Ingredients

• Grated zest of 1 large lemon
• 5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 2 large lemons)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup pearled or semi-pearled farro, cooked according to the package directions, then cooled (about 3 cups cooked)
• 1 3/4 cups cooked or canned no-salt-added chickpeas (if using canned, drain and rinse)
• 6 1/2 to 7 ounces canned, oil-packed light tuna, flaked (may substitute water-packed light tuna)
• 4 ounces sweet onion, such as Maui, Vidalia or Walla Walla, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
• 1/4 cup chopped, loosely packed parsley

Preparation

Whisk together the lemon zest and juice and the oil in a small bowl to form an emulsified dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Combine the cooled farro, chickpeas, tuna, onion, parsley and the lemon dressing in a large bowl. Toss to incorporate. Taste, and adjust the seasoning as needed. For the best flavor, refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serves 6-8.

Stephanie Witt Sedgwick, Washington Post, April 3, 2013

Ingredients

Spicy Afghan Green Sauce

• 1 bunch fresh cilantro
• 1/2 to 1 jalapeño, depending on how spicy you want your sauce
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons seasoned salt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar

Meatballs

• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds [you can substitute garam masala for the spice blend]
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds
• Seeds from 4 cardamom pods
• Seeds from 2 star anise
• 1 tablespoon ground turmeric
• 3 tablespoons seasoned salt
• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 to 5 pounds ground lamb
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons peeled, finely chopped fresh ginger
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 bunch fresh mint, chopped
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1 cup cooked spinach, chopped

Preparation

Make the Spicy Afghan Green Sauce: Combine all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. This can be done 1 to 3 days in advance. It is best to make the sauce at least 1 day in advance to give the flavors time to blend.

Preheat a grill to about 375°F for direct cooking.

Make the meatballs: Place the cumin, coriander, cardamom seeds, and star anise in a small skillet over medium heat and toast until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool, then grind in a spice or coffee grinder. Add the turmeric, seasoned salt, black pepper, cinnamon, and cayenne and mix well.

Place the ground lamb in a large bowl. Add the spices along with the onion, ginger, garlic, mint, feta, and spinach and mix well, but do not overmix as this will result in a tough texture. Form the mixture into meatballs 1 to 1 1/2 inches in diameter.

Place the meatballs on the grill grate and cook for about 14 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F on a meat thermometer, rotating the meatballs frequently to ensure that they caramelize evenly.

Serves 10-12.

Ardie A. Davis and Paul Kirk, Epicurious, May 2013

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons hot pepper sauce [don’t worry, it won’t get too hot]
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 12 chicken pieces (breasts, thighs and drumsticks) with skin and bones
• 1 cup dry unseasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparation

Whisk buttermilk, oil, hot pepper sauce, mustard, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in large bowl to blend well. Add onion, then chicken and turn to coat. Cover; chill at least 3 hours or up to 1 day, turning chicken occasionally.

Place racks on 2 large rimmed baking sheets. Whisk breadcrumbs, cheese, flour, thyme, paprika, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt in large baking dish to blend. Remove chicken from marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Add chicken to breadcrumb mixture and turn to coat completely. Arrange chicken, skin side up, on racks on baking sheets. Let stand 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Drizzle butter over chicken. Bake until crisp, golden and cooked through, about 50 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 6.

Bon Appetit, June 2000

Ingredients

• 2 dashes absinthe
• 1 ounce dry vermouth
• 2 ounces gin
• 1 mint leaf

Preparation

Shake liquid ingredients well with ice and strain into a chilled coupe. Garnish with mint leaf.

Rosie Schapp, New York Times

Ingredients

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lime zest
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 7 ounces unsweetened coconut shavings (about 4 cups)

Preparation

Place racks in upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 325°F. Whisk egg whites and sugar in a large bowl just until frothy. Whisk in lime zest and salt. Add coconut and fold to coat.

Drop heaping tablespoonfuls of coconut mixture onto 2 parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheets. Bake, rotating pans halfway through from top to bottom and back to front, until golden brown, 18-22 minutes. Let cool on baking sheets.

Bon Appetit, March 2013

Ingredients

Pastry

• 1/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 2 cups unbleached flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cider vinegar
• 6 to 8 tablespoons very cold water
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Filling

• 6 ounces fresh lobster or langostino meat, cooked, shelled and roughly chopped (or saltwater or fresh water crayfish)
• 1/2 cup alioli or homemade mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon tomato purée
• 1 tablespoon cognac
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/3 cup finely chopped scallions, including green part
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 to 3 hard-boiled eggs, cut lengthwise into 8 pieces
• 16 to 20 pimiento-stuffed green olives
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons water

Preparation

Pastry Directions

Using a fork, combine the butter and cream cheese. Sift the flour over the mixture. Add baking powder, cumin, vinegar, and water and combine with a fork. Flour hands generously and work the dough until it becomes a smooth, elastic ball, 3 to 4 minutes. Flour both the work surface and rolling pin. Roll out the dough to about 1/8 inch thick and cut it into 6-inch circles for main course-sized empanadas. For appetizer-sized empanaditas, cut the dough into 3-inch circles. Cover the pastries with a lightly floured towel until you are ready to fill them.

