Double Dutch Dessert!
Cranberry and Apple Crumble with Dutch Vanilla Ice Cream in a Single-Serve Dutch Oven
I’ve been trying to get my mind around desserts, only to justify writing in the obligatory (believe me, obligatory) “All good things must come to an end” Matrix quote. Seriously though, I recently procured some really cute single-serve Dutch ovens on the cheap that I’ve been meaning to use even before I left for Chicago (Oh, btw I’m back in Seattle hee hee).
So, to keep things simple, I made a quick apple and cranberry crumble (recipe here). It didn’t take very long and if you bake, 95% of the ingredients should already be in your pantry. I juiced fresh clementines instead of the ol’ OJ, but other than that, I kept it as directed (I kinda wanted to add oats, but oh well). Mix your dry, mix your wet, throw in cooking vessel and bake! Oh, and don’t forget to add some vanilla ice cream!
I also made Roasted Lamb atop Cibatta Crostini and White Bean Puree with Baby Spinach in a Parsley-Oil Lemon Vinaigrette, which in a broken-down sense… an open faced sammich. I marinated the lamb in mint, rosemary, parsley, garlic, olive oil and lemon juice. I then seared it on all sides until golden brown and tossed it in a 350 degree oven until the internal temp reached 135.
The other components were easy to make. The white bean puree was made with canned white beans, parsley, red pepper flakes, chicken stock, a healthy amount of salt and freshly cracked pepper. I made a parsley oil (something like this but without the cheese cloth) to brush on the cibatta bread to toast under the broiler and also added some lemon juice to dress the spinach.
I assembled the plate by ladle-ing the white bean mixture in the center of the plate, with the cut ends of the crostini in the puree with the meat placed on top. I dressed the salad and tried to get as much height as I could. If I could do it again, I’d use 4 crostini instead of two to make a sort of an “X” - cool for a fancy appetizer and maybe use frisee, since it’s able to be architecturally sound - at least better than the spinach. OH WELL IT’S ALL GONE NOW. LOL.
YAY double dutchin’ and lamb! 
~Spec