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Cauliflower Stew

  • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 2 to 4 garlic cloves (to taste), minced
  • 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes, with juice
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • Salt and freshly ground pepper
  • ½ tsp dried thyme, or 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 large cauliflower, cored, broken into florets, and sliced about ½ inch thick
  • ½ of 14-oz can of black olives , rinsed, cut in half (optional)
  • 1 to 2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (optional)
  1. In a pot or skillet large enough to hold all the cauliflower, sautee the onions in olive oil until soft
  2. Add the garlic and stir together for a minute or two more, until the garlic is fragrant, then add the tomatoes and their juice, the cinnamon, thyme, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a low simmer for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the mixture is reduced slightly and fragrant.
  3. Add the cauliflower and olives and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the cauliflower is tender. Serve with grains, with the feta sprinkled on top if desired.
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Lemon Curd

  • ⅓ cup lemon juice, from 2 lemons (strained, so there is no pulp)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 Egg Yolk
  • ½ cup sugar (3 ½ ounces)
  • 2 tbsp Unsalted Butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
  • 1 tbsp heavy cream
  • ¼ tsp Vanilla Extract
  1. Heat lemon juice in small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Whisk eggs and yolk in medium nonreactive bowl; gradually whisk in sugar. 
  2. Whisking constantly, slowly pour hot lemon juice into eggs, then return mixture to saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon, until mixture registers 170 degrees on instant-read thermometer and is thick enough to cling to spoon, about 3 minutes (see photos, below).
  3. Immediately remove pan from heat and stir in cold butter until incorporated; stir in cream, vanilla, and salt, then pour curd through fine-mesh strainer into small nonreactive bowl. Cover surface of curd directly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until needed.
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Lemon Bars

FOR THE CRUST:

  • 77 grams all-purpose flour
  • 25 grams granulated sugar
  • 12 grams confectioners’ sugar, plus more for sprinkling
  • ½ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
  • 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 5 tablespoons/71 grams coldunsalted butter, cut into cubes

FOR THE CURD:

  • 2-3 lemons
  • 150 grams sugar
  • 1 large eggs plus 1.5 yolks
  • ¾ teaspoons/2.5 grams cornstarch
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons/28 grams butter
  • 1/8 cup/30 milliliters fruity extra-virgin olive oil
  • Confectioners’ sugar
  • Flaky sea salt, for sprinkling
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Leg of lamb (sous vide)

  • 4-5 lb. boneless leg of lamb
  • 2 heads of garlic
  • 3 tbsp. chopped parsley
  • 3 fresh 2-3″ rosemary sprigs

Prep the garlic-parsley paste

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place garlic heads cut side up on sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Wrap foil tightly around garlic; place on baking sheet and roast until cloves are very soft and golden brown, 40 to 45 minutes. When cool enough to handle, squeeze garlic head to remove cloves from skins. Mash cloves into paste with side of chef’s knife. Combine with parsley in small bowl.

Prep the lamb

  1. Unroll lamb. Following natural seams (delineated by lines of fat), separate into three smaller roasts, using sharp boning knife as needed.
  2. Trim visible fat and gristle from exterior of each roast. With small, pointed cuts, penetrate deeper to remove interior pockets of gristle, fat, and silver skin. (Roasts open up and flatten slightly during trimming.)
  3. Lightly score inside of each roast, making ¼-inch-deep cuts spaced 1 inch apart in crosshatch pattern.
  4. Rub scored surface of brined lamb with garlic-parsley paste, working paste into grooves.
  5. Roll into compact roast, tucking in flaps, to form log shape. Tie with twine at 1-inch intervals.

Sous vide the lamb

Cook the 3 lamb roasts in separate bags for 6-8 hours at 135*F. Sear for 45 seconds on each side before serving.

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Soy Sauce Chicken

  • 2 lbs of chicken parts
  • 2-inch ginger (skin peeled and lightly pounded)
  • 4 cloves garlic (lightly pounded)
  • 2 stalks scallions (cut into 2-inch lengths)
  • 2 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick (about 2-inch length)
  • 1 dried honey dates
  • ½ c. soy sauce
  • ¼ c. dark soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
  • 3 dashes white pepper powder
  • 4 oz. rock sugar or white sugar
  • 4 cups water
  1. Bring ingredients, except chicken, to a boil and simmer 10 mins.
  2. Add chicken to pot. Add more water to cover chicken if needed.
  3. Bring pot back to boil, cover. Simmer 20 mins.
  4. Turn off and keep covered for 20 more mins.

Optional: add 1 lb diced daikon or turnip in step 1 to simmer.

Sauce can be reused 2-3 times for new chicken, or soy sauce eggs or tofu.