Pop Art

Popovers are thrilling to watch. Turn on the oven light, peer through the door, and you'll see them begin to rise -- and rise -- and finally poof into the most dramatic high mounds. They require a celebration of some sort: today's Easter feast, if you have eggs and milk on hand, or perhaps a gathering with friends on another bright afternoon. Set the golden puffs beside slices of rosy lamb roasted with sweet onions, add something crunchy and green (sugar snaps are a fine choice), and finish with a bowl of fresh berries topped with creamy Italian mascarpone. You have a menu to celebrate tulips and crocuses, warm weather, and longer days.

POPOVERS
SERVES 6

Just when you think the popovers are done, leave them in the oven for 5 more minutes. Without the extra time, the glorious poofs will deflate before your eyes. If you're baking with a regular muffin pan instead of an extra-deep widely spaced popover pan, use two pans, so you can pour the batter in every other cup to allow for expansion.

Butter (for the pans)
Flour (for the pans)
4 eggs, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups whole milk
1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Set the oven at 425 degrees. Have on hand a standard 12-cup popover pan, or 2 12-cup muffin pans, or 8 3/4-cup custard cups.

Butter the pans or cups, then dust with fl our, tapping out the excess. Set the pans or cups on a rimmed baking sheet.

In a bowl with a fork, beat the eggs for 1/2 minute. Beat in the milk and butter.

In a separate bowl with a whisk, stir the flour and salt. Make a well in the center and gradually whisk the egg mixture into the flour mixture just until it is blended. It is OK if a few lumps remain.

Ladle the batter into the pan or cups so it comes almost to the top. Transfer to the hot oven. Bake the popovers for 20 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and continue baking for 20 minutes more, or until the popovers are brown and crusty on the outside.

Don't open the oven door while the popovers are baking. When done, remove from the oven.

Remove the popovers from the pan or cups and serve at once.

ROAST LAMB WITH SWEET ONIONS
SERVES 6

LAMB
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 sirloin-end boneless leg of lamb
(about 3 pounds), well trimmed

Have on hand a large roasting pan.

In a small bowl, mix the mustard, oil, salt, pepper, rosemary, and garlic. Rub the mixture all over the lamb. Set it aside. (You can refrigerate the lamb at this point for several hours or overnight, if you'd like.)

Set the oven at 400 degrees.

ONIONS
3 medium super-sweet onions (Vidalia, OSO Sweet, or another variety), peeled and quartered
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

In a bowl, toss the onions with oil, salt, pepper, and vinegar. Spread the onions in the roasting pan, cut sides down. Cover with foil, shiny side down, and roast the onions for 45 minutes.

Move the onions to the edges of the pan. Set the lamb in the center of the pan, rounded side up. Roast the meat and onions for 30 minutes or until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the lamb registers 125 degrees for rare meat or 135 degrees for pink meat. Let the lamb sit in a warm place for 5 minutes before serving.

STRAWBERRIES SMOTHERED IN MASCARPONE
SERVES 6

Mascarpone is a rich, creamy Italian cheese. You can substitute sour cream, whole-milk yogurt, or low-fat yogurt, if you like.

1 quart strawberries, hulled and quartered
6 tablespoons sugar, or more to taste
1 1/2 cups mascarpone Grated rind of 1 lemon

In a glass bowl, layer the strawberries with 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Cover with plastic wrap and set the bowl aside for the berries to macerate for 4 hours. With a rubber spatula, stir the berries gently once or twice.

In a bowl, stir the mascarpone, lemon rind, and the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar. Taste for sweetness and add more sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture is sweetened enough for your taste.

Divide the berries among 6 glass dessert bowls. Spoon the mascarpone on top. Serve at once.

ASK THE COOK: Sanitation Board

How often should I bleach-clean my cutting boards? Should I use bleach to clean countertops to get rid of germs? Do cabinet knobs get a buildup of germs?

MARK NELSON /// Essex

Much depends on the type of cutting boards you own. In the last few years, there has been a return to hardwood boards in professional kitchens. (They never went out of fashion in my own kitchen.) No matter the material, cutting boards should be scrubbed frequently with mild soap-and-water solutions and then rinsed well. For nonporous boards such as those made of glass, plastic, or other man-made materials, this can be done by running them through a cycle in the dishwasher. However, after cutting a potentially hazardous food such as raw poultry, fish, or other meats, a solution of 1 teaspoon chlorine bleach to 1 quart of water is recommended to sanitize the board. Pour a liberal amount of the bleach solution onto the cutting surface, or soak the board in the solution in a sink if possible. Let the mixture stand for at least 10 minutes, then rinse the board well with fresh water. Allow the board to air dry, or pat it dry with paper towels. The bleach solution will also sanitize your countertops. Make your kitchen inhospitable to germs by removing their sources of food and water. Keep counters free of surface dirt, food particles, and moisture. Germs can build up on cabinet knobs, so clean them as part of your daily routine. Frequent hand washing while preparing food -- especially before opening cabinets or drawers when you're cutting up a chicken, for instance -- will help keep germs to a minimum.

Answer by Peter J. Kelly, a chef-instructor at Johnson & Wales University in Providence.