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Grant Achatz's three-Michelin-starred Chicago restaurant Alinea led the field when it pivoted to pick-up meals a few months ago. Now they're back again, embracing the warmer months with their latest invention - a new quick-to-prepare Summer Grill Kit, at $34.95 per person.
Alinea has shopped, prepped and boxed some of the most sought-after summer flavours with this new makeaway. As Achatz himself admits, when it comes to home prep, it "really doesn't have much to it." But then, his benchmark is the six-course tasting menu he put together for Alinea's 15th anniversary back in May, which included their iconic tabletop dessert.
The main course of 'Surf n’ Turf Skewers' features beef tenderloin, shrimp, bell peppers, sour squash and oyster mushrooms, which comes fully prepared and ready to be coated in a vinaigrette before whacking in the oven until caramelised.
Side dishes include a grain and pasta salad with artichokes, golden raisins, olives and sun-dried tomato with a lemon vinaigrette, and an arugula goat cheese salad with sunflower seeds, grilled peaches ready to be tossed in a balsamic yoghurt vinaigrette.
For dessert, they've come up with a riff on s'mores, which leans towards nachos and guacamole. A dark chocolate ganache covered with dulce de leche and marshmallow, which has been pre-torched, re-creates those campfire flavours, and goes in the oven to get all warm and gooey. It comes complete with homemade crackers for dipping.
Watch as Achatz deftly puts the summer grill kit together in his home kitchen:
When the pandemic forced the closure of Alinea's dining room, the team focused on simple, high-quality food they knew they could turn around quickly, beginning with a hugely popular beef wellington.
Alinea In Residence (AIR) is currently open for a rooftop dining experience, as a temporary outdoor popup.
