"Best New Restaurant" Chef's Seafood Secrets
Chef Michael White is no stranger to awards and accolades, his New York restaurants Alto and Convivio have all been honored. But it was icing on the cake when earlier this month the James Beard Foundation named his latest, Marea, the best new restaurant in the country.
On "The Early Show" Wednesday, White, who is also the executive chef of the restaurant he co-owns, shared how to prepare some of the restaurant's most popular dishes that are not only approachable, but easy for the at-home chef.
RECIPES:
Garganelli con Gamberi e Pomodoro - Pasta with Shrimp & Pomodoro Sauce
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 pound shrimp, cleaned and halved
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 cups tomato sauce
Splash white wine
Pinch chili flakes
3/4 cups loosely packed, julienned basil leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound fresh Garganelli
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano
METHOD:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the garganelli and cook until al dente. In a large skillet, heat 1/2 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and shrimp and cook, stirring over low heat for 1-2 minutes just until it is soft, shaking the pan once or twice. Stir in the tomato sauce and cook for 1 minute. Add a splash of white wine and the chili flakes. Remove from heat once the shrimp are cooked, about 2 more minutes. Sprinkle in the basil. Add the garganelli to the pan and mix until coated. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately, sprinkling with Parmigiano to taste.
Salt Baked Branzino
INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pound Sea bass, cleaned and scaled
1 pound Kosher sea salt
2 cups Egg whites
2 tablespoons Fennel seed, toasted
1 sprig Thyme
2 slices Lemon
5 sprigs Parsley
METHOD:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a spice grinder, combine toasted fennel seed and salt until incorporated. In a mixing bowl, break up the egg whites then add in salt mixture until it becomes the consistency of wet sand.
Stuff the body cavity of the cleaned and scaled fish with lemon, parsley and thyme. Place the fish on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover the fish with a 1/4 inch of the salt mixture and place in the oven for approximately 15 minutes. Once the fish is cooked, remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Scrape the excess salt from the fish, and serve.
Crudo & Beer Pairing
*Crudo is a raw fish dish dressed with olive oil, sea salt, and citrus juice.
CRUDI: Passera (Long Island fluke, lemon thyme, Ligurian olive oil):
BEER: Te, Birrificio del Borgo (Lazio)
Tasting notes: Te is a saison style ale made primarily with Pilsner malt and brewed with Shuj Shsien Tea leaves. It is very subtle and perfect for raw fish.
CRUDI: Dentice - (Pacific Snapper, whole wheat panzanella):
BEER: Talco, Birra Integrale (Piemonte)
Tasting notes: Talco is brewed only in the spring using equal parts Wheat, Rye and Pilsner malts. It is a fresh, almost heffeweitzen-like beer that expresses light herbal notes with a touch of citrus and honey.
CRUDI: Cannolichi (marinated razor clams, fennel, peperoncino):
BEER: Nuova Matina, Birrificio del Ducato (Emilia Romagna)
Tasting notes: A true Saison style ale brewed with Coriander, ginger, green pepper, chamomile and licorice. It is a refreshing summer ale with a profound yet food-friendly spiciness.