Roger Li of Umami and The Parlor Dim Sum and Julio Peraza of Torogoz Contemporary Latin Cookery, took a multicultural approach to their Lamb Shoulder as a part of our Lamb Fest competition. Roger braised delicious lamb shoulder with Asian ingredients such as fermented bean cubes, sesame oil, and soy sauce to infuse a rich umami impact into the meat. Julio plated the delicious, tender results with a fantastic El Salvadoran salsa verde, grated onions and a sprinkle of fresh sprouts…all on one of his tender, fresh, and soft tortillas.
How to Select the Perfect Lamb Shoulder
You have two main choices when choosing lamb shoulder. There is a bone-in shoulder and a boneless cut, each of which has its advantages. A bone-in cut is going to carry more depth of flavor. It’s great for braising and slow-cooking if you have the extra time to spare. However, a boneless cut means easier preparation and a faster cooking time. Basically, if you want to make this recipe the best it can be, go with the bone-in cut. If speed is what you need, boneless is the way to go.
The sweetness of life “up on the mountain” at Nemacolin inspired the team to create the best hot dog ever (Lamb Sausage) for our Lamb Fest competition. They devised a classic flavor profile featuring lamb, of course, with garlic, rosemary, and red wine. The results, a “complete eat” of fatty sausage on a toasted slider bun with crispy, sweet, and acidic cucumber and onion, topped with smoked harissa aioli. As a bonus for all the folks who admired these dogs (many of them two and three times), the team also sizzled up a batch of lamb-shaped lamb-fat donuts. Simply divine!
Tips for Using a Meat Grinder to Make Lamb Sausage
When crafting homemade lamb sausages with a meat grinder you first want to start with clean equipment. Make sure all your items, including the grinder, plates, and stuffer, are thoroughly cleaned and chilled to stop bacterial growth and fat smearing. If you find grinding to be the hard part, you can partially freeze your meat and fat before grinding to achieve a cleaner cut and better texture. We recommend starting with a coarse grind as you can always refine after if it’s necessary. If you happen to have a sausage stuffer attachment, it’s going to be a life saver for filling the casing. But, with some time and patience you can fill by hand if needed. Just remember not to overfill the casings, leaving room for twisting and linking.
Sausage made from lamb provides the perfect balance of fat and flavor.
Ingredients
Scale
2 ¼ lb fatty lamb shoulder
½ lb lamb fat or pork fat
1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ cup red wine, chilled
Instructions
Cut the lamb shoulder and fat into small pieces that will easily fit into your grinder, removing any sinew from the meat as you go.
In a large bowl combine the meat and fat with the rosemary, salt, garlic, and pepper. Stir to mix. Cover and refrigerate 4-6 hours or overnight.
Before grinding, place the bowl from your stand mixer and meat grinder in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Remove the meat mixture, bowl, meat grinder, and wine from the refrigerator. Using the finest grind on your grinder, grind the meat mixture into the chilled bowl.
Alternate pushing the pieces of fat and meat through the grinder to ensure that the fat doesn’t stick inside.
Using the paddle attachment on your stand mixer, mix the ground meat on low speed, adding the cold red wine. The mixture will come together in about 2 minutes and be sticky.
Take about 1 tablespoon and form a small patty. Fry it in a skillet. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt if desired. If you plan on stuffing the sausage into casings, refrigerate it for 2 hours.
Otherwise, you can simply shape and wrap the sausages in plastic wrap for later use. If you’re stuffing the sausages, proceed to the next step.
While the sausage meat is chilling, soak the casings in warm water for 1 hour.
Rinse the casings in cold water, then run water through them, by slipping one end of the casing over the tap and gently turn on the water to let it flow through the casing.
Place the casings in a fine-mesh sieve to drain. You want them to be moist when you fill them.
Attach the sausage stuffer to the grinder, and push the damp sausage casing over the tube until about 4 inches is hanging from the end, and tie a knot in this piece. (If it’s your first time at making sausage, ask a friend to help you with this step.)
