(Gazpacho) VIA CREATIVE COMMONS

Teachers Sabina Laricchia, Teresa Calvo-Martinez, and François Monroc each have a special recipe that they make every springtime to celebrate Easter and the cold winter months (finally) coming to a close and making way for warm weather. First, we will hear a delicious recipe from Laricchia who cooks portabella mushroom and focaccia bread for her family, then Calvo-Martinez, and lastly, Monroc. 

Ms. Laricchia’s Portabella Mushroom

This recipe is a family favorite and is cooked by Sabina Laricchia’s mother every Easter as a way of celebrating the holiday as a family. 

Ingredients: 

• 6 oz Portabella Mushrooms 
• Salt 
• White Pepper 
• Olive Oil 
• Lime Juice 
• Garlic Clove 
• Shallot 
• Parsley 

Instructions: 

1. Season the mushrooms with salt/white pepper and olive oil to taste. 
2. Grill over high heat for 4 minutes until soft. 
3. Let them cool and then marinate for at least one hour in the mixture. 
4. Marinate in 3 oz olive oil, 1 lime, 1 garlic clove minced, 1 small shallot chopped, 1 teaspoon of fresh parsley chopped. 
5. Chill before serving. 

Dr. Calvo-Martinez’s Gazpacho

Every spring, Calvo-Martinez enjoys Gazpacho with her family. Calvo-Martinez particularly enjoys this recipe from the website “Spain on a Fork.” Gazpacho is a delicious cold and refreshing soup that can be enjoyed any hour of the day.  

Ingredients: 

• 10 Roma tomatoes 
• 1 small green bell pepper 
• 1 small cucumber 
• 1 large clove of garlic 
• 1 tsp sherry vinegar
• ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil 
• ¾ cup cold water 
• Pinch of sea salt

EXTRAS: 

• Finely diced green bell peppers 
• Finely diced onions
• Extra virgin olive oil 

Instructions: 

1. Begin by washing and patting dry the tomatoes, bell pepper, and cucumber
2. Cut each tomato into eight evenly sliced pieces and add into a blender. 
3. Cut the green pepper into large chunks and add to the blender with the tomatoes. 
4. Peel the cucumber, cut it into 1-inch thick pieces and add to the blender with the rest of the ingredients. 
5. Also add in one large clove of garlic that has been cut into four pieces. 
6. Using a large wooden spoon, push down all the ingredients and compact them together, this will make it easier on the blender to bring all the ingredients together. 
7. Add in a generous teaspoon of sherry vinegar, a ¼ cup of extra virgin olive oil, a generous ¾ cup of extra cold water and a generous pinch of fine sea salt. 
8. Run the blender on a low speed for about 5 minutes. 
9. Transfer the gazpacho into a glass pitcher, cover with saran wrap and add to the fridge for at least two hours. 
10. To serve the gazpacho, make sure you mix it in the pitcher before you serve it, pour into bowls and garnish with diced green bell peppers, diced onions and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, enjoy! 

Mr Monroc’s Recipe

Mr. Monroc and his family often eat this dish for Easter, as it is a popular dish in France because of its symbolic value in Christianity. This specific recipe is by “Curious Cuisinière” and is similar to what most people would eat for Easter.

Ingredients

• 5-6 lb leg of lamb, bone-in
• 5-7 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
• 2 large fresh rosemary sprigs
• Salt
• Pepper
• Olive oil

The Night Before

1. The night before you want to roast your lamb, cut 1-inch slits in the leg of the lamb. Stuff the slits with garlic slices and rosemary sprigs. Place the lamb in a roasting pan with a roasting rack. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to infuse with flavor.

Roasting the Lamb

1. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator 2-3 hours before you want to start cooking to let it come to room temperature.
2. Preheat your oven to 450F.
3. Drizzle the lamb with olive oil and sprinkle it with salt and pepper. If you have an in-oven probe thermometer, insert it into the center of the meatiest part of the leg.
4. Roast the lamb at 450F for 15 minutes.
5. Reduce your oven temperature to 300F. Open the oven door slightly to help drop the heat more quickly.
6. Continue to roast the lamb at 300F for 20-25 minutes per pound for medium rare (or 25-30 minutes a pound for medium). (For a 5-6 lb leg of lamb, this means you will be roasting 1.5-2.5 hours for medium rare or 2-3 hours for medium.)
7. Remove the lamb from the oven when it has reached 135F internal temperature for medium rare (or 150F for medium).
8. Rest the lamb on the counter for 10-15 minutes, tented loosely with aluminum foil. As it rests, it will continue to cook. Your ending temperature for medium rare should be 145F (or 160F for medium).
9. Carve the leg (as instructed in our article) and serve with green beans and gratin potatoes!

Each of these teachers has a unique way of enjoying and celebrating the beginning of springtime with their loved ones. These dishes are significant in their lives as they are tied to their family, culture, and identity.