Home plates
Uni swings for the fences with delish dishes, dessert
Our boys are in the World Series and that calls for a celebration. Chef Tony Messina of Uni has a few tricks up his sleeve for a tasty pre- or post-game meal this week. In the Eliot Hotel at 370A Commonwealth Ave., Uni is right on the route to Fenway.
Thanks to a near-perfect growing season in the Piedmont region of Italy, Messina has plenty of amazing Alba white truffles at his disposal. “White truffles are coming in especially fragrant right now, and it usually takes time for them to get that stage,” he said.
Messina has created several dishes using that amazing flavor profile. First off is the Hot Dog Risotto Spoon with Pickled Apple. “It was fun to combine something really highbrow with something more fun, light-hearted and low brow. Adding hot dog makes the bite accessible and familiar to everyone — from truffle connoisseurs to people who are trying them for the first time,” the chef said.
Next up is for the serious truffle lover is the $135 Ramen Noodle Cacio e Pepe. This decadent dish is served with miso butter and a grilled egg. The dish’s overall simplicity allows the generous serving of white truffles to be the star. And if you still want to experience some Alba truffles but want to try something else on the menu as well, you can add them as a supplement to any dish for $85.
And for a seasonal end to the meal, Messina has a dessert for all the pumpkin spice fans. “The flavors of our black sesame panna cotta are black sesame,
pumpkin, coffee and Hawaiian butter mochi cake. I’m not a big PSL (pumpkin spiced latte) guy myself, but I know a lot of people look forward to them every year, and this was a fun opportunity for me to play with those flavor profiles in a subtler and, in my opinion, more delicious way.”
Even if you aren’t headed out to see the Red Sox play, you can still enjoy some fall flavors at home. Uni’s Pineapple in Paradise, a cocktail that may look like it’s meant for summer, certainly tastes like fall with its aged rum and nutmeg flavors. Make it for yourself with this recipe from the restaurant.
Go Sox!
Combine the rums, Falernum, simple syrup, lime juice and pineapple juice in a cocktail shaker with ice, and shake vigorously. Strain the ingredients over crushed ice and top with Angostura bitters and nutmeg. Garnish with a leafy mint sprig and serve.