Add the chilled mixture to the grinder on low speed, and slowly stuff the sausage casings, trying to minimize the air pockets in the casings. As the sausage enters the casing, it should slowly slide off the tube.
Once all the mixture is used up, ease any remaining casing off the tube.
Roll the sausage on a damp surface to distribute the filling as evenly as possible, then form the sausage into links by twisting the casings at 6-inch intervals.
Twist each link in the opposite direction to prevent them from unwinding.
Cover the sausages and refrigerate for up to 3 days. We served our sausage sous vide at 145 degrees for 1 hour and then griddled to create a moist interior and crispy outside.
Recipe by Nemacolin Styling by Ana Kelly Photography by Laura Petrilla
The festival of colors in India, Holi, is ready to set sail with recipes to fill the holiday table. This celebration of spring and community brings together people from all over to rejoice colorfully together. You’ll often see families throwing handfuls of powdered dyes and pigments at each other and joyfully dancing along to live music. In addition to the rainbow of color and the fun, part of what is so special about Holi is the food. Each dish is made for sharing, with many recipes able to be handheld as well. Below, Chef Palak Patel shares some of her personal favorite Holi recipes all with a slight twist to encourage you to try something new.
Little fritters full of peas and edamame bring fresh green vegetables to the Holi table. These small, deep fried rounds use plenty of seasonings to make the pea and edamame filling far from boring. Try it with a green yogurt dipping sauce to complete your spread.
Of course you’re going to need a beverage to enjoy with all this delicious food. Thandai is a cooling pistachio and saffron drink that adds to the richness of Holi. There is some room for variation here depending on what spices you prefer, but we recommend garnishing with dried rose petals or rose water.
Every culture seems to have a type of dumpling, and for Holi, these Sweet Gujiyas channel that universal dumpling energy. These flour dumplings are filled with a combination of creamy ricotta, sugar, both coconut and almond flours, aromatic cardamom, and nutmeg. Biting into them is the perfect mix of crunchy and sweet without overtaking your entire palate.
The perfect complement to gujiyas and fritters, Savory Chana Masala brings the spice to this meal. Slowly simmered chickpeas meet a tomato-based sauce for a cozy and comforting recipe. Enjoy naan or rice alongside this dish.
Story by Kylie Thomas Recipes by Palak Patel Styling by Ana Kelly Photography by Adam Milliron
Whenever it comes to Jennifer Coolidge, we can’t help but remember her as Stifler’s Mom in American Pie. Lounging in a tight purple dress while smoking a cigarette, who could forget her milf-y charms? This roles helped establish Coolidge’s signature onscreen (and offscreen) attitude and look. With the upcoming release of A MinecraftMovie, featuring Jennifer Coolidge, we knew we had to honor her film career through a series of cocktails. This first cocktail lends itself to hot moms everywhere, turning a milk punch into a Milf Punch. It’s a little sweet, warming, and creamy all at once. Plus, the anise simple syrup can be saved and used for other cocktails as well.
What is American Pie Featuring Jennifer Coolidge?
If you have not heard of American Pie, that may be for the best. Unless you love B movies, many bouts of laughter, and a little bit of nostalgia for the habits of decades past. These cheap and cheesy (but often delightful) films include inappropriate jokes and party-hard teenage characters. In American Pie’s case (the first of nine movies in the series), four friends agree to lose their virginity before the end of high school. What comes out of this bet is a crazy whirl of girls, drinks, and embarrassing moments. These elements inspire our Jennifer Coolidge cocktail as much as “La Coolidge” herself. Plus, the movie is a cult classic for a reason and features a cast of now-famous actors like Jason Biggs, Chris Klein, Natasha Lyonne, Alyson Hannigan, and Eugene Levy.
