April 24, 2015 Lunch - La Boca Dinner – Lamb Couscous

April 24, 2015 Lunch - La Boca    Dinner – Lamb Couscous

Bill drove us to Santa Fe to a mediation today.  When it ended around 1:30 Bill and Sally were kind enough to drive me to Owings Gallery to pick up my newly purchased and framed Doel Reed print.  When we drove up Marcy toward the gallery, as we passed Washington Bill noticed the Taberna sign and mentioned it.  We parked in Owings parking lot and walked back to Taberna but it was closed, so we walked to La Boca, which had a few open tables.

Sally and I started looking at the menu and we soon found lots of choices.  We settled on three tapas and a Mediterranean salad.   We picked the Tapas Trio ($12.00) the Deep fried Brussels Sprouts ($9.00), and the pork pincho made with pork belly.  The waiter first brought the salad which was dressed with fantastic dressing.  Chef/owner James Campbell Caruso was in the restaurant, so I waved at him and he came to the table.  I complimented him on the dressing and asked him for his ingredients. 

He said, Sherry, sherry vinegar, honey, olive oil and sugar.” 

I told him, “I really like it.”

Chef Caruso quickly replied, “So do I!” and smiled as he turned and walked back to the spot he seemed to prefer near the bar where he could watch all the tables and also each dish as it came out of the kitchen.”

The Mediterranean salad was made with beautiful large fresh leaves of greens plus rehydrated dried mission figs and apricots and garnished with feta crumbs.  A simple but delicious salad.

the black things are the mssion figs 

Soon our tapas were served.  We shared bites, although Bill and Sally let me eat most of the pork belly, which was just okay but the membrillo sauce garnishing it was superb;, slightly sweet , slightly tart, just right.  The tapa was served with a pineapple and red cabbage cole slaw that was a little neither sweet or tart also. Balanced seems to be an important aspect of dishes at La Boca. 

I am rather used to the deep fried Brussel Sprouts but never tire of the wonderful red pepper and almond (Romesco) sauce served with them.  Romesco is also one of the three tapas on the tapas trio along with an edamame hummus flavored with mint and a beet and walnut puree served with house made yogurt flatbread wedges. 

We loved our meal and ate extra hard rolls with butter and olive oil.

I rode from 6:00 until seven and Suzette had arrived when I returned.  I asked her what she wanted for dinner and we quickly agreed to not cook but heat up PPI lamb stew and serve it over PPI chard and couscous, so poured the lamb stew into the couscous and a bit of water to loosen up the couscous. 

I chopped two green onions and when the stew was hot, added the white portion.

When the stew was heated thoroughly, I spooned ladles full of stew into pasta dishes and garnished the top with rings of green onion.

I put a bit too much harissa on mine so I had to add more stew to dilute the heat of the harissa, but I finally got the mixture to a heat level I could stand.

We loved the quick and delicious dish.  We drank water with it.

Suzette was very tired from remodeling the kitchen and spa at the Center for Ageless Living all day and then organizing and attending a Girls Night Out event, so cooking duties now fall on my shoulders.  Since I finished my brief for the 10^th Cir. this week, I have more time to shop and cook, so stay tuned for some interesting food menus.

Bon Appétit