Great Taste Recipes: A Three Course Meal by Cherry Point

Just across Newton Creek from Murray’s Cheese headquarters is the Brooklyn neighborhood of Greenpoint. The neighborhood dates back to the mid-1600s, when it was called Cherry Point. Drawing its inspiration (and its name) from the area’s rustic roots is one of our very restaurants in the area, Julian Calcott’s Cherry Point.

Julian is an alum of the West Village’s legendary Spotted Pig, and he opened his own restaurant back in 2016. It’s quickly gained acclaim for its seasonally-inspired menu and warm atmosphere. Here, for example, is the Michelin Guide:

“This charming Greenpoint restaurant…houses a buzzing open kitchen, great music, and jumbo windows that look out over the neighborhood, offering prime people-watching. Most importantly, though, Cherry Point is home to some luscious cooking compliments of Chef Julian Calcott.”

And here’s Zagat:

“Inside a refurbished 1930s butcher shop, this woodsy Greenpoint eatery by an alum of The Spotted Pig focuses on housemade charcuterie, American bistro dishes and seasonal sides and salads.”

And here’s us:

“Cherry Point. Oh, we really like Cherry Point. It is very, very good. So good is it that we want our customers all over the country to get a little taste. Perhaps we should collaborate with Cherry Point on a set of recipes for Great Taste at Murray’s. Hey, yes, that’s exactly what we should do. Okay. Let’s do it.”

Reader, done it we have. We are excited to share with you a three course menu that Chef Julian designed specifically for our Great Taste program, featuring a salad, a main dish, and a dessert. Best of all, they each have a cheesy element incorporated in an unexpected way. Let’s show you what we mean.

The first dish is the Spring Radish Salad with Goat Cheese. It looks like this:

The primary ingredients here are radishes (duh), basil, and greens. Chef Julian used pea shoots, but he notes, “You can use any greens you want. I would recommend something a little sturdier than arugula, though you can use arugula if you want.” He cited baby kale as an example of a green that would work well.

Here’s where things get unexpected: You knead the ingredients with your hands. “You’re making your own vinaigrette,” Chef Julian explains, “using the cheese as an emulsifier.” As you work the ingredients together, the salad dresses itself. This is a salad that’s quite literally handmade.

Here’s how to make the Cherry Point Spring Radish Salad with Goat Cheese.

Next up, the main dish. This plate is quite a beauty—crispy, juicy chicken over a bed of risotto-style peas. Check it out:

That’s the kind of plate you can expect to find in an acclaimed restaurant. Indeed, it was invented in one. But you can make it at home quite easily. The cheesy surprise here: the peas get their creamy, risotto-y consistency from a shaving of Pecorino Calabrese and a dollop of mascarpone.

And bringing it all home is one of the most astounding tarts you will ever have. It’s made with Gjetost and preserved walnuts. Seriously, this stuff is straight up nuts. It tastes somewhere between flan and pumpkin pie, yet somehow even better than both.

This has already become our go-to dessert for wowing guests, not least because the filling contains only five ingredients and is a super cinch to make. Here’s how you go about doing it.

If you’re looking to bring some restaurant-level results to your cooking game, we cannot recommend these recipes more enthusiastically. Really, it’s as easy as, well…tart.