From August 27 – September 25, families can explore Mario Batali’s Edible Garden in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and enjoy daily gardening activities and cooking demonstrations showcasing kid-friendly recipes with the chance to sample and search for ingredients in the garden. We are posting the recipes from Mario Batali’s Edible Garden here on the NYBG blog, Plant Talk, so check back often.
Roasted Cippolini Onions in Balsamic Vinegar
Frank Langello, Executive Chef, Babbo
2 quarts cippolini onions, cleaned and peeled
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 425ºF.
Season the onions with salt, pepper, and olive oil. Place the seasoned onions in a roasting pan and cook in the oven for about five minutes. Remove the onions from the oven, add balsamic vinegar and replace in the oven to cook for another ten minutes, until tender.
Season with salt and pepper and serve warm as an antipasto.
From August 27 – September 25, families can explore Mario Batali’s Edible Garden in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and enjoy daily gardening activities and cooking demonstrations showcasing kid-friendly recipes with the chance to sample and search for ingredients in the garden. We are posting the recipes from Mario Batali’s Edible Garden here on the NYBG blog, Plant Talk, so check back often.
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean
6 large egg yolks
1/2 pound cleaned, sliced strawberries
An additional 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Place the heavy cream, milk, and 1/2 cup of the sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Scrape the vanilla bean and add the seeds and bean pod to the pot, and place over medium heat.
Meanwhile, whisk the remaining egg yolks well with the remaining tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl. When the milk/cream mixture comes to a boil, remove the pan from the heat. Add a splash of the hot liquid to the bowl with yolks, and immediately begin to whisk vigorously. Slowly whisk in the remaining liquid, then return the entire mixture to the saucepan and continue to whisk for about a minute or so. Strain the gelato base through a chinois or fine-meshed sieve to remove any bits of cooked egg.
Allow the gelato base to cool completely in the refrigerator, whisking occasionally so it will cool evenly. While the gelato is cooling, place the cleaned strawberries in a blender or food processor along with the additional 3 tablespoons of sugar. Pulse to achieve a chunky puree, but do not over process or the strawberries will liquefy.
Stir the strawberry puree into the cold gelato base to thoroughly combine them. Immediately transfer the gelato to an ice cream freezer and freeze according to manufacturer’s instructions.
From August 27 – September 25, families can explore Mario Batali’s Edible Garden in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and enjoy daily gardening activities and cooking demonstrations showcasing kid-friendly recipes with the chance to sample and search for ingredients in the garden. We are posting the recipes from Mario Batali’s Edible Garden here on the NYBG blog, Plant Talk, so check back often.
Broccoletti with Stracciatella
Cruz Goler, Executive Chef, Lupa
4 cups broccoli rabe, tightly packed
The zest and juice of one lemon
A pinch of red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil
3 ounces stracciatella (a type of mozzarella)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.
Wash and trim broccoli rabe, cutting into desired lengths. Blanch broccoli until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and cool under cold running water. Set aside to dry.
In a mixing bowl, season the broccoli with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and lemon zest. Dress the rabe with lemon-infused extra virgin olive oil (Olio Verde makes a nice option).
To plate, mix dollops of straciatella and spoonfuls of lemony rabe, seasoning the cheese with additional sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste.
From August 27 – September 25, families can explore Mario Batali’s Edible Garden in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and enjoy daily gardening activities and cooking demonstrations showcasing kid-friendly recipes with the chance to sample and search for ingredients in the garden. We are posting the recipes from Mario Batali’s Edible Garden here on the NYBG blog, Plant Talk, so check back often.
Penne with Arugula, Ricotta, and Pepperoncino
Dan Drohan, Executive Chef, OTTO Enoteca Pizzaria, New York
Arugula Pesto
3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon pine nuts
2 cups arugula leaves, tightly packed, rinsed and dried
2/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Drop the garlic into a food processor to chop. Add the pine nuts and arugula and pulse until the arugula is finely chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the parmigiano. Set aside. The pesto can be stored in a tightly sealed jar, topped with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil, for several weeks in the refrigerator.
