Skewers of Melon, Jamón, and Mini Mozzarella

Dressing:
1/3 cup extra virgin
olive oil
1/3 cup fresh basil leaves
(packed)
1 shallot, coarsely
chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
freshly ground pepper, to
taste
Skewers:
1 small honeydew or
other melon
6 balls mini mozzarella
(water-packed)
6 slices Spanish jamón
or Italian prosciutto
Wooden skewers

To make dressing, combine olive oil, basil leaves, shallot, and salt in blender or food processor. Pulse in blender until ingredients are finely chopped and combined. Add pepper to taste.

Peel and seed melon and cut into several wedges. Cut each small wedge in half to make large chunks.

Cut 6 jamón (or prosciutto) slices in half lengthwise.

To assemble skewers, place one piece of melon, followed by one piece of jamón (fold several times into a fanned piece before skewering), one mozzarella ball, another piece of “fanned” jamón, and a last piece of melon. Repeat until mozzarella and jamón are used up.

Place skewers on a platter and drizzle dressing over. Serve immediately.

Rack of Lamb with Herbes de Provence and Roasted Tomatoes

2 large cloves garlic,
peeled
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. freshly ground
black pepper
3 tsp. finely chopped
fresh thyme
2 tsp. finely chopped
fresh rosemary
1/4 cup olive oil,
divided
2 ripe tomatoes, halved
1 rack of lamb, frenched
(about 1 lb.)
2 shallots
2 medium white
potatoes, peeled
2 Tbsp. white wine

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Chop garlic and place in a small bowl (a mortar and pestle works best) and sprinkle with a half teaspoon each salt and pepper. Mash into a paste. Stir in chopped herbs and half the olive oil.

To prepare tomatoes, cut in half. Grease a pie plate or other baking dish and place tomatoes, cutside up, inside. Drizzle with about on third of the garlic/ herb mixture. Set aside.

Rinse rack of lamb and pat dry. Cut in half.

Sprinkle with remaining one fourth teaspoon each salt and pepper.

In an oven safe skillet or frying pan, heat one tablespoon olive oil until quite hot over moderatehigh heat. Brown rack of lamb on all sides. Set aside.

To prepare remaining vegetables, slice potatoes into one fourth inch slices. Peel and slice shallots thinly.

Add remaining olive oil to skillet. Heat over medium. Add potatoes and shallots and cook until beginning to brown, about three to five minutes. Stir occasionally. Stir in wine and about half of your garlic herb mixture. Sprinkle with additional salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Into the fat side of the racks of lamb, rub in remainder of garlic herb mixture.

Place baking dish with tomatoes in oven. Roast 30-40 minutes, until very tender.

Place racks of lamb upright in skillet on top of potato mixture. To keep the two half-racks steady, nest exposed bones together at the top.

Roast lamb and potatoes about 20 to 25 minutes, until internal temperature of lamb reads about 130 degrees for medium rare.

When lamb has reached desired level of doneness, remove from oven and tent with foil. Let sit 5 to 10 minutes.

Slice rack into chops if desired and serve with potatoes and tomatoes.

Easy but Decadent Nutella Mousse Recipe

1 cup whipping cream,
very cold
1/2 tsp. high-quality
instant coffee
granules
1/2 cup Nutella (or
other chocolatehazelnut spread)
Whipped cream,
to garnish
Fresh raspberries, to
garnish (optional)

In a medium mixing bowl, combine whipping cream and instant coffee.

Refrigerate five minutes, then stir until coffee is dissolved.

Stir in Nutella.

With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat mixture until soft peaks form. Scrape bowl occasionally with rubber spatula as you mix.

The mousse will be very soft here, don't worry. It sets up as it chills.

Divide among four serving dishes. Chill at least four hours, or overnight.

Just before serving, garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls or fresh raspberries, if desired. And an After-Dinner Suggestion... Champagne and Fresh Strawberries