Mortar and Pestle recipes

Green Bean, Tomato, and Potato Salad with Almond and Basil Pesto

Prep 30 min | cook time 18 min | serves 4–6

The Italian word pesto translates roughly as "pounded" and typically refers to any food mashed in a mortar. But the best-known pesto is a sauce made with fresh basil leaves, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and grated cheese. It is traditionally the sauce for a pasta dish that also includes green beans and potatoes, but here the pasta has been left out and the pesto is instead served over a salad of warm cubed potatoes and green beans. In another departure from tradition, dry-roasted almonds are used in place of the pine nuts. Make this recipe in the summer when the markets are well stocked with beautiful fresh basil.

Implements Large Mortar and Pestle, 6-Quart Dutch Oven, Colander, Rubber Spatula, Chef’s Knife

Ingredients

1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon plus ½ teaspoon coarse salt
4 tablespoons coarsely chopped unsalted dry-roasted almonds
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, stemmed
¼ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
¼ cup grated pecorino romano cheese
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound Yukon Gold or other boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
12 ounces thin green beans, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch lengths
1 large, ripe tomato, cut into thin wedges, for garnish

1. Place the garlic, ½ teaspoon of the salt, and 2 tablespoons of the almonds in a large mortar. Pound with the pestle to a smooth paste. Gradually add the basil leaves while pounding, adding more only after each batch has been reduced to a paste. This will only take 2 to 3 minutes.
2. When all of the basil leaves are pounded to a smooth paste, gradually add both cheeses, stirring with the pestle to blend them with the basil paste. Then drizzle in the olive oil with one hand while stirring and pounding with the pestle in the other hand until the mixture is smooth. Set aside.
3. Fill a 6-quart Dutch oven or other large, wide pan two-thirds full of water and bring to a boil. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon salt and the potatoes. Boil, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Add the green beans and boil for 6 to 8 minutes, until both the beans and potatoes are tender. Drain in a colander.
4. Place the beans and potatoes in a large serving bowl, spoon the pesto on top, and fold together gently with a rubber spatula until blended. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons almonds. Garnish the bowl with the tomato wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Grilled Butterflied Leg of Lamb

Prep 25 min | Marinating 2 hr or overnight | cook time 25 min | serves 8

For entertaining, almost nothing beats a butterflied leg of lamb. Its preparation is simpler than simple, and the cooking time is short. Plus, great meals can be planned around the leftovers, including a Greek-style sandwich of sliced lamb, crumbled feta, sliced cucumbers, and tomatoes, or a salad of bulgur, chopped romaine, lemon juice, olive oil, and garlic topped with sliced lamb. Serve the grilled lamb with with Bulgur Pilaf (page 85) and Marinated Grilled Zucchini (page 71).

Implements Large Mortar and Pestle, Rimmed Sheet Pan or Large Baking Dish, Paring Knife, Instant-Read Thermometer, Cutting Board, Carving Knife, Small Saucepan

Ingredients

12 large cloves garlic
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon coarse salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (4- to 6-pound) leg of lamb, boned and butterflied (see below)
2 large lemons
3 or 4 sprigs rosemary, for garnish

1. In a large, heavy mortar, combine the garlic, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Pound the garlic to a paste, stirring it with the other ingredients until combined. Alternatively, grate or press the garlic onto a plate and use a fork to mash the other ingredients into the garlic until blended.
2. Place the lamb on a rimmed sheet pan or in a large baking dish. With your fingertips, rub half of the garlic paste on the surface of the lamb, spreading it evenly into all of the crevices. Turn the lamb over and repeat on the other side.
3. Thinly slice and seed 1 lemon and spread the slices on the lamb. Halve the remaining lemon and squeeze the juice over the surface of the lamb. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or as long as overnight. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 1 hour before grilling or broiling.
4. Heat a charcoal or gas grill to medium. Scrape the lemon slices off the lamb and reserve. Grill the lamb for 10 to 12 minutes per side for the thickest piece and for 8 minutes per side for the thinner pieces, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 140°F for medium-rare. Toward the end of the grilling time, arrange the lemon slices on the grill and heat just until golden. Reserve the lemon slices for garnishing the lamb.
5. Alternatively, the lamb can be broiled: Position an oven rack in the top of the oven so that the top of the broiler pan will be about 5 inches from the heat source, and preheat the broiler. Place the lamb on a broiler pan and broil using the same time and internal temperature guidelines used for grilling. Toward the end of the broiling time, place the lemon slices on the surface of the lamb and broil just until golden. Reserve the lemon for garnishing the lamb.
6. Transfer the meat to a wooden board and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Carve the meat across the grain into thin slices. Arrange the slices on a warmed serving platter in neat overlapping rows. Pour the meat juices and the seasonings that have accumulated on the board into a small saucepan, reheat briefly, and pour over the meat slices. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and the grilled or broiled lemon slices and serve at once.

tip Leg of Lamb, Anatomically Speaking

Because a butterflied leg of lamb is a rather free-form mass of muscle and flesh, and thus thicker in some spots than others, there is no way to grill or broil it in one piece successfully. The solution is to divide the lamb into pieces following the anatomy of the leg. To do this, position the lamb, smooth side down, on a cutting board and divide it following the natural separations. Then turn the pieces of lamb over and make sure the butcher has trimmed off all but a thin layer of fat. If not, use a thin, sharp knife or a boning knife to trim away any excess.

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Contact: Aimee Bianca, YC Media: (212) 609-5009, aimee@ycmedia.com

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THINGS COOKS LOVE: Implements. Ingredients. Recipes.

Authors: Sur La Table, Marie Simmons
ISBN: 978-0-7407-6976-4
Format: 8 ½ x 10 ½, 336 pp, Jacketed hardcover with lay-flat binding, Color photography
Price: $35.00 U.S.A. ($42.00 Canada)