Monthly Archives: February 2014

Rosemary Roasted Cashews

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1 1/4 pounds cashew nuts
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon melted butter
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.Place the nuts on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes until they are warmed through. Meanwhile, combine the rosemary, pepper, sugar, salt and butter in a large bowl. Toss the warm nuts with the rosemary mixture

Roasting Beets

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1. Heat the oven to 400°F.

2. Slice off the beet leaves close to the tip of the beet.  Scrub the beets thoroughly, then wrap loosely in foil.

3. Transfer the wrapped beets to a baking sheet.  Roast for 50-60 minutes. Check the beets every 20 minutes or so. Beets are done when a fork or skewer slides easily to the middle of the beet.

4. Let the beets cool enough to handle. Hold one of the beets in a paper towel and use the edges of the paper to rub the skin away. The skin should peel away easily; if it doesn’t, the beets likely need to cook for a little longer.

Lamb Shank Tagine with Dates

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  • 3 large lamb shanks, about 4 1/2 pounds
  • Salt and pepper
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 large onion, sliced, about 2 cups
  • Small pinch saffron
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • 1 2-inch piece cinnamon stick
  • 2 teaspoons dried ginger
  • 1/2 cup chopped dates of any kind, plus 24 whole Medjool dates
  • 1/2 cup golden raisins, soaked in hot water to soften for 30 minutes and drained
  • 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
  • Cilantro sprigs, for garnish
Trim shanks of excess fat, then season generously with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine garlic, fresh ginger, paprika and cumin, and smear over shanks. Leave shanks at room temperature to season for at least an hour. (Or you can wrap and refrigerate several hours, or overnight; return to room temperature before proceeding.)
In a Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed soup pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion, saffron and cayenne, and sprinkle with salt. Cook for 5 minutes, until somewhat softened. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute. Lower heat to medium, add seasoned shanks and let cook with onions, turning occasionally, until meat and onions are lightly browned, about 10 minutes.
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Add cinnamon stick, dried ginger, chopped dates and water to barely cover (about 31/2 to 4 cups) to the pot. Bring to a simmer, cover pot with a tightfitting lid and place in oven. Bake for 30 minutes, then turn heat down to 350 degrees. Check sauce and add water if level of liquid is below meat. Continue baking for another hour, checking liquid level occasionally, then test meat by probing with skewer or paring knife. It should be quite tender and almost falling from bone, but cooked no further. (Tagine may be prepared to this point up to two days ahead. Reheat gently in a covered pot on the stovetop, adding a little more water as necessary.)
Remove meat from pot and place in deep, wide serving bowl. Skim off any surface fat from cooking liquid in pot. Add whole dates to pot and simmer for a few minutes to reduce sauce slightly. Pour sauce and dates over meat. To serve, garnish with raisins, pomegranate seeds and cilantro sprigs.