“Welcome to Psychedelicatessen, a weekly column exploring the world of cannabis cuisine, including recipes from the great chefs and ganjapreneurs who fuel our appetite for adventure.”
Chef Fred Nesbitt started Cannabis Catering after working as a personal chef for celebrities and athletes. After graduating from the California Culinary Academy, Nesbitt prepared medicated meals for a friend suffering from diabetes, and realized patients need more healthy options besides sugary edibles.
For a Valentine’s Day feast guaranteed to impress your special someone, try Chef Fred’s three-course menu of Rack of Lamb Lilli popped with Roasted Eggplant Salad and accompanied by a Mixed Grain Pilaf.
Infused Sea Salt
1/8 freshly cut cannabis flowers (we used ACDC strain from Humboldt, high in CBD)
1 c sea salt
In a molcajete, grind fresh flowers into the salt until it completely becomes a green yummy aromatic salt; about 5 minutes. This is one of the key elements in all my savory dishes.
We used the Friendly Farms Extraction Contraption and the OCO Labs Super C Super Critical CO2 Extractor to make my extracts for this recipe. First, I used the Extraction Contraption to pull all the trichomes from the flowers and performed a dry ice extraction. The machine is also a distillery, so you can make your own grappa, it’s easy and fun! Add the 100% organic grape alcohol made in the Extraction Contraption to your trichomes for 45 seconds. Strain a few times, then freeze for two days. Sediment will fall to the bottom (winterization). Strain, and you’ll have an awesome clean tincture that will reduce to a shatter in purge, allowing you to create 100% sexy edibles!
The Super C Super Critical Extractor is the newest machine I’ve been using for experiments; 34 grams of the trichomes from the Extraction Contraption go inside the tube. Turn the machine on. As the machine reaches super critical state it allows you to release the pressure at different times in the process to extract profiles individually at different pressures. It’s now possible to isolate and pull flavonoids, terpenes, CBD, and THC separately, providing the ability to tailor extracts to a patient’s individual needs.
Infused Coconut Oil and Sesame Oil
4 tablespoons organic extra virgin coconut oil
2 tablespoons sesame oil
½ cup organic extra virgin coconut oil
2 grams grappa Durbin Poison shatter
2 grams super critical co2 oil
Slightly heat up the coconut oil in a pan. Melt the 100% organic Durbin Poison shatter into the warm coconut oil. The sesame seed oil is delicate, so I decided to use the super critical oil from the Super C Extractor. It produces 7 grams an hour of the prettiest oil ever. Bright in color and aroma, no solvents, safe and so easy. The combination of the two machines gives a world of opportunities for edibles changing the way I go about healing patients. Easier dose-ability and control. Heat oil in pan and melt super critical oil into the sesame oil. Use oils when suggested.
Mixed Grain Pilaf
¼ cup shelled pumpkin seeds
4 tablespoons infused organic extra virgin coconut oil
½ cup millet
½ cup quinoa
2 shallots, peeled and minced
¾ cup long grain brown rice
Infused sea salt
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Nuts can be substituted for the seeds in the recipe. You can also add dried fruit like cranberries, cherries, or chopped apricots, mangos, apples or pears.
Preheat the oven to 350° F.
Spread the shelled pumpkin seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, divide the infused coconut oil between two medium saucepans and heat over medium-low heat. Add the millet and quinoa to one saucepan; add the shallots and the rice to the other. Stir to coat the grains with infused coconut oil. Add 4 cups water and about ¼ tsp infused salt to the quinoa and millet mixture and bring to a boil. Add 3 cups water and ¼ tsp infused salt to the rice to low, cover, and gently simmer until the grains are tender and the liquid absorbed, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the heat and allow the grains to rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
Combine the quinoa and millet with the rice. Add the pumpkin seeds and lemon zest, adjust the seasoning with infused salt, and serve.
*Try the pilaf as a side dish for roasted lamb or grilled fish or chicken. To serve this pilaf as an entrée, add beans, lentils or chickpeas and sautéed greens.
Rack of Lamb Lilli popped with Roasted Eggplant Salad
2 Italian eggplants, peeled
½ cup infused coconut oil
Infused sea salt
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon umeboshi paste (*Umeboshi paste is a tart Japanese plum paste available at Asian markets.)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons infused sesame oil
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, lightly toasted
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
2 ½ racks of lamb
Freshly ground black pepper
In lolli popped rack of lamb, the “eye” of the meat is a consistent size and is relatively lean. One half rack will feed two people. Note: New Zealand and Australia produce less gamey lamb. Locally raised meat can be even more delicious, so look for it at butcher shops, gourmet stores, and farmers’ markets.
Making the Salad:
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Cut the eggplant into large dice by cutting length wise in ½ inch slices, then length wise another half inch cuts, now cube into squares. Easy to remember, the cuts are planks, boards, logs. Toss the eggplant with ¼ cup of the infused coconut oil, season with infused salt, and place on a baking sheet.
Roast the eggplant, turning once, until soft and golden, about 35 minutes.
Combine the sugar, umeboshi paste, and soy sauce in a large bowl and mix until the sugar dissolves. Add the infused sesame oil, sesame seeds, ginger, and scallions and mix well. Add the eggplant and mix gently; set aside while you cook the chops.
Sautéing the Rack of Lamb
Heat two large skillets over medium-high heat. Season the lamb chops with infused sea salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the remaining infused coconut oil to each skillet, then add the chops. Brown the lamb on all sides, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, about 12 minutes total cooking time for medium-rare. Transfer the rack to a platter and allow them to rest in a warm place for about 5 minutes.
When cutting lamb into the lolli pops, cut down the bone between each rib on the same side each cut to get pretty pops.
Serve the lamb chops with the eggplant salad.
Balsamic Reduction
1/8 cup of your favorite balsamic vinegar
Reduce on med heat continuously stirring w a heat resistant spatula until syrupy about 6 minutes. Let cool to warm. Use as drizzle.
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