When I saw the Margarita Ice-Cream Sandwiches in the June 2011 Cooking Light I knew I had to make them before the summer was over. Ice cream sandwiches are a great way to end a summer party because they are easy to serve, easy to make ahead, and oh so cool in the hands and on the tongue. They are also whimsical and a bit reminiscent of our childhood, a theme that goes right along with summer. I was particularly inspired by these cookies because I had two jars of lime curd in my refrigerator and I was just sure the curd would be a great compliment to the cookies in place of the sherbet because I’m just not a big fan of sherbet. Happily I was right.

After making this recipe I can say I absolutely adore resulting ice cream sandwich, but it’s important to share that they take a little bit of planning and a little more time to make than the recipe indicates. You have to schedule time to make the recipe in three stages over the course of at least one day, and two or even three would be would be better:

Cooking Time

• Hands On Time:
  • Stated in the recipe: 27 minutes
  • My experience: About 60 minutes
• Total Time:
  • Stated in the recipe: 8 hours
  • My experience: 9 hours

My Modifications

• I substituted local lime curd from confituras for the lime sherbet. The result was a creamier, subtler, and much less bright green filling. You can use store-bought lime or lemon curd, or make your own.
• Most of the reduced fat ice creams at my grocery store include ingredients I don’t recognize or don’t like to ingest (like corn syrup), so I substituted fat-free frozen yogurt for the reduced fat ice cream.
• I wanted to make slightly smaller sandwiches so I formed the dough into 2 cylinders that were about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and 9-10 inches long. I ended up with 48 cookies to make 24 sandwiches. Because I had more cookies I had to double the lime zest, sugar, and coarse salt mixture to 8 tsp. lime zest, 2 tsp. turbinado sugar, and 1 tsp. sea salt.

Tips and Tricks

• My cookies took 13-14 minutes to bake instead of the 10 listed in the recipe. This isn’t surprising given variability in oven temperatures, baking sheets, and the like. Just be sure you don’t pull them out until they are starting to get lightly brown around the edges.
• To keep the cylinders of cookie dough round, slide them into paper towel tubes. If your cylinders are larger in diameter than the paper towel tubes, simply cut the tubes lengthwise and wrap them around the dough logs. You’ll have a gap at the top but you’ll still get the same support for keeping the cylinders round as the cookies set.
• To help the sandwich assembly move right along use a round disher (scoop) to dole out the ice cream. For my smaller cookies I used a #40 scoop.
• The lime curd is softer than sherbet would be, so when you combine it with softened ice cream (or yogurt in my case) the mixture will be a little too runny to scoop onto the cookies immediately without running every which way. To solve this issue simply put the mixture back into the freezer for up to an hour or until it’s hard enough to hold the scoop shape. I’d recommend making the yogurt/curd mixture as soon as the cookies come out of the oven, even if you’re making them the day before, so when you’re ready to assemble the cookies all of the pieces and parts are ready to go.

Possible Variations

• As you might imagine you could swap lemon zest and juice for the lime in this recipe for a bright, summery dessert. You might mix a little fresh thyme into the zest, sugar, salt topping for a bit of an herbal note in the cookies. Strawberry ice cream would be a great partner to the lemon flavors. Orange would also work as the citrus component and would be fantastic with a chocolate ice cream filling.
• You can have a field day with ice cream flavors here. Coconut ice cream or sherbet would be great with the lime cookies and still keep the tropical inspiration going. It would be fun to start in the freezer section of our grocery store or even favorite ice cream shop and build the cookie flavors around whatever fun ice cream you find.
• The cookies from this dish are great on their own. If you don’t have the time to make the ice cream sandwiches, just make the cookies and serve them with scoops of your favorite ice cream.

Easy. Beautiful. Fast. Make-ahead. Light. Tasty.What more could you possibly want in a spring entertaining dish?

Seriously. If I’m missing something let me know in the comments and I’ll be on the case to find a dish that fits.

