Sunday, April 11, 2010

Gardening Sunday

oh my, oh my, oh my...do I love it. Getting my hands dirty - sticking little packages of hope in the ground. The fence is up! The chickens are curious - 'why is she inside a pen while we roam free?' they wonder. And 'there must be goodies in there - we WANT IN!' But no - no chickens in my garden - the gate isn't made yet but I have a bit of chicken wire - no really it is construction cloth - keeping critters out while I plot and plan and dig and delve. Ah...
I planted lettuces, peas, onions, radishes, and parsley - think that's it for a while - the rest will have to wait until the last frost date comes and goes (May 6th). Yesterday I planted nasturiums and some lettuces that like a start inside - we'll see. I'm not a good gardener but I love it.
Now I must go get dressed a bit differently to meet the Canadian Babes for a ramble and a yack - Marion's in town. Tonight, the lad and I are going to hear Yann Martell read from his newest. What a weekend!
Oh - I will give you a recipe now - I made caribou roast last night and it turned out so yum!

Caribou Roast -
In a cast iron frying pan sear all sides of your roast in butter and olive oil then place in roasting pan or larger cast iron pan over top of sliced red onions and carrots. Insert lots of garlic cloves then cover roast with bacon slices. This is neccessary because most caribou is not very fatty and this didn't have a speck of fat on it. Pour some water in the first frying pan and scrape up those juices - just leave it sit while your roast cooks. Put in 350 oven for about an hour depending on your size of roast - ours was about and hour and 15 minutes. We use a meat thermometer. Meanwhile, prepare a whack of nice red potatoes, carrots and parsnips - all bought that day at the market. Put them in a covered dish in the microwave for four and a half minutes - dry them off and put them in a roasting pan with olive oil and rosemary - stir them up good and put in the oven alongside the roast. When the roast is done take it out of the pan and put on a platter. Throw some red wine in the pan and the water from the first one - scrape up all the juices and lovely carmelized onions and put into a gravy dish - this is heaven as we know it on this earth! Put on table - add three teenagers (we nabbed an extra one) some wild conversation of your choice, wine for the adults, juice for the teens and enjoy. EVERY speck was gone.
That's what happens when your man comes home from Labrador - he packs game!

6 comments:

Talli Roland said...

Yann Martel? Really!? I'm SO jealous! Enjoy and please let us know how it was!

Patricia Stoltey said...

Jan, I just took a trip down the page through all the photos you posted the last few days (while I was playing blog hooky), and you've made me want to take off for a day of wandering with my camera. You do such nice work.

Gardeningbren said...

Home from Labrador packin' game! Gotta love that man... ))) Thanks so much for following (and kind comments)...just sorting this blogging thing out...newbee...I love your photos...and your writing...I know that Caribou roast was delicious, great components...

Julia Kelly said...

Wow- thanks for the recipe- I have never cooked or had caribou- about everything else from the continent- now my husband is thinking of getting some Yak meat- like your recipe will try it on an Elk roast- we have a few in the freezer.

Ann said...

Sounds like a wonderful day all around. Caribou, never tried that. The recipe sounds wonderful though.

arlommoen said...

The Hunter returns with Caribou! Sounds good!
Worth sending him away awhile.Nice change from chicken.Did he murder it? Or did he buy it like I buy piglets and lambs and fishes and carrots that arrived with creation because of DNA?