Spring Lamb

Wine: Pago Florentino Tinto 2004

We started with a Baby Artichoke Salad with Lemon Arugula and Pine Nuts based upon a recipe from Zuni Cafe in San Francisco. It is easy and very tasty.

For the main course we made the Rosemary Leg of Lamb recipe from Mark Peel & Nancy Silverton at Home. The lamb is often on the menu at Campanile. We purchased a large leg from Harvey Gus Meats. The recipe calls for a lot of rosemary twigs. Luckly we have several rosemary bushes in our backyard. I picked at least 30 large twigs.

After the meat is browned, you remove the lamb from the roasting pan line then line the pan with rosemary. Replace the lamb on top of the rosemary and completely cover the lamb with additional rosemary. You cook the lamb uncovered in the oven. When the lamb is done you take it outdoors, and light the rosemary surrounding the lamb. It quickly ignites in a blaze. Once the fire is going you put the lid on trapping the smoke in the pan with the lamb, giving it a great taste. Be sure not to burn the house down, or light it indoors!

As a side we once again made the great Fava Bean Potato Hash from Canale Restaurant.

Great dinner! Lots of leftovers.

Shaved Artichoke Salad with Pine Nuts and Parmesan Cheese
Adapted from Zuni Café

10 small artichokes
Juice of ½ lemon
¼ cup flat leaf parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
4 tablespoons pine nuts
½ radicchio thinly sliced
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black Pepper
¼ cup thin shavings of Parmesan Cheese

1. One artichoke at a time, peel away outer tough leaves
2. Cut off stem and spiny tops of leaves
3. Cut artichoke in half lengthwise a remove fibrous choke
4. Slice artichokes as thinly as possible place in bowl
5. Squeeze some lemon juice over the cut artichokes and toss well
6. Repeat process for all artichokes
7. Add parsley, pine nuts and radicchio to bowl.
8. Pour olive oil over mixture, and sprinkle with salt, pepper.
9. Toss to coat salad
10. Add cheese and gently toss



Click below for a quick movie with sound, of the fire!