Taking The Spice Route

Lamb Chops with Red Wine Juniper Berry Sauce

To make the sauce Melt butter in medium saucepan, add shallots until golden, add peppercorns, juniper berries, thyme, and rosemary. Berries will crackle; add red wine, reduce to half, add stock and reduce to half. Let simmer, then add salt and cracked pepper, simmer and taste. Strain and add back to pan. Whisk in butter and enjoy with your favorite red meat, wild game, pork, or duck.
To make lamb chops Remove chops from refrigerator and let sit to room temperature. Lightly coat with olive oil and season both sides with kosher salt and fresh cracked pepper. Grill or pan sear over high heat 2-3 minutes per side, let rest and add sauce.

Calico Carrots

Cut carrots and potatoes into 1-inch pieces and steam until tender. Set aside. Heat olive oil and simmer shallots, thyme, and juniper berries in it until shallots are tender. Transfer all ingredients to mixing bowl and add vinegar and butter. Season to taste, and gently mash with masher or wooden spoon, keeping lumpy for texture—hence the name calico carrots. Plate with lamb and red wine juniper berry sauce.

Pulpo Gallego a la Moderna (Modern-style Galician Octopus)

For octopus Immerse 1 octopus into a pot of boiling water educated with 1 bay leaf, ½ lemon, handful of salt. Boil for 1 hour, turn off and let sit for 15 minutes. Remove octopus from water and cut legs off in about 3-inch sections. Take 3 pieces and skewer them end to end (making the legs straight). Squeeze tightly, wrap with plastic wrap and let chill for 1 hr.
For paprika oil Combine 4 tsps. oil and 2 tsps. paprika in small bowl and set aside.
For potato Julienne 1 small potato and fry until crisp in 1 cup olive oil, then put aside.
Plating Remove skewers from octopus and thinly slice (the 3 rounds should stick together), covering the bottom of the plate with sliced octopus. Drizzle olive oil and paprika mixture over top generously. Remove the zest from ½ lemon and sprinkle over top, finishing with sea salt to taste. Place a nest of the fried potatoes in the middle, and serve (with your favorite Albariño).