Author: Natalie Hanson

I am a software industry executive, most recently in life sciences management consulting. I build and lead teams who design, develop, and sell software and services. I lead and deliver with a human-centered lens. As an anthropologist, my research has focused on work practices and work environments. I am interested in interdisciplinary collaboration, as well as how institutions' response to macro trends affects the lives of employees. You can learn more about me at http://www.nataliehanson.com.

Leg of lamb with roasted vegetables

Natalie Hanson

Wipe the leg of lamb dry with paper towels. Make several incisions in the meat and insert garlic cloves a few hours before cooking your meat.  Rub olive oil all around and sprinkle with Herbes de Provence.  A 6-pound leg of lamb will serve about 8 people.

2 large carrots, quartered
2 large onions, quartered
3 unpeeled garlic cloves
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups of chicken stock (home made or low sodium)

  • Preheat oven to 450°F.
  • Place the leg of lamb in a roasting pan and set in the upper third of the oven.
  • Cook for 15 minutes or until lightly browned.
  • Turn oven down to 350°F.
  • Put the vegetables all around the meat and add 1/2 cup of the stock to the roasting pan.
  • Add the rest of the stock during cooking time when needed.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Add the garlic about half an hour before end of cooking.
  • If you want, insert a meat thermometer in the thickest part of the roast, but without touching the bone.
  • The inside temperature should not be more than 140°F for a nice rosy lamb.
  • Or cook for about 1-1/4 hours until the juices run clear pink when pricked.
  • Do not overcook lamb.
  • Once cooked, transfer the meat to a warm platter and let it rest at room temperature for 15 or 20 minutes before carving.
  • Spoon the fat out of the cooking liquid.
  • Strain the vegetable but press all the juices out.
  • Deglaze the roasting pan, using more stock if necessary.
  • Serve the lamb on hot plates with the following vegetables.

4 zucchinis
2 red, 2 green, 2 yellow peppers
6 carrots
6 onions
a pinch of fresh rosemary leaves
olive oil, salt and pepper

  • Put all the vegetables, cut in chunks, in two large baking dishes coated with olive oil.
  • Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper and the rosemary leaves.
  • Douse with olive oil.
  • Put in a preheated 400°F oven.
  • Toss once or twice during cooking time – about 45 minutes.
  • Sprinkle with salt before serving with the roast.

Gigot sauce à l’ail

Natalie Hanson

For 4 to 6 people.

4 lb. leg of lamb
Olive oil for brushing
1 carrot, roughly sliced
1 large onion, roughly sliced
3 to 6 cloves of unpeeled garlic
salt and pepper
1 cup of stock

1 large head of garlic
3/4 cup of milk
Salt, thyme or rosemary
1-1/2 Tbsps of raw rice
1 cup of stock

  • Preheat oven to 450°F.
  • Brush the lamb with oil, and set in the oven on a roasting pan.
  • Add the carrot and the onions.
  • Turn and baste the meat every 5 minutes for about 15 minutes.
  • Turn down oven to 350°F.
  • Cook for about an hour.
  • Remove the lamb to a platter, and let it rest for 30 minutes in the warm oven.
  • Remove fat from roasting pan.
  • Pour in the stock, and boil rapidly.
  • Season to taste.
  • Strain into a hot sauceboat, and stir in any juice which may have escaped from the roast.

Sauce à l’ail

  • Separate the garlic cloves, and bring them to a boil in a saucepan of water.
  • Boil for 30 seconds.
  • Drain and peel the cloves.
  • Set in cold water, and then bring to a boil again.
  • Drain.
  • In the saucepan, bring the milk, salt, herbs, and rice to a simmer.
  • Add the garlic, and simmer slowly for 45 minutes, putting in more milk if the rice starts scorching.
  • Pour the sauce à l’ail into the sauceboat, and reheat if needed.
  • Serve the sauce with the roast.

Escalopes de veau roussillon

Natalie Hanson

To serve 4.

