Category Archives: pesto

Oct 15

Whole Wheat Chicken ‘n Pesto Shells with Tomates Confites

It’s always lonely to be by yourself at home and when my mother left for Paris with my grandmother, that left my father doing just that- being home alone! Remedy: have him over for dinner! (NOT Silence of the Lambs kind of “have you over for dinner”, though…) I figured that my father would perhaps be a bit unsettled by some of my more experimental foods… and his standards are quite exceptionally high, as the gifted chefs in the family are all on his side (minus my mother, of course), so… traditional-ish it was!

I decided to do something very familiar and comforting: confit some tomatoes in the oven, bake some chicken so that it’s juicy and tender, and toss it in some whole wheat pasta shells and housemade pesto, with some shaved parmiggiano on top. What can go wrong there?

It was really quite delicious, and the leftovers were super convenient for bringing in to work the next week. This is a great keep-in-the-fridge-for-a-few-days dish, and a rather simple one as well. The sweetness of the tomato cuts into the nuttiness of the pesto, while the cheese on top adds some hints of earthiness that makes the whole thing come together quite nicely.

 

Whole Wheat Chicken ‘n Pesto Shells with Tomates Confites

 

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb (1 box) whole wheat pasta shells
  • 1 box (usually 8-12 oz) cherry tomatoes
  • 1/2 generous cup house-made pesto
  • 3-4 medium-sized chicken breasts
  • extra-virgin olive oil, kosher salt, freshly-cracked black pepper
  • parmiggiano reggiano (or reggianito) to shave

 

Process:

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and place a Silpat or other silicone mat on a baking sheet (large enough to fit all your chicken on)
  2. Set a pot of water to boil for pasta; salt generously and drop in 1-2 tsp olive oil into the water
  3. Measure out pesto and leave on the counter so it can warm while you prepare the rest of the dish
  4. Lightly coat a second baking sheet with olive oil (just brush on a very thin coat)
  5. Cut the cherry tomatoes in half (whichever way you like) and arrange (fairly haphazardly, really) on the baking sheet. Salt lightly and sprinkle with herbs or spices if desired (my mother uses Herbes de Provence; I’m a fan of a pinch of paprika/cumin/coriander). Drizzle with more olive oil on top.
  6. Clean the chicken breasts and arrange on the baking sheet. Brush with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Flip and repeat so that both sides are coated and seasoned.
  7. Once the oven is sufficiently hot, place the tomatoes on the bottom rack and the chicken on the top rack (if you have two racks, that is) of the oven
  8. Once the water is boiling, place pasta in water and cook as directed; I like mine just a bit al dente (it’s what the Italians do)
  9. Bake the chicken for about 10 minutes, then flip the oven using kitchen tongs, a glove, and patience/care. Don’t burn yourself with that oven door open! You can always take the sheet out, flip, and return to the oven if you’re not too lethargic. While you’re at it, rotate the tomato pan.
  10. After another 10 minutes, take your tongs and press upon the chicken. If there’s a lot of give, leave it in for another few minutes- you’re looking for the outside to be golden brown and for the inside to have only a bit of give. The squishier it is, the less cooked- and unfortunately, sashimi chicken isn’t a good dish to try :)
  11. Once the tomatoes are drying out a bit and are blistering, you can remove them from the oven. The amount of time they spend in there is totally up to you- if you have the time, roasting them at a lower temp (360 or so) for longer yields even better results; this is the ‘quick version’
  12. Remove the tomatoes and chicken from the oven and let cook for a moment.
  13. Once pasta is cooked, drain (but not excessively, a little water in this is fine) and place in a large mixing bowl. Using kitchen tongs, cut the chicken into large, wide (but fairly thin) strips. Add to bowl. Scrape tomatoes as-is into bowl as well. Scoop in the pesto, and mix. Add salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle in a bit of olive oil. Shave the cheese on top and…. voila!

