HANK PHILLIPPI RYAN: New Years is coming, and I know we'll talk about
resolutions, at some point, but--not today. Today we are talking about New
Years Eve traditions. And ours is: Okay, watch me.
I'm holding up one finger. You
say: One word! Right!
Holding two fingers against the
inside of my lower arm. You say: TWO SYLLABLES!
I'm looking pensive, thinking
thinking.
Grabbing my earlobe. You say:
Sounds like!
I "hold the steering wheel
with two hands", then "steer like crazy." You say: DRIVE!
I stamp my feet and shake my head. I do the "drive" thing
again, then gesture to show it's what's AROUND me.
You say: Car! Sounds like CAR.
I touch my nose. Two fingers on
my inner arm.
You say, second syllable. Right?
You say, sounds
like "car" something?
Yes! Okay, we got this. Then I look worried. Is
this gonna work? I better remind you.
Two fingers on my inner arm. You
say—Geez! We GOT that! Sounds like Car something.
I'm thinking. I could do
"jade," but that's tough. Or "laid," but that's fraught
with problems.
Plus it has to be plural. Maids? Aids? Afraids? Yeeesh.
Now you know what we all do on
New Year’s Eve. Car-maids. Are we geeky and old?
And pssst. How would you act out
that second syllable?
And while you're thinking, here's another of our New Year's Eve
traditions...rack of lamb. One word, two syllables, sounds like--points to
tummy. YUMMY!
Hank's Secret and Amazing
Special Occasion Rack of Lamb
Rack of lamb, you're saying?
That's extravagant! And difficult! Yes, it can be extravagant--but it doesn't
have to be. And it doesn't have to be difficult, either. In fact, it's an
amazingly affordable treat--that's gloriously impressive.
And pssst: easy.
First, you should know this is
my go-to dish when I want to impress someone. Just saying. And on New Years Eve
it's the absolutely perfect romantic dinner for two. Or four.
Serve with tiny green beans and
maybe wild rice. YUM. And easy!
If there are two of you, a rack of lamb serves four, so there are
fabulous leftovers for New Year's Day--just add to a Greek salad for a lovely
dinner.
Everyone thinks rack of lamb is one of those feasts that's out of
reach. This proves "everyone" is wrong. Prepare to wow your
friends..and have one of the most delicious dinners ever.
Ingredients
8-rib lamb rack
4 tb. olive oil
2 tb. dijon mustard
1 tb. parsley
2 tb. soy sauce
2 grinds black pepper
1 garlic clove or chopped garlic
Preheat oven to broil.
Whisk all the ingredients (except
lamb) together until the mixture forms a mayonnaise consistency.
Place lamb on broiler pan, lined with foil to make it easier to clean.
Coat each side of the rack of lamb with the marinade. End with the lamb concave
on the pan.
Broil five minutes per side. Turn oven to 400 degrees. Bake (with lamb
track convex on the pan) for 10 minutes for rare. (This is chic, but I think
this is too rare.) Bake 12 minutes for medium rare (that’s how I do it!) 13 for
medium.
Remove from oven, let stand for five minutes.
Secret: after those all important five minutes, make the first cut in
the rack in the middle. This will show you instantly if it's not done. If you
need to bake it for another minute, no problem. It is far better to undercook,
check ,and then put back in the oven than it is to over cook.
Slice into chops, arrange on the plates with rice and green beans, and
wow. Let me know how you like it! It's one of our very favorites.
SO Reds, what are your New Year's eve traditions? And how do you feel about, um, Car-Maids?
