Grilled Lamb With Dried Tomato Mint Tapenade

   

  

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason, this is also an account of what happens when I make this dish, so you'll understand each step. Of course when you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own! Few things I cook are as good as grilled lamb. I always take the time to build a wood fire because nothing else compares to its flavours. This marinade is very simple and features the strong flavour of oregano. The mustard helps the lemon juice and oil combine into a smooth marinade.

Ingredients

• Lamb
• A boneless leg of lamb, boned
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of dried oregano
• 8 garlic cloves, minced
• the zest and juice of 2 lemons
• 1/2 cup of grainy mustard
• Ground pepper
• Salt
• Tapenade
• 1 cup dried tomatoes, preferably oil packed
• 1 cup Calamata style black olives, pitted
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 tablespoons of capers
• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 3 anchovy fillets, more if you like
• 2 bunches of mint

Methods

1. With a hard wood like maple or birch. Don't use a soft wood such as pine because it produces a noxious tasting resinous smoke. If you can find it, use a fragrant fruitwood like cherry or apple. Let it burn down to glowing coals.
2. Fit with a grill. Alternately, heat a gas barbeque to medium-high heat. Butterfly the lamb by cutting it open into one piece through the center hole where the bone was removed.
3. You may end up with two pieces, which is fine. The point is to make it easier to grill by making it thinner.
4. Whisk together the olive oil, oregano, garlic, lemon zest and juice, grainy mustard and pepper in a dish large enough to hold the leg of lamb.
5. Mix well then add the lamb. Rub mixture over lamb and cover with plastic wrap.
6. Put in the refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour. For maximum flavour marinate overnight. You may also make the marinade in a smaller bowl and pour into a large Ziploc bag with the lamb, less mess!
7. Season the lamb with salt and place on the hot grill.
8. For medium rare - grill for 15 minutes on one side then turn and grill on the other side for a further 10 minutes or so. The lamb should be medium rare.
9. To double check feel free to cut a small slit into the thickest part and have a peek! Rest on a rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
10. This will allow the meat that's stressed out from the heat of the grill to relax and reabsorb the juices that are driven to the center of the cut.
11. By letting it rest you won't end up with a platter of juice and dry meat!
12. Slice thinly and serve with Dried Tomato Tapenade.
13. For the tapenade, a tapenade is just a paste of seasoned olives.
14. This version complements the brininess of the olives with salty anchovies and the bright flavours of dried tomatoes and airy mint.
15. Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree until the mixture is well combined but not smooth.
16. Store in a clean mason jar.

Roast Rack Of Lamb With Grain Mustard Crust And Zinfandel Sauce

A recipe is merely words on paper; a guideline, a starting point from which to improvise. It cannot pretend to replace the practiced hand and telling glance of a watchful cook. For that reason, this is also an account of what happens when I make this dish, so you'll understand each step. Of course when you cook it once, it becomes yours, so personalize it a bit. Add more of an ingredient you like or less of something you don't like. Try substituting one ingredient for another. Remember words have no flavour, you have to add your own!

A rack of lamb may seem intimidating at first but it's really just a small roast with some bones attached. Ask your butcher to 'french' the rack, which means to remove all the trim from between the bones. Also make sure the 'chine' bone has been removed, as this will make it much easier for you to slice it when the time comes. So that you don't overcook it, I strongly recommend using a meat thermometer; you'll get guaranteed results regardless of how different your oven is from mine!

Ingredients

• 2 racks of lamb, cleaned (save trimmings)
• Coarse salt and cracked pepper
• 3 tablespoons of olive oil or vegetable oil
• 1 cup of red Zinfandel wine or other big bodied red wine such as Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon
• 1 cup of chicken or beef stock, homemade or canned
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 bunch of tarragon, roughly chopped (save a few sprigs for garnish)
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/4 cup of grainy mustard
• 1 cup of course bread crumbs
• Salt and pepper

