Lamb with Anchovies and Thyme

Holidays mean more time for cooking.  Easter means lamb.  Now, I'm not an anchovy enthusiast.  It's not just they're super salty - it's the hairiness that gets me.  However, I tend to trust cookbooks from reputable cooks.  So I took a deep breath, crossed my fingers, and hoped this was another of those 'you have to taste it' cases.  Thankfully, it was (thanks Nigella!).  Any more anchovy and it would have been too much, but this level was acceptable, adding more of a salty overtone rather than an "I'm eating anchovies" blast.

Ingredients:
1 x 15mL tablespoon olive oil (I just estimated, as per normal - next time I'll use less; and, should be garlic oil but I don't have any)
2 boneless lamb leg steaks (approx. 100g each)
4 anchovy fillets (conveniently, one small tin of Always Fresh)
leaves from a few sprigs fresh thyme, approx. 1 teaspoonful
1/4 cup rose wine (or, if you want to be true to Nigella, martini or cinzano rosato)

Method:
Warm the oil in a heavy-based, non-stick frying pan and fry the lamb for about 2 minutes per side, or until they are done to your liking.
Remove the steaks to a board lined with foil and turn up the ends so any meat juices that run out are contained.
Off the heat, add the anchovy fillets to the pan and stir until they start to break up and begin melting into the pan. (Warning: this made the oil spit a lot!  Which is why I'll use less oil next time).  Put it back on the heat and, still stirring, add the thyme leaves.
Add the wine/vermouth and let it bubble up in the pan, then pour in the juices that have collected from the lamb.  Place the steaks on a couple of plates.  Let the sauce continue boiling until it's thickened - 30 seconds should do it - and pour it over the waiting steaks.  Eat immediately and with gusto.  That is, after taking some shots with different Hipstamatic combinations...

Seriously quick and easy (apart from protecting yourself from spitting anchovy oil).  And the aroma from the thyme is just delicious.  I wilted a heap of baby spinach as a side - and followed it with some Easter egg.  As there was only one of me eating, I had leftovers the next day for lunch - but as a salad with greens and sliced pear.  Yum.

Reclaiming the Jug

I have quite a suggestible brain.  This has its benefits - jet lag is almost non-existent, for example.  It also has its drawbacks, often in the form of food envy.  With some people, I know I have to find out what they're ordering before I even think about what I want, as I know I'll just end up wanting what they have.  So, the final chapter in the book I just read (One of Our Thursday's is Missing, by Jasper Fforde, in case you're wondering), had a mention of lamb risotto.  What a good idea for the rest of the roast lamb, said my brain.  You'll be please to know, this is the very last of the lamb. 

The roast lamb also came with gravy (well, I had to make it, but you know what I mean).  I don't have a fancy-pants gravy boat, so just used the normal measuring jug.  On several occasions in the last week, I've looked for the jug in the cupboard, then by the sink, then had a 'where on earth is it?' moment before I've remembered it's holding the gravy, in the fridge.  Tonight I had the brilliant idea of using up the leftover gravy in the risotto, thereby reclaiming the jug.  Well, it turned out to be a brilliant idea, but I was a little wary at first. 

The aroma - overwhelmingly delicious.  And the richness of flavour - yum.  Not the most appealing photos though...  If you're a foodie you'll probably tell me it's not a true risotto, but it's My Version.  Which is forever changing, but this is the first time I've used gravy as part of the liquid component.

I was about half-way through cooking before I thought of adding the broccoli - it's getting to That Stage in the veggie drawer.  And I like adding sweet potato and pumpkin (in this case, pre-roasted) and getting them to that mushy state.

I made tonight's dinner fairly early, as I had a mariachi rehearsal to attend.  My parents are staying, and assured me when I got home that it had been really delicious - thankfully they had left enough for me to have dinner, and still freeze 2 portions.  My freezer is getting nice and full again.

Today's photo:

Everybody sing, now: raindrops on roses... next, to find a kitten!

