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When three New York City chefs—Johnny Iuzzini, Cornelius Gallagher and Shea Gallante—decided to visit their friend Bradford Thompson in Scottsdale, Arizona, the idea was to get as far away from the pressures of their high-profile kitchens as possible. That's how four of the hottest young chefs in the country found themselves sitting astride all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) one morning, impatiently waiting to race over the pitted mountain slopes of the Sonoran Desert at perilous speeds, risking limb if not life.
But first their guide from Stellar Adventures has to explain the safety rules and regulations in mind-numbing detail. Finally, he concludes with, "Don't do anything wild and you guys won't get into trouble. And avoid the slippery muddy spots." He clearly doesn't know his audience. With a holler and a roar and much gratuitous revving of engines, the four friends take off, zooming across the sloppy wet earth and out of view.
Ever since Thompson, 36, left New York to become chef de cuisine of Mary Elaine's at The Phoenician two-and-a-half years ago, the guys' only chance to spend quality time together is on short trips like this one. They sometimes convene at Iuzzini's cabin in the Catskill Mountains of New York. But this time, they decided to try off-roading, with its daredevil posturing and undercurrent of danger—ideal for chefs who wreaked havoc while working together at Daniel in Manhattan seven years ago. That's where Thompson, Iuzzini and Gallagher earned the collective nickname "Pyramid of Darkness"; Gallante became friends with them a couple of years later.
Their list of antics—including chasing each other with spoiled, week-old sauces—is long and worthy of a frat house. "Those were the good old days," says Iuzzini, 30, a former club kid with a penchant for leather pants and a history of blue hair. Even though it was their wild sides that brought them together, the four men also admire each other as chefs. "That's maybe the most important bond we have: mutual respect," says Gallagher, 33. "I've had some of the best meals of my life when one of these guys was cooking."
Their mentor, Daniel Boulud, is also impressed: "They sometimes get out of hand, but they are very passionate and very talented. They'll do fine in the end...I hope." So far, they certainly have. After working at Daniel as a sous-chef, Thompson moved to DB Bistro Moderne (another Boulud outpost) then landed at Mary Elaine's, where he was named an F&W Best New Chef 2004. There, he's known for melding contemporary French and American cuisines, as in his seared foie gras with maple syrup aged in bourbon barrels. Before his stint at Daniel, Gallagher worked for a remarkable roster of chefs, including Marc Meneau in France and David Bouley in New York. After leaving Daniel, he went to Oceana, where he was named an F&W Best New Chef 2003 for updating the seafood canon with dishes such as his pastry-wrapped loup de mer with tamarind and wasabi essence. After Gallante, 32, worked as chef de cuisine at Bouley, he became chef at Cru, where he adds postmodern touches to dishes such as live sea scallops with buffalo mozzarella, caviar and roasted peach. And Iuzzini, the executive pastry chef at Jean Georges, is famous for multicourse desserts that include such refined combinations as salted caramel mousse with roasted apple jam.
After returning from their ATV adventure exhausted, with Gallante slightly bruised from a wipeout, they head over to the house of one of Thompson's co-workers to rest before dinner. But 10 minutes of lying around is all they need. Iuzzini, the most frenetic of the bunch, jumps on Thompson's back, trying to put him in a choke hold. Gallante starts pitching grapefruits picked from a tree in the yard to a stick-wielding Gallagher. Fruit explodes all over Thompson and Iuzzini.
Finally, the four get down to the business of making dinner. Thompson wipes grapefruit pulp from the top of his shaved head as he throws peach halves on the grill for an arugula and frisée salad with Cabrales blue cheese and toasted walnuts—a classic combination of fruit, nuts and cheese. Gallagher stands next to him grilling tuna for a bruschetta that he'll top with a chipotle crème fraîche. Afterward, he helps Gallante grate grilled ricotta salata over the warm pasta that's been tossed with fresh salsa verde. Iuzzini is in the kitchen digging through the freezer for coffee ice cream, which he'll use for his banana splits—warm, sugar-glazed, grilled bananas topped with silky mocha sauce. When they cook together, the chefs focus on dishes that are hearty and quick, yet still intelligent enough to impress each other. Which is the point.
Two days before the dinner, Thompson called one of his purveyors and ordered five pounds of rarified Wagyu (American Kobe-style) beef to replace the hanger steaks they were originally going to marinate in garlic, rosemary and thyme before grilling. As Gallante flips the meat, the others stand around him, admiring the deep-red meat marbled with thick veins of pure-white fat. "Awesome," is the consensus, uttered between sips of watermelon-and-ginger limeades spiked with rum.
"I always get my Wagyu from Snake River Farms in Idaho—it's the most consistent," Thompson says.