Methods

1. Preheat oven to 400°F(200°C). Season the meat with course salt and freshly ground pepper.
2. Preheat a sauté pan large enough to hold both lamb racks over medium-high heat.
3. Add the olive oil and the lamb racks, meat side down and brown well. At this point you're not trying to cook the meat through, you're just adding rich caramelized flavour to it that would be impossible to do once its insulated by the breadcrumb crust.
4. Using tongs, turn racks and brown the bone side. Place on a plate, resting on its bones while preparing the crust and sauce.
5. Toss the lamb trimmings into the sauté pan and brown until well caramelized. Drain excess fat and then pour the Zinfandel into pan, scraping up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. This is known as 'deglazing.'
6. The brown bits are caramelized juices from the meat and will add a ton of flavour to the sauce. Add the stock and bay leaves then simmer until the liquid reduces by two thirds to a sauce-like consistency.
7. Meanwhile in a small bowl mix the tarragon, egg yolk and mustard together.
8. Pat this mixture around the meaty part of the lamb racks, applying pressure to make it adhere. Pat on the breadcrumbs.
9. Place the lamb racks onto a baking sheet and bake until crust is golden, about 15 to 20 minutes. Insert a meat thermometer into the thickest part of the meat, when it reads 140°F(70°C), it's a perfect medium rare.
10. Rest on a rack for at least 10 minutes before slicing. This will allow the meat that's stressed out from the heat of the grill to relax and reabsorb the juices that are driven to the center of the cut. By letting it rest, you won't end up with a platter of juice and dry meat!
11. With a sharp knife, slice the lamb racks between every second rib bone.
12. Place two pieces in a warm bowl and spoon some Zinfandel sauce around them. Garnish with a sprig of tarragon

                  Beef Stew With Bean Curd Sticks And Chinese Chestnuts

Ingredients

• 300-400g beef brisket
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 slices ginger, crushed
• 2 slices galangal, crushed
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• Seasonings
• 1 cup beef stock
• 1/2 cup Shiraz Cabernet
• 1 cup water
• 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 11/2 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 tsp palm vinegar
• 1 lb. daikon, roll-cut
• 1 large carrot, roll-cut
• 4 green onions, crushed and cut into 2-inch pieces

Methods

1. Cut beef brisket in equal cubes.
2.  Bring a pot of water to a boil.
3.  Add beef to the pot and cook for 2 minutes.
4.  Heat oil in a hot wok over high heat, swirling it to coat the sides of the wok.
5.  Add ginger, galangal and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant.
6.  Add beef to the wok and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until browned.
7.  Add red wine and cook another minute.
8.  Add seasonings and bring to a boil.
9.  Reduce heat to low and braise for 11/2 to 2 hours or until beef becomes slightly tender.
10.  Add daikon, carrot, bean curd sticks, mushrooms and green onions.
11.  Cook for another 30 to 40 minutes or until vegetables soften.

                                        Spicy Red Chicken

Ingredients

• 6 Tbsp / 3 fl oz Vegetable Oil
• 2 Cinnamon Bark (Kulit Kayu Manis)
• 4 pieces Cloves
• 4 pieces Cardamoms
• 125 ml / 4 fl oz water
• 1 kg / 2 pounds / 3 oz Chicken, cut into 12 pieces
• 125 g / 4 fl oz Raisins, finely chopped
• 250 ml / 8 fl oz Tomato Ketchup (Tomato Sauce)
• 3 Tbsp / 1 1/2 fl oz Honey
• 3 Lemongrass (Serai), slightly bruised
• 1cm / 1/2 Galangal (Lengkuas or Blue Ginger), crushed
• 2 tsp toasted Sesame Seeds
• 2 Screw Pine Leaves (Daun Pandan), shredded and knotted
• 1 sprig Mint Leaves (Daun Pudina), roughly crushed
• 1 Lime (Limau Nipis)
• Salt to taste
• Paste Ingredients: - to be finely grounded
• 10 Shallots (Red Onion), peeled
• 2 Garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 cm / 1inch Ginger, peeled
• 1 Lemongrass (Serai)
• 15 pieces dried Chilies (Cili Kering) - softened in hot water, drain

