Roasted Leg of Lamb with Gravy

On March 30, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes14 Comments

We have very specific meals that we have on special occasions and lamb is our Easter tradition. There is something about having lamb that is very emblematic of the coming of spring to us and we look forward to this meal every year. It doesn’t have to be a leg of lamb, but that is our preference when we are able to get it. Surprisingly, lamb isn’t as easy to find here in Colorado and it is often expensive, which doesn’t really make a lot of sense to us. Oven roasted red potatoes is definitely our favorite starch to serve with lamb and sautéing spinach made for a light and refreshing vegetable.

Ingredients

5 lb, Bone-in, Leg of Lamb
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Garlic Clove – finely minced
1 tbsp Fresh Rosemary – chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 cup All-Purpose Flour
1/3 cup Water

Instructions

In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Place the lamb, fat side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Rub the herb mixture over the top of the lamb. Pour a cup of water into the bottom of the pan. Pre-heat the oven to 425 degrees and place the lamb on the middle rack in the center of the oven. Cook for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees. Continue cooking for an hour and thirty minutes (approximately 20 minutes per pound) or when an instant-read thermometer reads 155 degrees at the thickest part of the lamb, but not near the bone. Remove the lamb from the pan, cover, and set aside for 15 minutes to rest. Using red wine or water, deglaze the bottom of the roasting pan and pour the drippings into a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk together the flour and water to make a rue. Once the pan drippings are hot, slowly whisk in the flour mixture until the gravy is at the desired consistency. Be sure to add the flour mixture when the drippings are nice and hot to avoid lumps in the gravy. If desired, roast red potatoes that have been quartered with olive oil, garlic powder, chopped rosemary, salt and pepper, in an oven at 450 degrees for 40 minutes or until golden brown. In a sauté pan, add olive oil, spinach, red pepper flakes, stone-ground mustard, salt and pepper and cook the spinach over medium-high heat until wilted. Enjoy with a nice glass of wine. 🙂

Old Bay Deviled Eggs

On March 23, 2016March 24, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes6 Comments

Deviled eggs are always a favorite appetizer when we have a party and no matter how many we seem to make, they are always gone before the night is over. Especially this time of year, using boiled eggs to make deviled eggs or egg salad is always a good idea and this recipe takes a slightly different twist on the classic. Old Bay Seasoning is something that is quite common on the east coast, but usually for seafood, so using it with deviled eggs added a unique and unusual flavor. The same recipe can easily be altered to make egg salad sandwiches, simply by chopping the eggs up and mixing in all of the other ingredients.

Ingredients

6 Large Eggs – hard boiled and cooled
2 tbsp Mayonnaise
1/2 Celery Stalk – finely chopped
1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
1/2 tsp Spicy Brown Mustard
2 to 3 tbsp Milk
Ground Pepper to taste

Instructions

Peel the eggs and cut them lengthwise. Spoon out the yolks and place them in a bowl. Mash the yolks with the backside of a fork and add the mayonnaise, celery, Old Bay, and mustard. Continue to mash the yolks with the ingredients, slowly adding the milk, until it is smooth and creamy. Season the mixture with pepper. With a spoon, fill the yolk cavity in the egg white with about a tablespoon of the yolk mixture. Top with a celery leaf or sprinkle with a tiny bit of Old Bay prior to serving.

Slow-Cooker Indian Butter Chicken

On March 16, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Recipes12 Comments

Despite what it may seem like based upon the posts that we put out, we’re both extremely busy with work and trying to find time to travel. We have high stress jobs that keep us busy from the moment that we walk into our offices, albeit home offices, to the time that we step away from our desks at the end of the day. So, we love a good slow-cooker recipe, something that we can throw together and forget it. We found this recipe in a Food Network Magazine and decided to give it a try. We cut down the portions of chicken and onion since it is just the two of us, but left the sauce the same so that it would have plenty of flavor. The recipe here is for the full portion described in the magazine that is meant to serve 4 people. It really was delicious and we’ll definitely make it again, but when we do, we’ll probably leave some of the seeds in from the pepper to give it a little heat and might even add a little garlic to it. If you can’t find naan bread, you could certainly put this over rice to soak up all of the sauce.

Ingredients

3 pieces of Naan Bread
1 Red Onion – halved and thinly sliced
1 lb Small Red Potatoes – halved or quartered if large
1 Fresno Chile or Red Jalapeno Pepper, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced
1 small bunch of Cilantro – stems and leaves separated and leaves chopped
1 1/2 lb Boneless, Skinless, Chicken Thighs
1 tbsp Garam Masala
2 tbsp Unsalted Butter – cut into pieces
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 15 oz can of Tomato Sauce
1/2 cup Heavy Cream
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

Crumble or rip a half piece of the naan into coarse crumbs and place on the bottom of a 6-quart slow-cooker. Add the red onion, potatoes, pepper, and cilantro stems. Arrange the chicken thighs over the vegetables in a single layer and sprinkle with the garam masala, plus about 3/4 teaspoon of salt and a little fresh ground pepper. Place the chunks of butter on top of the chicken and add the cinnamon stick. Cover everything with the tomato sauce and cook on low for about 7 hours. Once done, uncover and gently stir in the heavy cream, breaking the chicken into large chunks. Let stand for 10 minutes and then stir in the cilantro leaves and season with a little more salt, if desired. Serve with the remaining naan bread.