Greek Lamb with Yogurt Mint Sauce

August 28, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Herb Story”

The Set-up: Ina is taking her cues from the herbs she grows in her garden.

The Menu: Greek Lamb with Yogurt Mint Sauce, Oregano, Tomato and Feta Salad, Heirloom Tomatoes with Tarragon

0:21 – Ina takes us back into the garden where she has a Fort Knox level wall around her herbs to keep out the deer. Certainly more attractive than chicken wire fencing!

1:33 – As she lists off everything she grows back here – parsley, basil, chives, thyme, mint – I can see why fresh herbs are such a big part of her cooking this is bordering on a farm!

2:06 – Ina says when she thinks about making a marinade for the Greek Lamb with Yogurt Mint Sauce she goes immediately to the classics. As she said, “what grows together, goes together” … “why fight it?”

3:10 – In this case she’s using a ton of rosemary because it has a strong flavor that can stand up to the lamb.

4:27 – Ina is mixing the marinade right in the dish that the lamb will rest in which I am all about, except that my “dish” is a ziplock bag inside a food storage container. The better to clean up quickly, my dear!

5:39 – Lamb chops are on the grill and Ina cautions us not to overcook them – easy to do with a too hot fire and a teensy piece of meat.

6:44 – We also get a little food safety lesson when she reminds us not to use the marinade on the cooked meat.

10:03 – Back in the garden to collect mint and dill for the Greek Lamb with Yogurt Mint Sauce. Pro Tip #1: Measuring herbs accurately is easier when they’re roughly chopped.

11:18 – This is a straightforwardly Greek inspired recipe and I think I read somewhere that dill is a heavily used herb in Greek cooking. Google will know for sure…

12:42 – The mini food processor makes another appearance for the yogurt sauce which Ina says is so thick that she’s going to put it underneath the lamb chops.

13:01 – Now for the Oregano, Tomato and Feta Salad essentially big wedges of tomato, slices of feta, and a little arugula dressed with a splash of red wine vinegar, olive oil, and a sprinkle of dried oregano.

14:14 – Pro Tip #2: Rub the dried oregano between your palms to release the oils before sprinkling over the salad.

15:26 – Ina’s friend Frank shows up and they escape to the garden to pretend they’re in Mykonos over dinner. (“Don’t tell Jeffrey!”)

19:33 – We’re in New York now at Eli Zabar’s greenhouse on top of his specialty food store picking tomatoes for a salad of Heirloom Tomatoes with Tarragon.

20:05 – A few herbs are selected and then Eli and Ina go down into the kitchen with their flat of loot.

21:47 – We’re getting a little arranging lesson as Eli cuts the tomatoes into vertical slices and wedges of all sizes emphasizing the variety of colors and textures.

22:11 – On to the seasoning and Eli explains that since tomatoes are a fruit the heavy dose of salt and vinegar will draw out the sugars and juices to create the dressing.

23:30 – We’re supposed to let the seasoning sit for a little, but Ina is impatient so they taste immediately. Here’s the word: basil is OUT, tarragon is IN when it comes to tomato salads.

27:02 – A little “Ask Ina” on herb related questions. Not that kind of herb! Bill wants to know if he can substitute dried herbs when Ina’s recipe calls for fresh. Short answer: no. Long answer: who knows how long those dried herbs have been preserved? PS: Look at my spice drawer – no herbs!!

28:38 – Deborah would like a recommendation on which herbs to grow, and Mike needs advice on which variety of basil is best? Ina says you should grow what you like and recommends Genovese basil (the large leafed type commonly found in stores.)

29:45 – Last question - Kim needs help storing her fresh herbs? Ina says wash, dry very carefully, and keep in a sealed plastic bag in the refrigerator. Or, mince them up and store them in an ice cube tray in the freezer so you can pop a cube into a recipe when you’re cooking.

Final Thoughts:
I absolutely need to try Ina’s method for storing herbs – they are the bane of my existence the way they wilt so quickly!

I love the simplicity of the recipes in this episode, just allowing the flavors and freshness to be the stars.

