Bay Area.

'WHO ORDERED THE FOIE GRAS SANDWICH?'

When company lunch orders rolled in, this question was not out of the question--nor was it in question or questioned for that matter. San Francisco's multimedia gulch and the Silicon Valley gleamed--its dollars broadcast in billboards, flaunted as newly built 'campuses' for companies like Oracle and 3Com, dressed down by paper-rich employees in dungarees. The area sparkled of costly square footage for Electronic Arts and HP and sparked when scarce commercial vacancies turned into contested bidding wars.

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For the Bay Area food industry, the years 1998-2000 were all about fueling the desires and bellies of those leading the high-tech charge. It was about the best ingredients, about restaurants salivating over pocket-friendly patrons, about patrons anticipating outrageous menus, and about throwing smashing parties in those, the splashiest restaurants. These few frivolous years trumped anything known in the deviant decade of the 1980s, even tempting the ghosts of the gold rush. This new rush--gotten off on weightless options, not weighty nuggets, seized the Silicon Valley and San Francisco--and their surrounding cities. The Bay Area restaurant economy had hit its stride.

In 1998, The San Jose Tech Museum opened and the Silicon Valley beamed proudly. Every sort of tech was a curiosity, including "Tech tours" of the Silicon Valley. These gave excursions to Alcatraz, or down Lombard, the most crooked street in the world which now seemed pretty straight--a run for their money. Tourists wanted to know where (for example) HP was founded (gawking at a tiny garage in Palo Alto). Maps of Palo Alto tear-downs turned small palaces (where the high-tech gurus lived), were as popular as Hollywood star maps sold on the streets of Belair in Los Angeles.

Reuters News Service summed up those times best. "When the Internet bubble swelled in the late 1990s, S100-a-bottle wine flowed like Evian water, and entrepreneurs whet their appetites on $70 plates of caviar before diving into five-course, expense account meals."

The March 13, 2000, edition of the San Francisco Business Times writes, "[Gary] Danko's restaurant and other recent openings such as Azie, Fifth Floor (all in San Francisco) and Ondine in Sausalito are part of a new generation of places that feature adventurous cuisine for well-heeled patrons. These are not stuffy club-like atmospheres that attract guests for their exclusivity, but they spare no expense in decor, linens, china, crystal and--most of all--ingredients."

PRESENT INDICATIVE

"Without question, San Francisco has been the hardest hit restaurant community in the entire U.S." That's what New-York based restaurant consultant, Clark Wolf said of the dotcom demise.

The massive layoffs resulted in an exodus of former dot employees who high-tailed it to towns rightfully reliant on brick-and-mortar than on online without a plan, a product and proven results. Business and tourism in San Francisco seemed to vanish overnight. Restaurants took a hit. Food service companies specializing in web procurement faltered.

What were great-sounding ideas, turned into even greater auctions. Webvan, of Foster City (just south of SF), an online-based grocer who aggressively expanded to six other cities in just 18 short months, promised to revamp the entire grocery business. The company managed to inspire private investors to part with hundreds of millions of dollars, similarly, the general public, who coughed up big bucks for an automated warehouse where groceries were sorted. With just a few clicks, a customer could shop and have their groceries delivered to their door that same or next day. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, auctioned its equipment and donated its remaining perishable food to the San Francisco Food Bank. In the end, the only item Webvan bagged was its idea. Paper or plastic?

Stroll through San Francisco today, and recall the electricity that once ran through those now empty restaurant spaces, the only future life left in these two words; 'For Lease.' Historical walking tours might one day include audio tours of this, a very surreal period in Western Americana.

One of the first restaurants to close its doors--at the height of the Internet boom--was Elroy's at the corner of Folsom and Beale. Though Elroy's did not shut down due to financial problems, it was one of the first that sold out--selling its sprawling 18,000 square-foot warehouse space, with soaring 20-foot ceilings and celestial light fixtures, to Quovera, a six-year old San Jose-based consulting firm who agreed to sign a 10-year lease for $12 million dollars. Graham Kos, owner of Elroy's, spoke with the San Francisco Chronicle in 2000 and is quoted as saying, "Would you rather be a restaurateur and have 125 employees and have to confront all the issues that operating this kind of business means, or would you rather just get a rent check?" Quovera never did move in. What transpired was a sticky lawsuit and a cavernous space with nothing but cut cable wires, and memories of a once cracking restaurant.

