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and sweet, the meat is tender and
aromatic. It's traditional in many
parts of the world to eat lamb for
Pesach, though few Americans do,
opting for beef instead. So, now's
the time to prepare lamb, hot off
the grill, perhaps the fist grilling of
the season.
Chicken, ever popular, makes a
spring transition to the grill as well.
Here it's skewered — spiced hot —
as a prelude to the summer barbe-
cue.
Rhubarb is sending its pink-to-
apple-red colored stems and giant
leaves into the atmosphere in many
of our yards. And it's filling displays
at the market. If the temptation to
cut down those young shoots is
overwhelming, do it and bake the
bitter stems with its classic culinary
partner, strawberries, in a delicious
not-too-sweet cobbler.
Mix and match the recipes below
and show deference to this most
amazing of all seasons, when birth
and growth astonish us and make us
remember that all things are possi-
ble.

SPRING PEAS
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or olive
oil
1 cup plain breadcrumbs
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups fresh shelled peas or frozen
peas, thawed
2 cups water
2 T. fresh minced dill
2 T. fresh lemon juice.
kosher salt and pepper to taste
In a large skillet over medium
heat, melt the butter. Add the
crumbs and cook, stirring constant-
ly, until the crumbs are golden.
Keep warm while you make the
peas, or microwave the crumbs just
before serving.
Combine the onions, peas and
water in a medium saucepan over
medium-high heat. Bring to a boil
and cook until tender, about 5 min-
utes (a little less for frozen peas).
Drain the peas well and toss with
dill, lemon juice and salt and pep-
per to taste. Toss the peas with the
warm breadcrumbs. Serve hot or at
room temperature. Makes 4-6 serv-
ings.

GRILLED ARTICHOKES WITH
TOMATO VINAIGRETTE
1/2 lemon
1 cup cold water
2 medium to large artichokes
(about 1-1 1/4 pounds)
olive oil for brushing on arti-

chokes
Dressing:
4 T. red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup minced onions
1 t. minced garlic
1 cup minced tomato
2 T. fresh minced parsley
1 T. drained capers
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Make artichokes: Squeeze juice
from halved lemon into a bowl with
the cold water. Cut stem -off 1 arti-
choke, leaving about 1 inch. Bend
and snap off the outer bottom 2
rows of leaves. Snip off the tips of
the artichoke leaves with scissors.
Quarter artichoke lengthwise. Use a
small sharp knife to cut away the
"hairy" and prickly choke (be care-
ful not to cut away the center or
"heart" of the artichoke). Place
quartered artichoke in lemon water.
Repeat with remaining artichoke.
Bring pot of water to boil.
Transfer the artichoke quarters to
the pot and boil until just tender,
about 12-15 minutes. Drain the
artichokes well and cool.
Meanwhile, combine all dressing
ingredients in a bowl whisk well.
Set aside.
Heat "grill to medium. Brush the
artichoke quarters with a small
amount of oil and grill until just
charred on all sides. Serve the arti-
chokes immediately, drizzled with
the vinaigrette. Or serve at room
temperature. Makes 4 servings.

SALSA VERDE
Serve this over grilled or poached
vegetables, fish, chicken, beef or
lamb. It's also good served as a
dressing over salad or with a veg-
etable omelet or mashed potatoes.
3 T. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 t. minced garlic
2 T. chopped fresh oregano or 1/2
t. dried
1 T. capers
1 t. Dijon mustard
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. fresh ground pepper
kosher salt to taste
Combine all ingredients in a
medium bowl and stir well. Makes 1
1/2 cups of salsa.

LAMB CHOPS WITH
MANGO MINT SAUCE
Sauce:
2 cups chopped fresh mango
(about 2 large mangos)

1 T. vegetable oil
1 T. minced garlic
1 T. minced gingerroot
2 T. red pepper sauce, such as
Tabasco
1 cup chicken broth
1 T. brown sugar
2 T. soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup fresh chopped fresh mint
leaves
Lamb:
3 racks of lamb (about 1 1/2 to 2
pounds) fat trimmed, cut into
individual chops
olive oil
kosher salt and pepper to taste
Puree mango in a blender or
bowl of a food processor. Set aside.
Heat oil in medium skillet over
medium heat. Add garlic and gin-
gerroot and cook for 1 minute. Add
pepper sauce, broth, brown sugar
and soy sauce. Bring to boil, stirring
occasionally. Reduce heat to low
and simmer 5 minutes.
Whisk in the mango puree and•
bring to a boil. Reduce heat and
simmer until sauce thickens, about
10 minutes. Season with salt and
pepper. Keep warm or cover and
chill up to 2 days.
Just before serving, heat grill to
medium-high heat. Season the
chops with kosher salt and pepper.
Grill or broil until just cooked
through, about 3-5 minutes per
side. Transfer to plates. Heat the
sauce and stir in the mint just
before serving.
-
Serve the chops with warm sauce
drizzled around. Makes 6 or more
servings.

SPICE RUBBED
CHICKEN KEBABS
2 T. chili powder
2 T. tomato paste
3 T. water
1 T. seasoned rice vinegar
2 t. minced garlic
2 T. fresh or 1 t. dried rosemary
1 t. kosher salt
1/2 t. ground black pepper
2 pounds boneless and skinless
chicken breasts
1 large onion, cut into 1-inch
wedges
1-2 red bell peppers, cut into f-
inch pieces
olive oil
wedges of fresh orange, garnish
Soak 8 10-inch bamboo skewers
in warm water for 8 hours up to
overnight. Or, use metal skewers.

FOR

ILAN RAMON

The name "Ilan"
means tree.

Before he died, astronaut Ilan
Ramon of Israel sent the fol-
lowing message back to
earth...

"I call upon every Jew in the
world to plant a tree in the land
of Israel during the coming
year. I would like to see 13 or
14 million new trees planted in
Israel exactly one year from
now, on the anniversary of the
launching."

—Ilan Ramon

To plant a tree in Israel

in honor of Ilan Ramon and

his fellow astronauts, go to

www.jewish.com .

Click on Donations to Israel.

SPRING on page 86

4/18
2003

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