Spring Fever
Spring is in the air and I am just itching to get spring produce on our menus. This simple soup is packed with fresh light spring flavors. If you cant find fresh or frozen peas fresh edamame beans removed from the shell would make a great substitute. Well I prefer to work with fresh artichokes that is a luxury we don’t have at the moment, look for whole not pickled artichokes in cans or glass jars.
Pairing a wine with artichokes always seems to be a challenge because they have a tendency to make everything taste a little sweet. So I recommend pairing them with a highly acidic style wine with no oak and very little tannins, white wines from Greece or Italy such a Soave or Verdicchio have enough acid to pair nicely with this spring soup.
Roasted Lamb loin with La Vignarola - Roman-Style Spring-Vegetable Stew
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
400 g lamb loin, cut into 4 portions
8 artichokes (whole canned) cut in half
125ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 large onion, diced
50g smoked bacon, guanciale or pancetta, sliced into strips
500ml low sodium chicken broth or home made chicken stock
250g cups shelled fresh or frozen peas
50g cup chopped parsley
25g mint leaves
25ml teaspoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Place the lamb loin portions and a plate and season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Heat a sauté or grill pan over high heat. Add just enough olive oil just to coat the bottom of the pan. Place your lamb loins into the hot pan and sear on all sides about 5-6 min for Medium rare. Remove the loins and set aside on a towel to rest.
Heat a 12-inch nonreactive pan over medium heat. Add 100ml olive oil and when hot, add the onion, and smoked bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion and bacon are translucent, about 10 minutes. Drain artichokes and add to the pan, along with 500ml of chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. If using frozen peas, add them and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle in mint. Season with lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper and salt. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
Divide the soup into four shallow bowls, arranging the artichokes in the center of the plate. Slice the reserved lamb loin into thin slices. Place the lamb on top of the artichokes. Place mint leaves around the place and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
Spring Fever
Spring is in the air and I am just itching to get spring produce on our menus. This simple soup is packed with fresh light spring flavors. If you cant find fresh or frozen peas fresh edamame beans removed from the shell would make a great substitute. Well I prefer to work with fresh artichokes that is a luxury we don’t have at the moment, look for whole not pickled artichokes in cans or glass jars.
Pairing a wine with artichokes always seems to be a challenge because they have a tendency to make everything taste a little sweet. So I recommend pairing them with a highly acidic style wine with no oak and very little tannins, white wines from Greece or Italy such a Soave or Verdicchio have enough acid to pair nicely with this spring soup.
Roasted Lamb loin with La Vignarola - Roman-Style Spring-Vegetable Stew
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
400 g lamb loin, cut into 4 portions
8 artichokes (whole canned) cut in half
125ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 large onion, diced
50g smoked bacon, guanciale or pancetta, sliced into strips
500ml low sodium chicken broth or home made chicken stock
250g cups shelled fresh or frozen peas
50g cup chopped parsley
25g mint leaves
25ml teaspoon lemon juice, plus more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
Place the lamb loin portions and a plate and season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Heat a sauté or grill pan over high heat. Add just enough olive oil just to coat the bottom of the pan. Place your lamb loins into the hot pan and sear on all sides about 5-6 min for Medium rare. Remove the loins and set aside on a towel to rest.
Heat a 12-inch nonreactive pan over medium heat. Add 100ml olive oil and when hot, add the onion, and smoked bacon. Cook, stirring occasionally until the onion and bacon are translucent, about 10 minutes. Drain artichokes and add to the pan, along with 500ml of chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. If using frozen peas, add them and cook for 2 minutes. Sprinkle in mint. Season with lemon juice, freshly ground black pepper and salt. Drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.
Divide the soup into four shallow bowls, arranging the artichokes in the center of the plate. Slice the reserved lamb loin into thin slices. Place the lamb on top of the artichokes. Place mint leaves around the place and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil.