Lamb Patties with Mint Chutney

Mint Chutney
1 cup packed mint leaves (stems removed)
1 fresh red chili, seeds removed, finely diced
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
2 tablespoons finely diced ginger
1 pinch coarse gray sea salt
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon lime juice
4 tablespoons chicken stock

Patties
1 1/2 teaspoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1 1/4 pounds ground lamb
1/2-1 teaspoon salt to taste
1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped chives
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon olive oil
8 ounces Montrachet goat cheese

Chutney

Blanch mint leaves in salted water for about 15 seconds, and immediately shock in ice water. Squeeze dry, and finely chop with a sharp knife. Heat the remaining ingredients in a saucepan for 3 to 4 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Allow to cool, then add chopped mint leaves.
Patties
Melt the butter in a sauté pan, add shallots and garlic and sweat, add spices, and allow to cool. Transfer the garlic-shallot mixture to a large bowl, along with lamb, salt, and herbs, and mix together well. Heat the oil in a sauté pan and cook a sample of the spiced lamb to taste seasoning.
Form the goat cheese into 1/2-inch balls. Take a tablespoon of the lamb mixture and flatten into a disc, place a ball of goat cheese in the center, and wrap the lamb around the cheese until it is completely encased. Heat the oil in the sauté pan, and cook the patties for 3 to 4 minutes over medium-high heat, turning, until brown. Serve topped with a spoonful of chutney.

Not a creature was stirring..............

Merry Christmas to all our friends!

Krolik Duszony Nogi

1.5# boneless rabbit strips
Salt and pepper
5 slices prosciutto or bacon
3 cubed peeled carrots
2 cubed peeled parsnip roots
1 cubed large onion
3 minced garlic cloves
7 ounces unsalted butter
Sunflower oil
1 bunch chopped fresh marjoram
3 bay leaves
Zest of 1 lemon
7 ounces vegetable stock

Season rabbit with salt and pepper. Wrap each in a piece of prosciutto or bacon to make a neat package. Pan fry in sunflower oil and a little butter until golden. In a Dutch oven or covered casserole dish, caramelize carrot, parsnip root, onion and garlic in some of the butter and a little oil. Add marjoram, bay leaves and lemon zest. Pour in stock and add the rest of the butter. Add browned rabbit strips, cover and cook slowly on the stovetop for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until rabbit is fork tender. Remove bay leaves and adjust seasonings. Serve rabbit with the cooking juices which have been pureed and strained.

Sweet babies

Christmas sheep

A flock of Christmas sheep. 
I make these for the farmers market - people love them.

MEXICAN ALBONDIGAS

1 lb. ground lamb
5 med. potatoes large cubes
2 or 3 med. carrots sliced
1/2 c. dry rice
1/2 tsp. oregano plus dash for meat mixture
Garlic, salt and pepper to taste for soup and meat
8-10 c. chicken broth and 1 small chopped onion
2 bay leaves

Add 1/4 cup rice to hamburger meat and mix. Season with small amount garlic, salt, pepper, and a dash of oregano. Mix together and form into 1 1/2 inch balls. I like to brown the balls in a skillet a bit to add more flavor. Peel and quarter potatoes. Slice carrots. First, add carrots and onions to pot, cook for about 10 min. to heat water.Add meat balls and potatoes to pot along with 1/2 teaspoon oregano, garlic, bay leaves, salt, pepper to taste and the remaining 1/4 cup rice. Bring to a slight boil and then simmer and cook until vegetables are soft - and rice and meatballs are cooked thru about 20 - 30 minutes.

Aqualon Wine/Lilac/Plum

Ginger's gang

Yarn Dyeing Tutorial

Tie the skein in 4 different places so that it does not get tangled during
 the dyeing and rinsing process.  Be sure to leave it loose so
that the dye will take evenly and not leave a white line on the yarn.

Wet yarn thoroughly.  Fold skein in half and lay
in an aluminum turkey roaster.  I lay 2 skeins side
by side.  Then add a splash of vinegar.  Select and
sprinkle 2-5 different colors of dye powder on the
yarn.  Keep in mind that the dyes will run and blend
somewhat, so if you use two colors that will form brown,
be sure to keep them separate.   In this dye bath,
I am using red and avacado,  so between them, I have
put a buffer of teddybear brown. 

Using the sprayer nozzle on your sink, wet down
the dye powder thoroughly.  It will wash down into
the yarn.  Put just enough water in the pan so that when
you push down on the yarn with a spoon, it is covered
with water.  Use the spoon to squish the yarn into the
dye so that it takes the color evenly and does not
leave white or light spots. 

Put the pan into the oven, and bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
The yarn should be steaming when you remove it from the
oven.  Let it sit and cool; often it will absorb more dye
and exhaust the dyebath during the cooling process.

Once it is cooled, dump the yarn into the sink and drain it, then
rinse until the water is clear.  The last rinse should have a conditioner
in it, to give the yarn a silky softness and bring out the sheen in the wool.

Here is a finished skein.

And its ready to photograph.  I twist the yarn as though I am going
to skein it, and then coil it into a ball.  

Italian Style Braised Rabbit

1 rabbit (about 2 1/2 pound), dressed, cut into serving size pieces

salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 celery rib, diced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup chopped tomato
2 cup stock or broth
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Season rabbit pieces generously with salt and fresh ground black pepper. In a large Dutch oven (or other heavy pot), heat the olive oil over medium-high flame. When the oil is hot, brown the rabbit well on all sides (in batches, if necessary). Reserve browned rabbit, and add the onions, celery, garlic, and 1 tsp salt. Reduce the heat to medium, and sauté for 2-3 minutes.
Add the wine and vinegar, and stir to scrape any browned bits from the bottom. Boil wine mixture for 2 minutes; then add the tomato, chicken broth, rosemary, thyme, and oregano. Add the rabbit back in, and stir to combine. Turn off the heat, cover tightly, and place the rabbit into a preheated 350 degree F. oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the rabbit is fork tender. Remove and stir in the fresh parsley. Taste the broth for salt and pepper, and adjust. Allow to rest covered for 20 minutes before serving.  Serve the rabbit topped with the remaining braising liquid and vegetables.

Frosty morning

Xcite and his 8 lovelies this morning.  The sun was just melting the frost on the south facing slopes, and they were going out
to graze.  I think the one in the front just realized that Chuck had moved the electric netting and they had a strip of fresh new
grass to munch on.

One of the new skeins I dyed on Sunday. 

A couple of cute red French Angoras

Satin Angora hat

Crocheted hat, made from some of my 100% Satin Angora yarn, striped with
another yarn to make it go farther.   I think the display head Shirley made by
gluing beads in different patterns is pretty cool, too.