roast leg of lamb with cilantro-pistachio pesto and white bean puree

I don't remember the first time I tasted lamb. I was raised on the sacred American trinity of beef, chicken and pork, so it was likely when I headed off to New Haven for college. I suspect it was under the tutelage of my more cosmopolitan friends who also introduced me to Indian food, real bagels and homemade hamantaschen sent in care packages from Brooklyn. (Thank you Mrs. Levine!) What I do know is that once sampled, lamb quickly became one of my favorite meats. Despite this, I rarely cook it at home. Or at least I rarely cooked it at home until now. 

A couple weeks ago, I discovered a stupendously easy technique for cooking a boneless leg of lamb while reading Diana Henry's excellent cookbook, A Change of Appetite. This is one of my favorite cookbooks and my go-to for healthy meals that lack neither flavor nor sophistication. 

With Diana’s technique there’s virtually no prep and the lamb is in and out of the oven in 30 minutes, cooked to rosy perfection. No need for marinating, trussing or even a thermometer. My kind of recipe.

Of course, because I can’t not tinker with a recipe and because I always want something garlicky with lamb, I added a garlic-cumin rub. I also added a bright and slightly spicy cilantro-pistachio pesto to jazz things up a bit. 

At a recent dinner party, I served this lamb alongside a white bean puree and thought the creamy, earthy beans were a nice foil for the heat of the pesto and richness of the lamb. So I’ve included that recipe as well. I recommend a green or shaved vegetable salad dressed simply with lemon juice, salt and a drizzle of olive oil to round out your supper. 

I’ve made this recipe twice in as many weeks, so I’m going to say it’s officially entered my repertoire. If you love lamb, it should most definitely enter yours. Let me know in the comments if you give it a go!

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Roast Leg of Lamb with Cilantro-Pistachio Pesto

• 2 ½ lb butterflied boneless leg of lamb, trimmed of all but ⅛ inch of fat cap
• 3 cloves garlic, divided
• ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
• 1 tablespoon toasted and freshly-ground cumin seed
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup shelled unsatled pistachios, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup loosely-packed fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup loosely-packed fresh mint leaves, roughly chopped
• 2 red Fresno chiles, seeded (if desired), and finely diced (or a generous pinch of chile flakes)
• 1 tablespoon finely-grated lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

*Notes: You can use the same technique and cook times on a larger piece of lamb if it is butterflied. The thickness determines the cook time here, not the weight of the roast.

- If you don’t want to fuss with the garlic-cumin rub, just generously salt the lamb before roasting.

- The pesto will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 days. It is also delicious on roasted salmon and roasted root vegetables, especially carrots. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Pound 2 cloves of the garlic and ½ teaspoon of the salt in mortar. Add the cumin and pound to combine. Add 1 teaspoon of the olive oil and stir until you have a thick paste. Rub the spice paste all over lamb and set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes. (You can season the lamb up to 24 hours in advance. Keep refrigerated until 30 minutes prior to roasting.)

Preheat oven to 425° F. Place the seasoned lamb on parchment-lined sheet pan, fat side up. Roast for 15 minutes. Reduce the oven oven temperature to 375° F and roast for 15 more minutes for medium-cooked lamb (20 for medium-well). Remove from oven and rest for 15-20 minutes.

While the lamb is roasting, make the pesto: Mince or press the remaining garlic clove. Combine the garlic, pistachios, cilantro, mint, chile, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, lemon zest and juice in a small bowl. Add the remaining oil and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings to taste.

After the lamb has rested, slice to desired thickness. Salt the interior of the lamb and serve atop the white bean puree (recipe below) with the pesto spooned over the top. 

Makes about 6 servings of lamb and 2 cups pesto.

White Bean Puree

• 3 cups cooked white beans, preferably homemade (this is the equivalent of 2 cans if you don’t have time to make your own)

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

• 2 tablespoons tahini

• 2 cloves garlic

• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

*Notes: I highly recommend making your own beans for this recipe as they taste so much better than canned. Post in the comments if you have questions about how to cook great beans. :)

- My favorite brand of tahini is Joyva. Whatever brand you choose, make sure you get a roasted sesame tahini and not a raw sesame paste.

- If you want to serve this white bean puree warm, you can either heat the beans in their liquid or a little bit of stock or water until hot, then process and serve immediately. Or you can make the puree and heat it in a large metal bowl set over a pot with 1 inch of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until hot.

