“This collection hits the popular color duo from different angles,” Mark says. “There is an East Coast versus West Coast dichotomy. Then that of American and European, English Spode and Portuguese pottery. Preppy and bohemian. This brings together the best of many places and styles.”
Campari SunriseSeared Lamb Sausage and Red Pepper Skewers + Mint-Cucumber SauceTomato-and-Carrot SoupGrilled Marinated Chicken Thighs + Mediterranean ToppingsGrilled Vegetables with Olive Oil, Parsley, and Lemon JuiceIsraeli Couscous + Sliced AlmondsCheese Course with Grilled PitaRosé-Pomegranate Gelato + Shortbread Cookies
Check your pantry for these necessary items before shopping: Note: Unless specified, when we call for “butter,” we mean the unsalted variety. When we call for “olive oil,” we are suggesting good-quality extra virgin. When we call for “eggs,” we are suggesting large eggs. Unless specified, when we call for “milk,” we mean whole-fat milk. Amounts for cocktail recipes have been increased to make eight cocktails.
Olive oil (need 1 cup + 2 tablespoons)Butter (need 2 sticks)Nonstick cooking sprayKosher salt (need 1 teaspoon + to taste)Ground black pepper (to taste)All-purpose flour (need 2¼ cups)Granulated sugar (need about 1 cup)Powdered sugar (need 2 cups)Vanilla extract (need 2 teaspoons)Milk (1½ cups)
Specialty grocery store
1 (14.1-ounce) jar Luxardo maraschino cherriesZa’atar (need 1½ teaspoons)5 lamb Merguez sausages (need 8 1/2 ounces)Labneh (need 4 ounces)4 ounces caprino stagionato (aged goat cheese)
Produce
1 bunch Italian parsley1 bunch cilantro1 bunch mint1 bunch basil1 bunch lemon grass1 gingerroot1 pomegranate1 (16-ounce) container fresh strawberries3 cups berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and/or raspberries)5 lemons2 limes19 oranges8 cherry tomatoes8 cremini mushrooms8 broccolini tops3 medium red sweet peppers1 medium orange sweet pepper1 jalapeño chile pepper1 bunch carrots1 Persian cucumber1 medium zucchini2 medium eggplants1 small eggplant6 tomatillos1 (8-ounce) bag fresh spinach1 medium onion2 large shallots1 bulb garlic
Grocery
1 (8-ounce) can organic tomato sauce1 (8-ounce) bottle pomegranate juice1 (16-ounce) package Israeli (large pearl) couscousGreek pita flatbreads (need 8)
Baking aisle
1 (6-ounce) package sliced almonds
Butcher
16 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Dairy
1 (1/2-pint) container heavy cream1 (8-ounce) container sour cream3 (6-ounce) containers plain Greek yogurt
Cheese department
1 (4-ounce) container crumbled feta cheese1 (10-ounce) container hummus
Alcohol
1 (750-milliliter) bottle Campari1 (750-milliliter) bottle grenadine syrup1 (750-milliliter) bottle rosé wine1 (750-milliliter) bottle dry white wine
Start to Finish: 5 minutes
Ice4 ounces (1/2 cup) fresh orange juice1½ ounces (3 tablespoons) Campari½ ounce (1 tablespoon) simple syrup1/4 ounce (1½ teaspoons) grenadine syrup1 Luxardo maraschino cherry for garnish1/4 orange slice for garnish
Add ice to chilled rocks glass. Pour orange juice, Campari, and simple syrup into glass. Add grenadine, which will sink to bottom. Do not stir. Garnish with cherry and orange slice. Makes 1 serving. For Simple Syrup, in screw-top jar combine 1/3 cup sugar and 1/3 cup water. Cover; shake until sugar dissolves. Hands On: 15 minutesTotal Time: 1 hour
3 medium red sweet peppers5 lamb Merguez sausages (8 1/2 ounces) or other spiced lamb sausagesKosher salt and ground black pepper2 tablespoons olive oil1 recipe Mint-Cucumber Sauce1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley
For Seared Lamb Sausage, preheat oven to 425°F. Line baking sheet with foil; set aside. Cut sweet peppers in half lengthwise; remove stems, seeds, and membranes. Place pepper halves, cut sides down, on prepared baking sheet. Roast 20 to 25 minutes or until peppers are charred and very tender. Bring foil up around peppers; fold edges together to enclose. Let stand 15 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Using sharp knife, loosen edges of skins; gently pull off skins in strips; discard. Set peppers aside. Meanwhile, season sausages with salt and pepper. In large skillet add olive oil and sausages. (Starting with cold skillet will keep sausage skin from shrinking and popping.) Heat skillet over medium-high. Cook sausages 10 minutes or until seared on all sides and fully cooked (165°F). Remove from pan; let cool slightly. Cut each sausage into five pieces. Cut peppers into strips