 

It’s one of those go-to standbys for me because I don’t need to consult a recipe and it has infinite variations. Sometimes I also confit some bell peppers (red/yellow/orange)… sometimes with herbs, sometimes with spices… carrots work nicely, too, when baked with cheese. You get the idea- pick the brightly-coloured vegetable(s) of your choice! And then dig in :)

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Oct 10

Salty Pesto Palmiers

Ah, an excellent appetizer- what’s not to like about puff pastry, pesto, and saltiness? I saw Ina Garten make a variation of these about two months ago and knew I had to try it! I was graced with the lovely company of my oh-so-talented friend- let’s call her Z- that evening and was looking to do a menu of finger foods- this was perfect! These are savoury and definitely have a zing to them from the onions. I used my own housemade pesto (I’ll be a snob and say I haven’t found better outside of Italy) and with premade puff pastry dough (making your own is just asking for trouble), these are quick and relatively simple. And calling your name. Crispy, puffy, golden, and spicy.

Salty Pesto Palmiers

Adapted from Savory Palmiers by Ina Garten

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 heaping cup pesto (for best results, use perfect pesto recipe)
  • 1/3 cup chunkily-diced sweet yellow onion
  • freshly-cracked black pepper and large-grain sea salt
  • 1 sheet/package frozen puff pastry dough from your local grocery store, defrosted

 

Process:

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
  2. Flour a countertop surface and rolling pin and place puff pastry on counter. Roll out to where you have a large rectangle (size of you choosing) and to where the folds of the pastry are well blended in (one homogenous rectangle shape)
  3. Spread on the pesto evenly, leaving about 1/2-inch on all sides, and sprinkle on the onion, salt, and pepper
  4. Take one of the long sides of the rectangle and fold it halfway towards the center. Do the same thing with the other long side. Then fold this in half (“hambuger-style” each time).
  5. You should now have a log-like roll of dough. Lightly butter/spray a baking sheet. Cut slides of the log, about 1/2-inch thick, and place on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart (see photos below).
  6. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown, and serve warm by themselves or with extra pesto as a dipping sauce (the taste of this one will intensify and spice up during baking)

 

See? Easy! And delicious! These are a perfect appetizer or brnuch item because they’re finger-friendly and have a short lead time, especially if you’ve got readily-available pesto hanging out in the fridge (which I highly suggest. One always needs emergency pesto for unexpected hosting). You could do a number of variations here as well: substitute in sun-dried tomatoes or bell peppers (make sure they’re dry), cheeses (of various types), herbs… you name it! And, of course, there’s the far more traditional sweet counterpart…

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Jun 27

The Perfect Pesto

I realize that may be a bit pompous to say, but honestly, this is a rather foolproof delicious pesto. I’ve been rather fed up with the pestos I’ve found as of late. They’re all ‘too’ something: too oil; too yellow; too spiced; too bland; too thin; and so on. Finding a pesto that’s got the proper taste, consistency, and colour is rather difficult, and I’m hard-pressed to find that combination. Sauces and Love has a wonderful pesto but unfortunately it’s quite pricey for a small quantity.

I recently purchased an adorable basil plant- local and organic- at the grocery store for $3 and was very excited about the prospect of my indoor fresh herbs… but the lack of direct sunlight meant this was an unsuccessful attempt. Oh, no! Dying basil plant! Clearly there was only one thing I could do: emergency pesto. Luckily, it turned out completely and utterly delicious. I know this is a recipe I’ll be following again- and soon- because that first batch is almost gone already :). It’s terrific with some plain fresh capellini and a light drizzle of olive oil. Perfecto!