Place the beans, lemon juice, salt, tahini and garlic cloves in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, add the oil in a thin stream. Process until the puree is very smooth, 3-5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings as necessary.

Makes about 4 cups.

orange-hazelnut bundt cake with rum glaze

I love cake as much as the next person. 

I wouldn’t dream of turning away a slice of devil’s food or a towering birthday cake decked out in buttercream. Hell, I’ll even admit to a love of the retro Midwestern cakes I grew up on, made with Cool Whip and Jell-O and a box of Betty Crocker. (If you’ve never tasted a poke cake, you need to add it to your bucket list.

But the sort of cake that really sets my heart aflutter is simpler--best suited to an afternoon cup of coffee or tea. Something nutty and subtly sweet with a dense crumb. Something like this Orange-Hazelnut Bundt Cake with Rum Glaze. 

This understated little cake was the result of a copper bundt pan I found at E. Dehillerin in Paris, which turned out to be the perfect souvenir from my first culinary tour. Beautiful. Well-made. Very French. And a reminder of how life-changing that trip was every time I pull it from the shelf.

When I got it home, it occurred to me I’d never made a bundt cake before. I was fairly sure any cake could be baked in a bundt pan. But I thought my special pan deserved a special cake and set about finding just the right thing. 

In the end, and as is so often the case, it was decided by what I had on hand that day. There were hazelnuts in the freezer and two oranges in the fridge. I decided that these flavors would be perfect with my afternoon coffee. And thus this cake was born.

Because it looked a little humble once turned out of the pan, and because I love boozy desserts, I added a rum glaze. Orange and rum go hand in hand. And the deep caramel notes of dark rum speak to the toasty-sweet flavor of hazelnuts. 

This cake has become a personal favorite. It’s not as showy as some. Not as fancy as others. But it has everything I like in a cake. And it would please me immensely if you end up liking it, too. Let me know in the comments if you bake one up. And don't forget that cup of coffee or tea! With a slice of this cake you'll have a delicious and just-decadent-enough afternoon treat.

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Orange-Hazelnut Bundt Cake with Rum Glaze

• 7 oz (1 ¾ sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 10 oz (1 ⅔ cups)granulated sugar, divided
• Zest of 2 oranges, 4 teaspoons juice reserved for glaze
• 10 oz (1 ¾ cups) raw hazelnuts
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 3 ½ oz (¾ cup) all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 3 ½ oz (about 1 cup) powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons rum

*Notes: I used The Kraken black spiced rum. Any dark or spiced rum will work for the glaze. If you don't want to use rum, you can substitute more orange juice.

- These cakes will keep, tightly wrapped and stored at room temperature, for up to 3 days. I think they taste best on the second and third day.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter and flour 1 large or 2 to 4 smaller bundt pans. Set aside.

Place the hazelnuts on a rimmed sheet pan and toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes. Remove the nuts from the pan and place them in the middle of a large kitchen towel. Bring the four corners of the towel towards each other and twist them together until you have securely enclosed the nuts in the towel. Vigorously rub the hazelnuts together inside the towel for a minute or so. When you open the towel most of the skins should have fallen off. Lift the nuts off the towel with a slotted spoon, leaving the skins behind and place them on a plate to cool. Set aside.

When the hazelnuts are completely cool, place them in a food processor with 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Process until the nuts are finely ground (about 1 minute), taking care not to let them turn into nut butter. Transfer the ground nuts to a large bowl and add the flour and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter on medium high until pale and fluffy, a minute or two. Stir the zest into the rest of the sugar then add the sugar to the butter and continue to beat until light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes longer, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add the flour and nut mixture and beat at low speed until the ingredients are just barely combined, taking care to not overwork the batter. It will be quite thick. 

Spoon the batter into the prepared bundt pans and smooth the tops. Vigorously tap the filled pans on the counter to release any air bubbles. Place on a sheet pan and bake until the tops are golden brown, springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out with only a few crumbs, 45-55 minutes for one large cake and 40-50 minutes for smaller cakes. When in doubt, err on the side of slightly less done so the cakes will be moist. Remove the cakes from the oven and carefully invert the hot pans onto a wire cooling rack and slide the cakes out. Cool completely.

When the cakes are cool, mix the glaze. Sift the sugar into a small bowl to remove any lumps. Add the orange juice and rum. Whisk until smooth then immediately pour over the cakes. Allow the glaze to set before serving.

Makes one large or 2 to 4 smaller bundt cakes.

