Lacking the energy of our mother, grandmother and aunt, we’d planned only one main course for Easter dinner: a family favorite, classic roast leg of lamb with mint jelly.

Then, we received this very contemporary recipe for a fancy pork roast. The lavender, gingered figs and jalapeños turned our heads. So the pork loin is joining the lamb leg on the Easter table.

The recipe was created by Jan Birnbaum, executive chef of Epic Roadhouse restaurant in San Francisco (it has a great view of the Bay Bridge) and typically serves eight people. In the case of a companion leg of lamb, it can serve many more—or promise several days of delicious leftovers.

Flavorful pork loin, sliced and plated. Photo courtesy Epic Roadhouse | San Francisco.

RECIPE: LAVENDER PORK LOIN WITH GINGERED FIGS, CALIFORNIA RAISINS &
JALAPENOS

Ingredients For The Pork Loin

Ingredients For Sauce & Garnish

Ingredients For The Potatoes

 
Ingredients To Finish The Dish

 
*Demi glaze is a reduced, intense stock reduction made of veal, red wine and shallots. Most high end grocery stores and butcher shops sell frozen veal demi glace. We use the More Than Gourmet brand, but any brand will work.

1. MAKE GINGERED FIGS. Place ginger, allspice berries and black pepper corns in a sachet. Combine with the honey, sugar, water, lime and lemon juices in a heavy, nonreactive pot (see discussion below about reactive vs. nonreactive cookware). Bring to a gentle boil and simmer until the liquid begins to become syrup-like; do not over-reduce. Prep the figs by placing a skin deep “X” on the flower end. Place the figs in a steel pan submerged halfway in ice with some water. Pour the hot liquid over the figs. Refrigerate for up to 10 days.

2. THE NIGHT BEFORE the dinner, combine garlic, lavender, rosemary, thyme, olive oil and mustard. Marinate the pork in this mixture overnight. The following day…

3. BLANCH the potatoes in salted water until creamy in center, cool and cut in half. Toss the potatoes with the olive oil, garlic cloves in their skins, chopped rosemary and melted butter. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.

4. PREHEAT the oven to 375°F. In a skillet, heat the olive oil and sear the pork over medium high heat. Remove to roasting pan and place in oven. After 20 minutes, add the potatoes cut side down with the garlic cloves and herbs. Allow to roast for 20 more minutes or until internal temperature of pork reaches 140°F. Remove from oven. Remove roast from pan and allow to rest on cutting board at room temperature, covered with a clean kitchen towel.

5. REMOVE excess fat from the pan and sauté the jalapeños on the stove top in the roasting pan, over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the red wine to deglaze pan. Reduce wine until nearly dry. Add raisins, cut figs in half and add them. Simmer for 5 minutes then gently whisk in butter so as not to damage the figs. Adjust salt and pepper.

6. TO SERVE: Spoon potatoes onto a large platter; slice the chops at each bone and place on top of potatoes. Spoon the figs, raisins and sauce over the entirety. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley.

 
REACTIVE VERSUS NON-REACTIVE POTS & PANS

Reactive cookware—pots and pans—are made of metals that can react with acidic foods (tomato sauce, for example), creating metallic flavors and the discoloration of lighter foods. Non-reactive cookware doesn’t do this, but it typically doesn’t conduct heat as quickly or uniformly (reactive aluminum is second only to reactive copper in ability to conduct heat).

The most ubiquitous cookware, stainless steel, is nonreactive but does not conduct or retain heat well. Good stainless cookware has aluminum or copper bonded to the bottom (or sandwiched in-between stainless layers) to combine the non-reactive surface with rapid, uniform heat conductivity.

Lavender-infused butter, a layer of semisweet chocolate and sprinkling of sea salt give this version of Rice Krispie Treats a grown-up twist. Think of them as sophisticated adult Rice Krispie Treats…although the kids won’t refuse their fair share.

The better the chocolate you use, the better the result. The recipe makes 20 bars.

Ingredients

 
*Culinary lavender is grown without pesticides. Lavender for potpourri may be covered in chemicals.