The Perfect Pesto

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup chopped basil (coarse)
  • 1/4 tsp minced garlic
  • 1/2 cup grated fresh Reggianito cheese
  • 1 heaping tablespoon fresh grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • 1 tsp sea salt, sprinkling of pepper
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 tsp lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup salted cashews, coarsely chopped

 

Process:

  • Place all ingredients in food processor
  • Process on low until all elements are combined and a thick paste-like consistency is formed; do not overprocess to where all the cheese and nut bits are gone- keep a bit of coarseness!
  • Spread onto some freshly toasted ciabatta or mix into hot pasta with a bit of extra olive oil for a yummy, delicious time

 

So simple! So good! So sure to be making this one again soon! Actually, I’m tempted to get a ton of basil, some cute jars, and jar some of this as christmas or holiday gifts… nice packaging will make this have the perfect touch. Seriously, make some. It’s so much cheaper than buying t at the store, and likely to be more delicious, as well! Pine nuts are the traditional nut for pesto, but I almost like it better this way :).

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May 13

Zesty Turkey Bell Pepper Panino

I know, I know, but trust me when I say this is the last panino recipe for some time! It was a beautiful sunny day, the boyfriend and I had no set plans other than cleaning, and suddenly it came to me: what a wonderful day for a picnic! I called to get his thoughts on the subject, and as it involved eating food, he naturally wasn’t opposed, and thus I set about making picnic food: panino and potato salad, put together a canteen of orange juice, package up a few cookies and berries, and we’re set! Ah, right, back to the panino…

This one has turkey in it, but the real ‘meat’ of this sandwich is the roasted red bell pepper. You can roast it yourself or get it in a can at the market- just make sure they’re large and whole so that you can get the full effect, rather than small pieces! Spinach and fresh mozz round out this sandwich to make it flavourful and delicious. And what’s that particular zesty taste? It’s a mix of my house-made shallot pesto + some oregano-basil tomato sauce! These all melded together to make an incredibly delicious picnic food.

Zesty Turkey Bell Pepper Panino

Ingredients (makes 1 panino):

  • 2 slices cut approx. 1-inch thick of rustic bread of your choice (french boule, rustic/country bread, a fairly dense ciabatta, etc- so long as it’s got few holes and a good crust)
  • 2 slices thinly-cut oven-roasted deli turkey
  • 1.5 medallions fresh mozarella cheese
  • 1/2 tablespoon of parsley-shallot pesto (spread on only one slice of bread- can be substituted forvirtually any other type of pesto)
  • 1 large roasted red bell pepper
  • 8-10 leaves of fresh spinach
  • 1 tablespoon fresh oregano+basil pasta sauce
  • 1 tsp grated parmesan
  • 1 tsp minced fresh parsley

    •  

    Process:

  • Heat panini press or grill pan
  • Spread pesto onto ONE bread slice
  • Spread tomato sauce onto the other bread slice
  • Place spinach leaves, deli turkey, and mozz over one of the bread slices
  • Place minced parsley, bell pepper, and parmesan over the other bread slice
  • Put bread slices together carefully so as to not spill ingredients
  • Place sandwich on panini press and pull down the top; or, place on grill pan and place pressing tool on top; or, place on grill pan and if you do not have a panini press, put a heavy weight on top
  • Grill/press for 4-5 minutes, then if browned to your preference, flip over and grill for another 4-5 minutes
  • Remove from heat, slice in half at a slight diagonal, and dig in :)

    • The tomato sauce + pesto + roasted bell pepper makes this one a powerful punch of flavour, so be prepared for a bit of a kick! For an added burst,  add in 2 tsp (1 per side) of caramelized onions or shallots. Yum!

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    May 10

    Tuna Pesto Panino

    I’ve been happily playing with my new toy (the grill pan) making a flurry of panini. They’re quick, they’re simple, and they’re hot- why would I not be making them in excess? This variant included my second-favourite fish: tuna! There are pro’s and con’s to tuna panini, I have found, the most important part being: use large chunks! I had some smaller chunks which fell off the sides and sadly immediately began to burn. That said, despite this issue, it was a very yummy sandwich.

