Salmon Carpaccio and Tomato Tarte Tatin

Yes, it sounds like an odd mix, and kind of was, but both were super tasty (next time I'll use two different plates and just suck it up and wash two extra dishes). The nice thing about them is they both bring out fresh summery flavors but you can make them in the winter. The carpaccio recipe I found in the New York Times, and I'd seen tomato tarte tatin recipes and researched a few before landing on this New York Times recipe. The carpaccio was so fresh and the lemon zest and chives perfectly balanced out the richness of the fish. The tomato tarte was flavorful and rich and also looks so pretty with different colored tomatoes! I got these red and yellow grape tomatoes at the farmers market, but Trader Joe's also has great colorful grape and cherry tomato packs. Both dishes aren't terribly hard, but are impressive - good for a special at home date. Especially the individual tarte tatins.


Salmon Carpaccio (for 2)
Ingredients:
8 ounces salmon, preferably wild (if you can't find wild, I try to get the deepest orange color of the other options)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing

recette

Jamie and I had a great date last night. It started with seeing Branford Marsalis with the New York Philharmonic and it ended at Recette. I'd heard it was super romantic, so we thought we'd go for a little date. When we got there it was bustling and smelled amazing, but we had to wait half an hour for our table even though we had a reservation. Even though it started out a little rocky, I definitely recommend this place!

To start, we got salt cod fritters with a curry aioli and lamb ragu. It came in a teeny cast iron pot and we thought it was too small, but it was just enough. So rich and flavorful, with the soft and crunchy fritters and the tangy, heart ragu. I would never have guessed to pair these together, but the flavors went together very well.

For the next course, we ordered two things to share: Beef carpaccio, burrata, tomato jam, porcini puree, basil and watercress and Branzino, haricots vert and lentils, local greens, and a tomato vinaigrette. The carpaccio looked little, but it was the perfect amount of food. The carpaccio was wrapped around the creamy burrata and topped with everything else. The flavors were so amazing - the creaminess of the cheese and the tart of the tomato jelly, along with the savory taste of the carpaccio. Really a wonderful dish. The Branzino was equally good - the  fish was cooked perfectly, with crispy skin and moist, flaky flesh. The flavor was strong but fresh, and the black lentils were delicious. Since we weren't overly stuffed (in the best way!) we ordered dessert. I ate most of our Snickers Parfait, which was super tasty, although nothing outshined that carpaccio, mmmm.
I will definitely go again, but perhaps planning for a later night and making the reservation for 9:45.