Adapted from Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

simple suppers: huevos rancheros with salsa verde

I'm a big fan of cooking projects. (Hello from-scratch pie crust and braised octopus!) But I know that even the most adventurous home cook doesn't have the time to pull together a culinary masterpiece at every meal. I definitely don't.

So I'm introducing a new feature here on the blog: Simple Suppers. These are recipes that come together without too much fuss; use fresh, seasonal ingredients and are delicious enough you’ll want to add them to your permanent line-up. They’re the sorts of dishes we eat at my house when I’m not recipe testing or in the mood for a more challenging enterprise.

So without further delay, I give you: Huevos Rancheros! That brunch staple that is oh-so-easy to make, satisfying and infinitely customizable. All of which make it an ideal dinner for one or a fantastic brunch for the whole fam. 

I hope you’ll make this simple supper your own. And I’d love to hear back in the comments what exciting variations you come up with!

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huevos rancheros with salsa verde

Huevos Rancheros with Salsa Verde

• 8 medium corn tortillas
• 8 large eggs
• Butter, for frying eggs
• 1 recipe black beans (see below), warmed
• 1 recipe salsa verde (see below), warmed
• Kosher or sea salt
• 4 radishes, very thinly sliced into rounds
• 1 serrano or jalapeño pepper, very thinly sliced into rounds
• Crumbled cotija cheese, to garnish
• Cilantro leaves, to garnish
• Chive blossoms, to garnish (optional)

For the black beans

• 1 tablespoon neutral-tasting oil (I used canola)

• ½ medium onion, diced

• Kosher or sea salt

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• Pinch chili flakes

• 1 medium tomato, peeled and diced (canned works fine)

• 1 ½ cups cooked black beans (homemade or canned)

For the salsa verde

• 1 pound fresh tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered (you can use canned when fresh aren't in season)

• 1 fresh serrano chile, roughly chopped (remove the seeds for less heat)

• 1/2 large white onion, roughly chopped

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1/2 cup water

• 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro

• 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, or to taste

*Notes: I’m crazy for green sauces with eggs, so my version is topped with a bright, spicy salsa verde (which you should definitely make a double batch of and put on everything you make for the next week!), but a red sauce or even a salsa fresca would be great, too.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to garnishes. Here are a few to try: finely shredded cabbage, sour cream or crema, a melty cheese like pepper jack or sharp cheddar, halved cherry tomatoes, diced onion, sliced green onions or crispy tortilla strips.

I like my huevos rancheros with a fried egg, but poached or scrambled work, too.

Lastly, don't be intimidated by the fact that you need to make beans and salsa for the huevos; they both come together in a snap!

Start by making the beans: Heat the oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low and cook until the onion has softened and turned golden brown, about 10 minutes. 

While the onion is sautéing, make the salsa verde: Place the tomatillos, chile, onion, garlic, water and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender. Process until you have a coarse purée. Transfer the mixture to a large sauté pan and simmer, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 10-15 minutes. Add the cilantro. Taste and season with lime juice (you may not need much if your tomatillos are tart like mine were) and salt. Set aside until you're ready to assemble the huevos.

When the onions for the beans are tender, add the cumin and chile flakes. Cook for 1 minute then add the tomato and the beans. Cover and cook until the flavors come together, about 5 minutes.

To assemble the Huevos Rancheros: Heat a large cast iron or carbon steel pan over medium-high heat.  When hot, cook the tortillas in batches until warmed through. I like a little char on my tortillas, so I leave them on a little longer. Wrap the heated tortillas tightly in aluminum foil and set aside. 

Next fry your eggs. Heat the same pan you used to cook the tortillas over high heat. Add about two teaspoons butter to the pan and swirl. It should melt immediately and start bubbling vigorously, otherwise, your pan isn’t hot enough. Crack 4 eggs into the pan (or as many as your pan will hold) and cook until the edges are lacy and crisp and the whites are completely set, about two minutes. Use a metal spatula to separate the eggs and transfer them to a platter or sheet pan. Repeat the process to fry the rest of the eggs.

When all of the eggs are fried, divide the tortillas among four plates. Top with some of the warm beans. Place two eggs on top of the beans on each plate and season the eggs with a sprinkle of salt. Top the eggs with a generous amount of the warm salsa verde. Garnish with the radishes, sliced chiles, cheese, cilantro and chive blossoms and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

Salsa Verde adapted from Gourmet Magazine