ROAST LAMB WITH SPICY MINT PESTO
+ Wine-Braised Artichokes
+ Mashed Chickpeas

Serves 10

For the Spicy Mint Pesto:
Ingredients
2 c           grapeseed oil
4             cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 c           fresh mint leaves
1 c           fresh Italian parsley leaves
               Pinch of red pepper flakes

For the Lamb:
Ingredients
2 T          roasted garlic
2 T          Dijon Mustard 
1             Boneless leg of lamb

Pesto:
Heat ¾ cup of oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until lightly toasted. Add the mint, parsley, and red pepper flakes, stirring to just wilt the herbs. Take the pan off of the heat and add the remaining oil. Hit the mixture with a hand blender to finely chop the herbs. Season to taste with salt and black pepper, then transfer to a bowl to infuse.

Lamb:
Preheat the oven to 350F

Mash together the garlic and mustard. Rub the lamb with the mixture and place it on a rack in a roasting pan. Roast for 1½ hours, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 130F (this gives you a nice mid-rare to medium). Be sure to let the lamb rest for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

+ Wine-Braised Artichokes
Ingredients
1              carrot, peeled and chopped
1              onion, peeled and chopped
4              cloves garlic
1 T           fennel seed
4 c           white wine
4 c           water
1 c           white wine vinegar
½ c          olive oil
               Zest of 1 lemon
12            globe artichokes, turned
               Handful of fresh basil leaves 

Cut a round of parchment paper the same diameter as the pot you’re using; set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, sweat the carrot, onion, and garlic with fennel seed. Add the wine, water, vinegar, oil, and lemon zest, and season with salt and white pepper. Bring to a simmer, add the artichokes, cover with parchment, and simmer slowly until the artichokes are tender. (A good way to tell whether they are done without puncturing them is to remove one from the broth and try to push out the choke with the back of a spoon: it should slip out pretty easily.)

Remove the pan from the heat and discard the parchment. Push the basil in among the artichokes and set aside to infuse and cool. After the artichokes have cooled enough to handle, press out the chokes with your thumbs; quarter the hearts and return them to the pan.

+ Mashed Chickpeas
Ingredients
3 c           diced red onion
2 t           ground cumin
2 t           Turkish red pepper flakes
1 c           extra-virgin olive oil
3 T          fresh lemon juice
4             (15-oz) cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 c           fresh Italian parsley leaves

In a large saucepan over medium heat, sweat the onions lightly with the cumin and pepper in 2 tablespoons of oil. Stir in the lemon juice. Stir in the chickpeas and the remaining oil and season with salt and white pepper. While heating the chickpeas through, mash some of them against the side of the pan with the back of a spoon. (You don’t want to mash them all-just enough of them to kind of hold the whole ones together and soak up some of the oil.) Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the parsley.

Photo: Courtesy of Charlie Palmer