Everyday Cauliflower (Image: Balaboosta)

In this era of sheltering in place, we’ve all become distressingly accustomed to having the mountain come to Muhammad. Which is to say, you can still order from your favorite restaurants provided (1) they are on Seamless or some other delivery service and (2) you don’t mind enjoying your dinner in the confines of your New York City apartment.

If you’re feeling claustrophobic you’re not alone. Restaurant chefs miss their late-night get-togethers with their peers at one or another’s restaurant to break bread and share recipes. Enter S.Pellegrino, the sparkling water maker, with a chance for city chefs to swap recipes not just with their peers from around the corner but across the country. Via the company’s ‘Destination Dining’ Series, eight restaurants in New York City and Los Angeles have been able to swap their favorite creations, bringing a taste of their signature dishes to the opposite coast. The series also supports Relief Opportunities for All Restaurants (ROAR), an organization providing direct assistance to restaurant workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

We at AppleEats are privileged to bring you selected recipes from two of the participating chefs. Featured below are a dish styled “Steak & Eggs” by chef David Shim of Michelin-starred Cote, New York City’s first Korean steakhouse, and “Everyday Cauliflower” by chef Einat Admony of New York’s contemporary Israeli restaurant Balaboosta. (Recipes courtesy of FineDining Lovers.)

Steak & Eggs

Ingredients

For the Steak Tartare

  • 6 oz beef tenderloin trimmed and finely diced
  • 1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt and black pepper to taste
  • tsp finely chopped chives
  • 3 1/2 oz caviar

For the toast

  • A loaf of milk bread or brioche
  • Butter at room temperature

Directions

For the steak tartare

  1. Prepare two small mixing bowls of similar size. Fill one of the bowls with half ice and half water to make a proper ice bath. Place the empty mixing bowl above the ice bath.
  2. Place the tenderloin it in the mixing bowl and coat it with extra virgin olive oil. Spoon and gently press the chilled seasoned meat into a 1.75-inch diameter ring mold. The disk should have a firm base.
  3. Sprinkle finely-cut chives on top of the meat. Remove from mold.
  4. With two spoons, form the caviar into a quenelle and place it atop the tartare.

For the Toast

  1. Preheat oven to 375F° on convection baking setting.
  2. Slice bread or brioche into 1/2-inch slices, then into sticks, 3/4 inch wide x 3 inches in length.
  3. Line a sheet tray with parchment, and place the bread sticks on it. Spread ½ tbsp of butter on each side of the bread and toast until it becomes golden brown.
  4. Use two pieces each of toast to complement the dish.

 

Everyday Cauliflower

Ingredients

  • 1 tsp lemon zest
  • 4 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1 minced clove garlic
  • 1/2 cup tahini
  • 1/4 cup unsalted peanuts, chopped
  • 3 tbsp chopped parsley
  • 2 cups rice flour
  • Canola oil for frying
  • 1 cauliflower head cut into 1 inch florets
  • 1 5.6 oz bag Bamba (a crisp peanut butter-flavored snack popular in Israel. Alternatives would be any puffed corn product with a nutty or neutral flavor)

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup cold water, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. Whisk in the tahini until there are no lumps. Stir in the parsley and chopped peanuts. Taste and adjust with salt as desired. Set aside.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together rice flour with 1 cup of water to form a batter.
  3. In a large pot, heat the oil to 350-375 degrees. Add a small drop of the batter to test if the oil is hot enough. If you see a lot of small rapid bubbles then you are ready to go.
  4. Add the cauliflower florets to the batter and coat evenly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the florets to the hot oil in small batches to avoid overcrowding the pot. Give the florets a quick stir right when you drop them in the pot to ensure they don’t stick together. Fry each batch for about 2-4 minutes until golden brown.  Remove cauliflower to a plate lined with paper towel.
  5. To serve, toss the cauliflower with ½ cup of the reserved sauce and broken pieces of bamba. Before serving, taste and add more sauce and salt if desired.