Cooking with Friends, Part 2

After spending the afternoon at the Wicker Park festival we decided it was time to head back and get cooking. We were all looking forward to making dinner! The menu was decided at the market based on what looked best, we grabbed lamb, veggies and some fresh mozzarella and goat cheese. All four of us were in the kitchen washing, chopping, seasoning and steaming. I made the caprese salad and the mixed greens while Mike prepped the lamb and made the marinade, Ivy chopped lots of veggies and got the table set while Chris got the foil packet and veggies ready for the grill. It was a mad dash for about an hour but all the hard work was worth it, we had a great dinner with everything purchased at the farmers market that morning. During our hour of prep we enjoyed a nice light Vouvrey. A 2008 Domain Pichot Vouvrey, the perfect wine to enjoy while chatting and cooking.

Our first course was a caprese salad made with heirloom tomatoes and fresh mozzarella with basil, olive oil, salt/pepper and a drizzle of balsamic right over the top. Nothing beats on a caprese salad on a summer day when the ingredients are so incredibly fresh.

We had a little sesame bread and olive oil to dip before the mixed greens. The second salad was organic mixed greens with fennel, cucumber, carrots, the fresh goat cheese and a homemade dressing of olive oil, mustard, garlic, and balsamic vinegar. A great classic summer salad that paired well with the caprese and a nice Casal Garcia Vinho Verde Rose from Portugal.

Dining on the deck is a great way to enjoy some time between the courses, we had our salads while the veggies and lamb were grilling away. We chatted, enjoyed our glasses of wine and just relaxed on a summer Saturday evening.

Grilled Lamb with Rosemary and Garlic

Ingredients

2 Racks of Lamb Chops, enough for 3-4 per person

1/4 cup of olive oil

3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

Salt/ Pepper

Directions

Trim the chops and remove any extra fat

In a large re-sealable plastic bag mix olive oil, rosemary, garlic, red pepper flakes, salt/pepper and let marinade for about 30 minutes.

Grill the lamb chops 2-3 minutes each side for a true medium rare.

Foil Packet Veggies

Ingredients

2-3 patty pan squash

Corn from 2 ears

1/2 pound of wax and green beans

1 onion finely chopped

Handful of Potatoes, par boiled

1 jalapeno

2 tbsp Cumin

Drizzle of Olive Oil

Spicy Salt (like Volcan Salt)

Directions

Cook potatoes for 3-5 minutes in salted boiling water. Cut into fourths (if small enough)

Add chopped veggies to the foil packet and top with olive oil, cumin, and spicy salt. Fold foil around veggies and add to grill. Cook about 20-30 minutes depending on desired doneness.

We sat down to enjoy the lamb and veggies and were really surprised at how great the lamb was. So simple to make but with amazing flavor, the veggies were even more surprising. We just chopped up a bunch of veggies and added in random spices and got a pretty good mixed veggie mix that were perfectly cooked and paired nicely with the lamb chops.

A heavy red was a nice pairing for the spiciness of the vegetables and the herb and garlic of the lamb. We choose a 2007 mix called The Treasure Hunter, I loved the label and the mix of cabernet, merlot and syrah.

It was such a great night, we spent an hour cooking, 4 hours eating and enjoy our glasses of wine and the best part was that we didn’t have to drive/cab/train/walk home. We were able to have a great meal that we cooked and enjoy wine that would have been much to expensive at a restaurant. Between the wine, lamb, veggies and cheese, we probably spent close to $130 but that feed the four of us and gave us a chance to enjoy some wine that was more expensive than we would normally buy. I love spending the weekend in Chicago! We got to hang out with Mikes brother and sister in law, catch up with friends, enjoy lots of good wine and see some of the neighborhoods of Chicago.