This is, perhaps, another way to serve lamb (especially for an Easter Feast) or simply to impress friends and family.
- 2 cups day old baguette
- 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/4 cup fresh basil leaves
- 2 tbsp. fresh minced ginger root
- salt and pepper to taste
- 6 tbsp. butter, divided
- 2 boneless single lamb loin roasts (12 oz. each approx.)
- 10 oz. fresh peas, pea shoots and micro greens for garnish
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a food processor pulse together the baguette, mint, basil, ginger, a pinch of salt and pepper until finely chopped. Add 6 tbsp. butter and pulse until a paste forms.
Season the loins with salt and pepper and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Pack the bread paste around the loin roasts so it adheres. Bake about 15-18 minutes. transfer to a cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes.
While these are cooking, add the peas in a saucepan with just enough water to cover. Boil for 2 minutes and drain well. Reserve the water. In a blender, add the peas and the remaining 2 tbsp. butter and some of the water so it becomes thick and smooth. Season with salt and pepper.
When ready to serve, slice the lamb across the grain and arrange on 4 plates, spoon the peas around the lamb and garnish with the shoots and micro greens.
Serve with a small salad and, of course, a glass of good Sav. Cabneret or Sangiovese wine. Then, toast the cook and then toast again.
Spring Pea Soup – The Best You Will Ever Eat
I know, you don’t like peas…and you think this could be a Habitat Pea Soup. Not! We were treated to this last night at a cooking class. Shannon from The Lake Village Bakery put this recipe up and Sean, her husband did the cooking and explanation why he did what he did, and it made perfect sense. OMG it was good. These two work so well together, it is fun to watch them.
Soup Base
- 3 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 medium onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 4 carrots, chopped
- 500 g shelled peas (frozen will do just fine)
- 50 g butter
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- 2 litres of vegetable stock
- 500 mls whipping cream
Heat a large pot over medium heat, then add 2 tbsp. vegetable oil. Now add the celery, onions, garlic, carrots and stir, cooking until soft. Add the butter and peas and cook for 2 minutes while stirring. Add the flour and continue stirring and cook for another 2 minutes. Add the stock and cream and continuously stir to keep the flour from sticking. Bring to a boil then turn down and simmer for about 45-60 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh sieve.
Soup
- Soup base from above
- 1 kg shelled blanched fresh peas or not blanched, frozen
- 10 oz. baby spinach
In a blender start on low speed, then speed up) add the soup base, peas and spinach and blend (puree). Keep doing this for 4-5 minutes. The longer you blend, the greener it gets.
Strain this through a fine mesh sieve, making sure to press it through. Discard the pulp. Garnish this with the homemade Creme Fraiche (recipe follows) and a little lime zest on top.
- 3 parts whipping cream
- 1 part buttermilk
Stir together until well combined. Put in a glass jar or container. Cover with saran wrap and poke a few holes in the saran. Sit on the counter for 2 nights and then refrigerate for up to 1 week. If, in the summer, only let it sit on the counter for 1 night.
You won’t believe this. Truly, it is simply delicious.
French Canadian Pea Soup
This is a wonderful soup to have on a very cold winter’s day whether it was walking along a stormy beach, skating or skiing or just wanting a little comfort food.
Serves 8
- 1 lb. whole dried yellow peas
- 8 cups water
- 1/2 lb. salt pork (better yet, ham bone)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1/2 cup celery, ribs removed, chopped fine
- 1/4 cup carrot, grated fine
- 1 tsp dried savory
- 1 red pepper, seeded and chopped fine
- 1 tsp salt
Wash and sort peas, place in large pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let sit for one hour.
Add the salt pork (ham bone) onion, red pepper, celery, carrots, savory and 1 tsp salt.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until peas are very tender (about two hours) adding more water, if required. Remove salt pork (ham bone) and chop the meat and return it to the soup.
Take one half of the soup and slowly puree in a blender and add back to the soup. Be sure to let it cool down a little or it will explode. Oh yes, it will…and your kitchen will look like a war zone. Just ask anyone that this has happened to and it wasn’t me!
This also freezes well so you can have leftovers for lunch a little later on.
