A FATHER'S DAY MENU

Saying “I'm tired” doesn’t quite describe it.  I've been on my feet in the kitchen since 8:30 this morning.  Finally, at 8:00pm I sit to reflect on the Father's Day meal I made.

It's the first father's day dinner I've ever made in my life.  The short of it: outside of a few second-hand stories, I never knew my father.  He never read me a bedtime story, taught me how to throw a ball or ride a bike.  There are many reasons he was never in my life, and by the time I was old enough and willing enough to seek him out, he had already died six-months prior to me finding him. At the ripe old age of 88, Parkinson's got the best of him.  Because the reasons for his absence are too many, too awful and too personal, I won't go into them.  But I can tell you it's taken a bit to move past resentment and anger, and to just accept him for who he was.  Doesn't mean the pain has completely gone away (no magical potions here), but what do they say?  Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional.  Today, on this Father’s Day, I opted out of suffering.  Something my dad couldn't do, with such an awful disease as Parkinson's.

So at 8:00am, I started by getting desserts out of the way. Yup, plural, deeeesserts.

DESSERTS:

Macadamia and White Chocolate Chip cookies
Walnut Brownies with a Raspberry drizzle and fresh whipped cream

Both of these desserts are really quick to make but truly, if you only have time for one, go with the brownies.  I used Pamela's Gluten Free Brownie Mix, making the Cake-Like Brownies version per the back of the bag.

Because the main course was going to be made from scratch, I needed to keep dessert simple.  However before serving the brownies, I had to raise the bar by making a fresh Raspberry reduction, topped with fresh whipped cream.  If you can't make the Raspberry reduction, serve the brownies warm with one small scoop of vanilla ice-cream.  Now who won't love and appreciate that...

At the bottom are the recipes: Beet/Orange Salad and for the main course, Lamb Stew.  I juggled both at the same time (it’ helped to have all the ingredients ready in advanced - thanks to my sous chef husband), but do what suits you best.  I'm proud to say all of the fresh ingredients came straight from my garden.

I cooked my heart out today, not just for my dad (the truth is I don’t know if my father would have ever liked this meal), but for all dads: the ones who show up, the ones who can’t...and what about the ones who won’t?  Well, they're missing out on knowing some great sons and daughters.  And who was the benefactor of this meal?  One of the nicest dads I’ve ever met: my husband.

His own son, a grown man by all rights (a great "kid" in my opinion), living in another state, healthy and getting wiser by the day, couldn't make it down to visit.  But no worries!, his call came in first thing in the morning wishing his dad a happy day.  So yesterday, I looked into my husband's eyes, and despite all the personal adversities he's gone through, I saw a good father.  It was then I decided we both deserved to celebrate.

So, did he like tonight’s meal?  Well let’s just say, he didn’t walk away hungry. 

STARTER: FRESH BEET AND ORANGE SALAD

4 medium beets
1 tbs sherry vinegar
2 medium oranges
2 tbs orange juice
½ tsp orange zest
½ tsp salt
2 tbs lemon juice
2 tbs olive oil

Preheat oven at 400.  Trim and scrub beets – don’t peal them. Wrap each beet in foil and place on baking sheet.  Into the oven they go for 40 minutes, or until tender.  While beats are still roasting mix your dressing.

Dressing – Prep your oranges: Get 1/2 tsp worth of orange zest before pealing the orange. Pith and remove membrane over separate bowl to catch the juice (this is where you collect your 2 tbs worth of juice).  Separate spears into halves.  Place in serving bowl.

In another bowl combine: sherry vinegar, orange zest, orange juice, salt, lemon juice, and gradually whisk in olive oil.

Once beets are done, cool under cold water until easy to handle and rub off skin. Cut beets approx. ¼ inch size pieces and place in bowl with oranges.  Drizzle a little dressing over beets and oranges then chill in the refrigerator.  Serve when ready.

MAIN COURSE: SHREDDED LAMB STEW

1 ½ pounds of boneless butterfly leg of Lamb
4-5 cloves Garlic (use amount that suits your pallet)
1 tbs fresh parsley chopped
1 tsp fresh orange thyme stripped
1 ½ fresh rosemary finely chopped
1 ½ tsp fresh basil chopped
1 ½ tsp fresh oregano chopped
4 shallots chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 stalk of celery, thinly sliced
2 medium sized carrots, chopped small
10 baby potatoes, cut in half
1 small can of fire roasted diced tomatoes
2 tbs olive oil
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp cracked-smoked pepper
½ tsp of paprika
2 cups of vegetable stock
2 cups water
3 fresh mint leaves, small
1 dry bay leaf

Heat olive oil in large pan or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat.  Working in batches, brown meat on all sides. Set aside in bowl.  

Next, in the same pan, add your onion.  Use a wooden spoon, cook onions making sure you scrape the brown bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.  Cook until onions are soft, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another minute.

Return meat to pan then add water, vegetable stock and the remainder of your ingredients.  Let boil, occasionally stirring. Cover, lowering heat for 5 minutes, then place in oven.  When your meat and vegetables are tender, take two forks and shred some of the meat in the pot.  Add salt to taste, stir, place bay leaf and mint leaves on top and let sit for 5 minutes.  Remove mint leaves. Give it another stir, then serve with rustic bread if you like.