If you haven’t had the time to buy a proper gift for your lover on Valentine’s Day, no worries! We’ve got your back! And what could be more romantic than a dinner prepared with your very own hands for your special someone? These recipes, created by New York City’s one-of-a-kind restaurant, Il Fiorista, are sure to steal the heart of anyone that tries them!
The renowned Il Fiorista is an all-in-one restaurant, flower shop and education center based in the NoMad neighborhood of New York City with a passionate vision. The Italian founders Alessandra and Mario De Benedetti are all about edible flowers: that’s the core theme at the heart of their restaurant and bar menus. Opened last September, this fresh and floral concept has already created quite a following in the city.
So it was only natural that we ask them for some Valentine’s inspiration, a request that Chef Garrison Price and mixologist Gates Otsuji were happy to oblige, providing an original, romantic dinner recipe and a cocktail made exclusively for your Valentine’s Day a casa. Auguri!
Recipe by chef Garrison Price: Rosa di Gorizia salad with rose vinaigrette
Colorful Italian heirloom radicchio is a perfect choice for the late winter season. Its tender, slightly bitter leaves are paired with rose-scented vinaigrette, tart apple slices, sweet pistachios and tarragon leaves for an aromatic taste. If you are able to find the rare hidden rose apples, they make for a great presentation and fun addition for Valentine's Day. The rose candied pistachios make a great snack on their own for your sweetheart, too.
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Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 large head of Rosa di Gorizia radicchio
4 heads of red endive
1 hidden rose apple (or any other red apple available)
1 sprig of fresh tarragon (or 20 leaves)
1/2 cup rose wine vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons rose water
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon dried rose petals, crushed
2 cups olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup pistachios
1/2 cup dried rose petals, crushed
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon salt
Method:
Trim the base of the radicchio and the endive. Separate the leaves. Using a mandolin vegetable slicer or a sharp knife, cut the apple into paper-thin slices. Keep the leaves and apple slices chilled until ready to serve.
In a mixing bowl, combine the rose wine vinegar, water, rose water, dijon mustard, honey, rose petals and salt. Slowly whisk in the olive oil to emulsify and keep the vinaigrette chilled until ready to serve.
Preheat oven to 325°F. In a mixing bowl, combine the pistachio, dried rose petals, sugar, water, salt, and mix together fully. Spread mixture onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 325° degrees for about 15-20 minutes until the nuts are toasted and the sugar is melted. Remove from the oven, cool to room temperature and lightly chop into small pieces.
In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the radicchio, endive and apple slices with a generous amount of rose vinaigrette. Arrange the dressed leaves in a serving bowl, top with the chopped candied pistachios and finish with tarragon leaves.
Cocktail Recipe by Gates Otsuji: Shall We Dance? / Balliamo?
For this cocktail, the main floral elements are clove and rose.
First, you’ll need to infuse the bourbon with clove, cinnamon and orange peel using a slow process. This type of infusion was traditionally used in 19th-century American homes to make "rock & rye,” a flavored whiskey that people would serve to guests in their homes.
You can also use a modern rapid infusion to flavor the sweet vermouth with cardamom & local apples. Finally, make an aromatic bitter using toasted coconut and rosebuds.
This combination of flavors (cardamom, coconut, rose, and clove) is found in South Asian cuisine and is reminiscent of delicacies like chai and many other desserts.
The health benefits of clove (purification) and rose (balance, soothing) are an added bonus to this flavor profile.
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