Alice uses cast iron pots and wooden utensils and keeps the recipes as close to the traditional recipe as possible. She even utilizes a fire pit located outside her home to test authentic recipes. For more information about Alice the Cook, visit her website at http://www.alicethecook.com
In future blogs, I will offer recipes, kitchen hints, and historical cooking lessons.
Well my fans, I’ve been rather busy working on a new cookbook. I learned a lot from the last one and I wanted to improve what I had, offer friendlier prices, and provide quality cookbooks that I could be proud of producing.
As you can see, the cookbooks are offered in a soft-cover, hard-cover and an e-book format. They are both being reviewed by iTunes and I should know in the next month or so if they will be accepted.
If you like what I do, please consider purchasing a cookbook or two as it helps fund my research, my writing, and it validates what I do. 🙂
In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact me or ask me questions. I love to hear from my fans.
Rice was introduced to the Italians and Spaniards by the Arabs during the Middle Ages. The weather along the Mediterranean Sea was ideal for growing the shorter grained rice, like the Arborio, and the merchants in Genoa, Venice and surrounding towns were able to profit from the rice growing industry that catered to the wealthy.
Citrus Lamb with Risotto
As interest in trade with the Mediterranean increased, others discovered the Italian delicacy and the demand increased for the short-grained rice. The Italian merchants’ profits grew as only the wealthy could afford the rice and other merchants took interest in this profitable product and began providing it as well. The increased availability flooded the market and lowered the price of the rice, making it more affordable.
Southern Italians had used the rice as a staple and slow-cooking (cooking over a low heat source for a long period of time) was predominantly used to prepare the daily meals. When slow-cooking the meals with the short-grained rice, it would combine the rice’s naturally occurring starch with rich stock or broth and create a creamy sauce; this practice would create risotto.
The recipe below utilizes the same principles of items found in southern Italy – lamb, citrus (lemons and oranges), olive oil, Arborio rice, and lemon basil. Although lamb is not commonly combined with citrus, but in this case it complements the risotto. Thus, creating a rich meal that tastes like it would be made for a special occasion, but is relatively easy to make.
Citrus Lamb with Risotto Ingredients
2 lbs of lamb cubed
1 whole lemon (juice and zest)
1 tsp of orange zest
2 cups of lamb stock (veal or beef stock can be used instead)
1 cup Arborio rice (uncooked)
1 tsp of lemon basil, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
Sea salt (to taste)
Black pepper (to taste)
Remove the zest (skin) from the entire lemon and cut the lemon in half. You may use a zester (like a smaller cheese grater) or hand-shave the zest with a sharp knife; make sure you do not include the white pith (the area between the zest and the fruit). Once shaved, mince the zest and hold aside; the zest will provide most of the citrus flavor in this dish. You may do the same thing with an orange to get fresh orange zest.
Use a fork to pierce the lemon and squeeze the juice into a cup. The piercing will help remove the juice more efficiently. Make sure there are no seeds in the juice and set aside for later. Dispose of the lemon once the zest and juice have been harvested.
Add medium heat to a large skillet or pot and add the olive oil; add the lamb and a teaspoon of the lemon zest to brown slightly. Remove from the lamb from the pot and put aside, but leave the remaining fat and oil in the pan.
Place the pot back onto the medium heat and add the rice; brown the rice in the lamb fat and olive oil. Once browned, begin slowly adding the stock on medium heat while constantly stirring. Add the juice from the lemon to the rice. Add a lid to the sauce pan and continue to cook until both the rice has puffed up and a most of the stock has evaporated.
Add the lamb and the remaining lemon and a half teaspoon of the orange zest and lemon basil. The remaining orange zest and lemon basil will be used as a garnish prior to serving. Continue to cook the lamb and add salt and pepper to taste.
Serve family style on a single plate or bowl and sprinkle the remaining orange zest and lemon basil on top of the dish as a garnish. For the photo, small orange slices were added for additional color.
Those that have been following me on Facebook know that I am watching what I eat and increasing my exercise levels, in hopes to lose some excess weight. I have been rather successful, but the hardest part is to eat in moderation. I love good food and I enjoy it immensely. I know that I don’t have to eat like a rabbit to lose weight. Below is one the recipes I developed this past weekend that was very delicious and I plan on making it again.
Ingredients:
1 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 green onions, diced
1/2 lb ground lamb
1 cup of chopped Chinese pea pods
4 Brussels sprouts with the core removed and quartered
4 red potatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp of dried rosemary
1/8 tsp of fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp of granulated garlic
1/4 tsp Mrs. Dash Onion and Garlic
Makes 2 servings. Each serving has a protein, a starch, and two vegetables. Enjoy
Add one tsp of olive oil to a sauté pan. Mince one shallot and 2 green onions and begin to saute together.
After 2 minutes, crumble the 1/2 lb ground lamb into the pan and cook for two minutes. Add 1 cup of chopped Chinese pea pods, 4 Brussels sprouts and 4 thinly sliced red potatoes.
Continue to sauté for four more minutes. Add 1/4 tsp of dried rosemary, 1/8 tsp of fresh ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp of granulated garlic. Continue to sauté until the lamb is fully cooked and potatoes are tender. Makes 2 servings.
Each serving has a protein, a starch, and two vegetables. Enjoy!
In ancient times, Rosemary was used to relieve abdominal pain, gout, insomnia, and for the calming nerves. People would burn rosemary branches on the altars of the gods, considering it a sacred herb and the Egyptians placed the herb in pharaohs’ tombs. The custom of burning rosemary branches was practiced in hospitals in France until the 20th century – and used for cleaning the air. Also because of its antiseptic effect, the plant was appreciated and used for conserving meat, even in extremely hot weather – it was known that rosemary prevents and delays the decay of meat.
Rosemary in known as an analgesic, antiseptic, antidepressant, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, antiviral, aphrodisiac, and disinfectant while stimulating bile secretion and helping eliminate it in the intestines, destroying microorganisms, increasing the quantity of eliminated urine, improving the blood flow and refreshing and energizing the mind. Rosemary helps as a memory stimulant and has calming effects by working against fatigue, sadness, anxiety, calming muscle soreness, digestive pains and also, indigestion caused by stress.
Rosemary improves digestion, fights against obesity, liver diseases, gastritis, hyper or hypocholesterolemia, bronchic asthma, edemas, and adjusts fast heart beats caused especially by irritability, coffee or tobacco excess. Because of its antiseptic and tonic properties, rosemary is extremely beneficial in cases of fainting, influenza, hangovers, asthma, bronchitis, cramps, constipation, cystitis, headaches, polypus, colds, cough, sinusitis or muscular pains. The plant also has a good influence on the blood circulation and blood pressure.
SOURCES: Wikipedia.org, ehow.com, herbalmedicineguide.com, and liveandfeel.com
On my facebook page, fans have asked a lot of questions on spices and herbs. I’m going to begin adding some information on the historical uses of spices and herbs and share a recipe focused on that spice/herb. My goal is to do a weekly story/article. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a while and just didn’t have the time for it.
Stay tuned readers, fresh content will be on its way!
On my