Great Ideas

Geoffrey Zakarian’s ROASTED PORK

The Iron Chef serves up a popular dish from his N.Y.C. restaurant the National. “I love its simplicity and heartiness,” he says

ROASTED PORK LOIN WITH HERBED BUTTERMILK SAUCE

Serves 4

2½ lbs. boneless pork loin

Salt and pepper

1 tbsp. canola oil

½ cup buttermilk

1 tbsp. mayonnaise

Juice of ½ lemon

1 tbsp. chopped fresh dill

1 tbsp. chopped fresh tarragon

1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Season pork with salt and pepper. Heat a large cast iron skillet or sauté pan over high heat. Add the oil and then the pork. Lower the heat to medium high, and sear pork on all sides until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Place the pan in the oven and roast pork for 25 to 30 minutes. Let meat rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

2. Combine buttermilk, mayonnaise, lemon juice and herbs. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over pork slices and serve.

Anne Burrell’s SIDE DISH

The host of Chef Wanted shares a “healthy and delicious” complement to any meal

ASPARAGUS WITH PARMIGIANO-REGGIANO VINAIGRETTE

Serves 4

2 bunches asparagus, stems snapped where they naturally break

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

½ cup red wine vinegar

4 tbsp. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

Kosher salt

2 hard-boiled eggs, whites and yolks separated, crumbled

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Set up a bowl of salted ice water. Place the asparagus in the boiling water. Cook 5 minutes. Remove asparagus and plunge immediately into the ice water. Remove, pat dry, and reserve.

2. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, red wine vinegar and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Salt to taste. Toss the asparagus in the vinaigrette. Sprinkle with the crumbled eggs and serve.

Duff Goldman’s CARROT CAKE

With this dessert, ‘it’s all about simple ingredients,’ says the owner of Duff’s Cakemix in L.A.

CHARM CITY CARROT CAKE

Makes 1 (8-in.) cake

1½ cups flour

1½ cups sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

1¼ tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

½ tsp. ground ginger

½ tsp. salt

4 eggs, room temperature

1½ cups canola oil

½ tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups grated carrots

Cream cheese frosting

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Sift together first 9 ingredients into a mixing bowl. Beat in eggs until batter becomes thick and pale yellow, 3 minutes. Slowly beat in oil and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until combined. Fold in carrots.

2. Pour batter into 2 greased 8-in. round pans lined with parchment paper. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow layers to cool completely before icing with your favorite cream cheese frosting.

Gordon Ramsay’s SHORTBREAD COOKIES

The tough judge on Hell’s Kitchen and MasterChef shares a simple dessert from his latest cookbook

LEMON THYME SHORTBREAD

Makes about 30 cookies

2½ cups flour

¼ tsp. fine sea salt

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup superfine sugar

2 tbsp. finely chopped lemon thyme

1. Sift the flour with the salt and set aside. Beat butter and sugar together with electric mixer until smooth and creamy. With the mixer on its lowest setting, add lemon thyme, then flour, a little at a time until combined. Shape into a flattened ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 20 minutes.

2. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-in. thick. Stamp out cookies using a 2½-in. round cookie cutter. Transfer to 2 lightly buttered cookie sheets. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until pale golden. Cool. If desired, sprinkle with additional sugar.

Gordon Ramsay’s Home Cooking goes on sale April 9.