Methods

1. Marinade chicken with a pinch of salt, and turmeric powder. Deep fry chicken together with 1 lemongrass (Serai), 1 screw pine leaves (Daun Pandan), and 1 cinnamon bark (Kulit Kayu Manis). Drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a wok; add in grounded paste, and the remaining cinnamon bark, cloves, cardamoms pods, screw pine leaf and lemongrass. Stir-fry until fragrant.
3. Add in galangal, raisins, tomato sauce and honey. Then, add in the chicken and crushed mint leaves. Bring to simmer for 1-2 minutes.
4. Lastly add in salt, lime juice and toasted sesame seeds.
5. Dish onto a serving plate. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds for garnish.

Steak, Cheese, Gherkins

Steak, Cheese, Gherkins

Ingredients

• 2 minute steaks – ideally thin slices of rump or topside (125–175g each)
• little olive rapeseed or sunflower oil
• Butter for spreading
• 4 slices of good fresh bread or
• 2 crusty warm baguettes, split
• 2–3 crunchy gherkins, sliced
• 4 slices of Cheddar or other well-flavoured hard cheese
• English mustard (optional)
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Methods

1. The steaks should be no thicker than 1cm. If necessary, put them between two sheets of greaseproof paper and give them a light ‘tapping’ with a mallet, rolling pin or other similar object, to thin them slightly.
2.  Heat a large frying pan or ridged cast-iron griddle pan over a high heat until very hot. Trickle some oil over the steaks and season them well on both sides with salt and pepper.
3.  Cook the steaks in the searing hot pan for just 45–60 seconds each side – no longer or they may become tough. Remove the steaks from the pan, transfer to a warm plate and allow them to rest for 5 minutes in a warm place.
4.  Butter the bread. Slice each steak neatly into 5 or 6 pieces, on an angle, and arrange over two of the bread slices or the bottom of the baguettes. Top the steak with the gherkins, cheese and mustard (if using) and sandwich together with the other bread slices or baguette tops. Serve with mustard.

Metallica Live in Malaysia 2013 21st August 2013

                     The heavy metal gods Metallica will be making their way to Malaysia this August 2013.

              Looks like August is a month for international rockers to descend to Kuala Lumpur. Within a span of a couple of days after Linkin Park’s concert, Metallica will be rocking it out on August 21st at Stadium Merdeka. 
The official announcement was made on the band’s site earlier on. After more than 30 years of travelling around the world, the legends are making a pitstop in our city for the first time.

    

Tickets will be on sale this weekend, July 6th and 7th, 11.30am onwards at Fahrenheit 88 mall, from the Galaxy Ticket Booth on the Ground Floor (near the Information Counter). Meanwhile, online ticketing will be open on Monday, July 8th at 10am from Ticket Charge and Galaxy.

Ticket prices are as follows:

Rock Zone ~ RM680, RM550, RM450

Free Seating ~ RM380, RM350, RM195

Tanda-Tanda Kematian Bermula Hari Ke-100 Menurut Islam -

Assalamualaikum dan selamat sejahtera kepada para pembaca yang sentiasa dirahmati oleh Nya. Terpanggil hari ini untuk - saya berkongsi artikel Islamik sekali lagi sebagai panduan pembaca sekalian. Artikel yang bertajuk “Tanda-Tanda Kematian Bermula Hari Ke-100 Menurut Islam” saya kongsikan daripada laman NuraZukhruf’s Blog. Sebelum tu jom kita renungi sabda Rasulullah SAW dibawah ini:- 

100 Hari Sebelum Hari Kematian

Ini adalah tanda pertama dari Allah SWT kepada hambanya dan hanya akan disadari oleh mereka-mereka yg dikehendakinya. Walau bagaimanapun semua orang Islam akan mendapat tanda ini, hanya apakah mereka sadar atau tidak saja. Tanda ini akan berlaku lazimnya setelah waktu Asar. Seluruh tubuh mulai dari ujung rambut sampai ke ujung kaki akan mengalami getaran, seakan-akan menggigil.

