Best Damn Lamb Chops Ever

Tom and Scott were leaving for Italy (don’t they have all of the fun). I had wanted to grill Lamb Chops, and Cathy found a great recipe: Grilled Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Molasses from Cooking with Café Pasqual’s by Katharine Kagel.

We started with a favorite of mine: Tomato Salad with Russian Dressing that I used to look forward at Campanile Restaurant. Russian dressing is kind of like a guilty pleasure but this version is the best. We only used red tomatoes for our version. Tom had never experienced homemade Russian Dressing and loved it. I had a convert! You can get the recipe from our blog of July 4, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe for the wonderful salad!

With the lamb we served With them we served a Roasted Beet Farrotto from The Babbo Cookbook by Mario Batali. It was a wonderful side dish to serve with the lamb. You can get the recipe from our blog of: Jan 31, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe.

For dessert we made a Fig Upside Down Cake. This is a staple for us when figs are in season. It is VERY easy to make and if you are afraid to bake a cake this is a great cake to start with! You can get the recipe from our blog of: Sep. 4, 2006. Click the date to get the recipe.

I am not sure how to allocate all of the reasons for the success of the lamb chops. They were definitely the best lamb chops ever. Credit is due to McCall’s Meat and Fish that gets such fantastic Colorado Lamb. Credit also goes to the delicious recipe from Santa Fe’s Café Pasqual. Kudo’s to our new cast iron grill grate are also in order. It takes a village to make a perfect dish, and this was one! Can’t wait to repeat it!

Grilled Lamb Chops with Pomegranate Molasses

Cooking with Café Pasqual’s

Katharine Kagel

Lamb Chops always satisfy: they’re delicious, easy to prepare, and elegant in presentation. This quick and simple recipe was a gift from the brilliant chef Giovana, who cooked with us all too briefly. Pomegranate molasses comes in 10-ounce bottles. All you have to do is brush it on all sides of the lamb during the last 3 minutes of cooking, which lets it caramelize. The molasses tastes marvelously sour and is a perfect foil for the sweetness of the lamb. My favorite brand is Cortas, which is a product of Lebanon.

Serves 4

2-1/2 to 3 pound rack of lamb with 8 chops (count to confirm number)

1         tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped

1         tablespoon minced garlic

¼         cup olive oil

1         teaspoon kosher salt

1         teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2         tablespoons pomegranate molasses

Put the lamb into a stainless steel container with the rosemary, garlic, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Marinate in the refrigerator, covered, for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours, turning the meat once or twice. Preheat the grill or preheat an oven to 400F.

When the grill is ready, remove the lamb from the marinade and allow the oil to drip back into the con­tainer to prevent flare-ups on the grill. Place the lamb on the grill with the fleshy side down. Turn after about 7 minutes and grill the other side. If using an oven, place the meat on a rack over a foil-lined roasting pan. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. When you have determined that the lamb is about 3 minutes away from the desired doneness, quickly brush both sides with the molasses. Turn the lamb often (with tongs, not a fork, or the juices will escape), making sure that all sides are cooked. Cook to taste, but for the most full-flavored result it is essential to leave some pink. The meat will continue to cook after leaving its heat source, so pull it off just before it reaches its desired doneness. Let the chops rest for a few minutes, covered in foil, so that the juices will be reabsorbed before cutting and serving.

Peaches and Corn

We had plan to go out to eat at a neighborhood restaurant (Papilles) and had read about an interesting salad on their menu. It turned out we couldn’t make it to the restaurant, but we decided to make our version of the salad based upon their menu description. It was a Peach and Burrata Salad. We had some fabulous peaches that we had picked up at the farmers market that we could use. This is about as easy a salad as you can make. We dressed some greens the sliced the peaches over the them and topped with Burrata and almonds. We had a delicious summer salad.

For the main course, we prepared another seasonal dish. Fresh Corn Pasta. This is only good in summer when fresh corn is at its sweetest. You can get the recipe for this pasta from our blog of: Aug. 12,2008. Click the date to get the recipe.

A Little Bit of Santa Fe

We have often travelled to Santa Fe, New Mexico where they are crazy about their Hatch Chilies which they roast and serve with everything. I have seen them frozen in the market but we have never purchased them.

