Lemon Curd
To speak of this substance is to identify with all that is good in the world. Although lemon curd is simply a reduction of fresh lemon juice, zest, eggs, sugar and butter, the resultant lip pouting mass rises to a high holy place among all the lesser items that find their way into ones mouth. Lemon curd is a reason to fall in love, it’s a way to create life, lemon curd, if properly administered, I’m confident would halt the spread of war, end suffering, heal the sick and cure malaise. Eaten directly out of the jar late at night eases one gently to sleep. Discretely slipping a spoon slowly down into the golden depths of the jar when no one else is around, with the lights low and the house quiet might possibly be my favorite indulgence. I only make small batches of lemon curd so as to avoid the real possibility of foregoing all other food in lieu of this blessed, smooth, sweet and tart fusion. Served over pound cake or ladled aside fresh scones, lemon curd brings to sharp focus all of the other flavors hidden within the accompanied foods. As a filling for tarts, lemon bars and cup cakes, there is no better substitute.
Make crepes; roll a few around a dollop or two of lemon curd and serve on a warmed plate with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a spoonful of crème fresh. Arrange berries around the perimeter of the plate and you will be a hero to all who eat it.
posted by Champurrado at 7:11 AM
5 Comments:
Now this is something I could get into! Lemon curd be first on my holiday list.
Its a leg o lamb... and I like the idea of serving it with lentils. The only kind of grilling we do around here these days is the George Foreman kind... which we use for everything. We've even grilled pizza on the thing.
I have a kitchen full of fresh herbs that I planted in pots early in the summer. There is a fresh pineapple...sweet potatoes...
For me it usually works best to keep things simple and use the best ingredients... I don't have great culinary skills but I know where to shop!
DD
I pulled this for you from cooks.com. (I'm a lazy snot and didn't want to fish around the kitchen for my own recipe but this should be great).
1 leg of lamb (about 6 lbs.) not sirloin half
Several lg. cloves of garlic
1/2 tsp. thyme leaves, crushed
1 tsp. rosemary leaves, crushed
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
2 tbsp. flour
1/4 c. tarragon vinegar
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 c. water
1 lg. onion, quartered
1 carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 c. dry red wine
Cut garlic into slivers and insert randomly into lamb, using point of sharp knife. Mix together thyme, oregano, rosemary, salt, pepper, and flour. Rub mixture well into lamb. Pour over lamb leg mixture of tarragon vinegar and water. Roast lamb in preheated 350 degree oven for 1 hour.
Lower oven to 300 degrees and remove lamb and scatter vegetables on bottom of roasting pan and return lamb to pan on top of vegetables. Insert meat thermometer into fleshy part of lamb without touching bone. Pour wine all over; return to oven. Continue roasting for about 1 1/2 hours, basting a few times. Meat is medium rare at 145 degrees, 155-160 degrees for medium, and 165 to 170 degrees for well done.
Remove lamb leg and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Pour off fat from pan. Add 1/2 cup boiling water to pan; allow to boil up, scraping pan well. Pour liquids and vegetables into blender and blend until smooth.
GRAVY FOR ROAST LAMB WITH HERBS:
2 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. flour
1/2 to 1 c. reserved liquids from roasting pan
1 can beef consomme, undiluted
Dash of freshly ground pepper
2-4 tbsp. dry red wine
On board, mix flour and butter into paste.
In saucepan, heat reserved liquids and consomme. Add butter/flour mixture, bit by bit, beating with wire whisk until sauce comes to boil and is slightly thickened.
Stir in pepper and wine; return just to boiling. Serve with roast lamb.
As for the Lentils, unless you want to somehow braise them along with the meat (very difficult) why not just buy a bag of them and cook them in a broth with some onion and herbs.
Good luck.
AHA(!)
A chef who has his secrets! I agree, its dangerous to spoil the mysteries of true art and though some call your writing food porn I consider it a glimpse into the artist's studio.
Your suggestion here is certainly one worth trying. I'll let you know if its edible once I've had a chance to make a mistake. Oh, that's right... no mistakes, only lessons. My new mantra. Thanks for sharing.
DD: Actually, I should call it something other than porn, but it is almost unbearably erotic at times. Much more so than my sex posts, that's for darn sure.
Well, Foil:
Food sometimes stands in as a less than acceptable substitute doesn't it?
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