Barley Risotto

I ate a barley risotto at The Wild Grape in Salt Lake.  It was terribly delicious.  So, I searched online and found a recipe.  It doesn't really taste much like the one from the restaurant, but it is still delectable. This was my first experience with celery root, which I like very much.

Ingredients
6 C. Chicken Broth
2 Sprigs thyme (or 1 TBSP dried)
2 Medium carrots, sliced
1 1/2 lb. celery root, peeled, cubed 3/4"
1/2 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cubed 3/4"
4 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 TBSP. butter
1 1/2 C. pearl barley
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 C. dry white wine, optional
1 C. Parmesan cheese, grated

Method
Preheat oven to 425.  Toss vegetables with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Spread out on baking sheet. Roast until just tender, but not mushy. Set aside

Combine broth and thyme in a saucepan, bring to a simmer

Heat butter in a large saute pan. Add barley garlic and onion.  Cook, stirring frequently until onion softens and you can hear the barley start popping (about 5 min)  Add white wine, stir constantly until all liquid is absorbed.  Add broth 1 cup at a time (strain if using dried thyme), stirring until almost all liquid is absorbed.  If you run out of broth, you may need to use simmering water until barley is tender.  When barley is tender, add roasted vegetables and parmesan cheese.  The consistency should be a little soupy, but not runny.  Add extra parmesan at the table to serve.  Good with garlic bread.

Fresh Squeezed Lemonade

I have been on a fresh squeeze lemonade kick that last few days.  I go through this phase often, especially during the summer when fresh peaches and berries abound.

1 1/2 C. fresh lemon juice (4-6 lemons usually), strained
2 C. sugar
2 C. water
8-10 C. additional cups water, to taste
ice cubes
1 C. fresh or frozen peaches, strawberries, raspberries or whatever else you want to try, optional


In small sauce pan, boil water and sugar to make a simple syrup.  Allow to cool for a bit.  Add lemon juice, simple syrup and the extra water, tasting as you add the additional water.  Add ice. Serve

To make it flavored lemonade. Either add fruit to simple syrup as it is boiling, or blend fruit with lemon juice.

Homemade Gyros

I love gyros.  There used to be a place to get Gyro meat in Bountiful, but it closed.  I've been making "chicken gyros," but they just aren't the same.  So I went on a quest to find out how to make my own gyro meat. It was a big gamble.  If it didn't turn out, my heart would have been crushed.  But happy day! it  was delicious.  I will tweak this recipe in the future. But this is a starting point and was worthy.

Ingredients
GYRO
1 medium onion, finely chopped or shredded
2 pounds lamb (ground if you can find it, if not then cubed)
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
1 tablespoon dried marjoram
1 tablespoon dried ground rosemary
2 teaspooons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Tzatziki
16 oz. plain yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded and shredded
pinch kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, smashed into paste
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
5 to 6 fresh mint leaves, finely minced or 1 tablespoon dried dill

pitas
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/2 small onion chopped


Method
GYRO
Process the onion in a food processor for 10 to 15 seconds and turn out in the center of a paper towel.  Squeeze until almost all of the juice is removed.  Discard juice

Return onion to food processor and add lamb, garlic, marjoram, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Process until it is a fine paste.  Scrape down the food processor bowl as needed. 

Scrape into a loaf pan, pressing down to remove air bubbles etc.  Refrigerate overnight. 
Preheat oven to 325.  Place loaf pan in a water bath and bake 60-75 minutes or until internal temperature is 165 to 170 degree.  Remove from oven, remove from loaf pan. Put meat directly on cooling rack and put a heavy pan covered with tin foil on top.  Let rest until internal temperature reaches 175.  Turn on broiler.  Place loaf under broiler, turning when sides get brown and crispy.  Remove and shave off outer layer.  Then return under broiler.  Continue until you have crisped and cut through the loaf.  Make the gyros as you shave the meat.  They're better served warm and still crispy.

Tzatziki
Place yogurt in a coffee filter or tea towel.  Place in strainer and suspend over a bowl.  Drain for 2 hours.  Place the shredded cucumber in a paper towl and squeeze to remove liquid.  Discard liquid.  In a medium mixing bowl combine the drained yogurt, cucumber, salt, garlic, olive oil, vinegar and mint/dill.  Serve as sauce for gryos

Place gyro meat, chopped tomato, chopped onion, plenty of tzatziki sauce in the pita and roll up.