We went to Gelson’s our neighborhood market and what did I see? There was a  big stand outside of the market where they were roasting mountains of Hatch Chilies. For one day only, Silverlake was an extension of Santa Fe. We bought a several containers of the chilies and brought some home to freeze and dropped one off at one of our favorite restaurants Barbrix.

We found a recipe for Green Chile Sauce with Dried Green Chiles from Cooking with Café Pasqual’s by Katharine Kagel. When ever we are in Santa Fe, we always wind up having lunch at Pasqual’s. We knew their recipe would be perfect. We bought some guacamole, Salsa and Tortillas and we were good to go to make our version of a New Mexico Treat. It was almost like being there!

Green Chile Sauce with Dried Green Chiles

From Cooking with Café Pasqual’s by Katharine Kagel

This is the ubiquitous sauce of New Mexican cuisine. It is used on breakfast eggs, enchiladas, and burritos. With the addition of meats and vegetables, it is also used in stews. This version of green chile sauce uses dried chiles. You may also purchase frozen prepared green chiles that are already roasted, peeled, and chopped. The frozen ones, however, do not have the smoky roasted favor of the dried chiles, if those two options are unavailable, try to obtain fresh New Mexican green chiles that resemble Anaheim chiles. Failing that, Anaheim chiles may be sub-stituted, but they are very mild and could be augmented with 1 or 2 poblanos, jalapenos, or serranos if more heat is desired. The sauce may be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days and frozen for up to 2 months.

Capsaicin is the chemical found in all chiles that, when eaten, releases stress hormones in the body, speeds up metabolism, and gives a distinct sensation of well-being. In New Mexico, we call this phenomena the "chilefix!" Be sure to wear gloves when handling chiles if you are sensitive to them, and don't rub your eyes with hands that have touched chiles. The best antidote for eating a chile that is too hot for comfort is to down a few swallows of milk or eat any sort of dairy product until the pain subsides. Some swear that a tablespoon of sugar or honey is the best panacea. This recipe, however, is not a hurt'n chile sauce at all.

Makes 4 cups

1         ounce dried green chiles, or 1-1/2 pounds fresh mild green New Mexican chiles plus 3/4 pound hot New Mexican green chiles, or 2 cups frozen green chiles

4         cups water

½         white onion, cut into medium-size cubes

6         cloves garlic, finely diced

2         teaspoons dried Mexican oregano or dried marjoram leaves 1-1/2   teaspoons kosher salt

2         tablespoons vegetable oil

3         tablespoons all-purpose flour

To hydrate the dried green chiles, pour boiling water over them and let them soak for 30 minutes. Drain the chiles. Remove any peels that maybe present, then slice into 1/4-inch strips and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

If using fresh chiles, roast them over an open flame on a grill, or lay the chiles directly on the burners of a gas stove on high heat. Turn the chiles with tongs until they are charred and blistered all over. You may also opt to put the chiles in a flameproof pan under the broiler of a stove. Use tongs to turn them often, ensuring that the whole chile is charred. Put the chiles immediately into a plastic bag or inside a cotton cloth towel and wrap tightly to let the chiles "sweat." Let them steam for at least 10 minutes. When cool enough to handle, peel the chiles, slit them open, and remove the seeds and veins.

Favorite Salad

I love this salad, especially in the summer when tomatoes are at their peak! It is called: Feta Salad with Anise Bread, Tomatoes and Oregano from the Casa Moro Cookbook. We purchased the tomatoes at the Hollywood Farmer’s Market. This is an absolutely delicious salad. You have to make it! You can the recipe from our blog of: Aug. 28, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe.

Gad Zuchs!

One of our favorite pasta is Zucchini Pasta. The zucchini is sliced very thin and then sauted to a dark brown. It shrinks down to almost nothing, intensifying its flavor. No matter how many zucchinis we buy at the market it never seems like it is quite enough. You should try this dish. The recipe is from Mark Bittman in the New York Times and is easy and good! You can get the recipe from our blog of: June 19, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

We started with Melon and Prosciutto.

Home Made Polenta

We often cook polenta. Only rarely do we actually make polenta from scratch starting with corn on the cob. This is a wonderful recipe from Ottolenghi’s Cookbook: Plenty. He calls the recipe: Sweet Corn Polenta with Eggplant.

It is a delicious vegetarian dish. We love it! You can get the recipe from our blog of: Aug. 11, 2011. Click the date to get the recipe.

