Category Archives: Recipes (Savory)

Staff Meals Part II: Danny Meyer’s Roasted Asparagus Gratin

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Asparagus spears get broiled with mayo and grated cheese.

Asparagus spears get broiled with mayo and grated cheese.

If there’s any restaurateur noted for impeccable service, it’s New York’s Danny Meyer.

The CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group, Meyer has founded and overseen some of Manhattan’s most acclaimed establishments, including Union Square Cafe, Grammercy Tavern, Maialino, The Modern and many more. He’s even authored a book on the art of hospitality.

So, it’s probably no surprise that Meyer takes staff meals seriously. After all, it’s a way to nourish and care for the folks who work for him.

“Family Table: Favorite Staff Meals From Our Restaurants to Your Home” (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) showcases just that. The new cookbook, of which I received a review copy, was written by Chef Michael Romano, culinary director for Union Square Hospitality Group, and Karen Stabiner, adjunct professor at Columbia’s graduate school of journalism.

StaffMeals

It includes more than 150 dishes that have been served to staff at his restaurants. The book is arranged traditionally with chapters divided into soups, salads, seafood, drinks, desserts and the like.

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Staff Meals Part I: Wylie Dufresne’s Cashew and Fennel Salad

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The wd-50 salad that only the staff gets to enjoy.

The wd-50 salad that only the staff gets to enjoy.

 

You won’t find this salad or any other on the menu at wd-50 in New York.

Not now. Not ever.

That’s because Chef-Owner Wylie Dufresne apparently is not a fan of leafy green salads. Go figure.

You’ll find that amusing insight, along with this recipe for “Cashew and Fennel Salad with Honey Mustard Vinaigrette” in the delightful new book, “Come In, We’re Closed: An Invitation to Staff Meals at the World’s Best Restaurants” (Running Press), of which I received a review copy.

It was written by Christine Carroll, a former line cook, culinary center director of Whole Foods Market Manhattan and founder of CulinaryCorps, a volunteer service organization for culinary professionals, and Jody Eddy, former executive editor of Art Culinaire Magazine and a former cook at Jean-Georges in New York and The Fat Duck in England.

ComeInWe'reClosed

The book showcases the food — not served to the public — but to the staffs of 25 of the world’s most celebrated restaurants including Ad Hoc in Yountville, Au Pied De Cochon in Montreal, McCrady’s in Charleston, and Mugartiz in Spain.

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Food52’s Roasted Broccoli with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette and Marcona Almonds

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Roasted broccoli with a smoky-sweet paprika dressing.

Roasted broccoli with a smoky-sweet paprika dressing.

 

Broccoli doesn’t always get the love.

It’s often despised by children. And of course, we know how George W. felt about it.

But roasting it will make an instant fan out of anyone. Even the former president, I bet.

It brings out the veggie’s natural sweetness, gives it a hint of char and makes it crunchy-tender. And it takes all of 20 minutes to do on high-heat in the oven.

“Roasted Broccoli with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette and Marcona Almonds” is a gussied up version that still takes little effort.

It’s from “The Food52 Cookbook, Volume 2” (William Morrow), of which I received a review copy last year. New York Times writer Amanda Hesser and Le Cordon Bleu-grad Merrill Stubbs created the online cooking community, Food52, which seeks to ferret out the best home-cook recipes. This second volume includes 104 recipes arranged by the seasons.

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My Favorite Go-To Dish

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A favorite in my house for its ease and bold flavors.

A favorite in my house for its ease and bold flavors.

 

You know your favorite pair of jeans?

The ones you can don anytime, anywhere, and know they’ll fit well, look good and do no wrong?

This recipe is exactly like that.

“Mexican-Style Lasagna” is from Everyday Food. And I’ve made it countless times since it was published in the magazine’s March 2005 issue way back when.

You layer tortillas in a baking pan with canned pinto beans, purchased salsa, plenty of cheese, and a green sauce of spinach, cilantro and scallions you whip together in the food processor in seconds.

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Enchanting Endive

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Endive salad with creamy Maytag blue cheese.

Endive salad with creamy Maytag blue cheese.

When it comes to bitter, its best buddy is something equally aggressive.

Oh, don’t worry. This isn’t a case of butting heads.

In fact, it’s a recipe for perfect harmony, as one assertive taste needs another, lest one overtake the other completely.

That’s why when it comes to endive, its pleasant bitterness practically begs for something sharp like mustard or vinegar or a piquant cheese.

“Tangle of Radicchio and Endive with Chives and Maytag Blue” proves just that.

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