Nili Lotan has been a New Yorker since 1980 but has always remained true to her roots. As the city maintains social distancing, we caught up with the Israeli American designer who shared with us a delicious recipe that helps connect her to home in the Mediterranean during times of quarantine.

What are you doing to stay connected and creative in this time?
While being in isolation, one of the first things I understood was that I needed to on a connect deeper level with my clients. We launched a new section on my site called NL Stories that has personal and relatable content every week. The stories are a way for me to connect with the clients and speak about issues that matter to all of us. It’s a platform for my community of women to learn about my process, the changes in my business, and the thoughts I am holding during this time. NL Stories, paired with Instagram, has allowed me to connect with so many clients, both new and old.

Talk about anything you’re working on, something/someone you want to spotlight, or share a message you’d like to send.
As a New York based business, we have been working to give back to our community, namely local healthcare workers that are working on the front lines of the COVID-19 crisis. The atelier team are sewing caps and masks which are being donated to Masks4Medicine, a grassroot organization of doctors and nurses in the city. I also created limited edition series of items in my signature camo with Nili Lotan Love’s New York where 15% of the profits are going to NYU Langone in support of their frontline medical workers.

What does this recipe mean to you?
This recipe reminds me of home. I grew up in Israel, in a home overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. In the last ten years, Israeli cuisine has developed and defined itself and had become one of the leading cuisines in the world. A lot of Israeli Chefs such as Eyal Shani, Assaf Granit, Ottolenghi, and others have opened top-tier restaurants in New York, Paris, London, and brought their fresh, unique culinary Mediterranean experience. I return to Israel quite often, and every time we try new restaurants and new dishes and come back to New York with new ideas. This recipe connects me back to Tel Aviv, to the marina, and the sun on the beach.

If you could prepare this recipe for anyone to enjoy with you, who would it be and why?
I would prepare this dish for my children, who I have not seen since the start of the quarantine. I miss them very much and am excited to cook this dish for our first shabbat together.

INGREDIENTS

Finely chopped cilantro
A whole branzino or sea bass
2 tomatoes peeled and chopped
3 red bell peppers chopped
4 garlic cloves chopped
4 shallots sliced
1 peeled lemon chopped into small pieces (leaving a few slices of lemon to insert in fish)

PREPARATION

Step 1
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Step 2
Cover fish with olive oil inside and out while also seasoning with coarse salt and coarsely ground black pepper.

Step 3
Stuff fish with lemon slices and cilantro.

Step 4
Lay the fish in a baking tray and arrange the chopped vegetables around the fish. Add a drizzle of olive oil and white wine over fish and vegetables.

Step 5
Bake for 25 minutes. The last 5 minutes put in broil.

Editor’s Note: Cooking with Members is a new editorial series featuring recipes that celebrates the rich culture and heritage of the American design community via the foods and drinks we love.