This Lamb Croquette recipe was born when Joey Hilty of The Vandal and Keyla Nogueira Cook of Mercearia Brasil joined forces for our Lamb Fest competition. “Both of us thought of making coxinha (chicken croquettes), a popular street food in Brazilian cuisine, so we decided to do a lamb version,” recalls Keyla. “Due to my dietary restrictions with gluten, we decided to use yuca, one of my staple ingredients, as the base instead of flour. Along with Joey’s special sauce it became a great combination of flavors and texture.” The line at their booth proved them right: the combo was compelling indeed.
What are Croquettes?
Croquettes are a delicious way of transforming leftovers or simple ingredients into a mouthwatering deep fried log. The base is a thick, creamy binder, usually a béchamel, which lets you add in whatever flavors you desire. In the case of these Lamb Croquettes ground lamb is finely minced and mixed into the béchamel. We continue to build on the rich, savory flavor of the lamb with aromatic herbs like fennel alongside garlic and onion. After chilling the mixture to firm it up, we shape individual portions into cylinders or ovals, then meticulously coat in breadcrumbs, creating a crispy exterior that contrasts the tender, flavorful inside.
These deep friend bundles of lamb and spices are the perfect balance of crispy and tender.
Ingredients
Scale
For the ground lamb mixture:
1 lb ground lamb
1 tbsp chopped onions
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp fennel
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp chili pepper flakes
1 lime
2 tbsp olive oil
For the yuca:
1 lb ground lamb
2 lb cooked yuca
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 cup chopped green onions
1 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp chili peppers
2 cups all-purpose gluten-free flour
6 cups of oil for frying the croquettes
Instructions
In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients for the lamb and let it rest for 10 minutes.
In a large and hot skillet cook the lamb until well-done.
Cook frozen yuca in a large pot with enough water to cover it and 1 tablespoon of kosher salt. Let it cook until it’s falling apart.
Around 30 minutes after it starts boiling, drain the water and carefully remove the yuca strings (it can be easily done with a fork).
In a KitchenAid bowl, add cooked lamb and yuca. Add the salt, green onions, turmeric, and chili peppers. Mix on high speed until it forms a dough.
Divide the mixture into 24 pieces and roll each piece into even-sized log shapes. Roll them in the all-purpose flour.
When the oil is heated to 360 degrees, carefully drop them in several batches into the oil. Fry for about 3-4 minutes each side or until crispy and golden brown.
Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel. Best served warm.
Recipe by Joey Hilty and Keyla Nogueira Cook Styling by Ana Kelly Photography by Laura Petrilla
We’re back with another installment of Cookbook Club featuring Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African American Cooking by Toni Tipton-Martin. As I touched on in our first cooking adventure from the book, Tipton-Martin combed through over 400 cookbooks dating to 1827 to create a more accurate historical account of African American cooking that goes well beyond “southern” and “soul” cooking. The book also includes original recipes to show launching points for the dishes the author created. To see such skeletal outlines of ingredients and directions speaks to the skills and knowledge previous generations had.
In a mouthwatering analogy, Toni Tipton-Martin expresses this goal for her book, “I hope that by the time you finish cooking your way through Jubilee, you will think of African American cooking like a sultry gumbo: built, perhaps, on a foundation of humble sustenance, but layered with spice, flavors, and aromas embellished by the whim and the skills of the cook, served with grace and richness as well as love.”
All About Toni Tipton-Martin’s Lamb Curry
On that note, let’s continue cooking! This Lamb Curry pays homage to South African curries, which themselves blend Malay and Indian influences. From there, curries traveled to the Caribbean, where Jamaicans added gamey mutton or goat. This recipe combines a hearty base of tomatoes with fork-tender lamb, and a few surprise twists: stewed apples, a splash of rum, and a burst of lime. Serve with whole-grain emperor’s rice for the visual contrast of its deep purple hue. Then dog-ear the page, because if you’re anything like me, you’ll want to return to this recipe again and again.
Warm yourself up with a spiced curry featuring tender lamb.
