I don’t celebrate Easter, but I had a strong desire to have lamb today.  It’s a good excuse to do some French cooking…uh-huh, like I need an excuse to do some French cooking.  After dropping off all of Syd’s summer clothing cast-offs at the White Elephant down in Warrenton (yes, she’s spoiled and has grandmothers who buy her way too many clothes), I came back through Middleburg to get a rack of lamb at Home Farm Store (the retail arm of Ayreshire Farms).  After my chicken experiment I was eager to try something else, so I picked up the lamb and a dozen eggs to make a Dutch baby for breakfast.  I’d picked up some berries Harris Teeter.  Yes, out of season, but I was desperate for something fruity and I hadn’t made a Dutch baby in a long time.  I also had some thick-cut bacon that I was going to coat in maple syrup and brown sugar.  But I forgot that I was out of brown sugar.  So I just baked it in the oven straight up, which is my favorite way to cook bacon.

When I cracked open the eggs this morning they were so pretty and so perfect – really nice orange yolks that didn’t blob out once I dropped them in the bowl.  Exactly the way eggs are SUPPOSED to look.  The Dutch baby was delish, but it really stuck to the bottom of my cast-iron skillet this time.  I also burned my tongue on the berries…wow, do they hold heat for a long time!

For the lamb, I roasted it in the oven using a favorite recipe out of Barefoot Contessa’s ‘Barefoot in Paris’ cookbook, Rack of Lamb Persillade.  She never steers me wrong.  I’ve never made anything from a Barefoot Contessa recipe that wasn’t completely delicious.  I also adore asparagus, so spring is a favorite time of year.  I had a large bunch of it that I roasted with some olive oil, then drizzled with a balsamic reduction and shaved parmesan.  I dropped some grape tomatoes in a really hot skillet and cooked them until they were hot, charred, and wrinkled…..then mixed in some chopped basil. Arugula salad with lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil, pain de campagne, and a bottle of Virginia Cabernet Franc to round everything out.  Yes, as much as I love France, and French wine, I also like to keep it local and support the good Virginia wineries.

*Sigh* A week off in which I got nothing accomplished except a family visit to Ohio, some birthday shopping, watching the Capitals beat the NY Rangers (yeah!), and freshly vacuumed carpet.  We were supposed to be in Montréal this week, but alas, was not meant to be.  So, back to my day job tomorrow, and a meatless Monday dinner.  Hmmmm, what should I make???