had some nice looking produce and a couple of interesting ingredients, namely fresh turmeric, and macadamia nut oil. The menu ended up being spiced and broiled lamb belly ribs, Lentils with fresh turmeric and leeks, red chard with leeks and andouille sausage, and spicy israeli salad. I removed the sausage from its casing and chopped it finely, then browned the sausage until it was mostly brown bits. Then I deglaze the pan with beer, but you could easily use wine. Don't forget to scrape up the brown bits after deglazing; they are a powerhouse of flavor. Under Steve’s bad influence i put a splash of lamb fat in both the lentils and chard, about a tbsp. each, this was completely optional and slightly overkill but very delicious.
Dinner was delicious, the ribs were fatty and tender and flavorful. The lentils were honestly amongst the tastiest I have ever had, the turmeric adding a subtle but amazing flavor, that is difficult to describe, similar to the dried spice, but less intense with a some vegetable flavor. As for the chard, well I tend to love dark leafies and this was no exception, bright and flavorful, any trace of bitterness removed by the squirt of lemon juice. The israeli salad came out nicely as well, the bright acidic flavor helping to cut through the richness of the rest of the meal.
Recipe after the break.