It wasn't too long before other closures followed. The Cypress Club, the 40's-style North Beach supper club that roared in its heyday, bathing in expensive booze, also took a financial bath and there were no bubbles. The other big ticket closures included Gordon's House of Fine Eats, Michael Mina and Charles Condy's Redwood Park (the partners of over 10 years parted company after the restaurant's closure), Ondine, Dine, and, of course, Jeremiah Tower's Stars. A report by the Golden Gate Restaurant Association says that in total, 288 restaurants closed during the second half of 2001 alone. That's 6.8% of the city's total.

And 45 miles south along the 101 corridor? Remember those tour busses we mentioned earlier? They're no longer sitting in Silicon traffic. A Cornell University study cited that the two American cities to suffer the largest decline in tourism after the months of September 11 were San Jose and San Francisco. San Jose, a city that prides itself on its culture and innovation, has had to seriously refocus its redevelopment. In a report called, 'Business Perspectives on the San Jose Silicon Valley Economy,' published in May of 2003, the consensus by area business representatives is that "San Jose does not project a business-friendly image." The report suggests diversification efforts by hoteliers to reach out to new markets. Ann Hearst, Director of Marketing for the San Jose Downtown Association told us, "It's fair to say a lot of people feel there are too many steps to get through city bureaucracy." Maybe they were on to something.

When AC visited downtown San Jose, we observed what appeared to be a brand-new downtown. High-tech and chips were played down, but certainly not at Michael Mina's Arcadia restaurant in the newly-built downtown Marriott where the chips are on fish (just have a look for yourself on pg. 35). The city is making serious attempts at attracting those "fly-to" markets (out-of-state and foreign visitors). The "drive to" markets seem to be thriving. Santana Row, just outside of downtown is home to 'restaurant annex central'. Get a load of this list: Bradley Ogden's Yankee Pier, Chris Yeo's Straits Cafe, Rolland Passot's Left Bank Bistro, and San Francisco's popular Blowfish Sushi to Die For. And high-end shops like Tommy Bahama, Diesel, Gucci, and Escada fill the spaces in between; the irony here is the dichotomy between the high-end retail and more affordable restaurants. And downtown San Jose is also getting in the act of alloying restaurants with entertainment. Hearst mentions, "There is a lot of new activity and people are responding." They're opening an E & O Trading Company, Paragon and PF Chang's. "There's new investment downtown. One office space was on the market for 300 dollars a square foot."

THINK SMALL

Kitchens that once stayed open late to cater to the "sleep at work" mentality of the dot commies, seized operations on those special accommodations. Gone are the high-priced dinner and specialized lounge menus. The concepts just didn't work any longer. Out of this was born a new restaurant trend--those of the small plate and of the smaller single digit prices. The bistro was also reborn in Potrero Hill's Chez Papa, Nob Hill's Julia, downtown at Jeanty at Jack's and in the restaurants of Pascal Rigo where familiar ingredients became familiar all over again. Bistros are big business. And at Andalu and Alma, two Mission district standouts, variations on ethic cuisine the flavors of Latin American and Asian flavors prevail.

Some high-priced ventures didn't shut down completely. Take SF's SOMA (South of Market) Azie, a French-Asian fused dining option created for the young, high-tech crowd. The sister restaurant of longtime favorite Lulu had to readjust for new times. In addition to nixing the live DJ who spun soul-funk-fusion, Azie removed the caviar from its menu, as well as its popular and pricey 'Nine Bites appetizer', now MIA. Now, a more diverse crowd blows through that velvet curtain lining the front door looking for "family-style" food.

One program launched after 9/11 was Dine-about-Town, designed to lure San Franciscans and tourists back to tables. The offering is a three-course prix-fixe lunch--19.95 and/or 29.95 dinner special through the month of January. The program has been a hit, going into its third year and the list of participating restaurants grows even longer.

SURVIVAL OF THE SMARTEST

Sure, many believed the future of the economy was in cyberspace--and for Opentable.com, it was and has been. In 2000, the San Francisco-based online reservations service announced it had secured $42 million in financing to extend its services, connecting restaurants with consumers. OpenTable counts over 1,400 of the country's restaurants and hospitality companies as clients, enabling them to remotely access reservation data and reports. Today, OpenTable, Inc. is the leading provider of Internet-enabled customer relationship management (CRM), marketing, yield management and reservations solutions to the $500 billion global foodservice industry.

