Spring is here, at long last. The cherry blossoms are in full bloom on the tree outside my window, the skies are blue, the sun is shining (for now), and I'm eager to reap the rewards from my edible garden. Spring also marks the arrival of the gorgeous new cookbook, First We Eat, from Eva Kosmas Flores, renowned recipe developer, photographer, stylist, and founder of Adventures in Cooking and First We Eat, her travel-based photography workshop company. First We Eat is a celebration of fresh seasonal cooking that combines her Mediterranean roots with the bounty of her Pacific Northwest garden. Her vibrant recipes are stunning yet approachable with creative combinations of ingredients that will inspire you to get into the kitchen. The book is divided by season, each beginning with a menu, and also offers a guide to staple ingredients, homemade pantry basics, and tips for sourcing your ingredients.
Get yesterday's featured Snap Pea Salad with Preserved Lemon and Goat Cheese Medallions recipe, the perfect accompaniment to her delicious Black Pepper Rack of Lamb with Red Currant and Rhubarb Glaze below. Tomorrow I'll be featuring Eva's Rhubarb-Ginger Planter’s Punch, so be sure to come back!
Order her gorgeous cookbook here!
Black Pepper Rack of Lamb with Red Currant and Rhubarb Glaze
— Serves 4 —
"Red currants have a wonderfully tart and slightly sweet flavor, which makes them a natural pairing for rhubarb in all its sour glory. I combined the two here for a bright and fruity glaze that cuts through the hearty, rich lamb with intense ferocity. The lamb itself is coated in a heavy dusting of black pepper, which brings a bit of heat to the mix and complements the sweet-and-sour sauce very well. I love making this when I have guests over, because the actual cook time is very short (the lamb is only in the oven for about fifteen minutes) and the sauce is something I can make ahead of time and reheat once the lamb is ready to be served. Please note, though, that the recipe does call for the lamb to be marinated overnight, so keep that in mind when planning your meal." ~Eva Kosmas Flores
RACK OF LAMB
1 rack of lamb (1 ¾ pounds/800 g)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon flake kosher sea salt
¾ teaspoon freshly cracked black
pepper
1 pint (224 g) red currants
GLAZE
3 rhubarb stalks, thinly sliced
1 cup (95 g) stemmed red currants
⅓ cup (65 g) sugar
—For the rack of lamb, use a knife to poke holes that are 1-inch (2.5-cm) deep into the lamb between each bone. Rub the lamb all over with the oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, making sure to rub the spices and garlic inside each hole as well. Cover and marinate overnight in the refrigerator.
—For the glaze, in a medium saucepan, combine the rhubarb, currants, sugar, and ½ cup (120 ml) water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the rhubarb begins to disintegrate and the berries burst, about 20 minutes. Strain the glaze into a bowl and discard the solids.
—Preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C). Place the lamb in a small roasting pan and arrange the currants on and around it. Roast for 10 minutes for rare, 15 minutes for medium-rare, or 20 minutes for medium.
—Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before carving and serving with the glaze.
Recipe and images excerpted with permission from First We Eat by Eva Kosmas Flores, published by Abrams. All Rights Reserved.
