Prosciutto wrapped Asparagus with Shallot and Rice Wine Beurre Blanc

Recipe from Kitchen on Fire

1 bunch Thin Asparagus, trimmed into 3 inch pieces
6-10 slices Prosciutto
Olive Oil for drizzling

6-7 tbsp Rice Wine Vinegar
3 tbsp Shallot, minced
¾ cup Butter, cubed & chilled
to taste Salt & Pepper

Preheat the oven to 400˚.

Toss the asparagus with a good drizzle of olive oil & place into 3-5 piece bundles. Wrap each with a ¼ piece (or ½ piece) of prosciutto & place onto an oiled sheet tray into the oven for about 15 minutes; until the prosciutto is crispy & the asparagus is tender.

In a sauce pan on med-high heat, add the vinegar & shallot; reduce the liquid until almost dry. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the butter a few cubes at a time (you want the butter to melt & without separating to butter fat & foam). Move back to the heat as necessary. Whisk until all butter is melted & smooth. Season with salt & pepper; serve with the asparagus.

Beef and Broccoli

1/2 pound beef, sliced
1 bunch of young broccoli (can also add carrots)
1 teaspoon crushed ginger
1/4 cup water
1 clove garlic, crushed
4 tablespoons oil

Mix:
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon sherry
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Marinate meat in mixture of cornstarch, salt, sugar, sherry, and soy sauce. Peel stalks of broccoli. Drop broccoli into boiling water and parboil 1 minute. Remove and slice. Heat pan, add 2 tablespoons oil, and saute beef for a few seconds. Remove. Reheat pan, add 2 tablespoons oil, and saute ginger, garlic, and broccoli 1 minute. Add beef and water and simmer 2 minutes.

Rack of Lamb With Pimentón, Garlic and Olive Oil

Recipe by Mark Bittman for The New York Times

1 rack of lamb (about 2 pounds)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon pimentón (smoked paprika)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium slice rye bread, broken into pieces.

Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Trim the lamb of excess fat, but leave a layer of fat over the meat. Cut about halfway down the bones between the chops; this allows the meat between them to become crisp.

Put the oil, garlic, paprika and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a food processor and purée; add the bread and pulse a few times to make rough crumbs. Rub this mixture over the meat side of the rack and sprinkle with more salt and pepper. Put it in a roasting pan and into the oven; roast for 18 to 20 minutes. Insert an instant-read meat thermometer straight in from one end into the meatiest part. If it reads 125 degrees or more, remove the lamb immediately. If it reads less, put the lamb back for 5 minutes, no more. Remove and let sit for 5 minutes. Serve, separating the ribs by cutting down straight through them.

Yield: 4 servings.

Fettuccine With Sausage And Fried Sage Leaves

Recipe from The New York Times

1 pound fettuccine
4 hot Italian sausages (I recommend substituting with vegetarian sausages) 
About 24 sage leaves
3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
About 1 cup heavy cream
Coarse sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Freshly grated Reggiano Parmesan

Bring four quarts of water to a boil for the fettuccine. Meanwhile, in a small frying pan, simmer the sausages in water to cover for 10 minutes. Remove them from the pan and allow them to cool.

Fry the sage leaves in the olive oil in a skillet until they are crisp. Drain them on paper towels, leaving the oil in the skillet.

Chop the sausages in chunks and saute them in the oil until the pieces are browned, adding the garlic toward the end so that it gets golden but not burned. Remove the sausage from the pan and set aside. Meanwhile, cook fettuccine until al dente.

Pour off the fat from the skillet and add the cream. Bring it to a boil, scrape up cooking juices and return the sausage to heat through. Correct seasoning.

Drain the pasta and put it in a heated serving bowl. Pour the sauce on top. Toss and sprinkle with sage leaves. Serve with Parmesan passed separately at the table.

YIELD: 4 servings

Marinated Skirt Steak

Recipe from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home. It was recommended by my friend Anne.

6 thyme sprigs
Two 8-inch rosemary sprigs
4 small bay leaves
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
5 garlic cloves, smashed, skin left on
2 cups extra virgin olive oil
Six 8-ounce trimmed outer skirt steaks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Canola oil
2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter
4 thyme sprigs
2 garlic cloves, smashed, skin left on

Combine the thyme, rosemary, bay leaves, peppercorns, garlic, and oil in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let the marinade cool to room temperature. Pull away the excess fat from the skirt steak and discard. If necessary, trim the steak of any silverskin. Cut crosswise into 6 equal pieces. Put in a dish or a resealable plastic bag, add the marinade, and cover the dish or seal the bag, squeezing out excess air. Marinate for at least 4 hours, or for up to a day, in the refrigerator.

Remove the meat from the marinade and let sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before cooking; discard the marinade. Dry the meat with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set a roasting rack in a roasting pan. Heat some canola oil in a large frying pan over high heat. When it shimmers, add half the meat and quickly brown the first side. Turn the meat and, working quickly, add 1 tablespoon of the butter, 2 thyme sprigs, and 1 garlic clove and brown the meat on the second side, basting constantly; the entire cooking process should take only about 11/2 minutes. Transfer the meat to the rack and spoon the butter, garlic, and thyme over the top. Wipe the pan and repeat with the remaining steaks.

Transfer the baking sheet to the oven and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the center of the meat registers about 125°F. Remove from the oven and let the meat rest on the rack in a warm place for about 10 minutes for medium-rare.

Arrange the steak on a serving platter, or slice each piece against the grain, cutting straight down, and arrange on the platter. Garnish with the garlic and thyme.

Slow-Cooked Leg of Lamb With Fresh Mint Sauce

Recipe from Mark Bittman for The New York Times

The lamb roasts undisturbed for hours at a time; it can be finished in as little as 6 hours or as many as 8 or 10. It can be cooked most of the way and set aside for a few hours (tented with aluminum foil), to be finished just before serving, or held in a very low oven for an hour or even two (again, covered) after it is done.

4 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 tablespoon coarse salt
1 whole leg of lamb, about 6 pounds
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups fresh mint

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Mince garlic and mix with salt. With a small sharp knife, poke holes all over lamb and insert some garlic-salt mixture into each hole. Smear any remaining mixture on lamb skin, then sprinkle with additional salt, if desired, and pepper. Place lamb in roasting pan, cover lightly with aluminum foil and put it in oven.

Cook for 4 hours, then remove foil. Cook for about 2 more hours, or until a sharp, thin-bladed knife can be easily inserted into meat. If lamb skin is not browned, raise heat to 400 degrees for 10 minutes.

To make mint sauce, combine vinegar and sugar in a small saucepan with 1/3 cup water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil and cook for about 30 seconds longer. Cool for a few minutes, then place in a blender with mint; blend until smooth. Keep at room temperature until ready to serve (or refrigerate overnight and return to room temperature before serving).

Carve lamb and spoon pan juices over slices. Serve hot, passing sauce at table.