Octopus, Salami & Apples With Anchovy Vinaigrette

By Michael Psilakis

Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 legs of octopus, braised, at room temperature

1 small green apple peeled, quartered, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch batons

4 ounces thickly sliced lountza (salami, such as Genoa, may be substituted) cut into 1/4-inch batons
About 1/3 cup White Anchovy Vinaigrette

Extra-virgin olive oil<br>
Sea salt and cracked black pepper<br>
Small handful picked fresh mint<br>

Directions:

1. Cut the octopus into rough chunks.
2. In a bowl, combine the octopus, apple, and salami. There should be roughly equal quantities of apple and salami. Drizzle the mixture with some of the chunky vinaigrette and toss to coat evenly.
3. Transfer to a platter or plates and drizzle with olive oil. Season with a little sea salt and cracked pepper and garnish with fresh mint.

Roasted Leg of Lamb

By Michael Psilakis

Serves 6 or more if served family style

Ingredients:

For The Stuffing:

1 and 1/2 cups large, plump sun-dried
tomatoes, roughly chopped

1/4 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted

1 teaspoon minced rosemary
3 small sprigs thyme, leaves only

1 teaspoon dry Greek oregano<br>
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard<br>
15 cloves Garlic Confit or 1/3 cup Garlic Purée, if you have it<br>
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil<br>
About 1 teaspoon cracked black pepper<br>
<span class="ingredient"><span class="amount">1 and 1/2 tablespoons </span><span class="name">red wine vinegar</span><br>


<p><em>For The Lamb:</em></p>
<span class="ingredient"><span class="amount">3 to 3 and 1/2 pound </span> boneless leg of <span class="name">lamb</span>, butterflied to flatten, some of the fat trimmed off</span><br>
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper<br>

Extra-virgin olive oil
1 and 1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon Garlic Purée, or 2 to 3
cloves Garlic Confit, if you have it
3 large sprigs rosemary
3 tablespoons blended oil (90 percent
canola, 10 percent extra-virgin olive)

Directions:

1. In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients for the stuffing and purée to a smooth, thick paste, about 45 to 60 seconds. Reserve about 2 tablespoons of the stuffing.
2. Lay the lamb out on a work surface with the fattier side down. Season generously with Kosher salt and pepper and spread an even layer of stuffing over it, pressing the stuffing down into the crevices. Drizzle with a little olive oil and roll the lamb up in a spiral, seasoning the fatty side with salt and pepper as you roll. Tie in 3 or 4 places crosswise and 1 or 2 places lengthwise (twist the string around itself 3 times instead of just once before you pull it tight, so it won’t loosen as soon as you let go). Ideally, allow the meat to sit on a rack, uncovered, in the refrigerator overnight, to dry the surface well and develop all the Greek flavors.
3. Bring the lamb to room temperature while you preheat the oven to 375°F. In a small roasting pan, whisk the reserved stuffing with the water, mustard, and Garlic Purée. Throw in the rosemary sprigs. Place a rack in the pan; the rack should not touch the liquid.
4. Again, season the lamb on all sides very generously with kosher salt and pepper. In a large, heavy skillet, warm the oil over medium-high heat. When the oil is very hot, sear the lamb well on all sides, using tongs and leaning the meat up against the sides of
   the pan to sear the thinner sides and cut ends. Transfer the lamb to the rack seam-side up and roast for about 1 hour, basting every 15 minutes with the pan liquid. (When the meat is medium-rare — 140°F — a skewer inserted at the thickest point should feel warm when pressed against your lower lip.)
5. Rest the meat for about 15 minutes. Slice 1/4-inch-thick pieces, drizzle with the pan sauce, and finish with a little extra-virgin olive oil.

Optional: Peel and cut a few potatoes into rough wedges, toss with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and throw in the roasting pan.

To butterfly a piece of boneless lamb from the leg, lay the piece out fatty side down. Make 8 to 10 shallow cuts in the thicker parts, then open them out like a book and press flat. Your goal is a relatively flat surface, but don’t worry if it’s a little uneven — it will be concealed inside, with the stuffing.

Family Packs

Sometimes, a boneless leg of lamb is much larger than you want to serve. If so, make the most of it! Cut off a piece, freeze it, and use later for souvlaki, or in lieu of the venison in stew. Alternatively, you can put it through a grinder and have meat for a ragout for Open Goat Moussaka, Papoutsakia, Seftalia, or the Lamb Burger. Buying family packs for the home cook is always a great way to save money. Be sure you double-wrap all items to be frozen and label them with weights and dates.

Striped Bass Plaki

By Michael Psilakis

Serves 10-15 as part of a larger buffet

Ingredients:

2 to 3 pounds whole sea bass, black bass, blue fish, or weakfish, gutted and scaled, gills removed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and cracked black pepper
About 1 teaspoon dry Greek oregano
1 lemon, thinly sliced
6 large sprigs thyme
6 large sprigs rosemary
4 fresh bay leaves or 8 dried leaves
16 cloves, whole garlic, peeled
1/2 small red onion, very thinly sliced
3 plum tomatoes, cut into rough wedges
2 Idaho potatoes, quartered lengthwise
and cut crosswise into big chunks
1 large zucchini, thickly sliced on a diagonal
1 Spanish or sweet onion, cut into thick julienne
16 pitted Kalamata olives
Small handful torn fresh herbs, such as
dill, mint, and/or parsley
1/3 cup capers
1 1/2 cups white wine
2 tablespoons Garlic Purée
or cold, unsalted butter
2 lemons, cut into wedges, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the fish well under cool running water. Pat dry thoroughly. Film a large roasting pan with the olive oil and place the fish in the center. Season liberally with kosher salt, pepper, and a big pinch of oregano inside and outside. Stuff the cavity with about half the lemon slices, 4 sprigs each of the thyme and rosemary, the bay leaves, and a few garlic cloves.
2. Cover the fish with overlapping slices of the red onion, then top with the remaining lemon slices. Scatter the tomatoes, potatoes, zucchini, Spanish onion, olives, and the remaining thyme, rosemary, and garlic around the fish. Scatter the fresh herbs and capers over all. Season the fish liberally with salt, pepper, and oregano, and pour in the wine. Cover the pan with foil, sealing well.
3. Steam-bake until the fish is flaky and cooked, and all the vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. (If you push a metal skewer into the center of the fish for a moment, then hold the tip against your lip, it should feel somewhere between warm and hot.)
4. Discard the herb sprigs if you like, and carefully transfer the fish and all the vegetables to a big platter. Whisk the Garlic Purée or butter into the pan juices until melted, and drizzle over and around the dish. Squeeze the lemon wedges over the top.