Preparation

1. MELT butter in large pot over low heat. Add lavender and salt and cook for 5 minutes to infuse the butter, stirring frequently.

2. ADD marshmallows. Cook until they are completely melted, stirring constantly.

3. REMOVE pot from heat. Add cereal and stir until well combined. Spread mixture onto a large jelly roll pan. To create an even layer, place a piece of wax paper over the pan and gently roll over with rolling pin.

4. MELT chocolate using a double boiler over medium heat, stirring constantly. Alternatively, place chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl and heat 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds.

5. SPREAD chocolate evenly over marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle with sea salt. Add the optional holiday garnish.

6. REFRIGERATE pan at least 30 minutes before cutting bars and serving.
 
FIND MORE OF OUR FAVORITE GOURMET COOKIE RECIPES.
  

But it took some etymological evolution to create the chaser we know today. Originally, the term referred to a drink of liquor consumed to kill the aftertaste of coffee or tobacco.

Say hello to the reverse of the modern chaser: There is no term for it, so we’re calling it a “leader” (leading is the reverse of chasing). It’s a glass of sparkling water served before a coffee or liquor, to clear the palate.

We didn’t invent the idea: It came to us from Ferrarelle, Italy’s favorite naturally sparkling mineral water, which is readily available across the U.S.

Ferrarelle caught the trend from Italian baristas.

The trend seems to have begun in coffee bars in Milan, Italy. Order an espresso and a small glass of sparkling water appears first.

So, be the trendsetter in your crowd. You may even teach your local barista a thing or two.
 
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT ESPRESSO & ESPRESSO-BASED DRINKS?

Check out our Espresso Glossary. You’ll discover the different types of espresso drinks and the history of espresso.

Typical mixed drinks can pack on the calories. The standard 1.5 ounce serving of 80-proof alcohol has 96 calories, which seems reasonable. But start to add mixers:

 
But there are calorie-saving solutions:

 
LOOK FOR REDUCED CALORIE READY-MADE COCKTAILS

One easy way to control a sweet cocktail while controlling the calories is the new line of VitaFrute cocktails from VeeV Spirits, in Margarita, Organic Lemonade and Organic Cosmopolitan. The base spirit is VeeV, the world’s first spirit made from the superfruit açaí.

The suggested retail price of VitaFrute is $13.99 to $14.99 per bottle. Learn more about VeeV spirit and VitaFrute cocktails at VeeVLife.com.

Here are more tips to cut back on the calories in cocktails:

HOW TO REDUCE THE CALORIES IN MIXED DRINKS

VeeV, the açaí-based mother spirit of VitaFrute cocktails.

 
Finally, our favorite calorie-saving cocktail strategy:

 
If you’ve got additional tips, use the Contact Us link to send them in!

[1] Tofu salsa verde makes a delicious salad dressing and all-around condiment (photo © House Foods).

[2] Cubes of fresh tofu (photo © Kamala Bright | Unsplash).

[3] Salsa verde (Gemini Photo).

[4] Parsley is the base for Old World, or European, salsa verde. Mexican salsa verde, made with tomatillos and chiles, is a culinary cousin.

We’re in an Asian state of mind today; in addition to this homemade ramen soup recipe, we whipped up a green salad with a salsa verde tofu dressing.

Tofu is a wonderful ingredient for salad dressing, adding protein and fiber to a condiment that typically has neither.

This recipe was created by Debi Mazar and Gabriele Corcos, stars of Cooking Channel’s show Extra Virgin. They used House Foods Organic Soft Tofu, but you can use any soft/silken tofu.

Below:

> Recipe: romaine hearts salad with tofu salsa verde.

> What is salsa verde?

Elsewhere on The Nibble:

> What is tofu?

> Tofu health benefits.

> More tofu recipes.

> The history of tofu.

> The year’s 6 soy food holidays.

> The year’s 11 Japanese food holidays.

> The different types of salsa.
 
