Mr. B's Birthday Dinner

My family has a long-held tradition of The Birthday Dinner. A revered tradition, it gives the person turning a year older free rein to choose the location, menu, and company for the meal. My brother would almost always choose Chinese food. A plate of General Tso's chicken to be exact. As he grew older (and taller) that plate became a platter- just for him. When I married Mr. B I introduced him to this family tradition. Now after three years I suspect he has become wise to how it works and is plotting his meals far in advance.

This year when I asked Mr. B what he would like for his birthday dinner he replied, "Rack of lamb and a cheesecake." My eyebrows shot up. "A cheesecake?" I asked. "Are you sure?" (Confession: I am not a big fan of cheesecake and usually keep a respectable distance from it at all times.) "Yup, a cheesecake" he replied. "And strawberry rhubarb would be nice."

Well now I was stumped. Not only do I usually avoid cheesecake but I had never heard of nor seen a strawberry rhubarb cheesecake. Attempts to change his mind were futile so I soon found myself searching for a recipe. When I saw a mascarpone cheesecake with strawberry rhubarb glaze and chocolate-covered strawberries on top I knew it was birthday-worthy. The recipe detailed a long process which takes several days to complete.

Making the Cheesecake

I made the mistake of starting to bake the cheesecake after work the night before Mr. B's birthday. Before I knew it, I was wishing Mr. B a happy birthday at midnight and still waiting for the base of the cake to cool so I could go to bed! The next day I rushed home over my lunch hour to make chocolate covered strawberries, and then rushed home again at the end of the day to assemble the cake before making the rack of lamb for dinner.

Making the Chocolate-Covered Strawberries

Fortunately I picked a straightforward recipe for the rack of lamb, which combined a delicious Dijon breadcrumb crust and a classic mint sauce. The resulting lamb was wonderful and I would make this recipe again in a moment. A viscous mint sauce added bright silky flavors to tender lamb, while the crumb crust provided a toasty crunch to each bite.

Making the Rack of Lamb

So how was the cheesecake? Was it worth the late night and work? Absolutely. Mr. B was thrilled with the results and despite my cheesecake aversion I enjoyed every bite. Mascarpone lightened the texture of the cheesecake beautifully, while a smooth strawberry rhubarb sauce added a tart fruit flavor. The chocolate covered strawberries were both delightful to look at and fun to eat. This was a dessert that would impress the pickiest of gourmands- just try to wait for a weekend to make it!

Rack of Lamb with Classic Mint Sauce (Printable Recipe)
Recipe Adapted from Bon Appetite
Serves 4

Ingredients:

Rack of Lamb
1 8-chop rack of lamb, trimmed (Ask your butcher to trim it to a "French Cut")
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 cups fresh white breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Fresh mint sprigs

Mint Sauce
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup canned beef broth
1/3 cup minced shallots
6 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions:

Prepare the Mint Sauce (At least 2 hours ahead)

Place a small heavy saucepan (don't use aluminum) over medium heat. Add 1 cup mint, broth, shallots, vinegar, and sugar to the pot. Stir well until the sugar has dissolved. Allow mixture to simmer gently for about 2 minutes, then remove it from heat. Immediately cover the pot and let it stand for 2 hours.

Pour sauce through a fine mesh sieve into a 2 cup capacity glass measuring cup. Return the empty saucepan to the stove over medium heat. Then add in the cornstarch. Slowly pour the strained sauce into the cornstarch, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Stir constantly until the sauce thickens and becomes clear, about 2 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, and allow sauce to cool to room temperature. (If you are making the sauce a day ahead of time, store it in the fridge once cool. Bring sauce to room temperature the next day before continuing with the recipe.)

Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of mint into the sauce and stir. Taste sauce and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Serve with lamb. (Makes about 1 cup.)

Prepare the Lamb

Preheat oven to 450°F with a rack in the lower middle of the oven. Season both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper. Spread 1 tablespoon mustard on each side of the lamb rack. In a medium bowl, mix together breadcrumbs and mint until well combined. Gently press the mixture onto both sides of the lamb, coating it well.

Place lamb in a roasting pan with rack or a large rimmed baking sheet. Roast the lamb for 10 minutes and then lower the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue to roast the lamb until a meat thermometer inserted into the center of the meat reads 130°F for medium-rare. This should take about 20 minutes more but if your rack is not well trimmed the fat cap may insulate the meat and extend your cooking time by 10-15 minutes.

