CHAPTER 10
Recipes for Beating Diabetes
Here are recipes from Chef Franklin Becker and some of his celebrated colleagues—executive chefs from major restaurants around the country. Of course, all the recipes constitute eating the Beat Diabetes Pyramid way.
FRANKLIN BECKER RECIPES
THREE-BEAN SALAD WITH GINGER-LEMON VINAIGRETTE
The flavors of spring abound in this light, colorful salad. While it makes a fine first course on its own, you can also serve it as a side dish with a number of fish entrées.
1 cup snow pea pods
1 cup sugar snap peas
1 cup haricots verts
½ cup red cherry tomatoes, halved
½ cup yellow cherry tomatoes, halved
¼ cup snow pea shoots
¼ cup basil leaves
2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)
1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon honey
Kosher salt
Freshly milled white pepper
1. Blanch the snow pea pods, sugar snap peas and haricots verts separately in boiling salted water until only slightly crunchy, 2 to 3 minutes; immediately shock each batch in an ice water bath to stop the cooking process and maintain their bright green color.
2. Remove the beans from the water when cooled, and dry them off with paper towels or a clean dish towel. Toss the beans together with the tomatoes and set aside.
3. Gently combine the pea shoots and basil together in a separate bowl, and refrigerate until they are ready to use to prevent them from wilting.
4. For the dressing, whisk together the ginger, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and honey, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Dress the beans lightly with the vinaigrette, and the basil and shoots even more lightly to maintain their texture and avoid the addition of excess fat (from the oil) in your diet. Combine together after dressing.
NOTE: The slightly sweet Champagne vinegar is a favorite of many chefs, but white wine vinegar is easier to find and will work just as well for this recipe.
VARIATION: Whenever possible, I recommend using locally grown vegetables for maximum flavor and freshness. So if any of the ingredients called for in this recipe are not in season, feel free to substitute something that is; for example, you can replace the snow pea shoots with a handful of mesclun greens.
Yield: 8 servings
CUCUMBER-MANGO SALAD
8 beefsteak tomatoes
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Freshly milled white pepper
2 English cucumbers, medium dice
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
1 red onion, small dice
1 mango, peeled, medium dice
½ cup fresh basil, chiffonade
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
To turn this salad appetizer into a larger meal, serve it with seafood, such as grilled shrimp, soft-shell crabs or raw oysters.
1. Cut the beefsteak tomatoes in half across, and place them in a microwave-safe casserole dish. Microwave the tomatoes on high for 4 minutes.
2. Remove the tomatoes, and use the back of a large spoon to gently press them through a strainer to make “tomato water.”
3. Stir the tomato water together with the vinegar, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside until ready to use.
4. In a mixing bowl, combine the cucumbers with the cherry tomatoes, onion, mango and basil, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Place the salad in the center of a large bowl. Pour enough tomato water around the salad to come approximately halfway up the sides. Drizzle the salad lightly with olive oil and serve.
NOTE: If you do not own a microwave, the beefsteak tomatoes can be prepared using a large sauté pan. Cut the tomatoes in half across, and place them cut side down in the pan in a single layer. Turn the heat on low and cook the tomatoes until they soften and begin to lose their shape, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.
Yield: 8 servings
Sliced tomato and mozzarella cheese (approx. 1 ½ ounces)
140 calories
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2 servings (2 cups) of Cucumber-Mango Salad
140 calories
VEGETABLE STOCK
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley
1 sprig thyme
1 bay leaf
15 black peppercorns
2 tablespoons canola oil
5 celery stalks, chopped
1 white onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 leeks, white parts only, chopped
1 large fennel bulb, chopped
1 garlic head, halved across
Vegetarian chefs have long known that vegetable stock is a great way to flavor soups and sauces without the addition of any meat products. In addition, it is filled with vitamins and other important nutrients. I actually prefer using vegetable stock over chicken stock when preparing lighter soups and sauces.
1. Make a sachet with the parsley, thyme, bay leaf and peppercorns. Heat a Dutch oven on low; add the canola oil and sauté the celery, onion, carrots, leeks and fennel until they begin to soften, approximately 10 minutes. Add 4 quarts of cold water, garlic and the sachet, and simmer for 1 hour.
2. Strain and cool down the liquid. This stock can be refrigerated for up to 5 days, or frozen in pint containers for up to 2 months.
Yield: 16 cups
MUSHROOM LENTIL SOUP
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon chopped onion
2 teaspoons chopped celery
2 teaspoons chopped carrot
2 garlic cloves, chopped
15 to 20 white button mushrooms, chopped (2 cups)
1 cup green or brown lentils
Mushroom stock (see below)
1 tablespoon crème fraîche
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
2 tablespoons grapeseed oil
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
25 to 30 white button mushrooms, chopped (3 cups)
1 bunch thyme
Cooked French green lentils hold their shape well, making them a good choice for this soup. Brown lentils may be substituted, however, as they are usually easier to find in supermarkets.
1. In a saucepot over medium heat, heat the grapeseed oil and then add the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are tender but not brown, approximately 4 minutes, lowering heat if necessary.
2. Add the mushrooms, lentils and stock. Cover the pot and simmer until the lentils are tender but not mushy, approximately 30 minutes.
3. Remove the mixture from the pot and transfer to a blender. Add the crème fraîche, salt and pepper, and process until smooth. Taste the mixture, and add additional seasoning if necessary.
NOTE: Before using lentils in a recipe, it is important to rinse them well and check closely for pebbles with your fingers.
Yield: 8 servings
MUSHROOM STOCK
1. In a Dutch oven over medium heat, heat the grapeseed oil. Add onion, celery and carrots, and cook until the onion becomes translucent, approximately 4 minutes (stir occasionally to keep the vegetables from browning).
2. Add the garlic, mushrooms and thyme, and continue cooking and stirring to soften the vegetables, an additional 15 minutes.
3. Cover the vegetables with 2 quarts of cold water, bring just to a boil and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
4. Turn off the heat and allow the ingredients to sit in the pot for 30 minutes more. Pour the mushroom stock through a fine mesh strainer, and discard the solids.
VARIATION: This stock can be made with just about any mushrooms you have available, although different types will produce different flavors.
CAULIFLOWER ALMOND PUREE
2 heads cauliflower
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 leek, white part only, cleaned and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons almond oil
¼ cup crème fraîche
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly milled white pepper
A key ingredient in this recipe is almond oil, available at most gourmet retailers and some online food Web sites. Nut oils, including almond oil, walnut oil, hazelnut oil and pistachio oil, are monounsaturated, helping raise desired HDL cholesterol and lower “bad” LDL cholesterol…and they taste great, too.
1. Cut off the thick stem from the cauliflower and discard. Separate the cauliflower heads into individual florets with your hands or a knife, and rinse under cold water to clean.
2. Place the cauliflower, garlic, leeks and olive oil in a Dutch oven, and add 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, and then turn down to a simmer. Cook vegetables until fork-tender, about 30 minutes. Drain the vegetables over a bowl, reserving the liquid for later use.
3. Add the vegetables to a blender, along with the toasted almonds, almond oil and crème fraîche, and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper, and adjust the consistency using the reserved liquid until the desired consistency is achieved.
NOTE: To toast almonds or almost any dried nuts, place on a baking sheet in an oven or toaster oven in a single layer, and cook at 350°F until golden brown, approximately 10 minutes. Shake the tray periodically to avoid uneven cooking, and check the nuts often to make sure they do not burn.
Alternatively, you can cook the almonds in a dry sauté pan on medium heat, tossing them every minute or so to ensure even browning.
Yield: 4 servings
STEAMED MUSSELS HOTPOT WITH SAKE BROTH
1 tablespoon bonito flakes
1 sheet kombu, rinsed
2 cups water
1 cup light soy sauce
½ cup sake
2 tablespoons sweet cooking rice wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound Prince Edward Island mussels, cleaned
2 tablespoons chopped lemongrass
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
2½ cups sake broth
2 tablespoons chopped scallions, green parts only
Kosher salt
Freshly milled white pepper
Prince Edward Island (PEI) mussels, which are far less expensive than clams, oysters or shrimp, are one of my favorite varieties. Imported New Zealand mussels are also excellent and have an attractive green shell, but they normally cost more than PEI mussels and can be harder to find.
BROTH
1. Slowly bring all of the sake broth ingredients to a simmer (be sure not to boil the broth, or it will become cloudy). Simmer for 20 minutes, and then remove from heat. Let the broth steep off the heat for another 20 minutes before straining through a piece of cheesecloth.
MUSSELS
1. To clean the mussels, soak them briefly in cold water to remove any grit; mussels with shells that remain open after cleaning are dead and should be discarded. Just before using the mussels, rip out the inedible “beard” (a tangle of threads that sticks out of the shell).
2. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan. Add the mussels and toss to coat. Add the lemongrass, ginger and sake broth, and simmer, covered, until the mussels open, approximately 4 minutes.
