On to the roundup of last month’s Casa SaltShaker meals. Despite taking some time off, we still managed three public and one private dinners over the course of the month. A combination of my personal tastes, and the feedback I got from diners, these were the favorite dishes for each meal.
Scallop Mousse Raviolo, Sauce Vierge & Coral Butter – a semolina, egg yolk, and milk pasta dough, rolled out thin and cut into large rounds. Filled with a scallop mousse of fresh scallops, egg whites, yogurt, salt, and white pepper. Bathed in a simple compound butter of scallop coral, butter, and salt. Topped with a sauce vierge of olive oil, oyster sauce, tomatillo, serrano chili, lemon juice, capers, basil, and parsley. I loved this, as did several of the guests! I would also say this was the “dish of the month”.
Served with Chakana Nuna Rosé 2022, a blend of Syrah and Malbec from Lujan de Cujo in Mendoza.
“Vigilante” Cheesecake – more than a decade ago I introduced you all to a history of a local dessert favorite, the vigilante, a pairing of soft cheese with quince paste. It’s one of those things that I’ll eat as a snack now and then at home, but rarely order in a restaurant. I decided to turn it into a slightly more elaborate dessert. We have a vanilla cookie crumb base, topped with a vanilla and lemon cheesecake mixture. Then that is topped with a mix of quince paste, chopped walnuts, ginger, cinnamon, and honey. And, because the vigilante is generally served up with your end of meal coffee, the whole thing gets a counteracting touch of bitterness from a coffee, cocoa, and marsala syrup. Yum!
Served with Luigi Bosca “La Linda” Viognier Dulce 2022
Smoked Eggplant Mezzaluna – a half-moon style raviolo or agnolotto inspired by a longtime favorite Japanese eggplant dish, piri kara nasu. Semolina pasta filled with a mix of mashed, charred eggplant with garlic, chili, red miso and a little salt. It’s then bathed in a mix based on the classic mix of ingredients in piri kara, sauteed garlic, chilies, and ginger in a little sesame oil, finished with rice vinegar and maple syrup, and at the last moment, some chopped garlic chives and black sesame seeds. I’d happily eat these again!
Served with Salentein Rosado Reserva 2022, 100% Syrah
Cockle & Edamame Risotto – I love a good risotto, don’t you? Here, the risotto is started with finely chopped shallots and a bit of sparkling wine, then cooked in an intense clam stock with a little saffron. It’s laden with cockles and edamame, or fresh green soybeans. And then finished with butter, gremolata (parsley, lemon peel, black pepper) plus some finely crushed nori seaweed and a dusting of shichimi, Japanese seven-spice chili mix. This came in a close second for dish of the month!
Served with LaMadrid “Zunzun” Rosado de Cabernet Franc 2019
