Roasted Lamb with Mixed Berry Sauce and Extension of Fruit Fast Giveaway Deadline

 

I wanted to prepare roasted leg of lamb or roasted lamb shanks for dinner but Food Pyramid and Walmart were already sold out.  My eye was drawn to a package of Cedars Spring Split Lamb Breast on the shelf.  It was not very fatty and the ribs were visible so it looked like I could cut the meat into convenient "riblets" and it would cost me a only a couple of dollars.  When I arrived home I decided to go ahead and roast the split lamb breast but make a savory mixed berry sauce instead of the traditional Greek roasted lamb recipe I use. 

*****Just a reminder:  I am extending the deadline for the Fruit Fast Giveaway (see the announcement at the bottom of the post).******

Here's my roasted lamb split breast recipe:

1 package Split Lamb Breast

1 tsp canola oil

 kosher salt and pepper

1/4 cup Cabernet Sauvignon

1/2 cup beef broth

1/2 tsp Fruit Fast Mixed Berry Liquid (adding more than this is overpowering)

2 tsp rice vinegar

2 tsp brown sugar

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Brush the lamb split breast with oil and season liberally with kosher salt and pepper. Place it in a roasting pan with the ribs facing down. Roast the lamb for about 1-1/2 hours.  Remove the lamb from the pan and let it rest for about10 minutes. While the meat is resting, prepare the sauce.

Pour out some of the excess fat and juices from the pan and put it over medium-high heat. Deglaze the pan with Cabernet Sauvignon and beef broth.  Add the mixed berry liquid, rice vinegar and brown sugar and let it come to a boil while stirring. Turn off the heat. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Serve warm roast with the mixed berry sauce. Yum!

Extension of Giveaway Deadline

If you still have not joined this Fruit Fast Giveaway, there is still time.  I'm extending the deadline to March 28, 2010.  To get a chance to win this great giveaway, see details in the post here.  If you don't have a blog, you can still win --you don't have to place your email address in the comments--send it to momgateway@gmail.com to keep your privacy.  Good luck to everyone!

Super Fruits and Fruit Sushi: Cherry Coconut Cream Gelee and a GIVEAWAY

Certain red and purple colored fruits like cherries, blueberries, black plums, blackberries, raspberries and pomegranate are called super fruits as they are rich in substances known as antioxidants.  Antioxidants protect our cells from damaging effects of free radicals. Flavonoids, beta-carotene, lutein, lycopene, selenium, vitamins A, C and E are examples of antioxidants in fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, meats and fish. WebMd talks about antioxidants, their sources and how to get more of these in a healthy diet. You might want to check it out. 

Another health food is agar (agar-agar/ kanten).  It is a vegetarian gelatin substitute from seaweed extract and it contains about 84% fiber.  In Japan where nearly everyone thinks "thin is beautiful", the kanten diet is getting a lot of attention as a potential weight loss agent. When eaten as part of a meal, agar triples in size and readily absorbs water so a person feels full quickly and becomes less prone to overeat!

I've been trying to be creative in getting more super fruits in our meals. So today I'm sharing a recipe using 

FruitFast---a liquid fruit supplement. Each teaspoon of FruitFast contains 100-200 mg of anthocyanins (a flavonoid antioxidant).  FruitFast products are made from Michigan red tart cherries, pomegranates, wild blueberries and the fruit pastes are placed into yummy snack bars, fruit goos and liquid fruit supplements.  The process maintains the fruits' original composition so it is not a fruit extract or a powder. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to enter the FruitFast giveaway.

To create this fruit sushi, I used FruitFast Cherry Flex derived from 100% Montmorency Tart Cherries.  I made two kinds of gelee -- cherry and coconut cream---and let them set in separate containers.  The base of my fruit sushi was a layer of cherry gelee.  Over this, I placed coconut cream gelee and another layer of cherry gelee.  On top this stack I had a slice of fresh, ripe mango and kiwi. The tartness and intensity of cherry is beautifully balanced by the delicate flavor of the creamy coconut gelee and the sweetness of ripe mangoes and kiwi. If you like to try a new dessert, here's the recipe:

Cherry Gelee

1 cup water
2 Tbsp Fruit Fast Cherry Flex
3 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp agar
Mix everything in a saucepan.  Make sure the agar is completely dissolved then turn on the heat. Let simmer for a couple of minutes till all the sugar and agar granules are in solution. Pour into a rectangular mold and place in the refrigerator to set for about 2 hours.

Coconut Cream Gelee

1/2 cup water
1/4 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 tsp sugar
1.5 tsp agar
Mix everything in a saucepan.  Make sure the agar is completely dissolved then turn on the heat. Let simmer for a couple of minutes till all the sugar and agar granules are in solution. Pour into a rectangular mold and place in the refrigerator to set for about 2 hours.

Assemble the fruit sushi and cut to serving sizes. Enjoy!

