ThinkProof Cooking^TM
Lamb with Lemon and Black-Eyed Beans: Meal Guide

A. Menu

Type	Informal Meal
Food	Lamb with Lemon and Black-Eyed Beans, Glazed Carrots and New Potatoes Apricot Ice Cream with Toasted Almonds
Booze	Red wine, e.g. claret
Serves	Six diners; Arriving 8.00pm
Sources	Main course adapted from "Seasonal Menus for Home Entertaining", Clare Payne, Sainsburys, London, 1982, p90-91 Dessert adapted from "Sweet Dreams", Josceline Dimbleby, Sainsburys, London, 1983, p63
Notes	Mostly prepared in advance, including the night before. Requires an electric whisk (or strong right arm).

B. Ingredients Checklist

Stuff to have or buy:

*Ingredient*	*Already have*	*To buy*
Onion (one; large)
Garlic (one large clove)
Mint (c.thirty leaves (2-3 tablespoons); fresh) [or 1½ tablespoons of dried]
Lemons (three)
Carrots (675g/1½lb)
Potatoes (1.4kg/3lb; small, new)
Butter (60g/2oz)
Whipping cream (270ml/½pt)
Lamb (800g-900g/1¾-2lb; boneless/deboned leg or shoulder)
Sugar (225g/8oz; light brown/demerara)
Sugar (90g/3oz; icing)
Sugar (60g/2oz; caster)
Eggs (three; large)
Flour (30g/1oz; plain)
Black-eyed beans (225g/8oz; dried) [also called black-eyed peas]
Almonds (60g/2oz; flaked)
Apricots (225g/8oz; dried)
Raisins (90g/3oz)
Olive oil (4 tablespoons/60ml)
Stock cube (one; chicken)
Salt and black pepper
Brandy (1 tablespoon) [or cognac/similar]
Red wine (e.g. claret)

C1. Pre-Preparation 1

When?: Timeline minus c.twenty-four hours (i.e. the night before)

How long?: Pre-preparation takes about ten minutes

Ö
	1	Chop 225g (8oz) of dried apricots (each one into c.10-12 pieces) and soak overnight in 2pts (1l) of cold water
	2	Soak 225g (8oz) of black-eyed beans in c.2pts (1l) of cold water

C2. Pre-Preparation 2

When?: Timeline minus c.seven hours (e.g. c.9.00am)

How long?: Pre-preparation takes about two hours (but that includes one hour waiting for stuff to cool)

Ö
	1	Drain the water from the apricots
	2	Squeeze out the juice of one lemon
	3	Separate three eggs into whites and yolks
	4	Place 150ml (5fl.oz) of cold water in a large saucepan over a medium heat
	5	Dissolve 225g (8oz) of light brown sugar in the water
	6	Add the apricots to the water; Bring to the boil and stir
	7	Cover the pan and simmer water and apricots over a gentle heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally
	8	Remove pan from heat and stir in the lemon juice
	9	Put the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk with a fork for a minute until smooth; Add the whisked yolks to the apricot mixture
	10	Put the apricots over a very low heat and stir constantly for five minutes: don't let it bubble
	11	Transfer the mixture into a bowl; Add one tablespoon of cognac/brandy and stir well in; Allow to cool for one hour
	12	Turn oven on to 220^oC/425^oF/Gas Mark 7 and allow to heat up for ten minutes; While waiting for the oven to heat up …
	13	Measure out 60g (2oz) of flaked almonds onto a shallow oven tray
	14	Pour 270ml (½pt) of whipping cream into a medium-sized bowl; Whisk until "thick but not stiff"
	15	Use a metal spoon to gently fold the cream into the apricot mixture
	16	Place the almond tray in the heated oven for one-two minutes only to toast them until brown
	17	Stir almost all of the toasted almonds into the mixture
	18	Clean all the cream from the whisk, and then whisk the egg whites until, this time, you get "stiff peaks" (ooh, err, missus)
	19	Use a metal spoon to fold the egg whites into the mixture
	20	Pour the whole mixture into a 3 pint (1.5l) freezerproof serving container
	21	Sprinkle the remaining toasted almonds on top; Freeze in the freezer for at least five hours

D. Preparation

When?: Timeline minus c.one-and-a-half hours (e.g. c.4.00pm)

How long?: Preparation takes about 15 minutes

Timeline Preparation

Ö
	1	Get cooking implements ready:	Chopping board and knife; Large ovenproof casserole with lid (make sure it fits in oven); One very large saucepan; One large saucepan; One medium saucepan; Large bowl to hold browned lamb; Grater; Jug for stock; Slotted spoon to transfer lamb; Colander (two if you've got them); Garlic press; Scissors for cutting lamb; Scrubbing brush for vegetables; Vegetable peeler; Stirring spoon
	2	Get serving implements ready:	Two large serving bowls for carrots and for potatoes plus spoons; Spoon for serving lamb
	3	Get eating implements ready:	Large plates for first course; Small plates or bowls for pudding; Wine glasses; Cutlery
	4	Make sure ingredients are all to hand:	Lemons; Onion; Garlic clove; Flour; Lamb; Olive oil; Chicken stock cube; Salt/pepper; Soaking black-eyed beans; New potatoes; Mint; Carrots; Butter; Sugar
	5	Get changed for dinner

