I’ve spent the last year dreaming of the dinner parties I’d host if and when friends and I could safely gather together, and now it seems this summer is going to grant my wishes for festive nights with amazing dishes and all the people I’ve missed so much.
Maybe it has something to to do with my love language, but I think cooking for people can be the ultimate expression of care—so even though I personally keep to a more vegetarian diet, I always like to have a few go-to dishes that I can serve for friends who focus on more Mediterranean or other eating styles.
When the team at Bowery Farming reached out about an exclusive recipe from their Culinary Advisor Chef Eric Adjepong, MPH (who you might know from Top Chef), we jumped at the chance. And they delivered the perfect dinner party dish, one I’ll certainly be bookmarking for future. At Bowery Farms, they’re growing sustainable produce right near cities like New York and Baltimore—and this time of year, there’s a super fun green in season: sorrel.
Sorrel might not be a leafy green you’re familiar with, so here’s a quick description: it comes from the same family as rhubarb, but looks more like spinach or baby kale. It has a pretty intense flavor reminiscent of citrus–which means it’s a perfect pairing with seafood dishes (like the one below from Chef Adjepong).
The dish pairs a sorrel sauce with mussels in a coconut dashi. And, in addition to lemony sorrel, the dish features other punchy flavors like garlic, ginger, miso, jalapeño, and kombu (a type of kelp). The mussel mixture also incorporates bonito flakes—bits of tuna that are simmered, smoked, and then fermented—which are often used in Japanese cuisine, especially sauces.
