Month: March 2016

Roasted Garlic & Herbs Lamb Leg with Veggies
3/3/16

 

Ingredients
Lamb leg, boneless (1x 3-4lb); ~$25

Seasoning (to-taste)
Garlic (2-3 cloves)
Salt
Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper
Thyme (dried or fresh)
Rosemary (dried or fresh)
Olive oil

Vegetables ~$15
Mushrooms (~2lbs)
Cauliflower florets (~2lbs)
Mini squash (~2lbs)

Large aluminum or metal baking trays (3x)

Total raw ingredients cost: ~40

Steps
Total prep time: ~20-30mins
Baking/cooking time: ~1hr

Garlic & Herbs Lamb Leg
Remove lamb leg from packaging at slight room temperature and remove from twine / string
Optional – trim the outer layer of fat on the top of the lamb leg by slicing carefully away. I removed this which makes each slice easier to chew
Unroll lamb leg; season inside and outside generously with seasonings; coat and rub olive oil on the outside and inside

Reroll lamb leg and place back into string (may need another pair of hands); place into baking tray

 
Place in oven
Broil or bake at 500 F for 5-10 minutes until top is golden brown
Reduce heat to 330 F and bake for ~15mins per lb for a medium-rare (check the oven at the ~40min mark)
Remove lamb from oven and let rest, covered with aluminum foil for 10 minutes
Carve and make slices perpendicular to where the bone would run through the leg

Vegetables
Chop mushrooms, cauliflower, and squash into bite sized pieces

 
Combine salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil, and slices of butter to taste with vegetables
Wrap chopped mushrooms into a sealed aluminum foil shell

Place into baking trays and bake for 30-40 minutes until desired softness

 

Red Braised Pork Belly (Hong Sao Rou)
3/2/16

Ingredients
Pork Belly ~2 lbs
Rock Sugar, saturated in water, ~1/2 cup, to taste
Dark soy sauce ~1/2 cup, to taste
Light soy sauce ~1/2 cup, to taste
Cooking wine ~1/2 cup, to taste
Water ~1/2 cup
Star anise 3-4 cloves, whole
Garlic 3-4 cloves, smashed
Ginger 1 thumb-sized knob, sliced in large pieces

  

Firm tofu or firm tofu curd (optional), sliced in large rectangle pieces
Boiled eggs, cracked gently once (optional)

Large pot

Steps
Boil water in large pot
Submerge pork belly and cook for 10 minutes

Dump out hot water and rinse pork belly under cold water
Remove pork belly and slice into bite size cubes

Combine rock sugar and small amount of water and bring to a bubble in pot
Combine dark and light soy sauce
Combine pork belly such that it gets caramelized and glazed by the sauce
Combine star anise, garlic, and ginger
(Optional – combine sliced tofu and boiled egg)
Combine water and close lid, let simmer for 1-1.5 hr