Must Try: Eastern Shore Corn Risotto with Squash Blossoms at Dino

As much as I like to restaurant and bar hop, Dino has become a bit of a home away from home. Owners Dean and Kay are so nice and passionate about their food. The bartenders, Sam and Andrew, are always welcoming and serving up creative cocktails... and the patio is puppy-friendly, a key point for this dog obsessed Cleveland Parker.

I've been to the Sunday brunch many times. Normally, I'm a brunch classic kinda gal, but after an afternoon of exercise I didn't want to blow all of that work on the decadent Breakfast Bread Pudding. I love how wide open the brunch is - for just $25 you get three courses. And you can mix and match starters, entrees or pastas, cocktails or desserts... whatever you like, Dino will make it happen. (Heads up, they do the same for Restaurant Week which is coming up Aug. 15-20.)

This time around, I started with the Canteloupe Rickey and the Insalata Forte, made with local greens. But the stand out was the Eastern Shore Corn Risotto with Squash Blossoms:

Eastern Corn Risotto (photo: Tammy Gordon)

Like much of Dino's food, it's made with seasonal ingredients that are only available a few weeks a year - so top by and try it while you can!

Follow Dino on Facebook, Twitter and via Dean's famous email newsletter for the latest new specials and menu items.

Dino is located at 3435 Connecticut Avenue, just across Ordway Street from Cleveland Park Metro. Book a reservation on Open Table.

Farmers Market Demo by Dino's Dean Gold PLUS Recipe

This morning Cleveland Park took over the Dupont Circle Farmers Market! Last night when I was at Dino for dinner (grilled veggie antipasti, stuffed squash blossoms, soft shells, asparagus pasta, oh my!), Dean mentioned he was doing the market demo this morning, so Ike and I were there promptly at 11am.

Most Sunday mornings I'm at the market and you're lucky if the chefs doing demos even grunt at you as their team passes out samples. (No offense... a lot of chefs are gruff by nature!) Dean delighted the crowd with a dissertation on kitchen basics, why local ingredients matter, an extra recipe for squash blossoms, his market demo of Mustard Green Soup with Rice (recipe below) and an encore history of garlic scapes and how to cook with them (you can use them like green beans - who knew?)

Dino's Dean Gold cooking down mustard greens for his Mustard Green Soup (photo: Tammy Gordon)

Everyone from food bloggers to market shoppers to Cleveland Park neighbors hung out in the grass and took it in like a college class. After we tasted the soup and said our goodbyes, we went off to shop the stalls more inspired than we arrived.

Cleveland Parkers: Andrew Shapiro, Chad Hamilton & Jenna Sauber (photo: Tammy Gordon)

Dean Gold's Mustard Green Soup With Rice
Serves 8

Ingredients:

• 2 quarts mustard green leaves in 2 inch strips
• 1/2 onion sliced into rings
• 1/2 cup carrot rounds
• 2 cups good tomato sauce
• 4 cups veggie stock
• 1 tablespoon seasoned salt
• 1/2 teaspoon finely cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon Sriacha sauce
• 1/2 cup chopped sage
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• Optional: lemon juice
• 1/2 cup Jasmine rice boiled til al dente
• 2 cups shredded grana cheese

Instructions:

1. Saute onions and carrots in olive oil til they begin to soften.
2. Add mustard greens and stir fry til well coated with oil and wilted.
3. Add tomato sauce and veggie stock to cover. Add half the seasoned salt, sage and parsley. Simmer 2 hours or more until the greens are wilted and very well cooked. 
4. Adjust seasoning and add remaining herbs. If needed, add a little lemon juice for brightness. The soup should be a bit spicy. 
5. If serving hot, add 1-2 tablespoons of cooked rice and 1/4 cup grana cheese to each bowl

Dino is located at the corner of Connecticut and Ordway Street in Cleveland Park.