1 lb of eggplants
A little milk
5-6 Tbsp seasoned flour
2/3 cup of oil (approximate)
4 veal scaloppine
2 oz of Gruyère cheese, thinly sliced
¼ cup of grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp of butter

Sauce tomate 

2 lb of fresh tomatoes or 1 can of italian tomatoes, chopped
1 onion, sliced
1 glove of garlic
1 tsp of sugar
3 slices of bacon
Bouquet garni
Salt, freshly ground pepper

  • Make the sauce first.
  • Place all ingredients in a pan and cook over a low heat for 20 minutes or until tomatoes are tender.
  • Sieve the sauce using a vegetable mill in order to obtain a thick purée.
  • Meanwhile cut the eggplants into ½ inch slices.
  • Dust them lightly with salt and put on a wire rack to drain for half an hour, turning them from time to time.
  • Dry on kitchen paper.
  • Dip the eggplants into milk, then into seasoned flour, and fry them quickly in the hot oil.
  • Arrange the fried eggplants in a bottom of a fireproof dish, pour over the sauce and put aside to keep hot.
  • Flatten the scaloppine, trim them into even shapes and dip in seasoned flour.
  • Fry the scaloppine in a little hot oil, allowing approximately 4-5 minutes on each sides, depending on the thickness.
  • Arrange them on top of the eggplants and sauce tomate and cover with Gruyère cheese.
  • Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, dot with knobs of the butter and place for a few moments under hot broiler.

Escalopes de veau chasseur

Natalie Hanson

Allow 2 or 3 scallops per person, depending on the size of the pieces of meat. Veal scallops are cooked quickly and need to be tender and of the palest pink you can find.  Serves 6 people.

12 veal scallops
4 Tbsp of butter
¼ cup of minced shallots
3/4 lb of firm, ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped (1 cup)
1 garlic, minced
salt and pepper
½ tsp of tarragon
½ cup of white wine
½ cup of brown stock
½ lb of fresh mushrooms
1 Tbsp of lemon juice
2 Tbsp of butter

  • Preheat the oven to 300°F
  • In a heavy skillet, melt the butter and sauté the veal scallops on high heat until brown on both sides.
  • Season with salt and pepper.
  • Remove the scallops to a serving dish and keep warm in a turned off oven.
  • Deglaze the skillet with a little bit of the wine and pour the liquid over the veal.
  • Melt 2 Tbsp of butter and sweat the shallots for 1 minute.
  • Stir in the tomatoes, garlic, seasonings and herbs.
  • Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
  • Pour in the wine and the brown stock.
  • Boil rapidly for 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened.
  • Correct seasoning and remove from heat.
  • In a separate skillet, sauté the mushrooms in butter.
  • Add a bit of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
  • Add to the tomato sauce and simmer for a minute.
  • Baste the scallops in the serving dish with the hot sauce and decorate with fresh tarragon or parsley.
  • Serve immediately.

Escalopes de veau à l’estragon

Natalie Hanson

For 6 to 8 persons.  Carrots or mushrooms are good complement to this dish.

If you buy a 1/2 loin of veal and learn to trim it yourself, you will get the best “escalopes” with no muscle separation and all about the same size. They will also cook without curling. Furthermore, the small filet and trimming can be used for a blanquette of veal or a stew while the bones may be saved for veal stock.

12 or more veal scallops
4 Tbsp of butter and 2 Tbsp of oil as needed (plus 2 Tbsp at the end)
3 Tbsp of minced shallots
1/2 cup of dry white wine or vermouth
1 Tbsp of dried tarragon & 1 Tbsp of fresh tarragon or parsley
1 cup of stock

  • Dry the scallops thoroughly.
  • In a skillet saute the scallops without crowding them in very hot, but not burning, butter and oil.
  • Reserve them in a warm plate or oven.
  • Pour all but 2 Tbsp of fat out of the skillet.
  • Discard it if it is burned and add 2 new Tbsp of butter.
  • Stir in the shallots and saute for a minute.
  • Deglaze the skillet with the wine and add the tarragon, reducing the liquid to 2 Tbsp.
  • Add the brown stock and boil until it has reduced and thickened slightly.
  • Off heat, swirl 2 or 3 Tbsp of butter into the sauce.
  • Add the herbs.
  • Arrange the meat on a hot platter, spoon the sauce over the veal and serve.