In the mean time, I offer up for your consideration this lovely panna cotta made from healthy non-fat Greek yogurt. It has a light, lovely, creamy texture that doesn’t require any whipping of egg whites, whisking of egg yolks over a pan of simmering water until just so, or the other cheffy techniques that often accompany light and creamy desserts. A bit of unflavored gelatin and a creamy yogurt base are the keys here, so even the youngest kitchen helpers can get in on the act of making this simple dish. And because every step in this recipe before “plate and garnish” happens the night before you want to serve it, there’s absolutely no crazy pressure the morning of the brunch (with this dish anyway).

It’s the perfect addition to a menu for brunch,  providing an ever so slightly sweet partner for savory egg dishes, sausage and bacon, or even smoked salmon. I’d recommend a pomegranate mimosa as a drink pairing, but coffee or a simple glass of juice will do in a pinch.

And you know, Mother’s Day is coming up quickly. What mom wouldn’t love a creamy yet not-really-bad-for-you dish garnished with sprinkles of granola and some fresh berries. Not this mom. Not that that’s a hint or anything.

If we don’t have lamb at least every ten days or so during the spring my family starts to worry that there’s something wrong with me. This year they were worry-free because we’ve already had our fair share of lamb and we’re only a few weeks into spring (although to be fair it feels like summer has muscled rudely shoved spring aside to settle in early here in Texas this year.) Seeing as I’m always on the hunt for new ways to cook lamb, I’m a little more excited than usual when the spring cooking magazines find their way into my mailbox and onto the bookstore shelves. Lamb recipes abound and many of them are grill-friendly which is a bonus as I look to keep the cooking heat outside where it can mingle with the summer heat.

In the April issue of Bon Appetite a recipe by Michael Symon for Lamb Chops with Lemon and Tzatziki stood out as a great dish for spring entertaining:

• The lamb chops marinade over night so you can do the bulk of the prep work the day before you plan to serve this dish.
• The meat cooks quickly so you don’t have to slave over a stove or grill for long. You can enjoy a glass of your favorite beverage while you flip the lamb a couple of times and call the dish done.
• The marinade uses fresh herbs that just scream spring and keeps the fat to a minimum so it’s a light and healthy option as we look to lighter fare for our menus.

I served this dish with some grilled asparagus and a light pasta salad for an elegant al fresco dinner that took about 90 minutes of prep and cook time from start to fish, most of which happened the day before.

• Cooking time:
  
  • Stated in the recipe
    • Prep time: 30 minutes
    • Total time: 14 hours
  • My experience
    • Prep time: 20 minutes
    • Total time: 14 hours
• My modifications
  
  • I used lamb t-bone steaks instead of rib chops simply because my butcher was out of lamb racks. I planned 2-3 chops per person, or 10-12 chops for a dinner for four. The lamb t-bones take about 5 or 6 minutes to cook to medium rare so plan about 15 minutes total to grill the chops and allow them to rest.
  • We don’t eat much garlic in our household (sadly) so I doubled the shallots and omitted the garlic.
  • I substituted honey for sugar for no good reason – I just felt like it. I used an orange blossom honey that I thought added some complexity to the marinade so I was happy with the addition.
• Tips and tricks
  
  • If you can’t get the chops into a marinade the night before you can still get most of the benefit of the marinade if you start them in the morning you plan to serve them.
  • I think this marinade would be excellent on chunks of lamb London broil threaded onto skewers for kebabs. Thread some red onions between the lamb chunks and serve with warm pitas for a more casual dinner.

[Jump right to the Recipe: Lamb Bulgogi Kebabs]

It’s Spring which means it’s lamb season here on the blog. Okay, I suppose if I’m being honest any season is lamb season here at Fete & Feast, but somehow Spring just feel more lamby. (Is lamby a word? My spell check doesn’t think so but I’m going to throw caution to the wind and use it anyway.)

But I digress.

As much as I love roasting lamb during the winter, I enjoy grilling it quickly in summer because it’s just a bit unexpected. Sure, we all love a cow or pig on the grill, but not everyone thinks of lamb for a fire-roasted dinner which is a shame really. Lamb takes on bold flavors just beautifully and goes with light-bodied wines like Pinot Noir, making it just right for a warm weather dinner party.