"I use True World Foods. I think their stuff is amazing," Gallante retorts.
They eye each other for a minute. Will another wrestling match break out? Instead, the four take their seats around the picnic table to do what they set out to do all along: enjoy the meal they made for each other, in each other's company.
Grilled Tuna Bruschetta with Chipotle Crème Fraîche
Recipe by Cornelius Gallagher
Serves 8
Chef Cornelius Gallagher of Oceana in New York City is a fish genius. For this bruschetta, he quickly marinates the fish in apple cider and olive oil, then grills it until it's slightly charred. He tops it with a luscious smoky, spicy crème fraîche sauce that's not only wonderful with grilled tuna, but also with smoked trout or bluefish, grilled shrimp or even a chicken sandwich or burger.
1/4 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Two 8-ounce tuna steaks, 3/4 inch thick
1 cup crème fraîche
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce—drained, seeded and minced
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped basil, plus 24 small basil leaves, for garnish
1/2 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch dice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
24 thin slices of ciabatta or peasant bread
1. In a large, shallow dish, combine the cider and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the tuna steaks and turn to coat. Let stand for 15 minutes, turning once.
2. Meanwhile, light a grill. In a medium bowl, stir the crème fraîche with the chipotles, garlic, chopped basil and apple and season with salt and pepper.
3. Season the tuna with salt and pepper. Grill over a hot fire, turning once, until lightly charred on the outside and rare inside, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a platter. Brush the ciabatta slices on both sides with olive oil and grill over a hot fire until toasted on both sides.
4. Cut the tuna into 1/3-inch-thick slices and arrange the slices on the toasts. Top each bruschetta with a dollop of chipotle crème fraîche and a basil leaf and serve.
MAKE AHEAD: The crème fraîche sauce can be refrigerated overnight.
Garlicky Herb-Rubbed Hanger Steaks
Recipe by Shea Gallante
Serves 8
Chef Shea Gallante of Cru in New York City based this recipe on a classic Florentine dish called bistecca alla fiorentina—a thick T-bone grilled rare over hot coals. Here, Gallante substitutes cheaper but equally flavorful hanger steak—which he thinks is an underrated cut—and rubs the meat with dried herbs, garlic and paprika before cooking it.
1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
1/2 teaspoons dried rosemary
1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 head of garlic, cloves peeled and minced
Three 2-pound hanger steaks
2 tablespoons sweet paprika
Olive oil, for drizzling
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. In a mini food processor or spice grinder, combine the dried thyme with the dried rosemary, marjoram and oregano and blend the herbs until a powder forms. On a work surface, rub the minced garlic cloves all over the hanger steaks and sprinkle them with the sweet paprika. Dust the steaks with the powdered herbs, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Let the steaks stand at room temperature for 1 hour before proceeding.
2. Light a grill. Drizzle the steaks all over with olive oil and season them generously with salt and pepper. Grill the steaks over a medium-high fire until they are charred on the outside and medium-rare on the inside, about 12 minutes per side. Transfer the steaks to a carving board to rest for 15 minutes.
3. Working from both sides and using a sharp knife, slice the steaks against the grain until you reach the strip of gristle in the center. Discard the gristle. Arrange the slices on a platter and serve.
Grilled Shrimp Rolls with Sorrel
Recipe by Shea Gallante
Serves 8
When he was a child and spent summers on Martha's Vineyard, Gallante loved lobster rolls. For this version, he douses shrimp with gin and sherry, grills it and mixes it with a fragrant scallion-tarragon mayonnaise.
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 tablespoon rosemary leaves
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
3 garlic cloves, minced
40 large shrimp (about 1 1/2 pounds), shelled and deveined
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 scallions, finely chopped
3 cornichons, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 large celery rib, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced tarragon
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon celery seeds
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon gin
1 tablespoon dry sherry
8 hot dog rolls (preferably potato rolls), split
8 large sorrel or arugula leaves
1. In a large shallow dish, combine 1/4 cup of the olive oil with the rosemary, lemon zest and two-thirds of the garlic. Stir in the shrimp and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
2. In a bowl, stir the mayonnaise with the scallions, cornichons, shallot, celery, tarragon, sherry vinegar, paprika, celery seeds and the remaining minced garlic. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Light a grill. Toss the shrimp with the gin and sherry. Thread the shrimp onto 8 skewers; season with salt and pepper. Grill the shrimp over a hot fire until lightly charred and cooked through, 3 minutes per side; let cool slightly. Stir the grilled shrimp into the mayonnaise dressing.
4. Brush the cut sides of the hot dog rolls with olive oil and grill until toasted. Place a sorrel leaf in each roll, spoon the shrimp salad into the rolls and serve.
