside.

Start a tablespoon of olive oil heating in a pan. Add some balsamic vinegar, minced garlic and parsley. Add the mushrooms and white wine. While that's cooking, ruminate on the essay you're writing. Try to come up with a great experiment design.

::PAUSE::

One thing I've noticed about cooking en papillote is that you don't need to add as much liquid as you'd think. I've been adding about a quarter cup of liquid, and I don't think you need that much. This lamb turned out a little "brothy" - which I guess is okay - and so did the pork I made the other night, about which I shall be blogging soon. The moral of the story: if you like broth, add all you want. If you want a more photogenic presentation, add a bit less liquid than you'd think.

::UNPAUSE::

So your mushrooms are done - add the lamb tenderloins for just a few seconds, browning each side. Now put the lamb onto the parchment. Top with a sprig of rosemary, then add the mushrooms on top, and the asparagus on top of that. Into the spout of the heart, add the juices from cooking the mushrooms (resist the temptation to add more wine and water). Seal up the parchment and bake for 12 minutes. During this time, flip back through four weeks of reading and confirm that the experiment idea you've thought of while cooking will work.

Take the packet out of the oven and carefully (so as not to burn yourself) cut an X into the top of the parchment, revealing all the goodness inside.

I paired tonight's meal with a French Merlot-blend from the Domaine du Poujol from Proteus vineyards. It's medium-to-heavy with an earthy foreground, perfectly complimenting the lamb, with a hint of raspberry. It pairs beautifully with this meal, and, I believe, would go quite well with a steak or beef dish. All in all, this meal was exactly what I needed: quick, nutritious, and brainstorm-worthy!

Yours in the love of good food and wine,

AL

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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.

Thirtieth Post ~ Wine Feature: Mas de la Garrigue with Lamb Tenderloin

The wine. And the meal.

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A little over a year ago, I bought a bottle of wine at a retail wine store, and it tasted a bit of cork taint. I took it back to the store and spoke with the manager. He gladly took my bottle back and in compensation, offered me a bottle of one of his favorite reds the store offered: Mas de la Garrigue from Força Réal in Côtes du Roussillon Villages in France. He gave me these words of advice: "Don't drink it with someone who'll say, 'Mm! This tastes like grape juice!' because you'll be sorely let down."

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Taking these words to heart, I tied a checkered red and white ribbon around the bottle and saved it for the appropriate person. This individual would have to appreciate the nuances of a fine vintage. This individual would have to have a discriminating palate. This individual would have to be a bit of a wine snob. This individual would have to be... Meg.

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So we set a date for "French Red Wine Fest," and I set to researching this particular wine and winery. Time on the internet put me in touch with Cyril, the son of the man who bought the Força Réal vineyard in 1989 and who trained at the Chilean winery Villa d’Este and in the Côte-Rôtie. He recommended a grilled red meat with the wine, and a red fruit salad for dessert. He also laid my fears to rest that the wine from this particular year would be fine to drink after its recommended date of three years.

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So here, my friends, is what you'll need for tonight's meal (first the basics, then the details):

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~ A spectacular vintage from Força Réal. Mas de la Garrigue is a blend of Carignan, Grenache Noir and Syrah varietals. I got this one from Colonial Wine and Spirits in Orchard Park.

~ Red meat: I chose lamb tenderloins from Wegmans (naturally)

~ Cheese plate

~ Fruit salad

~ Vegetable

~ Starch

~ Chocolate

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For the starch:

~ Tiny red potatoes

~ Olive oil

~ Salt/Pepper

~ Fresh (or dried) dill

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I got a bag of tiny red potatoes. At Meg's suggestion, I quartered them, salted, peppered, and tossed them with olive oil and fresh dill. Put them in the oven on 425. Stir a few times while you cook everything else.

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For the meat:

~ Lamb tenderloins (one of the only cuts of lamb that actually seems to expand as you cook it, so three per person is ample)

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For the glaze:

~ Cherry preserves

~ White wine (I used some Blanc de blanc from Vieux Papes)

~ Olive oil

~ Marjoram

~ Dried cherries

~ A hint of balsamic vinegar

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Start about a tablespoon or so of olive oil heating in a stick-free pan. Add some white wine. Add a good couple tablespoons of cherry preserves. Pass the jar and a spoon back and forth between you and your sous chef. Add a touch of marjoram and a dash of balsamic and let simmer. Talk about your days at work.

