I remember when I was little, and I'd be out doing that dreaded chore of mowing the lawn, and there, from my perch, Id spy a little hint of read peeping out from under a bed of leaves. I'd immediately stop my mower and crouch down to unearth the bright berries. Strawberries, even now, are jewels found, whether in the market, or in the fields. Their sweet tart flavor, especially when warmed by the summer sun screams out to be enjoyed in every possible way.
Last week I was invited in to Harvest restaurant, located in Harvard Square, to sample their latest in their line of Harvest Reviews- concentrated on Strawberries. Each course highlighted strawberries in a unique way, pairing them with savory and then sweet, and broadening their horizons out of their typical use.
We began our evening with one of the more intriguing preparations. A grilled Kurobuta Pork Sausage was paired with a black pepper strawberry gastrique and pickled green strawberries. For clarification, Korubuta Pork is a type of heritage pork, raised specifically for intense flavor and rich fat. Think Wagyu beef...Here the pork sausage was exactly what one would want from sausage, full of sweet and spicy flavor, hints of apple and nuts, and succulently fatty. The perfection here came from the pickled strawberries. There is something about cutting something so rich with the wonderful acidity of anything pickled.
The green strawberries were incredible. Having not fully ripened they had their own natural tartness, and then their flavor was brought out and manipulated really nicely in the pickling process. Together, especially combined with the sweet and spicy gastrique it was a perfect bite after perfect bite.
Up next was a Lavender Compressed Strawberry Salad. Bright whole lavender infused strawberries were set atop lime flavored yogurt, and then sprinkled with lavender olive oil powder and topped with fresh pea greens. Every component of this dish played off each other. The strawberries were naturally delicious on their own, but then when combined with the slight crunch of the pea greens, and their own sweetness, and then offset with tart yogurt, it was wonderful delight on the tongue. Even more than the flavors of this dish, I loved its healthful side as well. Every ingredient was fresh and natural, not over sauced and created a perfect base of vitamins and protein. As an appetizer, or a larger dish, this was exactly what I want to feast on in a restaurant.
Our entree course arrived soon after which perched a beautiful piece of seared Scottish Salmon, atop a Yukon Gold, Leek and Smoked Bacon hash and then drizzled with a strawberry, rhubarb and ginger jam. The salmon was beautiful. It hadn't been doctored in any way allowing its perfection to shine through as it was meant to be. Perfectly cooked, a wonderful medium rare, it was flavorful and delicious. Paired with the hash, which had incredible thick chunks of bacon and then beautifully melted bits of leek all against a back drop of creamy potatoes- it was a hearty accompaniment. I confess that the jam did get a bit lost amid the other components here, but that served no damage to the dish.
Finally we were served our dessert. As a perfect accompaniment to summer,
we were presented with fresh strawberry sorbet, a crumble of strawberry meringue, oat cracker and then little dollops of lovage cream. This light dessert blew me away. The sorbet was lovely, of course, bright, flavorful, not overly sweet- it was delicious. But the star here was what Executive Pastry Chef Brian Mercury called his gamble. It was the lovage cream. Lovage, if you aren't familiar, is an herb that tastes like a very highly concentrated celery leaf. Normally found in savory dishes (its a staple in my mom's stuffing), it was a glorious surprise here lending its unique flavor to the sweetness of the strawberry and then rounded out with the cream. It was a perfect summer dessert, light enough to allow for swimsuits, cool enough to refresh after a hot day and decadent enough to count as dessert.
Each time I have dined at Harvest I have been beyond impressed. Their food is always outstanding, but what charms me even more is their passion. Each member of the staff from Executive Chef Mary Dumont, to every server and host, shows their love of food and their craft in every action. If you have the opportunity to pass their open kitchen you can expect not to hear frustration or stress, but instead every time I've been greeted with a smile and a friendly hello. It's not that they aren't busy- it's that they love what they do. And it shows...in every dish.
It is, quite officially, summer. Summer always means the delight of long evenings, charcoal smoke filled back yards, and hot, sunny days. During these days I always search for the perfect accompaniment to my time- something crisp and chilled, something refreshing, something to savor as the temperatures soar. Invariably, during this time, I tend to crave the always lovely Rose wines that have been popping up all over the place the last few years.
To kick off the season, on a recent 90+ degree day, I had the opportunity to set sail around Boston Harbor and help launch 90+ Cellars summer of Rose. Their rose is comprised of Syrah, Grenache, Cinsault and Mourvedre, all fermented and then aged for seven months. The result is exactly what one would want from a gorgeous glass of wine. Highly drinkable, with notes of strawberry, a wonderful balance of acid and natural sweetness and just a bit of spicy white pepper. Full and robust without overpowering, this is a wine that is easy to pair and to simply just sip, and at just about $12.00 a bottle- its hard to refuse!
You know, I have long been a believer that the simplest things in life are what are truly wonderful. Walking through rows of flowers early in the morning, laughter, a favorite song on the radio, laughter, a knowing smile...the same often holds true for food. There are some amazing dishes out there- truly incredible. There are chefs who perform back breaking feats to plate a masterpiece that combines flavors and textures with such skill, and their complexity knows no bounds. And as glorious as those dishes are, sometimes there isn't anything more wonderful than a simple dish, a mix of heart, and history and love. To me, this is Affogato.
Affogato is the simplest of Italian desserts. Its recipe is two simple steps- scoop
ice cream, and pour hot, rich freshly prepared espresso over the top. Together, they combine the perfection of opposites into a beautiful harmony. The sweet of the ice cream, with the bitter flavor of the espresso. The heat offset with the icy chill....the contrasts are where the beauty lies here.
I recently made this using that incredibly decadent chocolate ice cream I made some weeks ago, and the Napoli espresso from Nespresso. The rich complexity of the coffee bloomed into a light floral flavor with the addition of the bittersweet chocolate.
No matter though what you use in regards to espresso or ice cream- the combination yields perfect complexity. In the world of opposites attracting this is a place where one piece plays off of the other and brings out the best of each.
I remember when I was little, and I'd be out doing that dreaded chore of mowing the lawn, and there, from my perch, Id spy a little hint of read peeping out from under a bed of leaves. I'd immediately stop my mower and crouch down to unearth the bright berries. Strawberries, even now, are jewels found, whether in the market, or in the fields. Their sweet tart flavor, especially when warmed by the summer sun screams out to be enjoyed in every possible way.