Remove lamb from oven, and transfer it out of the pan onto a cutting board. Tent the rack with foil and let it sit for 5 minutes so the juices can settle in the meat. Carefully cut the rack between each bone, dividing the meat into chops. Serve lamb chops on top of the mint sauce or pass the sauce separately, depending on your preference. Garnish with mint sprigs.


Mascarpone Cheesecake with Strawberry Rhubarb Glaze (Printable Recipe)
Recipe Adapted from Bon Appetite
Serves 12

Ingredients:

Crust
Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 8-ounce containers mascarpone cheese, room temperature
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
6 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Pinch of salt

3/4 cup sour cream

Glaze
4 cups 1/2-inch pieces fresh rhubarb (from about 1 1/2 pounds)
8 strawberries, hulled, halved
3/4 cup sugar
2/3 cup plus 3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch

Chocolate-covered strawberries
6 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
12 large strawberries

Special Equipment
Waxed paper
9" Springform Pan

Directions:

Day 1 - Allow 1 hour of active cooking time, and about 4 hours of in-active time

Make the Crust
Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the middle. Coat the inside of a 9" springform pan well with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, mix together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon until well combined. Place butter in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave for about 20-30 seconds until just melted. Pour melted butter into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork until all ingredients are moistened. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom of the pan (not the sides) until it is completely covered in an even layer. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, until the crust is set. Remove pan and allow crust to cool completely. Leave the oven on to maintain a steady heat for the cheesecake.

Make the Filling
In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add in the mascarpone and beat mixture until it is smooth. Next add in the flour and beat until well combined. With the beaters still running, add eggs one at a time, waiting until each egg is incorporated before adding the next one. Mix in the vanilla, lemon juice, lemon peel, and salt. Once all ingredients are combined, pour filling into the pan on top of the cooled crust.

Place pan in the oven and bake for about 1 hour, until the cheesecake appears puffed around the edges and is beginning to turn golden on top. The center of the cake should still jiggle slightly if you (VERY) gently shake the pan. Turn off the oven and close the door. Let the cake sit in the oven with the door closed for an hour. (This will help prevent cracks in the cake as the edges settle back down giving you a flat surface on top of the cake.) Transfer the cake out of the oven onto a rack, and let it cool for another hour or until it is completely cooled. Whisk the sour cream until it is smooth and then spread it on top of the cake. Place the cake in the fridge overnight.

Day 2 - Allow 1 hour of cooking time and 6 hours-1 day for the glaze to set.

Make the Glaze
Place a large saucepan over medium heat. Combine rhubarb, strawberries, sugar, 2/3 cup water, and lemon juice in the pan. Stir mixture well until the sugar dissolves. Turn down the heat and simmer mixture until the rhubarb is tender (about 9 minutes). Take pan off of the heat and let mixture cool for 10 minutes. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a 2 cup glass measuring cup. Press down on solids in the sieve with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible out of the mixture. You should end up with about 1 1/2 cups of liquid. Wipe any chunks out of the saucepan, and pour the extracted liquid back into the pan. Bring liquid to a simmer over medium heat. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water. Add cornstarch mixture into the liquid, whisking constantly. Stir until the sauce boils and becomes thick (about 6 minutes). Pour the glaze into a small bowl and place it in the fridge until cold and slightly thickened (about 2 hours). Spread the glaze evenly on top of the cheesecake. Place cheesecake back into the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours and up to 1 day before serving.

Day 3 - Allow 30 minutes of cooking time and 30 minutes - 6 hours of chill time

Make the Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Rinse your strawberries, leaving stems intact, and gently pat dry with paper towels.

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Place chocolate in the top of a double boiler set over simmering water, and stir constantly until the chocolate is smooth. (Alternatively you can place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and cook for 1 minute intervals, stirring after each minute, until smooth.) Turn off heat, and dip strawberries into the melted chocolate until it comes half way up the sides of the berry. Carefully shake off excess chocolate and then place the strawberry on the wax paper. Repeat until all strawberries are coated. (You may need to re-warm the chocolate if it becomes too thick and is not coating the strawberries as well as when you started.) Place baking sheet into the fridge and chill until the chocolate is set (about 30 minutes). You can do this up to 6 hours ahead of serving. (We noticed a decline in flavor after the strawberries had been in the fridge for 24 hours. They were still good- but slightly soggy.)

Place strawberries decoratively around the edges of the cheesecake and serve. Enjoy!