Bring 8 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.
Meanwhile, in a small sauté pan, sweat the garlic and pepperoncini until the garlic is lightly toasted. Remove from heat.
When water is boiling, add 2 tablespoons of salt and drop in pasta. Cook pasta until two minutes short of package cooking time, reserving half cup of cooking liquid.
Transfer pasta to serving bowl and toss with pesto, pepperoncini, reserved pasta water, and pecorino. Serve immediately with dollops of fresh ricotta on top
From August 27 – September 25, families can explore Mario Batali’s Edible Garden in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and enjoy daily gardening activities and cooking demonstrations showcasing kid-friendly recipes with the chance to sample and search for ingredients in the garden. We are posting the recipes from Mario Batali’s Edible Garden here on the NYBG blog, Plant Talk, so check back often.
Spicy Cucumber and Fennel Salad
Dan Drohan, Executive Chef, OTTO Enoteca Pizzaria, New York
Lemon Vinaigrette
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon marmellata (marmalade) or a generous pinch of grated lemon zest
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, preferably Tuscan
1 fennel bulb, sliced paper thin
2 breakfast radishes, thinly sliced
2 hot house cucumbers, skins on
2 peperoncini, thinly sliced
4 tablespoons Lemon Vinaigrette
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 sprigs fennel fronds
Whisk the lemon juice, marmellata, and olive oil together in a small bowl and set aside. The vinaigrette can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.
Using a Japanese mandolin, thinly slice fennel and radishes and set aside in a serving bowl. Split cucumbers lengthwise and cut into 1/2-centimeter-thick half moons, skins on, and transfer to serving bowl. Thinly slice peperoncini on a bias and incorporate. Add all Lemon Vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper and toss lightly. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve.
From August 27 – September 25, families can explore Mario Batali’s Edible Garden in the Ruth Rea Howell Family Garden and enjoy daily gardening activities and cooking demonstrations showcasing kid-friendly recipes with the chance to sample and search for ingredients in the garden. We are posting the recipes from Mario Batali’s Edible Garden here on the NYBG blog, Plant Talk, so check back often.
Caprese Salad with Genovese Pesto
Recipe courtesy of Mario Batali
There are about 150 varieties of basil, but basilico genovese makes for the best pesto. It’s also essential to making authentic pesto genovese. In Italy, basil is a symbol of love and I love this recipe for a summer caprese salad with ingredients fresh from the seasonal garden.
Basil Pesto
3 garlic cloves
2 cups lightly packed fresh Genovese basil leaves
3 tablespoons pine nuts
Generous pinch of Maldon or other flaky sea salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
3 tablespoons grated pecorino romano
10 ounces fresh mozzarella
1 1/2 pounds assorted ripe tomatoes (choose a combination of colors, types and sizes) including Italian Heirloom and bicolor Pineapple
With the motor running, drop the garlic into your best food processor to chop it. Add the Genovese basil, pine nuts, and salt and pulse until the basil and nuts are coarsely chopped, then process until finely chopped. With the motor running, drizzle in the oil. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the Parmigiano and pecorino. Set aside. (The pesto can be stored in a tightly sealed jar, topped with a thin layer of extra virgin olive oil, for several weeks in the refrigerator.)
With a sharp knife, cut the mozzarella into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Transfer to a serving platter.
If using cherry or grape tomatoes, cut them in half. Core the remaining tomatoes and slice them. Arrange the tomatoes with the cheese.
Pour the pesto over the salad, sprinkle with salt, and serve.
Every day during The Edible Garden: Growing and Preparing Good Food cooking demonstrations are presented at the Conservatory Kitchen, a special place set up on the lawn in front of the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory.
It’s a wonderful way to see your favorite chefs in person in action—often creating original dishes. You can take notes during the demos, but you can save time by looking up the recipes on the Garden’s Web site, where they are posted the week following the event.
So impress your friends and family by whipping up some of these seasonal, delicious inventions. Bon appétit.
2 quarts cippolini onions, cleaned and peeled