Did anyone else have major flashbacks to My Big Fat Greek Wedding? “That’s okay; I make lamb!”

Lessons Learned:
I have never cooked lamb before and most of my experiences with it have been of the shady, “what’s in this gyro?,” mystery meat variety; the most egregious of which was during our trip to Croatia when we tried the much-hyped ćevapčići. No thanks. All that to say, I didn’t think I liked lamb, but if anyone could convince me it would be Ina Garten and her Greek Lamb with Yogurt Mint Sauce.

Read the Recipe – I must have been half awake when I mixed the marinade for this recipe because in re-reading it I realized I was supposed to use the food processor and the ingredients called for red wine, not red wine vinegar. I also didn’t buy enough lemons (why?) and had to substitute lemon greek yogurt in the sauce. Thankfully it appears that my mistakes were imperceptible in the final results, and dare I say might have even improved the recipe?

Marinating – The recipe recommends at least 2 hours, I marinated mine over night (about 20 hours in total) and it’s well worth doing that far in advance. The flavor really permeates the meat. Same deal with the yogurt sauce, the longer the herbs are in contact with the yogurt the more they meld and develop.

Cooking Lamb – If you can cook a pork chop or a bone-in steak then lamb is essentially just a miniature version of those two cuts. A cast iron grill pan pre-heated over medium flame is your friend and Ina’s cooking time (4-5 minutes per side) is perfect. Make sure the meat good contact with the pan so that it sears and don’t neglect to crisp up the edges!

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes! A small food processor will be helpful in both stages, along with and measuring cups and spoons. I also used a medium cutting board, chef’s knife, a cast iron grill pan, and tongs. A ziptop bag, aluminum foil and a large food storage container will come in handy too.

The Verdict:
I was really prepared not to like Greek Lamb with Yogurt Mint Sauce and frankly I was nervous to serve it to Mike, but we both though this recipe was delicious!!! (Yes, three exclamation points.) The marinade imparts a great blend of bright lemon and spikey rosemary; and the sauce is beautifully fresh and light. I don’t know if I’ll be ordering lamb left and right in restaurants now, but I can fully endorse this recipe, even for people who think they don’t like lamb. A perfect special occasion dish that takes very little effort to get great results.

Lemon Cranberry Bread

December 22, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

We just passed the longest day of the year, so scientifically we’ve turned the corner and are now on our way to spring, but practically we all know winter has just begun. Here in New York we can probably expect another 3 months of grey, cold weather, so I’m thankful that we have citrus season to look forward to.

It’s ironic to me that citrus is in season during the coldest months of the year, but I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth and just enjoy the gorgeous lemons, grapefruits, clementines, and oranges arriving here in the north.

While I plan to eat a ton of fresh fruit, I also want to incorporate citrus into my cooking and channel some of those tropical flavors. I can’t take full credit for this recipe – my girl Ina Garten’s Lemon Yogurt Cake and this recipe for Lemon Cake with Cranberries on Melangery helped guide my baking ways. Thanks Ladies!

Lemon Cranberry Bread (yield: 1 loaf)

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup Chobani 2% plain whole-milk greek yogurt
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup fresh cranberries

For the glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Instructions:
In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into 1 bowl.

In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Next, add the vegetable oil into the wet ingredients, making sure it's all incorporated.

Lastly, slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.

Prepare a loaf pan by buttering and flouring the bottom and sides. Pour the batter into the pan and evenly sprinkle a 1/2 cup of fresh cranberries across the top. Use a bamboo skewer to gently press the cranberries toward the bottom of the batter spacing some closer to the bottom and some toward the middle.

Repeat the process with another 1/4 cup of cranberries, pressing them just below the surface. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool completely before turning out of the pan. Use a spoon to drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake.