Another significant contribution to the San Francisco food scene is the reincarnation of the Ferry building that "anchors" the bay to the Embarcadero, financial and transportation centers of San Francisco. Built in the late 1800s, the building has welcomed millions of San Franciscans, commuters and visitors who traveled by train or ferry.

Today, the Ferry Plaza offers herself as a new gateway to San Francisco, luring a different sort of pilgrim: those who share in San Francisco's love affair with food. The 65,000 square feet of public space houses an indoor street show casing a slew of up-market food stalls.

There are smaller versions of some of San Francisco's most popular restaurants, including LuLu (Petite) and Charles Phan's Slanted Door. Standbys from Napa and Sonoma, like Taylor's Refresher and Hog Island Oyster Company are brought directly to the waterfront. Goods from artisan bakers, olive, cheese, chocolate and wine makers are brightly displayed in makeshift storefronts. The Ferry Building is just the thing this food metropolis needs to re-establish its firm connection between consumer, producer and restaurant, heightening interest in this vital community and perhaps aiding a pale economy.

The fallout of the Bay Area and Silicon economies can't all be blamed on the dotcom crisis, of course. The unexpected combination of forces that include September 11th, two internationally-fought wars, and a recession are also culpable. What's resulted from this mix of ill-desired factors are some unforeseen, but desirous circumstances making for a new breed of Bay Area restaurant. Commercial rents have come down considerably, and there is a glut of cheap, high-quality equipment on the market that has cut the cost of openings, enticing new business.

And business isn't all lost. In fact, the new economy companies are some of the oldest ones around pharmaceutical, law and investment firms.

The serious restaurant community of the Bay Area, however, never did, nor are they now, brooding over a food scene in flux (or for that matter) the disappearance of the dotcom crowd. Rather, they are quietly celebrating the return of the unassuming neighborhood place and the reincarnation of a few great places (Masa's and Campton Place specifically). The wicked task on hand for the Bay Area restaurant recovery is to react to the current situation without succumbing to hasty policy that hinders, rather than helps the recovery. Perhaps it's time for the Bay Area to pause briefly before jumping into this new day--or as longtime San Francisco Chronicle columnist Herb Caen used to do with his columns ... punctuate with a 'three dot pause.'

AQUAMAN AND THE KINGDOM OF ARCADIA

Andrew Budnyj seems nervous. We discover it's not so much nerves as intensity. He doesn't say much; but when he does, he speaks rapidly, his voice raspy, his manner slightly frenetic. His looks are youthful--his floppy strawberry-blonde hair and freckled face lack that finessed look of chefs drowning in the limelight. We tell him he reminds us of Hank Ketcham's comic strip kid, Dennis the Menace. Hopefully, he doesn't mind the comparison.

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But appearances can be deceiving. Andrew isn't so much the Ketcham deviant as a dedicated, solidly-rooted chap, firmly fixed to the Michael Mina empire. Mina is as much a part of Andrew as is Andrew's English-Ukrainian heritage. His mother hails from Lincolnshire, England, just north of London. His father from the Ukraine. Budnyj (pronounced Bud-knee) has worked for the Cairo-born Mina at his various venues for ten years total. He started at Aqua San Francisco, moving to Aqua at the Bellagio, Las Vegas, then to Pisces in Burlingame, Aqua's sister restaurant, just south of San Francisco. Now, he's at Arcadia in San Jose. What's different about this chef is his markedly decided devotion.

"People like to go from one job to the other. If you work under someone who is intense, who is always changing, it makes sense to stay. I don't need a risk going somewhere less than perfect. I just want to keep moving at a steady upward pace. I don't ever want to plateau."

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Andrew didn't always think like this. "I graduated high school in 1989 and decided to go right into this field." He was only 17. But no matter the age, and no matter the decision, there's always an audience--of supporters and skeptics.

'So you want to get into the business, eh?' That was his father, an architect in Washington D.C. Through his connections, he "hooked" his son up at the Occidental, right across the street from the White House. Andrew's account: "It was a hard core, three-star restaurant. I didn't even understand the chain of command back then ... not to mention, I was a more than a little cocky." Despite his greenness, the chef took him under his wing. He also "yelled living murder" at him.

