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Slow, coffee-sipping mornings, long lazy lunches and cooling drinks as the sun goes down – by the time August comes around everyone feels the need to slow down a little and if you’re lucky enough to have time off at home, preparing delicious, seasonal food for friends, family and yourself can be a great way to spend it.
With that in mind, we reached out to friends of Fine Dining Lovers, chefs Michael Tusk (Quince and Cotogna, San Francisco) and Nina Compton (Compère Lapin, New Orleans), below, for their tips.
Inspired by the Italian tradition of Ferragosto, the August break during which Italy downs tools for much-needed rest and recuperation, to spend time with loved ones, and of course to eat well, these talented chefs have put together simple but deliciously addictively recipes that will allow you to impress your nearest and dearest, hassle-free.
Nina Compton’s chilled cantaloupe and coconut soup
For Saint Lucia-born Compton, mentor at the forthcoming S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy Competition 2022-23 Grand Finale to US Grand Finalist Daniel Garwood, summer is all about great ingredients and great vibes. "Summer is my favourite season. Growing up in the Caribbean, the sun is always shining and people are always happy and this dish, is happiness in a bowl. It's cool and refreshing showcasing sweet melon and tomatoes that are at their peak,” she says.
Serves 6.
Ingredients
3 qt/2.8kg cantaloupe peeled and diced
14 oz/414ml coconut milk
3 oz/85g ginger peeled and chopped
2 tbsp salt
1/8 cup/30ml olive oil
Method
Puree everything and pass through chinois.
For garnish: 3 cherry tomatoes per plate, cut in half and dressed in olive oil, red wine vinegar, and chiffonade basil. Pickled cucumber: cut into planks and salt and press. Then dress in rice wine vinegar and compress then medium dice.
To plate: toss the cucumbers and tomatoes with olive oil, micro cilantro, basil and mint, finish with chilli oil and herb oil.
Michael Tusk’s raviolo di ricotta (top)
Photo by Gary He
What could be more Italian than diving into a delicious bowl of pasta at your Ferragosto-inspired feast? This recipe from Tusk (above) is for a classic ricotta-filled ravioli, from his restaurant Cotogna.
Makes 12 ravioli.
Ingredients
Pasta dough
3.5 cups/450g 00 flour
325g/11.5 oz egg yolk (approximately 18 egg yolks)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Ravioli filling
6 cups/1.2kg of Bellwether (or comparable) ricotta (hung overnight in a cheesecloth, and drained)
1 tbsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp finely ground black pepper
12 farm egg yolks (whites separated)
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1/2 cup grana padano cheese, finely grated
Method
Pasta dough
Combine the kosher salt and the 00 flour.
On a large flat surface, form a well with the flour. Pour the egg yolks into the centre of the well.
With a fork slowly stir in the flour little by little until it becomes too difficult to continue with a fork. At this point, begin using your hands to knead the dough and incorporate the remaining flour.
Continue to knead the dough for 5 minutes. When the dough is properly kneaded it will slowly bounce back into its shape when indented with your finger.
Tightly wrap the ball of dough with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes.
Photo by Gary He
Filling
In a mixing bowl, combine the drained ricotta with the kosher salt and pepper.
Divide and roll the ricotta into 12 even-sized balls. Gently press the ball of ricotta so that it flattens out to be approximately 1 inch thick.
In the centre of the flattened ball, create another divot with your thumb (or with an egg) approximately 1 inch in diameter. This is where the egg yolk will be placed. Method: use a ring mould to measure ricotta for consistent size and weight. Prep a cookie sheet with parchment paper and a sprinkle of semolina flour to hold the ravioli in the refrigerator before you cook them.
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