    Tuna Pesto Panino

    Ingredients (makes one sandwich):

    • 2 slices cut approx. 1-inch thick of rustic bread of your choice (french boule, rustic/country bread, a fairly dense ciabatta, etc- so long as it’s got few holes and a good crust)
    • 1 can chunk light tuna (larger chunks are preferable!)
    • 2 medallions fresh mozarella cheese
    • 1 tablespoon of traditional basil pesto (half spread on each slice of bread)
    • 2 cherry tomatoes, sliced into 1/3 inch thick slices, blotted dry with a paper towel

    Process:

    1. Heat panini press or grill pan
    2. Spread pesto onto the bread slices
    3. Spread tuna over one of the bread slices, arranging evenly
    4. Place mozarella cheese over the tuna
    5. Place tomato slices over the mozarella (open-face down onto the mozarella for end slices)
    6. Put bread slices together carefully so as to not spill ingredients
    7. Place sandwich on panini press and pull down the top; or, place on grill pan and place pressing tool on top; or, place on grill pan and if you do not have a panini press, put a heavy weight on top
    8. Grill/press for 4-5 minutes, then if browned to your preference, flip over and grill for another 4-5 minutes
    9. Remove from heat, slice in half at a slight diagonal, and dig in :)

    For added fun, use chicken of the sea and have a laugh. I used Starkist, but any brand will do! Try it out, this is a very nutritious and hearty panino!

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    Apr 28

    Hot Italian Panino

    The second panino H and I assembled was by far the yummier of the two, and all thanks to a chance added ingredient. The flavours of this one were fantastic, to the point where the boyfriend happily wrote me upon having eaten his take-home panino half, “That second panino was sooooo good!!” and he usually doesn’t go out of his way to comment after the fact, which clearly speaks in favour of this hot pressed sandwich. It’s got some really fun textures going on and is downright delicious. Herein lie its secrets:

    Hot Italian Panino

    Ingredients (makes one sandwich):

    • 2 slices cut approx. 1-inch thick of rustic bread of your choice (french boule, rustic/country bread, a fairly dense ciabatta, etc- so long as it’s got few holes and a good crust)
    • 5-8 fresh basil leaves
    • 3-4 slices fresh mozarella or fresh Italian cheese (we used one which H picked up at the Whole Foods cheese counter of which we both immediately forgot the name, but it was fantastic. More consisent than fresh mozz but creamier and more flavourful)
    • 1 tsp – 1 tablespoon (depending on your preference) of pesto (I used the disastrous one I made specifically for this sandwich)
    • 2 slices deli turkey (my suggestion would be a smoked or oven-roasted one)
    • 1 roasted red bell pepper (jarred works fine)

    Process:

    1. Heat panini press or grill pan
    2. Assemble cheese slices onto one of the bread slices
    3. Arrange basil leaves over cheese (see pictures below)
    4. Arrange turkey slices over the basil leaves
    5. Place red bell pepper over the turkey
    6. Spread pesto evenly onto other bread slice
    7. Put bread slices together carefully so as to not spill ingredients
    8. Place sandwich on panini press and pull down the top; or, place on grill pan and place pressing tool on top; or, place on grill pan and if you do not have a panini press, put a heavy weight on top
    9. Grill/press for 4-5 minutes, then if browned to your preference, flip over and grill for another 4-5 minutes
    10. Remove from heat, slice in half at a slight diagonal, and dig in :)

    It’s incredibly quick and simple, as if you have ready-made ingredients the onl thing you really have to do is cut the cheese… and yet, for under 10 minutes of work and a bit more for prep time and cleaning, you have a gourmet lunch/dinner that’s portable, delicious, and features a wide variety of textures. Try it out and vary the ingredients! You could add tomato (but be careful, they may eject juice), eggplant, zucchini, you name it.

