Breakfast for Dinner; Dinner for Breakfast!

Just about everyone is happy to pick up a burrito and dig in. And when it’s an egg-and-cheese filled breakfast burrito, who cares if it’s suppertime? I sure don’t!

 

Dinnertime Burritos

When you bite into this burrito packed with scrambled eggs, cheese, and avocado you’re getting a lot more than eggs for dinner. The substantial handheld meal can be customized to meet the tastes of your family or to use up leftovers, such as grilled or roasted veggies, brown rice, proscuito or chicken—even refried beans. If I have cilantro, I add that, and a heaping tablespoon of sour cream adds extra zip. When the burritos are chunky, the generous size of “burrito tortillas” makes them easy to roll and fold.

 

Serves 4

 

1 tablespoon unalted butter

8 large eggs, lightly beaten

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 burrito-sized or soft-taco-sized tortillas

1 1/2 cup grated Cheddar or mozzarella cheese

8 slices ham, cut into thin slices

1 avocado, pitted and sliced

½ cup hot or mild storebought salsa (use your favorite)

 

In a large saute pan, heat the butter over medium heat. When melted, pour the beaten eggs into the pan and stir them with a fork for 3 to 4 minutes as they are softely scrambled. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the tortillas in a sauté pan over low heat or in the microwave.

Lay the tortillas flat on a work surface and divide the scrambled eggs among them. Top with equal amounts of cheese, ham, and avocado. Top with about 1 tablespoon of salsa and roll up the burrito. Tuck in the ends and serve.

If not serving right away, keep the burritos warm in a 200°F. oven until ready to serve.

 

Lamb on the Grill: Absolutely Delicious!

 

Grilled Leg of Lamb with Mustard and Garlic

If you like leg of lamb, you’ll love this simple, straightforward way of grilling it, boned and flattened—also called butterflied—so that it cooks relatively quickly over good, hot coals. It’s far easier than roasting a bone-in lamb in the oven. I decided on a classic marinade made from mustard, red wine, and garlic, as well as some generous handfuls of fresh herbs. The time the lamb soaks in this savory brew heightens its flavors so that all you need to do is watch the meat for about half an hour as it grills. It’s important to take the meat from the fridge about an hour before cooking; cold meat does not cook as evenly as does room-temperature meat. I like the lamb just as it comes off the grill, but the mint-flavored mustard is wonderful with it, too.

Serves 8

 

10 garlic cloves

1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1 (5- to 6-pound) butterflied leg of lamb

3/4 cup Dijon mustard

3/4 cup red wine

1/2 cup canola oil

2 tablespoons herbes de Provence

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Minted-Honey Mustard (recipe follows)

 

Cut four of the garlic cloves in half. Roughly chop the remaining six.

Mix together the rosemary and mint.

Spread the lamb open on a flat work surface. Using the tip of a small, sharp knife, make eight small slits into the meat on the inside of the lamb. Stuff the halved garlic cloves into the slits. Spread the mixed herbs over both sides of the lamb. Transfer the lamb to a glass, ceramic, or other nonreactive dish large enough to hold it opened up.

Mix together the mustard, wine, oil, herbes de Provence, and the remaining garlic. Pour over the lamb, cover the dish, and refrigerate the lamb for at least 8 hours or overnight.

Remove the lamb from the refrigerator about 1 hour before grilling. Wipe off the marinade and remove and discard the garlic halves. Lay the lamb on a clean platter and season both sides with salt and pepper.

Spray the grilling grate of a gas or charcoal grill with vegetable oil spray. Preheat the grill to medium hot.

Grill the lamb for 12 to 15 minutes on each side for medium-rare lamb: the internal temperature will read 145°F for medium-rare. The exact time will depend on the thickness of the butterflied leg of lamb and the desired degree of doneness.

Let the lamb rest on a cutting board for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing against the grain. Serve with the Minted-Honey Mustard.

Minted-Honey Mustard

Makes about 1/2 cup

 

1/3 cup Dijon mustard

2 to 3 tablespoons honey, or as needed

1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon chopped rosemary

1 tablespoon chopped mint leaves

 

Stir together the mustard, honey, vinegar, rosemary, and mint. Taste and add more honey if desired.

The mustard can be made up to 24 hours ahead of time. Let the mustard reach room temperature before serving.

Grilling Season

It’s time to grill! These first warm days inspire me to head outdoors and get the grill fired up. And what better to grill than flank steak! 

Chipotle, Lime, and Honey Grilled Flank Steak

During the summer we cater a lot of outdoor parties at Aux Delices and this flank steak recipe is one of our most popular. The combination of fierce chipotle peppers, lime juice, garlic and cilantro blends perfectly with the touch of honey and Worcestershire. It’s never overpowering but makes a tasty statement. Once a can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce is opened, the best way to save the contents is to divide small amounts of peppers and sauce between plastic bags or ice cube trays and freeze them to use in later recipes.

Serves 4 to 6

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons honey

1/4 cup canola oil

Grated zest and juice of 3 limes

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, plus 3 tablespoons adobo sauce

11/2 to 2 pounds flank steak

Mix together the Worcestershire sauce, honey, canola oil, and lime juice. Add the cilantro, garlic, peppers, adobo sauce, and the lime zest. Use a whisk to break the peppers into small pieces.

Lay the steak in a glass, ceramic or other non-reactive dish. Pour the marinade over the steak and turn the steak a few times to coat well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to 12 hours or overnight. Turn the steak once or twice during marinating.

Spray the grilling grate of a gas or charcoal grill with vegetable oil spray. Preheat the grill to medium hot.

Lift the steak from the marinade and wipe the excess from the meat. Grill the meat for 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or until done to your liking.

Let the meat rest for about 10 minutes before slicing across the grain and serving. 

Anyone for Asparagus?!

I’m sure you agree that April is the perfect time for asparagus — and if the weather is warm enough, it’s great on the grill. So, treat your family to one of the best flavors of the season. Happy spring!!

Grilled Asparagus with Orange Gremolata

I love to grill asparagus and once you try it, you’ll love it, too. So easy, so quick. Dressing it with an orange-spiked gremolata is perfect, and the taste is a little mellower than the more traditional lemon. The gremolata would taste great with broccoli, too, dressing it up as it does the asparagus. If you prefer, you can steam or oven-roast the asparagus.

Serves 4

Gremolata

3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons grated orange zest

1 large garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Asparagus

1 pound asparagus

1 tablespoon olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the gremolata: Mix together the parsley, orange zest, and garlic. Add the oil and stir to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

To cook the asparagus: Spray the grilling grate of a gas or charcoal grill with vegetable oil spray. Preheat the grill to medium hot.

If the asparagus have thick, woody stems, snap them off. Peel the stems and lay the asparagus in a shallow dish. Sprinkle with oil and season with salt and pepper.

Lay the asparagus spears directly on the grilling grate (perpendicular to the grate so that they do not fall through). You could also grill the asparagus in a grilling basket. Grill the asparagus, turning a few times, for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Transfer to a serving plate, scatter the gremolata over the asparagus, and serve.