Grilled Lamb Chops with Rosemary, Salt, and Tapanade Aioli

Ingredients

For the tapanade aioli:

• 1/2 cup prepared mayonnaise
• 1 lemon, zested
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 2 anchovy fillets, drained
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 tablespoons pitted nicoise olives
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For the lamb chops:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh rosemary plus sprigs, for garnish
• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 12 bone-in baby lamb chops, Frenched
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

For the tapanade aioli:

Directions

Combine the mayonnaise, zest, juice, anchovies and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth. Add the olives and salt and pepper and pulse a few times just to incorporate the olives, not puree them. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving. Can be made 8 hours in advance and refrigerated.

For the lamb chops:

Combine the rosemary and salt in a food processor and process until combined.

Heat the grill to high.

Brush the chops on both sides with oil and season with a few teaspoons of the salt and freshly ground black pepper. Place on the grill and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, 3 to 4 minutes.Flip the chops over and continue grilling to medium-rare doneness, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Top each chop with a dollop of the aioli. Garnish with rosemary sprigs.

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Lamb Chops

Pumpkin French Toast Stuffed with Blackberry-Caramel Mascarpone

Ingredients

Blackberry-Caramel:

• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup blackberry puree
• 2 teaspoons blackberry liqueur
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 
  

French Toast:

• 4 large eggs
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk, plus more if needed
• 1/2 cup heavy cream, divided
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon dark rum
• 8 slices day old challah, sliced 1/2-inch thick
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups mascarpone, at room temperature
• 1 pint blackberries, halved lengthwise
• Confectioners' sugar
• Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Blackberry-Caramel:

Heat the cream in a small saucepan over low heat.

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over high heat and cook, without stirring, until amber brown, about 8 minutes. Slowly whisk in the warm cream, blackberry puree and liqueur and cook until smooth and slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Let come to room temperature.

French Toast:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put a baking sheet in the oven.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar and salt in a large baking dish until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, ground spices, milk, 1/4 cup of the heavy cream, vanilla and rum and whisk until smooth.

Put 4 slices of the bread in the custard mixture and let sit for 2 minutes. Carefully turn over the slices and let sit until the bread is completely soaked through, about 2 more minutes.

While the bread is soaking, heat 3 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat until the mixture begins to sizzle. Cook the 4 slices of the bread until golden brown on the bottom, about 2 to 3 minutes. Flip over and continue cooking until the bottom is golden brown, about 2 minutes longer. Remove to the baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Wipe out the pan with paper towels and repeat the process with the butter, oil and remaining 4 pieces of bread.

Combine the mascarpone and remaining 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a bowl and using a stand mixer or hand-held mixer, beat until fluffy and smooth. Scrape the mixture into a bowl and fold in a few tablespoons of the blackberry-caramel sauce. Put the sauce into a small saucepan over low heat and heat or put it in the microwave for a minute or so to just warm through.

Remove the French toast from the oven and arrange them on a serving platter. Top 4 slices of the toast with a large dollop of the blackberry-caramel mascarpone and some of the blackberries. Cover with the remaining 4 pieces of toast and drizzle each with some of the warm blackberry caramel sauce. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar, garnish with fresh mint sprig and serve.

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French Toast

L.A. Burger

Directions

Bobby's Perfect Patty

Shape 6 ounces of 80 percent lean ground beef chuck into a uniform patty, no more than 3/4 inch thick (don't overwork the meat). Make a depression in the center with your thumb so the burger won't bulge; the indent will rise as the patty cooks. Preheat a grill or cast-iron grill pan to high. Brush the burger with canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill until golden brown and slightly charred, turning once (7 minutes for medium-rare). Avoid pressing with a spatula! Add cheese for the last minute of cooking.

Cheese

Your pick: Monterey Jack is a California favorite, but Bobby loves this burger with cheddar, too.

Avocado Relish

Avocado is one of Bobby's favorite ingredients. He mixes 2 chopped Hass avocados with 1/2 diced small onion, 1 minced jalapeno,the juice of 1 lime, 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro, and salt and pepper.

Watercress

L.A. doesn't do iceberg lettuce, so Bobby tops off the burger with this peppery green instead.

