Edamame-Walnut Spread

Most people know edamame as the complimentary dish served at Japanese restaurants. It's soybeans in their pods sprinkled with coarse salt. They're so easy to eat, just pop a pod in your mouth and pull out the beans with your teeth. Soybeans are tasty, nutritious, and packed with protein. Lately they have become one of my favorite things to snack on in between meals. I steam a big batch and keep them in the fridge until I either get the urge to snack or a hunger pang. I've also come up with other ways to enjoy them.

One fast and easy way is to make a spread using a food processor. The beans can be combined with a bit of tahini for a Middle Eastern hummus-like spread. Or for more of a Mediterranean flavor, I like it with a touch of acid, vinegar or lemon. Nuts, such as walnuts or pine nuts, also make a tasty and healthy addition. It's like a pesto. I spread it on crostini, in a sandwich instead of mayo, and I even stir it into cooked pasta. Soybeans work as an hors d'oeuvre, a protein-packed snack, or as a component in a meal. They're a very versatile bean. Try this verdant and nutty spread and get ready to transform ho-hum meals into more interesting and ultimately flavorful creations.

Edamame-Walnut Spread

Note: Find soybeans in the freezer section of many supermarkets.

1-1/2 cups frozen, fully cooked shelled soybeans
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup walnuts, toasted in a dry pan
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 4 tablespoons water
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Fit a small pot with a steamer basket and fill with water just up to the basket. Set over high heat. Once boiling, add soybeans, cover, and steam until bright green, about 3 minutes.

Combine steamed soybeans, garlic, walnuts, lemon juice, and oil in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until puréed. If mixture is too thick, stream in water until creamy. Season with salt and pepper. Serve chilled. Yield: 1-1/2 cups.

READ MORE >

Noodles with Cashew-Sesame Pesto and Grilled Vegetables

"There is nothing worse than grilled vegetables," said Julia Child in an Esquire interview. Up until recently I would have wholeheartedly agreed with her, but not so much anymore. Grilling vegetables brings out their inherent earthy flavor, softens them, and lends them that characteristic char that the caveperson in us loves. So why not grill vegetables, especially when you feel like sticking it to the rainy weather by grilling indoors.

So far the month of April has lived up to its reputation as the month of showers. Even though that's prevented me from tending to my garden as much as I would have liked, I've still managed to grill as if it were summer. I've taken out my trusty grill pan and made good use of it. I've grilled many vegetables and have found that some are just horrendous grilled. But with some trial and error one eventually finds which vegetables are best grilled. And a new dish is created that complements those lovely blackened flavors.

For this recipe I take two of my favorite flavors of cashew nuts and sesame tahini to create a pesto sauce for pasta. It's sort of a fusion of South Asian, Middle Eastern, and Mediterranean flavors. Plus I use Japanese udon noodles, which I love for their wriggly quality. I then top the noodles with my favorite grilled vegetables: asparagus and bell peppers in different colors. It's all about creaminess, nuttiness, and earthiness all in one healthy package. The meal is great served just slightly warm, but it's just as good cold out of the fridge the next day for lunch.

Noodles with Cashew-Sesame Pesto and Grilled Vegetables

1 pound udon noodles or linguine
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2/3 cup raw cashew nuts, toasted
1/4 cup tahini
1/2-inch piece ginger, coarsely chopped
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1/4 cup olive oil, plus more for grilling
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed of tough ends, sliced lengthwise
3 small bell peppers, red, orange, and yellow, cut into strips
black and white sesame seeds, for garnish

Bring a pot of liberally salted water to a boil. Add udon and cook until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and rinse udon under cold water. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with sesame oil. Alternatively, cook linguine according to package directions.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine cashews, tahini, ginger, garlic, and lemon juice. Pulse until paste-like consistency forms. Drizzle in olive oil while continuing to pulse. If mixture is too thick, add up to 1/4 cup water. Season pesto with salt and pepper.

