Open-Faced Pitas with Rotisserie Lamb with Pomegranate and Mint, Grilled Tomatoes, and Greek Slaw

Ingredients

Rotisserie Lamb with Pomegranate and Mint:

• One boneless half leg of lamb (about 4 pounds), butterflied
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary1 Spanish onion, chopped
• 2 bay leaves
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 cup pomegranate molasses
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Juice of 2 lemons

Greek Slaw:

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill, plus for garnish
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped to a paste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup finely shredded red cabbage
• 1/2 head green cabbage, shredded
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 6 ounces crumbled Greek feta
• Cherry tomatoes, on soaked skewers, for serving
• Canola oil, for brushing
• 8 warmed pita breads, with or without pockets, for serving
• 2 lemons, for serving

Directions

For the rotisserie lamb with pomegranate and mint: Sprinkle both sides of the lamb with salt and pepper. Roll the lamb and tie with twine. Cut small slits over the entire lamb, using a paring knife. Fill each slit with a slice of the garlic. Put the lamb into a large plastic resealable bag.

Whisk the pomegranate juice, wine, olive oil, oregano, rosemary, onions, bay leaves and lemon juice in a bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour the marinade over the lamb, in the bag. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Place the bag into a large bowl. Refrigerate the lamb for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours, turning the bag a few times during that time.

Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Preheat the grill to medium-hot heat.

Whisk the pomegranate molasses, mint, mustard and lemon juice in a medium bowl and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Skewer the lamb onto the rotisserie and grill until a meat thermometer registers 135 degrees F for medium doneness, 1 1/2 hours to 1 3/4 hours. Begin brushing the lamb with the pomegranate molasses mixture after about 45 minutes of grilling.

Meanwhile for the Greek slaw: Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, dill, honey and garlic in a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the red and green cabbage, carrot and feta. Toss to combine. Cover the slaw and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and loosely tent with foil. Wait 15 minutes before slicing.

While the lamb is resting, brush the tomatoes with canola oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill the tomatoes until they are charred on both sides and just soft, about 4 minutes.

Slice the lamb. Lay the warm pita breads on a large platter. Top with sliced lamb, grilled tomatoes and the Greek slaw. Squeeze the lemons over the top and serve.

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Grilled Sardines with Garlic Walnut Sauce

Ingredients

Grilled Sardines:

• 2 pounds sardines (about 15), heads removed and gutted
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• Freshly ground black pepper

Garlic-Walnut Sauce:

• 1 cup whole walnuts
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
• Grated lemon zest, for garnish

Directions

For the grilled sardines: Add the sardines, salt and lemon juice in a bowl. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, for the garlic-walnut sauce: Add the walnuts, parsley, dill and garlic in a food processor. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Blend until finely ground. With the food processor running, add the olive oil and blend until smooth. The mixture should resemble pesto.

Heat the grill (preferably charcoal) to high for direct grilling. Remove the sardines from the bowl and pat dry. Brush the sardines with canola oil and sprinkle with pepper. Grill the sardines until golden brown and slightly charred, about 3 minutes. Flip the sardines over and continue grilling for 1 minute. Transfer the sardines to a platter and drizzle with the garlic-walnut sauce and garnish with the parsley and lemon zest.

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Grilled Chicken Paillard with Lemon and Black Pepper and Arugula-Tomato Salad

Ingredients
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 small shallot, chopped
1/4 cup pure olive oil
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground fresh black pepper
4 boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, pounded thinly
Salt
1/2 pound arugula
2 ripe beefsteak tomatoes, diced
1 small red onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for garnish
Lemon halves, for garnish


Directions
Whisk together lemon juice, shallot, olive oil and black pepper in a large baking dish. Add the chicken, turn to coat and marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.


Preheat grill to high. Remove chicken from marinade, season with salt on both sides and grill for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown and just cooked through.


Combine arugula, tomatoes and onions in a large bowl, toss with the vinegar and oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Place each paillard on a large plate, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil and top with some of the arugula-tomato salad. Garnish with lemon halves.


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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 pound sliced pancetta, diced
• 4 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 8 baby Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 lemon, juiced

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat oil over medium heat in a roasting pan or large skillet. Add the pancetta and cook until golden brown and crisp. Remove the pancetta to a plate lined with paper towels. Add the shallots to the pan and cook until soft. Add the Brussels sprouts and potatoes and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven until the vegetables are cooked through and golden brown. Remove the vegetables from the oven and stir in the butter and lemon juice. Transfer to a platter and top with the reserved pancetta.

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Pancetta

Grilled Insalata Di Mare

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 3/4 pound baby squid, plus tentacles, cleaned
• 12 scallops
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 red jalapeno, minced
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1/2 medium red onion, minced
• 2 stalks celery, minced
• 3/4 cup nicoise olives, pitted
• 1 tablespoon freshly chopped oregano leaves
• 1/4 cup freshly chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves, divided
• 1/2 pound mesclun greens

Directions

Heat the grill to high.

Combine the seafood in a large bowl, toss with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Grill the shrimp for approximately 1 minute per side, remove and place on a platter. Grill the squid bodies and tentacles for 2 to 3 minutes per side, remove from the grill and slice crosswise into 1/2-inch thick rings and place on the platter with the shrimp. Grill the scallops until golden brown on both sides and just cooked through, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes per side, place on the platter.

Whisk together the lemon juice, garlic, honey, jalapeno and extra-virgin olive oil in a large bowl. Add the seafood, chili flakes, onion,celery, olives, oregano, and 1 tablespoon of the parsley and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Stir in the remaining parsley just before serving. Place the mesclun greens on a large platter and top with the seafood salad.

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Shrimp