GIVEAWAY ANNOUNCEMENT

You have a chance to try FruitFast products!  FruitFast is giving away fruit bars and liquid supplements to one of my readers.  Their Montmorency Dried Tart Cherries and fruit supplement bars are amazing but they have a variety of products you can choose from so if you want to enter the giveaway, visit their website and tell me (in the comments section) which three products you'd like to try by March 21.  They will ship it to the winner directly.  If you don't have a blog, you can still win --you don't have to place your email address in the comments--send it to momgateway@gmail.com to keep your privacy.  Good luck to everyone!

Autumn Candied Kabocha Fruit Parfait with Cola Syrup

Autumn Candied Kabocha Fruit Parfait with Cola Syrup


Autumn is the time to enjoy lots of kabocha squash and persimmons! The best kabocha is sold in late fall and winter. It's flesh is firm, dense and sweet. In the summer, most of the kabocha in the market is almost dried out. I use kabocha for tempura, stew and dessert. Personally, I like candied kabocha better than sweetened yams.

One of my favorite fruits is persimmon. Most of the time, I like the Fuyu variety better than the heart-shaped, very astringent Hayachi variety. Fuyu persimmons are ready to eat right away even when it's still a bit firm and crunchy. I prefer to let it ripen a couple days till it's sweet but not mushy. The Hayachi variety is rich in tannins and tastes real nasty if eaten before it's completely ripe. But, if you let it sit at room temperature till it's completely soft, then it slowly becomes unbelievably delicious and sweet with an amazingly smooth texture just perfect for a parfait.

In this recipe, I'm combining two of my favorite autumn fruits into a dessert topped with ricotta cheese and cola syrup. Hope you like it. This is my entry to Royal Foodie Joust at the Leftover Queen Forum.

Ingredients:
candied kabocha*
cola syrup**
1 cup ricotta cheese
1/4 cup dried prunes, chopped
2 very, very ripe, almost mushy Hayachi persimmon (This is important!!)
1/4 cup cooked elbow macaroni
1/4 cup granola (optional)

Prepare candied kabocha and cola syrup (see recipes below). Scoop out the mushy, soft and sweet flesh of Hayachi persimmon. Use a parfait glass or wine glass for this dessert. To assemble the parfait, place alternating layers of persimmon pulp followed by a layer of cooked elbow macaroni then some dried prunes and candied kabocha squash. Add the ricotta cheese last and top this dessert with cola syrup. The macaroni gives an interesting texture and the ricotta is mild to balance the sweetness of the candied squash and cola syrup. Optional: I did not have granola but adding it over the dessert gives it some crunch and texture.

Candied kabocha squash:
1 cup water
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 lb kabocha squash, cut up

Combine water and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Allow to boil and reduce by half then add the kabocha squash. Reduce heat and simmer till squash is partly cooked and still a bit firm and the syrup coats the squash. Turn off the heat and remove saucepan from the stove. The squash will continue to cook as it cools down. Set aside.

Cola syrup:
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 c Coke or A&W Root Beer
1 Tbsp dark corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla
In a saucepan combine sugar, cola, and corn syrup and boil over medium heat, stirring constantly till thick and syrupy, then add vanilla and let cool.





I am also excited to participate in the Macaroni and Cheese 5 Star Makeover.

Single Serve Mini Pavlovas

I was mulling about vinegar, the secret ingredient for Weekend Wokking hosted by Blazing Hot Wok. Then, I recalled this light and airy dessert topped with strawberry and kiwi that I tasted at my friend’s house years back. The origin of this light meringue dessert is highly controversial with both New Zealand and Australia claiming it as their own. What is known is it was created to honor the ballerina Anna Pavlova on one of her tours to Australia and New Zealand in the early 1920's.

In the past, the pavolva recipe by Gale Gand worked well for me. My only problem was it was messy to cut up and serve. So this time I made single serve mini pavlovas instead of a huge dessert. I also replaced the whipped cream with sour cream to cut the sweetness of the meringue.

Here's my recipe loosely adapted from Gale Gand:

• 4 egg whites, at room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
  
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups sour cream
• 2 kiwi fruits, peeled and thinly sliced
  
• 10 strawberries, green parts trimmed off, thinly sliced
  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using a hand mixer, whip the egg whites, granulated sugar, cream of tartar and salt in a clean, dry bowl until foamy. Slowly add the cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla and continue whipping until stiff peaks form and the surface is smooth and glossy.

Spoon the egg whites onto a silicon mat/ silicon baking cups. The silicon mat works better as it makes it easier to remove the crispy meringues. In my experience, silicon baking cups may distort some so you won't have perfectly shaped rounds but the texture of the meringue will be similar to marshmallows.

Bake in the center of the oven for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to 300 degrees and bake until the meringue has puffed up and the surface is lightly browned ~ about 45 minutes more. Turn off the oven, crack the oven door open and let the pavlova cool in the oven at least 30 minutes, to room temperature. I actually let it sit in the oven overnight so that it cools gradually to protect the delicate meringue.