Preheat a grill pan set over medium-high to high heat. In a large bowl, toss asparagus and bell peppers with a few drizzles of oil. Grill vegetables, in batches, until limp and charred, about 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer back to bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Add cashew-sesame pesto to noodles and toss to coat. Add half the grilled vegetables and toss to combine. Serve noodles warm or cold topped with remaining grilled vegetables. Garnish with sesame seeds. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

READ MORE >

Ham and Brie Sandwich with Arugula

Spring for me is all about salad greens. All the little tender baby greens I see at the Greenmarket have me excited. But my absolute favorite is arugula. I love it for its characteristic slight bitter and peppery flavor. I use it in salads tossed with citrus vinaigrette or in sandwiches—one of my favorite ways to enjoy arugula. Its unique flavor is an ideal complement to the classic ham and brie sandwich. It's one of those popular sandwiches that you'll find on most café and restaurant menus, but always made with some sort of twist.

I've had countless ham and brie sandwiches over the years, but the one I've come up with here is my favorite and it includes my twist, arugula. First, I spread one side of the sandwich with apricot preserve and the other with grain mustard. Finally I pack on the brie, ham, and arugula. This sandwich explodes with flavors of sweet, savory, peppery, and tangy. So skip the café, because this sandwich is easy enough to make yourself and it packs nicely for a picnic or work lunch.

Ham and Brie Sandwich with Arugula

1 baguette
3 tablespoons apricot preserves
6 ounces brie, sliced
3/4 pound thinly sliced deli ham, such as Black Forest or Virginia
3 ounces baby arugula
3 tablespoons Dijon grain mustard

Slice baguette lengthwise and crosswise into 3 or 4 sandwich portions. Toast lightly in a toaster or toaster oven. Spread bottoms with apricot preserves. Top with brie slices. Add ham over brie. Pack arugula on top of ham. Spread bread tops with mustard and place on top of sandwich. Yield: 3 or 4 sandwiches.

READ MORE >

Asparagus, Bacon, and Cheese Quiche

One of the first signs that spring has arrived is the availability of bright green vegetables, like asparagus. There is something special about an asparagus spear emerging from the ground. Right now asparagus is available at the Union square Greenmarket. In the supermarket it's available all-year round, but the best time to get pencil-thin asparagus is during springtime. It's at its most tender and succulent. Steamed for a few minutes, roasted, or grilled, asparagus is a delightful vegetable prepared in any which way. Its color becomes vivid green after cooking and for me that represents the essence of spring.

I enjoy eating asparagus in many forms, but I like it most in quiche, one of the favorite brunch foods here in the States. Though the French even eat it for lunch or dinner. Quiche was originally meant just for breakfast in the French province of Lorraine, from where it originated. Surprisingly the tradition of quiche-making comes from a time when Lorraine belonged to Germany. The dish used to be called kuchen, which is German for cake, and instead of a pie crust, it was made with bread dough—basically a pizza. Once the region changed rule, the German name was eventually transliterated into French and the recipe changed too. The most well-known recipe is Quiche Lorraine, filled with just bacon.



Now quiches come in all varieties and can be enjoyed at any mealtime of the day. Pair it with a simple salad, and the meal is complete. I also like it with a glass of Chardonnay! For this quiche recipe, I keep the vegetable options simple with just asparagus. And for a bit of meat I add crisped bacon. The custard is supplemented with a continental blend of three cheeses: Swiss Gruyère, Danish Fontina, and Italian Mozzarella. There is no set-in-stone formula for quiche, but rule number one is always start with a good homemade pie crust and then top it with your choice of melting cheeses and sautéed or roasted vegetables.

Asparagus, Bacon, and Cheese Quiche

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed of tough ends
1 tablespoon olive oil
fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces thick-cut applewood-smoked bacon (about 6 slices), diced
tart shell, recipe follows
1 cup grated Gruyère
1 cup grated Fontina
1 cup grated Mozzarella
3 large eggs
8 ounces crème fraîche (1 cup)
1/2 cup heavy cream
freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Toss asparagus with oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 10 minutes. Trim ends so that asparagus fits the width of tart pan. Chop the ends and use in filling.

Fry bacon in a skillet set over medium heat until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove bacon to a bowl.

Layer baked tart shell with cheeses, bacon, and the chopped asparagus ends. Line the top with the roasted spears.

