New on the menu: Street corn arancini and cacio e pepe dumplings
For this dish on the new menu at The Wellington in Belmont, Mass., executive chef and owner Dante de Magistris grills corn on the cob to give it some smoky flavor, then cuts the kernels off and folds them into risotto cooked the way he normally would to make arancini. He uses 60% risotto and 40% corn, plus a little cream cheese, crema espesa (a Mexican dairy product similar to crème fraîche), and grated Cotija cheese. Those dairy products replace the usual mascarpone cheese, butter, and Parmigiano Reggiano cheese that he would use in traditional arancini.
Next he folds in chopped and grilled scallions and fresh cilantro, rolls the mixture into balls, coats them in flour, egg, and breadcrumbs, seasons them with his herb salt and then fries them until they’re crispy and hot in the center. He then seasons them with Tajín, plates them and drizzles them with crema espesa, grated Cotija cheese and an aïoli he and his team make with toasted dried ancho and guajillo chiles and “lots of fresh lime juice.” The plate is garnished with chiffonade of scallions and cilantro sprigs.
Price: $16
This summer, Mission Ceviche in New York City opened a second location, in Union Square, which it says is the largest Peruvian restaurant in Manhattan. The new venue has a particular focus on Nikkei cuisine, the genre of Peruvian cooking that reflects that country’s Japanese influence, such as this dish.
To make it, executive chef and co-owner Jose Luis Chavez roasts rocoto peppers, the same chiles used in traditional Peruvian ceviche, removes the skin, seeds, and membranes, purées them and simmers them with mayonnaise, lemon juice, soy sauce and salt for about five minutes.
He cleans large U10 shrimp, dusts them lightly with flour, dips them in a tempura batter and fries them in small batches.
He brushes the shrimp with the mayonnaise and garnishes them with chives and bonito flakes.
Price: $24
There’s an ongoing trend of serving a little snack with a cocktail, one that’s specifically selected for that particular drink.
That’s what’s happening with this drink that’s poured at the recently opened Ember Steak at the Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa, Calif. Developed by the property’s assistant food & beverage director, Andrzej Lewczyk, it’s an upscale version of a Dirty Martini and starts with a brine made by combining 750ml of fino sherry with three liters of water, 21 grams of kosher salt, two cubed cucumbers, 16 ounces of olives, and a bunch of dill. That all sits for a week before being strained through cheesecloth.
The property also infuses a one-liter bottle of Absolut Elyx vodka with a cubed cucumber and a bunch of dill and lets that sit for two to three days before straining.
When the drink is ordered, 2.5 ounces of the infused vodka are shaken with ¼ ounce each of the special brine and Carpano Antica Blanco dry vermouth. That’s strained into a silver coupe glass, garnished with “an impressive dill sprig,” and served with a parfait of lobster, avocado, and caviar.
“The caviar's subtle saltiness complements the drink’s botanical notes, creating a harmonious blend,” Lewczyk said.
The price: $30
Michael Mina developed this dish that is now on the menu at Bourbon Steak New York, which opened at the JW Marriott Essex House in Midtown Manhattan this spring.
To make it, steamed lobster tail is sliced into medallions and the claw and knuckle meat are set aside.
Carrots, celery, diced potatoes, and split pearl onions are steamed, and mushrooms are sautéed and seasoned with salt and pepper.
A classic brandished lobster cream is placed at the bottom of a copper pot and drizzled with truffle oil. Then it’s topped with the vegetables and mushrooms. Next the tail medallions are placed down the center in a tail shape and the claws and knuckle meat are placed on either side of the tail, and truffles, chopped parsley, and Maldon salt are placed on top. The pot is sealed with an egg washed pastry cap, seasoned with more Maldon salt and then baked for 15 minutes.
The pie is carved tableside and the lobster is placed on top of the crust.
Price: $130