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Royal River oysters with plankton foam
For this dish at Bar56 in the Brooklyn, N.Y., neighborhood of DUMBO, executive chef Vincent Cortese uses Royal River oysters from Yarmouth, Maine, which he says come from an inlet of cold and constantly moving water that results in very clean oysters with strong shells.
He shucks them, plates them on a bed of seaweed, and then tops them with a little diced cucumber and lime and “oceanic cucumber plankton foam” made by blending cucumber juice with plankton powder, lime zest and juice, and Sicilian olive oil. Then egg whites are whipped into it and it’s charged with nitrous oxide in a whipped cream cannister. It’s finished with powdered nori seaweed.
“The goal of the dish is to highlight the natural flavor, subtly enhancing the oceanic flavors, while adding some freshness and complexity without masking the flavor of the oyster itself,” he said.
Price: $15 for four
Diver scallops with Banyuls vinegar and pickled shallots
At State of Grace, a Ford Fry restaurant in Houston, executive chef John Quinn uses diver scallops from New Bedford, Mass, which he sears in a cast-iron pan and bastes them with butter, garlic, and thyme. He serves them with a butter sauce made with Banyuls vinegar, plus quick-pickled shallots and a little chervil, finishing it with Laudemio olive oil and Maldon salt.
Quinn said the idea of the dish is to highlight the quality of the scallops. “The Banyuls and pickled shallot really balance the dish out,” he said.
Price: $45
Mushroom cocktail
For this drink at Blue Bird in New York City’s East Village Jon Howard, director of bars and operations for Blue Bird and Sayless Hospitality, puts mushroom dashi powder and a sheet of nori seaweed in a French press and then pours in heated amontillado sherry, following the directions on the dashi package to get the right ratio (but using sherry instead of water). He stirs it to dissolve the dashi powder and then lets it steep for 20-30 minutes before pushing down the plunger and then pouring it into a glass bottle to cool.
Separately, he puts a slice of ruby red grapefruit and pinch of salt in a cocktail shaker, pressing the grapefruit to break the pulp, but not muddling it aggressively. Then he adds half an ounce each of brown sugar and Ron Zacapa 23-year-old Rum and 1.5 ounces of the sherry dashi. He adds two ice cubes and shakes it vigorously but briefly and then strains it into a rocks glass packed with crushed ice. He garnishes it with a dried mushroom and finishes it with freshly grated cinnamon.
Howard said the nuttiness of the sherry pairs well with the mushroom and the rum rounds it out and kicks up the alcohol level.
“The brown sugar adds, depth, and the grapefruit adds a pop of acidity to balance it all out,” he said.
Price: $18
The Boss sandwich
Roast pork, broccoli raab, and sharp provolone cheese are the foundation of sandwich that is popular and widespread in Philadelphia.
It’s less readily available in Washington, D.C., but Chris Morgan, co-founder and chief culinary officer of Pizza Serata in that city is doing his part by offering his own version of it. He toasts focaccia that he makes with local flour from Wade’s Mill. He spreads two slices of it with garlic aïoli, then adds roasted porchetta, sautéed broccoli raab, pickled cherry peppers, and melted provolone cheese
Price: $16
Cornbread Panzanella
For this Tennessee take on an Italian salad at 1799 Kitchen & Cocktails in Franklin, Tenn., executive sous chef Kirstyn Bielawa combines toasted cornbread pieces with heirloom tomatoes marinated in poppy seed vinaigrette and combined with pickled artichoke hearts grilled corn, and baby spinach. It’s topped with fontina cheese and basil.
Executive chef Thomas Tuggle said this salad “embodies all the best bits of summer produce and that southern love of crispy cornbread.”
Price: $16
Aguachile shrimp
At Maya in Charleston, S.C., executive chef Jullian Abarca offers a variation on ceviche for which the seafood is poached instead of being cured in citrus juice.
He poaches shrimp in water with vinegar, lime juice, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and coriander and then dresses it in a combination of cucumber slices, lime, red onion, raw chiles, and roasted serrano peppers,
Price: $15