roughly the width of sausage. Wrap each sausage piece with a pepper strip. Secure with toothpick. Serve with Mint-Cucumber Sauce. Sprinkle with parsley. Makes 8 servings. For Mint-Cucumber Sauce, in small bowl combine 1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/4 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons finely grated Persian cucumber, 1 tablespoon chopped Italian parsley, 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint. Stir to combine. Refrigerate until needed. Makes 2/3 cup. Tip: Use a rasp-style grater to grate cucumber to an almost pulpy consistency. Tomato-and-Carrot Soup This savory soup can be made well in advance to save on last-minute prep. It’s delicious served chilled, or you can reheat it for those who prefer hot soup. Hands On: 10 minutesTotal Time: 55 minutes
2 tablespoons olive oil3 tablespoons shallots, chopped3 cups chopped carrots1½ tablespoons minced fresh lemon grass2¼ teaspoons grated fresh ginger1 (8-ounce) can organic tomato sauce3 cups water3 tablespoons fresh lemon juiceKosher saltLemon zest
In large saucepan heat oil over medium heat. Add shallots. Cook until soft and aromatic. Add carrots, lemon grass, and ginger to pot. Stir to combine. Add tomato sauce and 2 cups water. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 45 minutes or until carrots are soft. Cool slightly. Place soup in blender or food processor. Cover and blend until smooth. Add remaining 1 cup water to thin soup. Return soup to pot. Stir in lemon juice. Season to taste with salt. Serve warm or cover and chill at least 4 hours. Garnish with lemon zest before serving. Makes 8 servings. Hands On: 50 minutes Total Time: 1 hour including marinating time Chicken Thighs:
16 skinless, boneless chicken thighs1½ cups dry white wine ½ cup fresh orange juice2 garlic cloves, smashed1 onion, cut into 8 wedgesKosher saltGround black pepper
For Chicken Thighs, divide chicken between two food-safe resealable plastic bags. In medium bowl combine white wine and orange juice. Divide marinade between bags. To each bag add 1 garlic clove and 4 onion wedges. Seal bag. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Place chicken, smooth side down, on greased grill rack directly over medium-high heat. Cover; grill 8 to 10 minutes or until internal temperature is 165°F. Transfer chicken to platter; let rest 10 minutes. Serve with Mediterranean Toppings. Makes 8 servings. Mediterranean Toppings For Chickpea and Feta, place 1 cup plain hummus in bowl; top with 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped Italian parsley. Can make ahead and chill, covered, up to 3 days. Makes 1 cup. For Salsa Verde, in bowl of food processor or blender combine 6 peeled and coarsely chopped tomatillos, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup packed cilantro, 2 tablespoons chopped shallots, and 1 tablespoon seeded and sliced jalapeño pepper. Process until chunky. Season to taste with kosher salt. Can make ahead and chill, covered, up to 3 days. Makes 1 2/3 cups. For Yogurt and Spinach Sauce, in bowl combine 1 cup plain Greek yogurt; 1/2 cup chopped, steamed, well-drained spinach; 1/4 cup heavy cream; and 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice. Mix well; season with kosher salt to taste. (Can use 5-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained, in place of fresh spinach.) Make sauce just before serving. Makes 1¾ cups. For Eggplant Caviar, preheat oven to 450°F. Line 15x10x1-inch baking pan with foil. Slice two medium eggplants in half lengthwise; place in pan, cut sides down. Wrap 3 large garlic cloves in foil. Place in pan with eggplant. Bake 20 minutes. Remove garlic; set aside. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until eggplant is very soft and skin is slightly charred; cool. Discard any large seeds from eggplant. Scoop eggplant pulp into food processor; discard skin. Add the garlic, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons za’atar, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt to food processor. Pulse 2 to 3 times until mixture is smooth. Garnish with small fresh basil leaves. Can make ahead and chill, covered, up to 3 days. Makes 1 1/2 cups. Hands On: 20 minutesTotal Time: 35 minutes
8 cremini mushrooms (about 8 ounces)8 cherry tomatoes8 broccolini tops, stems trimmed1 medium orange sweet pepper, quartered1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise1 small eggplant, sliced into 1-inch-thick roundsNonstick cooking spray1/4 cup olive oil1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley3 tablespoons fresh lemon juiceKosher saltGround black pepper
