Lamb and Cucumber Kebabs with Feta Sauce

I always feel a certain sense of accomplishment when I make a recipe from one of my magazines. It's most likely because I read through stacks of magazines, tear out countless recipes and then do nothing with the vast majority of them. They end up in all corners of my house: on tables, in the office, folded in cookbooks... But few of them are ever put to the test. This particular recipe caught my eye for a few reasons. First, it was on a little tear-out recipe card in the June issue of Living. Second, it was short and could easily be made on a weeknight. Third, it combined lamb and feta - yum! And perhaps most appealing, it had grilled cucumbers. The idea fascinated me. I love cukes - but they're for salads and such, not for grilling. Or are they?

Very much to our surprise, the cucumbers kept their crunch on the grill. They were juicy and provided a great change from the veggies we usually grill. Dipped in feta sauce and paired with a juicy piece of lamb, they just couldn't be better. I'm convinced. I wonder what I should grill next (I'm skeptical about lettuce on the grill too, so maybe that'll hit the flames sometime soon.)



Bottom line, this recipe is an easy way to get great Greek flavors on your table in almost no time at all. The hardest part was trimming the leg of lamb. I bought a boneless leg that was a little over 3 pounds and I used half for this meal and froze the rest for a future dinner. It was more than enough for two of us - Jeff will have leftovers for lunch on Friday. If the sauce is too thick for your taste, add a little more olive oil.



Lamb and Cucumber Kebabs with Feta Sauce
adapted from Martha Stewart Living, June 2010

For the kebabs
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 lemon, cut into 4 pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh oregano, finely chopped
About 1 1/2 pounds boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 and English cucumber, halved lengthwise then cut into 1-inch thick pieces
Salt and pepper

For the sauce
3 ounces feta, crumbled
4 ounces fat-free Greek yogurt
1 small garlic clove, minced
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Juice of half a lemon



To make the kebabs, combine the oil, zest, lemon juice, garlic, oregano and lamb in a non-reactive bowl. Sprinkle with a little salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. (You don't need a lot of salt because the feta adds enough saltiness in the sauce). Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

To make the sauce, combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Refrigerate.



Heat grill on medium high heat. Alternate lamb and cucumber on skewers and finish each with a piece of lemon. Grill 10 to 12 minutes, turning once. Serve with the sauce.

French Laundry Crab: Crab Salad with Cucumber Jelly, Grainy Mustard Vinaigrette and Mache

My dream is to one day dine at the French Laundry in Napa Valley. Until that day comes, I'll happily try my hand at Thomas Keller's recipes and content myself with imagining what it will be like when I do go. That said, I've had the French Laundry cookbook for awhile now and I've only made two recipes. Many of them are pretty involved and I just don't get myself organized enough to get through them. But last Saturday, my parents came over for dinner.

I was making a pretty simple meal: grilled ribeyes and homemade pasta with prosciutto, grilled asparagus, smoked mozzarella and fresh basil. I wanted a first course that was a little more interesting. So I climbed onto my stool and got the French Laundry down from its place of honor in my kitchen. I quickly settled on Dungeness Crab Salad with Cucumber Jelly, Grainy Mustard Vinaigrette and Frisee Lettuce. It was beautiful, light, and only a couple ingredients would give me a challenge.

I ended up making some modifications. Keller says to buy cucumber juice at a health food store (I couldn't find it) or to make it at home in a juicer (I don't have one). So I made my own using my method noted below. I also used jicama in place of daikon and mache in place of frisee. To see what other modificaitons I made, you're just going to have to get a copy of the French Laundry!

It proved to be a hit with Jeff and my parents and it's a first course I'll make again. It's not too complicated and it really does plate beautifully. Give it a shot. We had the leftover crab the next day without any cucumber jelly and it's still delish. So if the jelly scares you, make the rest of the dish without it.



Crab salad with Cucumber Jelly, Grainy Mustard Vinaigrette and Mache
adapted from The French Laundry by Thomas Keller

For the cucumber jelly:
1 1/2 peeled cucumbers, cut into chunks, plus 1/2 small cucumber peeled
1/2 tsp. plain gelatin
1 Tbsp. warm water
24 dill sprigs, plus more to garnish salad

For the crab salad:
1/3 cup heavy cream
3-4 tsp. whole grain Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and white pepper
1 lb. lump crab meat
1 c. baby greens (I used Mache rosettes)
2-3 radicchio leaves torn into small pieces
3 Tbsp. grated jicama
Extra virgin olive oil
1-2 tsp. lemon juice
Kosher salt and white pepper

Place the chunks of cucumber in a blender and puree. (Add a little water if needed to get it started.). Line a mesh strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth and place over a bowl. Pour the cucumber puree into the strainer and let sit. You need 1 cup of cucumber juice (I got plenty from 1 1/2 medium cucumbers). Set the juice aside.

Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut lengthwise slices about 1/8 inch thick from the half cucumber. Cut the slices into narrow strips about 1/8 inch wide and then cut the strips at an angle to make diamonds. You will need about 2 tablespoons of diamonds. Set aside.

Mix the gelatin with the warm water and stir to dissolve. When the gelatine has dissolved, whisk it into 1 cup of cucumber juice. Pour a thin layer of the juice onto each of 4 serving plates. Discard any excess (I used square plates and used just about all of the juice).

Arrange 6 dill sprigs around each plate and some of the cucumber diamonds. Leave the center open as this is where the crab will go. Put the plates in the refrigerator to set for at least one hour. (My refrigerator shelves were a bit uneven, so I used folded index cards to make sure the juice didn't collect on one side of the plate!)

Before serving, whip the cream in a medium bowl until it forms a ribbon when the whisk is lifted. Whisk in the mustard and salt and pepper to taste. Place the crab in a separate bowl and fold in just enough of the cream mixture to bind the salad. (Don't just dump the crab into the cream because you may have too much whipped cream.)

Toss the greens, radicchio and jicama with a little olive oil and the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fill a 2 to 2 1/2 inch ring mold or cookie cutter with the crab mixture (pack it in so the shape holds) and carefully place over the center of the plate. Lift the mold off and then top the crab with a bit of the greens and a few extra dill sprigs.

Note: don't take the plates out fo the fridge too soon or the gelatin will soften. If that happens, stick them back in the fridge for a few minutes to harden.

Makes about 4 servings.