Coffee and Garlic-Rubbed Lamb Lollipops + Donkey & Goat's Grenache Noir

This was the second course for our Christmas dinner. You can read a bit about the tasting and planning here. Though this wine wasn't on the tasting menu for the day, Kelsey poured us a taste when we started talking about lamb lollipops. And I knew she had a winning combination.

In the Glass

This is the 2016 Grenache Noir from the El Dorado appellation. This is a lighter bodied red which makes it extremely food-friendly. I like that it's mineral-driven and simultaneously soft and playful.

Light and fruity with hints of berries at the forefront, the flavor deepens with each sip to reveal more complex fruits - think pomegranate or tart cherries - with just the right amount of fresh herbs.

On the Plate

Lamb lollipops are a family favorite. To complement the earthy tannins in the wine, I decided to go with a coffee and garlic rub with a bit of dried thyme.

Ingredients serves 4 as an appetizer (2 ribs per person)

rack of lamb with 8 ribs, sliced into lollipops
freshly ground salt
freshly ground pepper
olive oil
sixteen 1/2 t minced garlic
sixteen 1/2 t espresso-ground coffee
caper berries, for serving

Procedure

Lay ribs on a plate or parchment-lined tray. Season each side of lamb liberally with salt and pepper. Spoon 1/2 t minced garlic and 1/2 t coffee grounds on each lollipop. Flip over and repeat. Let meat stand for at least 10 minutes, longer, if you have time.

Heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat. Once hot, add the lamb and sear for 1 minute and flip it over. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes on the second side. Flip over again. This time cook for 3 to 4 minutes. At a total of 4 to 5 minutes per side, these were medium done. Adjust cooking time to your preferred doneness.

To serve, plate them with caper berries on the side. Serve hot.

Comments

Hot Chocolate Agasajo-Style {Spice It Up!}

photo by D For my Spice It Up! kiddos this week, I was looking for an exotic drink to serve while we learned about saffron. I found a recipe from food historian Maricel Presilla that mimicked traditional Spanish hot chocolate from the 17th century where it was served at lavish receptions called agasajos . When I teach, I don't always get to shoot photos. Thankfully, D grabbed my camera and snapped a few. Ingredients serves 14-16 1 gallon organic whole milk 3 T dried rosebuds - or 2 t rosewater 2 t saffron threads, lightly crushed 3 T ground cinnamon 3 whole tepin chiles, crushed 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate Procedure In a large soup pot that can hold a gallon plus, combine milk, dried rosebuds (or rosewater, if you are using that), saffron threads, ground cinnamon, chiles, vanilla beans, and sugar and warm over medium heat till it steams. Whisk to dissolve sugar, then lower heat an...

Frozen Art Gourmet Ice Cream

As we headed inland from the coast, I cringed as the temperature gauge in the car for outside temp climbed into the triple digits. Ugh. I'm a rather wimpy central coastal Californian who begins to wilt when it's 70 degrees outside. Thank goodness for air conditioning and a planned ice cream stop. When I parked the car outside Frozen Art Gourmet Ice Cream in Santa Rosa, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. We knew that we still had to get to the campsite...and set up our tents in the heat. But we were going to enjoy the cool, sweet treats from Frozen Art first! Michoacana ice creameries are the equivalent of Starbucks in Mexico; they're ubiquitous. Purists, however, claim that operating a true Michoacana ice cream shop require ties to Tocumbo. It's estimated that almost ninety percent of the Tocumban population is currently employed in the ice cream business from making ice cream itself to making equipment. But the real art of Tocumban ice creams: imaginat...

A Cheese Board Anchored on a Trio of Italian Cheeses + A Pinot Nero from Alto Adige #ItalianFWT on CulinaryCam.Com

I am in the process of migrating over to my new domain. Come on over to read " A Cheese Board Anchored on a Trio of Italian Cheeses + A Pinot Nero from Alto Adige " for December's #ItalianFWT.

Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Search This Blog