GRILLED MOROCCAN LAMB

Ah yes, the new barbie. I've been on that thing like crazy, which of course the missus is happy about. Not only is she getting fed but more importantly I'm not making (as much of) a mess in the kitchen. I gave this recipe a whirl last night and it was the business so here it is.

Marinade Recipe:

1 1/2 lb grass-fed leg of lamb - boneless

8 ozs fat-free plain yogurt

2 tsp. cumin

1 lg. garlic clove - minced

1 tbsp. fresh ginger - grated

1 lemon - zested

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

S&P

Marinate the lamb for up to 2 hours in the fridge. For those of you who saw the Light my barbie video, instead of putting the hot coals from the chimney on top of the fresh coals I put them to the side. What this does is create a more controlled cooking heat in your grill. I seasoned and seared the lamb on the hot coals to get a nice crust on it and then moved it to the cooler side of the grill. What will happen is the hot coals will start to ignite the cooler coals slowly. You're basically cooking the lamb by indirect heat in your grill. Cook for 20 - 25 mins. or 'til internal temp. of 120 degrees, medium rare.

Serve this with some cous-cous, grilled baby carrots & tzatziki. Summer's here guys, get grilling!

NEW GRILL!

We finally got a new bbq grill!

JAPAN FIGHTS FAT. What about the rest of us?

As I cruised around the web looking for celebrity homes, er I mean chef stuff, I came across this video. I'm not sure how many of you saw this on CNN but it's well worth a gander. This would never fly here in the States or in a lot of other places for that matter but I can't help but think, what if....

If companies in the U.S. were forced to pay fines for every employee deemed over-weight, would they invest in helping them lose weight? Would they offer better food choices in their cafeterias & cafes just as the Japanese companies do? Better yet, would they offer to pay for gym memberships or include exercise as part of the work day? And if they did, would you agree to partake in something like this? Now the Japanese determine being over-weight as men with a waist of 33.5 inches and women as 35.4. Clearly not over-weight by our standards but imagine how many non-Japanese co.'s would have to claim bankruptcy if this was implemented today?

Overall I'm not really sure what I think about the idea. On the one hand it feels invasive and intrusive but as the healthy guy, I like the fact that ultimately this will improve people's health. So the question is, would you forgo a bit of freedom in exchange for getting healthier?
Sushi anyone?

THE H.I. & the Missus do Vegas

 Last weekend was our first wedding anniversary so in true LA style we headed to Vegas. This, of course was where the deed was done this time last year so we figured a quick trip was in order. Now you know what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas so I can't give up too much but here's a quick snippet of the Murphy's on tour. You guys definitely don't need to see my late night dance moves, however I may be willing to negotiate for the right price! ( Bloody camera phones)

FRIDAY'S FUNNY

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DINNER AT AKASHA

I finally got my ass to my friend, Akasha's Restaurant in Culver City, CA. With my favourite Southerners in tow, we embarked on our culinary journey with our wine glasses tattooed to our foreheads (ya, that's how its done with this crew). I've seen the restaurant in various phases (even once considered getting involved myself), but it blew my mind when I entered. First observation is that it's HUGE. I knew it was going to be big from seeing it gutted, but I found it hard to imagine the finished vision in Akasha's head. The result? It's impressively gorgeous, even down to the lighting (which Jennifer loved). The bar is huge (always good!) and the main dining room is fabulous and reminisant of an old NY brick building. Even more impressive is that this is a "green" restaurant made from recycled building materials, including the furniture which is made from organic leather and hemp fabrics (deriving from her always organic cotton chef's jacket one would think).
There were 6 of us so we were seated on the bakery side at a great big wooden table. Bakery? Yes, she has conquered it all here. Akasha's food encompasses the way I like to eat: local, organic & fresh.
The raves of the table included the tortilla soup (no cream added--great!), the pan seared Albacore lettuce wraps (super fresh with a great kick) & the Asian style braised short ribs (cooked perfectly-no knife needed). We ate and drank like kings and I even indulged in dessert (it's all organic without preservatives which is basically healthy so why wouldn't I?)--

But do you see what happens when I indulge?
Now the smart thing I should have done was take pictures of the inside and the food but I'm thinking it might have been all the wine which impaired my actions. I did manage to take a lot of us having a brilliant time so here's to that! Wait, there's a dessert pic! And the guy who's double fisting? Well, it was his 40th birthday so he deserved it!

The Healthy Irishman & Akasha Richmond

Grilled Rib Eye w/ Tropical salsa

Summer's here, well in California anyway so the Shirtless Shef is back! It's the perfect time to start barbecuing so I decided to grill some (grass fed) rib eye steaks at the weekend along with a papaya avocado salsa. It's always great to be able to throw something on the grill and crack a beer on a Saturday afternoon so that's what we did.
For the steaks, season w/ S&P, olive oil and pop them on a hot grill. Cook to desired temperature.

Salsa recipe:
1 papaya - peeled and fine dice
1 avocado - fine dice
1/2 red pepper - fine dice
1/2 lime - juiced
2 ears of corn - kernels removed & quickly sauteed
2 tbsp. cilantro (coriander) - chopped
S&P
This is a great addition to any barbecue and goes with any meat or even fish. Simply mix everything together and season to taste.

FRIDAY'S FUNNY

Now we know for sure what the Scots wear under their kilts! At least they're not all ball and no cannon!


SCOTTISH BARSTOOL