Orange-Craisin Spiced Lamb Meatballs in a Pomegranate Glaze

Ocean Spray recently had a recipe contest. I had a grand plan. I was going to make tortellini with duck confit and cherry craisins, served with a brown butter, walnut and sage sauce. This would then be topped with crispy duck confit. I had read the rules and was ready to go. Well, I have been busy and I did not get around to developing the recipe. I still wanted to do something, so the night before the contest was over, I threw together the following recipe. At 10:30 P.M., an hour and a half before the deadline, I went online to submit my recipe. After I clicked the link to enter my original recipe, I saw for the first time the rule that stated the ingredient list should be limited to ten items. Well, I had more than ten items. I submitted it anyway, although I combined the multiple spices into one by listing "Moroccan spice blend, or curry powder". I will probably be disqualified, but the food is tasty. Here is the recipe. It will serve about twelve people 4 to 5 meatballs each.

Meatballs
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Moroccan spice blend or curry powder
2 pounds ground lamb
zest of 2 oranges
1/2 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
1 egg
1/4 cup parsley
1 bag orange craisins (6 oz)
6 oz chopped walnuts
salt and pepper to taste

Pomegranate Glaze
2 cans ocean spray cranberry sauce, jellied or whole berry
juice of 2 oranges
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
salt to taste

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

Heat the olive oil in a saute pan until shimmering, do not allow to smoke. Add the onion and saute a few minutes until softened, but not colored. Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the spice mix and cook for another minute, until fragrant.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Meanwhile, put the nuts in the oven and toast for about 5 minutes, until fragrant.

Mix the ground lamb, orange zest, bread crumbs, parsley, and the onion/garlic mixture until smooth. Mix in nuts and craisins. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Shape into 1" meatballs and bake for 10-12 minutes until cooked.

Place the cranberry sauce, orange juice, balsamic vinegar, and pomegranate molasses in a large skillet and heat until smooth. Season to taste with salt.

Add meatballs to sauce and simmer briefly. Serve as cocktail meatballs or with couscous.

Crab and Tasso Stuffed Pork Chops

I became enamored with the food of the low country while working on Fripp Island, South Carolina. There are some similarities with cajun food, both have a heavy African influence mixed with a melange of other cultures. Serve over puree of yucca and celery root with bourbon glazed roasted carrots.

Photo by Chris Kohanek

6 pork center loin chops -- about 8 to 10 ounces each

Brine

• 2 quarts water
• 2 lemons -- thinly sliced
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 2 sprigs rosemary
• 6 sprigs parsley
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1/4 cup table salt
• 1/4 cup sugar

Stuffing

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup red onion -- diced
• 1/4 cup celery -- diced
• 1 clove garlic -- minced
• 1 jalapeno -- seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup tasso ham -- diced
• 8 oz crab meat -- picked clean
• 1 cup fresh bread crumbs
• 1 egg yolk
• juice of 1/2 lemon

For the Brine:

Put everything in a stockpot and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate until cold.

Place pork chops in brine and allow to brine for two hours in the refrigerator.

Meanwhile, make the stuffing.

Heat the oil in a saute pan until shimmering. Add onion, celery, pepper, and garlic. Saute until softened, but not browned, about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and add remaining ingredients. Toss to mix and season with salt and pepper. Place in the refrigerator until needed.

Remove the pork chops from the brine and pat dry with paper towels. Discard the brine.

Slice a pocket into each chop. Fill each pocket with the stuffing.

Preheat a grill or grillpan. Grill the chops, about 5-8 minutes per side, until cooked through.

Recipe by Dan Turro

Bourbon Glazed Roasted Baby Carrots

• 3/4 pound carrots, baby
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1/4 cup butter
• salt -- to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Peel the carrots and place in a baking dish.

Place the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cook until the sugar dissolves.

Pour the glaze over the carrots. Bake until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.

Celery Root and Yucca Puree

A Delicious Alternative to Mashed Potatoes

• 1 celery root -- about 1 pound
• 1 yucca root -- about 1 pound
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons cream

Peel both roots, roughly chop, and place in separate pots. Cover with water and season with salt.

Bring both pots to a boil and simmer until very tender. Drain.

Mash the yucca root with a potato masher until smooth. Pass through a food mill.

Process the celery root in a food processor until smooth. Combine with the yucca root.

Add butter and cream. Adjust seasoning as necessary and serve.


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NOTES : Yucca roots can have woody, fibrous little sticks in them. Passing it through a food mill is a crutial step. If you do not have a food mill you can force it through a colander.