Spoon the sour cream in the center of the cooled mini pavlovas. Arrange slices of kiwi and strawberry on top of the sour cream. Serve right away. Delicious.

Pavlova is relatively easy to make but the final product looks so elegant. What do you think?

Almond Orange Chicken and Veggies

Orange Chicken is popular in many Chinese restaurants but my family does not really care for the sticky, overwhelmingly sweet or pungent flavor of orange chicken sauce. My Almond Orange Chicken and Veggies is a milder version, more salty than sweet with a gentle almond flavor. For added crunch and flavor, the chicken is has a light coating of flour and chopped almonds and is paired with broccoli and carrots. The sauce is loosely adapted from a copycat orange chicken recipe. If you're in a rush, you may also use store-bought chicken nuggets and just make the sauce.

Here's the recipe I'm submitting to Weekend Wokking, created by Wandering Chopsticks. The host this month is Blazing Hot Wok. The secret ingredient for March is Almonds.

For the chicken:
4 chicken breast fillets, cut into chunks
salt and pepper
1 egg white (beaten)
1 Tbsp flour + 3 tsp finely chopped almonds
oil for frying

For the veggies:
1 cup broccoli
1/2 cup carrot slices
1 cup water

For the sauce:
1 Tbsp canola oil
2 tsp garlic
2 tsp ginger
1 tbsp green onions
1 tbsp Shaoshing rice wine
1/3 cup orange juice
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
4 Tbsp seasoned rice wine vinegar
4 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
a few drops of sesame oil
Siracha (hot sauce) to taste
8 orange slices
2 tsp almond slices

Season chicken chunks with salt and pepper. Dip chicken in beaten egg white and roll lightly in flour-almond mixture. If you prefer, you can also use store-bought chicken nuggets and fry them till golden brown.

In a wok, heat canola oil to 350 F. When oil is hot enough, add chicken a few at a time and cook till lightly golden brown. Since the chicken is lightly coated, be very careful not to overcook the chicken as it will get tough. Remove chicken from oil and drain on paper towels.

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup water to boil then blanch broccoli and carrots for about 3 minutes and quickly transfer veggies to ice cold water.

Clean wok and add 1 tbsp canola oil. Stir-fry garlic and ginger, then the green onions. Add orange juice, rice wine, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, brown sugar and cornstarch. Let the sauce thicken then remove wok from the stove. Stir in sesame oil, Siracha hot sauce, chicken, broccoli and carrots, orange slices, and almond slices. Serve immediately with steamed rice.

S.M.A.R.T. Goals and Tropical Fruit Salad

I know it’s already the 4th week of 2009 but over the weekend I was listening to a pastor from Seattle talk about setting S.M.A.R.T. goals. S.M.A.R.T. is an acronym for the type of goals that work. Here’s what each letter stands for: S: Specific,M: Measurable, A: Attainable, R: Realistic andT: Timely/Tangible.

You might be wondering how this relates to my food blog entry today. Well, lately, teen son and hubby have been complaining about needing more fiber in their diet. So, among the several personal goals I made for myself this year, one relates to the food I prepare for my family. For me, it’s challenging to consistently meet the “5 to 9 servings a day” of fruit and veggies. When I’m too busy, it’s so easy to slip up. So, one of my S.M.A.R.T. goals is to serve 5-9 servings of fruit and veggies at least 5 days a week. I think the following tips from About.com and WebMD will help keep me focused in the right direction.

WebMD lists 19 easy ways to get the recommended 9 servings a day.

A serving of fruit or vegetables can be a medium sized nectarine or ¼ cup dried fruit or ½ cup fresh fruit or ½ a grapefruit or ¼ cup cantaloupe or a dozen grapes or ½ cup chopped vegetables or 8 carrot sticks or ¾ cup fruit juice/ vegetable juice.

As a rule of thumb, about 2 cups of fruit and 2 ½ cups of vegetables every day can meet the quota.Making a fruit salad, tossing fruit into your breakfast, snacking on dried fruits, spooning up some soup, drinking your fruits and veggies, and having prepared fruits and vegetables ready to go in the fridge are just some practical tips at WebMD.

Here’s a recipe from WebMD that I tried. The Tropical Fruit Salad was simple, delicious and refreshing. This healthy treat is definitely a keeper!

20-ounce can pineapple chunks canned in juice

2 kiwi, peeled, halved and sliced

2 cups strawberry, quartered

1 large banana, sliced

1 papaya or mango, peeled and cubed (or 11-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained)

½ teaspoon finely grated lime zest or peel

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 ½ tablespoons honey

1/3 cup unsweetened or sweetened shredded coconut (optional)

Drain pineapple chunks, and set aside 1/4 cup of the pineapple juice in a 2 cup-measure. Put pineapple chunks, kiwi, strawberries, banana, and papaya or mango into large serving bowl. To the pineapple juice, add lime peel, lime juice and whisk together until nicely blended. Drizzle over the salad, and toss to coat the fruits well. Sprinkle coconut over the top before serving, if desired. Yield: About 7 cups.