In a large bowl or measuring cup, whisk together eggs, crème fraîche, and heavy cream. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Pour over filled quiche. Bake until custard is set and puffed, about 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing from pan. Let cool completely on a rack. Serve with salad. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

Tart Shell

1-1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into small pieces
3 to 4 tablespoons ice water

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Add butter and work with a pastry blender until mixture resembles course meal. Add ice water a little at a time and mix until dough comes together. Form the dough into a flat disc and wrap in plastic. Chill for at least 1 hour before rolling.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out dough on a well floured work surface to fit a 7-by-11-inch fluted tart pan. Carefully lay dough over pan. Press dough into the corners. Remove excess dough by running rolling pin over pan. Fill any holes or cracks with excess dough.

Chill shell for 10 minutes. Using a fork, prick the bottom of the pan all over. Line the inside of the pan with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes. Then carefully remove pie weights with foil. Continue to bake until light brown, about 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely.

READ MORE >

Lemon-Ricotta Cookies

Lemon is my favorite flavoring in desserts. But it seems that I'm in the minority with this preference. Whenever I'm in a restaurant and choose a dessert that is lemony, someone always tries to convince me to go for the chocolate dessert instead. I do love chocolate, but there is something about the bright flavor of citrus that makes me choose it every time. Whenever I bake a cake, I always add either lemon or orange zest to the batter even if the recipe doesn't call for it. I just find it adds that something extra special to the mix.

This recipe for lemon-ricotta cookies is a favorite of mine because it focuses on lemon. The cookies look more like little cakes or cupcake tops than cookies. The ricotta gives them the texture and moistness of cake and the flavor of cheesecake. You may have seen them iced with sugar, or taken one step further and sandwiched together with lemon frosting to create whoopie pies. They're a versatile cookie. I like them plain just as they are and enjoyed with an espresso or cappuccino. If I'm craving something sweet in the morning or in the afternoon, I reach for one to pair with my coffee. Just don't forget to share, this recipe makes a lot.

Lemon-Ricotta Cookies

Recipe adapted from Giada's Kitchen by Giada De Laurentiis.

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 cups whole-milk ricotta
3 tablespoons lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1 lemon)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with Silpats or parchment paper. Sift together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and mix until combined. Add lemon juice, zest, and vanilla; mix until combined. Add ricotta, a few spoonful at a time, and beat to combine. Add the dry ingredients a little at a time on low speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Mix until combined.

Use a small releasable ice cream scoop to drop balls of the batter evenly onto the baking sheets, about 12 per sheet. Bake until edges are just slightly golden, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely on a rack. Finally, bake the remaining batch. Yield: 48 cookies.

READ MORE >

Moro Arancello

Homemade liqueurs and wines seem to be back in style once again. Many restaurants and bars in New York City feature menus of their house-made drinks. I enjoyed many at my recent trip to Aquavit. It seems like a new trend in these elite establishments, but making your own liquor is not a new invention. In the United States, many people made their own libations before—and oftentimes during—prohibition. Almost all the countries of Europe have their special known drinks. Generations there have made their national drink at home. My grandfather distilled his own Pálinka at home in Hungary as well as his adopted home in New Jersey and my father made wine from the vines in our backyard in Connecticut.

Much like homemade Schnapps is to Germany or Akvavit is to Scandinavia, Limoncello or Arancello equals Southern Italy. There, probably because of an abundance in citrus fruit, this sweet liqueur is made from alcohol infused with citrus rind—the kind made of lemons is called limoncello and the one of oranges, arancello. It is typically enjoyed as an after-dinner digestivo. Sicily is especially known for its moro or blood oranges. These beautiful ruby-skinned oranges were first discovered in Southern Italy, born as a result of mutation. Now they account for 60 percent of Italy's citrus production. Made into an arancello, they create a salmon pink liquid that captures the unique bitter-sweet citrus flavor.



I'm so glad to finally be experimenting with my own infusions at home. I was particularly inspired by Dave Arnold, whose homemade drinks I was able to sample last January at a visit to the French Culinary Institute. He both infuses and distills his own beverages in varying strengths, creating unique flavors such as horseradish, habanero, and pine. I don't think I'll distill my own alcohol any time soon at home—is it even legal? But I sure will be infusing drinks to enjoy during the summer. There's nothing better than an ice-cold, sweet arancello on a hot summer day. This arancello is one of the easiest drinks to make right now. And even though citrus season has wound down, fruits are still widely available.