We started with a Salad that we topped with re-heated Potatoes and Smoked Salmon. This is a favorite way serve some left over potatoes. 

New Grill

I decided to make a Peach Pie. My Pie making skills have increased! However, if I keep on making pies, I am have to get larger clothes. We invited Darryl over for some pie and as I was grilling, a neighbor, Ester, was on her nightly walk. I invited her in for a drink and she decided to join us for dinner.

I have had a Weber Grill for a long time. Robert was at our house and mentioned that you can buy a heavy-duty cast iron grate for the grill. I didn’t know that. I bought one via Amazon (no tax until Sep 15). It makes a HUGE difference. I really am glad I have it.

We grilled Steaks from McCall’s Meat and Fish. They were a great test for the grill and had perfect grill marks when I removed them from the grill. I realize now that not only does the cast iron grill grate leave beautiful marks on the meat, but they retain the heat and help grill the meat faster.

I also grilled Corn on the grill. Once again we made: Lyonnaise Potatoes 
from Wolfgang Puck's Modern French Cooking for the American Kitchen. We love the potatoes. You can get the recipe from our blog of: June 23, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

By the way, the pie was delicious!

The Return of Scott

Scott had been in travelling and had returned to Los Angeles. I had made a Peach Pie, and we invited Scott / Tom and Robert and Darryl over for dinner. Scott / Tom couldn't make for dinner but said they would come late for a piece of pie.

We started with Pappa al Pomodoro Soup. This is a thick Italian Tomato soup we love to make in the summer when tomatoes are at their best. We use the recipe from the Italian Country Cookbook by Rogers and Gray. You can get the recipe from our blog of: June 26, 2009. Click the date to get the recipe.

We had eaten at Mozza and had a special Pizza that used tomatoes from BiancoDiNapoli by Chris Bianco. These canned tomatoes were intense in flavor. We asked Matt if we could get some of the tomatoes and he gave us a can. The tomatoes are deep a deep red in color and delicious. They are perfect for sauces and soups. We used these tomatoes as the basis of the soup.

Figs are in season and we made a favorite from the The Zuni Café Cookbook by Judy Rodgers: Chicken Braised with Figs, Honey & Vinegar. When figs are at their peak this is a great dish. We always serve it with cous-cous. The sauce from the dish is delicious with the cous-cous.

You can get the recipe from our blog of: June 27, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe.

When Scott and Tom arrived they did have some Chicken and Figs and then had their piece of pie with us.

For the Peach Pie I used a recipe for Gingery Peach Crisp from Jim Dodge. What makes it special is I mixed crystallized ginger with the peaches. This gives a real tang to the pie. We used Crystallized Ginger Chips from the Ginger People. You can buy it at The Cheese Store of Silverlake.

Gingery Peach Crisp

This simple, summery dessert is based on a couple of Jim Dodge’s recipes in The American Baker.

Fri, Feb 05 2010 at 3:56 PM EST

Gingery Peach Crisp

Ingredients

•               10 medium peaches, ripe but firm

•               2 tablespoons cornstarch

•               1 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar

•               1⁄2 cup (about 3 ounces) crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped

•               10 tablespoons cold unsalted butter

•               1 cup bread flour

Preparation

1.            Preheat the oven to 375˚F.

2.            Wash and dry the peaches, but do not peel.

3.            Cut into eighths and place in a mixing bowl.

4.            Combine the cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of the sugar, add to the peaches, and toss to coat; stir in the ginger.

5.            Spread the contents of the bowl in a shallow 2 1⁄2-quart baking dish.

6.            Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces.

7.            Combine in the bowl of an electric mixer with the flour and the remaining 1 cup sugar.

8.            Mix with the paddle attachment at low speed until crumbly; stop mixing as soon as the color begins to show yellowish.

9.            Spread the topping over the fruit and bake until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbling around the edges, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

10.        Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with vanilla ice cream.

Yield

Serves 10

Time estimates

Prep time: 30 min  

Cook time: 1 hr  

Total time: 1 hr 30 min  

Good to know

Most of what I know about desserts I have learned from my wife Elaine Ratner and indirectly from pastry chef Jim Dodge, with whom Elaine worked on two classic cookbooks. This simple, summery dessert is based on a couple of Jim’s recipes in The American Baker. A stand mixer with a paddle attachment makes short work of preparing the crisp topping; if you don’t have a mixer with a paddle, rub the butter together with the flour and sugar as if making pie dough, and when it reaches the consistency of coarse meal, gently press it together into pea-sized clumps.