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In a separate pan, brown the lamb tenderloins with a bit of oil. Once the sauce has started to meld, add the lamb. Turn frequently and take out of the sauce just as the juices start running clear. Set the lamb aside and let the sauce cook down while you make the veggie.

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For the veggie:

~ Snap peas

~ Salt/pepper

~ Olive oil

~ Garlic cloves

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Sautee some crushed garlic and olive oil in a pan. Add the snap peas, salt and pepper. Sautee until just tender.

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For the cheese plate and fruit salad (optional, but highly recommended)

~ Vintage gouda (aged 3 years, Holland)

~ Dried cherries

~ Slices crisp, tart apple

~ Dark chocolate (Hershey's pure dark chocolate and pure dark chocolate with cranberries, blueberries and almonds, as per Meg's impeccable taste = perfection)

~ Red fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries for color and sweetness, tossed with some honey)

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The wine. Ahh, the wine.

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We decided to pour part of the bottle into a decanter to let it breathe for a bit while we finished cooking dinner. The first taste was reminiscent of the bright red fruit salad recommended by Cyril: tart, fresh, full-bodied. The finish was sweet and lingering. It paired beautifully with everything we ate this evening: the lamb brought out its Old World earthiness, the fresh herbs highlighted its bright, sweet notes, the carmel-smoothness of the gouda enhanced its crisp "biting into an apple" taste, the red fruit showcased this wine's full-bodied texture and flavor. What a wine. What a meal!

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Over four and a half hours we dined, we chatted, we drank, we dined some more, we discussed; we even watched a chick flick (the video store didn't have our original pick: French Kiss, so we thoroughly enjoyed Under a Tuscan Sun instead!). I've said it before, but it merits repetition. Good food, good wine, good conversation between friends: This is the merry triumvirate on which life can ever turn in its momentum of happiness.

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Yours in the love of all three,

AL

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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.

Twenty-first Post ~ Herbed Lamb Tenderloins with Garlic Parmesan Green Beans

Tonight I was really tired and wanted something quick and foolproof. Unfortunately, that's exactly when things go wrong. So part of this meal required a bit of a do-over, but when all was said and done, it turned out just fine!
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Here's what you'll need:
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~ Lamb tenderloins
~ Dried herb and spice blend (I recommend oregano, rosemary, thyme and paprika)
~ Lemon juice
~ Olive oil
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And for the side:
~ Green beans (frozen, French cut)
~ Garlic
~ Parmesan
~ A little bit of oil
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Put a bit of olive oil in a stick-free pan. Put the dried herbs in a mortar and pestal and grind them up. Pour a bit of lemon juice into the oil, start it heating, and then scatter in the ground herbs. Traditionally this herb blend is used as a rub for meat, but I thought I'd create a cheater's quick marinade by putting it in the oil and letting it all meld. After the oil cools, set the lamb tenderloins into the oil and herb mixture and turn them around so they get covered in herbs. Don't start it heating right away: let them sit for a bit - long enough for you to do the dishes, perhaps?
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::PAUSE::
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Now, before you do anything else, get your garlic ready. I started the beans before I got the garlic ready, and then stupidly decided to mince the garlic, which is a really time-consuming process. I got the garlic done and my beans had smoldered away in the pan into sad shriveled nothingness. I tossed that batch out and started over. The moral of the story is, always get everything ready BEFORE you turn the heat on.
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::UNPAUSE::
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So get your garlic chopped, minced, whatever. Start the heat on the lamb and turn it a few times. Prepare the beans with a little olive oil. In the interest of time, I crushed the garlic for the last batch in my garlic press. Either method would work well. Just as the beans are getting done, add the crushed garlic and stir them around a bit. Turn off the heat and sprinkle parm over the top of them. The remaining heat from the pan should start the parm melting a bit.
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I paired tonight's dinner with an Italian pinot noir by Cadonini. It is just the right level of earthy to compliment the lamb and the right level of fruity to offset the herbs. It went wonderfully with tonight's dinner and gave it a perfect finish.
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Yours in the love of good food and wine,
AL
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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.

