The Co-op Pantry

BY MARY DELPH

BY MARY DELPH

All The World’s Alive Again

by Jennifer Gunner

The rabbit hops its gentle step The lark sings lyric songs All the world’s alive again Spring rights the winter’s wrong.

Mother hen protects her chicks White blossoms are in bloom All the world’s alive again No snowy clouds to loom.

A kitten chirps her tiny mew The child blinks his eyes All the world’s alive again A new world crystalized

I don’t often wax poetic, but I love this spring poem. It evokes such wonderful images in your mind. Which of course evokes food and eating in my mind. It is time to get the grill out and cleaned and start cooking. Gather outside, even have a few friends and family members over, and just for a while, watch nature and enjoy.

Lamb Chops with Polenta and Grilled Scallion Sauce

8 lamb rib or loin chops (about 2 pounds) 1 1/2 teaspoons plus 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 pound prepared polenta, sliced into 1/2” rounds 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for brushing 1 bunch of scallions, roots trimmed 1 jalapeño, halved lengthwise 1 cup basil leaves, finely chopped 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 3 Tablespoons plain yogurt 6 cups torn, leafy lettuce, such as green leaf lettuce 1 cup cherries (about 6 ounces), pitted, halved

Season lamb chops with 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Prepare a grill or grill pan for medium-high heat. Brush polenta slices lightly with oil on both sides. Working in batches if needed, grill scallions, jalapeño, lamb chops, and polenta slices until lightly charred and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of lamb registers 125 degrees for medium-rare, 2–3 minutes per side. The scallions may take a couple minutes longer; you want them to be nice and tender before you remove them from the grill. Finely chop scallions and jala-

peño. Transfer to a medium bowl. Add basil, lemon juice, 1/2 cup oil, and 1/2 tsp. salt and whisk to combine. Transfer 1/4 cup scallion sauce to a large bowl and whisk in yogurt and remaining 1/8 tsp. salt. Add lettuce and cherries and gently toss with your hands until thoroughly coated. Divide salad among plates. Arrange lamb and polenta alongside; then top both with remaining scallion sauce.

Sweet-and-Spicy Ribs

3/4 cup (packed) light brown sugar 1/4 cup smoked paprika 2 Tablespoons cayenne pepper 2 Tablespoons garlic powder 3 Tablespoons kosher salt, plus more 2 St. Louis-style pork ribs (3–4 pounds each) 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar Vegetable oil

Heat oven to 325 F. Combine brown sugar, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and 3 Tablespoons salt in a small bowl; set aside 1/4 cup spice mixture. Pat ribs dry with paper towels and rub with remaining spice mixture, massaging into crevices. Wrap each rack in a double layer of foil, crimping edges to seal tightly. Place each foil packet on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until meat is fork-tender at the thickest part but not falling off the bone, 2–3 hours. Let cool. Tear open a corner of each foil packet and carefully pour juices from ribs into a large heatproof measuring cup. Let juices settle, then spoon fat from surface and discard. Heat butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, then browns (do not burn), 5–8 minutes. Add juices from ribs and 1/4 cup reserved spice mixture and bring to a simmer. Cook until reduced by one-third, 15–20 minutes. Remove sauce from heat, add vinegar and season with salt. Prepare grill for medium-high heat; oil grate. Remove ribs from foil and grill, basting with sauce and turning occasionally, until charred in spots, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Slice between ribs and serve with remaining sauce.

Grilled Chicken Kabobs

1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into 1-inch pieces 1/4 cup olive oil 1/3 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup honey 1 teaspoon minced garlic Salt and pepper to taste 1 red bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces 1 yellow bell pepper cut into 1-inch pieces 2 small zucchini cut into 1-inch slices 1 red onion cut into 1-inch pieces 1 Tablespoon chopped parsley

Place the olive oil, soy sauce, honey, garlic and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Whisk to combine. Add the chicken, bell peppers, zucchini and red onion to the bowl. Toss to coat in the marinade. Cover and refriger-

ate for at least 1 hour, or up to 8 hours. Soak wooden skewers in cold water for at least 30 minutes. Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high heat. Thread the chicken and vegetables onto the skewers. Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Note from Mary: Heat the broiler. Coat a sheet pan with cooking spray. Place the skewers in a single layer on the sheet pan. Broil for 5 minutes, then flip the skewers and broil on the other side for 5 more minutes.

Grilled Vegetables #1

1 yellow squash 1 zucchini 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, stemmed 1 small red onion 1 red bell pepper 1 green bell pepper 1 ear fresh corn, cut into 1-inch rounds Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper Tzatziki, pesto or Greek dressing for drizzling/ serving

Heat a grill to medium-high and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Cut the vegetables into similar-sized chunks and thread onto 4 metal skewers. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the skewers for 8 minutes per side or until the vegetables are tender and lightly charred. Remove from the grill, season to taste, and serve with desired sauce or dressing.

Grilled Vegetables #2

1 zucchini 1 yellow squash 1/2 onion 1/2 green bell pepper 1/2 red bell pepper 10 ounces carrots 3/4 eggplant 10 ounces Brussels sprouts Chopped garlic Herbes de Provence (thyme, sage, parsley, basil, lavender and rosemary) Olive oil

Heat a grill. Cut vegetables into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Mix vegetables with a generous amount of garlic and herbes de Provence. Drizzle vegetables with olive oil. Grill vegetables on a hot grill until tender and slightly charred.