Month: May 2016

Smokey Baby Back Ribs on the Grill

Smokey Baby Back Ribs on the Grill

I made a grilled chicken the other day and put together a rub that used smoked sweet Spanish paprika, and thought it would be perfect for these ribs.  I made a pretty big batch of the rub, so there was plenty left over to try 

CSA Stir Fry

This really isn’t so much a recipe as a method.  The only thing that really remains the same is that I always have some form of garlic and ginger.  And the stir fry sauce. With any stir fry, the work is all up front.   

Lamb Meatballs with Hummus and Pomegranate Molasses

My Recipe
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups diced sweet onion
  • 3 cloves chopped garlic
  • 1 pound ground lamb
  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
  • 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Smoked, sweet paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
  • 1 egg, mixed with a fork
  • Handful of quick cooking oats
  • Olive oil for browning 
  • Pomegranate molasses and water for deglazing the pan
  • Hummus (see recipe on the blog)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425. 
  2. Preheat a large skillet, and when it is hot, add the oil. Add the onions and cook over high heat with a pinch of salt. When the onions start to soften and brown, add the garlic–lower the heat a bit–and cook for another minute until the garlic is just cooked but not at all brown. Set aside and allow to cool before adding the mixture to the meat.
  3. In a large bowl, using your hands, combine the lamb, parsley, salt, pepper, paprika, Aleppo pepper, egg, the cooked onions and garlic, and a handful of oats. 
  4. Make a test meatball by frying a small clump of this meat mixture in hot oil to see how it tastes. Adjust for seasoning.
  5. Wipe out the onion skillet, and heat a drizzle of oil until hot. Shape golf-ball sized meatballs and add them to the pan (be careful not to crowd things). Cook the meatballs until brown on all sides and then remove them to a rimmed cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. Pop into the oven for 5 minutes and then test one by cutting into it; if it’s cooked all the way through, they’re ready.
  6. To plate, spoon hummus on to your plates, starting at the center, then using the back of a spoon to create a landing pad for the meatballs. Place your meatballs in the center, sprinkle with more parsley and and some Aleppo pepper too, and then drizzle with pomegranate molasses. Eat right away.
Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken with a Smokey BBQ Rub

Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken with a Smokey BBQ Rub

Wow was this chicken good.  It was incredibly juicy too, and we kept going back for more until we ate the entire chicken! Grilled Spatchcocked Chicken   Smoky BBQ Rub   4 Tbsp ground smoked sweet paprika 1 Tbsp ground cumin 2 Tbsp chili powder 

Roasted Red Peppers, Goat Cheese, Toasted Pine Nuts and Spring Mix orArugula

Roasted Red Peppers, Goat Cheese, Toasted Pine Nuts and Spring Mix orArugula

Arugula or greens, roasted red pepper strips, dollops of goat cheese, and top with the toasted pine nuts.  Squeeze some lemon juice over and between the olive oil and the lemon juice, the salad is dressed.  I like a few grinds of black pepper as