And just as I think lamb is sometime overlooked during the warmer seasons, I think skewers are greatly under appreciated as a great way to cook and serve food. I mean who doesn’t love food on a stick? And even thought it may make you think of a state fair or even mysterious desert riders in far away lands, it’s also a fun way to surprise your guests with a presentation that screams casual. Skewers are a breeze to prepare ahead of time and they cook quickly, so you don’t have to fuss much with them after your guests arrive. Just toss them on the grill, pour a glass of your favorite beverage, turn the skewers, take a drink or two, move the skewers to a serving plate, take another drink, and you’re ready for dinner.

Seriously – try skewers at your next party and you’ll be a believer.

This recipe for lamb kebabs is an adaptation of a recipe I came across in Bon Appetit last summer that I’d really wanted to try but was just a little bit more involved than I had time for. I loved the flavor combination and the idea of serving the lamb in lettuce wraps with vegetables, so I simplified the approach to skewer the meat and veggies for quick cooking. It’s just right for easy entertaining.

The Summer Salad with Grilled Lamb and Quinoa recipe featured in the video is very simple to make and your family will enjoy it – mine did.

Lamb Recipes

Now that you’re rarin’ to go out and grab some lamb for your next dinner, take a look at these favorite lamb recipes that I’ve tested many times in my own kitchen and that I can promise are a great place to get started bringing more lamb into your food world.

• Grilled Bread with Tuscan Style Lamb – this is great light meal for a summer night. You can use a lamb London broil instead of a leg of lamb.
• Braised Lamb Shanks with Parsley-Mint Gremolata – this is a great winter dish and after you get it into the oven you can tend to other things.
• Lamb Burger with Yogurt Sauce – lamb is a fun alternative to ground beef for burgers and gives you a whole new palette on which to play with burger seasonings and toppings.
• Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb – a rack of lamb is a beautiful dish for any holiday or special meal, and you might be surprised at how easy it is to make.
• Aromatic Lamb Meatballs – I bake these in a 350 degree oven instead of frying them and they are great over spaghetti with brown butter.
• Grilled Lamb Lollipops – this is fastest and easiest way I know to cook lamb. These are perfect party food because they come with a built-in handle.
• Barley and Lamb Stew – I like this dish because it’s hearty and provides a great base for playing with flavor combinations. Add in onions and leeks, deglaze the pan with a nice red wine, or even toss in a few potatoes.

Contest: Share Your Lamb Recipe

I’m always on the hunt for new lamb recipes, and I’m hoping y’all can turn me on to a few. In partnership with the Tri-Lamb Group, I’ll be giving away $25 gift certificates to three readers. Simply submit your favorite original lamb recipe in the comments by noon CST on Tuesday, August 3, 2010. I’ll use a random number generator to select the three winners from all who submit recipes. I’ll notify winners via e-mail, so be sure to submit a valid e-mail address with your comment. I look forward to seeing what tasty lamb treats everyone has to offer.

Disclosure: The only compensation I received for my work with the Tri-Lamb Group was a fun-filled day of video production with their great team, a fridge full of lamb from the video shoot, and a nice dinner at a local restaurant. My partnership is otherwise based on my support for their good work and my love of lamb.

• Creole Mustard Dip
• Sweet and Tangy Creole-Style Wings
• Spicy Mardi Gras Shrimp
• Jambalaya with Duck and Sausage

A couple of weeks ago I was thinking back to the party as I was planning my weekly menus, and I decided that there was no way I was going to wait until next February to evoke the fun and energy of Mardi Gras. I had a package of Jambalaya on hand but wanted to do something more with it. After a bit of contemplation I realized it would make a great stuffing for pork tenderloin (or pork chops, chicken breasts, or even beef tenderloin). I played around with the idea a bit and decided to add in a bit of apple for some sweetness and balance as well as a few green onions for a bright, crisp crunch. The result was beautifully stuffed tenderloin that I was able to put together on a weeknight. The stove and oven do most of the heavy lifting, so I helped with some homework and got a few chores done around the house while the jambalaya was simmering and the tenderloin was baking. I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe next time you’re in the mood for a little New Orleans-inspired fun.