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    Apr 27

    House Shallot Pesto

    Ah, this one definitely is to be filed in the ‘accident’ category. H and I were set to make to panini, and the second was to be an Italian one, featuring pesto… and rather than use the perfectly fine store-bought one in the fridge, I just had to go off and try making my own. With no direction, no recipe, no studying, just randomly throwing things into the blender and hoping for the best. The saddest part is that it probably would have worked, too, if it weren’t for that meddling shallot! I had picked up some very pretty looking shallots at the store earlier that day and thought it a brilliant idea to chop one up and put the whole thing right on into the pesto. Raw. Clearly I sometimes just am not thinking things through :) That said, in case any of you are mad enough to want to try it, herein lies the recipe to my failure:

    House-Made Shallot Pesto

    Ingredients (makes about 6 oz):

    • 1/4 cup organic canola oil
    • 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
    • the juice of 1 lemon
    • 1/16 tsp lemon xest (just grate it for 5 seconds or so)
    • 1/4 cup whole sunflower seeds
    • heaping 1/4 cup almost-burnt toasted walnuts
    • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
    • 2 cups chopped parsley (curly-leaf)
    • 1/2 cup grated parmesan
    • 1/4 tsp of nutmeg, paprika, coriander, cumin, sea salt, black pepper
    • …1 medium shallot, minced (DON’T DO IT!)

    Process:

    1. Place all liquid ingredients (canola oil, olive oil) in bottom of blender or food processor
    2. Then place parmesan and nuts
    3. Then add in all other ingredients
    4. Omit the shallot, it’s not worth your crying over
    5. Blend/process on medium setting until the pesto becomes rather thick (though not quite tapenade-thickness)

    Et voila, you’re done! When shallot-less, I bet this would have been a rather tasty pesto, although I would suggest upping the parlsey to perhaps 3 cups and adding some more sunflower seeds, they give a really nice texture. That said, the mere thought of this- honestly- makes me cry as my eyes were watering for a good hour after chopping that silly shallot, so do your eyes a favour and omit it so that you can have a happy pesto!

    EDIT: After having used this pesto for a few weeks for a varity of panini, I have to say I’ve really come to like it. The sunflower seeds have absorbed most of the oil, so it has more of a tapenade consistency, but the shallot taste is by no means overpowering and adds a very nice flavour to the sandwiches. It’s also ideal as a panino-bread coating because it will seep through just enough to create nice grill marks but won’t splatter about.

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    Apr 19

    Gratin Languedocien

    Also known as Eggplant Gratin, I haphazardly put together these ingredients in this fashion not knowing that it would result in a classical French dish. Nautrally, this has brought joy to my heart :) and knowledge of a new dish! This gratin is hearty, much more so than it looks, so be not fooled by its seemingly small size. The eggplant- a well-known meat substitute in terms of providing something with good texture and firmness- goes very nicely with the tomato and cheese. This one took me a while if for no other reason than I was making it up as a went… only to now find that it’s a traditional recipe (though mine was, of course, slightly different)… go figure!

    Gratin Languedocien / Eggplant Gratin

    Ingredients (for 3):

    • 1 large eggplant, rinsed
    • 1/2 can (small) tomato chunks in juice (suggestion: Muir Glen Organic natural tomato chunks)
    • Approx. half-dozen fresh campari or cherry tomatoes, sliced thickly
    • Approx. 1 tablespoon pesto (suggestion: basil or cilantro)
    • 3 cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
    • 1 – 1&1/3 cup low-fat ricotta cheese (depends on how much room you have in your ramekins)
    • 1 slice of honey whole wheat bread (or other bread)
    • Approx. 2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
    • Approx. 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
    • Seat salt & black pepper

    Process:

