Jason and the Camels, G20, Inmate Credits, Home Security.

I was so pleased to hear they found Jason, the tiger and the two camels, Sean and Todd, alive and well – someone had obviously given Jason water at least, the camels were not in such urgent need. Police actually received a tip on Monday night apparently. A very odd business. Obviously I was wrong about my animal smuggler or trader suspicions, and very glad I am that I was wrong. It puzzles me that the thieves abandoned the truck in one place and the trailer in another.

This weekend Ontario and in particular Toronto, is gearing up for the G20 summit. Millions of dollars have been spent in preparing for this and the security is horrendous. One of the biggest complaints is the building of a fake indoor lake which has cost around $1.9 million. However, now its getting down to the wire, people are having trouble moving around their own city and many of the roads travelling near the city are restricted. I was told people can’t get to their cottages because of this security. Many Torontonians are up in arms about the whole deal and there will be lots of demonstrations. I wonder whether its worth it just to be the host country.

The US Government seems to have made a bit of a gaffe about their new home buyers credit. They haven’t been asking for proof of purchase, so babies have received these credit cheques as well as prison inmates. What with Canada paying inmates pensions and now the US sending them credit cheques, it pays to be a prisoner.

Talking of inmates there were some horror stories about crooks getting into your home by posing as repair men of one kind or another. GMA were emphasising that you should check on the people you employ to do work whether it be odd jobs or contracting, particularly check the contractor has a license. They also say don’t let a worker wander around in your home on his own and don’t leave out easily lifted pieces of jewellery or other valuables.

Another shrimp recipe which sounds good and will shortly make its appearance on our dinner table especially as we have some nice fresh Tarragon growing on our balcony.

Sautéed Shrimp with Buttery Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

Source: Fine Cooking - Issue No. 29

Serves four Try serving this dish with orzo tossed with butter and grated Parmesan and a salad.

INGREDIENTS

For the Shrimp:

1 3/4 pounds large shrimp in the shell or about 50 frozen, cleaned large shrimp, defrosted

7 tablespoons butter, cut into 1 tablespoon pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Sauce:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as chives, tarragon, and flat-leaf parsley

Lemon wedges (optional)

DIRECTIONS

FOR THE SHRIMP: If using shrimp in the shell, peel and devein them. If using cleaned, defrosted shrimp, skip this step. Either way, dry the shrimp well with paper towels and set aside.

Put a colander or large strainer in a bowl and set it beside the range. In a large skillet set over high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter. When the butter froths, add the shrimp and season well with salt and pepper. Stir several times as the shrimp cook - they may brown slightly, which is good. They’re done as soon as they’re just cooked through and opaque, 3 to 5 minutes; cut one in half to check. Remove the pan from the heat; transfer the shrimp with a slotted spoon to the colander. Cover the shrimp loosely with foil and set aside to keep warm while making the sauce.

FOR THE SAUCE: Pour off all but 1 or 2 teaspoons of liquid from the pan. Set the pan back over high heat and add the remaining 6 tablespoons butter, swirling the pan once or twice until the butter turns light nut brown, about 2 minutes (Any brown bits that have stuck to the pan will become even browner, but they shouldn’t burn.) Immediately pour the balsamic vinegar into the pan and start scraping up the brown bits. Continue to scrape and cook until the sauce thickens somewhat and starts to appear glaze-like, about 2 minutes. The sauce will reduce to a scant 1/2 cup.

TO SERVE: Turn off the heat and stir in the drained shrimp (discard any accumulated liquid in the bowl) to coat them lightly with the sauce and briefly rewarm them without cooking any further. Taste and adjust the seasonings, if necessary. Sprinkle with the fresh herbs and serve immediately with lemon wedges, if desired.

Have a great day

Snowbirds, Stolen Trailer.

The Snowbirds are here. What, you may ask are the Snowbirds? They are a demonstration team composed of serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces, Snowbirds 431. They will be performing at the Waterloo-Wellington Airport air show this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday. Yesterday, we saw them overhead on our way back from the asparagus farm, presumably practicing which I assume they do all the time. We are hoping we can see some of it from our balcony as the airport is not far from us. Unfortunately the show is likely to be way too crowded for us, they have parking set up miles away, I am guessing they are using buses to take people to the show.  I have never really seen an air show and I found seeing them yesterday to be quite exciting. The nearest I ever got to an air show was once in North Carolina when there was one at a local Marine base and we got to watch some of it from our boat anchored near the end of the runway. Being planes, they cannot concentrate themselves just in the space above the airport so we might be lucky enough to see something today and tomorrow.

An odd story in the news last night and this morning, a driver was transporting some animals from a circus to a zoo and stopped for a few hours rest. When he went to get his truck and trailer it had been stolen. The trailer actually contains a tiger and two camels. It would be funny except they are now worried about the animal’s health – they will of course need water, more so because it is pretty warm out there at the moment. One hopes the thieves will leave the trailer somewhere and maybe call in its location as soon as possible.

Yesterday I mentioned the various recipes Emeril Lagasse had for Father’s Day. Below is one for lamb kebabs which didn’t win, but sounded pretty good to me. Sorry if you are amongst those who don’t like lamb, but I love it. Actually, tonight we are going to have Matt’s specialty of Marinated London Broil – I have posted the recipe here before.

Emeril's Greek-Style Lamb Kebabs

Servings: 6-8

Father's Day is just around the corner. Celebrity chef, TV host and author Emeril Lagasse offers this great meal for idea for Dad's special day.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion

1 tbs grated lemon zest

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup olive oil

2 to 2 1/2 pounds boneless leg or shoulder of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes (with some of the fat still attached)

8 to 10 bamboo skewers

8 pita breads, warmed, for serving

Feta spread, for serving

Cooking Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the onion, lemon zest, lemon juice, parsley, cilantro, mint, salt, cumin, paprika, pepper, and olive oil. Stir well. Add the lamb and toss to coat it with the marinade. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

2. Soak the skewers in warm water for about 1 hour before assembling the kebabs.

3. Pre-heat your grill to high, and lightly oil the grate.

4. Thread the lamb onto the soaked skewers, and place them on the grill. Cook -- turning frequently to promote even browning -- for 12 to 14 minutes.

5. Wrap a pita bread around the meat on a skewer, and while holding the bread firmly around the meat, twist the skewer out of the meat. Drizzle the meat with feta spread to your liking. Repeat with the remaining pitas and skewers, and enjoy!

Feta Spread

4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

1/2 cup Greek-style yogurt

2 tablespoons minced green onion tops

1 tablespoon minced fresh mint

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

1/2 teaspoon salt, or more to taste (depending on the saltiness of the feta)

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Cooking Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, and stir to blend well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight to allow the flavors to blend.

About 2 cups

Happy Father’s Day and have a great weekend (Mike, if you are reading this, tell Tina it didn’t arrive LOL)