This is R.S.V.P., a monthly column in which Bon Appétit publishes recipes, requested by readers, from restaurants all across the country. These are real live readers with real live requests—and sometimes desperate pleas—for recipes, which the real live BA Test Kitchen then tracks down, tests, and tastes, so you know the recipes will work at home (send your request to rsvp@bonappetit.com). Here’s what our readers want to cook this month, straight from the chef’s kitchen to yours:
"Dear Bon Appétit, I ordered the BLT Salad at Sweet Chick in NYC as an afterthought; it ended up being the star of our meal. Please find the recipe for the salad and lemony dressing!"—Caitlin Rush, Washington, DC
Randy Reppel, chef at Sweet Chick, says: “Hearty, extra-thick bacon really makes this salad, and to get that juicy flavor, slab bacon is key. The pre-sliced strips are just too thin and brittle.”
"Dear Bon Appétit, everything at Girl & the Goat in Chicago was delicious, but the cauliflower was hauntingly good. I won’t be able to sleep without that recipe. Could you track it down?"—Laura Peters, Winnetka, IL
Stephanie Izard, chef at Girl & the Goat, says: "As a kid, I’d only eat cauliflower covered in cheese. This version has cheese, too: Parm for salty notes, plus pickled peppers for spice, pine nuts and panko for crunch—that’ll get anyone to eat their cauliflower!"
"Dear Bon Appétit, I am dying to get my hands on the potato rolls from Guard and Grace in Denver. Each bite was infused with gigantic butter flavor!"—Maya Silver, Golden, CO
Troy Guard, chef at Guard and Grace, says: “This recipe is based on one my grandmother used to make. Yukon Golds really make a difference—they’re so creamy and buttery. You could even use leftover Thanksgiving mashed! Just be sure to purée the potatoes until very smooth.”
Want us to get a restaurant recipe for you? Send your request to rsvp@bonappetit.com.