Moro Arancello

15 blood oranges, washed and scrubbed
1 1.75-liter bottle vodka
4 cups water
4 cups granulated sugar

Using a vegetable peeler, remove skins from oranges being careful not to include the white pith. Add the peels to a 3-liter canning jar. Pour over with vodka. Seal and let steep in a cool, dry place for 1 to 2 weeks.

Make a simple syrup by combining sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until syrup is clear. Let cool to room temperature and refrigerate.

Strain orange peel and vodka mixture through a fine-mesh sieve lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter into a pitcher or second canning jar. Pour in simple syrup. Divide into 3 1-liter bottles and refrigerate until ready to use. Yield: 3 liters.

READ MORE >

Fresh Green Chickpea Kebab

Before this week I never thought I could ever find dried chickpeas let alone fresh chickpeas. I've been meaning to make a chickpea curry using dried ones, but still haven't been able to find them at any of my local markets. I even checked my local Asian grocer, where instead I was surprised to discover fresh green chickpeas. I quickly bagged almost two pounds while other customers stared at the beans wondering what they could be used for. I love chickpeas, or garbanzo beans as they are also called, so I wasn't worried about what I could make, but what I would make.

The first thing that came to mind was hummus. And who doesn't like creamy hummus? I love bright green hummus made from soybeans, so I could have made some using fresh chickpeas. But instead I wanted to make something unique and different. I discovered a great recipe for chickpea kebab much like Middle Eastern falafel, but made in a tandoor rather than fried. Falafel is generally made with dried or canned chickpeas. In Egypyt, falafel is made with fresh fava beans. This falafel-like Indian kebab was a great way for me to try fresh chickpeas in a new way.



Chickpeas have been grown since ancient times throughout the Middle East, India, and even in Italy and Greece. Fresh chickpeas are really beautiful beans. They grow on a low bush much like regular garden peas, but they don't climb. There is usually one bean per pod, but oftentimes two, and rarely three. Generally chickpeas are sold dried or in cans, cooked from dried. For a short period in early spring, fresh ones can be found in farmers' markets or Asian grocers. Some specialty markets may also sell them frozen from fresh. The fresh ones taste much like fresh peas with a true verdant flavor. Eat them fresh tossed in salads or sauté them with a little garlic for a side dish.



Indian cuisine uses a lot of chickpeas and also grinds the dried beans to make flour known as gram or besan. The flour is used to make savory and sweet dishes, one of my favorites being laddoo, sweet buttery balls formed from a thick batter of gram flour. The great thing about chickpeas and why they were and are so important to many cultures is that they are a great source of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They are exceptionally important to the vegetarian diet. This dish is perfect as an appetizer to share among vegetarian friends and meat-eaters too. They're hot, spicy and packed with the flavor of spring.

For this recipe, I cook the fresh chickpeas along with shallots and a green paste made mainly of green chiles and ginger, before mashing them and forming them into patties. Since I don't have access to a tandoor oven, broiling is the best option. Some Indian ingredients may be hard to find, like fresh curry leaves. Dried can be substituted. Dried shredded coconut can be used instead of freshly grated. And instead of strained Indian yogurt, I used Greek yogurt. Gram flour can be found in Asian grocers, but I used garbanzo bean flour, which is the same. It can be found in health food markets and supermarkets in the gluten-free or health food section.

Fresh Green Chickpea Kebab

Recipe adapted from Tandoor: The Great Indian Barbecue by Ranjit Rai.

Note: Fresh peas, fava beans, or soybeans would also work well in this recipe.

6 green finger chiles, coarsely chopped
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
4 fresh curry leaves, torn
1 tablespoon freshly grated coconut or shredded unsweetened coconut
fine sea salt
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for brushing
2 large shallots, finely chopped
2 cups shelled fresh green chickpeas
1/2 cup Greek yogurt, plus more for serving
2 tablespoons garbanzo bean flour

Combine chiles, ginger, cumin, curry leaves, coconut, and a pinch of salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until very finely chopped and a smooth paste forms. A mortar and pestle can also be used.

