Fiddler's Favorite Recipes Episode 10: Rachel Kolly's Pesto, and Lamb 'Sashimi'

April 11, 2020, 8:48 PM · Hard to believe we are at Episode #10 already of Fiddler’s Favorites...Given that it is a holiday time for many people, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy Passover and Happy Easter!

We are having a very special meal prepared for us by the wonderful Swiss Violinist (and Iron Chef) Rachel Kolly.

Rachel made her debut as a concerto soloist when she was only 12. She has performed with orchestras throughout the world and her discography includes solo and chamber works that have received many awards including the Best Classical Recording of the Year in the “Concerto Category” by the prestigious International Classical Music Awards.

Just this past December I had the great pleasure of spending time with Rachel at her home in Basel, Switzerland.

Here, Rachel is preparing her favorite recipes for Pesto and Lamb Sashimi. After you have enjoyed Rachel's beautifully prepared food you can also check out her "Bach A Day" series she has started since Quarantine!

PESTO
Ingredients
wild garlic — a handful
cashew nuts — a handful
parmigiano cheese — grated, a handful
olive oil
seasoning to taste (salt or a bit more parmigiano)
Method
Chop wild garlic, cashew nuts and parmigiano and place in a blender or jug
Add olive oil and blend briefly, or mix with a stab mixer
Add seasoning to taste
That’s it for the pesto!
Add to pasta, gnocchi, seafood salad or meat. If you have any parmigiano left over, grate some flakes onto the finished dish.

10-minute LAMB "SASHIMI"

Ingredients
fillet of lamb
Marinade:
honey
soy sauce
sesame seeds
Method
Marinade lamb fillet for 10 minutes
Sear lamb in marinade 3 minutes maximum on each side

Slice like sashimi and serve lukewarm.

Voilà!

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Replies

Joe Gladstone

April 12, 2020 at 09:02 PM · That looks delicious! Thanks for posting. Can't wait to try this!

Paul Deck

April 15, 2020 at 12:32 AM · Thanks for sharing, but...

Unfortunately lamb fillet is not a cut that is frequently offered by American supermarkets. My local store only has ground lamb and lamb chops. Pork tenderloin could be substituted here. Of course, pork isn't lamb -- I understand that.

If you're using a food processor, you don't need to chop the nuts on a cutting board first. And you can use walnuts if you don't have cashews. And American parmesan cheese works just fine in pesto. The keys to good pesto are fresh basil and good oil.

It is better if amounts of ingredients are given in grams instead of handfuls.

The flavor of sesame seeds won't do anything to a marinade in 10 minutes. Just shake some on when you serve it. The way she seared the meat at the end of the video is better -- without dumping in a cup of marinade liquid. Once it is seared then you can finish it in the oven or the gas grill if you need it to be more "done." Also handle it with tongs and you can spare yourself a lot of mess.

The recipes provided are not for what she made. I can't understand her accent so I have no idea what she put into that salad. Did she say "pulled pork"? That's what it sounded like but it didn't look like that.

What's the yellow stuff?

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Fiddler's Favorite Recipes Episode 10: Rachel Kolly's Pesto, and Lamb 'Sashimi'

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