Peruvian lomo, courtesy Marc and Stephanie Croussillat
Up Your Covid Cooking Game With These Dancer-Designed Recipes
Aug 31, 2020
With theaters shuttered, many dancers are in search of a new venue to keep their creative juices flowing. Enter: the kitchen. This may be new territory for some, but for these four dancers, their moves here are well-rehearsed. If you're looking for some gourmet inspiration, give these dishes a spin.
Pennsylvania Ballet corps member Adrianna de Svastich knows what it takes to fuel a performing body. Beyond her work in the studio, she is a National Academy of Sports Medicine–certified personal trainer, a soon-to-be nutrition coach and a self-proclaimed foodie.
Ingredients
For the salmon:
For the gremolata:
For the black beans:
For the salad:
Courtesy de Svastich
Directions
For the salmon and gremolata:
For the black beans:
For the salad:
Recipe notes: Makes 2–3 servings. A side of quinoa can be added to the dish if you want a heartier meal.
De Svastich and her boyfriend love to cook at home, and salmon appears on the menu at least once a week. "It's a great weekday meal during rehearsal and performance periods," she says. "In addition to being a great source of protein and omega-3s, it's also high in B vitamins, vitamin D and essential minerals such as potassium and magnesium."
Using real, whole foods is essential in de Svastich's cooking. She aims to have a balance of protein, carbs and healthy fats, and lots of greens. "I try to keep my diet 80/20—being mindful 80 percent of the time, and leaving room for treats 20 percent of the time without feeling guilty!"
Rohan Bhargava's bold choreography fuses Indian culture with contemporary movement, recently earning him the Asian American Arts Alliance's Jadin Wong Fellowship. When not working with his own group, Rovaco Dance Company, Bhargava performs with Kizuna Dance and teaches.
Ingredients
Courtesy Bhargava
Directions
Recipe notes: You can use your own ratio of milk to water—for a heavy and creamier tea, use no water; for a lighter texture, use 1:1 ratio. The key is to infuse the flavors well. Bhargava prefers heating on low for a longer time.
Bhargava's fondness for chai is rooted in his connection with his grandmother. While visiting home in New Delhi, India, drinking chai together became a bonding experience.
"Every morning, I would sit down and chat with her over it, and I think she was happily surprised because growing up, I never drank it. I could sense her excitement in passing on a tradition that she has loved all her life," he says.
Bhargava enjoys chai in the morning or as a treat between lunch and dinner.
Siblings Stephanie and Marc Crousillat were most recently performing onstage together in Broadway's West Side Story revival. But both have experience in all kinds of projects: Stephanie has appeared in Sleep No More, in music videos and with Johannes Wieland Company in Germany. Marc, a Princess Grace Award recipient, has danced for the likes of Trisha Brown, Netta Yerushalmy and Tere O'Connor.
Ingredients
For the rice:
For the meat:
Courtesy Croussillats
Directions
Recipe note: The Croussillats also enjoy eating other versions of this dish, substituting the beef for halibut, shrimp, chicken or tofu.
The Crousillats have spent years watching their mother perfect this family recipe. "Our mom is from Cuba and our dad is from Peru, so it took her some time to fully understand what he was describing from his recollection, and how she could make that even better," Stephanie says. That is why their version includes red wine and filet mignon. The star ingredient, though, might be the aji pepper. "We love it because there's a sweetness to it that makes it so delicious," says Marc.
When Stephanie and Marc were living at home, every Thursday was "Lomo Night." Now, the whole family meets once a month—on a Thursday, of course—to maintain the tradition.