A Tale of Two Sauces: Yogurt & Salsa Verde

So I know I said I would post the Bouchon Au Thons recipe from the book I am currently reading, A Homemade Life: Stories & Recipes From My Kitchen Table by Molly Wizenberg ( also known to many as the Orangette)but instead I am going to post a different recipe from her book: Lamb Meatballs with Yogurt Sauce and Roasted Cauliflower with Salsa Verde. The Bouchon Au Thons (basically mini tuna quiches) weren’t bad, I have already made them twice, but I feel like the following recipes are a better crowd pleaser overall. If I am going to post something, I want it to be a dish (or in this case two dishes) that can be shared and savored, making someone want to “kiss the cook“, so to speak. Plus I love the idea of reinventing classic dishes and jazzing them up with sauces to bring them out of the ordinary everyday. These two recipes were written about separately but I thought the two would go well together to make a meal. I also happened to have a lot of cilantro on hand that needed to be used. But honestly, it is really hard not to read this book and want to make everything in it right away! However, I will probably make these dishes separately from now on, mainly so that I can enjoy each one on its own. It was too much of a dilemma trying to decide whether to fill my belly with the meatballs or with the cauliflower…..

The meatballs take a little time to cook, but are well worth it. Plus, they can be assembled raw a day ahead and then cooked the next night. They would make a great appetizer for a dinner party. I used lamb, but you could also use chicken or turkey. If you are using chicken or turkey make sure to use half dark & half white meat. Cooking with cumin is something I have tried to avoid, due to the fact that it has a tendency to smell a bit like body odor and I have flashbacks to an overcrowded Parisian subway (yes, the stereotype in my experience has proven to be true!) Now doesn’t that make you want to cook with it? Seriously though, cumin does wonders to ground meat dishes, so don’t be afraid, even if you are not accustomed to the smell. The little bits of golden raisins are the secret ingredient, creating the perfect balance between sweet and savory, and the yogurt sauce is the perfect accompaniment, making the dish come together. There will be some yogurt sauce leftover and I suggest saving it for another meal with some warm flat bread and fresh veggies , maybe steaming an artichoke….. Trust me you won’t want to waste any of this sauce!

The roasted cauliflower was the big eye opener of the evening. It was so tasty with the salsa verde that I made it again the very next night. (Alongside the hodgepodge meal of flat bread, veggies and the leftover yogurt dip!) I had roasted cauliflower before but never with a dressing, much less a dressing with these kind of flavors. This dish was a real aha! moment for me (I know it is an Oprah quote, but it works!), before this I thought the only thing to do with cauliflower was to drown it in melted cheese…..The salsa verde is the definitely the sumthin’ sumthin’ that takes this roasted cauliflower to a whole new level. Between the three of us (and let me add that the 3rd diner is a 1 year old) there wasn’t a crumb left!

Meatballs with Pine Nuts, Cilantro and Golden Raisins
Makes 30 Meatballs

½ cup finely minced yellow onion
¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves
½ cup chopped pine nuts
½ cup golden raisins, coarsely chopped or halved
1 large egg, lightly beaten
½ cup fine bread crumbs
½ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
1 pound ground lamb , turkey , or chicken
4 tablespoons olive oil (for cooking)
Yogurt Sauce
1 cup plain yogurt (not low or nonfat)
1 medium garlic clove, finely minced
3 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon salt

First, make the yogurt sauce, you will want a little time for flavors to develop. In a small bowl, combine yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin , and salt and whisk together. Set aside while you make the meatballs.

To make the meatballs, combine all the ingredients except the meat and olive oil in a large bowl. Add the ground meat and using your hands, break it up into small pieces and then gently kneading the mixture to incorporate all the ingredients. Be careful not to over mix, or the meat will get tough! Pinch off hunks of the mixture and roll into 1 inch balls. Set aside on a large plate. (These can be made a day ahead and refrigerated.)

Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add about half of the meatballs, taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Let them color on each side, turning them gently with tongs. The meatballs are ready when they are evenly browned and feel firm but not tough. Cut a meatball in half, just to be sure. Transfer the meatballs to a paper towel lined plate. Add the 2 remaining tablespoons of olive oil and repeat with the remaining meatballs. This part takes some patience, and it will be tempting to turn the heat up a little, but if you do, you will end up with the outside of the meatball cooked and a raw inside, so let them hang out and do their thing. Serve with the yogurt sauce!


Roasted Cauliflower with Salsa Verde
Makes 4 side dish servings

Salsa Verde

1 medium jalapeno, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped.
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 medium garlic cloves, minced with a pinch of salt
2-3 tablespoons fresh limes juice (I found 2 ½ to be about right)
4 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

Roasted Cauliflower

1 medium cauliflower (2 to 2 ½ pounds)
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste

First prepare the salsa verde. Just like the yogurt, you want it to sit. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients, whisk together and set aside for up to an hour.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Wash and dry the cauliflower well. Put it on a cutting board, stem side down and slice it vertically from the top down into ¼ inch slices. You will get a bunch of cauliflower crumbs and only a few intact slices, this is fine. Put the cauliflower in a bowl and toss with olive oil until all the pieces are lightly coated. Spread the cauliflower in a single layer on a heavy baking pan. If too crowded, use two pans! Salt lightly. Bake until the cauliflower is golden and tender, even browned in spots, turning once with a spatula 20 to 30 minutes. Salt lightly again. Serve with the salsa verde. I just tossed the warm cauliflower directly in the salsa verde bowl like a salad rather than served on the side, but you could do it either way.

Footnote: Radishes with Unsalted Butter and Sea Salt

Another snack that this book made me want to try: Radishes with Butter and Salt on Toast. This snack is not a new concept, it is very popular with French mothers everywhere, but reading Molly describe it, gave that extra push to try it. It also helps that radishes are in season and also super cheap! My grocery store has them on sale 2 bunches for 88 cents, you really can’t beat that! Now I am hooked and have been enjoying these just about everyday. These make a great afternoon snack or appetizer.
Here is what you do: Take a slice of bread/baguette, either plain or toasted (about 1/3 inch thick) spread with unsalted butter (chilled works great, enabling you to taste thicker chunks of butter) and then top your bread with thinly sliced radishes. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Be careful these are addicting!