Nectar

Firstly, thank you so much for such a warm welcome last week - I love that you seem to be excited as I am about Nectar. And with that, let's talk milkshakes. Late Sunday I returned from a whirlwind weekend in New York - I managed to fit in a little work and a little play. We ate some really wonderful meals but I try to never miss Shake Shack when I'm in the city. I prefer the one on Columbus on the Upper West Side- it's right across from the American Museum of Natural History and always begs for a post-burger stroll through Central Park with a belly full of happy. My usual is a Double because - we'll look it. And very often, I order a milkshake just because. This time, and I really can't remember why, I passed on the milkshake then of course found myself craving one for the remainder of the trip. So I made one when I got home...

 

And a p.s. about the lines at Shake Shack - if you get there right when they open at 10:45am - you will be good to go and actually find a place to sit.

This shake we've been making for sometime and the girls actually call it a Coco Nana - it's often a treat on movie nights. It is my own version of the Peanut Butter, Chocolate and Banana milkshakes that we would be treated with on summer weekends growing up. After living in Italy, I started making them with gelato instead of ice cream and the results are so much richer and creamier. The first time I asked for one at our local Gelato shop in La Maddalena, the girl working in her parents shop curled her pretty lips at me in confusion and maybe a little disgust. After ordering several times she shared with me that she finally tried it for herself and it was, in fact, pretty damn tasty. I don't think those were her words though - but a rough translation will do here.

 

CHOCOLATE GELATO, PEANUT BUTTER & BANANA SHAKE

1 pint of chocolate gelato (we fell in love with Talenti after friends brought it over for dessert one night)

2 organic bananas (chopped)

1 c. natural peanut butter

1 c. organic skim milk

2 T. half+half (or more depending on your taste)

Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend for two minutes. Open up the top and scrape down the sides as the peanut butter tends to stick. Blend again for one minute. If it's not cold enough for you, blend in a few ice cubes. Or, we keep chopped up bananas ready to go in the freezer for these shakes as well.

 

DO THE MILKSHAKE

Girls Just Want To Have Fun - Starfucker

Repetition Kills You - The Black Ghosts

Lights & Music - Cut Copy

Dragon Queen - Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Runaway - Ladytron

You Are The One - Shiny Toy Gun

Princess - Datarock

Shove It - Santogold

Swordfish Hotkiss Night - Empire Of The Sun

Dusk Til' Dawn - Ladyhawke

Newjack - Justice

Quicksand - La Roux

Little Secrets - Passion Pit

Pick-Me-Up-Uppercut - Pop Levi

You can listen to the playlist here.

 

 

Hello! After nearly a four year break, I am returning to the world of food blogging. Nectar will be a very personal look at the way one family lives, eats - and rocks out while doing the aforementioned living and eating. I will also feature recipes that I shot for RUE Magazine by my good friend and all around kitchen goddess Marissa Lippert from Nourish NYC. As I feel out the format of how I want the blog to flow and be presented, I hope you enjoy watching the creative process unfold.

To get started, I want share Marissa's amazing menu that was featured in the May/June 2011 issue of RUE. Though the menu was created for Spring, I think the cocktail and lamb are seasonless - lavender can still be found in many natural food markets. Mint is the star here and is featured in each element of the menu. And the cocktail - well I think at this point I can divulge that Marissa and I REALLY enjoyed it and sipping on them post-shoot was the best reward for a morning of hard work.

ROAST LAMB SANDWICH WITH MINT PESTO & PICKLED SHALLOTS

1/2 pound leg of lamb, bone removed
extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
mint pesto*
pickled shallots*
pickled jalapeno*
Serve with whole wheat country or ciabatta bread. 
*recipes follow

Mint Pesto

2 cups fresh mint leaves (packed), stems discarded
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese
1/4 cup pine nuts
pinch of salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
juice of 1 lemon juice
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Pickled Shallots and Jalapenos

1 cup white vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded and thinly sliced

HOW TO:

Rub lamb with garlic and season with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or overnight. 

Preheat oven to 350° F.   

On a roasting sheet or in a roasting pan, drizzle lamb with olive oil and roast for 35-45 minutes until the temperature at the thickest part of the leg reaches 135° F for medium-rare.  Remove lamb from oven and allow to rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting.

To prepare sandwiches, spread a thin layer of pesto on bread, top with sliced lamb and garnish with pickled shallots and jalapenos.  

Mint Pesto

Add mint through lemon juice in a food processor and slowly drizzle in olive oil while running.  Pesto should be smooth or slightly chunky.

Pickled Shallots and Jalapenos

Bring vinegar, sugar, salt and peppercorns to a boil.  Removed from heat, cool slightly and pour over sliced shallots and jalapeno in two separate bowls.  Cool and refrigerate.  May be made a day ahead.

PROSECCO SPARKLER WITH MINT, LAVENDER AND LEMON

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup mint leaves, loosely packed
3/4 teaspoon dried lavender
3 strips of lemon peel, using a vegetable peeler
1 bottle of Italian prosecco
club soda

In a small saucepan, bring water, sugar, mint, lavender and lemon peel to a simmer until all sugar is dissolved.  Allow to cool and strain syrup through a sieve, discard remaining mint, lavender and lemon peel.  Syrup can be made ahead and refrigerated.  Will last for up to 2 weeks.
Fill small glasses or champagne flutes 2/3 full with prosecco.  Add in 1 to 2 teaspoons of simple syrup depending on desired sweetness.  Top off with club soda and serve. 

*RECIPES BY MARISSA LIPPERT*