Warm oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add shallots; sauté until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add green paste and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add chickpeas and mix to combine. Cover and lower heat to medium-low. Cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Add yogurt and cook, uncovered, until liquid evaporates, about 5 to 8 minutes.

Preheat oven to broil with rack in upper third of oven.

Transfer chickpea mixture to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until mashed. Stir in bean flour. Let cool slightly before handling. Form mashed chickpeas into about 6 football shapes. Bake them as they are or thread onto metal skewers. Place chickpea kebabs onto pan and brush them lightly with oil. Broil for 15 to 20 minutes, turning kebabs often so that all sides brown. Yield: 6 appetizer servings.

READ MORE >

Rhubarb Crisp

Spring weather is finally here and I couldn't be happier after a seemingly long winter. Amazing spring and summer vegetables are not far behind. A good indication is rhubarb, which appears in early spring and is available into the summer. It's just becoming available in many markets. I love the vegetable—and yes, it is a vegetable. Rhubarb can make a fine accompaniment as a savory side dish, but it's most well known used like a fruit in pies, crumbles, crisps, etc. Most of the time it's combined with berries to tame its tartness, but I enjoy it on its own as the feature of the dessert.

Since rhubarb is rather astringent, I use lots of sugar in the filling. As the rhubarb bakes, its high pectin content causes it to gel very nicely with the sugar. Watch the syrupy mixture bubble up through the crispy topping of oats and nuts. This rhubarb crisp can be enjoyed in many ways, either warm, at room temperature, or chilled. I like it just slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the topping. This dessert is the most colorful way to welcome and enjoy spring.

Rhubarb Crisp

for the filling:
2 pounds rhubarb, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1-1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

for the topping:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup light-brown sugar
1/3 cup slivered blanched almonds
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

For the filling, combine rhubarb, sugar, and flour in an 3-quart baking dish. Let macerate for 15 to 20 minutes.

For the topping, combine flour, oats, sugar, almonds, cinnamon, and butter in a large bowl. Work dry ingredients with fingers until all butter is absorbed.

Spread topping over rhubarb. Bake crisp until top is golden brown and filling is bubbling, about 40 to 50 minutes. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

READ MORE >

Chocolate Jelly Ring Sorbet

As a kid I always loved eating chocolate-covered jelly rings by the handful. I eagerly looked forward to that time of year when the grocery stores stacked towering boxes of them in the Passover aisle. I still love eating them, but now am glad that I can only find them once a year, otherwise I'd eat them all the time.

Last spring my friend Caroline introduced me to Uncle Louie G's Italian ices and ice cream shop in Brooklyn. Their many flavors are astounding, but what caught my eye that first visit was the chocolate jelly ring Italian ice. I knew right away that I would love it and there was no doubt that I would order it. As Passover rolled around this year I saw those towering boxes of jelly rings in the supermarket and the first thing that popped into my mind was that I had to make a dessert with them.



Here is my kosher for passover dessert, a rich chocolate sorbet made with high-quality melted chocolate and an entire box of chopped jelly rings stirred in. It's a bit different, and some of my Jewish friends may have thought I was crazy for doing it, but once you have a taste, you will surely understand my obsession.

Chocolate Jelly Ring Sorbet

Chocolate sorbet recipe adapted from The Perfect Scoop by David Lebovitz.

2-1/4 cups water
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
salt
5 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 9-ounce box Joyva chocolate-covered ring jells, coarsely chopped

Combine 1-1/2 cups water, sugar, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and cook for 1 minute.

Off from heat, add chocolate and stir until melted and incorporated. Stir in the remaining 3/4 cup water. Using an immersion blender, blend the mixture until smooth. Chill mixture for at least 2 to 4 hours.

Transfer mixture to ice cream maker and churn for 30 to 40 minutes depending on the machine. Remove to a large chilled bowl and fold in chopped jelly rings. Transfer to a large container, such as a loaf pan, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until hard, about 12 hours or overnight. Yield: 2 quarts.