3. Add the scallions and the remaining butter, season with salt and pepper to taste and serve hot.
Yield: 2 servings
GRILLED CALAMARI WITH MEDITERRANEAN CUCUMBER SALAD
12 calamari, tubes and tentacles
9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs thyme
2 shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly milled white pepper 2 medium tomatoes, seeded
1 English cucumber, peeled and seeded
3 tablespoons chopped basil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Calamari (squid) is very inexpensive—especially when compared with the cost of shrimp or scallops—and, like any other seafood, it is high in protein and low in fat.
1. Marinate the calamari tubes and tentacles with 3 tablespoons olive oil, rosemary, thyme and shallots in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours before cooking.
2. To make the vinaigrette, combine 6 tablespoons olive oil and the vinegar in a bowl, and season with salt and pepper.
3. For the Mediterranean cucumber salad, cut the tomatoes and cucumbers into medium dice. Toss the tomatoes, cucumber, basil and red pepper flakes together with the vinaigrette.
4. Season the calamari lightly with salt and pepper, and grill at medium heat on a grill pan or outdoor barbecue until opaque, 1 to 2 minutes per side (be careful not to overcook the calamari, or they will become tough and rubbery).
5. Spoon the cucumber-tomato salad onto a plate, and place the grilled calamari around the salad. Pour some of the remaining vinaigrette over the calamari.
VARIATION: A combination of grilled scallops, shrimp or a mixture of these plus the calamari will work well for this dish. In addition, frozen calamari may be used in place of fresh in this recipe.
Yield: 4 servings
Chicken Caesar Salad 500 calories
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2 servings (2 cups) Grilled Calamari with Mediterranean Cucumber Salad 500 calories
GRILLED SHRIMP WITH SHAVED FENNEL
15 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
9 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 sprigs rosemary
2 sprigs thyme
2 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3 oranges, segmented, plus 1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly milled black pepper 2 fennel bulbs, shaved thin
Chiffonade ½ bunch mint leaves
I created this dish while working as the chef of a popular restaurant in Brooklyn. It employs the basic philosophy of Italian cooking: use the freshest ingredients possible, and let their natural flavors shine through clearly. Here, the licorice taste of the fennel, combined with mint and citrus, brightens and enhances the shrimp.
1. Marinate the shrimp with 3 tablespoons olive oil, rosemary, thyme and shallots in a bowl for approximately 1 hour in the refrigerator.
2. To make the shaved fennel, combine 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar with the lemon juice, lime juice and orange juice in a separate bowl, and season with salt and pepper. Add the orange segments, fennel and mint.
3. Season lightly with salt and pepper and grill at medium heat on a grill pan or outdoor barbecue until cooked through, approximately 2 minutes per side.
4. To serve, place the shaved fennel in the center of the plate, reserving the liquid. Place the shrimp on top, and drizzle the liquid around the plate.
VARIATION: The shrimp can also be prepared in a sauté pan on medium heat until cooked through, approximately 2 minutes per side.
Yield: 5 appetizer servings
QUINOA LINGUINI WITH WHITE CLAM SAUCE
1 dozen littleneck clams
1 dozen Manila clams
1 dozen cockles
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
8 ounces quinoa linguini (or any other whole-grain pasta)
1 small onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup white wine
1 8-ounce can clam juice
½ bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Freshly milled white pepper
While this recipe calls for littleneck clams, Manila clams and cockles, it is fine to use only littleneck clams if the others are unavailable. Cherrystone clams may also be substituted without any loss of flavor, but they will be chewier.
1. Scrub the clamshells well with a brush and rinse under cold water to remove any grit.
2. Bring 1 gallon water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon salt to the water. Add the pasta and cook until just al dente, approximately 10 minutes, and then strain through a colander.
3. While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large pan. Add all the littleneck clams, Manila clams and cockles to the pan. Add the onion and garlic and toss everything together.
4. Slowly pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Add the clam juice and return the liquid to a boil; cover the pan until the clams and cockles open, approximately 2 to 4 minutes.
5. Remove and reserve the clams and cockles in their shells and return any remaining liquid to the pan.
6. Add the pasta to the broth and cook 2 minutes longer. Add the clams, butter (if using) and parsley to the pan just before serving, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
VARIATION: To make your own clam juice at home, purchase 6 to 8 chowder clams, scrub the shells thoroughly with a brush and steam them in a pot with ¼ cup water until they open, approximately 10 minutes. Discard the shells and strain the juice through a fine-mesh strainer wrapped with cheesecloth to remove any remaining grit. The chowder clams may be chopped up and added to the dish, if desired.
Yield: 4 servings
RED SNAPPER IN TOMATO-SAFFRON BROTH
10 plum tomatoes
1 cup tomato juice
1 garlic clove, smashed
1 tablespoon saffron
Kosher salt
Freshly milled white pepper
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
6 6-ounce red snapper fillets, skin on
Saffron may be the most expensive spice, but it usually only requires a few pinches to flavor a dish, and the results are always impressive. Saffron is the stigma of a certain type of crocus, and these stigmas must be picked by hand and then dried before packaging. No wonder it’s so expensive!
1. For the tomato broth, cut the tomatoes into quarters lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a knife; discard the seeds. Puree the tomatoes in a blender, and then add the tomato juice and 1 cup water.
2. Pour the puree into a pot and add garlic, saffron and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then transfer to a clear plastic container.
3. Cool the liquid until it begins to separate. Slowly strain through a fine-mesh strainer, reserving the liquid.
4. Heat a stainless steel sauté pan on medium-high until very hot, approximately 5 minutes. Pour the olive oil into the pan; immediately add the red snapper fillets, skin side down. Cook until the bottom of the fish begins to curl up around the edges, approximately 5 minutes. Turn the fish over and continue cooking until the flesh is opaque throughout, about 2 minutes more.
5. To serve, place a dollop of the artichoke oreganata puree in the center of the bowl. Spoon some broth around the bowl, and place the fish on top.
VARIATION: Red snapper is one of the more common fish available today in most parts of the United States, but other fish that will work just as well in this dish include black sea bass and striped bass.
Yield: 6 servings
1 tablespoon canola oil
½ tablespoon chopped onion
1 teaspoon chopped celery
1 teaspoon chopped carrot
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cup fresh artichoke bottoms (2 to 3 artichokes), or 1 cup frozen artichoke hearts
1 lemon
¼ cup white wine
¼ cup vegetable stock
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sour cream, or 1 tablespoon low-fat sour cream
1 teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly milled black pepper
¼ cup dried Italian seasoned bread crumbs
ARTICHOKE OREGANATA PUREE
1. Warm a sauté pan on medium heat for approximately 3 minutes. Add the canola oil and then the onion, celery, carrot and garlic. Cook until tender but not brown, about 10 minutes, lowering the heat if necessary.
2. To prepare fresh artichoke bottoms (if using), follow these steps:
a. To prevent the artichokes from browning, fill a bowl with cold water, and squeeze the juice from the lemons into the bowl. Prepare the artichoke bottoms one at a time, placing each one in the lemon water as soon as they are trimmed.
b. Cut off the stem of the artichoke, followed by the top of the leaves above the heart.
c. Snap off the outer leaves, and use a paring knife to remove the remaining leaves.
d. Cut the artichoke bottom in half, and scoop out the hairy inner choke with a small spoon and discard.
3. Add the fresh artichoke bottoms to the pan, if using, and continue cooking until completely tender, approximately 10 minutes more. (If using frozen artichoke hearts, add them to the pan at this point and cook until hot, approximately 5 minutes.)
4. Deglaze with white wine. Add stock and vinegar and simmer until most of the liquid in the pan has evaporated, around 5 minutes. Remove the mixture from the pan and transfer to a blender along with sour cream, salt, pepper and bread crumbs. Blend and serve beneath red snapper.
SESAME TOFU AND VEGETABLE STIR-FRY
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 bunches scallions, green parts only, julienne
2 cups snow pea pods
2 cups baby bok choy, sliced
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 8-ounce can water chestnuts
1 15-ounce package firm tofu, large dice
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Kosher salt
Freshly milled white pepper
Stir-frying in a wok or sauté pan is a great way to cook vegetables quickly with a small amount of oil. It also helps retain necessary vitamins and minerals, as well as the freshness of the vegetables.
1. Heat a wok or large sauté pan on medium-high for 5 minutes. Add the canola oil, and then the ginger, garlic and scallions.
2. Add the vegetables at approximately 30-second intervals, beginning with the snow pea pods, and followed by the bok choy, mung bean sprouts and water chestnuts. Add the tofu, and cook until the snow pea pods are tender, 3 to 4 minutes total.
3. Add the sesame seeds and sesame oil, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately to maintain the crispness of the snow pea pods and bok choy.
NOTE: Tofu is packed with protein, calcium and iron and is low in fat, making this dish a great vegetarian entrée for lunch or dinner.
Yield: 8 servings
2 chicken wings 230 calories
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1 serving Sesame Tofu and Vegetable Stir-Fry
230 calories
GRILLED HALIBUT AND BUCKWHEAT SALAD
½ cup uncooked buckwheat
2 cups string beans, diced
4 medium tomatoes, diced
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
2 bunches scallions, green parts only, chopped (11/3 cups)
Chiffonade ½ bunch mint
¼ cup fresh lemon juice (1 to 2 lemons)
Kosher salt
Freshly milled white pepper
8 6-ounce halibut fillets
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Parsley for garnish
Roasted buckwheat (kasha) is commonly used in Eastern European cooking. It is treated as a grain and can be cooled after cooking and mixed with vegetables and other ingredients to form a nutritious salad like the one used in this dish.
