Page 27 - EOC23

RECIPE
Peach and Basil Sorbet
VEGAN
e perfect summer dessert: a sweet chill with a peppery spike of herbal excitement . . . e basil is subtle but important, and the peaches must be the ripe golden beauties of July or August.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 oz.) packed sliced or chopped fresh basil leaves, plus
more to taste
sea salt or kosher salt
2 1/2 lbs. ripe yellow peaches, peeled and cut up (about 4 cups) 3 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
DIRECTIONS
1. Combine the sugar and 1 cup water in a small stainless
RECIPE
Farro with Lentils and Lavender
VEGAN
Farro and lentils have virtually identical cooking times, so this is amazingly easy. And it’s good hot or cold—I’ve made delicious salads with it, adding wild arugula, sliced pears, red grapes, wal- nuts, cherry tomatoes, in whatever combination is in season.
INGREDIENTS
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil 1–2 dried chiles de árbol
3 cloves garlic
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 cups (10 oz.) semipearled farro, rinsed 1/2 cup (3 oz.) Le Puy lentils, rinsed
2 1/2 cups mild vegetable broth
1 tsp. herbes de Provence
1 tsp. crushed dried lavender a sprig of fresh thyme
DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan. Break the chile pods in half and shake out their seeds. Add the chiles to the pan along with the garlic cloves and bay leaf and stir over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Add the
steel pot and heat it gently, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the basil and a pinch of salt and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Turn o the heat and let the syrup cool completely. Strain the syrup and reserve the basil. You should have 1 1/4 cups syrup.
2. Put the peaches in a blender, add the cooled syrup and the lemon juice, and puree. Add about 1 teaspoon of the reserved basil and pulse a few times, just until the basil makes green ecks in the peach puree. For a more pronounced basil avor, add a teaspoon or so of nely chopped raw basil.
3. Chill the mixture well, then freeze it in an ice cream maker, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer the sorbet to a chilled container, cover tightly, and put it in the freezer for about 2 hours to rm up.
Makes a little more than 1 quart, enough for 6 to 8 servings
rinsed farro to the aromatics and stir for about 5 minutes. 2. Add the lentils, vegetable broth, 1 cup of water, and the herbs.
Bring the liquid to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook for 25 minutes. Check the grain and the lentils. If both are tender, turn o the heat; if the pilaf feels a little underdone, give it another 5 minutes. At that time, all or most of the liquid should be absorbed. Turn o the heat and leave the lid on for 5 minutes. If there is any broth left in the bottom of the pan, drain it o through a sieve.
3. Flu the pilaf lightly with a fork, discard the chiles and bay leaf, and serve warm with any vegetable or cold in a salad.
Makes 5 to 6 center-of-the-plate servings when paired with a salad or vegetable dish
IN A MENU . . .
Vegetables in the Center (p. 265): this fragrant pilaf pairs up with Ratatouille from the Charcoal Grill and optional grilled lamb sausage or lamb chops.
INGREDIENT NOTE . . .
Culinary lavender is mild and fragrant and is a component of the herbes de Provence blend; if you don’t have lavender, use a bit more of the herb blend.
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