Lavender & Anise Seed Crusted Rack of Lamb with Goat Cheese Custards

Sometimes inspiration strikes at the most unexpected moments. That's what happened when I was trying to develop a recipe for a Grenache for a Buscador Wine. I had been experimenting with berry infused sauces and spicy dishes but hadn't happened upon that "ah ha" moment I was looking for. With just a tiny bit of wine in the bottle and the afternoon drawing to a close, I decided to call it a day. I went to my refrigerator and pulled out a tiny wedge of Rollingstone Creamery's Anise and Lavender Goat Cheese, smeared it on a cracker, took a sip of the remaining wine and - Blamo! - discovered my muse.


The next day I created this Lavender & Anise Seed Crusted Rack of Lamb with a Goat Cheese Custard. The lavender highlighted the floral qualities in the wine while the acidity of the goat cheese balanced the dryness and tannins of the wine.

Grenache on it's own is not a common wine. It's typically used in Rhone-style blends. If you are interested in learning more about Grenache, check out my blog in the wine section of the SheSpeaks Special Edition or The Wine Pairing Chef blog.

As we creep toward Fall, I envision a dinner table with candles, a cozy autumn meal. I find myself craving roast meats and creamier side dishes. This recipe fits the bill. Trying pairing it with a Grenache or another Rhone-style dry red wine.

Lavender & Anise Seed Crusted Rack of Lamb
with Goat Cheese Custard

Lavender & Anise Seed Rack of Lamb with Goat Cheese Custards
Serves 4

4 teaspoons dried culinary lavender
2 teaspoons anise seeds
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons olive oil
2 1 1/4 -1 1/2 pound racks of lamb, trimmed

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Combine all ingredients in small bowl. Smear paste over meat portion of lamb.

Place lamb, paste side up, in small roasting pan or baking sheet. Roast lamb until thermometer inserted into lamb registers 135°F for medium-rare, about 25 minutes. Transfer racks to a cutting board, lightly tent with aluminum foil and let rest 10 minutes.

Cut lamb between bones into chops and serve with Goat Cheese Custards (recipe below).

Goat Cheese Custards

3/4 cup whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
3.5 ounces goat cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoons white pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 large eggs
2 egg yolks

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Add milk, cream, salt, pepper and garlic powder to a heavy sauce pan. Crumble in goat cheese. Bring mixture to just a boil, stirring constantly. The goat cheese should be melted and smooth. Remove pan from heat.

Whisk the eggs and egg yolk in a medium bowl until smooth and creamy. Slowly whisk in hot milk until well combined. Strain mixture into a pitcher and then divide among 4 ramekins.

Place ramekins into a roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake custards for 25 minutes until set. (To confirm, insert a sharp knife into the center of one custard. If the knife comes out clean, the custard is cooked.) Remove from roasting pan and let cool while roasting the racks of lamb.

To turn out, run a sharp knife around the edge of the ramekin to loosen the custard. Gently invert the ramekin onto the serving plate. Custard should slide out, if not, lift one edge and use a knife to coax the custard loose.

Fresh Herb Focus: Parsley

As seen on SheSpeaks.com/Special Edition August 6, 2010

When you think of parsley, do you think garnish? Poor parsley...relegated to the edge of our plates, just a touch of color -- nothing more. (Sigh.) Well, here's bit of trivia for you, just 2 tbsp of parsley gives you 150% of your rda of Vitamin K and almost 17% of the recommended Vitamin C. It's a natural breath freshener and, besides that, according to ancient beliefs a wreath of parsley wards off drunkenness. (Sorry I can't be held responsible for the efficacy of either wives' tale, if you choose to test them.)

There are two kinds fresh parsley available commercially - curly and flat leaf a.k.a. Italian parsley. Flat leaf parsley has a slightly stronger flavor than curly parsley but they are otherwise interchangeable. Both have a slightly peppery flavor with hint of celery. In addition, parsley is nearly the least expensive fresh herb, which is always a bonus.

Now how about a few ways to use it? Toss minced parsley with buttery new potatoes or piping hot french fries for an herbaceous bump. Try a Tabbouleh Salad with minced parsley, couscous, cucumber and tomato. Use parsley stems in your homemade stock to impart flavor without coloring the broth. Make Persillade, a French combination of parsley and garlic, for fresh fish or oysters.