1. Bring 1 cup water to a boil. Stir in the buckwheat, cover tightly and simmer on very low heat until the buckwheat becomes tender and all the liquid is absorbed, approximately 6 to 8 minutes.
2. Allow the buckwheat to cool, and then toss together with the string beans, tomatoes, parsley, scallions, mint, lemon juice and olive oil to make the salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Brush the halibut lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill on a grill pan or outdoor barbecue, or sauté on both sides over medium heat, until cooked through, approximately 4 minutes per side.
4. To serve, place the fish on top of the salad. Garnish with parsley.
VARIATION: An equal amount of wheat berries may be used in place of buckwheat in this recipe. Both buckwheat and wheat berries are great sources of fiber.
Yield: 8 servings
OLIVE OIL POACHED HALIBUT WITH BRAISED FENNEL
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 fennel bulb, small dice
1 yellow onion, small dice
¼ cup brine-cured black olives 1 sprig thyme
1 medium tomato, diced
Kosher salt
Freshly milled white pepper
4 6-ounce halibut fillets
1 lemon
The method of poaching fish in olive oil is far healthier than it might sound. Firm fish such as halibut will not soak up much oil during poaching; and as long as it is dabbed dry with a paper towel after cooking, there will be no more oil than if the fish were sautéed. Poaching in olive oil also ensures that the fish will remain moist and flavorful.
1. For the braised fennel, preheat oven to 350°F. Combine the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, fennel, onion, olives and thyme in a baking dish, and cook in the oven until the fennel becomes soft, approximately 1 hour. Add the tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Strain the leftover olive oil from the fennel and reserve. Set aside the vegetables in a warm spot while preparing the fish.
3. Return the excess olive oil to the pot. Using a cooking thermometer to check the temperature of the oil (it should remain between 160°F and 180°F), poach the fish until cooked through, approximately 15 minutes. Remove the fish and pat off any excess oil with a paper towel.
4. To serve, spoon some of the braised fennel mixture onto a plate and place a halibut fillet on top. Garnish with a lemon wedge.
NOTE: Including the olives with the fennel early on will intensify the flavor of the dish; however, they may be added at any time during the cooking process.
NOTE: Kalamata, Gaeta and Niçoise are a few of the many types of brine-cured olives that will work well with this dish. It is fine to purchase pitted olives, but I would not recommend most canned or jarred olives, as I find that both the flavor and texture tend to be inferior.
Yield: 4 servings
BLACK SEA BASS WITH MEDITERRANEAN CUCUMBER-TOMATO SALAD
1 English cucumber, medium dice
2 medium tomatoes, medium dice
½ red onion, medium dice
¼ cup brine-cured black olives, pitted and chopped
Chiffonade ½ bunch mint
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes Kosher salt
Freshly milled white pepper
4 6-ounce black sea bass fillets
Additional mint for garnish (optional)
Salads with cucumber and tomatoes as the primary ingredients are very common in Mediterranean cooking. They are particularly enjoyable when ripe, flavorful tomatoes are used. The salad used in this dish is light, refreshing and healthy, making it an ideal summertime entrée.
1. For the salad, combine the cucumber, tomatoes, red onion, olives, mint, vinegar, olive oil and red pepper flakes, and mix together in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Brush the fish lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and grill on a grill pan or outdoor barbecue until just cooked through, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side.
3. To serve, spoon the salad onto a plate and place the grilled fish on top. Garnish with a chiffonade of mint, if desired.
VARIATION: Branzino, red snapper or halibut also go well with the cucumber-tomato salad in this recipe. The cooking method for each is the same.
Yield: 4 servings
MARINATED MUSHROOM ANTIPASTO
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cups white button mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1 cup cremini mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
Kosher salt
Freshly milled black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
These mushrooms are a good accompaniment to almost any entrée. Alternatively, they can be served as an appetizer in the summer, either by themselves or with other cold vegetables. One advantage to this dish is that it can be made up to three days ahead and refrigerated until ready to use.
1. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar and red pepper to make a vinaigrette. Toss the mushrooms with half of the vinaigrette and set aside for 2 hours in the refrigerator to marinate.
2. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Transfer the mushrooms to a sheet pan and roast in the oven until browned, approximately 10 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature.
3. Toss the roasted mushrooms together with the remaining vinaigrette, season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the parsley just before serving.
NOTE: Cremini mushrooms are darker and have an earthier flavor than button mushrooms, but in appearance they are almost the same. If you are unable to find creminis, it is fine to use a total of 3 cups button mushrooms for this recipe.
Yield: 10 servings
BRUSSELS SPROUTS WITH MUSTARD SEEDS AND CURRY
1 tablespoon unsalted clarified butter
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
Kosher salt
2 cups Brussels sprouts
Freshly milled white pepper
For many of us, Brussels sprouts evoke childhood memories of being told to “eat your vegetables, they’re good for you.” While they are indeed nutritious, Brussels sprouts can also taste wonderful—just be sure not to overcook them, which can produce an unpleasantly strong flavor and smell.
1. In a sauté pan, melt the clarified butter and add the mustard seeds and curry. Turn off the heat and allow the ingredients to sit for 10 minutes in the pan.
2. In a large pot, bring 1 gallon water to a rapid boil. Add 3 tablespoons salt and return the water to a boil. Add the Brussels sprouts and cook until just tender, approximately 4 minutes. Drain in a colander.
3. Preheat the sauté pan on medium until the butter begins to brown, and then add the Brussels sprouts. Toss to coat, allowing the Brussels sprouts to brown lightly. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Yield: 4 servings
OKRA WITH SLOW COOKED ONIONS AND SPICY TOMATO SAUCE
1 cup homemade or store-bought tomato sauce
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
2 ½ cups okra
1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 yellow onions, large dice
4 garlic cloves, sliced
½ cup Gaeta, Kalamata or Niçoise olives
½ cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly milled white pepper
Okra is a popular ingredient in the South and is served in many different ways (probably the best known being gumbo). With a renewed interest in Southern cooking throughout the United States, okra has become more popular and easier to find in grocery stores in recent years.
1. Place the tomato sauce and red pepper flakes in a small pot and heat on low to a simmer. Turn off the heat, set aside and cover until ready to use.
2. Trim the ends off the okra and immediately place the okra in a bowl filled with cold water and the lemon juice to prevent them from browning.
3. Heat a sauté pan on medium for 3 minutes, add the olive oil and the onions and stir briefly. Reduce the heat to low and cook the onions until lightly caramelized, stirring often.
4. Add the garlic, olives, okra and tomato sauce and simmer until the okra becomes tender. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Yield: 8 servings
STEWED RATATOUILLE
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, large dice
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 red pepper, julienne
1 yellow pepper, julienne
3 zucchini, sliced
3 yellow squash, sliced
1 small eggplant, quartered and sliced across
½ cup Gaeta, Kalamata or Niçoise olives
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Kosher salt
Freshly milled white pepper
1. Place the tomatoes and red pepper flakes in a small pot and heat on low to a simmer. Turn off the heat, set aside and cover until ready to use.
2. Heat a sauté pan on medium and add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sauté the onion and garlic together until the onions are translucent, approximately 3 minutes; remove and place in a large bowl.
3. Return the pan to the heat, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and sauté the red and yellow peppers for 4 minutes. Remove and add to the bowl with the onions and garlic.
4. Next, sauté the zucchini and yellow squash in 1 tablespoon olive oil until they begin to lose their firmness, approximately 3 minutes, and add to the bowl.
5. Finally, turn up the heat to medium-high; add 2 more tablespoons olive oil and sauté the eggplant until it begins to soften, approximately 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato sauce and olives, and pour the mixture into a pot.
6. Simmer the vegetables until they are very tender but not mushy, approximately 20 minutes. Add the parsley, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
VARIATION: The method for this recipe calls for sautéing all the vegetables separately to ensure none will overcook, but to save time you can also use the following technique. Pour all the olive oil into a hot pan (use two pans if necessary), followed by the onion and garlic; a minute later, add the peppers, a minute after that the zucchini and yellow squash, and finally the eggplant slices.
Sauté all the vegetables together until they begin to lose their crispness and the onions become translucent, an additional 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and olives, and simmer until very tender, add parsley and season.
Yield: 8 servings
1 cup creamed spinach
360 calories
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3 servings (3 cups)
Stewed Ratatouille
360 calories
GIARDINIERA (ITALIAN-STYLE PICKLED VEGETABLES)
1 pound kirby cucumbers, in pieces ½ inch long
1 pound celery stalks, in pieces ½ inch long
2 tablespoons pickling salt
1 head cauliflower, in pieces
2 carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch-long pieces
1 pound cippolini onions or shallots
1 pound red peppers, seeded and cut into ½-inch lengths
½ pound garlic cloves
1 quart water
1 quart white wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
3 sprigs thyme
3 sprigs oregano
1. Salt the cucumbers and celery for 2 hours with ½ tablespoon of the pickling salt. Drain and toss with remaining vegetables.
