Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Pasta salad never gets old
Q. My husband loves Flanigan’s pasta salad. Any chance you can get me the recipe? — Debbie Nextdor, Lake Worth
A.
Yes, Debbie there is a chance. But only with the help of Flanigan’s Seafood Bar and Grill’s (multiple locations, www.Flanigans.net) supervisor of kitchen operations and development, Teri Cecil. Cecil started with the company as a part time manager/ bartender. Within the first year she accepted a full-time management position. “I fell in love with Flanigan’s family ownership and the concept. The pasta salad has been a part of our menu, even before my time, which is going on 24 amazing years,” Cecil explained.
Now with 23 South Florida locations from Stuart to Miami, Flanigan’s is currently expanding their catering operations with building construction underway in Fort Lauderdale. After the anticipated May opening, the new facility will service their off-premise catering division as well as Flanigan’s Food Truck. You may have spotted the mobile restaurant at special events since it first hit the road two years ago. Flanigan’s Food Truck is also available for private large scale events.
For the pasta salad, Flanigan’s uses a prepared no-egg Caesar dressing. Unless there are dietary restrictions, feel free to substitute regular Caesar dressing. The salad is offered as a side dish or as a huge 20-ounce lunch option for $5.99, with several different proteins on top for an upcharge.
Q. I would love the recipe for “flourless chocolate cake” from the nowclosed DIG restaurant that was located on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. It was the most delicious, rich cake. — Marilyn Kaplan, Boca Raton
A.
I reached out to Chef Joey Giannuzzi, formerly of DIG in Delray Beach, but unfortunately he wouldn’t part with his flourless chocolate cake recipe. This flourless chocolate cake rose to fame as part of the ’80s dining scene right around the same time the molten chocolate lava cake invaded every dessert menu. Its rich profile remains popular, particularly nowadays with the gluten-free set, and as a result, there are many recipe renditions out there. I’m sharing a recipe from pastry chef David Lebovitz. Lebovitz tasted the cake at Racines, a restaurant in Paris, and included the recipe in his cookbook “Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes” (2010,
Books). Depending on your personal tastes, use bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, or a combination of the two. The cake really needs nothing other than a dusting of confectioners’ sugar. But if you want to dress the plate, add a dollop of whipped cream; just don’t make it too sweet. The optional cocoa nibs add another layer of intense chocolate flavor and great texture. You can find them at Whole Foods or specialty grocers.