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Tavern on the GreenCOOKBOOKS WITH PANACHE
Tavern on the Green
By Kay LeRoy and Jennifer Oz LeRoy

Nestled in Central Park, one of the most fabulous settings imaginable, Tavern on the Green has been dazzling generations of New Yorkers and visitors with its inventive, eclectic menu and playful decor.

This enchanting souvenir volume captures the restaurant's rich history, from its origins in the 1870s as a shelter for the sheep that grazed in the nearby Sheep Meadow, to its reincarnation as a restaurant in the 1930s and rebirth in the 1970s as the glistening jewel of restaurateur/showman Warner LeRoy.

  

Black Pepper Orzo
with lamb sausage, feta, and mint
Serves 8
Black Pepper Orzo
Because this main-course pasta dish is so easy to make, it's ideal for an impromptu celebration. It also makes a lovely side dish for six if you omit the sausage. If you find precooked lamb sausages, by all means substitute them for the fresh sausages called for below. Omit the precooking step and simply slice them as described.
INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 to 2 pounds lamb sausage, or lamb and beef sausage (merguez)

Kosher salt

12 ounces orzo pasta

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or more as needed

14 ounces French or Greek feta cheese,
crumbled (about 2 1/2 cups)

Finely grated zest of 2 scrubbed lemons

1/3 cup coarsely chopped mint leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

Put a large pot of water on to boil, for the orzo.

In a large skillet or sauté pan, combine the sausages with 1/2 cup water and place over medium heat. Cook, uncovered, turning occasionally, until all the water has evaporated and the sausages start to brown, about 12 minutes.

Continue cooking for 10 to 12 minutes more (depending on the thickness of the sausage), until the sausages are firm and deep golden brown all over (regulate the heat so the sausages sizzle but don't burn, and add a few drops of oil if necessary).

Cool slightly and slice about 1/2 inch thick on the diagonal. Transfer to a large serving platter and set aside.

Add 2 tablespoons kosher salt to the pasta water and add the orzo. Cook until al dente, about 9 minutes. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse under cold running water, then drain again, shaking the colander gently.

Transfer the orzo to the platter with the sausage and drizzle with the ⅓ cup oil; mix well to stop the pasta from sticking. Let stand for at least 10 and up to 20 minutes.

Add the feta, about two thirds of the lemon zest, and about two thirds of the mint to the pasta; season quite generously with black pepper. Fold together gently, then drizzle with a little more olive oil, if desired, and scatter with the remaining lemon zest and mint. Place on a buffet or serve.
Excerpted from TAVERN ON THE GREEN, by Kay LeRoy and Jennifer Oz LeRoy (Artisan Books, 2009, $35.00). Photos by Ben Fink.
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