2. In a stainless-steel or other nonreactive pot, bring the vinegar, water and salt to a boil. Add the vegetables to the liquid and boil, covered, for 20 minutes. This will alleviate the need for refrigeration.
3. Combine the olive oil with the bay leaves, black peppercorns, thyme and oregano, and set aside.
4. Pack the vegetables evenly into hot, sterilized jars along with the garlic, olive oil mixture and some of the cooking liquid, and seal. The jars can then be stored in a cool dark place for up to 3 months. The longer the vegetables sit the more “pickled” they will be.
Yield: 20 servings
SUGAR-FREE PANNA COTTA
2 cups almond milk
2 cups soy yogurt
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
¼ cup Splenda
Vanilla bean (or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract)
Try serving this with fresh fruit such as berries or grapes.
1. Bring the almond milk to a simmer and add the yogurt. Remove from heat and mix well.
2. Sprinkle the gelatin on top of the yogurt mixture, and allow to dissolve. Add the Splenda and the vanilla and transfer to 12 cups. Allow to chill in the refrigerator for several hours.
Yield: 12 servings
PEANUT BUTTER CUPS
2 ounces Splenda
6 ounces fresh peanut butter
16 ounces dark chocolate, melted
1. Combine the Splenda and peanut butter.
2. Coat a chocolate mold tray with melted chocolate, chill for 10 minutes and then fill each cup with peanut butter mixture. Top with chocolate and chill again until set.
Yield: 24 peanut butter cups
CITRUS GRANITA
1 cup orange juice
1 cup lemon juice
1 cup grapefruit juice
½ cup Splenda
4 cups ice water
1. Bring juices to a simmer and add the Splenda; stir to dissolve. Add the ice water and then move to the freezer to cool.
2. Pour into a pan and place in the freezer. Chill for 2 hours, then begin scraping the ice with a fork every half hour until you have a granita consistency (very much like large crystals of ice).
Yield: 14½-cup servings
20 calories per serving
½-cup scoop regular granita
80 calories
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Four ½-cup scoops Citrus Granita
80 calories
These miso products are produced by Marukome.
MISO
Soybean-based miso, the traditional seasoning of Japanese cuisine, is high in protein and rich in vitamins and minerals. Its use dates back to feudal Japan, and it is still widely consumed in both traditional and modern cooking—not just in its native land but worldwide as well. Deployed in a surprising range of dishes—pasta sauces, pizza toppings, salads, appetizers, fish and meat entrées, even refreshing sorbets and chocolates—the staple nevertheless remains miso soup. The traditional morning bowl has always been regarded by the Japanese as having cleansing and detoxifying qualities, and small wonder: miso soup is full of ingredients that contribute to good nutrition and health.
Miso’s principal ingredient, the soybean, provides vital amino acids for our bodies. In addition, miso is an excellent source of iron, zinc, riboflavin and magnesium. Your cup of miso soup may cost as few as 36 calories.
With American interest in its properties and taste growing, it’s no wonder that Marukome, Japan’s largest miso producer, has just built a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in California to supply U.S. consumers with fresh miso—made from American ingredients. In the picture above you can see many of the products they offer.
SHAVED CUCUMBER, RADISH AND ASIAN PEAR SALAD WITH MISO VINAIGRETTE DRESSING
2 English cucumbers, sliced thin
½ pound radishes, sliced thin
½ pound Asian pear, sliced thin
½ pound jicama, sliced thin
1 tablespoon scallions, sliced thin
1 tablespoon cilantro
¼ cup Marukome brand miso vinaigrette salad dressing Salt
Pepper
1 lime, sliced into 6 pieces
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
1. Mix all of the fruit and vegetables and dress lightly with the dressing. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with fresh lime wedges and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Yield: 6 servings
GLAZED SALMON WITH MISO YAKI MARINADE
1 ½ pounds salmon, skin off
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Marukome miso yaki marinade
1 teaspoon scallions, finely chopped
1 teaspoon red bell pepper, finely chopped
Serve this with salad or simply with a little steamed brown rice.
1. Season the salmon with salt and 1 tablespoon of the miso yaki marinade for 2 hours before cooking.
2. Heat the broiler and cook the salmon for 4 minutes before turning it over and glazing it with the remaining miso yaki marinade. Cook for 4 more minutes, garnish with scallions and red bell pepper.
Yield: 4 servings
CELEBRITY CHEF RECIPES
Lidia Bastianich
Lidia Matticchio Bastianich is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, cookbook author and public television cooking show host. Her latest series, Lidia’s Italy, was nominated for an Emmy in 2008 and named Best National Cooking Show by the James Beard Foundation in 2009. She is also the host of several earlier series and author of companion books, including Lidia’s Family Table, Lidia’s Italian American Kitchen and Lidia’s Italian Table. Together with her daughter, Tanya, she wrote Lidia Cooks from the Heart of Italy, published in October 2009, along with another 52 episodes of Lidia’s Italy.
In addition to over ten years with public television, Lidia is well known for her acclaimed restaurants, including the three-star Felidia and Del Posto restaurants in New York, the popular theater district restaurant Becco and the Lidia’s restaurants in Kansas City and Pittsburgh. Lidia was named Outstanding Chef—U.S. and Outstanding Chef—New York by the prestigious James Beard Foundation.
Lidia and son Joseph Bastianich, well-known wine expert and restaurateur with multiple locations in New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles and beyond, also produce award-winning wines at the Bastianich and La Mozza vineyards in Italy.
MUSSELS WITH FARRO, CANNELLINI AND CHICKPEAS
(FARRO, FAGIOLI, CECI E COZZE)
From Lidia’s Italy (Knopf, 2007) As much as Puglia is about the land, it is also flanked by water: the Adriatic on one side and the Ionian Sea on the gulf side. Hence one finds a big tradition of seafood as one travels down to the tip of the heel. In the quaint seaside city of Trani, along the Adriatic shoreline, is a delightful restaurant called Le Lampare. There I was introduced to Farro con Legumi e Cozze, a beautiful stew of ceci and cannellini beans cooked with farro, one of my favorite grains, tossed before serving with savory mussels and their juices.
1 cup dried chickpeas
1 cup dried cannellini beans
½ cup chopped carrots
½ cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 ½ cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for finishing
1 cup farro or pearled barley
1 ½ teaspoons coarse sea salt or kosher salt
½ teaspoon peperoncino
4 garlic cloves, crushed, peeled and sliced
2 pounds mussels
4 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1. Rinse the chickpeas and place in a bowl with cold water, covering them by 4 inches. Do the same with the cannellini in a separate bowl. Soak both for 12 to 24 hours.
2. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and put them in a 5-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan with about 7 cups of fresh cold water. Set the pot over medium-high heat and drop in the chopped carrot, celery and onion, the halved cherry tomatoes, and 4 tablespoons of the olive oil. Bring the water to a boil, partially cover the pan and adjust the heat to maintain a steady, bubbling simmer. Stir occasionally.
3. After the chickpeas have cooked for an hour, drain and rinse the cannellini and stir them into the pot. There should be at least an inch of liquid covering the beans; add more water if necessary. Return to the boil, partially cover and simmer for 45 minutes, stirring now and then.
4. Rinse the farro grains in a sieve and stir in with the beans, along with the 1 ½ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon of the peperoncino. There should be about ¼ inch of liquid covering the beans and grain; add more if necessary. Return to the boil, partially cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or longer, until the beans and the farro are tender—add water if needed to keep the beans and grains barely covered with liquid as they finish cooking. When they are done, most of the surface water should have been absorbed or evaporated but the stew should be slightly soupy.
5. While the farro cooks, prepare the mussels. Pour the remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy 12-inch sauté pan, scatter in the garlic cloves and remaining ¼ teaspoon peperoncino. Cook for 3 minutes or so over medium-high heat, until the garlic is lightly colored, then add all the rinsed mussels at once. Tumble them around the pan quickly, to coat with oil and put on the cover. Cook over high heat for about 2 minutes, shaking the covered pan a couple of times, just until the mussels are open, and take the pan off the stove.
6. Shuck the mussels right over the pan, letting the juices and meat drop in. Discard the shells (and any mussels that did not open). If you like, leave a dozen or so mussels in the shell for a garnish.
7. When the farro and beans are cooked, pour the shucked mussels and their juices into the pot and stir well—the consistency should be rather brothy. Heat to the boil and cook for just a minute to make sure everything is nice and hot. Taste and adjust salt. Stir in the chopped parsley and spoon portions into warm pasta bowls; garnish with unshucked mussels if you saved them. Drizzle good olive oil over each and serve immediately.
To prepare in advance: Cook the beans and farro until tender, following recipe, and remove from the heat. Let them sit in the saucepan up to 3 hours (they will absorb liquid and thicken). Shortly before serving, cook and shuck the mussels. Stir the mussel juices into the beans and farro and heat slowly to a simmer. Stir in the mussels and finish as above.
Yield: 6 servings
Neal Fraser
Neal Fraser began his culinary career in Los Angeles at the age of twenty, working as a line cook at Eureka Brewery and Restaurant, one of Wolfgang Puck’s earliest restaurants. Inspired by this introduction to the life of a professional chef, Fraser entered the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York. Fraser is now partner and executive chef at GRACE and serves his New American cuisine in an atmosphere perfectly designed to complement the ambitious flavors of one of Los Angeles’ most revolutionary culinary talents.
