Cookbooks

Brine-curing the pork makes it soft, tender, and juicy. The pork is cut into small pieces, so it only needs to be cured for 4 hours.

Brush on fish, chicken, and burgers.

Five-spice powder is a pungent seasoning mix used widely in Chinese cooking. It is made of equal parts ground cloves, cinnamon, fennel seed, star anise, and Szechuan peppercorns. For a recipe, see page 650.

Save extra pesto to use on other grilled meats or fish. It will last up to 1 week in the refrigerator.

Leave a cool spot on the grill for cooking the roasts after they are glazed; turn them frequently to avoid burning.

One to two hours before baking, remove the ham from the refrigerator and let it come to room temperature.

Low-fat plain yogurt can be used instead.

Large cuts of meat are often stuffed after being boned. Here, fresh mint, pistachios, and lemon juice bring Middle Eastern flavors to lamb.

Rack of lamb is truly a special-occasion treat. Usually, you need to order it through a butcher, at the supermarket or in a butcher shop. Ask him to french the bones. He will know what you’re talking about, and you will sound as if you do, too. This means removing excess meat and fat from the bones, which looks nice and makes the chops dainty and neat to eat. It is really important to let the meat rest for 10 minutes before serving (it will finish cooking and reabsorb juices). This time also lets you pull together the final elements of the meal.