Sunday Roasts (8 page)

These baby back ribs are rubbed with a trio of peppers (chili powder, chipotle chili powder, and black pepper) along with other seasonings, then roasted for a couple of hours. During their last minutes in the oven, the ribs are brushed with a rich, dark barbecue sauce. When done, the glistening ribs have great depth of flavor and are tender to the bone. Plan on eating them with your fingers with plenty of napkins nearby!

Serves 6 to 8

COST
: Inexpensive

PREP TIME
: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour to make the Homemade Barbecue Sauce

START-TO-FINISH TIME
: 4 hours, 45 minutes, including resting time for the cooked meat

4 baby back rib racks, about 2 to 2½ lb/910 g to 1.2 kg each (see market note)

½ cup/120 ml cider vinegar

4 tbsp/55 g chili powder

2 tbsp ground cumin

1 tbsp light brown sugar

1½ tsp garlic salt

1 tsp chipotle chili powder

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Homemade Barbecue Sauce

1.
With a sharp knife, score (making long slashes about 1 in/2.5 cm apart) the white membrane on the underside of the ribs. Place the ribs on a large, rimmed nonreactive baking sheet/tray and brush all over with the vinegar. Refrigerate, uncovered, for 2 hours.

2.
Arrange a rack at center position and preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4. Have ready two large, rimmed baking sheets/trays lined with foil.

3.
In a bowl, mix together the chili powder, cumin, brown sugar, garlic salt, chipotle chili powder, and black pepper. Rub the mixture over both sides of the ribs.

4.
Arrange the ribs in a single layer meat-side up, on the baking sheets/trays. Roast for 1¾ hours. Watch carefully and cover the ribs loosely with foil if the meat begins to brown too quickly.

5.
Remove from the oven and brush both sides of the ribs with 1 cup/240 ml of the barbecue sauce. Roast for 10 minutes, and then brush both sides of ribs with another 1 cup/240 ml of the sauce. Roast for 15 minutes longer.

6.
Remove the ribs from oven, cover them loosely with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes. Cut the ribs between the bones into 3 to 4 rib sections and mound on a platter. Serve with the remaining sauce.

SIDES
: Year-round you can serve these ribs with your favorite baked beans and coleslaw, but in the summer you might like to offer them with potato salad and corn on the cob.

LEFTOVER TIP
: Any leftover ribs can be cut into individual ribs and quickly reheated in the microwave for a few seconds, then used as very hearty appetizers.

MARKET NOTE
: The head butcher at the store where I purchase my pork is an enthusiastic fan of baby backs. He says there is often less meat on this cut than on traditional spareribs, but the taste is better. Baby backs come from the top part of the rib cage and are shorter and curved, while spareribs are cut from farther down, near the belly, and are longer.

This is an updated version of classic baked ham. Powdered ginger adds extra zest to a glaze made with marmalade and sharp mustard, while spiced rhubarb chutney with sweet and tart accents pairs superbly with the cooked pork. You can serve this delectable ham warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8

COST
: Moderate

PREP TIME
: 40 minutes, including making the chutney

START-TO-FINISH TIME
: 3 hours, including resting time for cooked meat

¾ cup/240 g orange marmalade

6 tbsp/90 ml Dijon mustard

1½ tsp ground ginger

1 fully cooked semi-boneless ham/gammon, 7 to 8 lb/3.2 to 3.6 kg (from the shank or butt end)

1 bunch fresh watercress

Rhubarb Chutney

1.
Arrange a rack at lower position and preheat the oven to 325°F/165°C/gas 3.

2.
Whisk the marmalade, mustard, and ginger in a heavy med-ium saucepan set over medium heat until the marmalade has liquefied, for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3.
Trim any tough rind and fat from the upper side of the ham/gammon, leaving a ¼ -in/6-mm layer of fat. Using a long sharp knife, score the fat in a 1-in-/2.5-cm-wide diamond pattern. Place the ham/gammon in a roasting pan/tray and roast for 1 hour, and then brush the top and sides of the ham/gammon generously with some of the marmalade-mustard glaze.

4.
Continue to roast the ham/gammon, brushing it with some of the glaze every 15 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 140°F/60°C, for 45 minutes to 1 hour more.

5.
When done, remove the ham/gammon to a carving board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes.

6.
To serve, slice the ham/gammon and arrange overlapping slices on a platter. Brush the slices with any remaining glaze. Garnish the platter with several bouquets of watercress and serve the ham/gammon, either warm or at room temperature, with a bowl of Rhubarb Chutney.

SIDES
: Golden Potato Gratin and Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots would make savory sides.

LEFTOVER TIPS
: Use sliced ham/gammon for sandwiches made with whole-wheat or a crusty baguette. Top the ham/gammon with some rhubarb chutney and watercress. You could also dice leftover ham/gammon and combine it with sliced cooked asparagus and grated Gruyère cheese as the filling for an omelet or a savory tart.

This recipe is based on a French technique in which a fully cooked ham is braised in the oven in an aromatic mix of white wine, broth, and root vegetables. For this version, the ham is brushed with an apricot and mustard glaze during the last few minutes of roasting to give it a glistening appearance. The fork-tender slices are napped with a rich sauce prepared from the pan drippings. This is definitely a special-occasion main course that could easily become the star attraction of an Easter or Christmas menu.

