Here's the Dish with Surfside Rooftop Grill Executive Chef: Jason Unger
Surfside Rooftop Grill is an open-air seafood restaurant just blocks away from the beach in Stone Harbor. Swing by for lunch or dinner to try the raw bar or build your own surf-and-turf platter!
224 96th Street, Stone Harbor | 609-796-5233 | surfsidegrill.com
Q&A
1. What did you always want to be when you grew up? At a young age, I wanted to be a marine biologist. I was always fascinated with sea life and the vastness of the oceans.
2. Who/what inspires you? When it comes to food, the possibilities are endless; it’s an area that you could NEVER know it all. So, the inspiration doesn’t run dry. There are always new trends, new methods, new flavor profiles to explore.
3. What is your favorite summer dish? Summertime is BBQ season for me. It relates to family time, outdoor gatherings, and messy food!! Nothing like a full rack of baby back ribs, sauce all over the place, a selection of potato salad, macaroni salad, coleslaw, and finish it off with endless slices of ripe watermelon.
4. What is the hardest cooking technique you have mastered? I don’t know that cooking methods are hard at all, but the most challenging for me was sauté. Working a sauté station in a high-volume restaurant with 16 burners in front of you with 16 different dishes is something that puts you in your place!!
5. Where do you find yourself most when you are not in the kitchen? If I’m not in a kitchen, I’m usually driving lol. Keeping up running restaurants and juggling kids always puts me on the go. But for downtime I love walking the beach.
6. What utensil can you not live without? That’s an easy one: TONGS. I can reach further, grab things at any temperature, flip a burger, grab plates. Walking into a kitchen and grabbing your favorite pair of tongs is like walking into battle with the deadliest sword on the field!!!
7. What type of cuisine do you excel at and why? I think Italian is something I do well. It is full of robust flavors, it’s a very family-oriented cuisine, and it takes a lot of time, which I think makes the end result that much more gratifying.
8. What is the best part of being in the kitchen? Family is the best part about the kitchen; you really have to be close to your coworkers. It’s fast-paced and you have to work like a well-oiled machine. The friendships built in the kitchen withstand a lot of heat.
9. What is the hardest part of being in the kitchen? Hardest part of the kitchen is the hours; long days in hot temperatures can be taxing.
10. If you could cook anywhere in the world, where would you go? I would love to cook in India. There is a lot I don’t know about that type of food, and have not worked with many chefs that specialize in food from that part of the world.
11. What ingredient do you like to add to everything? You can add garlic and onion to just about anything. Maybe onion, as it has many varieties and is used in both hot and cold applications.
12. How do you handle working in a fast-paced restaurant environment? I’ve been in the kitchen for a good amount of time, and no matter how fast the pace gets, you can’t let it become overwhelming. I’ve had times running a kitchen with a full rail of tickets and the printer not stopping for hours; just watch your ticket times and communicate with the front of the house to help pace the flow of service!
New Bedford Scallops with Lemon Butter and Edamame Risotto
Ingredients:
½ cup frozen shelled
edamame
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, very finely chopped (¼ cup)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth, warmed
2 ounces Parmesan cheese
Juice of 2 lemons
5 scallops
1 tablespoon of fresh basil
Directions:
In a large saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the olive oil and add the onion and garlic. Cook over moderate heat until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring until slightly translucent, about 2 minutes. Add 1 cup of chicken broth to the rice and cook over moderately high heat, stirring constantly until nearly absorbed. Continue adding the broth, about 1 cup at a time, stirring until it is absorbed before adding more. Add the edamame with the last cup of broth. The rice is done when it’s al dente and suspended in a thick, creamy liquid, about 17 minutes total. Add the cheese and stir until the cheese is melted. Season with salt and pepper and serve right away.
In a hot sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Place five scallops in the pan to achieve a golden-brown sear on both sides, about 2 minutes each side, then remove from pan and set aside on an oven-safe dish. Add 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan used for searing scallops. Once butter is melted, squeeze two lemons into the butter and stir until well blended, about 2-3 minutes. Take off heat and add 1 tablespoon of fresh basil or your favorite fresh herb for aromatics. Set sauce aside and place scallops into the oven at 300 degrees for about 3-4 minutes, then remove. They are ready to serve!