    1. Rinse eggplant and cut into thick rounds. Salt thoroughly and set aside for about 30 minutes on the kitchen countertop. This will sweat out the vegetable’s natural bitterness. This doesn’t bother everyone, so feel free to take this step as being optional. However, if you do decide to salt and sweat the eggplant, be sure to rinse them thoroughly after the 30 minutes are up to remove the bitter juice and excess salt prior to cutting them in step 3.
    2. Preheat oven to 365 degrees F
    3. Cut eggplant rounds into approx. 1-inch chunks and cook in olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper, and the minced garlic. You may need to do this in two or three batches depending on the size of your eggplant and pan. Try to have as much contact with the bottom of the pan as possible to allow the eggplant to brown nicely. Don’t add too much extra olive oil- stir-fry it (sort of) using just a bit of oil.
    4. Once cooked to where the eggplant is nicely browned but not mushy (it’s a fine line, I’m afraid!), divide evenly amoung ramekins
    5. Take the pesto and divide evenly (you can make your own or use store-bought- I used Whole Foods’ bulk basil pesto) using a spoon to spread over the eggplant in the ramekins. This can be a rather thin layer, or thicker- whichever you prefer!
    6. Divide the tomatoes- juice and all- evenly amoung the ramekins. If the juice seems too liquid, drain out a bit of it first before putting the tomatoes into the ramekins.
    7. Place the fresh tomato slices over the canned tomato chunks in the ramekins to where they are laying flat.
    8. Going carefully with a spoon, spoon on the ricotta cheese and divide evenly amoung the ramekins, spreading it across like icing to where it reaches just below the top of the ramekin and is evenly spread. This quantity will vary based on how much you have filled your ramekins. However, I wouldn’t suggest going over an inch in thickness, or the ricotta taste will overpower the other ingredients.
    9. Cut the bread slice (crusts and all) into large squares and place in blender. Blend into breadcrumbs, then distribute breadcrumbs evenly over the ramekins.
    10. Sprinkle on parmesan, salt, and pepper; drizzle over a frew drops of oil.
    11. Place ramekins on a cookie/baking sheet to avoid spills or overflow.
    12. Place in oven on top rack to bake for approx. 8-10 minutes, until the tops begin to brown. If they do not seem heated enough, move then to the bottom shelf on 350 degree heat for an additional 4-5 minutes. If the mixture is toppling over the sides and fizzing, then they’re ready to come out!

    The garlic added quite a bit of flavour so feel free to go lighter on it- but my mother has told me it’s incredibly healthy, so I’m trying to sneak it in wherever possible! In any case, this is a hearty entree for vegetarians and a good, warm, dish to have on a cold day.

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    Mar 15

    Double Pesto Pork Roulade with Spanish Rice

    Last night I had an old friend joining us for dinner and when I asked the boyfriend what I should make, he of couse replied, “meat!”- no surprise there- and so meat it was. The lamb roulade had been a hit and I had been wanting to experiment with roulades a bit further, so I decided to simply go on my memories from last time and see what I came up with. A recent grocery trip had yielded some new pestos, so I decided that meant stuffing was in order.

    Here’s a quick description of how to replicate this dish and make your meat-eating friends or significant other happy:

    • Take meat (pork loin, chicken breast, lamb, what have you) and either a) get a piece that is thick enough to be stuffed, or b) flatten it (as I did). To flatten, place the meat on a cutting board and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. then beat vigorously (I hit it with a rolling pin- a meat tenderizer should work just as well!)
    • Place stuffing ingredients in middle of meat pieces, leaving room on the sides and bottom/top so as to (mostly) avoid spilling. You can stuff with a large number of ingredients. I went with traditional basil pesto, red bell pepper pesto, salt, pepper, and grated parmesan cheese this time around. You can experiment, however, with a wide range of sliced meats (meat in meat! the boyfriend loves the idea), cheeses, spreads, vegetables, and more.
    • Roll up the meat and tie with kitchen twine (or some similar string (you can purchase this at your local culinary wares store if you want to be fancy- or just get some twine from the craft/home store for much less, it’s really the same)) in as many places as necessary to ensure no spillage. This can be 3-5 times per roll, depending on how poorly you stuffed them (I once had to tie 6… that was not a fine stuffing job, I can tell you!)
    • You can now rub the rolls in some spice to add extra flavour if you so desire. I used cumin and pepper- I bet red pepper flakes would have gone well, too.
    • Take 3 cloves of garlic and 1 tablepsoon of butter (or vegan soy butter! I will continue to plug this substitution because there’s no reason not to do it) and bring to a simmer. Add in the meat rolls and begin searing. Add in 1/3 cup of dry sherry or a dessert wine (something that will caramelize) to give a nicely-coloured searing.
    • Once the meat is well-coloured on all sides, transfer to a baking dish and bake in a 380 degree oven for 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the meat.
    • Remove from oven and cut the strings, then slice as per your desired thickness.
    • For the rice, I made a traditional spanish rice but 1) cooked it in a home-made lamb stock I had been meaning to find use for, and b) added in freshly-sliced cherry tomatoes for a bit of a crunch

    As per usual, I perhaps had a bit too much fun with the plating, but the boys enjoyed it :). I should have cut the strings down so that there wouldn’t be such an excess, but I have an odd fear of them coming apart during roasting… but it’s probably a better idea for you to do so!

    You can make this dish in so many different ways- what meat and stuffings would you use?

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    Feb 9

    Pesto, Prosciutto, and Pesto Jack Cheese Lamb Roulade with Aromatic Vegetable Medley

    That title is a mouthful, I apologize, but it was an ingredient-filled dish! The main course of the boyfriend’s birthday dinner consisted of a really neat recipe by Giada. I was searching for lamb preparations that weren’t necessarily Greek (because when I think of lamb, that’s my first thought, usually) and happened upon this roulade. As prosciutto is another favourite of his (he fits well into the family in that regard, I’m the only one who isn’t crazy about it) and the fresh basil, if I couldn’t find any that was in good condition, could be substituted for some pesto, it seemed perfect.

    This recipe was incredibly easy to follow! My one caveat is making sure you have kitchen twine or a twine-like substance prior to starting to assemble. That, and you may need to use some force in closing the roulade if, like me, you over-stuffed the pocket. Another plus is making friends with the butcher to get a good cut of lamb- they had no boneless loin, so he kindly suggested they take a small leg and de-bone it for me. Not wanting to waste the fat or other pieces I was trimming off- my mother taught me to conserve!- I made a stock (about 4 hours of simmering- I would have prefered to infuse it longer but had to go to sleep eventually) that I’ll probably use later in the week for some couscous (I doubt its shelf life is over a week or so).

    I really do suggest this recipe if you have the time for it- there’s nothing too difficult about it. If you’re going to go with a sherry reduction for the sauce (which is my go-to sauce, anyway, so that was a nice surprise) have patience and wait it out until it’s bubbling like caramel, then spoon it over the lamb. I guarantee your patience will be worth the while! Also, to add a bit of flavour- and because I love them- I chopped in a white pearl onion while the lamb was browning, and threw in five more for the oiled baking dish to infuse the lamb a bit. And, sustainable bonus- when plating, I stored the pearls in a small container in the fridge and will re-use them later in the week for a planned vegetarian dish. Despite claiming he had barely eaten all day and was ravenous, the dish proved to be too much for one meal- making for a cutely-packaged leftover plate for dinner today when he came to visit. Cheers for leftovers! Paired with some warm rosemary bread (central market organics has a frozen one you can heat in the oven- make it as per serving suggestion with some brushed-on olive oil, sprinkling of sea salt and dried rosemary and it’s fantastic) it sent him into a food coma upon finishing :)

    Lastly- I sauteed the vegetables in salt, pepper, a little coriander, and olive oil, but what really made their flavours stand out was the secret ingredient- a little less than a tablespoon of pear-infused vinegar. The sweet and salty notes made for an excellent combination!

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