My favorite parsley recipe is an Argentinean sauce called Chimichurri. The Argentines are famous for their barbecuing, and this sauce is the perfect match for a juicy steak or grilled chicken. Since it's barbecue season, I thought I'd share the recipe with you. I suggest you try it with a glass of Argentine Malbec - not enough to warrant a parsley wreath, mind you!

Chimichurri

1Tbsp dried oregano leaves
2 Tbsp water
1 bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, remove the thickest stems
6 garlic cloves, peeled
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
3 Tbsp sherry vinegar*

Directions:
In a small bowl, combine dried oregano leaves and water. Stir and let stand for 15 minutes. In the meantime, wash the parsley by placing it in a bowl of cold water and swishing it around. Dry the parsley by patting it with paper towels or spinning it dry with a salad spinner. After the oregano is moistened, combine it with parsley and garlic in a food processor. Process until the parsley and garlic are finely minced, about 3 to 5 minutes. Next, transfer the parsley mixture to a small bowl and stir in the olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.

At this point you can refrigerate the chimichurri for up to 3 hours. Allow it to return to room temperature before you serve it. When you are ready to serve, simply stir in the sherry vinegar.

*For me, the sherry vinegar really enhances this dish but if it's not available in your local supermarket you can substitute red wine vinegar.

How many of you buy only dry parsley? Can you think of other ways to use fresh parsley?

Winning Combination with Whitehall Lane Sauvignon Blanc

The week before last, I attended a week-long class at the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, CA - Food and Wine Pairing for Chefs. On the final day of the class, we had a "quick fire-style" competition. We were each given a bottle of wine, a protein item, and two hours to create a recipe that married the two. 

I received a bottle of Whitehall Lane Winery's '08 Sauvignon Blanc and sturgeon.  After tasting the wine and taking a walk through the schools herb garden, I created a recipe for bite-sized Sturgeon Tostadas with Melon Salsa.

Long story short, I was awarded the best-pairing of the competition!  Quite an accomplishment considering that the Culinary Institute of America is the premier culinary school in the country. I couldn't have been more proud. 

Whitehall Lane Winery is currently promoting the recipe at the winery and I wanted to share it with you too!  So, without further adieu, here is my award winning wine pairing recipe for

Sturgeon Tostadas with Melon Salsa 

Makes 24

1/2 honeydew melon, peeled and finely diced

1/2 c minced red onion

1 c minced red bell pepper

1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro
3 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt
2 Tbsp finely minced lime zest, for garnish

2 tsp lime-infused olive oil*
2 sturgeon filets, each 6 to 8 oz., with skin removed**
salt and pepper, to taste

4 thin corn tortillas, each 6 inches in diameter
canola or peanut oil for frying
sea salt (optional)

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the honeydew, red onion, red bell pepper and cilantro. Stir in the lime juice, rice wine vinegar and salt. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving for best flavor.

To make the tostadas, stack the tortillas in 2 equal piles. Cut each pile into 6 pie-shaped wedges, or small circles. Note: If you decide to cut small circles, you may need additional tortillas to make 24.

Add oil to a deep fryer or heavy fry pan to a depth of at least 1 inch and heat to 375°F. Add the tortilla pieces a few at a time and fry, tossing them, until golden brown. Be careful not to let them darken or they will taste bitter. Lift out and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with sea salt while still hot.

Preheat an oven to 450°F. Season the sturgeon filets with salt and pepper to taste. Heat lime olive oil in an oven-proof sauté pan over medium-high heat.

Add the filets and sear until the fish is pale gold, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the filets over and transfer the sauté pan to the oven and bake the filets until the flesh is opaque on the outside but still slightly translucent in the center, about 2 to 3 minutes. Cover loosely with aluminum foil to keep warm.

When you are ready to serve, slice the filets cross-wise into thin wedges. Top each tostada with a wedge of sturgeon, top with a small spoonful of melon salsa and sprinkle with lime zest. Pour your guests a glass of Whitehall Lane Sauvignon Blanc and enjoy!

*Note: Lime-infused olive oil is available in specialty stores. However, you can also make your own by adding lime zest directly to olive oil and heating the oil in a sauce pan on medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

**Note: If sturgeon is not available, swordfish or another firm white fish can be substituted.

Check out In Good Taste Wine Pairings for
additional wine-pairing recipes!