Smitachandra dos platos Sopa de Cebolla con Cordero y Cupcake de Chocolate Lava con Cardomomo

French Onion Soup With Lamb And Barley 

You can serve this rich, hearty soup the traditional way with a thick slice of rustic bread and some cheese melted over top, or you can serve it with bread on the side for dipping. Making and refrigerating the lamb broth a day ahead of time simplifies the process and also makes it easier to skim off the extra fat. You can, of course, make the soup vegetarian - substitute vegetable broth instead. It's delicious!

For the lamb broth:

3 lb lamb shanks (about 3 large)

6 cups water

4 cloves garlic

10 each: whole cloves, cardamom

1 tsp whole black pepper

1 inch stick cinnamon

Salt to taste

For the soup:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 bay leaves, preferably fresh

2 large sweet onions (such as Spanish or Vidalia), halved and thinly sliced (about 4 cups)

½ tsp each: sugar, herbes de Provence

1 carrot, diced

1 stick celery, diced

1 cup sliced mushrooms

½ cup each: white wine, white wine vinegar, pearl barley

Combine all broth ingredients together in large saucepan. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium low and simmer for 2 hours or until lamb is very tender.  Lift lamb out of broth, cool and shred.

Strain broth and skim off fat. Reserve broth.

Warm oil in deep skillet set over medium high heat. Add bay leaves and onions. Sauté for 10 min, stirring frequently until they begin to brown. Reduce heat to medium, add sugar and herbs. Saute for another 10 mins until onions are dark brown. Add vegetables, sauté 10 min.

Add wine and vinegar to deglaze skillet. Cook 5 min until slightly reduced. Add barley, shredded lamb and reserved broth. Stir gently, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 1 hour or until vegetables are very tender and barley is cooked.

Taste for seasonings, sprinkle some chopped fresh parsley over top if desired.

Serves four

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Chocolate Cardamom Lava Cakes

If you find it difficult to get the cakes out of their liners, serve them as is, without upturning them. Top with some whipped cream. It will melt slightly and blend into the chocolate lava as you eat the cake. It's all good.

4 squares Baker's premium dark chocolate

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

2 tsp ground cardamom, divided

6 tbsp all purpose flour

1 cup whipped cream

Preheat oven to 425F. Line a muffin tray with 8 paper liners. Spray insides lightly. 

Melt chocolate and butter together in microwave, 1 min. Stir until smooth. Add sugar, mix well. Add eggs, mix in until combined. Add 1 tsp ground cardamom and flour, fold in until completely blended.

Pour batter into prepared muffin cups. Bake for 13-14 min until sides of cakes are set but centers are still a bit wobbly. Let rest 2 min.

Meanwhile, combine whipped cream with remaining ground cardamom.

Upturn cakes onto dessert plates and carefully peel away paper liners. Serve with a dollop of cardamom whipped cream. 

Makes 8 cakes

http://smitachandra.com/blog/2013/3/3/cakes-in-salzburg