Recipe: Jambalaya-Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Details

• Difficulty: Easy
• Serves: 4
• Prep Time: 20 minutes total
• Cook Time: 75 minutes total

Ingredients

• 1 box Zatarain’s Jambalaya Mix
• ½ lb. smoked sausage (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 medium apple, peeled and cut into ½ inch pieces
• 3 green onions, white and light green parts only, sliced.
• 1 pork tenderloin, butterflied (see Recipe for Success)
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. Zatarain’s Creole Seasoning

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Prepare the jambalaya mix according to package directions using only ½ of a pound of sausage (or none at all) instead of the full pound called for on the package.
3. While the jambalaya cooks, heat the olive oil in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat for two minutes. Add the apple and sauté until it just begins to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
4. When the jambalaya is cooked, remove the pan from the heat, gently fold in the apples and the green onions, and set the mixture aside for five to ten minutes to cool.
5. Season the inside of the pork tenderloin with half of the salt and all of the Creole Seasoning. Spread the jambalaya, apple, and green onion mixture evenly over the tenderloin, leaving a 1 inch border on all sides.
6. Roll the tenderloin jelly-roll style into a neat spiral. Secure it with kitchen twine or tooth picks. Season the outside of the tenderloin with the remaining salt.
7. Place the rolled tenderloin in a greased glass baking dish. Cook for 40 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the center of the roll registers 155 degrees. Allow the tenderloin to rest for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Recipe for Success

• If you have a few extra minutes at the grocery store, ask your butcher to butterfly the pork tenderloin for you because they can do it quickly with a great result. If the butcher isn’t an option, you’ll find it’s very easy to butterfly the pork tenderloin yourself. Culinate has a great visual tutorial that walks you step-by-step through the process if you haven’t done it before.
  
• You’ll most likely have leftover jambalaya and apple mixture but not to worry – it makes for a great lunch. You can also use it to stuff a second pork tenderloin if you are serving a bigger crowd. Conversely, you can use leftover jambalaya from a previous dinner in this recipe.
• You can make the jambalaya up to a day before you plan to stuff and serve the pork tenderloin and you can prep the tenderloin up to four hours before you plan to roast it. Cover the stuffed tenderloin with plastic wrap and stash it in the fridge. Set it out on the counter for about 30 minutes before you plan to put it in the oven to take the chill off.
• To borrow a phrase from Emeril, you can kick this recipe up a notch by substituting duck breast for the smoked sausage in the jambalaya. You can also substitute Zatarain’s new Spicy Jambalaya Mix for the traditional recipe. If you do, I’d go a little easier on the Creole Seasoning.

I hope you enjoy the podcasts and, as always, your feedback is welcome and appreciated. Please let me know how I can use the podcast medium to make the site and its content more useful to you.

In celebration of Spring and the many fun activities it brings, I challenged myself to create a menu for a casual dinner for 8 that required no more than one hour of preparation time the night before and another 90 minutes of preparation the day of the dinner (grocery shopping not included). The hardest part about building the menu wasn’t finding recipes that would fit with my time limits, but it was choosing from all of the amazing options.

Meats like lamb and pork cook quickly and the Spring’s best vegetables need minimal assistance to shine. My final menu included a spectacular but dead-simple rack of lamb, an oven risotto that would free me from standing over the stove stirring, beautiful artichokes that are fun to eat, and a luxurious panna cotta that comes together quickly the night before the dinner. This menu would be lovely for Easter or for any other get together in the Spring or Summer. In fact, it comes together so quickly that it’s actually practical for weeknight entertaining. Your guests will think you were in the kitchen all day, and well, where’s the good in disabusing them of that notion? Your secret is safe with me.

The Menu (serves eight)

Main Course

Rosemary Pesto Lamb Rack
quadruple the recipe

Baked Risotto with Morels and Asparagus

Artichokes with Garlic-Thyme Mayonnaise
double the recipe

Dessert

Lemon Panna Cotta with Raspberry Sauce

To Drink

Medium-bodied red wine such as Erath Pinot Noir

The Plan

I create all of my preparation plans in Excel because I find it easy to work with and to modify as I go. I’ll admit it’s a little over the top for most, but if you’d like to see the detailed spreadsheet I used to get to this plan, you’re welcome to download a copy in Excel or PDF format.

