"lex culinaria" news and stories

If a dinner of pasta sounds dull and ordinary, a new presentation is in order to spice things up. But what alternative is there to spooning the pasta into a bowl? At Lex Culinaria, the presentation problem was solved with a Beehive Pasta Timbale. A timbale is a dome-shaped pastry that is filled with a rich, creamy mixture of vegetables, meat and sauce. Traditionally, they are made out of a type of pie or puff pastry and served sliced into wedges, like a giant meat pie. The casing can be made out of anything that will keep its shape, from rice to potatoes to, in this case, pasta. This timbale was shaped by spiraling rows of cooked ziti pasta around a metal mixing bowl, lined with a meat mixture and filled with pasta, cheese, vegetables and sauce. It is basically guaranteed to be a showstopper at any event. For more photos and the recipe, check out the original post.

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Lamb is a meat that most people don't like until they've had it prepared really well. It has a full, meaty taste that is more assertive than beef, but definitely more addictive. Unfortunately, it is more difficult to prepare than it looks and it seems that the first place that many people encounter good lamb is in Australia. This was true for Lex Culinaria, but fortunately for use, she brought home a great recipe to share. Both Australia and New Zealand have better lamb than you are likely to find anywhere, but her braised lamb roast is simple and turns out a meltingly tender, juicy piece of meat - even when you only have frozen lamb available to you at the market.

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