Wednesday: Rosti fries

in the first turn they look sort of like this

the second turn like this

add freshly snipped chives (thanks lisa c. for this lovely herb keeper!)

and at the end they look like this!
Sometimes it's ok to have a fried potato. Especially if you do it yourself. These are so good and really not tough to master.

First thinly slice (i use a zyliss slicer) to a "see through state" two young potatoes like Yukon Gold or fingerling. Fresh is upmost of importance here.

Heat up a nonstick frying surface and coat with a tablespoon of oil. Place the potatoes one layer thick and sprinkle with coarse salt. Heat at 4ooF and keep an eye on turning them. I usually turn them five or six times. As they brown snip some fresh chives into the mix and keep turning them. When they are brown and crispy - they are done! Good with most anything ... or alone with garlic mayo or organic ketchup!

Tuesday: Simple tea

A simple tea can be the break which saves the afternoon from total despair. Tea can be most any little nibble you can conjure up. Here is a recipe for my favorite little bits when lunch didn't happen or was never enough to begin with.

First start with the tea.

Heat a pot of filtered water to boiling. Put two tea bags of your choice into the pot which has been prewarmed by the boiling water swirled around in it. Fill the pot, put on the cosie and let steep for five minutes. Pour into special cups. Serve with lemon, sugar, honey and milk so everyone can have it the way they like!

On a plate arrange any of the following:

tiny biscuits filled with whipped cream and strawberry jam

oatmeal digestive biscuits with butter

french toast - with or without jam or syrup. it's my favorite.

assorted cookies

fruit of any sort

little sandwiches made from bread with the crusts removed and chutney and very thinly sliced cheese.

scones. of any sort

pound cake slices

lemon tarts

you get the idea!

Monday: Roasted Lamb

Once in awhile, usually around the holidays or whenever people are getting antsy for a meaty meal, I make my lamb roast. Here is an illustrated version of my simple (stolen) recipe from a nice Greek man who I met at MJ's house. He seemed to know his stuff and the recipe below was ripped right from his lips to my modifications to your plate. Enjoy!

First: Preheat the oven to 350F

Then: find someone who is really ready to tackle the de fatting of your organic boneless leg of lamb. You can get a semi boneless or bone - in as well - the bone in will be easier to keep from drying out if you must hold it for sometime before guests arrive. (note the raised eyebrow to those who were out last night learning to drive a stick whilst the lamb was waiting...)

Have said person get most of the egregious amounts of surface fat off.

In a roasting pan coat the bottom of the pan with EV olive oil and add to this:

a handful of coarse salt, much freshly ground pepper, the juice and the rinds of two lemons and 6 or more crushed cloves of garlic.

Add the lamb to this and roll it around to coat it fully in the mixture. Now it is ready for cooking. If you wish you could add four sprigs of fresh rosemary. I do this about half the time. I like to mix it up now and again and go without that extra flavor as I did yesterday.

Roast uncovered in the pan until the internal temperature of the meat is 150F which will render a beautifully slightly pink middle and perfectly browned outer edged roast. I really don't like any meat cooked to a red state *or undercooked* to that state and actually, if you go all the way to 160F it is not a travesty due to the fact the lemons and oil will have made a lovely flavor for your lamb. It's a personal thing, but I like to slice it all at once and serve on a preheated platter. Perhaps you like to do battle with the carving on the table, but I personally have never felt like dealing with that! I scrape the pan drippings add a little boiled water and pour over the top. Serve with roasted roots, or in the spring - tiny potatoes and peas, brussel sprouts and a little sprig of mint!

Sorry about the lack of the final picture. It never happened! The roast was being held for the student driver and her instructor and so when they finally hopped in (30 mins late) we just gobbled it up!