httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvZGAppzODw
**Smoothed out the sound in this updated video**
Well, I found a new hobby. aka annoying Helenka (more than usual – and the funny thing is she gets to read this before it’s posted – ahh the evilness of it all) with bad spelling [Evil editor’s note: he spelled it ‘speling’] thrown in with some grammatically incorrect sentences. However, like the true perfectionist and very well written person that she is, she perseveres and sends me notes on what changes she has made (which is also why you may see changes being made in our RSS feeds). We have been friends for nearly 20 years and, as truly kindred spirits , adopted each other as little brother (me) and big sister (her) — so we get along famously, bickering and laughing all the way. Our episodes are more than 10 minutes long (as previously stated), so the parts I have to edit out are usually our antics (which spoils the fun because you can’t see them but, what the hey, ya does what ya can within the set limits).
Getting on with our real purpose for the blog, in this episode Helenka and I tried lamb, because I found within my cupboards a bottle of Vegetarian Lamb Curry Sauce by Sherri (I do not know why it’s called vegetarian, but there it is; I’d probably rename it myself to Meatetarian Lamb Curry Sauce – but who wants that on a bottle). [Evil editor’s note: Perhaps because the sauce contains NO animal protein, but you’re supposed to serve it with meat. Really, go figure.]
Hope you enjoy it!
B&H =:)
Now Serving: Lamp Chops in Curry Sauce
Recipe Ideas
- Check Helenka’s detailed notes!
Notes from the Chef’s Sidekick (Helenka)
Starting with a jar of Sherri Lamb Curry Sauce, Brian added broccoli tenders (long, slender, young stalks and florets) to the cooking sauce, saving a couple for raw garnishes. As for the lamb, he had four adorable loin lamb chops. Well, they really were adorable. I’d suggested a few days earlier that they could be broiled before being added to the simmering sauce. So, after sprinkling them with Australian Murray River salt and freshly ground pepper, he broiled them, then cut a vertical slit in each so they could absorb more sauce. The broccoli turned out to be an excellent choice of veggie to soak up yet more sauce. And we gobbled up everything together with garlic naan. Verdict: from our obvious enjoyment, another winner.
While Brian and I do agree on a whole bunch of things, I actually prefer shoulder chops over loin chops and the wide variety of cooking methods that can be employed besides broiling. A couple of terrific websites for getting splendid lamb recipes are:
http://www.national-obsession.com/category/list
http://www.nzlamb.ca/recipes/recipes.php
The latter source also has recipes printed on the outside of the packages of their frozen lamb products. As Brian has already proved, you can get a lot of helpful recipe tips from packages and jars. But it’s still an eye-opener to get an idea of just how much of a variety you can get from the official producers themselves. Not only that, but you can achieve quite a different result based on following the directions of one package as opposed to another (for example, roasting a rack of lamb at a higher temp. for a shorter time). But, then again, that’s all a part of the experimentation and discovery and, yes, FUN of cooking.
Another website that I can personally vouch for is:
http://bit.ly/929kuT = This is the website of the LCBO, the primary source of alcohol in the Province of Ontario that publishes a Food & Drink magazine several times a year (though the recipes are also available online). Unfortunately, two of my most memorable recipes are out of date on the website. In past years, I have made (and served Brian) seared Lamb Shanks cooked in White Vermouth and broth, with the addition of lemon zest, not to mention the obligatory sauteed onions and garlic. I’ve also tried to cut through some of the heavier lamb fat taste by adding lemon juice (not in the original recipe). I’ve served this dish over rotini pasta.
Variations
I’ve used the aforementioned shoulder chops in another recipe: braised lamb shoulder in red wine with mushrooms. Once again, full of flavour, served over pasta and garnished with freshly grated parmesan and chopped parsley.
Cooking time (duration): 60
Number of servings (yield): 2
Meal type: dinner
Culinary tradition: USA (Nouveau)