Last week we had our first (un)official BasqueStage dinner catered by our new stages, Ruth and Elisha.
So what did they cook for us?
Well, it was not a reflection of any molecular funny business. Just some professional takes on good old-fashioned home cooking.
Read on:
WHO: Ruth Selby
WHAT: Arancini
CUISINE: Italian, leaning toward Sicily
VERDICT: These little rice balls, which can enclose anything from meat to cheese to peas, are the Italian’s answer to croquetas. Ruth’s version held a filling of juicy meat, and was quite the revelation for our Spanish guests, who all their lives have bitten into similar fried balls filled not with rice, but bechamel. Ruth’s orange, meat filled versions were a party hit.
WHO: Elisha Ben-Haim
WHAT: Rape served over Piperade with Roasted Garlic Puré
CUISINE: Basque
VERDICT: Oso gozoa! That is to say, really delicious (in Basque). Elisha gave his piperade, a traditional Basque dish of onions, peppers and tomato, the special treatment. Peppers, thinly sliced, were allowed to slowly cook for hours with a lovingly made sofrito of onion and tomato. Topped with some perfectly tender monkfish, this dish was delicious by the spoonful, dragged through dollops of roasted garlic on the way to the mouth. Ñam ñam!
Thanks, and on egin! Here’s to many more dinners from our star chefs-in-training.