Contohnya seperti daging sapi/kambing yang baru disembelih, dimana jika diperhatikan dengan teliti kita akan mendapati daging tersebut seakan-akan bergetar. Tanda ini rasanya nikmat, dan bagi mereka yang sadar dan berdetak di hatinya bahwa mungkin ini adalah tanda kematian maka getaran ini akan berhenti dan hilang setelah sadar akan kehadiran tanda ini.

Bagi mereka yang tidak diberi kesadaran atau mereka yang hanyut dengan kenikmatan tanpa memikirkan soal kematian , tanda ini akan lenyap begitu saja tanpa ada manfaat. Bagi yang sadar dengan kehadiran tanda ini maka ini adalah peluang terbaik untuk memanfaatkan masa yang ada untuk mempersiapkan diri dengan amalan dan urusan yang akan dibawa atau ditinggalkan sesudah mati.

40 Hari Sebelum Hari Kematian

Tanda ini juga akan terjadi sesudah waktu Asar. Bagian pusat kita akan berdenyut-denyut. Pada ketika ini daun yang tertulis nama kita akan gugur dari pohon yang letaknya di atas Arash Allah swt. Maka malaikat maut akan mengambil daun tersebut dan mulai membuat persediaannya ke atas kita antaranya adalah ia akan mulai mengikuti kita sepanjang waktu.

Akan terjadi malaikat maut ini akan memperlihatkan wajahnya sekilas dan jika ini terjadi, mereka yang terpilih ini akan merasakan seakan-akan bingung seketika. Adapun malaikat maut ini wujudnya cuma seorang tetapi kuasanya untuk mencabut nyawa adalah bersamaan dengan jumlah nyawa yang akan dicabutnya.

7 Hari Sebelum Hari Kematian

Adapun tanda ini akan diberikan hanya kepada mereka yang diuji dengan musibah sakit di mana orang sakit yang tidak makan secara tiba- tiba dia berselera untuk makan.

3 Hari Sebelum Hari Kematian

Pada masa ini akan terasa denyutan di bahagian tengah dahi kita iaitu diantara dahi kanan dan kiri. Jika tanda ini dapat diketahui/ dipahami maka berpuasalah kita setelah itu supaya perut kita tidak mengandungi banyak najis dan ini akan memudahkan urusan orang yang akan memandikan kita nanti.

Ketika ini juga mata hitam kita tidak akan bersinar lagi dan bagi orang yang sakit hidungnya akan perlahan-lahan turun, dan ini dapat diketahui jika kita melihatnya dari bahagian sisi. Telinganya akan layu dimana bahagian ujungnya akan berangsur-angsur masuk ke dalam. Telapak kakinya yang terlunjur akan perlahan-lahan jatuh ke depan dan sukar ditegakkan.

1 Hari Sebelum Hari Kematian

Akan berlaku sesudah waktu Asar di mana kita akan merasakan satu denyutan di sebelah belakang iaitu di bahagian ubun-ubun di mana ini menandakan kita tidak akan sempat untuk menemui waktu Asar keesokan harinya.

Tanda akhir

Akan berlaku keadaan di mana kita akan merasakan satu keadaan dingin di bahagian pusat dan akan turun ke pinggang dan seterusnya akan naik ke bahagian halkum. Ketika ini hendaklah kita terus mengucap kalimah syahadah dan berdiam diri dan menantikan kedatangan malaikatmaut untuk menjemput kita kembali kepada Allah SWT yang telah menghidupkan kita dan sekarang akan mematikan pula.

BERSIAP SIAPLAH, HARI ITU PASTI AKAN DATANG! SUDAH SIAPKAH BEKAL KITA?

Wallahu a’lam

orang yang menyebarkan ini Insya Allah diberi ganjaran pahala bagi setiap orang yang membacanya, In Shaa Allah…ْ ﺁﻣﻴﻦ َ ﻱ َ ﺭ َﺑ ْﻌ َ َ ﻤ ِ ﻴ ّ ﻦ . .