Lunch for dad

Tomorrow we celebrate Father’s Day, in our present circumstance dining out or catering in is not an option. Fear not though, you can create a delicious lunch for that special person in the comfort of your home. My lunch menu reflects just that. Start with a spicy shrimp cocktail followed by grilled hoisin scented lamb served alongside pillowy sweet potato croquettes and a veggie gratin. Finish it all off with a not to be resisted mocha dream pie – the name says it all! Father’s Day greetings to all those wonderful dads out there!

Caribbean shrimp cocktail

24 medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined.

1 tsp ground Spanish thyme

½ tsp salt

Sauce

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup fresh lime juice

1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce

1 tsp pepper sauce

⅛ tsp allspice powder

¼ tsp sugar

1 tsp minced onion

1 tbs minced chadon beni

salt to taste

2 cups shredded lettuce

lime slices for garnish.

Marinate shrimp in Spanish thyme.

Steam shrimp in about one half cup of water, when they are pink and curled, drain them and refrigerate.

Combine all the ingredients for the sauce.

Place lettuce into 4 stemmed glasses.

Combine shrimp with sauce and divide equally among glasses.

Garnish with lime slices.

Serve or refrigerate until ready for use. Serves 4

Marinated hoisin grilled lamb

2 lbs boneless lamb shoulder

1 tbs hoisin sauce

2 tbs honey

2 tbs rice vinegar

2 tbs vegetable oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp grated orange zest

1 tbs soy sauce

Combine hoisin sauce, honey, vinegar, oil, orange zest, garlic, and soy sauce.

Place lamb in a sturdy plastic bag, pour marinade over lamb and rub into lamb.

Close bag and marinate for 2 hours at room temperature or up to 4 hours in the refrigerator.

Remove from refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

Remove lamb from plastic bag and reserve marinade.

Preheat grill to medium hot.

Grease grills and grill lamb for 10 to 15 minutes per side depending on the thickness. Brushing with your marinade.

If you are roasting preheat oven to 400F and roast for 320 to 40 minutes on a greased roasting pan, brush with your marinade and turn once.

Your meat should register 130F on a meat thermometer. Let cool before slicing on the diagonal.

Serves 6

Sweet potato croquettes

2 lbs sweet potatoes

½ cup milk

¼ cup butter

⅓ cup chopped herbs

¼ tsp nutmeg

salt

vegetable oil to fry

1 cup each bread crumbs and flour to dredge

1 egg

Boil, peel and mash sweet potatoes

Warm milk with butter and add to potatoes mix well add herbs and nutmeg, season to taste with salt.

Beat egg and set aside.

Place the flour in one plate, and the breadcrumbs in another.

Form the potato into 2 inch balls, dredge in flour, shake off excess, then dip in egg and roll in crumbs, flatten and pan fry until golden.

Makes 6 to 8 cakes.

Cauliflower tomato casserole

1 large head of cauliflower, washed and cleaned cut into segments

4 tomatoes, chopped

½ cup cracker crumbs

½ cup chopped fresh herbs

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 cup grated cheese

Salt

Preheat oven to 375F

Steam cauliflower until tender crisp, about 8 minutes.

Grease a shallow baking dish, add tomatoes, sprinkle on herbs, and some salt.

Place drained cauliflower on top.

Combine crumbs with garlic and cheese.

Sprinkle on top of cauliflower and bake for about 20 minutes until brown and crisp on top.

Serves 4

Mocha dream pie

Crust:

2 cups digestive biscuit crumbs or chocolate cookies

2 tbs sugar

⅓ cup butter, melted

Place cookies in a food processor and process until crumbs form, add the sugar and butter and process for a few seconds more.

Press into the bottom of a 10-inch pie plate, bake for 5 minutes at 325F until just firm, cool.

Filling:

1½ tbs gelatin

2 tbs warm water

2 tbs instant coffee granules (extra strong)

½ cup hot water

1 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs, separated

2 8 oz packages Cream Cheese

2 cup whipped cream

1 tbs cocoa powder

Chocolate shavings and chocolate chips for garnish

Dissolve gelatin in 2 tablespoons warm water, gently warm until melted.

Combine coffee with hot water and stir into gelatin mixture.

Beat eggs with ½ cup sugar, add to gelatin mixture and cook over low heat until thick, about 5 minutes, remove and cool.

Beat cream cheese until smooth, add egg and gelatin mixture, combine.

Fold in whipped cream. Spoon into prepared crust and chill overnight until firm.

Place cocoa powder into a strainer and sift over cake, line the edge with chocolate chips and sprinkle with chocolate shavings. Chill further until ready to serve.

Makes one 10-inch cheesecake.

rahamut@gmail.com