grilled apricots with burrata , country ham and arugula
1¼
¼
pounds apricots, halved and pitted cup extra–virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 ½ tbsp fresh lemon juice 1 small head radicchio, cored and thinly sliced 5
ounces baby arugula
½
pound burrata cheese, shredded
4 ounces shaved country ham 1 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Brush the apricots with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over high heat, cut sides down, just until lightly charred, 5 minutes. Let cool. In a bowl, whisk the lemon juice with the ¼ cup of oil and season with salt and pepper. Gently toss in the apricots, radicchio and arugula. Transfer to a platter and top with the burrata, ham and vinegar. Serve.
pork roast with fennel and garlic
BRINE ¼
cup honey
2
tbsp black peppercorns
18 fresh bay leaves 10 thyme sprigs 10 flat–leaf parsley sprigs 2
heads of garlic, halved horizontally
1 cup kosher salt 3 quarts cold water
RUB 2
tbsp fennel seeds, coarsely chopped
1 tsp crushed red pepper 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest ¼
cup extra–virgin olive oil
2
tbsp canola oil Pinch of salt
1 4lb boneless pork loin, tied
In a medium saucepan, combine the honey, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, garlic and salt with 1 quart of the water and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the salt. Pour the brine into a large bowl and let cool. Add the remaining 2 quarts of cold water along with the pork and refrigerate overnight (12 to 18 hours). Drain and pat dry, picking off any seasonings. In a mini food processor or a mortar, combine the fennel seeds, red pepper, garlic, lemon zest and salt and process or pound to a paste. Stir in the olive oil. Rub half of the spice paste on the lean side of the pork and let stand at room temperature for 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350° and set a rack on a large rimmed baking sheet. On a large griddle, heat the canola oil until shimmering. Add the pork fat side down and cook over moderately high heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pork to the rack, fat side up, and slather with the remaining garlic paste. Roast the pork for about 1 hour, until an instant–read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 140° to 145°. Let rest for 20 minutes before slicing.
artichokes with smoked – herb mayonnaise
4 large artichokes, stems trimmed 1 cup mayonnaise 3 tbsp chopped dill 2
tbsp chopped capers
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest 2
tsp fresh lemon juice
½
tsp smoked sea salt
¼
tsp smoked sweet paprika hot sauce freshly ground pepper
Set a steamer basket in a large pot over ½ inch of boiling water. Arrange the artichokes, stem side down, in the basket. Cover and steam over moderate heat until a knife easily pierces the stems, about 30 minutes. Transfer the artichokes to a platter. In a bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, dill, capers, lemon zest and juice, salt and paprika. Add a few dashes of hot sauce and season the mayonnaise with pepper. Serve the artichokes warm or lightly chilled with the mayonnaise.
watercress with jicama and citrus
¼
cup pomegranate juice
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar 1 ½ teaspoons agave nectar 1 ½ teaspoons Dijon mustard ½
teaspoon finely grated lime zest
½
cup canola oil
1 red grapefruit 2
navel oranges
1 pound jicama, peeled and cut into 2–by–1/4–inch matchsticks 2
bunches watercress, thick stems discarded
⅓
cup pomegranate seeds Salt and freshly ground pepper
In a blender, combine the pomegranate juice, vinegar, agave nectar, mustard and lime zest. With the machine on, add the oil in a thin stream and blend until emulsified. Season the dressing with salt and pepper. Using a sharp knife, peel the grapefruit and oranges, removing all of the bitter white pith. Working over a bowl, cut in between the membranes to release the sections. Add the jicama, watercress and pomegranate seeds to the bowl. Add the dressing, toss gently and serve right away.
pineapple fried rice with pork
¼
cup low–sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp hoisin sauce 1 tbsp rice vinegar 3 tbsp canola oil 4 ounces ground pork 3 small Chinese sausages (5 ounces), thinly sliced 3 scallions, white parts minced and green parts sliced 1 tbsp minced fresh ginger ½
tsp minced garlic
1 hot red chile, seeded and minced 4 cups cold cooked jasmine rice or other long–grain white rice ¼
cup cilantro leaves
¼
cup finely diced fresh pineapple
In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce with the hoisin and vinegar. Heat a wok or large skillet. Add the oil and heat until smoking. Add the pork and Chinese sausages and cook over high heat, stirring, until the pork is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the minced scallion whites, ginger, garlic and chile and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice, breaking up any lumps with your hands as you add it to the wok, and stir–fry until heated through and lightly browned in spots. Stir the hoisin–soy sauce, add it to the wok and stir–fry until nearly absorbed, about 2 minutes. Stir in the scallion greens, cilantro and pineapple. Transfer the fried rice to bowls and serve.