Roasted Lamb Chops with Spiced Yogurt Glaze

Roasted Lamb Chops with Spiced Yogurt Glaze
adapted from Bones: Recipes, History and Lore

1 TBSP grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1 TBSP sweet paprika
1 TBSP cumin seeds, toasted and ground
2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp chili powder
2 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 cup yogurt

2 shoulder lamb chops

Mix all the ingredients except the yogurt in a small bowl, then whisk in the yogurt. Refrigerate until ready to use. Can be made up to 3 days in advance.

Roast lamb chops at 300 degrees for 50 minutes, basting as you go. Serve at once with leftover glaze on the side for dipping.

Notes:This one turned out quite well. The level of spice was just right. I definitely recommend using the leftover glaze as dipping sauce since the tang of the lime comes through more clearly that way. The original recipe calls for 4 racks of lamb ribs which are slow-roasted and then baked further with the glaze. I substituted just a couple of lamb shoulder chops and they came out tender and tasty. This made quite a bit of the sauce though and I could probably make half that amount in the future for the same serving of meat. I'm also debating trying this out on a leg of lamb at some point.

This recipe comes from one of 4 cookbooks that I've bought this year (the others being Sweet Life, Cradle of Flavor, and Dishes from the Wild Horse Desert). Overall, the selection looks very promising and I can hardly wait to try out more recipes from these books.

Grilled Tuna with Tomato and Caper Dressing

Grilled Tuna with Tomato and Caper Dressing
from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food

8 TBSP olive oil
4 tuna steaks
salt and pepper
juice of 1 lemon
2 tomatoes, diced
2 TBSP capers, drained and rinsed

Film a grill pan or heavy nonstick skillet with oil. Put in the tuna steaks and cook over high heat for 1-2 minutes on either side. The flesh should still look dark inside as it pales on the outside.

For the dressing, mix the rest of the ingredients with the remaining olive oil. Heat through to not-quite-boiling point and pour over the fish as you serve.

Notes: Ever so easy and ever so tasty.

Chicken with Prosciutto, Rosemary and White Wine

Chicken with Prosciutto, Rosemary and White Wine
from Bon Appetit (October 2002)

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 large chicken breast halves with ribs and skin, cut crosswise in half
3 chicken drumsticks with skin
3 chicken thighs with skin
1 cup 1/4-inch cubes prosciutto (about 5 ounces)
6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/4 cups dry white wine
1 cup low-salt chicken broth
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes with added puree

Fresh rosemary sprigs

Preheat oven to 325°F. Heat extra-virgin olive oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Working in 2 batches, sauté chicken until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to platter. Add prosciutto, sliced garlic, and chopped rosemary to same pot. Stir 1 minute. Add dry white wine, chicken broth, and crushed tomatoes with puree. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Boil 5 minutes. Return chicken to pot, arranging in single layer. Return to boil. Cover pot and place in oven. Bake until chicken breasts are cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken breasts. Continue baking until drumsticks and thighs are cooked through, about 10 minutes longer. Remove pot from oven. Return chicken breasts to pot. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.)

Bring chicken mixture to simmer. Transfer chicken to platter; tent with foil. Boil until sauce is reduced to 2 cups and coats back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over chicken. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and serve.

Notes:I made this with four chicken thighs and halved the rest of the ingredients. Very good.