If you haven’t heard the good news, Washington Cider Week starts today. To celebrate this now governor-declared state-wide affair with the fermented prize of apples, Seattle Cider Co. and Skillet, the Seattle-based modern Americana restaurant group, have teamed up with a series of dinners throughout the month. Starting today, cider cocktails can be found at The Regrade, Capitol Hill and Ballard Skillet locations, Seattle Cider tap takeovers will ensue at all four locations and Skillet’s Backyard Barbeque, featuring Seattle Cider, will take place four consecutive Fridays, commencing Sept. 16 with a pre-fixe menu at $37 (an additional $14 to add on cider pairings).
That first meal will feature this juicy and vibrant salad of tropical fanfare, in which Chef Nick Novello hand-selected Seattle Cider’s Citrus to spotlight in the recipe. “I wanted to showcase cider in a different way,” Novello says. “Using the citrus cider from Seattle Cider, I was able to add the guajillo pepper for the aromatics of the pepper and the smoked paprika for the smokiness and heat. It is definitely a favorite for a BBQ.”
For your home grill, Novello suggests upping the bar on what kind of cider you cook with. “With a quality cider… you can really use it in place of wine in any recipe,” he says. “Use it to deglaze a pan after searing poultry or pork, or as a base for any braise. Cider is versatile, great to drink and to cook with, I recommend doing both at the same time.”
Grilled Pineapple Salad with Seattle Cider Co. Citrus Hard Cider Vinaigrette
By Chef Nick Novello, Skillet, Seattle
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
1 whole pineapple, peeled and sliced into spears
½ teaspoon black pepper
4 tablespoons chopped shallots, roughly 2 medium-sized shallots
½ cup Champagne vinegar
1 ½ cups Seattle Cider Co. Citrus
2 tablespoons chopped garlic, roughly 4 cloves
1 tablespoon ground guajillo pepper
½ tablespoon smoked paprika
1 tablespoon dried sage
1 tablespoon salt
2 cups olive oil
1 ear roasted corn, chilled and removed from husk
2 tablespoons shelled pistachios
3 cups Mizuna greens
Directions:
Dust the pineapple spears with pepper and add to the hot grill. Allow for 2 minutes on each side, making sure to get some grill marks to bring out the char flavor. Set aside.
For the vinaigrette, chop the shallot, place in the blender with the Champagne vinegar, cider, garlic and spices. Once everything is incorporated, emulsify with olive oil, checking for salt and sweetness levels.
Place pineapple spears on each plate, top with corn, pistachios and Mizuna greens then drizzle with vinaigrette.