Eighth Post - Marinated Lamb Tenderloins with Zesty Asparagus

Ah, here's to celebrating the approach of the holiday weekend! Well, let's be honest... since when have I needed an excuse to celebrate by cooking?
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Tonight's dinner: marinated lamb tenderloins with asparagus. Here's what you'll need. Seeing as it's Thursday night, you probably want something easy to cook. I know I did...
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~Lamb tenderloins
~Herb marinade (see, I told you this was easy...)
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For the veggie - I chose asparagus because it's one of my favorites. I always take a few out of the bundles in the produce department. Why should I buy more than I'm going to eat? Five stalks for $0.54. Who can beat that?
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~Asparagus (as much as you want to break the bank for)
~Olive oil
~Chives
~Lemon juice
~Salt and pepper to taste
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And you thought the tricky part would be the lamb!
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So: Tonight is Thursday, and I have office hours and teach a course after (public speaking). I knew I'd be hungry, but very tempted to go the bowl-of-cereal route that has often tempted the late-night diner. Not so. I had a plan.
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I thawed out the three lamb tenderloins and placed them in a shallow dish. I poured on a bit of a herbed marinade. I used one I got from Meg - Two Sisters Gourmet balsamic Mediterranean herb dipping and grilling oil. Only I didn't use it for dipping or grilling. Hm. I would suspect any balsamic vinaigrette or marinade would do. I covered it with plastic wrap (to prevent my entire fridge from being marinade-scented) and stuck it in the fridge before I walked out the door.
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I ran to the store after class and grabbed some asparagus. Then straight home I went and took the lamb out of the fridge and let it get a little less chilled while I checked email and fed Ginny (Chef Michael's Pate for doggies, naturally).
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I got out my non-stick frying pan as mentioned earlier, and my smaller pan that used to be non-stick but is now so badly scarred from knives and forks that it's really not non-stick any more. In the larger pan, I placed about a tablespoon of olive oil and the asparagus. Out of nowhere came the thought of squeezing a little lemon juice onto them. In addition, I snipped up some remaining chives and salted and peppered them. In the other pan, I placed the lamb and the marinade from the dish.
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~~~PAUSE~~~
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I love lamb. And that would seem a silly thing to pause you for except for the fact that I feel the need to emphasize the fact that I've never had particularly good luck with cooking it. Chops come out dry. Shanks are unrecognizeable when I'm through with them. My mom makes a fabulous ground lamb patty in candied orange sauce, but ground lamb is not easy to find. So I decided to try my luck with tenderloins.
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Ladies and gentlemen of the jury: Lamb tenderloins are the way to go. Small strips of lamb richness that barely shrink when you cook them... juicey, flavorful - MMM!
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~~~UNPAUSE~~~
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So start up your two burners. Don't be shocked when the asparagus starts hopping about in the oil like I was. Turn the flame down and toss it around a bit. The marinade with the lamb will start sizzling nicely. Let it simmer and turn the chops every so often. Slice into your thickest one to make sure it's done to your preference. I prefer a little dark pink in the center, so my lamb and veggies were done around the same time.
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The lamb was tender and packed with flavor. The asparagus was perfectly yummy and the lemon, I think, added a little extra zest.
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I paired tonight's dinner with a Californian Pinot Noir (Arroyo del Sol by Arroyo Seco vineyards, 2005) - normally $24.00/bottle, I got it on sale at Premier for half-price. A little bit of a splurge, but I've been saving it for a special occasion. And getting lamb right IS a special occasion. Being New World, it's fruit forward, but with enough earthiness to balance out the herbs and lamb. It's one of the few wines out there that pairs well with asparagus, and so all-in-all, the whole thing came together nicely.
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And I have now found my favorite cut of lamb for cooking!
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Yours in the love of good food and wine (especially lamb and pinot),
AL
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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.