Happy Winter Solstice!

Fork.  The shortest day of the year may come as a dismal reminder that winter is upon us, promising many cold nights and crisp days.  Snow and ice and doom and gloom.  I can't say I'm thrilled by the low temperatures, but the darkness of the season certainly begs for cozy evenings and slow cooked meals.  So don't despair!  As you're lamenting the absence of August blueberries and September tomatoes, turn to the bright tang of December citrus to brighten your day.

Paired with red wine and balsamic vinegar, orange juice is a zippy braising liquid for gamey lamb chops.  Add dried apricots, olives and fennel and you have a wonderfully rich winter dish sure to be a optimistic reminder of the season.

Solstice Braised Lamb

orange, balsamic, fennel, apricot, olive

2 lamb shoulder chops

1 tsp fennel seeds, toasted and finely ground

1 tsp vegetable oil

1/8 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup red wine

1 cup orange juice (preferably fresh)

a good handful of dried apricots

a good handful of cured olives, pitted

2 bay leaves

zest of 1 orange

1. Trim your lamb chops and season with ground fennel, salt and pepper.  Heat oil in a large, high-sided ovenproof skillet over high heat.  Sear chops until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. 


2. Add wine and vinegar.  Boil until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.  Add orange juice, apricots, olives, orange zest and bay leaves.  

3. Braise lamb in oven, covered, for 45 minutes.  Uncover and continue cooking until meat is very tender and falling off the bone, about 45 minutes more.  Baste often.  

4. Reduce braising liquid on the stove until thickened and saucey.  Serve lamb with sauce. 

With kale salad and roasted butternut squash.

Glass.  Do eat this meal with a hearty red wine.  The orange sauce is intensely flavorful and demands a wine that is full-bodied and rich.  Lamb always seems to pair beautifully with the wines of Northern Rhone, and most favorably with Syrah.  All dark and earthy and black olivey.  Deep purple, warm spices.  We chose a new world Syrah, made with the Rhone Valley in mind.  Copain's 2007 Baker Ranch Syrah is all sorts of roasted fruit, black pepper, and bold olives.  The orange sauce popped and the meat sang.  And we reveled in winter cheer.

Play.  Long nights and short days are perfect excuses for cozy couch sessions with forgotten movies.  This tiny gem, which many have seen but only once, promises to bring a delightful warmth to the coldest of evenings.  Little Miss Sunshine is the charming story of a quirky family road trip, complete with hi-jinks, revelations, and dancing.  As the title suggests, the scenery is bright with the Southern sunshine and the main characters radiate an honest mix of melancholy, passion and joy.  Simply put, you'll feel happy when the credits roll and on the darkest of days, that's all we need.