Hairstyle (2) and Leftover Lamb (2)

On Saturday, it will be my mariachi debut (check out the website for details, although I don't know exactly when we'll be on).  I'm the only girl, so in one way it makes it easier - I don't have black pants or a white shirt, which caused some distress at first, but I can get away with black skirt and top, and I'll be borrowing a jacket.  They're providing earrings and a rose for my hair, but I need to have my hair pulled back to the side.  Obviously, the side that isn't the same side as the violin.  Today I gave it a test run, and it's more user-friendly than I expected.  Apart from a little pull to the side when I first fixed it, it feels just like my normal hairstyle.  Hairpins are required to keep the not-long-enough bits looking neat, but it's still in place as I write after several hours.

It's hairstyle #2 - so many I could do, I just don't.  The last new one was in February - I'm aiming to do more with my hair, I promise.  I wish my nose wasn't so weird, too.

Tonight was another leftover lamb dinner - this time, pizza with roast lamb, sweet potato and pumpkin.  Bonus - there's enough pizza dough in the freezer now for another pizza in the future.

I confess, I don't use 'strong' flour when doing bread dough.  Maybe that's a New Thing for the future. Coriander was just at hand, so I sprinkled some on top - more for visual appeal... but the pot comes with nutritional know-how so I felt virtuous.

Today's photo:

I only went outside today to go to the gym, and to take out the rubbish.  And to take this photo - raindrops on rose leaves. 

Lips and Leftover Lamb

I'm a bit addicted to lip things.  Every bag seems to have at least one gloss or balm within it.  And it's not that I'm obsessed with how I look, it's more the feeling of dry lips I find uncomfortable - although if I haven't applied anything, sometimes I can catch a glimpse of a face to scare small children, so it's as much for them as for my comfort.  Even though it feels like I have lip balms coming out my ears, occasionally I'll discover my bag of choice is lacking in this department.  And so my collection grows.

When I needed to replenish my supply of silk oil (for the hair), the only package available was a promotional package including lip balm.  So I didn't really have a choice.  Silk oil lasts forever so tonight was the first I needed to use the new bottle - and I tested the lip balm as well.  Oh. My.  Most amazing balm in my possession.  No colour, so I'll use it more to condition, but it is just wonderful.  Who would have thought?!  All organic (a big plus), but made in the USA (transport - bit of a downer) and no SPF (also a bit of a downer - I'll have to use some other sunblock method as well).  But wow, this one is a winner.

After Thursday, I still have plenty of leftover roast lamb.  Tana Ramsey has a recipe for rogan josh using leftover roast lamb and this has been my first opportunity to give it a go.  I would be pretty happy to have roast lamb more often in order to have leftover lamb rogan josh.  It's really delicious, and super easy too. 

Just heat 2 tablespoons groundnut oil in a large pan over medium-low heat, add 2 medium onions and 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and diced, and fry till softened.  Add a red chilli (deseeded and finely chopped), 2 teaspoons curry powder, 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric, 3 teaspoons garam masala, 2 teaspoons each ground coriander and ground cumin; stir with the onions to form a paste.  Add 500g leftover cooked leg of lamb (diced into bite-sized pieces) and any leftover sauce from the roast; stir to mix thoroughly. 

Add about 300g tinned chopped tomatoes - adjust according to how much leftover sauce you had, and how runny you want your curry.  Also stir through 4 tablespoons natural yoghurt, and simmer gently 8-10 minutes, until the lamb is heated through.  Stir through 2-3 tablespoons hot and spicy mango chutney (adjust according to taste).  Add 3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander.

Serve the lamb on a bed of rice, with an extra tablespoon of coriander sprinkled on top; scatter with 2 tablespoons lightly toasted flaked almonds.

As we know, I'm not a fan of rice, so I went global and used some leftover Turkish bread from Saturday night instead.  And I'm all out of flaked almonds so you just have to use your imagination - good thing I'm not requiring imagination for the crusty bread as well then!

Today's photo:

Not terribly artistic (as hoped yesterday), but it delighted me to see a rainbow as I got home from the gym, arching over the whole neighbourhood.  It's been a while.