SAUTÉED EUROPEAN SEA BASS WITH TOASTED COUSCOUS, ARTICHOKES, TOMATOES AND SAFFRON FENNEL BROTH
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 onions, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 head fennel, sliced
Olive oil
1 pinch saffron
1 vine-ripe tomato, seeded and chopped
1 cup white wine
Salt
2 cups lobster stock
2 ounces fresh basil, chopped
2 cups toasted couscous, preferably whole grain
4 medium to large artichokes
4 6-ounce fillets branzino (loup de mer) or other nice sea bass, skin on, pin bones removed
Pepper
1. Heat the garlic, 1 onion, celery and fennel with 2 ounces olive oil until translucent. Add the saffron, tomato, half the white wine and salt to taste.
2. Reduce wine mixture by two-thirds, then add the lobster stock and basil and simmer for 1 hour. Strain and skim off any fat. Set broth to the side.
3. In a medium pot, heat 1 onion in 2 ounces olive oil until translucent. Add couscous and salt to taste and cover with water. Cook over medium heat until couscous is tender. Set to the side.
4. Peel artichokes to the choke and set aside in a bowl of water.
5. In a small sauté pot add the remaining white wine, 1 onion and 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
6. Preheat oven to 400°F.
7. Boil for 10 minutes, then add artichokes along with salt to taste and simmer over medium flame until tender. Set to side.
8. Heat oven-safe sauté pan with 2 ounces olive oil. Season the fish with salt and pepper and place in pan skin side down.
9. Place in preheated oven for approximately 2–5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.
10. Plate fish alongside couscous and artichokes; spoon on broth.
Yield: 4 servings
Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee was named among the “Top Ten Best New Chefs of 2006” by Food & Wine and “Best Chef 2005” by Philadelphia magazine as well as “Rising Star Chef of the Year” at the 2005 James Beard Awards. Lee became the executive chef for New York City restaurant Gilt in August 2006, where his cooking earned the restaurant two Michelin stars. Lee is currently the executive chef at Aureole in New York City.
CHILLED ENGLISH PEA SOUP WITH POACHED CANADIAN LOBSTER, BLOOD ORANGE, BABY PEA GREENS AND TARRAGON OIL
1 2-pound lobster
3 cups English peas, preferably fresh
3 shallots, peeled and sliced thin
2 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced thin
1 rib celery, sliced thin
4 cups water or vegetable stock
1 cup soy milk
Salt
Pepper
1 bundle tarragon
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 blood orange
¼ pound baby pea greens
1. Remove the tail and claws from the body of the lobster. Cook the tail for 5 minutes and the claws for 7 minutes in boiling water seasoned with salt. Immediately after cooking, shock the tails and claws in an ice bath. Once cooled, remove all the meat from the shells and cut into a medium dice. Reserve until serving.
2. Blanch the peas in boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes, then shock in an ice bath.
3. Heat a 6-quart pot over medium heat with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and sweat the shallots, garlic and celery until tender. Then add the stock and cook for 25 minutes. Add soy milk and simmer for another 5 minutes. Allow to cool.
4. Once the base of the soup is cool add the blanched peas. Then blend the soup until smooth, pass through a fine strainer and season with salt and pepper. If the soup is a little too thick, thin it out with some water or soy milk. Refrigerate until serving.
5. Slice 2 tablespoons tarragon very thin and mix with 3 tablespoons vegetable oil. Combine with lobster and season with salt and pepper.
6. Peel the blood orange and cut into segments.
7. Using a small ring mold, make a nice mold of lobster salad in the middle of 4 bowls. Then pour the reserved soup around it and remove the mold. Place the blood orange segments on top of the lobster salad. Scatter the baby pea greens across the plate to finish.
Yield: 4 servings
Michael White
Michael White became the executive chef at Fiamma Osteria in New York City in 2002. The restaurant garnered a glowing three-star review from the New York Times and White was named Esquire’s Best New Chef of that year. White then published the cookbook Fiamma: The Essence of Contemporary Italian Cooking in 2006. After helming the kitchen at a number of other successful Manhattan restaurants, White opened Marea in May 2009 and received yet another overwhelmingly positive three-star review from the New York Times.
TUSCAN BEAN SOUP WITH KALE AND SPELT
3 cups barlotti or cranberry beans, or substitute pinto beans
1 cup farro (spelt) or wheat berries
¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 1 pound kale, preferably Tuscan, coarse stems removed, cut into thick ribbons (about 4 cups)
1 medium-large yellow onion, diced
1 large rib celery, trimmed and diced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
5 cups vegetable stock
1 cup peeled, seeded and diced tomatoes
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig sage
Sea salt
Freshly ground pepper
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1. In separate bowls, cover the beans and faro with cold water and soak overnight. Drain and carefully pick through them to remove any pebbles or foreign matter. Set aside.
2. In a large heavy pot, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the kale, onion, carrot, celery and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the beans, farro, stock and tomatoes and bring the liquid to a boil.
4. Stir in the rosemary and sage, adjust the heat down so the liquid is simmering, and cook for 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes, until the beans are tender.
5. If the soup is too thick, stir in additional vegetable stock as needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
6. Ladle the soup into large bowls, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil, sprinkle with Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings
Kim Canteenwalla
Chef Kim Canteenwalla brings twenty-five years of culinary expertise as president of Blau and Associates, a highly successful restaurant consulting firm with a client list that includes top hospitality establishments.
Most recently, Canteenwalla joined forces with Steve Wynn to open Society Café Encore as executive chef/partner at the new signature resort in the Wynn collection. The restaurant offers guests a classic American menu of old-school favorites with a modern twist. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and late into the night on weekends, Society Café Encore features enjoyable food in a casual, fun and dynamic atmosphere.
He began his culinary career in Montreal at the Institute of St. Denis. He continued to work in his native Canada as sous-chef for the luxury five-star Four Seasons Hotel in Toronto. He then went on to serve in executive chef positions that took him all over the world, including Raffles International Hotel Group; Hotel Le Royal Phnom Penh, Cambodia; and Grand Mirage Resort Bali, Indonesia.
Upon his return to North America, Chef Canteenwalla held the position of executive chef at Beau Rivage, where he met Elizabeth Blau. He was then recruited to serve as executive chef for the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.
Canteenwalla was invited to prepare a guest chef dinner and lecture to the graduate students at the internationally famed Swiss Ecole Hotelière in Lausanne, Switzerland. In 2005, Canteenwalla teamed up with chef and partner Kerry Simon for the Food Network’s Iron Chef America series and came home victorious.
NANTUCKET BAY SCALLOPS
6 ounces raw beluga lentils
2 bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 ounces turkey bacon
3 ounces butter
3 ounces olive oil
4 ounces shallots, finely chopped
6 ounces zucchini, skin on, finely chopped
6 ounces yellow squash, skin on, finely chopped
4 ounces green beans, chopped fine
Kosher salt
Coarse black pepper
10-12 ounces (approximately 32-40 pieces) bay scallops, muscle removed
Mixed microgreens
2 ounces lemon oil
8 ounces Tomato Coulis (see below)
4–6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
2 ounces red pear tomatoes
2 ounces yellow pear tomatoes
4 ounces Bruno Rossi tomatoes
4–6 sprigs thyme
3 ounces extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Cook lentils in water with bay leaf and garlic for 10–15 minutes. Strain lentils and set aside. Discard bay leaf and garlic.
2. Portion turkey bacon into 12 small slices, then sauté over medium heat until crispy. Set aside on paper towel to drain any excess oil.
3. Heat sauté pan with half of the butter and olive oil. Add chopped shallots, zucchini, yellow squash and green beans and sauté 3–5 minutes. Add cooked lentils, salt and pepper and sauté for another 3–5 minutes, then remove from heat and set aside.
4. Heat remaining olive oil and butter in sauté pan. Season scallops with salt and pepper, then sear scallops on high heat for less than a minute per side, until just carmelized. Save pan drippings and fold into lentil mixture.
5. Dress mixed microgreens with lemon oil and season with salt and pepper.
6. Place microgreens on one side of the plate. Streak the other side of the plate with tomato coulis and thyme sprigs. Place lentils on the middle of the plate, then place scallops on top of lentils. Garnish with turkey bacon.
TOMATO COULIS
Add all ingredients together in a blender and combine until smooth in consistency.
Tory Miller
Tory Miller is the executive chef & co-proprietor of L’Etoile Restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin, where his culinary creations begin with locally grown, sustainable and organic ingredients cultivated by numerous Wisconsin farmers. At L’Etoile, dinner menus always feature local ingredients, and a Wisconsin map hangs on the wall to show guests where their dinner comes from. Miller dedicates most of his free time to his partnership with Wisconsin Homegrown Lunch, advocating for fresh, local foods in the school system.
