Sonali Ruder is a second-year student from The Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, where she is also a board-certified emergency medicine physician.

Growing up on Long Island, dinner was always the most important meal of the day. Her parents both worked full-time, but always insisted on preparing a family dinner, which was most often traditional Indian fare.

It wasn’t until she started residency training that she discovered her own love for cooking. She began experimenting and creating new dishes every night, taking traditional recipes and infusing them with the international flavors that she grew up eating. She feels that cooking truly expresses her creative side.

“In my future, I hope to find a way to merge my two worlds,” says Sonali. “I would love to pursue my interest in recipe writing and to one day publish my own cookbook.”

Pan-Roasted Lamb Loin with Celery Root, Apple and Dijon Puree, Mustard Greens, GREY POUPON–Glazed Carrots, Pomegranate Jus and Black Truffle–Mustard-Mushroom Crisp

Yield: 4 servings

School: The Institute of Culinary Education
Representative: Sonali Ruder

Place oil in medium sauté pan. Heat pan over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook until tender; stir in the shallots and cook 1 minute more. Season with salt and pepper. Remove ½ of the cooked mushrooms and place them in a bowl. Toss them with the GREY POUPON Classic Dijon mustard, black truffle oil, parsley, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Set aside.

Cool the remaining mushrooms completely and chop in a food processor. Add the butter, flour, egg yolk, and salt to taste and pulse in the food processor to combine. Once the dough has formed, turn it out onto a floured board or counter and knead it by hand. Place the dough between two pieces of plastic wrap or parchment paper and roll it out into a rectangle, approximately 1/16th inch in thickness. Place the dough on a half sheet pan and refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Once the dough is cool, cut it into strips, approximately 1 x 6 inches. Place them on a half sheet pan and bake in the oven until crisp, about 6 minutes. Remove and cool. Set aside.

Place the celery root and potatoes in a large pot of salted, cold water. Bring to a boil. Simmer 10-15 minutes, until partially tender and then add the apples. Continue to cook until completely tender, another 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the cream, butter, and bay leaf in a small saucepan over medium heat.

Drain the cooked vegetables and return them to the hot, dry pot. Stir them over low heat for 2 minutes to dry. Puree in a food processor (Robot Coupe) with enough of the hot cream and butter mixture to achieve a smooth consistency (remove the bay leaf). Add the GREY POUPON Classic Dijon mustard and combine. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside in a covered saucepan and keep warm.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tbsp. of butter and sweat the onions. Add the mustard greens and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. After greens are partially cooked, add the water and cook until the greens are soft and the liquid is mostly evaporated.

In a separate small sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 Tbsp. of butter over medium heat. Once the butter has browned, add the hazelnuts and toss to combine. Add the brown butter and hazelnuts to the mustard greens. Stir in the GREY POUPON Classic Dijon mustard to taste. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the butter and sauté the carrots for a few minutes. Add the water and cover. Simmer until carrots are softened, 6-8 minutes. Stir in the GREY POUPON Classic Dijon mustard and brown sugar and cook uncovered until liquid is reduced and carrots are glazed. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Season the lamb with salt and pepper and sear in the skillet on all sides. Once browned, add the butter, garlic and thyme to the pan. Baste the lamb with the butter continuously until cooked. In the last moments of basting, add the GREY POUPON Classic Dijon mustard to coat the lamb. Remove to a rack to rest.

Make the pomegranate jus while the lamb is resting. Drain the excess butter from the sauté pan used to cook the lamb, and heat over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until softened. Add the pomegranate juice and reduce by half. Add the veal stock and reduce until thickened. Whisk in the GREY POUPON Classic Dijon mustard, then the cold butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Final Assembly:
To assemble the final plate, spread some celery root, apple and Dijon puree in the center the plate and top with a mound of mustard greens. Slice the lamb and arrange the slices on the puree. Arrange some carrots on the plate. Top each mushroom crisp with some truffle-mustard mushrooms and freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese. Arrange the crisp on the plate leaning against the other components. Finish the plate with the pomegranate jus.