Wine Tip: Rymill Coonawarra MC2 Cabernet Blend, Rymill Winery, Australia. At about $20, this Bordeaux style gem from down under is stealing France's thunder. A classic match with lamb.
Quick Tip: Letting the leg of lamb rest before carving allows the natural juices to redistribute throughout the meat. This will guarantee a flavourful, moist and tender roast every time.
My workweek ended with a phone call from my wife, Jana. I was expecting the usual: can you pick up some milk and bread on the way home, honey? But it wasn't-it was a reminder that our long overdue thank-you dinner party with her parents, John and Gayle, was Saturday night.
My mission, whether I chose to accept it or not, was to write the menu, pick up the groceries and wine, prepare and serve dinner, clean up and be entertaining (I work as a chef after all). And blend it with all of our regular weekend events, of course. (All kidding aside, I was happy to do it.) I psyched myself up and put on my thinking cap.
Weekends at my house are family time, so I don't like to spend more time than I have to in the kitchen. "Work smart, not hard," as my German chef mentor Olaf always told me. Organization and timing are the keys to success in the kitchen. Have all of your ingredients ready, spices and seasonings close to the stove, tools in hand and a keen eye on the clock. Cooking really is common sense. Don't sweat it and have fun in the kitchen. I do!
Just because you don't live in the kitchen doesn't mean you can't produce a gourmet meal. For our dinner party, I thought I'd be clever and do all the hard work for Saturday dinner, yet be sure to cook enough that I would be able to assemble at least one easy meal from the "planned-overs" (I dislike the word leftovers).
But what to cook? I had become stuck in a winter food rut. I had been preparing the same old hearty, warming meals time and again to get my family through the winter blahs. But we'd all had enough. I had to cook something different, something lighter, something fresh. A glance out the window revealed the sun was shining and patches of grass were turning green: spring! It was all the inspiration I needed. I would incorporate fresh flavours, crisp vegetables, and as a treat for myself (if no one else)-fresh, local lamb. I could hardly wait. Before I had even hit the grocery store I could already see the dinner unfolding.
I admit it-I love to shop for groceries (and it's not just because I work for Sobeys!). There is something so satisfying about selecting beautiful fresh ingredients and then washing, peeling, cooking them with care and enjoying them as they were meant to be. So off I went without a grocery list, just spring as my muse.
I found some beautiful young asparagus, a great start for my menu! Asparagus are one of the first veggies to show themselves every year, get them early in the season when they are young, sweet and beautifully tender. Close by were some gorgeous green beans, a nice vibrant green with great crunch. I grabbed a bunch of fresh flat leaf parsley and chives. I knew the bright flavours of the fresh herbs would make great accents to the sweet green vegetables already in my basket.
I hadn't planned on including a starch on my menu (after surviving on not much else through the winter), but I spotted some perfect little yellow fleshed new potatoes and some baby purple potatoes from PEI. When steamed they have a creamy light texture, and because they're young, there is no need for peeling! The bright contrast of the yellow and purple add great colour to a meal. I quickly added them to my basket.
At the service counter I picked up a lean leg of local lamb. I knew this livestock was raised about 35 minutes down the road in Tatamagouche, NS. I could already smell it rubbed with fresh rosemary, thyme, savoury, sage, garlic and mustard roasting in my oven. I find leg is a great choice for lamb. Much less expensive than the rack, it's still incredibly flavourful and easy to prepare. It also makes some great sandwiches the next day.
It's amazing how great food (or just the thought of great food) is enough to change your mood. With a basketful of spring-inspired ingredients and a plan, I could hardly wait to reach my kitchen and get creative. I hoped my menu would bring a little spring to our dinner guests as well.
It turned out to be a great weekend. Saturday's dinner was a hit. Even the weather co-operated, bringing sunshine and mild temperatures. However, the true genius of my spring-inspired meal wasn't fully realized until lunchtime on Sunday. The "planned overs" turned into an incredibly flavourful Mediterranean lunch: roasted lamb on ciabatta and a Mediterranean potato salad. Since my main ingredients were already cooked, all I had to do was assemble everything using a few staple ingredients from my pantry and refrigerator, then serve.
Because of a little planning, we had a great dinner party with John and Gayle, and my family had a quick flavourful, healthy lunch the next day. I also wasn't chained to the stove all weekend. Instead, Jana and I had time to do what we needed to and then we could do what we wanted to: play outside with our kids. We even took a walk on the beach. These are the good things in life.
Ryan Skelton is a chef at Sobeys.
