I love strawberry shortcake, but what if I could use a variety of fruit to make over this timeless dish?
INGREDIENTS
One package shortcake muffins
1 cup strawberries, hulled and halved
1/4 cup blueberries
1/2 blackberries
1/2 cup pear juice
real whipped cream
DIRECTIONS
Combine fruit and juice and let stand for several hours in the fridge.
Spoon the fruit mixture evenly over the shortcake muffins.
Top with real whipped cream.
Try to eat only one.....
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Easter Dolmades
Since this food blog is all about Mediterranean Cuisine, I thought I would share traditional Mediterranean Easter Dinner foods, with my own personal twist, of course!
Roasted lamb, rice, and spinach are essentials in Mediterranean Easter Dinners... these are staples of the region and they are prepared simply, many familys simply roast the lamb with herbs and serve plain rice and a simple spinach pie. Some families prepare more elaborate meals. Regardless, you will most likely see these three ingredients in some fashion at every table.
I like to have everything in one easy bite, so I incorporated all of these ingredients into one dish! For those of you who like to host parties on Easter, or like to serve a la carte fare, this is for you!
INGREDIENTS
4 lb Leg of Lamb, boned
1 teaspoon of dried rosemary, crushed
¼ cup of olive oil
3 minced garlic cloves
¾ cup of onion, chopped
½ cup of celery, chopped
10 ounces of chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 medium eggs, beaten
¼ cup of parsley, snipped
3 tablespoons of basil, snipped
Pinch of dried marjoram, crushed
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups dry brown rice
5 cups water
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp garam masala or herbs de provence
1 jar of grape leaves, drained and separated
Mint sprigs, to garnish with.
DIRECTIONS
The night before you plan to roast the lamb, prepare the rice by combining the rice, water, raisins and garam masala in a large rice cooker (if you only have a small rice cooker, you can split the ingredients and cook in two batches, you can also cook the rice on your stove in a suitable sized pot, but I am not that talented). DO NOT REMOVE THE LID! Allow to cool completely before refrigerating.
The day you plan to roast the lamb, heat the oil in a medium skillet and cook the onion, celery, and garlic until tender. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the spinach, beaten eggs, parsley, basil, marjoram, and black pepper. Add onion mixture to the bowl. Add the parmesan cheese, then drizzle with vinegar and toss gently. Combine with the rice mixture, cover, and set aside.
Pound the lamb to an even thickness, then sprinkle with the dried rosemary. Roll up the meat and tie. Place the lamb seam side down on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Preheat your oven to 350F and roast the lamb for 2 hours. Allow the roast to rest for twenty minutes before continuing.
Shred the lamb meat and combine with the rice mixture. Place a rounded tablespoon of the mixture on each grape leaf, carefully roll the grape leaves around the mixture and tie with twine. Place each dolmade in a steamer basket lined with parchment paper seam side down. Steam the dolmades for 10 minutes.
If you want to serve them hot: garnish with mint sprigs and serve.
If you want to serve them cold: refrigerate the dolmades, without the mint, until ready to serve. Garnish with mint spring just before serving.
Roasted lamb, rice, and spinach are essentials in Mediterranean Easter Dinners... these are staples of the region and they are prepared simply, many familys simply roast the lamb with herbs and serve plain rice and a simple spinach pie. Some families prepare more elaborate meals. Regardless, you will most likely see these three ingredients in some fashion at every table.
I like to have everything in one easy bite, so I incorporated all of these ingredients into one dish! For those of you who like to host parties on Easter, or like to serve a la carte fare, this is for you!
INGREDIENTS
4 lb Leg of Lamb, boned
1 teaspoon of dried rosemary, crushed
¼ cup of olive oil
3 minced garlic cloves
¾ cup of onion, chopped
½ cup of celery, chopped
10 ounces of chopped frozen spinach, thawed and drained
2 medium eggs, beaten
¼ cup of parsley, snipped
3 tablespoons of basil, snipped
Pinch of dried marjoram, crushed
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups dry brown rice
5 cups water
1/2 cup raisins
1 tsp garam masala or herbs de provence
1 jar of grape leaves, drained and separated
Mint sprigs, to garnish with.
DIRECTIONS
The night before you plan to roast the lamb, prepare the rice by combining the rice, water, raisins and garam masala in a large rice cooker (if you only have a small rice cooker, you can split the ingredients and cook in two batches, you can also cook the rice on your stove in a suitable sized pot, but I am not that talented). DO NOT REMOVE THE LID! Allow to cool completely before refrigerating.
The day you plan to roast the lamb, heat the oil in a medium skillet and cook the onion, celery, and garlic until tender. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the spinach, beaten eggs, parsley, basil, marjoram, and black pepper. Add onion mixture to the bowl. Add the parmesan cheese, then drizzle with vinegar and toss gently. Combine with the rice mixture, cover, and set aside.
Pound the lamb to an even thickness, then sprinkle with the dried rosemary. Roll up the meat and tie. Place the lamb seam side down on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Preheat your oven to 350F and roast the lamb for 2 hours. Allow the roast to rest for twenty minutes before continuing.
Shred the lamb meat and combine with the rice mixture. Place a rounded tablespoon of the mixture on each grape leaf, carefully roll the grape leaves around the mixture and tie with twine. Place each dolmade in a steamer basket lined with parchment paper seam side down. Steam the dolmades for 10 minutes.
If you want to serve them hot: garnish with mint sprigs and serve.
If you want to serve them cold: refrigerate the dolmades, without the mint, until ready to serve. Garnish with mint spring just before serving.
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