MAKE AHEAD: The salad can be refrigerated overnight. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Salad of Mixed Greens with Grilled Peaches and Cabrales Cheese
Recipe by Bradford Thompson
Serves 8
Chef Bradford Thompson of Mary Elaine's at The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Arizona, combines Spanish blue cheese, toasted walnuts and sweet, drippy peaches with frisée for a delicious salad.
1/2 cup walnuts
4 firm, ripe freestone peaches, halved and pitted
2 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
3 ounces arugula, large stems discarded
One 5-ounce head frisée, torn into bite-size pieces (4 cups)
3 ounces Cabrales cheese, crumbled (1 cup)
1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Light a grill. Put the walnuts in a pie plate and toast in the oven for 7 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Transfer the walnuts to a plate and let cool, then coarsely chop.
2. In a medium bowl, toss the peaches with 1/2 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the peaches over a medium-high fire until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the peaches to a work surface and cut each half in half.
3. In a medium bowl, mix the vinegar with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Add the arugula and frisée and toss well. Transfer the salad to a platter and scatter the Cabrales and toasted walnuts on top. Arrange the peaches around the salad and serve.
Farfalle with Salsa Verde and Grilled Ricotta Salata
Recipe by Shea Gallante
Serves 8
This creative, fresh-tasting dish is nothing like the ones that have given cold pasta a bad name. Gallante forgoes the standard mayonnaise-based dressing in favor of a tangy, vibrant salsa verde made with tomatillos, jalapeños, anchovy and herbs. He tosses the salsa with warm farfalle, then tops the pasta with grated slabs of salty, grilled ricotta salata cheese.
3/4 pound tomatillos—husked, rinsed and halved
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 jalapeños, seeded and sliced
1 anchovy fillet, chopped
1/4 cup chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup snipped chives
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds farfalle pasta
One 1/2-pound piece of ricotta salata
1/2 cup coarsely chopped celery leaves
1. Light a grill. In a medium saucepan of boiling water, cook the tomatillos for 1 minute. Drain and let cool. In a food processor, pulse the tomatillos with the garlic, jalapeños, anchovy, basil, parsley and chives until mixed. Slowly pour in 1 cup of the olive oil, pulsing until blended but still slightly chunky. Stir in the lime juice and season the salsa with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook the farfalle until al dente.
3. Meanwhile, drizzle the olive oil over the ricotta salata and grill over a hot fire until lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side.
4. Drain the farfalle and return it to the pot. Stir in the salsa verde and the celery leaves. Grate half of the ricotta salata over the pasta and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl. Grate the remaining ricotta salata over the farfalle and serve.
Grilled Banana Splits with Coffee Ice Cream and Mocha Sauce
Recipe by Johnny Iuzzini
Serves 8
Pastry chef Johnny Iuzzini of New York City's Jean Georges describes his home cooking as "lazy." For these splits, he marinates bananas in rum, coats them with sugar and grills them until the outsides get hard and crackly.
2 quarts plus 1 cup water
1 cup light brown sugar
3 cinnamon sticks, broken
3 star anise pods
1/2 cup dark rum
8 firm, ripe bananas
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons instant espresso powder
1 cup heavy cream
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
Turbinado sugar, for dredging
3 pints coffee ice cream
Whipped cream and chopped nuts, for serving
1. In a large saucepan, combine 2 quarts of the water with the brown sugar, cinnamon sticks and star anise and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat. Add the rum and bananas and let stand for 4 hours.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, whisk the remaining 1 cup of water with the granulated sugar, cocoa powder and espresso powder and bring to a boil. Whisk in the cream and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 40 minutes. Stir in the chocolate until melted. Remove from the heat; keep warm.
3. Light a grill. Drain the bananas and pat dry with paper towels. Put the turbinado sugar in a shallow bowl. Cut each banana in half lengthwise; dip each half in the sugar to coat evenly. Grill the bananas over a hot fire until they are richly caramelized, about 1 minute per side.
4. Transfer 2 banana halves to each of 8 bowls. Place 3 scoops of ice cream in each split banana and top with 1/4 cup of the mocha sauce. Dollop whipped cream over the splits, top with the nuts and serve.
Watermelon and Ginger Limeade
Recipe by Bradford Thompson
Serves 8
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
8 cups cubed seedless watermelon, plus 8 small wedges, for garnish (from an 8-pound watermelon)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1. In a small saucepan, combine the water, sugar and ginger and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Strain the ginger syrup into a small bowl.
2. Puree the cubed watermelon in a food processor. Strain the puree through a fine sieve set over a bowl. Stir in the ginger syrup and the lime juice.
3. Fill 8 tall glasses with ice and add the limeade. Garnish with the melon wedges and serve.