The results, the weekend, the sauces and the pleasure!

So what!?  Yes, I am guilty!  I cooked all weekend!  I did not (or almost did not) touch a computer all weekend! I am guilty of cooking and enjoying my close relationship to food.  Cooking is the closest relation to human contact that we have.  We eat our food.  We deliberately put other substances in our mouth to feed and satisfy ourselves.  So why not make the best of it?  Make the best food, be on a mission to cook and savor the most magnificient food ever!  I think this is the path to good health and perfect balance.  Cook at home.  A lot of veggies (but add olive oil, salt, pepper), bake them, broil them, vapor them, sauté them, anyway you want it, but never overcook them!

So here is one of the best recipes for me for the October 2010 issue of Food & Wine: Lamb Ragout with Olives and Peppers.  That lamb was succulent, different, easy to put together and so worth the time.  Because remember that a long overall time for a recipe doesn't mean "hard" or "complicated".  If you're home on a Sunday afternoon, put this baby in the oven, wait for the in-laws and have enough lamb for all.  That is why I would put a little more than the required amount of ingredients, for the whole recipe.  And remember to add some veggies on the side.

Lamb Ragout with Olives and Peppers

• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 4 pounds boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2-inch chunks
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 large white onions, coarsely chopped
• 4 celery ribs, coarsely chopped
• 3 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup dry red wine
• 10 cups water
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup sliced pitted Picholine olive.
• 3/4 cup sliced roasted red pepper.
• 2 tablespoons chopped tarragon
• 2 cups Israeli couscous 

1. Preheat the oven to 250°. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Season the lamb with salt and black pepper and add it to the casserole. Cook over moderately high heat, turning the pieces once or twice, until deeply browned, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer the lamb to a platter.
2. Add the onions, celery and carrots to the casserole. Cover and cook over low heat just until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook over moderately high heat, stirring until the paste is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and cook, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pot, until nearly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add the water, season with salt and bring to a boil. Return the lamb and any accumulated juices to the casserole. Cover and braise in the oven for about 2 1/2 hours, until tender.
3. Transfer the lamb to the platter. Remove any fat and gristle and coarsely shred the meat. Strain the broth and discard the solids. Skim the fat from the surface of the broth. Return the broth to the casserole and boil until reduced to 4 cups, about 30 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the flour to form a paste; whisk it into the broth and simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Return the lamb to the sauce. Add the olives, red peppers and tarragon and keep warm.
5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the couscous and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the couscous and transfer to shallow bowls. Spoon the lamb ragout over the couscous and serve. 

Source: Food & Wine, from Chef Recipes Made Easy: Simple Wine-Friendly Recipes, published October 2010

Lamb Ragout with Olives and Peppers

 Make this recipe, you will not be disappointed.  Make sure you add a little more of everything.

"Vegetables are a must on a diet.  I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."  ~Jim Davis