Spring always makes us want to entertain outdoors, and what better way to do that than by throwing something fabulous on the grill like decadent Lamb Lollipops? This delightful Mediterranean-inspired menu is super simple to prepare, but it will impress your guests nonetheless. Both the Roasted Vegetable Torte and the Toasted Coconut Pie With Coconut Brittle can be made well in advance, leaving you plenty of time to sip wine and enjoy your guests al fresco style while your grill does the rest of the work.
ON THE MENU: • Grilled Lamb Lollipops With Greek Herbs • Mint Gremolata • Roasted Vegetable Torte • Toasted Coconut Pie with Coconut Brittle
GRILLED LAMB LOLLIPOPS WITH GREEK HERBS Lamb straight from the grill makes a wonderful springtime meal. The meat is tender and savory from the Greek seasonings. Use a very sharp knife to cut the racks of lamb into evenly sized chops. Or, have your butcher cut them for you. You should have 12-14 chops from two racks of lamb.
Servings: 6
2 racks of lamb, 1½ pounds each, cut into chops
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
2 tablespoons dried Greek herbs
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1. Rinse the lamb chops and pat them dry. Place them into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish to marinate. 2. In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour the mixture over the lamb and allow it to marinate for at least 30-40 minutes. This marinade can sit on the lamb in the refrigerator for several hours. 3. When you are ready to grill the lamb chops, remove them from the refrigerator and allow them to come to room temperature, about 15-20 minutes. Heat the grill to medium high. Grill the chops for 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the chops. 4. Remove the chops to a serving platter, and tent them with a piece of foil to allow them to rest for five minutes before serving. Chops should be pink in the middle but not bloody. 5. Serve the chops with fresh Mint Gremolata (recipe at right) and cooked couscous (follow the package instructions).
MINT GREMOLATA Gremolata is traditionally an Italian condiment made of fresh parsley, lemon zest, garlic and anchovy. It’s served with veal dishes such as osso buco and is a great way to add a bit of freshness to a heavy cut of meat. We decided to give this condiment our own Mediterranean spin by cutting out the anchovy and adding fresh mint to complement the grilled lamb.
Servings: Yields 1 cup
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, remove stems
½ cup fresh mint, remove stems
1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest
¼ teaspoon salt
1. In a small food processor, combine all the ingredients. Pulse until everything is finely chopped but not pureed. 2. Pour the gremolata into a dish and chill until you are ready to serve. Sprinkle over the grilled lamb and couscous as you are serving to add color and freshness to the dish.
ROASTED VEGETABLE TORTE Vegetables and side dishes have a tendency to be boring at times. We find ourselves doing the same things over and over again. Not so with this dish. It’s one of our favorites and an almost-forgotten classic. It is easy to prepare and makes the perfect complement to this menu as a vegetable and a side. It uses phyllo dough, which can be found in the freezer section of the grocery store, and roasted vegetables like squash and zucchini. You can make this torte ahead of time and just pop it into the oven 30 minutes before you are ready to serve.
Servings: 6
1 cup zucchini, cubed
1 cup yellow squash, cubed
1 cup red bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces
1 cup red onion, cut into bite-size pieces
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon dried Greek herbs
3 tablespoons olive oil
10 sheets phyllo dough, thawed
1 stick butter
½ cup feta cheese
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place the vegetables into a mixing bowl and toss with the seasonings and olive oil. 2. Place the vegetables in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 12-15 minutes. 3. Remove the vegetables and allow them to cool. 4. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt the stick of butter in a bowl and allow it to cool slightly. 5. Follow the package instructions when working with the phyllo. Place one sheet of phyllo onto the lined baking sheet, and gently brush with the melted butter. Continue this process with nine more sheets of phyllo dough, brushing on the butter between each layer. If the dough rips, you can piece it together with another piece of phyllo, using the butter as a glue. 6. Place the vegetables lengthwise down the center of the buttered phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border from the top and bottom. Sprinkle the vegetables with the feta cheese. 7. Fold the top and bottom edges over the vegetables to seal both ends. 8. Fold the left side of the phyllo over the vegetables and continue to roll the torte like an egg roll. Place it seam side down. Cut a few slits in the top to allow the steam to escape while it bakes. 9. Brush with the remaining butter, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until golden. Remove from the oven and allow the torte to cool 5 minutes before slicing.
TOASTED COCONUT PIE WITH COCONUT BRITTLE Coconut pie is a favorite of ours, and this recipe does not disappoint. Toasting the coconut before adding it to the base helps to bring out the real nutty and rich flavor of the coconut. The added crunch and sweetness from the brittle topping takes this dessert to a whole new level of delicious.
Servings: 6
FOR THE PIE: 1 bag shredded coconut
1 ready-made pie crust
1 stick softened butter
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 ounce coconut-flavored rum (optional)
1 cup full-fat unsweetened coconut milk
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread the shredded coconut onto a baking sheet. Toast 5-7 minutes or just until the coconut begins to become golden brown on top. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. 2. Place the pie dough into a pie dish and place a piece of parchment in the middle of the dough. Put some dried beans on top of the parchment to weight down the dough. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Remove the parchment and beans, and set the pie shell aside while you make the filling. 3. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, sugar and cornstarch together until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs, vanilla and rum. Mix well until all is incorporated. 4. Add in the coconut milk until well blended. Fold in half a cup of the toasted coconut, then pour the mixture into the prepared pie crust. 5. Sprinkle a second half cup of the toasted coconut (you should have enough left over to make the coconut brittle and to use as a garnish) over the top of the pie. Place the pie on a baking sheet in the preheated oven, and bake for 35-40 minutes or until a tester inserted into the middle of the pie comes out clean. 6. Remove the pie from the oven and place on a cooling rack to cool. 7. To serve the pie, top it with a dollop of fresh whipped cream, a little toasted coconut and a few bits of Toasted Coconut Brittle.
For the toasted coconut brittle: 1 cup sugar
½ cup toasted coconut
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium-heavy, nonstick skillet, heat the sugar over medium heat. As the sugar begins to melt, use a wooden spoon to gently stir it around to prevent it from burning. 2. Once the sugar has become amber colored, remove from the heat. Quickly add in the toasted coconut and coat it in the melted sugar. 3. Carefully pour the hot mixture onto the parchment and spread it out with the wooden spoon into a thin layer. Allow it to cool completely before breaking it up into pieces to sprinkle on the pie.
This article was originally published in the April 2018 issue of 225 Magazine.