Alternate Version:
Prepare the mini-muffin tins with non-stick spray or paper liners. Spoon the batter into the tins with a 1/2 teaspoon cookie scoop. Sprinkle 2-3 fresh cranberries in each cup and press gently into the batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Yield: about 2 dozen mini-muffins

Glaze:
Measure the confectioner’s sugar into a small bowl. Stir in the lemon juice one teaspoon at a time until the glaze reaches desired consistency. It should drip from the spoon in a thin ribbon.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes! I used one small mixing bowl, one medium mixing bowl, a mixing spoon, rubber spatula, liquid and dry measuring cups and measuring spoons. I also used a microplane zester and glass loaf pan.

The Verdict:
In this Lemon Cranberry Cake I wanted the lemon flavor to come through clearly and for cake to be on the savory side so that the addition of a lemon glaze wouldn’t make it too sweet. I love the citrus and thanks to the greek yogurt the cake is really tender and moist. This is perfect for a holiday brunch or as a fruit option on a dessert table.

Pesto Greek Yogurt Hummus

November 24, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Have you heard? As soon as Thanksgiving rolls around we are officially in The Holidays (capital H). For me The Holidays means house parties, celebratory dinners, and rounds of drinks where I have to do my best to remember that an all cookie and cheese in puff pastry diet in December means new pants in January.

I know I can’t be the only one who wants to make something special that won’t leave me or my guests feeling guilty. I’m also in favor of keeping things as simple and low stress as possible. In my world a frazzled hostess is a grumpy hostess.

Thank goodness for Pesto Greek Yogurt Hummus. The chickpeas and greek yogurt (Chobani, naturally) blended with the deep pure flavor of the garlic, basil and parmesan in the pesto are an awesome combination.

And here’s your get out of anxiety free card - if you don’t have pesto stashed in your freezer from the summer like I did (remember this recipe?), and are running low on the time or energy to make the pesto from scratch then pick up a small container when you’re buying the other ingredients. Taste a little before you add it to the mix to see how strong the flavors are and adjust as needed. A little more pesto here, a little less salt there.

This is also easy to make ahead and stash in the fridge for a day or two, which has the special bonus of allowing the flavors to mingle and grow in power. Delicious, healthy, simple, low stress – sounds perfect for The Holidays, or really anytime of year.

Pesto Greek Yogurt Hummus (yield: 2 cups)

Hummus Ingredients:

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas
1/2 cup Chobani whole milk 4% plain greek yogurt
6 tablespoons prepared pesto (recipe below)
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Hummus Instructions:

Drain the chickpeas through a sieve and place in the bowl of a medium food processor. Measure the Chobani whole milk 4% plain greek yogurt, pesto, and kosher salt into the food processor.

Process for 1-2 minutes, or until the hummus reaches your desired consistency and the ingredients are well mixed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.

Serve with your favorite accompaniment. Enjoy!

Pesto Ingredients:

¼ cup walnuts
¼ cup pine nuts (aka pignoli)
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (9 cloves)
5 cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups good olive oil
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Pesto Instructions: (yield: 4 cups)
Place the walnuts, pine nuts, and chopped garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for 15 seconds. Add the fresh basil leaves, salt, and pepper. With the processor running, slowly pour the olive oil into the bowl through the feed tube and process until the pesto is thoroughly pureed. Add the Parmesan and puree for a minute.

Important storage note: This will make more pesto than needed for the recipe and exposure to air will turn it an unappetizing brown. So plan to use the extra right away or store the pesto in the refrigerator or freezer in an airtight container with a thin film of olive oil or plastic wrap pressed directly on top to remove air pockets.

Small Kitchen Friendly:
Yes, assuming you have access to a medium-sized food processor. Ours is a 7 cup and it was just right for this recipe, too much smaller and I would have had trouble getting everything to fit. A sieve to drain the chickpeas, dry and liquid measuring cups, measuring spoons, a rubber spatula, a microplane grater, and one medium cutting board finished the job.

The Verdict:
Mike and I both really liked the results of my experiment with Pesto Greek Yogurt Hummus. The freshness of basil and garlic in the pesto balances nicely with the creamy yogurt and nutty chickpeas. The texture is smooth and cool a perfect pairing with crudité, pita chips, or to jazz up a leftover turkey sandwich.

