Meaty Main Course: Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce

One classic winter recipe in my household growing up was leg of lamb. This probably has something to do with my father's British ancestry and his love of large roasts. That's why today I wanted to share an amazing leg of lamb recipe. The recipe shared today, however, isn't just an ordinary recipe. This is a recipe that was served on the Titanic's fatal voyage.

For this recipe, we changed as little as possible to really let those classic flavors shine. One of the strengths of this dish is in the marinating of the lamb at room temperature, and the browning before sticking it in the oven. You'll end up with a great crusty outer meat,  and an incredibly tender inside that's practically falling off the bone. It's also important to save the drippings from the lamb after it's done cooking and to use those in the mint sauce for the extra flavor. You'll end up with a first class dish, and depending on how many you're serving, plenty of leftovers! Keep reading below for this amazing lamb...

Leg of Lamb with Mint Sauce

Ingredients

LAMB

• 1 leg of lamb (3 1/2 to 4lb)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoons black pepper
• 1/4 cup wine
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

MINT SAUCE

• 2 shallots, minced
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
• fresh mint sprigs

Directions

1. Trim the lamb of gristle and excess fat. Use a paring knife to poke thin slits 1/2" deep all over the lamb (about 10 slits). Stir together garlic, 2 tablespoons of oil, thyme, rosemary, mustard, and pepper. Rub over the surface of the meat, pressing the marinate into the small slits. Make sure the entire lamb is properly covered with the marinade, then let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Preheat the oven to 450F. In a large, heavy skillet, heat the remaining oil over high heat. Add the leg and sear, turning often for about 5 minutes or until well browned on every side.
3. Place the leg in a large roasting pan. Pour the wine and salt into the skillet the lamb was cooked in, scraping up any browned bits. Pour the wine over the meat. Bake the lamb for 15 minutes in the oven, then reduce the heat to 350F, and continue to roast for 25 minutes for a rare roast, or 35 minutes for medium-rare. Remove the roast from the pan and tent with foil. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before carving.
4. While the lamb is resting, place the roasting pan the lamb roasted in over medium heat. Stir in the shallots and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in the wine, bring to a boil, and cook. Stir often for 1 minute until the sauce is reduced to a glaze. Stir in the stock, vinegar and sugar.
5. Boil rapidly for 2 minutes or until the sauce is slightly thickened. Pour through a fine meshed sieve. Stir in the mint. Garnish with fresh mint sprigs and serve along side the lamb.
6. Enjoy!

Soup Recipe: Green Pea and Mint Soup

Green pea and mint soup is a refreshing dish any time of the year. It's light, simple and still full of flavor. No surprise it's also packed with high nutritional value, so you can feel great knowing you're making a positive choice for your health. This is also a nice option for vegetarian folks! 

If you want to experiment with flavor, try serving this soup with a mixture of creme fraiche and heavy cream spooned into the bowl, top with bacon bits (if you're a meat-eater) or fresh chives. Keep reading below for our recipe...

Green Pea Mint Soup

(makes 6 servings)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups chopped leeks, white and green parts (about 2 leeks)
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 6 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 2/3 cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large, heavy pot over medium heat.
2. Add onion and leeks and cook, stirring often until onions have just softened (about 5 minutes).
3. Add 2 cups broth and bring to a boil.
4. Add peas, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer for about 2 minutes, or until peas are tender.
5. Remove the pot from the heat. Add parsley, mint, and remaining 2 cups broth.
6. Puree soup in a blender or food processor, thinning with more vegetable broth or with water if the soup is too thick.
7. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Top with creme fraiche and cream mixture, bacon bits, garlic croutons, or fresh chives.
9. Enjoy!

Dessert Recipe: Flourless Mint Chocolate Minicakes

These mini chocolate cakes require little effort, only a few ingredients, and are perfect for when the chocolate craving strikes.

Distinct from a soufflé, this dish isn't really light or fluffy, though it cooks very similarly. These cakes are perfect for those who want to avoid the gluten from traditional flour and still enjoy the full taste of their dessert. They should be served as individual servings and cooked in 4oz ramekins. Top them with some powdered sugar and sliced strawberries to add to the presentation. Keep reading below for the recipe...

Mint Chocolate Minicakes Recipe

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

• 1 large egg
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/2 tablespoons pecan (or almond) flour
• 1 tablespoon warm water
• 1oz bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly
• 1/8 teaspoon mint extract

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 425F
• Separate the egg, placing the white and yolk in separate bowls.
• Add the sugar and cocoa to the egg yolk, stirring with a whisk.
• Add nut flour, water, mint extract, and chocolate, stirring with a whisk.
• Beat the egg white quickly until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold half the egg white into the egg yolk mixture. Once incorporated, repeat with the second egg white.
• Grease 4 4oz ramekins, then spoon the batter evenly into each ramekin.
• Bake for 10 minutes, or until almost set.
• Transfer to a wire rack to allow to cool for at least 10 minutes. Garnish with powdered sugar, strawberries, and mint leaves.
• Enjoy!

Cookie Recipe: Chocolate Mint Cookies

So sometimes the craving hits and there's nothing you can really do about it. that craving struck recently, and the desire was for Thin Mints! You know them: those chocolate, minty, crunchy Girl Scout cookies. Sadly, Girl Scouts peddling their wares were nowhere to be found in my area, so there was only one solution to be found: making my own.

When trying to find the perfect recipe, we wanted something that stayed true to the nature of the original product. The inner cookie should be crispy and chocolate. The outer chocolate layer should have that nice, minty flavor to it. to create the base chocolate cookie, we used a combination of flour, corn starch, and cocoa powder. The outer chocolate was simply melted dark chocolate with a little peppermint extract. Keep reading below for this delicious recipe...

Chocolate Mint Cookies

(makes 50 cookies)

Ingredients

COOKIES

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla paste

CHOCOLATE COATING

• 1lb dark chocolate, chopped
• 1/4-3/4 teaspoon peppermint oil, depending on taste
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, beat together the sugar and butter until the mixture is fluffy. Gradually add milk, egg, and vanilla paste and continue to incorporate. Slowly add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
3. Divide the dough into two equal parts and flatten the two halves and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. chill in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes until the dough is cold and firm.
4. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
5. Pull one half of the dough from the fridge and on a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough out to 1/4" thick. Use a round cutter to punch out the cookies and transfer to the baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 1/2" apart. Repeat with remaining dough.
6. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes, then let the cookies cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. While cookies are cooling, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place a clean wire rack on top (this is for easier clean up).
8. Add vegetable shortening, chocolate, and peppermint extract to a glass bowl. Set a pot on the stove with the water boiling and rest the glass bowl over top. Melt the chocolate, stirring frequently until the mixture is smooth, removing the glass bowl from the heat every 30 seconds or so to prevent overheating.
9. Once the chocolate is melted, remove the bowl from the heat and set over a folded kitchen towel. Drop one cookie at a time into the melted chocolate. Use a fork to coop the cookie from the bottom and let any excess chocolate drop from the cookie. Transfer the cookies to the prepared wire rack to let harden.
10. Enjoy!