And then there was his Dad again. 'Let's see how you like it now!' "It took me no more than a year before I knew I had to get serious."

To get serious, Andrew enrolled in the New England Culinary Institute. To get a taste of his English roots, Andrew externed in London. Then, having grown up in America's capital city, he took a job at Vidalia Restaurant. But, he had his sights some 3,000 miles away at the most-talked up restaurant at culinary school. That was Aqua. According to Andrew, "If you were offered something there, you didn't take anything else." He started in 1994 and, wouldn't you know it, still works with Michael Mina. "It's the professionalism, passion and perfection that pushes you over the edge."

He refrains from romanticizing or glamorizing his profession. "I yell and scream--the timing on the line is a perfect balance. It's like an orchestra. If something drops on the floor at the last second, you can't help but express yourself quickly or sharply. When you are in that groove, it draws a lot of energy. I don't know if that paints a positive portrait or not, but that's what you get from a lot of chefs who are passionate about food and the intensity of flavors."

"No matter how great you are, if you aren't in that lucky spot you may never continue to grow. I was lucky at Aqua with my talents and the promotions. With Mike, there was a handful of people that stayed through the years. If you look in each of his restaurants, there's someone who did it at Aqua."

And as San Jose jockeys to alter its title from silicon capital to contending restaurant town, Andrew and Arcadia are there to help it along. "Here, in San Jose, we want to be known for something special."

Perhaps they already are.

ANDREW BUDNYJ

ARCADIA, SAN JOSE

HO HUMM

"Daniel," we chide, "you make it look so casy!" The chef delivers his last dish to be photographed.

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Daniel Humm hunches over to talk--he has to. He's tall. At 6'2", he smiles and shrugs his shoulders, "If it's getting too hard to make nice, then it's not nice."

He's only been in the United States for seven months. He's only been in San Francisco for seven months. And, he's only just started speaking English (you guessed it) seven months ago. Already, the Swiss native (from Zurich) seems to understand America's fickle and funny nuances. He gets it.

What Daniel didn't quite get, though, was Campton Place, and its top track record. As he puts it, he "had no idea." That is 'no idea' of the chefs who have come through this hotel, each one making a name for themselves, each with their own distinct style: Bradley Ogden, Jan Birnbaum. Todd Humphries and most recently, Laurent Manrique.

Not until General Manager, Paul Zeust, (a fellow Swiss) discovered Humm in Switzerland, and offered him Humm that is the open post as Executive Chef, did Daniel do some quick navigation work. "I looked it up on the Internet. When I came over here, it was better than I thought. Anyone who knows about food knows about Campton Place."

His first stint as Executive Chef (at the small country inn, Gausthaus zum Gupf, near St. Gallen in Switzerland) earned a Michelin star, and he was named "Culinary discovery in Switzerland 2002" by Gault Millau. Here, in San Francisco, he's already been booked (a year in advance) to cook at the Beard House and has grabbed the attention of tough--and even tougher critics. But about the accolades he says, "It's not that I'm looking to get this much press. I just want be the best restaurant in San Francisco. And if they write about you, it's a sign you are doing something right."

The honesty is refreshing. "I don't care about being a superstar. I don't care if everyone doesn't like me. But, I care about mistakes. If someone tells me the squab was overcooked, I care about that. But if someone says, "I don't like the squab because there's no potato on the plate, I want to say, 'Get out!'" Another concept he "gets" but would rather not: Americans seem a bit lost if they don't have their meat and potatoes.

"That's what the Americans like, right? Starch on the plate ... and to hear I make 'Grandma's' quark souffle?" Perhaps most of us might reminisce about Grandma's apple pie, but regardless, Daniel is right on target. There's sarcasm of a sweet and sour note here. More sweet than sour. And a whole lot of Swiss.

Just seven months ago, Daniel was in the kitchen screaming in German, sending each plate back that was not "perfect." His English has come along quickly (so has his slang). He looks at a Polaroid, "Cool. I like it."

He's curious about every aspect of our small production; greeting us in the early morning, asking questions, offering cappuccino and delightfully, joining us at an unrushed pace, despite having a lunch service, our shoot and dinner service--and who knows what else--scheduled for this day.