Thread mushrooms, tomatoes, and broccolini tops onto skewers, keeping like vegetables together. Coat all vegetables with nonstick spray until lightly coated but not dripping. Place broccolini skewer, pepper quarters, and zucchini halves on grill rack directly over medium heat. Cover; grill 7 minutes. Turn broccolini skewers, peppers, and zucchini; add eggplant rounds and mushroom skewer to grill rack. Cover; grill 4 minutes. Turn eggplant and mushroom skewer; add tomato skewer to grill rack. Cover; grill 3 to 4 minutes more or until vegetables are tender and lightly charred. Remove vegetables from grill; cool slightly. Remove from skewers and coarsely chop broccolini, sweet pepper, zucchini, and eggplant. Add to large bowl. Remove mushrooms and tomatoes from skewers, adding them to bowl. Gently toss vegetables with olive oil, parsley, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Makes 8 servings. Tip: You’ll need four 12-inch skewers. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water at least 30 minutes before grilling. Hands On: 10 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes
6 tablespoons olive oil, divided3 cups Israeli (large pearl) couscous (16 ounces)1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted1/2 teaspoon kosher salt5¼ cups water1/4 cup fresh lemon juiceGround black pepperLemon wedges
In large saucepan heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Add couscous to saucepan. Cook and stir 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Stir in almonds and ½ teaspoon salt. Add water to saucepan. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Cover; simmer 7 to 10 minutes or until couscous is tender, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Let stand 10 minutes. Transfer to serving bowl. Stir in remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and lemon juice. Season with additional salt and pepper. Serve with lemon wedges. Makes 8 servings. Hands On: 15 minutesTotal Time: 20 minutes
8 Greek pita flatbreads4 ounces labneh4 ounces caprino stagionato or aged goat cheese2 to 3 cups fresh summer berries (strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, and/or raspberries)
Place pitas on rack of covered grill directly over medium-high heat 2 to 3 minutes or until warm and grill marks appear. Flip pitas. Continue grilling 1 to 2 minutes more or until marks appear on second side. Remove pitas from grill. Cut each into 6 wedges. Serve with cheese and berries. Makes 8 servings. Hands On: 30 minutesTotal Time: 1 hour 20 minutes Gelato:
2/3 cup pomegranate juice½ cup granulated sugar1/3 cup strawberry puree1½ cups milk¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream2 tablespoons rosé winePomegranate seeds for garnish
Pomegranate Shortbread Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened1 cup powdered sugar¼ teaspoon kosher salt2 teaspoons vanilla2¼ cups all-purpose flour1 recipe Pomegranate Glaze
For Gelato, in large bowl, combine pomegranate juice, granulated sugar, and strawberry puree. Let stand 10 minutes until sugar dissolves. Add milk, cream, and rosé wine to pomegranate mixture; mix well. Transfer strawberry mixture to ice cream maker. Churn according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer gelato to 9x5-inch loaf pan, cover, and freeze 4 hours or until firm. Garnish with pomegranate seeds. Serve with Pomegranate Shortbread Cookies. For Pomegranate Shortbread Cookies, preheat oven to 325°F. In large bowl beat butter with mixer on medium to high speed 30 seconds. Add powdered sugar and salt. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Beat in flour on low speed until mixture starts to cling together (may appear crumbly but will come together with continued beating). Roll dough to ½-inch thickness. Cut circles with 2-inch round cookie cutter. Place circles 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until edges just start to brown. Cool on wire racks. Dip cookies into Pomegranate Glaze. Dry on a wire rack set over parchment or wax paper. Serve with gelato. Makes 8 servings. For Pomegranate Glaze, in small bowl whisk together 3/4 to 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice. Storage: Store unglazed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month.