ROASTED WILD ALASKAN HALIBUT WITH GRILLED SWEET CORN SUCCOTASH
6 ears sweet corn
1 red onion
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 zucchini
1 red bell pepper
8 Sun Gold tomatoes
1 cup fresh edamame
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon chopped chives
½ teaspoon parsley
4 5-ounce fillets wild halibut
Canola oil
1. Peel back the outer layers of the corn, but don’t remove them completely. Remove the silk strands and fold back the husk. Soak the ears in cold water for about 20 minutes. Place on a hot grill for about 3 minutes on a side. (The outside will burn.) Set aside.
2. Peel and slice the onion into ¼-inch slices. Drizzle with about ½ tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the onion on high for about 2 minutes per side. Set aside.
3. Slice the zucchini into ¼-inch slices, season and cook like the onion.
4. Dice the red pepper into 1/8-inch squares. Slice the tomatoes in half.
5. Remove the corn from the cob into a large bowl.
6. Dice the zucchini and onions and add to the bowl.
7. Blanch the edamame to remove the pod, and then add to the bowl.
8. Stir in the reserved olive oil, vinegar and herbs. Add the peppers and tomatoes.
9. Preheat the oven to 475°F.
10. Heat a large, oven-safe pan over high heat. Season the halibut fillets with salt and pepper to taste. Add the canola oil to the hot pan and sear the fillets on the flesh side. Place the pan in oven for 6–7 minutes.
11. Plate the fish alongside the corn mixture.
Yield: 4 servings
Seamus Mullen
Yearning to re-create the casual bars and cervecerías that Mullen discovered while living in Spain, he opened Boqueria, an accessible Spanish tapas restaurant in New York City, in August 2006. Based on the success of the original Flatiron District location, Mullen opened Boqueria SoHo in fall 2008. Seamlessly integrating local ingredients and house-cured meats with classic Spanish techniques and flavors, Boqueria’s regional Spanish cuisine has been praised by both critics and patrons alike, earning a glowing two-star review from the New York Times.
PULPO MARINERO (OCTOPUS, RAZOR CLAMS, LA RATTE POTATOES AND SMOKED TOMATO BROTH)
8 littleneck clams
1 cup Manzanilla sherry
4 beefsteak tomatoes, lightly smoked in a hot smoker, then pureed
4 cups shellfish stock
8 razor clams
1 cup La Ratte potatoes, blanched and peeled
Salt
Pepper
Sherry vinegar
8 large octopus tentacles, tenderized and blanched
4 breakfast radishes, sliced on a mandolin
1 bunch oregano
1. Place the littleneck clams and sherry in a large pot and steam uncovered for 3 minutes.
2. Add the pureed smoked tomatoes, shellfish stock, razor clams and potatoes and cover. Steam for 3 minutes until all the shellfish have opened. Check the broth for seasoning and adjust with salt, pepper and sherry vinegar.
3. While the shellfish are cooking, heat a grill or grill pan and cook the octopus tentacles, seasoned with salt and pepper, until golden and crispy.
4. In a deep bowl, spoon a small amount of the broth, a quarter of the potatoes, and two each of razor clams and littlenecks. Finish with two octopus tentacles and garnish with sliced radishes and oregano leaves.
Yield: 4 servings
Michel Nischan
Michel Nischan is an advocate for a more healthful, organic and sustainable food future. A two-time James Beard Foundation award winner, Nischan is chef and owner of Dressing Room: A Homegrown Restaurant, located in Westport, Connecticut, and also president and CEO of Wholesome Wave Foundation, a nonprofit organization focused on making locally and sustainably grown foods available to all.
CURED SALMON WITH CARAMELIZED CAULIFLOWER
1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted
1 dried cascabel, Anaheim or New Mexico chili
1 tablespoon Sichuan peppercorns
½ cup raw cane sugar
¼ cup coarse sea salt or kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 ¾ pounds skinless, boneless salmon fillet
From Taste, Pure and Simple (Chronicle Books, 2003)
CURED SALMON
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. In a small dry skillet, toast the coriander seeds over medium heat, shaking the pan, until they are lightly browned and aromatic, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and let cool.
3. Roast the chili in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, or until aromatic. Let cool completely. Tear up the chili and put the pieces in a spice grinder. Add the toasted coriander seeds and Sichuan peppercorns and grind them all together until fine. Some pepper flakes will not break down, which is okay.
4. In a small bowl, combine the raw sugar, salt and pepper. Add the ground spice mixture and stir until blended. You should have 1 scant cup of cure. Cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper large enough to cover a baking sheet. Sprinkle half the cure over the center of the paper in roughly the shape of the salmon fillet. Put the fish on top and cover it with the remaining cure. Wrap securely in the paper and refrigerate for 2 to 2 ½ hours.
Yield: 4 servings
1/3 cup tahini, room temperature
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon grated lime zest
¼ teaspoon salt
Dash of cayenne pepper
¼ cup very hot water
1 2 ¾– to 3-pound cauliflower
2 ½ tablespoons grapeseed oil
Coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
Lemon and lime wedges
Chervil or parsley sprigs
TAHINI SAUCE
5. Put the tahini in a blender or food processor and add the lemon juice, garlic, lemon and lime zests, salt and cayenne and blend well. With the machine running, add the water. Transfer to a bowl and let stand for 30 to 60 minutes to allow the flavor to develop.
CARAMELIZED CAULIFLOWER
6. Remove the green leaves and stem from the cauliflower. Cut off enough of the central core so the vegetable can stand upright. Cut down through the center of the cauliflower to divide the center into 4 slices, each ¾ to 1 inch thick. Reserve the florets from either side for another use. Gather up all the tiny bits of cauliflower on the cutting board and reserve them.
7. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the grapeseed oil over medium-high heat. Add the cauliflower slices in a single layer. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Place another heavy skillet on top of the slices to weigh them down, and press gently. Cook for about 5 minutes, rotating the skillet and pressing down occasionally, until the cauliflower slices are deeply browned on the bottom.
8. Add the reserved cauliflower bits and drizzle the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons grapeseed oil over the uncooked side of the cauliflower slices. Turn and cook for 4 to 5 minutes to brown on the second side. Reduce the heat slightly if the cauliflower seems to be browning too fast.
9. Light a fire in a charcoal grill, preheat a gas grill to medium hot or preheat the boiler. Scrape most of the cure off the fish, leaving a little for flavor. Cut the fish into 4 equal squares. Grill (skin side up) or broil (skin side down) for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until lightly browned on the outside and just slightly translucent in the center. Squeeze about 1 tablespoon each of lemon and lime juice over each piece of salmon.
10. Put a square of cauliflower in the center of each of 4 dinner plates. Arrange the salmon on top. Drizzle the tahini sauce around the fish and garnish with chervil or parsley.
SWEET POTATO AND ROOT VEGETABLE GRATIN
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 large rutabaga (about 1 pound), peeled and thinly sliced
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled
1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 cup shredded Vidalia onions
1 pound large parsnips, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley, thyme, chives and/or chervil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup Sweet Potato Sauce (see below)
3 ½ cups sweet potato juice (approx. 1 ¼ pounds sweet potatoes will yield 1 cup of juice)
2 tablespoons fresh ginger
1 Thai chili, seeded and minced
Fresh lemon juice
Coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
From Taste, Pure and Simple (Chronicle Books, 2003)
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Rub an 8 ½-by-12 inch casserole dish with olive oil.
2. Overlap half the rutabaga slices on the bottom of the casserole, making sure the slices do not overlap by more than ½ inch. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
3. Thinly slice 1 of the russet potatoes lengthwise and shingle the slices over the rutabaga. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Slice the potatoes as you use them to prevent them from discoloring and so that they retain their starch and nutrients.
4. Overlap the sweet potato slices over the russet potato. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Spread about 1/3 cup of the onions over the sweet potato slices, then overlap the parsnips over these.
6. Repeat the process, ending with sweet potato slices. Spray lightly with a little vegetable oil cooking spray, season with salt and pepper, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and bake for 40 to 50 minutes.
7. Remove the casserole from the oven and uncover. Spray lightly with a little more oil. Sprinkle with the minced herbs. Return, uncovered, to the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the top layer is nicely browned. Remove from the oven. Let set for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
8. Heat the sweet potato sauce gently and serve the gratin with a little sauce drizzled over each serving.
Yield: 6 servings
SWEET POTATO SAUCE
9. Juice the sweet potatoes and let juice stand for at least 4 hours at room temperature. This will allow much of the potato starch in the juice to settle.
10. Pour the juice through a fine-mesh sieve into a wide, shallow pan, being careful to leave the settled starch behind. Place the juice over medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 25 to 30 minutes, or until reduced to about 1 cup. During the first 5 to 10 minutes of cooking, additional potato starch will rise to the surface. Skim it off and discard. If using a relatively deep pan, this reduction could take up to 1 hour.
11. Remove from heat and stir in the ginger and chili. Stir until the sauce tastes spicy enough, then strain immediately through a fine-mesh sieve. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.
Ken Oringer
Ken Oringer is an award-winning chef and recipient of the 2001 James Beard American Express “Best Chef in the Northeast award.” In 2002, Oringer added his acclaimed sashimi bar, Uni, to the lounge of his popular Boston restaurant, Clio. In 2005, both Clio and Uni were included in Boston magazine’s list of the top twenty-five restaurants in the city. Since then, Oringer has opened Toro, a Barcelona-inspired tapas restaurant, and KO Prime, a modern steakhouse.