Eggplant and lamb lasagne

Natalie Hanson

Add the salt, pepper and herbs to each batch of ingredients as you cook them, as it’s easier to taste. Also, for assembling the lasagna, have all the ingredients warm to check for the right consistency.

  • 2 lb of eggplants (about 4 unpeeled eggplants) baked for 1 hour or more in 400°F oven. Prick them with a fork on the top surface so they do not explode.
  • 2 lb of ground lamb, cooked and drained of fat
  • 2-3 large onions, sliced
  • Thyme, salt and pepper
  • 3 packages of sliced mozzarella cheese
  • 1 package of grated mozzarella cheese
  • 1 5 ounce package of parmesan, grated
  • 1 can of tomato sauce (I buy Classico w/ roasted peppers and onions, or sundried tomato sauce)
  • Madeira wine
  • 1 package of oven ready lasagne 

Béchamel sauce

5 Tbsp of butter
5 Tbsp of flour
2 cups of milk
Some salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg

  • Make the béchamel: melt the butter in a medium pan, add the flour and mix well.
  • Slowly add the milk and keep the mixture smooth.
  • Let it come to a boiling point to make sure the flour is cooked.
  • Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.
  • Put a thin layer of milk or cream on top to prevent a skin from forming. Reserve.
  • Cook the onions in a heavy skillet until slightly brown.
  • Add salt, pepper and a pinch of thyme.
  • While the onions are cooking, take the pulp out of the cooked and cooled eggplants.
  • Crush the pulp with a fork or crudely cut with a knife.
  • Add the onions and the cooked ground lamb to this mixture.
  • Add half the béchamel sauce, half the grated mozzarella cheese and all of the parmesan cheese.
  • Mix well.
  • Taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
  • Put the tomato sauce in the food processor if it is chunky, add a bit of Madeira wine, cook for 10 minutes and reserve.

Assembling the lasagne

  • Butter the whole lasagna dish and spread the remaining béchamel sauce at the bottom of the pan in a thin layer.
  • If there is too much left, add the remaining sauce to the mixture of eggplant/lamb/onion.
  • Put a layer of oven ready lasagne on top of the sauce and layer immediately with 1/3 of the eggplant mixture.
  • Cover with a layer of mozzarella cheese.
  • Repeat one or two more time depending on the depth of your pan.
  • Finish with a layer of lasagne.
  • Cover it with the tomato sauce.
  • Cook for 1 hour at 350°F.  The lasagne can also be frozen at this stage.*
  • When ready to serve, add the remaining mozzarella cheese and cook until brown on top.

* From the freezer, cook the lasagne covered for two hours (325°F) to unfreeze, then proceed the last line.

Daube d’agneau provençale

Natalie Hanson

This is a very simple and inexpensive stew which is better done at least a day ahead.

2 Tbsp of olive oil
2 onions, sliced
3 lb of lamb shoulder cut in large pieces
10 carrots, sliced
4 potatoes, sliced
1 can of italian tomatoes
1 cup of white wine
1 Tbsp of Herbes de Provence
Salt and pepper
Garlic and parsley
Green olives (optional)
2  10 ounce packages of mushrooms

  • In a large covered casserole heat the oil and sweat the onions.
  • In the meantime, brown the pieces of meat in a large skillet.
  • Add the meat to the casserole and deglaze the skillet with the white wine.
  • Add the resulting liquid to the casserole as well. Sprinkle the Herbes de Provence on the meat.
  • Add the carrots, potatoes, herbs, garlic and parsley.
  • Cover with the tomatoes.
  • Cook for 1 hour without stirring.
  • In the meantime, cook the mushrooms.
  • Season and reserve.
  • After 1 hour of cooking, add the mushrooms (and the green olives).
  • Cook for another 20 minutes or until all the vegetables are tender.