The night before

• Set the table and set out serving dishes
• Make the panna cotta and raspberry sauce

90 minutes before dinner

• Open the wine so it can breath
• Prep the lamb and let sit at room temperature
• Preheat oven to 450 degrees

1 hour before dinner

• Prep the artichokes and mayonnaise

40 minutes before dinner

• Put the lamb in the oven
• Bring the artichokes and water to boil
• Prep risotto ingredients

30 minutes before dinner

• Reduce the lamb oven heat to 400 degrees
• Start the risotto on the stove and then place in oven

15 minutes before dinner

• Remove the lamb from the oven and allow it to rest
• Remove the artichokes from the boiling water and drain
• Sautee the asparagus for the risotto

5 minutes before dinner

• Remove the risotto from the oven and stir in the asparagus
• Plate all of the dishes

30 minutes after dinner

• Make coffee
• Plate panna cotta
• Serve dessert

Keys to Success

You’ll be cooking for this dinner right up until it’s time to serve the meal. However, that doesn’t mean you have to feel harried or not enjoy pre-dinner time with your guests. Some things I’ve found helpful when cooking a meal like this one include:

• When you set the table and set out the serving dishes the night before, be sure to also set out dessert dishes and forks, as well as coffee mugs. This will make the transition from the main dinner to dessert much easier.
• Run and empty the dishwasher so you can load your prep dishes into it as you go. Your kitchen will be neater when guests arrive and it will be easier to ask them to help you with any last minute preparation.
• Ask guests to arrive 15-30 minutes before you plan to serve dinner. By this point in the process most of your heavy prep work will be done and you’ll largely be stirring and checking on the status of cooking dishes. You’ll be able to welcome guests easily and leave some wiggle room for anyone who might be running late.
• You won’t want to abandon your guests while you finish dinner, so consider setting out some olives, cheese, and bread near the kitchen so you can chat with them while you finish cooking. You may want to serve a different wine, or possibly some bubbles, with your pre-dinner nibbles to get everyone in the party spirit.
• If you plan to serve water or tea with your dinner, instead of or in addition to wine, pre-pour the drinks and stash the glasses in the fridge. You can set them out just before dinner is served.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Friends can carry dishes to the dining room, pour wine, or even rinse a dish or two.

While I’ve purchased and cooked both ham and lamb for many years, I’ve never really made a serious study of either. Given that all I learned about turkey for my Turkey Buying 101 post had such a significant impact on the way I selected and cooked my Thanksgiving bird, I decided a similar knowledge gathering exercise for ham and lamb was in order. Luckily, Howard Miller, the meat guru from Central Market, was more than willing to share his extensive experience with me once again. I’m happy to report that buying ham and lamb isn’t quite as multi-faceted as buying a turkey, but there are some important things you should keep in mind as you go forth to acquire your spring meat.

Ham – The Heat and Eat Favorite

When most of us think about ham during the Spring, and honestly during just about any other season, we think about a smoked ham that is ready to eat. Fresh ham, AKA pork roast, definitely has its place but doesn’t show up nearly as frequently as the ubiquitous smoked ham. Smoked ham is such a favorite from table to table for two reasons:

1. It’s part of our culinary memory. My mother serves ham during the spring just like my grandmother before her and my great-grandmother before her. For some, the Easter table in particular simply isn’t the same without ham. During our discussion Howard did say that he thinks ham doesn’t take quite the starring role that it did in past years. Now, instead of being the only meat on the table, it may be one of a couple of main course selections, but make no mistake, it’s still there.
2. It’s easy. Ham is pretty much a no-fail dish. You heat it according to package directions and serve it. If cooking a big meal for friends and family causes you stress, ham is a perfect main dish because it’s one less recipe you have to find and make. Conversely, if you enjoy the thrill of putting together an over-the-top menu, ham is still a great option because it frees you to focus on fantastic side dishes and exceptional desserts.

