Mr. Bashy grew up in New England and seems to understand instinctively the need to restrain cheflike impulses to over-embellish or refine these elemental dishes.
Moscardini alla griglia, a special one night, was nothing more than white-and-purple chunks of brilliantly fresh baby octopus, grilled until smoky and crusty and lightly tossed with olive oil and lemon juice -- one of those elemental, perfect dishes whose tastes and textures will stay fresh in memory for years.
Seasonings, in particular, were thought to adjust a dish's elemental properties in crucial, therapeutic ways.
The mild strangeness drew my attention to how deep and elemental the flavors of both dishes were.
His strength is grill work, and any dish that showcases these elemental flavors is the one to order.
The bowl arrives holding little more than stock, slices of beef and bones, a classic dish at its most elemental.
(The dish is absurdly rich but elemental and tasty, and at $4.95 a child-friendly bargain).
But when a dish works here, it does so with the soulful, elemental kick that defines great Italian cooking.
Elemental configurations -- cubes, stacks, altars, cruciform shapes -- have soap dishes, shower heads and chrome handles attached as purely decorative accents.
Adobo is considered the national dish of the Philippines – it is, in fact, a method of cooking, using in its most elemental form just sea salt, coconut or cane vinegar, peppercorns and bay leaves.