STEAMED BLACK BASS AND TOFU WITH HOT GARLIC OIL AND CHINESE BLACK BEANS
4 black bass fillets
8 ounces tofu, cut into 4 sheets
Black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon orange zest
3 tablespoons kaffir lime leaves, shredded
2 tablespoons Chinese black beans, chopped
¼ cup garlic oil (canola oil mixed with crushed garlic cloves to taste) 1 red jalapeño, stemmed and minced
1 serrano chile
3 ounces rice vinegar
1 bunch scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 bunches cilantro, chopped
2 tablespoons Korean pepper threads
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Set up a bamboo steamer to accommodate all 4 fillets of black sea bass and a second layer to accommodate the tofu.
3. Season fillets on a plate with pepper. Scatter citrus zest, lime leaves and black beans on top of fish, then set aside.
4. When ready to steam, put the tofu slices on the bottom level of steamer and put fish fillets above, skin side up. Place steamer in bottom of oven and let steam until just cooked, about 8 minutes. When fish is done, place on serving tray.
5. While the fish is steaming, heat garlic oil until boiling.
6. When the fish has finished steaming, mix the cooking juices from the steamer with the jalapeño, serrano chile, rice wine vinegar, scallion, soy sauce and cilantro.
7. To serve, place tofu on plate, top with fish fillet, cover with sauce made from steaming juices and top with the hot garlic oil and Korean pepper threads.
Yield: 4 servings
Eric Ripert
Eric Ripert was named “Outstanding Chef in the United States” by the James Beard Foundation in 2003. He is co-owner and executive chef of Le Bernardin, a four-star restaurant in New York City, as well as the Westend Bistro in Washington, D.C. He is also culinary director of and a partner in 10 ARTS in Philadelphia, as well as the author of the books A Return to Cooking and On the Line.
KANPACHI TARTARE TOPPED WITH WASABI TOBIKO, GINGER-CORIANDER EMULSION
2 teaspoons wasabi paste
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 ½ tablespoons ginger oil
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon sugar
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
8 ounces kanpachi, ¼-inch dice
2 teaspoons wasabi paste
1 teaspoon ginger oil
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons fresh cilantro, julienne
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
1 ounce wasabi tobiko
8 micro cilantro sprouts
GINGER-CORIANDER EMULSION
1. Combine the wasabi, lemon juice and lime juice in a blender and process. Slowly emulsify in the ginger oil and the canola oil. Add the sugar and season to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve.
KANPACHI TARTARE
2. Combine the kanpachi, wasabi paste, ginger oil, canola oil, lime juice, lemon juice, cilantro, salt and pepper. Gently mix everything together and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Gently fold 2 teaspoons of the wasabi tobiko into the tartare.
3. Mold ¼ cup of the kanpachi tartare into a 3-inch ring mold. Spread 1 teaspoon of wasabi tobiko on top of each tartare. Transfer the tartare to appetizer plates and remove the molds. Repeat until all the mixture has been used.
4. Garnish the top of each tartare with two micro cilantro sprouts. Spoon sauce around the tartare and serve immediately.
Yield: 4 servings
Floyd Cardoz
Floyd Cardoz is widely credited with putting Indian cuisine on the culinary map in New York City. After working at Lespinasse, Cardoz went on to open Tabla in 1998, where he is the executive chef and partner. In October 2006, Cardoz released his first cookbook, One Spice, Two Spice, and in January 2007, he received the first-ever “Humanitarian of the Year” award from Food TV and Share Our Strength in honor of his continued commitment to community engagement.
BENGALI FISH CURRY WITH EGGPLANT, POTATOES AND OKRA
1 ½ tablespoons coriander seeds, ground fine
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground fine
1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds, ground fine, or 1 teaspoon Coleman’s mustard powder
1 teaspoon turmeric
¼ teaspoon cayenne
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 cloves
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon whole brown mustard seeds
3 cups quartered and thinly sliced white onion
2 tablespoons minced peeled ginger
1 tablespoon minced garlic
4 large vine-ripe beefsteak tomatoes, seeded and chopped (about 4 cups)
Sea salt
2 fresh green chiles (seranos), slit down 1 side
½ cup dry white wine
1 ½ quarts fish stock, vegetable stock or water
1 large Japanese eggplant (about 6 ounces), cut into large bite-sized pieces (about 2 cups)
1 cup carrots cut into ½-inch dice
2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into large bite-sized pieces (about 2 cups)
½ pound okra, trimmed 6 6-ounce pieces wild striped bass or cod fillet with skin
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup cilantro leaves, cut into ribbons
1. Combine the spices in a small bowl and stir in 2 tablespoons water to make a paste.
2. Heat the oil in a 5–6-quart pan over moderately high heat until it simmers and add the cloves, bay leaves and whole mustard seeds. Cook, stirring, until the mustard seeds pop and the spices are fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the onion, ginger and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the spice paste, tomatoes and 2 ½ teaspoons salt and cook, stirring, until the tomatoes are softened, about 2 minutes. Add the green chile, white wine and fish stock and bring the sauce to a boil. The curry can be made up to this point 1 day ahead, cooled completely, uncovered, and refrigerated, covered.
3. Bring the sauce to a boil and add the eggplant, carrots, potatoes and okra. Simmer the sauce until the vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Season the fish with salt and pepper and let sit for 5 minutes. Completely submerge the fish in the sauce and bring to a boil. Simmer the curry for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat and tightly cover the pan. Let sit for 5 minutes longer. Sprinkle with the cilantro.
Yield: 6 servings
Andrew G. Shotts
Andrew G. Shotts, of Garrison Confections in Providence, Rhode Island, is one of the nation’s premier chocolatiers. He blends innovation with years of talent honed at restaurants such as the Russian Tea Room and La Côte Basque in New York City. Garrison Confections has garnered national attention on the Food Network and in publications such as Food & Wine and USA TODAY.
APPLE AND PEACH CRUMBLE
FILLING
3 cups cubed Granny Smith apples
3 cups cubed fresh peaches
½ cup Splenda
2 tablespoons cornstarch
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ginger
Juice of one orange
Zest of one orange
TOPPING
1 ½ cups uncooked old-fashioned oats
2/3 cup Splenda
4 tablespoons melted butter
½ teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Combine all of the ingredients for the filling together and toss well, then pour into a 9-inch pie dish.
3. Bake for 20 minutes until fruit is soft.
4. Mix all of the ingredients for the topping together well.
5. Remove dish from oven and cover with the topping.
6. Bake again for another 10 to 15 minutes until top is crisp and lightly brown.
7. Let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
Yield: 8 servings
INTERVIEW WITH SAM TALBOT, A DIABETIC CHEF
Dr. S: When were you first diagnosed with diabetes?
Sam: Twelve years old.
Dr. S: What foods were you told you had to give up because of the diabetes?
Sam: The obvious ones—the cakes, the candies and all that kind of jazz. The things that kind of came as a shock were the mashed potatoes, the french fries. You know kids love mashed potatoes and french fries.
Dr. S: What foods do you miss the most because of your diabetes?
Sam: I really don’t miss any of them. Occasionally, I will have something that I shouldn’t, but life’s a balancing act.
Dr. S: What’s your favorite comfort food as a diabetic?
Sam: That’s a good question. I have to really be honest—I love french fries.
Dr. S: What was your favorite comfort food when you were a kid?
Sam: Chicken fingers.
Dr. S: What was your least favorite food when you were a kid?
Sam: Brussels sprouts.
Dr. S: As a diabetic, which six foods would you want if you were stranded on a desert island?
Sam: Onions, garlic, broccoli, striped bass, apples and bananas.
Dr. S: What’s the most unusual combination of foods that you eat?
Sam: Blueberries, crab and popcorn.
Dr. S: What advice would you have for a child with diabetes?
Sam: Always monitor your blood sugar. It’s just an extra chore like washing your face—it only takes a couple of seconds.
Dr. S: What’s your favorite smell in the kitchen?
Sam: Roasted garlic.
Dr. S: What’s your favorite seasoning?
Sam: Sea salt.
Dr. S: When did you decide you wanted to be a chef?
Sam: When I was sixteen.
Dr. S: Do you cook at home?
Sam: I do—I cook a lot of vegetarian foods.
Dr. S: What unusual situation has happened to you surrounding food?
Sam: I was about twenty years old, cooking in a restaurant, and my mentor came into the kitchen where we were cooking. We had been cooking all night. I put a dish in the window that looked like a pork chop. My mentor—the executive chef—looked at the pork chop and called my name. I said, “Yes, Chef. Yes, Chef,” and he said, “Sam, would you serve that to your mother?” and I kind of looked around to see if there was something I should notice and said, “Yes, Chef.” He said, “Would you serve that to my mother? Would you serve that to my mother?” I looked at him—I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it and I said, “Yes, Chef.” Then he said, twice, “Are you sure about that?” I said, “Yes, Chef, I am. I think it looks great.” He said, “Good—because your mother and my mother are sitting at the table and I wanted to make sure!” I looked out and saw them sitting at the table and they were actually sitting together. I freaked out and the whole kitchen line died laughing.
