Pentecost

Cabernet Sauvignon from Moldavia

Cabernet Sauvignon is a very bold and assertive wine that has potential to overwhelm light
and delicate dishes. Red meats, such as lamb, pair well with Cabernet Sauvignon due to
the ability of proteins and fats to negate some of the tannic qualities of the wine.

Couscous Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette Recipe

2 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
1 package (10 ounces) couscous
2 cups fresh baby arugula or spinach
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup dried cherries
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
12 fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced
1/4 cup lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon pepper

Preparation:
In a small saucepan, bring broth and 1 tablespoon oil to a boil. Stir in couscous. Cover and
remove from the heat; let stand for 5 minutes or until water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.
Transfer to a large bowl; cool. Just before serving, add the arugula, feta cheese, cherries,
pine nuts and basil. In a small bowl, whisk the lemon juice, salt, pepper and remaining oil.
Pour over salad; toss to coat.

Herbed Leg of Lamb With Roasted Turnips

Ingredients
1 7 -to-9-pound bone-in leg of lamb
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
3 lemons
3 pounds baby turnips with greens
6 bunches scallions
1 cup fresh parsley
1 cup fresh dill
1/4 cup fresh marjoram
3 inner stalks celery, roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic
6 plum tomatoes, quartered lengthwise and halved crosswise
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 

Preparation:
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 500 degrees F. Using a paring knife,

make deep cuts, 2 inches apart, all over the lamb; rub with 2 tablespoons salt and several grinds

of pepper. Transfer the lamb to a roasting pan, fat-side up. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon on top.

Roast the lamb until most of the fat is rendered and the skin starts to brown, about 30 minutes.

Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 30 to 40 minutes. Discard the fat from the pan and set the

pan aside.

Meanwhile, trim the greens from the turnips; reserve the greens for Stewed Turnip Greens.

Cut any large turnips in half. Roughly chop 2 bunches scallions and transfer to a food processor.

Add the parsley, dill, marjoram, celery and garlic and pulse to form a coarse paste. Holding the

bone, stand the leg of lamb up and rub the paste all over it; return to the roasting pan. Cut the

remaining 4 bunches scallions into 2-inch pieces. Scatter the scallions, turnips and tomatoes

around the lamb and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice of the remaining

2 lemons over the lamb and drizzle with the olive oil. Loosely cover with foil.

Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and roast the lamb 1 hour. Uncover and continue

roasting until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145 degrees F for medium,

30 to 45 more minutes. Let rest 15 minutes, then slice. Serve with the vegetables and pan juices. 

Blueberry dessert - Croatia

600 g blueberries

200 g sugar

tsp. of lemon juice

250 ml single cream

250 g Graham crackers

4 egg yolks

2 eggs

500 ml milk

vanilla pod

mint leaves

Preparation:

Put vanilla pod in milk and cook it. Whisk yolks, half of sugar and eggs until creamy and pour it in
simmering milk constantly mixing it until the blend thickens. Remove it from heat and leave to cool
down. Cook 300 g of blueberries with the rest of sugar and lemon juice. 

When the blend starts to simmer, cook it for another 2 minutes constantly mixing it. Remove it from
heat and leave it to cool down. Whisk single cream until it turns into firm cream. Break and split
into fine pieces Graham crackers (or any other crackers). Put a spoon of crunched crackers, tsp.
of vanilla cream and tsp. of blueberries syrup on the bottom of the glass and then add cream.
Decorate it with blueberries and mint leaves.