Boulud's Seafood Platter

Based on a conversation with none other than Daniel Boulud himself at Boulud Bar. I'd only been once but decided to return for their very original and refreshing platter of fish, shellfish and young summer vegetables served slightly chilled. The aioli is referred to as a sweet garlic dip and serves to coat rather than stick to dish's ingredients. Enjoy with a Riesling.


thyme & EVOO-infused cod prepared sous vide
mussels on the half shell
best quality prawn
small clams

cherry tomatoes
baby brocolli
baby cauliflower
long radish
haricots verts
long yellow beans
baby potato
yellow and green courgette julien
artichoke
baby carrot julien
white asparagus from jar (use Spanish brand)
couple lettuce leaves
bread sticks

1. cure cod with salt for 6 hours; proceed to cook sous-vide with EVOO and fresh thyme
2. steam the mussels, prawn, clam and let cool to room temperature (further prep info needed here)
3. prepare other ingredients, using only the best quality
4. assemble on a plate haphazardly, without layering any one ingredient over the other
5. place a ramekin of aioli dip in the middle of the plate, and a couple bread sticks criss-crossed over the whole lot

Herring Spread

Got this from the Moomins cookbook.

smoked herring

pickled gherkin

creme fraiche

cottage cheese

rye bread

1. blend everything but the bread in a food processor--not too smooth
2. spread on toasted rye bread

Spaghetti Vongole Bottarga

Had this at Hotel Miramare's bagno restaurant. If in the mood for a vongole but want a slight edge, just do it this way. Pre-grated dried bottarga in a jar does the trick just fine.

spaghettini

vongole

white wine

butter

red chili

EVOO

parsley

black pepper

lemon

bottarga

1. make usual vongole using above ingredients
2. sprinkle bottarga once pasta is already served on a hot plate, as you would parmesan

Oyster Shrooms & Oregano

A dinner at Moro the other night got me browsing through one of their cookbooks. This caught my eye, as there's always loads of oyster mushrooms on the supermarket shelves.

500 gr oyster mushrooms
minced garlic
chopped parsley
finely chopped oregano
EVOO
S&P
red wine vinegar (optional)

1. toss mushrooms with EVOO, S&P
2. put grill or cast iron pan on medium-high
3. fry mushrooms gill-side down in one layer--don't overcrowd the pan
4. remove first batch and repeat for other mushrooms
5. add minced garlic to the last batch, so that it cooks briefly
6. toss all the mushrooms in a bowl with herbs and vinegar, a bit more EVOO, and serve

Squid & Cumin

Just found this scribble in a pile of papers, I think from a local restaurant on the Fife coast of Scotland. I remember being so surprised about the combo that I had to write it down.

baby squid, sliced

EVOO

S&P

cumin

single cream

1. saute squid quickly on high heat until it turns bone white--no more than about a minute
2. add S&P and a dash of cream, stir
3. serve on a platter, perhaps with a sprig of parsley