Cold Gingered Galia Melon Soup Shooter

An Interesting Appetizer served with Basil Gelée and Myer Lemon Oil

I was shopping in Whole Foods Market yesterday and I was inspired to make this soup shooter. Soup shooters are popular as amuse bouche in restaurants or as passed hors d'oeuvres at catered functions. They are a great way to greet guests as they arrive at your house for a dinner or cocktail party.
A galia melon is similar to a cantaloupe. You could use any melon you wish for this recipe. Meyer lemons are a hybrid of a lemon and an orange. They have a sweeter flavor than traditional lemons. You can find meyer lemon oil alongside other gourmet flavored oils in your favorite market.

Gingered Galia Melon Soup

• 1 ounce candied ginger
• 1/4 cup filtered or mineral water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 Galia melon, about 2 pounds
• 1 Meyer lemon, peeled and seeded

Place the ginger, water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside. Peel and seed the melon and place in a blender along with the lemon. Pour ginger mixture in and blend on high until very smooth. Pass through a strainer and chill.

Basil Gelée

• 1 package gelatin (1/4 oz)
• 1/4 cup mineral or filtered water
• 1 cup basil, packed
• 1 cup mineral water
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• pinch salt

Sprinkle the gelatin in a small pan and pour the 1/4 cup water over. Allow to bloom for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the remaining ingredients in a blender and blend on high until smooth. Strain. Place the gelatin over medium low heat until dissolved. Add to the strained basil mixture.
Pour into a rectangular baking dish. If there are a lot of bubbles on the surface, lay a paper towel down on the surface and gently remove. This will remove the bubbles. Place in the refrigerator until set up.

To serve: cut 1/4 inch bars from the gelée and then cut into cubes. Place about 8 cubes into a tall shot glass, fill with soup and drizzle with meyer lemon oil and serve.

Beef and Eggplant in Red Curry Sauce

Photo be Chris Kohanek

This is a wonderful weeknight dinner. It only uses one pan, involves no sautéing, and is largely unattended. Fish sauce makes a big difference in this dish. It has a very long shelf life, so pick some up when you purchase the curry and coconut milk.

• 1 can red curry paste
• 2 cans coconut milk
• 1 ½ pounds beef cut into bite sized strips
• 3 Chinese eggplants (about 10-12 ounces)
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• Basil chiffonade
• Fresh chilies, thinly sliced

1. Combine the curry paste and coconut milk in a deep skillet or large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to ensure smoothness.

2. Add beef, return to simmer. Cover and simmer until beef is tender, about forty-five minutes.

3. Add eggplant and fish sauce and continue to cook until the eggplant is tender.

4. Garnish with basil and chili peppers. Serve with rice.

Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Green Curry Chicken

Photo by Chris Kohanek

This dish is ready in about 45 minutes and only uses on pan. What could be easier than that? I prefer boneless, skinless thighs. They have more flavor and are less expensive than breasts. If you choose to use boneless, skinless breasts, be sure to be very diligent to avoid overcooking them. Breast meat is prone to drying out. If you want to lighten this dish it can be made with 2 cups of coconut milk and 2 cups of water. I find this dilutes the flavor a bit too much, so I use all coconut milk. The extra coconut milk also tames the heat from the curry paste better than water.

• 1 can green curry paste
• 2 cans coconut milk
• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into bite-size pieces
• ½ pound vegetables such as mushrooms, eggplant, sweet peppers, onions, or a mixture
• Fresh chilies
• Chiffonade of basil

1. Combine the curry paste and coconut milk in a deep skillet or large saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to ensure smoothness.
2. Add chicken, return to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium low. Cover and simmer until meat is nearly cooked through, about 25 minutes.
3. Add vegetables and continue to cook until vegetables are cooked.
4. Garnish with chilies and basil. Serve with rice.
   

Whole Fish with Curry Sauce

Photo by Chris Kohanek

You can have this on the table in less than 30 minutes. If you cannot find snapper, you could use any white fish you like, such as tilapia. Any flavor curry paste will do. The peppers add color, texture, and flavor. You could omit them if you like and the dish would still be very tasty.

1 whole snapper, about 2 pounds, cleaned

2 tablespoons oil

2 tablespoons curry paste

1 can coconut milk

3 tablespoons sugar

¼ cup fish sauce

1 small red pepper, julienned

1 jalapeño, seeded and julienned

A small handful of cilantro leaves or basil chiffonade

1. Put three slices in each side of the fish and season both sides with salt and pepper.
2. Heat one tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Place the fish in the skillet and cook until the skin is crispy, about 3-5 minutes. Flip the fish over and cook the other side. Remove the fish to a plate.
3. Add curry paste to the pan and sauté for a minute, add the coconut milk, sugar and fish sauce. Bring to a simmer, stirring to ensure smoothness.
4. Return the fish to the pan, cover and simmer until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
5. While the fish is simmering, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in another skillet over medium high heat. Add the julienned peppers, season with salt and pepper and sauté until al dente.
6. Place the fish on a platter, pour the sauce over it and garnish with the peppers and cilantro or basil. Serve with rice.