Here’s the Dish with Chef Edward Daggers of the Yacht Club of Stone Harbor
Q&A
Where did you receive your training?
The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.
Where do you get your inspiration from, when creating a new dish?
Many places: a produce or an open-air market (though not so much right now!), a documentary about a place or culture or trying to reinterpret a classic or traditional dish.
What do you believe is the most important quality of a restaurant, and why?
A welcoming atmosphere combined with a passion for food and service.
What is your go-to meal on your days off?
In winter, a stew or roast; in summer, something grilled with fresh vegetables.
What advice would you give to a new chef?
To be open to everything and to never settle for less than the best.
What is your favorite summer dish?
Jersey produce, something grilled, and raspberry sorbet.
What do you enjoy most about cooking?
Creating something that will give people something they need (nourishment) while giving them something to delight in.
What is the hardest cooking technique you have mastered?
Making pasta.
Where do you find yourself most when you are not in the kitchen?
In poor weather, at my easel; in good weather, in my yard.
What is the most needed cooking utensil for a kitchen, and why?
Passion. Loving what you do will help you overcome any difficulty or obstacle. And a sharp chef’s knife.
Dinner Recipe
TUNA POKE with Sesame Cucumber Salad
TUNA:
4-ounce Yellowfin Tuna
Season with cracked pepper and sea salt. Sear in a very hot pan with a small amount of olive oil, 30 seconds each side. Let cool. Dice and add ¼-teaspoon garlic, 1 ounce fine minced garlic, ½-ounce minced green onion, ½-ounce minced red onion, and 1 ounce sesame oil. Mix and set aside.
NOODLES:
Soba or spaghetti noodle. Cook in boiling water and shock.
DRESSING:
½-ounce soy sauce
1 ounce rice wine vinegar
½-ounce sesame oil
½-teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1 ounce pineapple juice
1 ounce diced pineapple
1½ ounces diced cucumbers
1 ounce Kikkoman’s Teriyaki Marinade
Mix all together. Reserve 1 ounce, toss rest with noodles.
ASSEMBLE:
Mix tuna with 1 ounce of dressing. Plate with noodle salad. Top with tuna. Sprinkle with minced scallion, thin sliced daikon radish and sesame seeds.
Dessert Recipe
HONEY PECAN SPOONBREAD
Ingredients:
2 cups milk, scalded
2 cups fine-ground yellow cornmeal
5 eggs
½-cup sugar
½-cup butter (or margarine), melted
¼-cup honey
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon baking powder
½-cup coarsely chopped pecans
Directions:
In a large bowl, pour hot milk over cornmeal, mixing until all the milk is absorbed. Add eggs, mixing well. Stir in sugar, butter, honey, baking powder and vanilla. Fold in pecans. Spoon into a greased 1-quart casserole. Bake in a preheated slow oven (300 degrees) for 25 to 30 minutes until done, puffed and lightly browned.