 
ABOUT SALSA VERDE

First, there are two different basic salsas verde. Both are green sauces. The one used in this recipe is the European herbed-based sauce; we’ll designate it Old World or herb-based salsa verde. The other is the New World, tomatillo-based salsa verde, using the small green fruit that’s native to the Aztec Empire. See the comparison chart below.
 
 
Old World Salsa Verde

Old World salsa verde is a cold, rustic sauce/dressing with a base of parsley plus anchovies, capers, garlic, olive oil, onion, parsley, vinegar, and sometimes, mustard. The parsley gives the sauce its green tint.

The concept for the family of herb-based cold sauces common in Italy (salsa verde), France (sauce verte), and Germany (Grüne Sosse [Soße]) likely originated in the Near East more than 2,000 years old.

Historical evidence suggests that the basic formula—pounding fresh herbs with oil and vinegar—originated in ancient-day Levant and Mesopotamia*.

The Roman Legions encountered these aromatic herb pastes during their Eastern campaigns and brought the concept home, where it became a staple for preserving and flavoring meats. From there it traveled to other parts of what is now Europe.

Today salsa verde is used as a condiment or dipping sauce for meats, fish, poultry, or vegetables. It’s a great accent to many dishes; and because it’s so flavorful, you can cut back on added salt.

 
The recipe follows.
 
 
New World Salsa Verde

Another salsa verde was developed halfway around the world, also around 2,000 years ago, in the Aztec Empire (modern Mexico). The base ingredient is the tomatillo, a green berry that is not related to the red tomato but is sometimes called field tomato or husk tomato.

The Aztecs called the sauce miltomatl (Nahuatl [Aztec language] for the husked berry (“tomatillo” and “salsa verde” were bestowed much later by the Spanish).

Tomatillos, green chiles, and squash seeds were ground into a sauce that was served as a sophisticated condiment with seafood, turkey, and venison.

In 1571, the Spanish priest Alonso de Molina officially applied the word salsa (Spanish for sauce) to these condiments. The Spanish also:

 
Types Of Mexican Salsa Verde
 
As Mexican cuisine evolved, salsa verde was created in different styles based on how the tomatillos were prepared:

 
Salsa verde didn’t become common in the U.S. until the mid-20th century, as Tex-Mex cuisine spread nationwide.

In 1941, the La Victoria company in Los Angeles introduced the first commercially bottled green taco and enchilada sauces to the American market.

The New Mexico style of salsa verde originated in New Mexico, where salsa verde often refers to a sauce made with the local Hatch green chiles (roasted) rather than with tomatillos.
 

Gemini Chart.
 
 
HEARTS OF ROMAINE SALAD WITH TOFU SALSA VERDE (SALAD DRESSING)

In this recipe, Debi and Gabriele substitute tofu for the olive oil.

Dressing Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. COMBINE tofu, parsley, capers, anchovies, garlic, and lemon juice in a food processor and blend until smooth.

2. PLACE romaine and other salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with salsa verde. Leftover dressing can be kept refrigerated in a covered container for 2 days.

VARIATION: To make this recipe vegetarian/vegan, replace the anchovies with 2 more teaspoons of capers.

Find more delicious recipes with tofu at House-Foods.com.
 

[5] Salsa verde can also be a dip for crudités (Abacus Photo).

________________

*The Levant is an English term that first appeared in 1497. It originally referred to the “Mediterranean lands east of Italy.” The historical area comprises modern-day Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria. Among other popular foods, Levantine cuisine gave birth to baklava, balafel, kebabs, mezze (including tabbouleh, hummus and baba ghanoush), pita and za’atar, among other dishes that are enjoyed in the U.S. and around the world.

Mesopotamia was located further east, centered between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. Together, the Levant and Mesopotamia formed the two main parts of the Fertile Crescent.

Mesopotamia primarily comprised modern-day Iraq and parts of eastern Syria and southeastern Turkey. The two regions were separated by the Syrian Desert. A historical note: The Assyrians, from northern Mesopotamia, eventually conquered and controlled the Levant.
 

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