Buying Ham: The Basics

In the past, many hams were bone-in with a layer of fat on them. These more traditional hams have been largely replaced by the spiral sliced ham. When selecting your spiral sliced ham, you’ll need to consider two things:

1. How much to buy. Depending on the appetites of your guests, the number of other dishes you’re making, and the amount of ham you want left over, you should plan between 4 and 8 ounces of ham per person. If ham is one of a couple of main dishes and you have 3-4 side dishes plus dessert, then the 4 ounce per person range is probably better. However, if ham is the star of the show or you want quite a bit for leftovers, then buy 6 to 8 ounces per person. Ham is sold in whole or half ends and besides their weight, there’s no difference between them.
2. Glazed or not. Many hams come with some sort of glaze for additional flavor. Honey is common, as in honey baked ham, but fruit-based flavors are also popular. Whether you buy your ham with extra flavor added or not is entirely based on personal preference. I tend to buy my ham without the extra flavor so I can put my own personal touch on it and also because I can better control the ingredients in the glaze to avoid corn syrup and other unnatural additives. If you do buy an already flavored ham, be sure to read the ingredient list carefully.

What about Organic Ham?

They key to a successful smoked ham is the brine, and when you brine and smoked a meat it gets harder for the entire process to stay organic. You can get hams that are organic and nitrite free, but they may not have the smoky flavor you are looking for. While organic ham may be harder to come by, ham from sustainably raised pigs are easier to come by, thanks in large part to the wonders of the Internet. The Kitchn has a great article on sources for sustainable ham. Many of these producers raise heirloom variety pigs and feed them organic diets, so they may be your best option if

Ham Recipes

If you’re like me and prefer to buy an unflavored or unglazed ham so you can put your personal touch on it, here are some recipes you might find useful:

• 5 Ingredient Easter Ham with Cola-Pineapple Glaze (Steamy Kitchen)
• Blackberry Rum Glazed Ham (Steamy Kitchen)
• Easter Ham with Mango Ginger Glaze (Steamy Kitchen)
• Ham with Champagne and Vanilla Glaze (Cooking Light)
• Gingersnap-Crusted Ham with Apricot-Mustard Sauce (Cooking Light)
• Baked Ham with Sticky Meyer Lemon-Spice Glaze (Cooking Light)
• Ham with Burbon, Molassas, and Pecan Glaze (Bon Appetit)
• Marmalade-Glazed Ham with Sweet Orange-Tea Sauce (Bon Appetit)
• Thyme Honey Glazed Ham (Gourmet)

Lamb – The Fool-Proof Meat with the Bad Reputation

Thanks to years of old, tough, rank mutton being offered up as lamb, true lamb has developed somewhat of a sullied reputation. This is truly unfortunate seeing that today’s lamb is exceptionally tasty and so very easy to cook. It’s versatile, readily available, and a lighter red meat option. It looks lovely surrounded by the other flavors of spring: asparagus, artichokes, citrus, and new potatoes. Are you sold? I hope so. A Spring without lamb really just isn’t Spring at all.

Now, on to the business of procuring lamb.

Buying Lamb: Sources

Most of the lamb available in the United States is from one of three places:

• Domestic sources. Lamb is raised throughout the United States. Close to Austin, Loncito Cartwright raises grass-fed, hormone-free, and antibiotic-free lamb that he sells at local farmers markets. At our local Central Markets, we have access to lamb from Colorado, and in El Paso where I was raised my parents buy fresh lamb from San Elizario. Howard said that American lamb is usually milder than other lamb because of its grass-fed diet, and when you buy lamb from the US, it’s typically available fresh.
• New Zealand and Australia. The Aussies have a very productive lamb business and they regularly ship their lamb to the United States. This imported lamb is usually smaller than domestic lamb, and it may be less expensive than American lamb, particularly at large warehouse clubs like SAMs. Because the lamb has to be shipped half way around the world, it will have been frozen at some point during its journey.