Filling Directions

Combine the lobster, mayonnaise, tomato purée, cognac, mustard, scallions, salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly. Set the filling aside and keep it cool until you are ready to fill the empanadas.

Assembly Directions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Oil a large cookie sheet or line it with Silpat. Spoon the filling in the center of the pastry circles — about 2 tablespoons of filling for each main course empanada or 1 heaping teaspoon for empanaditas. Stuff an egg slice and 1 or 2 olives in the filling and fold the dough over the filling forming a half-moon. Beat the egg with the water to make a glaze. Moisten the open edges with the glaze and crimp the edges with a fork or your fingers to seal.

Place the empanadas on the cookie sheet and brush the top of each with the glaze. Bake them for 20 minutes, turn the heat down to 350°F and continue baking for about 5 minutes more or until the empanadas are golden. When the empanadas are done, remove them from the oven and cool them on racks for several minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

To freeze and reheat, place frozen cooked empanadas in a preheated 350°F oven for approximately 20 minutes.

Shirley Lomax Brooks, Epicurious

Ingredients

• 4 cups bourbon
• 2 bunches fresh mint
• 1 c. water
• 1 c. sugar

Preparation

Remove ~40 small mint leaves, wash, and place in bowl. Cover with 1/4 c. bourbon and soak for 15 minutes. Gather the leaves in paper towel and wring out over the bowl. Dip the bundle again, and repeat the process several times.

Prepare 1:1 simple syrup using the water and sugar; cool.

Pour 3 1/2 c. bourbon into a large bowl or pitcher. Add 1 c. of the simple syrup. Add the mint extract 1 tbsp. at a time until there is a mild mint taste to the mix (each batch is different). [CP: I used all of it the first time I made the recipe.] Refrigerate for at least 24 hours to meld flavors.

Fill a glass 1/2 full with shaved ice. Add a mint sprig. Fill the rest of the way with shaved ice. Fill glass with julep mixture and serve.

Bill Samuels, Food Network

Ingredients

• 1/2 c. butter (1 stick), softened
• 1 3/4 c. sugar
• 1/2 c. vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 1/2 c. flour
• 2 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. cloves
• 1/2 c. buttermilk
• 2 c. peeled, shredded zucchini
• 2 c. chocolate chips, semi-sweet

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Beat in the oil, eggs, and vanilla. Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk. Stir in the zucchini. Pour into a greased 9x13" pan. Sprinkle with the chocolate chips. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool.

Penzey’s

Ingredients

• 1 ½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• ¼ cup Shaoxing rice wine (or sherry)
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 inch fresh ginger, chopped
• 2 1/2 teaspoons whole black, white, or Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 pound cucumbers, peeled
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon Chinkiang black vinegar
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 2 teaspoons chili oil
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

Place the chicken in a large pot. Add the wine green onions, 3/4 of the ginger, 1 teaspoon of the Sichuan peppercorns, and enough water to cover by 2 inches. Turn heat to high and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce heat to a simmer, cook for 3 1/2 minutes. Cover the pot, turn off the heat, and let sit for 30 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and let cool for a few minutes. Then shred the chicken with your fingers.

Quarter the cucumbers and scoop out the seeds. Then chop into 2 inch lengths. Cut these into 1/4-inch thick sticks.

Combine the soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, chili oil, the rest of the Sichuan peppercorn, rest of the ginger, garlic, sugar, and cilantro in a blender. Process until smooth.

Scatter the cucumber pieces on a plate. Top with the shredded chicken, and pour on the sauce. Garnish with more cilantro.

Nick Kindlesperger, Serious Eats

Ingredients

• 2 lbs baby carrots, packaged and peeled
• 32 oz low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 6 roasted mild Hatch chiles, seeded and chopped
• 1 roasted hot Hatch chile, seeded and chopped
• 1 sweet onion, diced
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger root
• 2 1/2 cups whole milk Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup half and half
• Basil leaves for garnish

Preparation

Place carrots in microwave-safe bowl and steam for 10 minutes, or until fully cooked. Cool in refrigerator. This may be done a few days in advance.

Sauté onions in olive oil until translucent. Puree onions and carrots in several batches in a blender with cream, yogurt, and broth until the mixture is velvety. Chiles may be puréed with carrots or chopped and added as garnish or a combination of both. Add fresh ginger and stir. Cool soup in refrigerator until ready to serve. Garnish with a dollop of Greek yogurt, basil leaf, and chopped Hatch chiles.

Central Market