Instead, Daniel examines our equipment, shares his interest in photography, tells us he'd like to learn Photoshop and shows us photographs of his food--ones that he shot! The photos are for himself--for a scrapbook designed to document his cooking styles at particular times of his career. He seems to savor this experience with us, as we do with him. His enthusiasm apparent throughout the entire process.

"I think this business is hard. It's hectic. I don't want to spend my whole day doing crappy food. It's a long day as it is. I don't need to do everything in life--I have my priorities--but I want to make what I do right."

He gets it all right.

DANIEL HUMM

CAMPTON PLACE, SAN FRANCISCO

"THE STUFF THAT DREAMS ARE MADE OF."--the Maltese Falcon

AC had seen photographs of Ron Siegel. In each shot he appeared uneasy in front of the camera. Maybe this Bronx-born fellow wouldn't like to be referred to as 'camera shy', but perhaps he'd be more agreeable with 'modest.' That might surprise those only familiar with Ron as that first American chef to out-crack and out-lobster Hiroyuki Sakai on the Food Network's "Iron Chef". Oh yeah, that guy! That was in 1998 and that's all we're going to write about the experience. Mr. Siegel would like to leave it behind.

Our first introductions to Ron were early in the morning--probably too early for him--in Masa's elegantly redesigned dining room with its muted gray walls and chocovanilla-patterned chairs. A giant step from the former red-clad interior. We hadn't yet figured out how to turn on the lights when Ron appeared out of a long shadow. It was a rather fitting entrance. The restaurant's location, at the corner of Bush and Dashiell Hammett Alley, is where the fictional Miles Archer was murdered in The Maltese Falcon.

Wearing sweatpants and a leather jacket, hair still wet but neatly combed, Ron hastily disappeared to the kitchen. Later, he reintroduced himself in the dining room having changed into whites. "I wonder where this is from? He's holding a loose screw resting near our camera equipment. Examining it like Sam Spade, Ron reveals a clue about himself, "I'm working on my house and I thought it may have fallen out of my pocket." He retreats to the kitchen.

Call him Mr. Siegel, just don't call him "Mr. Garnish." "I try to be very flexible with the menu--as long as it stays simple. I'm not big on using lots of ingredients." What Ron is big on, is focusing on fish. "There are thousands of them. I play around with that a lot. Hopefully, the dishes taste good." More than a few people can vouch that they do. The 2004 Zagat Guide just ranked Masa's as the second best restaurant in the San Francisco Bay Area, tied with The French Laundry.

The stats on Ron are these: Twenty years in the business. First food-related job: Butcher in a meat department. Cooked at: Aqua, Daniel and the French Laundry. Five years as Executive chef at Charles Nob Hill. Executive Chef here at Masa's for three.

Just like the great dialogue that fills Hammett's noir detective fiction, Ron is never short on conversation.

"I do better just cooking than over-thinking something. It's more like 'what's in the walk-in' and 'let's make it up.' I mean it's not a free-for-all! We prep 40 dishes on the menu per day--that's a lot of food. Sometimes I think it would be easier to do two or three dishes, but there's pressure to create a big menu. I'd love to have a restaurant with four seats and offer two or three dishes. But I have to pay my mortgage."

San Francisco is Ron Siegel's city; it's his burg. "I have such a great opportunity in the Bay Area to get in with the best purveyors. I can get everything right here. There's nothing like seeing product go from ground to plate. We have a better lifestyle here. You'll go to restaurants in New York, and you'll see asparagus on the menu everyday. It works a little differently there. The clientele is older, more demanding and have too much frickin' money. That's just not me. I'm into change, you know, like that RC Cola (ad campaign)--'Shake it up.'"

"During the dot.com period everyone seemed like they were twenty years old, drove Porsches, but didn't know to wear socks. They'd come in and buy 3,000 dollar bottles of wine. Or they'd say, 'How much to seat me?' And they'd offer my maitre'd a hundred bucks. And we'd say, 'We can't seat you because you don't have socks on.' Anything you get that quickly in life is transparent. People should learn to work."

Okay, just one more word about, what Siegel refers to as, "the incident" or "the fiasco." "They still show it. Many of our Japanese customers want their picture taken with me still! I mean that show is everything I'm not--I don't even watch TV. But when it happened, I went along kicking and screaming. Talk about culture shock. The experience changed me--not because of the hype, but because a lot of good came out of it. I went to Japan six times and ate a lot of kaiseki. It was a big score."

