YURA’S MEALS-TO-GO

 Here are some highlights from this week’s Meals-to-Go:

We’ve mastered a pan sauce usually made à la minute: Tomato, Shallot and Caper Sauté that sets the stage for Pan-Roasted Salmon. Now make way, rice pilafs and potato permutations, for the perfect accompaniment: Italian Gnudi. Think feather-weight little dumplings of Ricotta, Spinach and Goat Cheese sauced with toasty Sage Browned Butter. And nothing rounds out this meal better than a fresh salad: Arugula and Shaved Mushrooms with Lemon and Olive Oil (all to be tossed with the shaved Parmesan that comes on the side).

Pork Tenderloin is dainty in comparison to its Chop House beef counterpart, and particularly darling served sliced, as rosy medallions. What comes fanned out before you was spice-rubbed, then Roasted, and finished with a savory Honey and Garlic-heightened demi-glace. Plus, we’ve conflated two steak house favorites, baked russets and creamed spinach, into amazing Spinach-Mashed Potatoes (try to find that at Peter Luger!). Baked Cauliflower-Broccoli completes the meal.

This Russo-Continental MTG is more Brighten Beach supper club than 20th-century Russian Tea Room. It’s glitzy and contemporary, and bathed in pink light. We treat Grilled Shrimp as a delicacy to be indulged in, and Chilled Watermelon as exotic, served up in abundance on a bed of arugula alongside Dilled Roasted Beets. This Composed Salad conjures festive dining-late energy, like a Brighten beach carnival—ornamental chopped egg, beside goat cheese, beside toasted pine nuts. With Russian Dressing.

Eggplant Parmesan with Smoked Mozzarella and Slow-Roasted Tomatoes: Buddy’s still influenced by Firenze as if the visits were just yesterday, and he gets a real kick out of our eggplant Parmesan as a truly American invention. But in America we are, and eggplant Parm is to die for, so here’s a spin of his that’s just a little less conservative. 

The eggplant is breaded, yes, each slice creamy on the inside, and layered, not with marinara, but slow-roasted tomatoes. A wood-fire scent comes from smoked mozzarella, with fresh basil leaves strewn over every layer.

Whole steamed fish is a popular Thai specialty, prepared with Pla Kapong Neung Mano a spicy, sweet-sour garlic-lime broth. Buddy’s riffed on the tradition with his Steamed Asian Sea Bass Fillet, each vibrant, fresh, and flavorful portion served over Lemongrass-Coconut Rice. Wok-Seared Tri-Colored Peppers bring the box to life, stir-fried with Onions and Green Beans topped with Holy Basil and Toasted Peanuts.