Flaky Tart Dough
Tartine by Prueitt & Robertson

Yield two 9-inch or 10-inch tart or pie shells

This is an example of a baker's recipe that you will never have to look up if you just remember the basic ratio of three to two to one, flour to butter to water. It can be scaled up and down as needed without adjustment (except for occasionally changing the water amount because of high humidity affecting the flour or the moisture content of your butter), and it always makes a perfect flaky dough if you handle it gently and keep the butter and water ice cold. At Tartine, we make this dough two different ways: one is quickly mixed together (whether you use a food processor or make it by hand) and the other is a bit more complicated but yields an even flakier dough that is like a rough puff pastry.

KITCHEN NOTES: There are two things that you can do to ensure a flaky crust: work the dough very briefly, making sure that some of the butter remains in pea-sized pieces (when the dough is rolled out, you should see faint streaks of butter), and chill the dough well before baking. Chilling creates little pockets (made by tbe flour and water) where the butter is, which will remain after baking and is what creates the light and fork-tender texture in a well-made dough

Salt         1 tsp

Water, very cold 2/3 cup

All-purpose flour         3 cups + 2 tbsp

Unsalted butter, very cold 1 cup + 5 tbsp

In a small bowl, add the salt to the water and stir to dissolve. Keep very cold until ready to use.

To make the dough in a food processor, put the flour in the work bowl. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and scatter the pieces over the flour. Pulse briefly until the mixture forms large crumbs and some of the butter is still in pieces the size of peas. Add the water-and-salt mixture and pulse for several seconds until the dough begins to come together in a ball but is not completely smooth. You should still be able to see some butter chunks.

To make the dough by hand, put the flour in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into 1-inch pieces and scatter the pieces over the flour. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut the butter into the flour until the mixture forms large crumbs and some of the butter is still in pieces the size of peas. Drizzle in the water-and-salt mixture and stir and toss with a fork until the dough begins to come together in a shaggy mass. Gently mix until the dough comes together into a ball but is not completely smooth. You should still be able to see some butter chunks.

On a lightly floured work surface, divide the dough into 2 equal balls and shape each ball into a disk 1 inch thick. Wrap well in plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours or for up to overnight.

To line a tart pan or pie dish, place a disk of dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out 1/8 inch thick, rolling from the center toward the edge in all direc­tions. Lift and rotate the dough a quarter turn every few strokes to discourage sticking, and work quickly to prevent the dough from becoming warm. Lightly dust the work surface with extra flour as needed to prevent sticking. If lining a pie dish, cut out a circle 2 inches larger than the dish. If lining a tart pan with a removable bottom, cut out a circle 1-1/2 inches larger than the pan. Carefully transfer the round to the pie dish or tart pan (fold it in half or into quarters to simplify the transfer if necessary), easing it into the bottom and sides and then pressing gently into place. Trim the dough even with the rim of the pan with a sharp knife. If you are lining a pie dish, you can trim the dough so that there is a 1/2-inch overhang, fold the overhang under, and flute or crimp the edge, though at the bakery we leave the edge plain.

For recipes that call for unbaked shells, refrigerate until ready to use. If refrigerating overnight, cover the shell with plastic wrap. For recipes that call for a partially baked or fully baked shell, chill the shell until firm to the touch, 30 minutes to 1 hour, before baking. This ensures the flakiest crust. The shells may also be well wrapped and frozen for up to 2 weeks at this point. It is not necessary to thaw them before continuing with the following steps for baking.

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Line the pastry shells with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. For a partially baked crust, bake until the surface looks dry and pale, with no dense or opaque areas left, about 20 minutes; to check, lift a corner of the paper. Remove from the oven and remove the weights and paper. Return the shells to the oven and bake for a few minutes longer. Check the dough while it is baking. If it is rising up in the middle, gently pierce it with the tip of a knife (be careful not to make a large hole in case you use a very liquid filling).

For a fully baked shell, bake the shells until the surface looks light brown, about 25 minutes; to check, lift a corner of the paper. Remove from the oven and remove the weights and paper. Return the shells to the oven and bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes longer.

