Festive Food For A Busy Season
December 8, 2005

It is finally cold enough to indulge in some comfort food with a festive twist! During this crazy time of year it’s important to keep up the pace fueled by delicious food. Two of my favorite holiday recipes are an easy do-ahead rosemary scented lamb osso bucco that  improves nicely over time, and a lemony cakebread that is perfect with a bracing cup of tea, paired with berries for dessert, or as a simple breakfast. 

Lamb Osso Bucco

  • Place 1-2 pounds of lamb shoulder and/or shank in a heavy covered casserole dish. Add 2- 10 ounce cans of Campbell’s French Onion soup and 4 crushed garlic cloves. Braise in a 250 degree oven for four hours.
  • Cool. Remove the lamb and discard bones; store meat in a separate container.
  • Refrigerate the remaining stock in the casserole dish until a layer of fat forms on the surface. (I put mine in the garage overnight).
  • Remove the fat layer and add the lamb. 
  • Process 5 cloves of garlic with 2 tablespoons of fresh rosemary leaves and the zest of an  orange. Add this to the stock along with  1- 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes, one half cup vodka, and the juice of the orange.
  • Heat a sauté pan with 2 tablespoons olive oil; brown 2 cups each of chopped onion and mushroom, then add to casserole dish. Season to taste with kosher salt and fresh pepper.
  • To serve the osso bucco, simmer it uncovered in a 300 degree oven for an hour and ladle over freshly cooked fettuccini or egg noodles. Serves 8-10.
Lemon Cakebread
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease a bread loaf pan.
  • Beat together 4 ounces of soft unsalted butter with 1 cup of sugar.
  • Beat in 2 eggs, one-half cup of milk, and the grated zest of one lemon.
  • With a wooden spoon, mix in one and one fourth cup of all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon of baking powder to lightly form a batter.
  • Pour into prepared loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes.
  • While the loaf is baking, prepare a glaze by combining one fourth cup of fresh lemon juice and one fourth cup of confectionary sugar in a small bowl. Mix until well combined.
  • When a cake tester comes out clean, remove the loaf and pour the glaze evenly over the hot cake. Cool before removing from pan. Serves 8-10.

Kim Dannies is a graduate of La Varenne Cooking School in France. She lives in Williston, VT with her husband, Jeff, and three college–aged daughters who come and go. ©2008