Shaved Vegetable Salad, Pressure Cooker Lamb, and Mushroom Risotto
As discussed in my Valentine’s Day Dinner on a Budget recipe, I’m not one for dining out on this “holiday”. Don’t get me wrong, I love restaurants and I love love, but I definitely do not love spending an outrageous amount of money for an overcharged set menu just because it happens to be a specific day in the middle of February. As a person who likes to peruse a menu, try a few things, make a shit-ton of substitutions, and split as much as possible, prefix and I don’t work to well. However, even in the walls of our own dining room (who am I kidding, we live in NY, it’s all one room), sometimes you want to ball out like you’re at a restaurant. That my friends, is why I’ve created this recipe. This Valentine’s Day Dinner to Impress will have your date (or friend, or family member, or, hell, yourself) feeling like you’ve stepped into the fine dining of one of your favorite NY restaurants. The best part? You don’t need the culinary background those chefs have. Win, win!
Ingredients (serves 4 – use for leftovers or have a double date!):
Charcuterie Board:
Sliced prosciutto (1 4oz pack)
Sliced salami (1 4oz pack)
Crackers (1 box)
Kalamata olives (2 cups)
Almonds (1 cup)
Brie (1 chunk)
Cheddar (1 chunk)
Shaved Fennel, Brussel Sprout, and Grapefruit Salad:
Fennel bulbs (2)
Brussel sprouts (2 cups)
Grapefruit (1)
Goat cheese (1/4 cup)
Olive oil (1/4 cup)
Hazelnuts (1/2 cup)
Salt
Pepper
Pressure Cooker Lamb:
Lamb neck (3lbs) or shank (3)
Red wine (1/4 cup)
Chicken broth (4 cups)
Crushed tomatoes (1 28oz can)
Avocado oil (1 tablespoon)
Oregano (1 teaspoon)
Salt
Pepper
Risotto:
Chopped mushrooms (1 ½ cups)
White rice (1 ½ cups)
Butter (4 tablespoons)
Ricotta (1 tablespoon)
Shaved parmesan (1/2 cup)
Avocado oil (2 tablespoons)
White wine (1/2 cup)
Chicken broth (4 cups)
Sage (1/2 teaspoon)
Rosemary (1/2 teaspoon)
Oregano (1/2 teaspoon)
Salt
Pepper
Directions:
Shaved Fennel, Brussel Sprout, and Grapefruit Salad:
Using a mandolin, slice the fennel bulb and set aside
Chop off the stem of the brussel sprouts and place them in a food processor on high for a few pulses, or until they are finely chopped, then set aside
Peel the grapefruit and chop into ¼ inch pieces
Using the side of your knife and the pressure of your hand, or a food processor, crush the hazelnuts into smaller pieces
Combine the fennel, brussel sprouts, grapefruit, and hazelnuts into a bowl and mix with ¼ cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper
Crumble the goat cheese and sprinkle on top of the salad
Pressure Cooker Lamb:
Season the lamb with ½ teaspoon of oregano and salt & pepper
Place the pressure cooker on sauté mode and add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil
Once hot, place the lamb inside and sauté on all sides for ~5 minutes each side, or until it has formed a nice sear
Remove the lamb and turn off the pressure cooker
Add the ½ cup of red wine and, using a wooden spoon, scrape off all of the remaining bits on the bottom of the pot
Place the lamb back in the pressure cooker and pour in the chicken broth and crushed tomatoes and season with an additional ½ teaspoon of oregano and salt & pepper
Close the pressure cooker lid and place on manual high pressure for 40 minutes
Once the lamb is finished cooking, set aside the liquid from the pressure cooker and shred the lamb, using two forks
Place the shredded lamb in a serving platter with 1 cup of the liquid from the pressure cooker to keep it moist
Risotto:
Wash and chop the mushrooms into ½ inch pieces
In a pot, bring the 4 cups of chicken broth to a simmer and leave on low heat
In a skillet, sauté the mushrooms, with 1 tablespoon of avocado oil, for ~5-10 minutes, or until they begin to sweat
Remove the mushrooms and its juices from the skillet and set aside
In that same skillet, add 1 tablespoon of avocado oil and the 1 ½ cups of white rice and stir, with a wooden spoon, for ~5 minutes, or until the rice is translucent
Once the rice is a clearer consistency, pour in the ½ cup of white wine and stir
Once the wine is absorbed, add in ½ cup of the hot chicken broth and stir, until the liquid is absorbed
Continue step 7 until you have added in all of the chicken broth – going ½ cup at a time and only adding more once it is absorbed
Once all of the broth has been absorbed, add in the 1 tablespoon of ricotta, ½ cup of shaved parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of butter and mix until it has all melted and been evenly distributed
Fold back in the mushrooms, with its juices
Season with the sage, rosemary, oregano, and salt & pepper
Allergen Information:
Gluten Free
Soy Free
Copy of Chocolate Covered Strawberry Almond Butter Cups