RACK OF LAMB & SWORDFISH DINNER

I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO HAVE SOME TIME TO GET SOME DINNERS IN LATELY. MY FRIDGE HAS BEEN AT FULL CAPACITY DUE TO THE DUCK PROSCIUTTO, PIZZA DOUGH AND ALL OF THESE DINNERS.

RACK OF LAMB

FOR THIS DISH I HAD A NICE RACK OF NEW ZEALAND LAMB. I RUBBED THIS WITH A MIXTURE OF OLIVE OIL, DIJON MUSTARD, DRIED PARSLEY, SALT AND PEPPER. I STARTED THE COOKING PROCESS ON MY GRILL PAN UNTIL I GOT A NICE CHAR ON THE OUTSIDE. KNOWING THAT THE INSIDE WAS STILL RAW, I POPPED THE GRILL PAN IN THE OVEN UNTIL I HAD A NICE, PINK CENTER. 

I SERVED TWO DIFFERENT VEGETABLE SIDES WITH THE LAMB. FIRST, I STUFFED A TOMATO WITH SAUTÉED MUSHROOMS, RED ONIONS AND ZUCCHINI. I HAD COOKED ALL OF THESE UNTIL THEY WERE JUST TENDER. RIGHT BEFORE PLATING DINNER I HAD TOPPED THE TOMATO WITH SOME GRATED PIAVE CHEESE AND BREADCRUMBS. I HAD SOME EXTRA GRATED PIAVE CHEESE AND MADE A NICE CRISP (TOP LEFT OF PICTURE).

MY OTHER VEGGIE SIDE (FRONT OF THE PLATE) IS BUTTERNUT SQUASH. I SAUTÉED THESE WIDE JULIENNE STRIPS UNTIL THEY WERE CARAMELIZED.  I FINISHED THE PLATE WITH ANOTHER VILLA MANADORI CHILI OIL WHICH DOES CARRY A LITTLE HEAT. THIS IS A VIBRANT RED COLOR DUE TO THE PRESSING OF CHILI PEPPERS. 

SWORDFISH WITH SAFFRON RISOTTO AND MUSHROOM TART

THIS NEXT DISH CAME ON A RAINY SUNDAY. I WAS ON MY WAY BACK TO MY APARTMENT AND STOPPED IN AT THE GRAND CENTRAL STATION FOOD HALL. THIS FARMERS MARKET STYLE MARKET HAS EVERYTHING FROM FRESH PRODUCE, MEATS, SEAFOOD AND EVEN A MURRAY'S CHEESE STORE. I HAVE BEEN TO THIS MARKET MANY TIMES AND IS DEFINITELY A FAVORITE SPOT OF MINE. I SUGGEST CHECKING IT OUT IF YOU ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

FOR MY RISOTTO I USED A CARNAROLI GRAIN RICE INSTEAD OF ARBORIO. MOST RECIPES CALL FOR ARBORIO BUT I HAVE YET TO TRY CARNAROLI. THESE TWO SPECIES OF RICE DO HAVE MANY DIFFERENCES FROM THE ORIGIN TO THE TIMING OF THE STARCH RELEASING WHICH CAUSES A CREAMY FINISH. AS I WAS ADDING MY LIQUID TO MY RICE AND ONIONS I CHOPPED SOME SAFFRON UP AND THREW IT IN. THIS GAVE MY END PRODUCT A NICE REDDISH COLOR. I ALSO GRATED SOME PARMIGIANO REGGIANO INTO THIS FOR A NUTTY BITE RIGHT BEFORE SERVING.

I HAD SOME PHYLLO DOUGH IN THE FREEZER AND HAD SOME PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS SO I DECIDED TO MAKE A MUSHROOM TART. I SAUTÉED MY MUSHROOMS WITH SOME ROSEMARY, OLIVE OIL SALT AND PEPPER AND ADDED A NICE DOLLIP OF A SPICY RED PEPPER SAUCE FOR A KICK. AS THIS WAS COOKING I HAD CUT CIRCLES OF MY DOUGH AND STUFFED THEM INTO MY CUPCAKE PAN AND COOKED TILL GOLDEN. I ADDED MY FILLING AND TOPPED WITH SOME FIG GOAT CHEESE. I POPPED THESE INTO THE OVEN TO FINISH OFF BEFORE PLATING.

ANOTHER LOOK

FOR MY SWORDFISH I SIMPLY USED SOME OLIVE OIL, SALT, PEPPER, HONEY AND A LITTLE CUMIN BEFORE GRILLING. I WANTED TO KEEP THE FISH CLEAN AND SIMPLE SINCE I HAD A RISOTTO. ALONGSIDE THE SWORDFISH I FOUND SOME REALLY NICE BABY YELLOW SQUASH IN THE PRODUCE SECTION OF THE MARKET. I HAD SIMPLY CUT THESE DOWN THE MIDDLE AND ROASTED THEM WITH SOME BASIC SEASONING. I FINISHED THE FISH WITH SOME OF VILLA MANODORI BALSAMIC AND THE REST OF THE PLATE WITH THE CHILI OIL.