We’re the first to admit that as much as we'll eat, well, just about anything, whether it be Momofuku Milk Bar confections or aesthetically-pleasing lunchtime salads, we’re not really whizzes in the kitchen. While our repertoire has expanded beyond your basic bowl of cereal—in fact, we consider ourselves pretty adept at a plate bacon and eggs when the occasion calls for it (read: a lazy lay-in type of Sunday afternoon), and we like to think our homemade mac’n’cheese is pretty damn good (the secret? More cheese, always)—really wowing in the gastronomical arts area is just not our forte. That said, you might have heard that old adage that goes something like, ‘The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.’ Let's consider.
Don’t worry guys, we’re not going to go all 300 Sandwiches on you, because unlike one food-based romantic relationship we’ve heard about, we know there’s actually way more to a loving (and equal) relationship than a banh mi sandwich… seriously. But we also know that it doesn’t hurt to prepare and then share a really special meal every once in a while (we’ve found it provides a good break from all the take-out and ramen, ourselves). And as we’re a crew constantly looking to improve our skills, we decided to get in touch with the especially babe-ly team behind favorite Lower East Side resto The Fat Radish to get the down low on exactly what they’d want their girlfriends to cook for them. It doesn't exactly hurt that one of them calls Dree Hemingway his GF, either, so we’ll trust they know what they’re talking about, you know? Granted these guys are professional chefs, but better to be ambitious when you want to make an impression next time you’re stove-side, even if it’s only every few months or so, right?
SERVES 2
1/16 cup soy sauce1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
1/16 cup mirin
1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
1/4 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/16 cup of dried hijiki, rinsed and soaked in warm water for 15 minutes, drained
1 bunch curly kale, leaves torn into small pieces, stems discarded
1 1/4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/8 teaspoon chinese five spice powder
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 pounds heirloom carrots, scrubbed, ends trimmed
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into wedges
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, fish sauce, garlic and ginger. Add the drained hijiki and set the mixture aside.
Preheat over to 325F.
Place the kale on a baking sheet and drizzile with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil. Sprinkle with five spice powder and salt. Place the kale in the over and bake, turning the leaves once, until crispy, about 20 minutes. Set the kale aside.
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the carrots. Cook until they're nearly tender, about 10 minutes. transfer carrots to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cut them in half lengthwise.
Place the remaining 3/4 of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet and set it over medium-high heat. Add the carrots to the pan and cook, stirring until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Transfer the carrots to a large bowl.
Spoon the hijiki and its marinade over the carrots, add the crispy kale and the avocado wedges and stir gently to combine. Serve immediately.
SERVES 2
3/4 tablespoons of capers, roughly chopped
1/4 tablespoon grainy mustard
1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 finely chopped soft herbs (i.e. mint, cilantro, basil, tarragon, and/or dill)
1/16 cup olive oil
Coarse salt
1/4 pound each of sweet potatoes and golden beets, peeled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon of butter
A few sprigs of thyme
1 dozen very large day boat sea scallops (or 2 dozen regular sea scallops), tough muscle discarded, patted dry with paper towels.
Creme fraiche for serving
Handful of cooked greens or chapped parsley for serving.
Place the capers, mustard and lemon juice in a bowl. Stir in the herbs and the olive oil and season the dressing to taste with salt. Set aside.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the sweet potatoes, beets and a large pinch of salt. Cook until vegetables are very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain the vegetables and place them back in the empty pot. Use a potato masher to crush them. Season the mash to taste with salt and place it on a serving platter.
Place the butter and thyme in a large, heavy skillet set over medium-high heat. Once it starts to turn a bit brown, add the scallops to the pan and season them with salt. Cook until well browned on the bottom, 2-3 minutes at the most, and then turn them and cook until just browned on the other side, another 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and discard the thyme.
Arrange the scallops on the mash and drizzle over whatever browned butter is left in the pan. Drizzle the caper salsa verde over the scallops, garnish the dish with a few dollops of creme fraiche, and scatter with a few greens or chopped parsley.
1.5 oz of Reyka Vodka
2 oz Fresh squeezed cucumber juice
.5 oz lime juice
.5 oz simple syrup
6-8 mint leaves
Crushed ice
Stir ingredients. Garnish with mint sprig and cucumber slice.
The genius Fat Radish team. Thank them if your dinner ends on a lucky note.