Curried Winter Squash Soup with Greek Yogurt Crème Fraîche

November 17, 2014 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Curried Winter Squash Soup with Pumpkin Greek Yogurt Crème Fraîche | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Curried Winter Squash Soup with Pumpkin Greek Yogurt Crème Fraîche** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

Maybe this makes me weird, but one of the things I love most about late fall is the arrival of the pumpkins and squashes. Their deep orange and gold tones echo the leaves on the ground and are a welcome splash of color on the dinner table, especially now when sunset seems earlier and earlier.

I love them roasted and tossed with cranberries, or grilled on salads, and of course I love them pureed into beautifully smooth soup. Butternut squash bisque is a classic for a reason – it’s delicious – but I wanted to try something a little different by adding some elements that would complement the richness of the squash and add a little depth. The flavors are influenced by Indian food, but the amount of each spice called for us relatively small, so the effect is a subtle undercurrent of warm, perfumed spice. That richness is brought into balance by the tang of the cool pumpkin and cinnamon greek yogurt.

Extra bonus: this is a two-in-one recipe, because if you’re not curry-inclined it’s easy to skip the last four spices (garam masala, ginger, curry, turmeric) and just use a plain greek yogurt for the crème fraîche step. A slice of multi-grain bread with toasted Gruyere and you’re in business with a light meal that’s still satisfying.

Curried Winter Squash Soup with Greek Yogurt Crème Fraiche (serves 6-8)

Ingredients:

6 cups (1 medium) diced butternut squash
2 cups (1/2 medium) diced acorn squash
1/2 cup (2 medium) minced shallots
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
6 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon garam masala
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
5.3 ounces (1 container) Chobani Pumpkin Spice Yogurt
1 teaspoon 2% milk
1/4 cup squash seeds
ground black pepper
kosher salt

Instructions:

Peel the butternut and acorn squashes, cut in half length-wise, and scoop out the pulp and seeds from the core with a spoon. Reserve the seeds in a small bowl and discard the pulp. Cut the two squashes into approximately 1/2 inch cubes. Next, mince the shallots.

Meanwhile, in a medium French oven or large pot melt the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Sauté the shallots in the melted butter until softened, then add the squash pieces and stir to coat with the butter and shallot mixture. Season with 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper and 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt.

Add the chicken broth to the pot and raise the heat to bring the soup to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15-20 minutes or until the squash pieces are easily pierced with a fork.

Meanwhile, spread the reserved squash seeds on a baking sheet and toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Toast in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes until crisp and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

Next, use a blender or food processor to puree the softened squash and broth in batches until the texture is smooth (about 1-1 1/2 minutes per batch), reserving the pureed soup in a large bowl. Return the pureed soup to the pot and stir in the garam masala, curry powder, ground ginger, and turmeric. Bring the soup back up to a low simmer.

Stir together the Chobani Pumpkin Spice Yogurt and 2% milk in a small bowl (or right in the yogurt container) until evenly combined.

Finally, serve the winter squash bisque hot with a teaspoon or two of the pumpkin greek yogurt crème fraîche (a plastic squeeze bottle will help get that perfect swirl) in each bowl and a sprinkle of toasted squash seeds and a finishing pinch of garam masala. Accompany with a toasted piece of whole grain bread.

Small Kitchen Friendly?

Yes, indeed! The Le Creuset French oven (5.5 quart) rides again, along with a large cutting board, a chef’s knife, Y-shaped vegetable peeler, wooden spatula, measuring spoons and cups. I also used a blender, a medium bowl (for reserving pureed batches of the soup), a sheet pan, and plastic squeeze bottle to get that perfect swirl of greek yogurt crème fraîche.

The Verdict:

Mike and my sister Katherine humored me by doing “blind” taste tests of the various combinations of classic/curried squash soup with both plain and pumpkin spice yogurt to see which we liked best. I didn’t realize they were fans of curry, but they surprised me when by giving the spicier version high marks. In the end, all the combinations were successful, so you really can’t go wrong here. And, since this is such a simple soup it would be a perfect make-ahead first course for an elegant Thanksgiving supper.