Serves 6 to 8

COST
: Moderate

PREP TIME
: 20 minutes

START-TO-FINISH TIME
: 2 hours, 35 minutes

4½ tbsp/62 g unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 tbsp vegetable oil

¾ lb/340 g baby carrots, halved crosswise (see market note)

¾ lb/340 g (about 12 medium) shallots, peeled and halved lengthwise

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

2 cups/480 ml dry white wine

3 cups/720 ml reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 fully cooked boneless or semi-boneless cooked ham/gammon, 5 to 6 lb/1.8 to 2.3 kg (see cooking tip)

6 flat-leaf parsley sprigs, plus extra for the garnish

6 long thyme sprigs, plus extra for the garnish

3 bay leaves, broken in half

¼ cup/80 g apricot jam

4 tsp Dijon mustard

3 tbsp flour

¾ cup/180 ml heavy/double cream

1 tbsp minced fresh thyme

1.
Arrange a rack at lower position and preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas 4.

2.
Heat 1½ tbsp of the butter and the oil in a large, heavy roasting pan/tray set over 1 to 2 burners on medium-high heat until hot. Add the carrots and shallots and sauté, stirring, until lightly browned, for 5 to 6 minutes. Salt and pepper the vegetables. Pour 1 cup/240 ml of the wine and 1 cup/240 ml of the broth into the pan and bring the mixture to a simmer over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and place the ham/gammon, fat-side up, on top of the vegetables. Add the parsley sprigs, thyme sprigs, and bay leaves. Tent the pan/tray with a large sheet of foil, tucking in the edges and being careful not to let the foil touch the ham.

3.
Roast the ham/gammon, basting every 20 minutes with pan juices, until tender when pierced with a knife and a thermometer registers 140°F/60°C when inserted into the center, for about 1½ hours. When you baste the ham/gammon, use mitts to carefully remove the foil so that you do not burn yourself. Remove the pan from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 450°F/230°C/gas 8.

4.
In a small bowl, whisk together the apricot jam and 2 tsp of the mustard until blended. Brush over the ham/gammon, return it to the oven, and roast, uncovered, for l5 minutes.

5.
Remove the ham/gammon to a cutting board, tent loosely with foil, and let rest for 15 minutes while you make the sauce. Remove all the solids (herbs and vegetables) from the pan with a slotted spoon and discard. Skim off and discard any fat in the pan.

6.
Mix the remaining 3 tbsp butter with the flour in a small bowl until blended into a paste. Place the roasting pan/tray over 1 or 2 burners over high heat and add the remaining 1 cup/240 ml wine, remaining 2 cups/480 ml broth, cream, minced thyme, and remaining 2 tsp mustard. Bring to a simmer, then whisk in the butter/flour mixture a little at a time, until the sauce thickens and reduces to 3 cups/720 ml, for about 10 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and pepper.

7.
To serve, slice the ham/gammon and arrange overlapping slices on a serving platter. Spoon some of the sauce over the ham/gammon, garnish the platter with bouquets of parsley and thyme sprigs, and pass the remaining sauce separately.

SIDES
: For a spring menu, offer Best-Ever Mashed Potatoes Creamy Goat Cheese and Thyme variation and 5-Minute Roasted Sugar Snap Peas . For fall or winter dinners, try roasted baby red potatoes or buttered noodles plus tender green beans sprinkled with sea salt.

LEFTOVER TIPS
: Remaining slices of this ham/gammon can be julienned or diced and tossed with buttered noodles; ladle some leftover sauce over the pasta and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Or make sandwiches on crusty country bread with ham/gammon, farmhouse cheddar, and peppery watercress.

MARKET NOTE
: Peeled baby carrots (about 2 in/5 cm long and less than 1 in/2.5 cm in diameter), available in the produce section of supermarkets, are a great time-saver. If unavailable, peel small, slim carrots and cut into 1-in/2.5-cm lengths.

COOKING TIP
: You’ll get slightly more ham with a boneless cut.

Whenever I include roast lamb or veal in one of my cooking classes, I am often surprised to learn that many students are unfamiliar with these meats. Some tell me that lamb appeared only occasionally on their family table, and that it was often tough and dry, a sure sign of overcooking. The store-bought, bright green mint jelly that accompanied these roasts did not add much to their appeal. Veal is viewed differently; most students have enjoyed tender veal dishes at their favorite restaurants but shy away from cooking this meat at home. With steep price tags attached to many cuts of veal, it can seem intimidating. As a teacher, my goal is to banish these misconceptions (and the green jelly) and to share my love of lamb and veal with home cooks.

Let’s start with lamb. The golden rule is to not overcook it. Roast lamb is best when a thermometer registers 130 to 135°F/55 to 57°C and the meat inside is rosy pink.

As for variety, there are plenty of choices. A leg of lamb, either with the bone in or removed, makes a glorious main course, as you’ll discover in Orange-Studded Leg of Lamb with Spring-Herbs Butter, or Boneless Leg of Lamb with Tomato-Olive Relish. Nothing could be more impressive (or easier to prepare!) for a special occasion than Racks of Lamb with New Potatoes and Mint Pesto.

When it comes to veal, knowing which cuts to buy and how to prepare them is the secret. Veal shanks are a good value and burst with flavor, especially when they are cooked ossobuco-style until fork-tender as in Veal Shanks Roasted in Red Wine with Tomatoes and Sage. Top round is the section from which veal scallops or scaloppine are thinly sliced, but my butcher confided to me that a roast cut from this area is very tender and has no waste. Summertime Olive-Studded Roast Veal resulted from this revelation. Veal chops can be roasted instead of sautéed with outstanding results. The Veal Chops with a New Orleans Stuffing are pan-seared, then conveniently finished in the oven.

In the pages that follow, you will find diverse and tempting recipes for lamb and veal roasts. Set aside your preconceptions about these meats, delve in, and savor every mouthful.