Let the shells cool completely on wire racks before filling. They will keep, well wrapped, in the refriger­ator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks

Veal Chop

I had been thinking about grilling Veal Chops, but hadn’t gotten around to it. McCall’s Meat and Fish was closing for vacation and they had two beautiful chops so we decided to make them.

It was perfect grilling weather and we could eat outside. We started with a Tomato Salad topped with Burrata Cheese and Fresh Basil. We used both Cherry Tomatoes and a variety of Heirloom’s. What says summer more than a tomato salad?

We prepared the chops early in the day using the Babbo Porcini Rub from Babbo Cookbook by Mario Batali. It is a wonderful dry rub for meats that are going to get grilled. You can find it on our blog of: March 20, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

With the Veal Chop we served, Grilled Corn and SIGNORA BIMBI'S PEPPERS (I Peperoni delta Signora Bimbi) from The Itialian Country Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. You can get the recipe from our blog of: May 19, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

I got my veal fix!

Joint Dinner

Don't These Peppers Look Great!

We were planning to make a new dish: Grilled Brined Halibut. In addition I had bought several peppers that I wanted to grill. Scott had left for Taipei and we knew that Tom was home alone. Cathy and I along with Robert and had gone swimming. The weather has been extremely hot, so we really enjoyed the cool dip. We decided to invite Tom over for dinner. We also invited Robert, but he had planned to cook a Roast Chicken that night. So, we decided to join forces and have a dinner with multiple entries. The chicken was exceptional!

I had purchased some beautiful peppers at the Farmer's Market and Grilled them to make: SIGNORA BIMBI'S PEPPERS (I Peperoni delta Signora Bimbi) from The Itialian Country Table by Lynne Rossetto Kasper. You can get the recipe from our blog of: May 19, 2012. Click the date to get the recipe.

We had some of the Eggplant Lasagna leftover and decided to reheat it and serve. We still thought there might not be enough food for all of us, so we went to McCall’s Meat and Fish to see what they had available. We finally decided up scallops. Cathy found a great recipe for Grilled Scallops and Plums with Sweet Mirin Barbecue Sauce from License to Grill by Schlesinger and Willoughby and which we made. Robert brought his chicken which was great. Surprisingly we like the scallops better than the Halibut.

The scallop recipe is a keeper!

Grilled Scallops and Plums with Sweet Mirin Barbecue Sauce

License to Grill

Schlesinger and Willoughby

SERVES    4

When I grill scallops, I like to use the largest kind. People may frown and say that smaller ones taste better, but to me the big ones taste great—and they're a lot cheaper, too. Not only that, but the size really helps us in grilling because the sea scallop is able to spend enough time over a hot fire to catch a flavorful sear without overcooking. I also like to blanch them just briefly to firm them up slightly so they don't stick to the grill.

Here we put a Japanese spin on scallops, with some grilled plums and a sweet mirin sauce. If you can get dead-on fresh scallops, a bit of undercooking is appropri­ate here.

2 pounds sea scallops (the largest you can find), cleaned

For   the   Sauce

2     tablespoons minced ginger

1     tablespoon minced garlic

½     cup mirin (or substitute sweet vermouth or sweet sherry)

½     cup rice wine vinegar (or substitute 1/4 cup each water and white vinegar)

¼     cup soy sauce

6 to 10 dashes Tabasco sauce

1     tablespoon vegetable oil

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

4     plums, halved and pitted

1     lime, quartered

1.   In a medium saucepan, bring 2 quarts salted water to a boil over high heat. Drop in the scallops and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and thread onto skewers.

2.   Make the sauce: In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

3.   Rub the scallops with the oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste, and grill over a medium-hot fire for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until brown and slightly

4.   crisp on the outside. To check for doneness: Cut into one of the scallops; it should be just opaque all the way through. Be careful not to overcook, or they will toughen.

5.   As the scallops are cooking, place the plums cut side down on the grill and cook for about 3 minutes per side, until slightly seared, lust as the scallops and the plums are almost finished cooking, brush both generously with the sauce.

