The temperature wasn’t the hottest thing in Miami this past weekend!
Sofia VergaraandJoe Manganiellohit the town with Vergara’s family for a food- (and PDA-) filled weekend.
After landing inMiami on Thursday, the new couple began their food tour right away. Their first stop:Cecconi’s Miami Beach, where they ate with Vergara’s parents, sharing the restaurant’s meatballs and the octopus, served with lemon capers, celery and olives.
The following day, the lovebirds only had eyes for each other whenthey stepped outfor a romantic lunch at Mandolin Aegean Bistro in Miami’s Design District. “They couldn’t keep their hands off of each other,” an onlooker tells PEOPLE.
Friday night, Vergara and Manganiello hitSeasalt and Pepperon the Miami River, where they joined a group of friends in the courtyard and dined on more octopus (this time marinated in olive oil, lemon and parsley), plus albacore tuna salad with lavender dressing and Osetra caviar, shrimp-stuffed Vidalia onions, and turbot with black truffle risotto. To drink? A bottle of Moët Ice.
After picking up the check around 1 a.m. and leaving a generous tip, Vergara posed for a photo with Seasalt’s chef, Alfredo Alvarez, and thanked him for a lovely meal, a source tells PEOPLE.
On Saturday night, the entire Vergara family partied atLIV Night Clubin the Fontainebleau Hotel, arriving at about 1:30am and dancing until about 3:30. Manganiello and Vergara “were very affectionate, held hands, and enjoyed dancing with one another. They didn’t take their eyes off each other the entire night,” according to a source.
The happy Vergara clan captured plenty of moments on Instagram:
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We can only imagine the epic breakfast everyone at the party required on Sunday morning.
Below, chefs from Cecconi’s and Seasalt and Pepper share recipes for the meatballs — a signature recipe garnished with parsley and Parmesan — and the octopus, which is grilled until it has a light, perfect crust. We can’t promise the dishes will be as satisfying as gazing at photos of Vergara and Manganiello, but they’re close.
Cecconi’s Meatballs with Marinara SauceMakes 4 servings
1 lb. ground pork1 lb. ground beef2 oz. grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish4 oz. bread soaked with milk, and squeezed1 lemon, zested1 egg1 pinch salt1 pinch black pepper1 pinch nutmeg1 garlic clove, minced1 tsp. chopped rosemary1 tsp. chopped thyme1 tsp. chopped sageFlour for dustingSplash of white wineMarinara sauce, to tasteParsley, for garnish
1.In a large mixing bowl, combine first 13 ingredients and mix well. Once mixed, roll into individual balls and coat each in flour.
2.In a pot filled with hot canola oil, fry meatballs, then dry on a paper towel. In a shallow pan over medium heat, combine fried meatballs and white wine. Cook until white wine has reduced.
3.Add marinara to the pan and cook covered over medium heat for about 35 minutes. Serve garnished with parsley and more Parmesan cheese.
Octopus La PlanchaMakes 4 servings
3 lbs. octopus1 cup extra virgin olive oil1 cup lemon juice2 tbsp. chopped parsley, plus more for garnish2 tbsp. lemon zestSalt & pepper for seasoning
1.In a large pot, boil octopus for 90 minutes. While octopus is boiling, combine olive oil, lemon juice, parsley and lemon zest in a bowl.
2.Cut octopus in 1-inch pieces and combine with marinade. Marinate for at least 5 hours.
3.Once octopus is done marinating, grill for about 5 minutes until a light crust forms. Serve garnished with additional marinade, parsley, salt and pepper.
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source: people.com