READ MORE >

Berbere-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Herbed Israeli Couscous

The cuisine of Africa is still relatively unknown in the States—and it's new for me too, but what I've tasted so far in my culinary outings has me completely enamored with the deep flavors and unique spice mixtures. That's why for this coming Easter holiday, I decided to create something a bit different and somewhat unexpected for my family. Instead of the traditional American glazed ham or Mediterranean roast leg of lamb, I decided upon this African-fusion-style rack of lamb inspired by a restaurant visit, and a pasta side dish with Israeli origins.

Some years ago I had dinner at the now closed Merkato 55, the African fusion restaurant in New York's meatpacking district. The menu was composed by none other than Ethiopian-born Swedish chef, Marcus Samuelsson, who has lately become the favorite chef of the Obamas. (The first lady recently dined at his Scandinavian restaruant, Aquavit.) I clearly remember fawning over the restaurant's roast lamb encrusted in berbere, a spice mix used in Ethiopian and Eritrean cuisine. It combines ajwain, cloves, fenugreek, ginger, black pepper, cassia, cardamom, coriander, and chiles. The smoky, spicy, and peppery flavors of the berbere makes a wonderful complement for the gamey quality of lamb.

For a bright and fresh side dish evocative of spring, I'm serving the lamb with herbed couscous. Israeli couscous is like Moroccan couscous in that it is a tiny pasta, but it resembles small pearls instead of tiny grains. In Israel it is known as Ptitim and is enjoyed as an alternative to rice. The pearls have a bite or pop to them as they are eaten. Cook them in stock and any combination of fresh herbs, dried fruit, or nuts for a very flavorful side dish. This new and unique holiday dinner update is just the way to welcome the renewing season of spring.

Berbere-Crusted Rack of Lamb

Recipe adapted from The Soul of a New Cuisine by Marcus Samuelsson.

for the marinade:
2 racks of lamb (1-1/2 pounds each)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 sprig fresh rosemary, stripped
2 garlic cloves, crushed

for the berbere paste:
1 tablespoon berbere
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons dry red wine
1 egg yolk

for searing the lamb:
olive oil
fine sea salt

for the reduction sauce:
2 tablespoons berbere
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons butter, chilled, cut into pieces

Trim excess fat and silver skin from racks of lamb. French the ribs by slicing along each bone and removing the flesh in between.

To marinate, combine lamb, oil, lemon juice, rosemary leaves, and garlic in a large resealable plastic bag. Seal, place on a plate to capture any leaks, and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

When ready to cook, remove lamb from the bag, scraping off all bits of rosemary and garlic. Pat chops dry with paper towels. Discard marinade.

To make paste, combine berbere, breadcrumbs, mustard, wine, and egg yolk in a small bowl. Stir until smooth.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

To sear lamb, heat a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high to high heat. Drizzle in about 1 tablespoon olive oil. Generously season racks with salt. Sear lamb 3 minutes per side.

Transfer lamb to roasting pan or rimmed baking sheet. Apply berbere paste to top fatty sides, spreading evenly with hands. Place in oven and roast until an instant thermometer inserted into the loin end reads 125 degrees F. for medium-rare, about 20 minutes. Let lamb rest for 5 minutes before carving. Yield: 4 to 6 servings.

While lamb roasts, prepare sauce by toasting berbere for a few minutes in a small saucepan set over low heat. Pour in stock and wine. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cook until sauce thickens and reduces by third, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in butter, a little at a time, until sauce glistens. Serve alongside lamb. Yield: 1/2 cup.

Herbed Israeli Couscous

1/2 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup golden raisins
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large shallot, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1-1/2 cups Israeli couscous
2 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/2 stick cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup finely chopped mint
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

Toast pine nuts in a small saucepan set over medium heat until nutty brown. Add raisins to a small bowl and cover with hot water.

Warm butter and oil in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Add shallot and garlic, saute until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add couscous and toast for a few minutes. Pour in chicken stock and add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, and salt. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Cook, covered, until couscous has absorbed all liquid and is tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Once couscous is cooked, leave uncovered for a few minutes for any remaining liquid to evaporate. Toss in pine nuts, drained raisins, mint, and cilantro. fluff with a fork and combine. Yield 4 to 6 servings.

READ MORE >