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Menu Plan for Fall I: Week 8, Saturday

Roman Egg Soup
Braised Lamb in Red Wine
Twice-Cooked Potatoes
Lentils with Chickpeas

Cooking time: 2 hours, 1 1/4 hour break for menu          Cooking schedule: see below for instructions

       Another braise - but 'tis the season, after all.  The potatoes can be cooked through the first stage earlier as well.  We'll use up the leftover chickpeas with the lentils - then finish both later in the week.  The soup is simple, flavorful and warming.  For this dinner I used the sauce from the whole tomatoes I needed for the lentils, plus 1 tomato to equal 1 cup total for the soup. Substitute pork for the lamb if you prefer.

Roman Egg Soup

Total time: 10 minutes
     This is the second easiest soup I make - an Italian version of Egg Drop Soup (the easiest). I sometimes add chopped tomato to it, or not; sometimes croutons, or not. 

 Ingredients: 

• 2 cups (16oz, 480ml) chicken stock
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) tomato sauce use drained reserved juice plus one tomato, chopped
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbs dried bread crumbs
• 2 tbs Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tsp basil

 Instructions:

• In small saucepan heat chicken stock, basil and tomato sauce.
• Grate cheese.  
• In medium bowl whisk eggs. 
• Add bread crumbs and cheese to eggs and whisk to combine. 
• When soup is boiling pour in egg mixture.  
• Stir once. 
• Immediately remove from heat, ladle into bowls and serve.

Braised Lamb in Red Wine

Total time: 2 hours
     Slow-cooking lamb in wine is typical all over France.  This uses red wine, similar to the version made in Avignon.  The original is slowly baked for 5 hours in a 350F (180C) oven; I opted for a slow braise on the cook top.  After 2 hours the flavors have blended perfectly and the lamb melts in your mouth.

 Ingredients:

• 14oz (420gr) lamb, shoulder or leg  pieces are fine, buy a bit more if there is bone - but the bone adds flavor
• 1 onion
• 4 shallots
• 4 cloves garlic
• 3oz (90gr) bacon
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) red wine, something hearty - Cote du Rhone, Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2 tsp beef paste, granules or 1 stock cube
• 2 tsp dried rosemary  or fresh
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp dried parsley
• 4 bay (laurel) leaves

 Instructions:

• Roughly chop bacon.
• Cut onion into quarters, then slice. 
• Slice shallots. 
• Mince garlic. 
• Cut lamb into 1 1/2" (4cm) pieces and trim excess fat.
• Heat oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid.  Add bacon and sauté until starting to get crisp. 
• Add onion, shallots, garlic and sauté until tender. 
• Add lamb and lightly brown. 
• Add all remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. 
• Cover, turn heat to low and braise for 90 minutes. 
• Serve lamb with onions/shallots and pan juices. 

Twice-Cooked Potatoes

Total time: 40 minutes
    These are slightly different than my usual oven fries, but still crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside; finished with just a sprinkle of salt.

 Ingredients:

• 2 medium potatoes
• 1 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbs oil
• salt - sea salt is nice

 Instructions:

• Cut potatoes in half (the short way).
• Put into a saucepan, cover with water (add a pinch of salt) and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. 
• Partially remove cover and continue to cook until barely done - about 15 minutes. 
• Drain, cover with cold water and drain again. 
• Let rest for 5 minutes, (or longer) then cut into slices 1/2" (1.25cm) thick - about 3 slices per half. 
• Mince garlic.
• Heat oil over medium-high heat in large, nonstick skillet. 
• When hot add potato slices (placing each flat), rosemary and garlic - sprinkling over potatoes and into oil. 
• Sauté until lightly browned, 6 - 8 minutes. 
• Turn and brown other side. 
• Sprinkle with salt and serve.

Lentils with Chickpeas

Total time: 30 minutes
    I use the tiny, green lentils de Puy, but the larger brown or tan lentils will work as well.  This is a simple method and would work equally well with any legume - highlighting the flavor of the vegetable.

 Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup (3.5oz, 100gr) dried lentils
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) beef stock
• 1 cup (8oz, 240ml) water
• 1 bay (laurel) leaf
• 1 cup (8oz, 240gr) chickpeas whatever is left from Friday
• 3 shallots
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tbs oil
• 15oz (450gr) whole tomatoes, drained reserve the sauce for use in soup, plus 1 small tomato

 Instructions:

• Briefly inspect the lentils in case someone missed the odd stone.  Rinse and drain. 
• Cook the lentils in water and stock, with the bay leaf, 20 - 30 minutes, according to package directions, or until done. 
• When done, remove from heat and drain if needed. Remove the bay leaf.
• Finely chop shallots and mince garlic. 
• Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat.  When hot add shallots and garlic, sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. 
• Open and drain tomatoes, reserving juice for another use. 
• Roughly chop tomatoes and add to shallots. 
• Sauté 5 minutes.
• Add lentils, chickpeas, cover and simmer 10 minutes.  Serve.

Cooking Schedule: 2 hours, 1 1/4 hour break Assemble all food, utensils and serving dishes Utensils: measuring cups, spoons, knives, medium saucepan with lid, (use 2X) small saucepan with lid, heavy saucepan or small Dutch oven, medium nonstick skillet, bowl, whisk, Cut potatoes in half, cook Pick through lentils, cook Roughly chop bacon, sauté Clean onion, all shallots, garlic Slice onions, shallots for lamb Chop shallots for lentils, set aside Mince all garlic, divide for lamb, potatoes, lentils Add onions, shallots, garlic for lamb to bacon, sauté Trim, cut lamb Add lamb to onion/shallot, lightly brown Add remaining ingredients to lamb, bring to boil Drain, rinse potatoes Put potatoes on a plate, set aside to cool Check lentils, if done, or close, turn off, set aside Reduce heat on lamb to simmer (barely bubbling)      Pause for an hour or so - but.....

Check lamb after 30 minutes, adjust heat if needed     Back?  Check lamb Grate Parmesan Drain lentils Sauté shallots, garlic for lentils Open, drain tomatoes, reserving liquid Heat stock for soup Remove 1 small - medium tomato for soup Roughly chop tomatoes, keeping 1 for soup separate Add tomato, juice to stock for soup Add remaining chopped tomatoes to shallots, sauté Slice potatoes Start to sauté potatoes with garlic, rosemary Add lentils, chickpeas to tomato/shallot, cover, simmer Whisk eggs Add crumbs, Parmesan to eggs Turn potatoes, turn heat to very low Add eggs to soup, stir Ladle soup into bowls, serve      Done?  Spoon lamb into serving bowl Remove potatoes, serve lentils

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