Rack of Lamb with Pecan-Mint Dipping Sauce

This year had the longest break from cooking I experienced since I started this blog. First, cooking suffered from April through June as we prepared for our move. I culled my cookbooks and spent more time traveling for work. Then we had a full cooking hiatus as we traveled around North America. In mid-August, we arrived in our new home city in Melbourne, Australia and I was finally ready to cook again, but I wasn't in my own kitchen which made everything more difficult. When we moved into our house, I had a new challenge ... very little cooking equipment! The point was certainly driven home that bowls can be a critical part of prep and life is easier when you own more than two plates.

It was a happy day though when I remembered that I had a few Kindle versions of cookbooks that I hadn't really had a chance to dig into yet. While some were quickly ruled out because they were too complicated for the equipment situation, one rose to the top as my go-to book during the more than one month that we waited for our kitchen supplies and cookbooks to arrive. Lighten Up Y'all was an impulse buy for me while I was recovering from surgery and reminiscing about the delicious Southern food we had had over the holidays, yet that I seldom eat at home. Southern food is delicious, but has a reputation for being a bit heavy, so this book by Virginia Willis (better known for Bon Appetit, Y'all) seemed like a good compromise. But then the book just sat, unused, on my hard drive. Apparently all I needed was a push though, because it's quickly become a favourite.

This lamb dish is fancy enough for company, but quick enough for a weeknight meal. The yogurt dipping sauce is a great pairing for the meat and I wouldn't have minded eating it on its own. The only disappointment the night that I made this was realizing that the broiler on our oven was not a broiler at all, but a narrow grill. I had so been looking forward to finally having an oven with a working broiler after more than two years without one!

One year ago: Lavender-rubbed Duck Breast
Two years ago: Spicy Lamb with Yogurt, Cream, and Fenugreek
Three years ago: Roasted Red and Golden Beets
Four years ago: Paneer
Five years ago: Linguine with Roasted Tomato and Almond Pesto
Six years ago: Easy Buttermilk Cake

Rack of Lamb with Pecan-Mint Dipping Sauce (from Lighten Up, Y'all)

Ingredients
Lamb
1 rack of lamb (~1.5 lbs)
coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tbsp Dijon mustard
2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp olive oil
Pecan-mint Dipping Sauce
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp chopped pecans
2 tbsp chopped mint
2 tbsp chopped cilantro
coarse salt and ground pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375F.
2. Remove lamb from the refrigerator 15 minutes before roasting. Season with salt and pepper.
3. In small bowl, combine mustard, garlic, and red pepper flakes.
4. Heat olive oil in heavy ovenproof skillet over high heat. Brown lamb, 3 - 5 minutes per side.
5. Flip the rack so the meat is right side up and brush with mustard paste.
6. Roast until meat registers 135F, 12 to 15 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, combine dipping sauce ingredients in small bowl.
8. Turn oven to broil and cook until golden brown, ~2 minutes.
9. Let lamb rest covered 5 minutes before slicing into single or double chops.
10. Serve with dipping sauce on the side.

Yogurt Curry with Cumin and Curry Leaves

This is a very thin curry that's closer to a soup. Pair it with the nutty rice for a quick and filling lunch.

One year ago: Soy Braised Chicken Thighs with Star Anise and Citrus Peel
Two years ago: Spicy Squash Salad with Lentils and Goat Cheese
Three years ago: Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Yogurt Curry with Cumin and Curry Leaves (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
2 cups yogurt
2 tbsp chickpea flour
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp bishop's weed
1/2 tsp fenugreek seeds
2 tbsp ghee or melted butter
2 tsp cumin seeds
5 dried red Thai or cayenne chiles, stems removed
10 to 12 medium to large curry leaves
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

1. Combine yogurt with 2 cups water in a medium saucepan and whisk.
2. Sprinkle in chickpea flour 1 tbsp at a time, whisking.
3. Stir in sugar, salt, turmeric, bishop's weed, and fenugreek seeds. Bring to a simmer, whisking, and cook until it thickens slightly, 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat ghee in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add cumin seeds and chiles and cook until chiles blacken slightly, 10 - 15 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and add curry leaves.
5. Add ghee mixture to yogurt and simmer 5 minutes.
6. Sprinkle with cilantro and server.

Yellow Split Peas and Spinach in a Yogurt-Peanut Sauce

This isn't an attractive dish, but it does taste like comfort food. The flavours all work together very nicely, even for someone who usually isn't a huge fan of yogurt.

Two years ago: Baked French Toast with Raspberries and Walnuts

Yellow Split Peas and Spinach in a Yogurt-Peanut Sauce (from 660 Curries)

Ingredients
1 cup yellow split peas
280g spinach leaves, well-rinsed
2 tbsp unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
2 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, stems removed
1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp chickpea flour
1 1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
12 - 15 fresh curry leaves
2 lengthwise slices gender, cut into matchstick-thin strips (2.5"x1"x1/8")
2 tbsp ghee or canola oil
1 tsp black or yellow mustard seeds
1/4 tsp ground asafetida

1. Place split peas in medium saucepan. Fill with water and rinse peas. Drain. Repeat 3 or 4 times until water is clear. Add 3 cups water and bring to a boil, skimming off foam.
2. Add spinach a few handfuls at a time, stirring until it wilts. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until split peas are tender and spinach is olive green, 30 - 35 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine peanuts and chiles in mortar. Pour until it forms a chunky mass.
4. In medium bowl, whisk together yogurt and 1/2 cup water. Sprinkle in chickpea flour and whisk. Stir in salt, turmeric, half of curry leaves, and ginger. Stir in pounded peanut mixture.
5. When peas are tender, mash with a potato masher until leaves break down and some of the peas squish.
6. Stir in yogurt sauce and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower to medium and simmer until sauce has thickened, 15 minutes.
7. Heat ghee in small skillet over medium-high heat. Add mustard seeds, cover, and cook until seeds have stopped popping. Remove from heat and sprinkle in asafetida and remaining curry leaves.
8. Stir mustard and leaf mixture into curry. Serve.