I’ll be honest and say that I buy my lamb from several different sources. For special occasions or when I’m buying less expensive cuts of lamb, I will buy from Loncito at the farmers market. Loncito’s lamb tends to be the most expensive of all the lamb in town, but it’s important to our entire food chain to support our local farmers. I also buy lamb regularly from Central Market, particularly when I want to buy just a single rack of lamb chops or a lamb London broil. However, when it’s time to feed lamb to a crowd, I turn to SAMs for lamb from New Zeland. The quality is good as is the price, making lamb a viable option for my dinner table regardless of the number of guests.

Buying Lamb: Cuts

When buying lamb, particularly for the Spring holidays, two cuts stand out:

• Leg of lamb. A good size leg of lamb will feed a crowd nicely and it’s usually available at a manageable price point. Howard’s advice is to have the butcher remove the leg bone and tie the leg for you so it cooks evenly. Unlike other meats that rely on a bone for moistness and flavor, lamb has enough flavor and cooks quickly enough that you don’t need the bone (or much fat even) to get a good result. Howard’s favorite way to cook a leg of lamb is simple. Make small slits all over the lamb and push cloves of garlic down into each slit. Rub the entire leg with olive oil, and sprinkle it liberally with kosher salt. Brown it on all sides in a little oil in heavy pan and then finish it in a 375 degree oven.
• Rack of lamb. Lamb racks make for a beautiful presentation and they are one of the easiest cuts of meat to cook. For a section of lamb ribs to be called a rack, the bones have to be Frenched (or have all of the meat and fat removed from the top of the bone). A rack typically has 8 rib sections, and a serving for one person is usually two rib sections, unless you’re our family and then it’s four. Two racks are perfect for a small dinner party and they look beautiful on a bed of herbed rice. Howard is a fan of simple preparation of lamb. Rub the outside with oil and salt, and maybe some strong herbs like rosemary and thyme. Brown the lamb in a heavy pan and finish it in a 375 degree oven. You can also cut the rack into individual ribs, season them with salt and pepper, and cook them quickly over hot, direct heat on the stove or grill. This is the best way to guarantee even cooking and it’s a perfect option if you want to serve “lamb pops” as an appetizer.

Regardless of the cut, when you’re buying lamb, try to buy it as close to the day you plan to serve it as possible. Unlike beef, lamb doesn’t age well.

What about Organic Lamb

Lamb isn’t the least expensive meat to raise in the first place, and when you add the requirements of organic ranching into the fray, organic lamb can be expensive and difficult to find. It’s not impossible however. While you may not find organic lamb at your local grocery store as you would organic chicken or even beef, you can order it online. A quick Google search turned up a slew of organic lamb sources. If you happen to leave near one of these suppliers you’ll have the extra benefit of buying local organic lamb – the holy grail of lamb as it were.

Lamb Recipes

Lamb works beautifully with stronger herbs and other flavors because it has enough flavor to hold its own. If you’re not quite sure what to do with your Spring lamb, here are a few recipes to get you going:

• Rosemary-Pesto Lamb Rack (Bon Appetit)
• Roast Leg of Lamb with Garlic and Herbs (Martha Stewart)
• Spiced Butterflied Leg of Lamb (Martha Stewart)
• Classic Rack of Lamb (Simply Recipes)
• Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb (Simply Recipes)
• Grilled Lamb Chops with Garlic, Olive Oil, Fresh Thyme, and Grilled Lemons (Bobby Flay)
• Crispy Rack of Lamb with Honey and Mascarpone (Giada De Laurentis)

• I like Zatarain’s products and have cooked with them for years. As much as I’m a fan of from-scratch cooking, sometimes not everything can be from scratch and I feel good when I put their food on my table.
• They are affiliated with John Besh, a chef that I respect and admire.
• I wanted to take advantage of the group activity to learn more about how other celebrate Mardi Gras.

And just to keep the blogger police at bay, I want to disclose that Zatarain’s has sent me a party pack with some sample products, decorations, and other goodies, but I’m still supplying the majority of the food for this shindig. I’m not being compensated in any other way.

I’m in the midst of planning my party and realized that sharing my menu and ideas now might be helpful to anyone also planning a celebration for this weekend or next week. Because I’m throwing a weeknight party, I’ve tried to select recipes that are practical for having guests over on a school night. However, because I want to really offer a sampling of New Orleans-style flavors, my party menu is pretty extensive, featuring 10 items plus drinks. I’m not suggesting you do the same. Instead, I’ll point you at all of the recipes I’m making with relevant links and then include a couple of possible menus that show how to mix and match them.