Ingredients
Scale
2 lb lamb shoulder or leg, cut into 1-inch cubes
Salt and black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1 cup coarsely chopped onions
2 tbsp minced green bell pepper
2 tbsp minced celery
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tbsp curry powder, to taste
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 ½ cups diced tomatoes (I used canned tomatoes in lieu of sad off-season varieties)
2 cups chicken stock
1 bay leaf
2 medium green apples, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp rum (optional)
1 tbsp fresh lime juice (optional)
Freshly cooked rice
Instructions
Place the lamb on a platter and pat dry with paper towels. Season all over with 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Let stand for 2 hours.
In a large Dutch oven or deep skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat until sizzling. Working in batches to avoid crowding the pan, add the lamb and sear until browned and crusty, turning to cook on all sides, 5 to 8 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove the lamb to a plate.
Add the butter to the pan and saute the onions, bell pepper, celery, and garlic until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
Sprinkle the curry powder over the vegetables and cook, stirring constantly until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Return the lamb to the pan with the tomato paste, tomatoes, chicken stock, and bay leaf.
Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the meat is tender and the sauce is thick, about 1 ½ hours. Add the apples to the pan during the last 30 minutes of cooking time. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the rum and lime juice, if using, and heat for 1 minute.
Serve with rice.
Recipe by Toni Tipton-Martin Story, Photography, Styling by Quelcy Kogel
As the former Director of Sports Nutrition and Fueling for the Pittsburgh Pirates, I can assure you that the way the team fuels and hydrates plays a very big role in their performance on the field. But why does all that matter? Eating healthy food is eating healthy food, right? Let’s take a deeper look and learn how the team stays strong with these Pittsburgh Pirates’ Nourishing Smoothies.
(It is important to note that everyone is different. Regardless of what you do for a job or for physical activity – including professional athletes – nutrition needs vary. A football offensive lineman would not fuel the same way a center fielder would, nor would a professional tennis player fuel the same way as a marathon runner.)
Fuel Your Body for Ultimate Success
First of all, let’s change the narrative. Let’s eliminate the term “healthy eating” and replace it with “fueling”.
What’s the difference? Healthy eating can get a bad rap. When people think of eating healthy, they might think of dieting, restricting, missing out on their favorite foods, and generally, being miserable. Nothing that any of us want to feel, especially when we want to enjoy food.
Fueling, on the other hand, is just that – enjoying food.
You need to fuel with a good breakfast for that big meeting today. You need to fuel in order to drive your kids around all weekend. Fueling is the means of keeping your energy levels up by providing your body with what it needs to be your best, not necessarily what is the fastest and most convenient option.
Let’s take a look at some foods that can get you out of the winter slump and “fuel” you for your everyday performance:
Fruits and Vegetables
During the winter, many people struggle to get enough servings of fruits and veggies each day. One reason is the lack of availability of some fresh food during the winter, and what catches our eye in the produce section is usually the bright colors and variety. Starchy-looking strawberries and rows of apples aren’t always appealing.
Fruits and vegetables provide a wide variety of vitamins, minerals, fiber. A general rule of thumb is the darker and brighter the fruit and vegetable, the more nutrients it has.
Fruits and veggies also have a high water content, which can help with hydration. When we aren’t getting enough fruits and veggies – especially in the winter – it can lead to choosing other more calorically dense and nutrient-deficient foods. Here is what you can do to make sure you are getting enough fruits and veggies, even when they might not be in season:
Buy Frozen Fruit
This is a perfect option all year around. Frozen fruit is just that… fruit that has been frozen. There is no added sugar in frozen fruit, and it’s easy-to-use: you can take out only what you want and not have to worry about it sitting in the fridge and getting moldy. You can use frozen fruit in our Pittsburgh Pirates’ Nourishing Smoothies which is a great option for a light, nutrient-dense snack. Or, just let the fruit thaw and eat it!