Tomato

One thick, juicy slice takes the place of ketchup.

Photograph by Steve Giralt

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Hamburgers

Grilled French Bread Pizza with Mushroom Pesto and Fontina Cheese

Ingredients

• 1-ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1 pound cremini or white button mushrooms, stems removed
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Whole head roasted garlic, pulp removed
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts
• 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
• 1 loaf French bread, about 24 inches long, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
• 2 1/2 cups grated fontina cheese

Directions

Place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit until softened, 30 minutes.

Heat the grill to high.

Brush the cremini or white button mushroom caps with the canola oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms on the grill, cap side down and grill until golden brown and slightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn the caps over and continue grilling until the mushrooms are cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Remove from the grill, let cool slightly then coarsely chop.

Remove the porcinis from the soaking liquid and place in the bowl of a food processor with a few tablespoons of the soaking liquid. Add cremini mushrooms, garlic pulp, walnuts, parsley and thyme in a food processor and process until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add 1/2 cup of the olive oil and process until smooth. Add 1/4 cup of the Romano cheese and pulse a few times to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper.

Brush the bread on the cut side with the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Evenly spread the pesto over the cut side of each half of bread. Top the pesto with the fontina cheese, return to the grill, cheese side up, close the cover of the grill and cook until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from the grill and sprinkle with the remaining Romano.

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French Bread

Chicken Wings with Red Hot Honey Glaze and Blue Cheese-Celery Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

For the wings:

• 1 cup hot sauce
• 1/2 cup honey
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 24 chicken wings, tips removed

For the blue cheese-celery dipping sauce:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup finely diced celery
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (recommended: Cabrales)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

For the wings:

Heat grill to medium-high.

Combine the hot sauce, honey and butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until the butter is melted and the mixture comes together, about 5 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and season with salt and pepper. Pour half of the sauce in a bowl and keep the remaining sauce in the pan, warm over low heat.

Season the wings on both sides with the salt and pepper. Brush the wings with the reserved sauce in the bowl and place on the grill.Grill on each side for 5 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. Remove wings from the grill and toss with the warm hot sauce. Transfer to a platter and serve with the blue cheese sauce on the side for dipping.

For the blue cheese-celery dipping sauce:

Whisk together all ingredients in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

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Chicken Wings

Sliders with Chipotle Mayonnaise

Ingredients

Chipotle Mayonnaise:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 chipotles in adobo sauce
• 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 1/2 lime, juice
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Sliders:

• 1 to 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck, 80/20
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Cheese slices, your choice
• Mini burger buns

Burger Bar (if desired):

• Chipotle Mayonnaise
• Pickles
• Red onion slices

Chipotle Mayonnaise:

Directions

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and puree. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Sliders:

Preheat grill over medium-high heat.

Form the meat into 2 to 3-ounce portions, packed tightly. Season with salt and pepper.

Place the sliders on the grill. Wait until they are nice and crusty on the first side, about 4 to 5 minutes and then flip and cook another 4 minutes. When the sliders are about done, top with desired cheese and close the grill, allowing the cheese to melt.

Place the slider on mini burger buns and top with chipotle mayonnaise and any other desired toppings.

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Hamburgers

Gigantes

Ingredients

• 1 pound gigantes (or big lima beans), soaked for 12 hours, drained
• 1/4 cup Greek olive oil
• 1 large Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (15-ounce) can chopped plum tomatoes plus their liquid
• 2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Add the beans to a pot with enough cold water to cover well. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer until just soft throughout but not quite cooked, approximately 50 to 80 minutes, depending on the beans. Drain and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Heat olive oil over medium heat in a Dutch oven. Add onion and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and their liquid, 2 cups water, honey, cloves, salt, and pepper and boil gently for 20 to 30 minutes or until it begins to thicken. Stir in the parsley and remove from heat.

Place the beans in an oven-proof dish, pour tomato mixture on top, stir and spread mixture out evenly. Bake 1 1/2 to 2 hours, or until beans are soft. (Check the dish during cooking and if needed, add a small amount of boiling water.) The dish will look crispy on top. Remove from the oven and let sit for 10 minutes before serving. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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Lima Bean