My Mardi Gras Recipe Collection

As I selected these recipes I wanted to capture the essence of New Orleans cuisine, put a few new twists on some old favorites, and stay family-friendly. I’m also serving my menu buffet style so I chose dishes that would be easy to serve and eat. I toyed with the idea of making both gumbo and jambalaya, but time simply won’t allow for it. If gumbo is more your style, it’s a great substitute for the jambalaya on any menu.

• Artichoke Dip with Crab and Creole Seasoning – I’m going to modify my guest-favorite artichoke dip by adding some jumbo lump crab and a little Creole seasoning to the blend. Look for a recipe for this one about a week after Fat Tuesday in my party recap. This dish holds beautifully over night and bakes about an hour before the party. I’m serving it with slices of bread and pita chips.
• Creole Mustard Dip – This dip is a Creole-take on a traditional onion dip. I can also make it ahead and it will be a nice alternative for those who don’t like artichokes or who can’t eat shellfish.
• Crudités – I always put fresh vegetables out on a buffet because they are familiar to folks and very kid-friendly. They also help to balance out the heavier dishes. I’ll probably put out some Ranch Dressing for the kids as well.
• Roasted asparagus – Asparagus is always nice addition to a buffet table because it’s good warm or cold, and its richness stands up to heartier foods. I really like the simple preparation that Elise from Simply Recipes uses and I can pre-prep the asparagus several hours before the party and put it into roast just before guests arrive.
• Sweet and Tangy Creole-Style Wings – This is a John Besh recipe that I can’t wait to serve. People love wings and this will be a new variation for them to try.
• Spicy Mardi Gras Shrimp – It’s just not Mardi Gras without shrimp but some of my guests don’t eat them. For the rest that do, I’m offering an easy and flavorful make-ahead dish.
• Jambalaya with Duck and Sausage – I’ll be modifying a Zatarain’s recipe to dress it up a little with duck and artisan Andouille sausage. This is a good example of how a couple of next-level ingredients can be combined with high-quality convenience foods like the Zatarain’s jambalaya mix to put a great dish on the table.
• Root Beer Cupcakes – I didn’t realize that Zatarain’s started with a patent for root beer extract, so when I found out I thought it only appropriate to incorporate it into my menu somehow. I think these cupcakes will be fun and unexpected. I’m modifying a cake recipe to work as cupcakes to make serving dessert easier.
• King Cake – It’s not Mardi Gras without King Cake. If I were having this party on a weekend I would make the cake myself, but because this is a weeknight party, I’m ordering a cake from a local bakery. If you want to make your own, Epicurious features John Besh’s King Cake recipe from his recently released My New Orleans cookbook.
• Hurricanes – I’m not usually big on mixed drinks at parties because they are difficult to manage, but it’s just not Mardi Gras without a sweet and powerful hurricane. I’m using a recipe from Emeril that will be great for a crowd. I particularly like that it uses two different types of rum for depth of flavor.

Suggested Menu: Elegant New Orleans Supper

If you’d like to host an easy-yet-elegant dinner party on or around Fat Tuesday using recipes from this menu I’d recommend:

Appetizer

Artichoke Dip with Crab and Creole Seasoning

French Bread and Pita Triangles

Main Course

Jambalaya with Duck and Sausage or Gumbo

Roast Asparagus

Dessert

King Cake

Suggested Menu: Mardi Gras Cocktail Party

As the start to an evening or on Tuesday after work, consider celebrating the spirit of the holiday and New Orleans with sparkling wine, Hurricanes, and these nibbles:

Artichoke Dip with Crab and Creole Seasoning

Creole Mustard Dip

French Bread and Pita Triangles

Sweet and Tangy Creole-Style Wings

Spicy Mardi Gras Shrimp

Root Beer Cupcakes

What are you serving for Mardi Gras? Do you have any favorite recipes? Please share in the comments.