Raw Broccoli and Basil Salad with Shallots and Peanuts by Alison Roman

I’m a huge fan of The Office. If you are too, then you also probably think of this show whenever someone mentions raw broccoli. I’m thinking of the scene where the office is gathered in the conference room, and Michael is trying to persuade everyone why they need to live more healthy lifestyles. Kevin admits that he hates vegetables, especially broccoli. So Michael decides then and there to change that. He hands Kevin a massive raw broccoli tree and tells him to eat it in front of everyone. Of course, Kevin sticks the top of the tree straight in his mouth and begins to choke on the dry greens before spitting it all back out. It’s gross, but also hilarious. And since that scene, I’ve avoided raw broccoli in veggie trays ever since. 

Needless to say, I wasn’t looking forward to this recipe. Hence why I made it towards the end of this endeavor. 

But boy, was I pleasantly surprised. Instead of feeling like Kevin, repulsed by the dry mealiness of raw broccoli, I couldn’t stop myself from snacking on the broccoli before I served dinner! 

The key was using flowering broccoli (aka broccolini) instead of the stalky, bushy kind you see on a veggie tray. Flowering broccoli is a more physically flexible vegetable with bendy and tender stems and less densely populated treetops. (Sounds funny, but you know what I mean, right?) Once massaged in lime juice and fish sauce (yes, fish sauce) the greens are bursting with flavor and even more tender. I did decide to follow Alison’s tip and further slice the broccoli lengthwise into smaller strips. 

The lime juice/fish sauce combo and other toppings MAKE this salad what it is. Topping 1: frizzled shallots. Mine took twice as long to become golden like Alison instructs. Perhaps the pot I used was too small. Chopped peanuts add a nice crunch and nutty undertone. And basil, well, I’m sure it’d taste great! Sadly, mine spoiled in the fridge and I didn’t realize it until I pulled it out to use. 

My mom and sister expressed surprise at how much they also enjoyed the salad, both admitting that they were skeptical when I first told them the recipe name. Between the three of us, we finished off the whole bowl of broccoli along with Alison’s Tiny Creamy Pasta and glasses of red wine. 

If you, too, feel a hesitancy toward this salad — don’t. I think you’ll love it.

186 recipes cooked, 39 to go.

Cumin-Roasted Lamb Chops with Scallions and Peanuts by Alison Roman

I have an extraordinarily hard time doing nothing. I’m alone in my apartment for the first time in weeks, and instead of just watching the sun move across my furniture like I should, I feel compelled to immediately produce something, write something, be useful for goodness sake. I live in a constant state of urgency to accomplish more, maximize time. I wonder how many other people feel this level of pressure to be productive. Do they fight it and close their laptops to be still? Do they give into that hunger for checking a box and write about lamb chops instead? 

I choose to write about lamb chops. Who knows, perhaps I’ll choose stillness tomorrow… 

This was my first time ever cooking lamb chops. Given the priciness of this cut of meat, I chose to make a half-recipe just for Jordan and I. I bought the lamb at Whole Foods, unfrenched. (To save someone else the task of googling “frenched vs. unfrenched lamb chops,” I’ll just summarize the results for you: Frenching is the process of scraping the fat and meat off of one end of a bone to make it easier to hold. Unfrenched chops have less room for a good grip on the bottom, but then you get to have more meat.)

I ground up some cumin seeds, peppercorns (I used regular black ones, Szechuan sets my mouth on fire in a bad way), and pepper flakes with my mortar and pestle, then added salt to the mix. After rubbing the spices on all sides of each chop, I cooked them in my cast iron skillet, about 5 minutes per side, until 140 in the center, knowing they would rise to 145 as they sat. I then seared the scallions in all that lamby, fatty goodness, and tossed in the chopped peanuts and rice vinegar. The whole process took about 25 minutes - yes, that’s it! 

I served the lamb chops with Alison’s Persimmon & Pear Salad with Spicy Pecans and Blue Cheese salad - a strong combination bursting with flavor. I’ve eaten a good bit of tough lamb over the course of this project, but these chops were anything but. The meat was tender, not too chewy, and full of flavor. I savored every bite. 

The sun is still setting and my living room still feels safe and quiet. Maybe I can accomplish some writing and resting in the same afternoon? (There I go saying rest is something to accomplish…) 

184 recipes cooked, 41 to go.