4-TOWN SPINACH AND STRAWBERRY SALAD
1 lb garden fresh spinach, rinsed and torn into salad size pieces
1 pint garden fresh strawberries, sliced
Mix ingredients together in salad bowl and dress with the following dressing:
Poppy-seed dressing:
½ cup sugar ½ cup canola oil
½ cup vinegar ½ tsp poppy seeds
Salt and pepper to taste
BASIL AND CILANTRO PESTO
2 ¾ cups basil leaves 3 ½ ounces pine nuts
¼ cup cilantro leaves ½ tsp salt
5 cloves garlic1 1 cup, more or less, olive oil
8 ounces Parmesan cheese,
grated
Place garlic and pine nuts into bowl of a food processor and process until thick paste. Add herbs and, with the motor running, drizzle olive oil in through the feed tube until pureed. Place puree in a bowl and add Parmesan and salt. Stir into warm pasta of your choice.
BRAISED LAMB WITH CARROTS AND SPINACH
3 ½ lb. lamb shoulder chops 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp. black pepper 4 tsp. ground cumin
1 ½ tsp. salt 2 tsp. ground coriander
1 to 3 TBS. olive oil 2 cups water
1 large onion, chopped 1 14oz. can whole tomatoes in juice
1 celery rib, chopped 6 medium carrots, cut crosswise into
1 ½ lb. baby spinach 2 ½" pieces
Preheat oven to 350 . Pat lamb dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Brown lamb chops in oil and transfer to a large ovenproof pot. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat and cook onion and celery until golden, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, cumin and coriander and stir for 1 minute. Add 1 cup water and deglaze the pan for 1 minute. Add juice from the tomatoes. Coarsely chop tomatoes and add to skillet. Pour over lamb. Cover and braise lamb in middle of oven for 1 ½ hours. Stir in carrots and braise 30 minutes more. Transfer pot to top of stove over medium heat. Stir in spinach and cook, uncovered, until spinach is tender, about 2 minutes.
