5 Recipes from a New York Restaurant Juggernaut
With two James Beard awards and Robert DeNiro as his co-restaurateur, Andrew Carmellini shares a few of his favorite dishes for any occasion.
Andrew Carmellini seems to be the name on everyone’s lips these days. His entire career—from working at the local Italian joint in his hometown of Cleveland at age 14 to his responsibility for one of Esquire magazine’s best restaurants of 2009—he has made an art of charming people with his cooking. He has worked at San Domenico in New York; at the Michelin two-star San Domenico in Emilio-Romagna; with Gray Kunz at Lespinasse; at Le Cirque; and at Café Boulud. Then, ready for a place to call his own, Andrew opened A Voce in New York, where he cooked from 2006 to 2008, won his first Michelin star, and produced his first book, Urban Italian: True Stories and Simple Recipes From a Life In Food, which was named one of the best cookbooks of 2008 by Gourmet, Publishers Weekly, and Good Morning America. He is executive chef at Locanda Verde, which he co-owns with Robert DeNiro. He has received two James Beard awards, been named a Food & Wine Best New Chef, and has a three-star New York Times review under his belt. And if that’s not enough to impress you, try the pasta.
Hungry Beast asked Andrew to pick five of his favorite recipes from his cookbook, and tell us a little about why he loves each one.
This is the most delicious risotto ever and is always totally surprising. It’s best in August when summer tomatoes are also the best. Try and choose a variety of colors and sizes to get a dramatic-looking result.
2. Marinated Chicken Alla Griglia
Everyone loves chicken. This is a simple Italian-inspired marinade that works best when you let it sit overnight. It calls for Calabrian oregano on the branch, which if you can get from your local Italian food store, is always worth the effort.
3. Black Bass with Sicilian-Style Pesto
How to cook fish at home is the No. 1 question I get. This recipe takes the mystery out of that and has a very traditional sauce that rocks.
This one was inspired by the chicken joint down the street from my apartment in Italy.
This cake also makes killer ice cream sandwiches. Using this to dip in espresso is not bad, either.
Plus: Check out Hungry Beast, for more news on the latest restaurants, hot chefs, and tasty recipes.