I believe that sometimes life is one big theme song. Now it can change on a daily basis depending on your mood or even how you wake up...especially from a bizarre dream of Melissa Jeopardy.[Cue theme song to Jeopardy]
Antsy behind my podium, my eyes paced at the large screen of choices waiting to be revealed when my sexy idol, Sophia Loren stepped elegantly forward onto the game show platform to announce my choices.
It was clear what I had to do. No more fears and no more frustrations this year...welcome 2010, let us not speak of your predecessor again.
I'll take Melissa's Happiness!!
[Jeopardy answer displays on the screen for $500]
The place where Melissa gets a little January reprieve, in a city she loves, a city that never sleeps.
Smacking my buzzer, I wake up realizing I've smacked my alarm clock which begins to play, In New York, concrete jungles where dreams are made of, there's nothing you can't do...
[Theme Song Track #1: Empire State of Mind - Jay Z]
Finally, I woke up with a bit of a skip to my step. I'm going to New York in about a week, the new Sexy Food Therapy site is set to launch in February and I was about to see gal pal and yogi friend that I hadn't seen in eight years, Scoogie. Plus, I had my first ever Skype conversation with my friend and apsiring fire fighter, the New Yorker (must be said in a New Yorka accenta). Figuring that I'll be in town soon, we decided to even meet up over coffee. Finally, some brightness after the holiday blues...now if only it wasn't so damn cold outside.
I needed some warmth and what better place to find that than in a great gal pal, a glass of red wine and my favourite...lamb. Oh lamb, I love you, I don't know what to say...I'm...well, speechless.
I became so inspired that evening, that I couldn't help but run out to buy lamb the day after:
SEXY SWEET & CITRUS LAMB TAGINE
2lbs lamb cut into 1" cubes
1 cup spring water
1/2 cup chopped dates
1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
4-5 large shallots chopped
4 cloves garlic
1 large red onion
1 tbsp organic unsalted butter
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp cinammon
1 tsp dried ginger powder
1 tsp cracked fresh pepper
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp kudzu (used as a thickner)
Handful of watercress for topping
Pan toasted almond slivers for topping
On medium heat, add butter, onions and garlic in a large saucepan. Cook until onions caramelize and add cinammon, ginger and cracked pepper.
Dry cubes of meat with a paper towel and place in saucepan (this allows the meat to brown) and turn heat up to medium high. Add in chopped dates. Stir well and scrape bottom of the pan as the spices will begin to stick.
Add in water and bring to a boil and turn heat to medium low to simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Stir occasionally.
After the 1 1/2 hours has passed, add in orange juice, rind, honey and sea salt. Stir well and take off the heat.
In a little bowl add kudzu and just enough water to barely cover. Crush kudzu and water to make a paste and slowly begin to add into lamb mixture and stir until combined. The mixture will eventually thicken.
Spoon into bowls and top with a little more orange rind, toasted almonds, and a good handful of watercress.
Serve immediately. Serves 6.
I know that some people are a little turned off by lamb and frankly when it's been given to me with a mint pairing, I've hated it. Somehow this citrus honey goodness brings out the richness of the meat that I just love. And during a cold winter, you couldn't have any other dish than this one that would warm you up quite as good. In Chinese Medicine, lamb is the hottest meat in thermal temperature. I've added in warming spices like cinammon and intentionally used dry ginger which helps to keep warmth in the body better than its fresh counterpart. Lastly, you're probably wondering...what the heck is kudzu?
Kudzu is the healthiest thickener available and is a great alternative to corn starch which can be a major allergen. Kudzu resembles little pieces of white chalk and is Japanese arrowroot. It's benefits are numerous from helping curb alcohol cravings and helping with tinnitus, vertigo and migraines. In Chinese Herbal Medicine it is considered one of the 50 fundamental herbs.
Speaking of fundamental...
Just when I was hiding in my own cave over the holidays and pushing everyone away, I almost forgot how nourishing friends can be. Just when I thought I wasn't measuring up to my own standards, I began to tell her all about the Sexy Food Therapy expansion when I noticed that she was wide-eyed and told me how proud and far I'd come in eight years. That's when I realized, that maybe staying focused on my vision through the hardest times and imagining a brighter future (even if it is slightly unconventional) just might happen.
2 comments:
OH my G-d that was amazing!!! It was a life-changing lamb.
Hey there, thanks! This is certainly my all time favourite recipe. Glad you enjoyed it & thanks for reading!
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