Pre-Package Your Own Salads
You bought the spinach and had great intentions of eating salads every day. Until you realized you had to get the big container out of the produce drawer in the fridge (which was stacked under three other things) portion it out, add carrots, tomatoes, and more to make it a real salad. So, you decide not to make your salad and one week later, throw away the nearly full container of spinach after it starts smelling and rotting.
Pre-portion your salads before you even put the spinach (or spring mix or romaine) away. Get your carrots, tomatoes, and whatever other veggies you want in your salad and get working. Portion out salads in small containers so each day, all you have to do is grab your greens and add dressing. The hard work is done!
Prep Your Veggies
Most veggies are delicious roasted in the oven. Buy Brussels sprouts, broccoli, baby carrots, or whatever veggies you want. Prep them at once using olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Put them in containers and store them in the fridge until you are ready to cook them. Once ready, place your desired amount on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees, or until they are to your liking.
Whole Grains
Whole grains in foods contain the whole grain. Refined grains contain only the endosperm of the grain, but a whole grain contains the bran, endosperm, and germ.
When you eat whole grains as opposed to refined grains, you are getting fiber, B Vitamins, Vitamin E, and even a little bit of omega-3 fats. Whole grains will make you feel full longer, will keep your blood sugar in check, and help you fuel with good quality carbohydrates. Examples are whole-grain bread, brown rice, whole-grain pasta, oats, and whole-grain cereals.
Hydration
Hydration is important all year round. However, it can be more difficult to stay hydrated during the winter because it is not hot and we don’t feel as thirsty as we do during the summer months. It’s time to get back on the hydration train.
The goal should be to aim for one-half of your body weight in ounces of water. So if you weigh 140 pounds, you should aim for 70 ounces of water each day.
Drinking water will help you feel full and can give you a little boost of energy. Sometimes when we are dehydrated we feel hungry when in reality it could just mean you need to drink more water, so keep that in mind too.
You don’t like the taste of water, you say? Well, don’t depend on those chemical-based, artificially sweetened flavored drops or waters. Stick with the real thing, and try making your own infused water. Put fruit in ice cube trays, fill with water, and once frozen, put them in your water. As the ice cubes melt, your water will get the flavor from the fruit. You can use these methods to make mixed berry, cucumber melon, strawberry mint, and lemon water.
Turning porcelain and stoneware into objects that are not only useful but also beautiful is an art that has been with us for centuries. The world’s great plate makers are not stuck in history, though: they are listening carefully to what we want in terms of ease, functionality, and mood. We explored some of the most stunning plate designs with Rafael Vencio, stylist, cook, urban farmer and TABLE contributor, starting with this pea soup.
Legend has it that Ginori 1735’s Oriente Italiano pattern has its origins in Chinese plates brought back to Italy by Marco Polo in the late 13th century. We know for certain that renowned 20th century Italian design titan Gio Ponti revisited the classic design just after World War II, offering it up in the sort of antidepressant colors that thrill us today.
To celebrate our favorite of Ponti’s color options, malachite, Rafael created a garden-fresh English pea soup that focuses on the growing, glowing color green.
Tips for Garnishing This Pea Soup
The best tip to start with for garnishing your pea soup is to work with ingredients that you have at hand before hunting for unique options. Anything that you might use on a salad can sometimes work well with a pureed soup like this recipe. Texture is another important factor to consider: since the soup is pureed, garnishes generally need to stay firm! Croutons are usually an easy choice, as is anything fried to crispiness, like garlic or shallots. Rendered pork is also a good garnish. Toasted whole or crushed nuts or seeds are also a good textural contrast with additional flavor.
Raw vegetables are also an excellent source of both texture and flavor. They usually go well with other rich garnishes such as cream or cheeses. Shoots or microgreens are good options, as well as shaved raw vegetables or pickles (naturally fermented like kosher dills). Spicy heat is a good way to invigorate the palate in between each bite. Herbs add depth and can create contrasting flavors that also complement.
