Anchovy and Rosemary Roasted Lamb

Ingredients

6 garlic cloves
9 flat anchovy fillets, drained and patted dry
1/4 cup olive oil
2-1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 (6- to 7-pound) semiboneless leg of lamb (aitchbone removed), all but a thin layer of fat discarded and lamb tied
salt and black pepper

Salsa Verde

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
9 flat anchovy fillets, drained, patted dry, and minced
2-1/2 tablespoons drained bottled capers (preferably nonpareil), rinsed and finely chopped
6 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon white-wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Method

1. Mince garlic and anchovies and mash to a paste with a large heavy knife, then stir together with oil and rosemary in a small bowl. Pat lamb dry and place, fat side up, on rack in pan. Make several small 1-inch-deep slits in lamb with a paring knife, then rub marinade over entire surface, pushing some into slits. Marinate loosely covered, at room temperature for 1 hour.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F, with rack in middle.
3. Sprinkle lamb all over with 2 teaspoons salt and 3/4 teaspoon black pepper, then roast until thermometer inserted into thickest part of lamb (almost to bone but not touching it) registers 125°F for medium-rare, 1-1/2 to 1-3/4hours (temperatures in thinner parts of leg may register up to 160°F). Let stand for 30 minutes before slicing.
4. Make Salsa Verde. Stir together all ingredients in a bowl.
5. To carve, grab leg by shank end. Lift leg up to a level where it’s comfortable for your other arm (your wrist) to carve on a downward slope. Tilting knife blade at roughly a 20-degree angle to meat, begin paring thin slices from opposite end of leg, just to one side of it, starting each slice above the previous one so that slices lengthen and widen as you move up leg.
6. Then rotate leg a quarter turn and continue to carve, lifting each slice off with knife and draping it over the previous slice.
7. Keep turning and slicing until you reach bone. You will end up with a range of medium-rare to well-done meat. Serve with salsa verde.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: Gourmet Italian

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Roasted Chicken Thighs with Leeks and Lemons

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 large leeks (1-1/4 pounds total), cleaned, trimmed and sliced into 3/4-inch-thick rounds
1 large lemon, sliced into thin rounds, seeds picked out
4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (1-1/2 pounds total)
fine salt
freshly cracked black pepper
crusty bread, for serving

Method

1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 425°F.
2. Pour the oil into a 9-by-13-inch pan, add the leeks and lemon, and gently toss to coat.
3. Pat the thighs dry and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper. Gently loosen the skin to let a little air in — this will help it get crispy as it roasts.
4. Place the chicken thighs, skin-side up and evenly spaced, atop the leeks and lemons.
5. Roast for 35 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest part of a thigh registers 160-165 F. Let rest for at least 5 minutes; then serve with crusty bread.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Source: The Winnipeg Free Press

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Moroccan-Inspired Roasted Spiced Chicken

Ingredients

5 tbsp salted butter
4 medium garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp cumin seeds, lightly crushed
1 smoked paprika
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro, plus whole leaves to serve
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus whole leaves to serve
2 tsp packed light brown sugar
1 tsp lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, to serve
3 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken leg quarters, patted dry

Method

1. Heat the oven to 230°C (450°F) with a rack in the middle position. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack on top.
2. In a small saucepan over medium, melt the butter. Add the garlic and cumin, then cook, swirling the pan, until the seeds sizzle, 60 to 90 seconds.
3. Stir in the paprika, cayenne and 1 tsp black pepper. Cook until the spices are fragrant, 30 to 60 seconds.
4. Remove from heat and whisk in the cilantro, parsley, sugar and lemon juice. Set aside.
5. Using a sharp knife, cut parallel slashes on each chicken leg about 1 inch apart all the way to the bone on both sides of each leg. Season all over with salt, then brush both sides with about half of the butter mixture.
6. Place the chicken skin up on the prepared rack and roast for 10 minutes.
7. Brush the remaining butter mixture onto the surface of the chicken. Continue to roast until well browned and the thickest part of the thigh reaches 80°C (175°F), about another 15 minutes.
8. Transfer the chicken to a serving platter and let rest for 10 minutes.
9. Sprinkle with cilantro and parsley leaves, then serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: The Winnipeg Free Press

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Peking Duck

Ingredients

5 lb duck
2 tablespoons maltose or honey, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup hoisin sauce or plum sauce
24 Mandarin pancakes
6-8 scallions, shredded
1/2 cucumber, shredded

Method

1. Cut the wing tips off the duck with a pair of poultry shears. Rinse the duck, drain, and remove any fat from the cavity opening and around the neck. Cut off and discard the tail. Plunge the duck into a pot of boiling water for 2-3 minutes to tighten the skin. Remove and drain, then dry thoroughly.
2. While the skin is still warm, brush the duck all over with the maltose or honey and water solution, then hang it up to dry in a cool and airy place for at least 6 hours, or overnight, or keep it, uncovered, in the fridge.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place the duck, breast side up, on a rack in a roasting pan, and roast without basting or turning for 1-1/2 hours. Check to make sure the duck is not getting too dark and, if it is, cover it loosely with aluminum foil.
4. To serve, remove the crispy duck skin in small slices by using a sharp carving knife, then carve the meat, or carve both together. Arrange on a serving plate.
5. To eat, spread about 1 teaspoon of the hoisin sauce or plum sauce in the center of a pancake, add a few strips of scallions, cucumber, duck skin and meat, roll up the pancake and turn up the bottom edge to prevent the contents from falling out.

Makes 6 servings.

Source: The Food of China

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Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Pomegranate Tahini Sauce, Raisins, and Hazelnuts

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, green leaves trimmed, bottom sliced flat so cauliflower can stand upright
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp paprika
1-1/4 tsp sea salt, divided
ground black pepper, to taste
1/2 cup tahini
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup fresh dill
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup roasted and skinned hazelnuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup unsulfured green raisins (or dried unsweetened currants), soaked in warm water 15 minutes, drained
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large saucepan, place a steamer basket and a few inches of water. Bring to a boil on medium. Carefully place cauliflower in steamer basket, cover and simmer for 7 minutes.
3. Transfer cauliflower onto prepared baking sheet. In a small bowl, combine oil and paprika. Brush all over outside of cauliflower. Sprinkle with 3/4 tsp salt and pepper to taste. Roast until very tender and golden brown, about 45 minutes.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk tahini, lemon juice, pomegranate molasses, garlic, remaining 1/2 tsp salt and enough water to make a pourable sauce (start with 2 tbsp water, adding more as needed).
5. Place cauliflower on a rimmed plate or shallow bowl and arrange herbs around. Sprinkle with hazelnuts and raisins. Drizzle with sauce, reserving extra sauce for dipping. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds before serving.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Source: Vegetarian Times

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