Vegetarian inWNY
OU COULD JUST
focus on the carrots,
soft and almost golden in their roasted goodness. They’re delicious
enough on their own. But then
you see (and smell) the glistening smoked pistachio butter.
The scent rising from the warm
iron plate brings your focus to
the sub-carrot ricotta layer, soft
and warm, with a lovely streak
of herbs throughout. Subtle
touches like star-anise-steeped
oil (in which the carrots are
roasted), and the tiniest finishing drizzle of orange blossom
honey make Bruce Weiszala’s
dish light up the vegetarian firmament.
Weiszala is as passionate and
careful about designing and
cooking a vegetable dish as he
is about preparing “a nice piece
of pork” or a traditional plate
composed of protein, starch,
and vegetable. He also believes
it’s important to have options
on a menu. Additional vegetable dishes, also deliciously rich,
include beets and cauliflower. (Please note that the Brussels sprouts are flavored with
bacon.)
Formerly the chef at Tabree,
where he originally prepared
this dish, Weiszala was inspired
by the carrots from Western
New York–based Green Her-
on Growers at a Williamsville
farmer’s market. “The carrots
are beautiful, bright and small
and sweet, with vibrant colors,”
he says. “I wanted to come up
with a dish that highlighted
them.”
He blends the smoked pista-
chios with a little salt and vege-
table oil into a “chunky peanut
butter texture.” The roasted
sweetness of the carrots, com-
bined with scratch-made ricotta
produces supreme creaminess—
this buttery, cheesy, nutty dish
is grown-up comfort food, in the
nicest possible way.
—Jana Eisenberg
THIN MAN BREWERY
492 Elmwood Avenue,
thinmanbrewery.com or 923-4100
Roasted
carrots with
herbed ricotta
and smoked
pistachio butter
Y