½ cup crème fraîche (or sour cream, labneh, vegan yogurt)
2 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp olive oil
Optional: ½ cup bacon or any salted pork product like guanciale or pancetta; cut into large strips and render off the fat to replace the olive oil; use the rendered pork for garnish
Potential garnishes:
Sugar snap peas
Fresh shucked peas
Red stem choy
Toasted sesame seeds
Fresh enoki mushrooms
Asparagus tips
Pesto
Dill
Mint
Pea shoots
Fresh Thai chilies
Sour cream or labneh
Instructions
Sauté leeks and garlic in butter and olive oil until tender. Add stock and simmer for 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. If peas are frozen, you can toss them into the mixture to thaw them and to cool the broth.
Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree thoroughly. Decant to a bowl. Cover and let rest for an hour or two in refrigerator.
Serve cool in low bowls…and have fun with the garnishing prior to bringing the soup to the table. Or place plates of garnish materials on the table and let everyone create their own garden!
I’m picky about margaritas. Too much juice and the cocktail feels watered down and weak. Too much sugar and the taste of tequila is lost, steamrolled by sweetness. This Classic Margarita recipe has none of those faults. There are lots of other ways to do a margarita, but sometimes simple is best.
About My Classic Margarita Recipe
The recipe I’ve stuck by for years is a basic one: fresh lime juice, triple sec or Cointreau; good, quality tequila; and a touch of simple syrup or agave. There are no crazy flavors – though the recipe easily allows for the addition of berries, pineapple, or grapefruit. The classic cocktail is simple, fresh, citrus-forward, and doesn’t require a blender. If you’re really feeling creative, soak your tequila on jalapeños for a day or two. It’ll throw a nice kick into your celebrations!
This Spinach Soup with Cashew Cream is the perfect choice for a weeknight dinner when you’re looking for something a little healthier but still filling and flavorful. It’s full of vibrat, leafy greens with the silky texture of cashew cream, combining nourishing earthy flavor with a velvety mouthful. Whether you’re looking for a light meal or a hearty appetizer, this recipe is a fantastic way to incorporate more greens into your diet while enjoying a rich and creamy bowl of goodness. You can customize it to make it vegan, or add different kind of stock.
Health Benefits of Cashew Cream
Cashew cream is a creamy, nutrient-packed substitute that’s becoming a go-to ingredient for those looking to make healthier choices in their diets. Made from blending raw cashews with water, cashew cream is rich in healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals, making it an excellent addition to plant-based meals. But what truly sets cashew cream apart as a healthy alternative is its versatility and impressive nutritional profile.
One of the main benefits of cashew cream is its healthy fat content. Cashews are high in unsaturated fats, particularly monounsaturated fats, which are known to promote heart health by helping to lower bad cholesterol levels. These fats also support brain function, contribute to healthy skin, and help your body absorb essential nutrients. This Spinach Soup with Cashew Cream uses it for its textural qualities within the soup, adding more body.
Place the cashews in a heat safe bowl and pour enough boiling water to cover them. Let sit for 15 minutes, then drain the water.
Add the softened cashews into a small blender container along with as much water as necessary to blend into a smooth paste.
Place the cashew paste into a bowl and then slowly pour in 1 cup boiling water, stirring until it reaches the consistency of milk.
For the soup:
Heat a pot and add the oil. Once it is hot enough, place in the onions, green chilies if you are using, garlic, and ginger. Sprinkle on a little salt and the roasted cumin powder. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions become lightly golden.
At this stage, add the spinach, stirring to combine with the onions. Once the spinach wilts, pour in the broth, coconut milk, and lime juice.
Stir and simmer together for 3 minutes. Taste and adjust the salt. Take off the heat and cool, before blitzing in a regular blender or with an immersion blender until smooth.
Place the blended soup back into the pot along with the cashew milk. Stir and simmer to warm the soup. Serve warm garnished with toasted cashews.
Notes
*Note: To make the soup vegan, simply substitute vegetable broth for the chicken broth
Recipe and Styling by Veda Sankaran Photography by Dave Bryce
