Cook the Books

and Adrianna staying at your place?” Josh nuzzled my neck.
    “Hmmm,” I said as a yes.
    “I’m glad they’re watching the cats for you.”
    “Uh-huh.” I was getting distracted.
    I looked up at my gorgeous chef, the man I loved and who loved me back, and thought about everything that we’d been through in the past year. A Hawaiian escape with Josh had been a pretty good idea. Six weeks of bliss lay ahead of me. Maybe I could find a part-time job while I was here so I could continue paying off those damn bills.
    I had one semester of school left and then graduation. Who knows? While I was here, maybe I’d talk to someone at the community center Josh had told me about. But I didn’t need to worry about planning too far ahead. I’d know what to do when the time came.
    For now, the only thing I had to think about was what I was going to have Josh make me for dinner....
     

RECIPES

     
     
     
    Jonathon Sawyer, chef at the Greenhouse Tavern
    Cleveland, OH
    www.thegreenhousetavern.com
     
     
    Serves 7-10
     
    Lamb Steaks :
     
    1 whole leg of lamb
    4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
    1 bulb garlic, smashed with skin still on
    2 sprigs fresh rosemary, bruised
    Salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste
    Have your local butcher or chef fabricate the leg of lamb into three sections: shoulder, shank, and steak (steak being the meat in between the shank and shoulder). Reserve the shank and shoulder for another preparation. The steaks should be cut across the leg, bone-in, and 1" to 2" thickness. This will yield 7 to 10 steaks.
    Marinate the lamb steaks in the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.
    Season lamb steaks with salt and pepper and grill to desired doneness. Allow to rest for five minutes.
     
    Cannellini Beans:
     
    1 qt. dried cannellini beans
    6 qt. water
    2 cups extra virgin olive oil
    1 sprig fresh bay leaf
    Salt to taste
    Soak cannellini beans in 4 quarts of water for at least 24 hours. Strain and rinse beans.
    In a large, heavy-bottomed stock pot, add beans and cover with water. On high heat, allow beans to come to a boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer. Let the beans cook until wholly cooked through without splitting. The tenderness of the bean is entirely up to you. Carefully remove the beans from the cooking liquid and place them in a sealable container with the olive oil, bay leaf, and a little salt. This will preserve the beans in the oil and allow them to absorb some of the oil. They will keep refrigerated for two weeks.
     
    Salsa Verde:
     
    1 bunch parsley, chopped
    8 anchovy filets (salt-packed anchovies preferred), rinsed and chopped
    1 tbsp. capers (salt-packed capers preferred), rinsed and chopped
    3 cloves garlic, chopped
    1 tbsp. dried chili flakes Salt and pepper to taste
     
    Combine all ingredients except for the salt and pepper and mix well. Mix the strained, cooked cannellini beans with an equal amount of salsa verde and allow to reach room temperature. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed.
     
    To plate:
     
    Toasted bread heels or crostini
    2 lemons, zested and juiced
    1 cup extra virgin olive oil, the highest quality you can afford
     
    Place some toasted bread heels or crostini on a plate. Place the sliced lamb steak on top (with any juices left over from the resting) and pour the salsa verde and beans over the top. Garnish with lemon zest and extra virgin olive oil.
     
     

    Bill Park, sous-chef at LTK Bar and Kitchen
    Boston, MA
    wvwv.ltkbarandkitchen.com
     
    Serves 4—6
     
    Apricot Vinaigrette:
    ¼ cup jarred apricot chutney
    8 dried cherries
    ½ cup apple cider vinegar
    Salt and pepper
    ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
     
    Combine all ingredients and set aside.
     
    Salad (per person):
     
    2 oz. arugula
    3 apple slices
    1 tsp. sliced almonds
    5 dried cherries
     
    Toss ingredients with as much vinaigrette as you like and set equal portions on individual plates.
     
    For pastry assembly:
    1 package frozen puff pastry squares, thawed
    1 wedge Brie, approximately 6—9 oz.
    12 shrimp, cooked and roughly chopped
    1 egg, beaten
     
    Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
    Gently roll out each square of puff pastry dough to stretch them a bit. Poke a few holes in each piece with a fork. Place roughly IV2 oz. of Brie in the center of each square and top with IV2 tbsp. of the shrimp. Brush the corners with the egg and then pull the corners to the center and tighten around the middle to form purses.
    Set purses on a baking sheet and bake for 12—15 minutes until golden