6.   Remove the scallops and plums from the grill and slide the scallops off the skewers. Serve each person 2 plum halves and one quarter of the scallops, garnished with a lime wedge. Pass the remaining sauce separately.

latimes.com

Recipe: Grilled brined halibut with vine-ripened tomato salad

August 11, 2012

Total time: 1 hour, 15 minutes, plus brining and refrigerating time for the fillets

Servings: 6 to 8

Note: This recipe requires the use of a kitchen scale. Opal basil is available at select gourmet and farmers markets.

Brined halibut

50 grams salt (scant ¼ cup)

600 grams water (generous 2¼ cups)

400 grams ice cubes (scant 4 cups)

3 pounds center-cut skinless halibut fillet

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1. Combine salt and water in a large mixing bowl and stir to dissolve the salt. Add ice. Set the brine aside while you prepare the fish.

2. Cut the fish into 2½-inch wide by 1-inch thick strips along the length of the fillet. (After brining, you'll cut the fish into cooking portions). Be sure to use the sharpest knife in the drawer for this and work slowly and carefully. Remove the blood line from the skin side of the fillets. Place the fillets in the brine and leave for 1 hour.

3. Remove the fish from the brine, dip briefly in salt-free ice water and dry it thoroughly with paper towels. Lay the fillets out flat on parchment-lined baking sheets and refrigerate, unwrapped, for a minimum of 4 hours.

4. Cut the fillets into 5- to 6-ounce portions, and prepare as you wish.

5. To grill the halibut, heat the grill over medium-high heat until hot and clean it well with a wire brush. Brush both sides of the fish with a very thin coating of mayonnaise and sprinkle with salt, if desired.

6. Just before putting the fish on the grill, wipe down the grate with an old rag that has been briefly dipped in cooking oil. Place the fish on the grill and, after a minute or so, turn the fillets at a 45-degree angle to mark them. After another minute, flip the fillets. Cook for 2 more minutes. The flesh should yield to gentle pressure when pressed (you can also use a cake tester to test the doneness of the fillet; when the fish is properly cooked, a cake tester will pass through with only gentle resistance).

7. Remove the fish to rest, preferably on a rack, for 5 minutes before serving.

Tomato salad

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

6 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

1 pinch sugar

Salt and pepper to taste

1 small clove garlic, green germ removed, finely minced

1 1/4 cups extra virgin olive oil

1 pound haricots vert (French green beans), stem ends trimmed

1 pound various varieties of tomatoes (try for a mix of types, sizes and colors)

Maldon salt, or other coarse sea salt

1 shallot, finely minced

15 large green basil leaves, cut in ¼-inch ribbons

15 large opal basil leaves, cut in ¼-inch ribbons (or substitute more green basil leaves)

1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped

25 tarragon leaves, snipped with scissors

1. Prepare the vinaigrette. Place the mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and garlic in a mason jar. Place the lid on the jar and give it a good shake. This will dissolve the salt and the sugar. Remove the cap, add the oil, relace the cap and shake again. This will yield about 1 1/3 cups of creamy, well-emulsified vinaigrette, more than will be required for the recipe (the remainder can be stored tightly covered in the refrigerator for at least 1 week).

2. Blanch the green beans briefly in a large pot of rapidly boiling salted water and cook just until the color brightens, about 1 minute. Remove to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking, then drain and pat dry.

3. Slice the tomatoes and arrange them on a large serving platter. Depending on the shape of the tomatoes, you may want to cut some into wedges and others may look better sliced. Season the tomatoes with Maldon salt and a few turns of freshly milled black pepper. Sprinkle the tomatoes with the chopped shallots and distribute half the green and opal basil, parsley and tarragon evenly over the tomatoes. This should be done one-half hour before you are ready to serve your guests.

4. Just before the fish is ready, shake the vinaigrette again to re-emulsify, and drizzle one-fourth of it over the tomatoes. Place the cooked and drained haricots vert in a mixing bowl and toss them with enough vinaigrette to coat them well and season with salt and pepper. Scatter a layer of beans over the tomatoes.

5. Place the grilled halibut on top of the tomatoes and the beans. Drizzle the halibut with more vinaigrette and scatter over the remainder of the dressed beans. Distribute the remaing herbs over it all. Pass the remaining vinaigrette at the table.

Each serving with vinaigrette: 421 calories; 26 grams protein; 4 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 33 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 70 mg cholesterol; 363 mg sodium; 1 gram sugar.

Copyright © 2012, Los Angeles Times