One of my favorite places on Long Island is Wolffer Estate. Not only is it a take-your-breath-away vineyard (the first time I went, I remember standing on a balcony watching the sun set and feeling very small and very lucky), but the product it puts forth also hits a solid high note.
Every summer, Wolffer and The James Beard Foundation pair up to host a 30-chef-strong tasting known as Chefs and Champagne. Somehow, I’ve consistently managed to be out-of-town, meaning that I’ve built it up to no end. This year, however, I was on scene and ready to eat, partner-in-crime Alex in tow. I’m not alone in saying this: The event delivered.
My takeaway? Scallops work well with corn (thank you Chef Michael Rossi), always shuck oysters left to right (and use great caution. This actually happened: Alex spent last Saturday in the ER in conjunction with an oyster-related incident), and you can never get enough lobster rolls (we lost count).
The most interesting note-to-self I made, though, was that when participating in outdoor Summer Long Island Vineyard Events, chefs, apparently, like to serve cold seafood. I found this compelling enough to actually ask the foundation if this was true every year. It is.
I could go on about this, but I think the best approach here is to pass along the recipe for my favorite such offering, courtesy of Christopher Lee, Executive Chef at Manhattan’s venerable Aureole. (To give you a sense of how amazing Lee himself is: In recent years, he’s been both recognized as one of Food and Wine magazine’s Top Ten Best New Chefs, and received the James Beard Foundation’s Rising Star Chef of the Year award.)
Lee told me the dish was specifically designed to pair well with chilled champagne. (I refrained from saying something cheesy, like “and sunsets?” Though I wanted to.) The snapper comes in because of its clean flavor, and from there, Lee built in melons, which are in peak season July-August. The really interesting flourish, though, is the addition of prosciutto. “It was a nod to that classic summer preparation of prosciutto and melon,” he explained, “Salty and sweet, but also light.”
Here, the recipe.
Christopher Lee’s Red Snapper and Summer Melon Ceviche.
Yields: 4 portions
-12 oz (appx 1 fillet) red snapper
-Watermelon Ceviche Base
-½ cup watermelon juice (you can buy bottled, or puree watermelon in a blender and strain)
-2 Tbsp lime juice
-1 Tbsp lemon juice
-1 Tbsp shallot, finely minced
-1 Tbsp celery, finely minced
- Herb Mix
-1 tsp basil, minced
-1 tsp parsley, minced
-1 tsp chives, sliced
-Garnishes
-¼ cup cavaillon melon (or substitute cantaloupe here), diced small
-¼ cup watermelon, diced small
-¼ cup honeydew melon, diced small
-¼ cup cucumber, diced small
-¼ cup prosciutto, diced small
-4 4-inch stalks heart of palm, julienned
-4 Tbsp avocado, pureed
-2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Procedure:
1) Prepping the fish: Remove the skin and bloodline from the fillet and sliced in very thin slices. Next, put the slices of fish into a large bowl with the watermelon crevice base, shallots, celery, and herb mix. Allow to marinate for 15 minutes.
2) Plating: After 15 minutes, divide the fish into 4 bowls and equally spoon the marinade over the four dishes. Add the garnishes to each, and season with sea salt and pepper.
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Camille