E. Timeline Cooking^TM

Ö	*Abs*	*Rel*	*Your*
	5.29	0		Finely grate the rind of two lemons
	5.34	+5		Chop up one large onion
	5.39	+10		Peel one clove of garlic and place in a garlic press
	5.41	+12		Measure out 30g (1oz) of plain flour
	5.43	+14		Cut any significant external fat from lamb and discard
	5.46	+17		Heat 4 tablespoons (60ml) of olive oil in a large ovenproof casserole over a high heat
	5.47	+18		Cut remaining meat into c.2½cm (1in) cubes
	5.51	+22		Cook the lamb cubes in the oil until brown (will take about ten minutes); stirring regularly
	5.58	+29		Turn oven on to 180^oC/350^oF/Gas Mark 4
	6.01	+32		Use a slotted spoon to transfer the lamb temporarily into a bowl
	6.03	+34		Put the chopped onion into the casserole and cook over a medium-high heat until golden-brown; Stir regularly: it will take some time for the juices from the lamb to boil off
	6.04	+35		In parallel, boil 1pt (570ml) of water in the kettle
	6.07	+38		Pour boiling water into a jug and dissolve one chicken stock cube in the water
	6.10	+41		Crush the garlic into the onion mixture and add the lemon rind; Turn the heat down to medium
	6.12	+43		Put the lamb back into the casserole
	6.13	+44		Stir 30g (1oz) of flour into the lamb
	6.14	+45		Pour the chicken stock over the lamb and stir well until the stock is just simmering
	6.19	+50		If you want, season the casserole with salt and pepper
	6.20	+51		Put a lid on the casserole and place in the oven
	6.21	+52		Drain the overnight water from the black-eyed beans; Then rinse them in a colander
	6.22	+53		Put the beans in a medium saucepan and pour in 2 pints (1l) of fresh water
	6.24	+55		Heat the beans saucepan over a high heat
	6.25	+56		Scrub 1.4kg (3lb) of new potatoes, and set aside
	6.37	+68		The water around the beans should be boiling by now; Allow to boil rapidly (NOT just simmer) for a further ten minutes
	6.45	+76		Wash around 30 mint leaves and chop up
	6.47	+78		Turn the heat down under the beans until they are simmering; Allow to simmer for at least half an hour
	6.49	+80		Cut away the remaining skin from the two lemons you grated earlier
	6.52	+83		Remove lemon pips and cut the flesh in half lengthways; Then cut each half into four-six smaller pieces
	6.59	+90		Put 4 pints (2½l) fresh water into the very large saucepan (for the potatoes) and put over a high heat
	7.02	+93		Scrub or peel 700g (1½lb) of carrots
	7.09	+100		Put 3 pints (1½l) fresh water into the large saucepan (for the carrots) and heat over a high heat
	7.10	+101		Cut each carrot in half, then cut each half into four sticks; Set aside
	7.20	+111		Put new potatoes into very large saucepan of boiling water
	7.23	+114		Drain the hot water from the beans; Rinse the beans briefly under hot water
	7.25	+116		Add the black-eyed beans to the casserole with the lemon pieces and mint; Stir the mixture
	7.26	+117		Place the casserole back in the oven
	7.27	+118		Add the sliced carrots into the second large saucepan of boiling water
	7.30	+121		Set plates and serving bowls to warm by the oven
	7.32	+123		Potatoes should be boiling by now, in which case you can turn the heat down a bit
	7.36	+127		Carrots should be boiling by now, in which case you can turn the heat down a bit
	7.38	+129		Measure out 60g (2oz) of butter and 60g (2oz) of sugar
	7.46	+137		Into a pan or jug, pour off the equivalent of about ½cm (¼in) depth of water from the carrot saucepan; Then drain the carrots in a colander
	7.47	+138		Pour the shallow depth of carroty water back into the empty saucepan over a high heat
	7.48	+139		Add the butter and sugar to the carroty water
	7.50	+141		Boil the mixture until the sugar and butter have melted and at least some of the water has gone
	7.56	+147		Turn the heat down to medium-low; Put the carrots back in the saucepan and toss them in the sugar/butter mixture
	7.57	+148		Drain new potatoes and place into serving bowl
	7.59	+150		Spoon carrots into a serving bowl
	8.00	+151		Carefully take casserole out of oven; Place on table and serve
				Early on in the main course, transfer apricot ice cream from freezer to fridge to soften slightly
				Serve dessert when appropriate