The Caviar Pasta Dish Daniel Boulud Recommends For Date Night

When it comes to signature dishes, chefs like Daniel Boulud have banked their careers off of them. "Every chef is remembered for a few dishes, even if he creates thousands of them," he told First We Feast. And, if you've spent much time in the kitchen at all, you can relate with dishes that have made your personal go-to list. Maybe it's a family recipe that's been handed down for generations. Or perhaps it's a dish that you have learned to make through trial and error. Either way, those in your close circles undoubtedly put in requests for "that dish you made that one time."

Food, in fact, is your love language. So, if it's hot in your kitchen and the stove isn't even on, a survey reveals the reason why. 63% of Americans named prowess in the kitchen as the top turn-on when looking for a potential partner, beating out other qualities such as trust and humor (via Study Finds). But what if something as simple as toast stumps you when it comes to matters of the heart? That doesn't mean you're destined to be Cupid's third wheel. 

Boulud weighs in on his go-to special occasion dish that is simple yet decadent and will have your date insisting that you are the best dish of all. It may not be something you would ever think to put together for a romantic evening, but trust the expert on this one — linguine with lemon and caviar can knock anyone's socks off, including yours.

Given that it's traditionally served on blinis, you might also consider toast points and puff pastries as natural fits for that tin of caviar you've been dying to pop open on date night. But pasta? Think about it. Pasta has the same starch and neutral palate of some of those other natural pairings, meaning it too lends itself to caviar's briny bite. Queue up the song "Bella Notte" on your playlist, because this is going to be a "Lady and The Tramp" kind of night.

Boulud told Food & Wine that linguine with lemon and caviar serves as a "luxurious dish for two." The base is a simple one: buttered pasta with lemon, heavy cream, and chives. The real indulgence comes from finishing the linguine with grated bottarga, breadcrumbs, and a healthy dose of caviar. "The lavish simplicity of this dish makes it perfect for any tête-à-tête celebration," the chef said.

His quick and easy approach to this decadent dish cuts down on time spent in the kitchen. After all, it's about you and your date — not hours of stressing about preparation. Perhaps the two of you could even cook it together during your special night. But, regardless if your sweetheart sticks around for very long, Boulud's go-to recipe will likely end up becoming a hit that you are requested to make time and time again.