Côtes de veau aux herbes

Natalie Hanson

Veal chops can come from the rib, loin or shoulder but, of course, the price will vary accordingly.  A simple browning followed by slow cooking with the deglazing liquid from the pan is the best treatment for them.  If there are more than three chops it is easier to finish the cooking in the oven.

6 veal chops about 1 inch thick
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp of butter
3 Tbsp of minced shallots
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 cup of dry white wine
Tarragon 
1/4 cup of stock
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp of softened butter

  • Preheat oven 350°F.
  • Brown the chops in a skillet 2 or 3 at a time.
  • Season and arrange in a casserole.
  • Discard the oil and melt butter in the skillet.
  • Stir in the shallots and cook slightly.
  • Pour in the wine, then add the garlic and the herbs.
  • Simmer for a few minutes.
  • Add this deglazing liquid to the casserole.
  • Bring it to a simmer on top of the stove.
  • Put the casserole in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Baste occasionally.
  • Set the chops on a serving platter.
  • Add the stock to the casserole and boil down rapidly.
  • Correct seasoning.
  • Turn off the heat and swirl in the butter by bits.
  • Pour the sauce over the chops.

Boiled fillet of beef

Natalie Hanson

1 trimmed and tied fillet of beef
2 tsp of salt per quart of water

  • Take the meat out of the refrigerator at least 1 hour before cooking it (if you trimmed it beforehand).
  • Choose a fish poacher long enough to fit the fillet.
  • Fill it with water counting the quarts in order to salt the water correctly.
  • Cover and bring to a full boil.
  • Drop the meat into the water and tie the loose end of the string to the pot’s handles.
  • Cover to bring the water to a boil as quickly as possible.
  • Uncover and count 13 minutes with the water boiling (or 17 minutes with the “chain” still attached).
  • Put the meat on a wooden platter, cut the strings.
  • Let rest 5 minutes then slice 1″ thick pieces.

Bearnaise sauce

1/4 cup wine vinegar
1/4 cup vermouth
1 Tbsp minced shallots or scallions
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
1/4 tsp salt, pepper
3 egg yolks
1 to 1-1/2 sticks butter

  • Boil the vinegar, wine, herbs and seasonings in a small saucepan until liquid is reduced to 2 Tbsp.
  • Let cool.
  • Beat the egg yolks in a saucepan to thicken them slightly.
  • Add the vinegar mixture and place pan over low heat.
  • Continue beating until the sauce is thick enough that you can see the bottom of the pan between strokes.
  • Remove pan from the heat and start adding butter piece by piece.
  • Correct seasoning and keep warm.

Boeuf à la Bourguignonne

Natalie Hanson

Serves 6.

2 lb of beef for stew
Vegetable oil
2 Tbsp of flour
1 cup of red wine
1 cup of stock (or water)
2 cloves of garlic
2 tsp of tomato paste
salt and pepper
4 oz of salt pork, cut into lardons
12 small white onions, peeled
2 cups of mushrooms, sliced
Parsley

  • Heat the vegetable oil and brown the meat on all sides.
  • Discard the oil.
  • Deglaze with some stock or water.
  • Put the meat in a large pan and sprinkle with the flour.
  • Stir until brown.
  • Add the wine, stock or water, garlic, tomato paste, salt and pepper.
  • Fry the salt pork in a clean pan until fat runs from it, then add the onions and brown them.
  • Discard the fat and add the lardons and onions to the meat.
  • Cook over gentle heat for 2-½hours.
  • Add the mushrooms and cook for another 15 minutes.
  • Taste and adjust the seasonings.
  • Arrange on a hot serving dish and sprinkle with parsley.