Dr. S: Of anyone in the world you would most like to have dinner with—living or dead—who would it be? And why?
Sam: My grandfather. Because he’s the man. When I was seventeen, I was just getting started and I was buying cookbooks and I was working at Dean and Deluca. Now I think as the years have progressed and this is my career, it would be an honor to actually show him what it is that I do.
Sam Talbot
Sam Talbot began his career as the executive chef of the Black Duck Restaurant in New York City before he opened the Williamsburgh Cafe as chef and owner in Brooklyn, New York. In the summer of 2008, Talbot became the executive chef for the restaurant at The Surf Lodge in Montauk, New York, and created a menu of locally sourced, market-driven seafood. The restaurant is currently the most buzzed-about culinary destination on the east end of Long Island.
PICKLED WATERMELON SALAD WITH CHIMICHURRI VINAIGRETTE AND RICOTTA SALATA
3 cups water
2 cups watermelon pieces (cut from rind, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes)
1 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon honey or 1 packet Splenda
2 cinnamon sticks
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
½ cup olive oil
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
¼ cup basil, chopped
2 garlic cloves, peeled and mashed
¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon lime zest
Salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces ricotta salata
MELON
1. Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Add the watermelon and let stand overnight.
3. Drain the watermelon, rinse and drain again.
4. In a large saucepan, combine the vinegar, sugar, cinnamon stick, ginger and lemon juice. Bring to a boil and simmer for 20 minutes. Then add watermelon to warm liquid and let it sit until room temperature. Place in container and refrigerate.
Makes 4 servings
VINAIGRETTE
5. Mix all ingredients except the ricotta salata in a large mixing bowl and whisk until incorporated.
6. Arrange the melon on a plate. Spoon the vinaigrette over the top.
7. Take a cheese grater and skim the ricotta over the fine side a few times for the final garnish.
Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez
Celebrated for her three-star desserts, Heather Carlucci-Rodriguez’s pastry-chef résumé reads like a history of New York’s most esteemed eateries. She has created desserts at L’Impero, Veritas and Judson Grill, each receiving three stars from the New York Times. For her first personal venture, Heather opened Lassi, a tiny takeout restaurant featuring Northern Indian home cooking. In March 2006 New York magazine named Lassi “Best Take-Out” in New York City.
CHANA DAL
1 cup chana or mung dal
4 cups water
13 chiles, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 ½ onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon coriander, ground
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1. Combine dal, water, chiles, turmeric and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil. Add more water if needed as dal cooks until soft.
2. Cook cumin seeds in oil to sizzle. Caramelize onions with cumin. Add ginger and cook until soft.
3. Add 1 ½ teaspoons salt, coriander, ground cumin and paprika and cook through. Pour over dal and stir.
4. Finish with cilantro.
Yield: 4 servings
Lee Anne Wong
After graduating from the French Culinary Institute and immersing herself in the restaurant world, Lee Anne Wong returned to the FCI as the executive chef of event operations. Wong brought her culinary skills to an even wider audience when she appeared as a contestant on Season One of Bravo’s Top Chef. The show’s producers saw her innate talent and media experience and brought her on as the show’s supervising culinary producer.
STEAMED BASS, RADISH SALAD, SHISO AND PONZU
4 5-ounce pieces boneless skinless bass fillet
1 tablespoon yuzu juice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Salt
White pepper
Banana leaf for wrapping
8 pieces shiso leaf
4 scallions, white and greens, julienned into 2-inch matchsticks
1 piece ginger, peeled, julienned into 2-inch matchsticks
STEAMED FISH
1. Pat the fish fillets dry. In a small bowl, whisk together the yuzu juice and oil. Brush both sides of each fillet with the vinaigrette. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
2. Cut pieces of banana leaf large enough to wrap each fillet completely. Place a piece of shiso on the banana leaf. Place the fish fillet on top of the shiso and top with another shiso leaf. Top the fillets with a generous pinch of scallion and ginger. Carefully wrap each fillet in the banana leaf to make a package and tie securely with butcher’s twine.
3. Place the packets in a steamer basket approximately 3 inches over boiling water. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Steam the fillets for 8 minutes, until just cooked through. Unwrap the fish and discard the aromatics. Serve immediately with Root Vegetable Salad and Ponzu Sauce.
Yield: 4 servings
1 red beet, peeled
1 daikon or watermelon radish, peeled
1 sweet potato, peeled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon yuzu juice
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon shiso leaf, fine chiffonade
Salt
Black pepper
1 cup sudachi juice (or a mixture of lemon and lime)
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons mirin
1 tablespoon dried bonito flakes
1 piece konbu, cut into a 2-inch square
ROOT VEGETABLE SALAD
4. Julienne all of the vegetables to 1/8-inch thick matchsticks, about 3 inches in length.
5. Combine the olive oil, yuzu juice and sugar in a bowl, whisking until the sugar dissolves.
6. Toss the vegetables and shiso leaf in the vinaigrette. Season generously with salt and pepper. Serve immediately on top of the steamed fish fillet.
PONZU SAUCE
7. Mix all ingredients together and refrigerate for 24 hours. Strain the solids through a fine cheesecloth or chinois.
Bill Telepan
Bill Telepan graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. Inspired by his exceptional reviews and strong following as the executive chef at Gotham Bar & Grill in New York City, Telepan published the book Inspired by Ingredients to present his unique cooking style and most popular recipes. In December of 2005, Telepan opened his eponymous restaurant Telepan on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, which was voted Best Newcomer by the Zagat Survey in 2007.
ZUCCHINI AND TOMATO EGG WHITE FRITTATA WITH WILD ARUGULA AND GOLD NUGGET POTATOES
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ pound Gold Nugget potatoes
4 sprigs thyme, plus 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme for frittata
½ Walla Walla onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves
1 tomato, peeled, seeded and chopped
Whites of 12 eggs
1 medium zucchini, halved and thinly sliced
1 ounce arugula
Salt
1. Place 1 tablespoon oil, potatoes, sprigs of thyme and a good pinch of salt onto a large piece of foil, fold up and place on top of a grill or under a broiler and cook until potatoes are tender, about 12–15 minutes. Reserve.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 10–inch sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and a pinch of salt and soften for about 5–7 minutes.
3. Add tomato and cook until all moisture is removed, about 8–10 minutes. Add zucchini and chopped thyme, mix together and cook an additional 3 minutes. Take off the heat, place in bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
4. Whisk the egg whites. Mix in the zucchini.
5. Heat remaining oil in a 10–inch sauté pan on medium heat, add the egg-zucchini mixture and cook until edges start to solidify. Place in oven until the frittata is cooked through, about 12–15 minutes.
6. Slip onto cutting board, cut into serving wedges (4–8), place on top of arugula and serve with the potatoes.
Yield: 4 servings
Marc Vetri
Marc Vetri was named one of Food & Wine’s ten best new chefs in 2005 and received the Philadelphia Inquirer’s highest restaurant rating. In 2005, Vetri won the James Beard Award for “Best Chef Mid-Atlantic.” He is the chef and owner of Vetri and Osteria, two popular restaurants in Philadelphia. The story of Vetri’s culinary journey, along with the recipes for his most popular dishes, have been collected in his book, Il Viaggio Di Vetri: A Culinary Journey.
FUSILLI PASTA SALAD WITH JUMBO CRAB
2 ounces jumbo lump crab meat
½ cup fusilli, cooked al dente (preferably whole grain)
¼ cup pear tomatoes, halved
¼ cup celery, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons tarragon
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
¼ cup mâche or bibb lettuce
1. Combine crab, pasta, tomatoes, celery, mayonnaise, tarragon, lemon, salt and pepper in bowl.
2. Place mâche evenly across plate.
3. Place salad mixture over mâche.
4. Place tarragon over top of salad.
5. Finish with fresh cracked pepper.
Yield: 1 serving
David Walzog
David Walzog is a three-time nominee for the James Beard/Perrier-Jouet Rising Chef Award. He was the corporate executive chef for the Glazier Group in New York City and was at the helm of New York’s legendary Steakhouse at Monkey Bar, as well as the Michael Jordan Steakhouse and three Strip House restaurants. Under his supervision, New York magazine claimed Strip House to have the “Best Steak in New York” in 2001, and Forbes magazine named the restaurant one of “Forbes 2003 All-Star Eateries in New York.” Walzog is currently the executive chef of SW Steakhouse in Las Vegas.
STEAMED PRAWNS WITH LEMON, SEAWEED AND AROMATIC VEGETABLES
4 ounces seaweed, rinsed
12 red prawns, head on, peeled of the tail shell
8 ounces light beer
1 tablespoon celery seed
2 teaspoons paprika
1 red bell pepper, seeded and julienned
1 white onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1. Use a stove-top-safe deep casserole dish with a lid. Add the seaweed to the bottom of the dish to create a raft for the prawns to steam on top of. Add the prawns on top of the seaweed and then add the remaining ingredients in the order listed at left.
2. Place the dish over medium-high heat on the stove-top and allow to steam for 8 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let stand with the lid closed for an additional 2–3 minutes before serving.