He pockets the screw and steps back into the shadows.

Just like Hammett wrote, "The best good byes are short, Adieu."

RON SIEGEL

MASA'S, SAN FRANCISCO

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RELATED ARTICLE: Lobster Corn Dogs and Truffled Popcorn (Serves 4)

ANDREW BUDNYJ

Rose Champagne

Paul Barra

Champagne, France NV

directions

For the lobster corn dogs: In a saute pan, add oil. Add fennel and saute until translucent. Set aside to cool. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, add scallops. Pulse to combine. Drizzle in only enough cream to achieve a smooth puree. In a bowl, combine scallop puree, sauteed fennel, lobster meat, tarragon and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer lobster mousse into a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch plain tip. On a flat surface, lay three to four pieces of plastic wrap flat. Pipe logs of lobster mousse onto plastic wrap leaving three inches at either end. Roll plastic very tightly around lobster mousse and tie each end very tightly. In a pot of simmering water, add wrapped lobster mousse; poach until mousse is firm to touch. Shock in an ice water bath. Remove plastic and cut into 16 1 1/2-inch pieces. Push a wooden coffee stir stick halfway into each piece. Set aside, keeping cool.

For the basil sauce: Using a blender, puree blanched basil and canola oil until smooth. Strain through a cheesecloth-lined fine-mesh sieve. Let basil oil drain for at least one hour. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine egg yolk and lemon juice; blend until thick. Gradually add basil oil while blending to form a thick and creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping cool.

For the truffle sauce: In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine egg yolk, vinegar and truffles; blend until smooth and thick. Gradually add canola and truffle oils while blending to form a thick and creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping cool.

For the sundried tomato sauce: In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine egg yolk, lemon juice and sundried tomatoes; blend until smooth and thick. Gradually add canola oil while blending to form a thick and creamy sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping cool.

For the mustard sauce: Combine ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping cool.

For the batter: In a large bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mix milk, egg and egg yolk. Whisk the milk mixture into the cornmeal mixture until incorporated. The batter should resemble waffle batter. (Additional milk can be added if necessary.)

For the truffled popcorn: In a large heavy-bottom pot over medium heat, add canola oil. Add popcorn kernels and shake pot to coat kernels. Cover, continuing to shake until popping slows down to one second between each pop. Transfer to a large bowl and toss with truffle butter, truffle oil and salt to taste. Serve immediately.

To finish: Preheat deep-fryer to 360 degrees. Holding the sticks, dip corn dogs in batter, allowing excess to drip off. Fry battered corn dog in oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels and season with salt to taste.

To serve: Put truffled popcorn in a bowl; garnish with shaved truffle and chives. Serve lobster corn dogs with sauces and garnish with shaved truffle, basil leaf and tomato half.

Note: The batter recipe will yield more than is needed for the lobster corn dogs.

ingredients

For the lobster corn dogs:

1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup finely chopped fennel
1/2 pound scallops
4 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 pound lobster meat, chopped and chilled
1/2 bunch tarragon, stemmed and finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

For the basil sauce:

2 bunches basil, stemmed, blanched and shocked
1 cup canola oil
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

For the truffle sauce:

1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon Banyuls vinegar
1 small fresh black truffle, roughly cut
3/4 cup canola oil
1/4 cup truffle oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the sundried tomato sauce:

1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup oil-packed sundried tomatoes, drained
1 cup canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the mustard sauce:

1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard

For the batter:

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder
Pinch of salt
2 cups milk
1 egg
1 egg yolk
Peanut oil as needed

For the truffled popcorn:

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup organic popcorn kernels
1/4 pound truffle butter, melted
2 tablespoons truffle oil
Salt to taste

For the garnish:

Shaved black truffles
Chives, finely chopped
Basil leaves
Pear tomato halves

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RELATED ARTICLE: Kobe Chicken-Fried Steak (Serves 4)

ANDREW BUDNYJ

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Les Cailloux

Rhone, France 1998

directions

For the steak: Preheat deep-fryer to 350 degrees. Using a mandoline, thinly slice potatoes; hold in cold water. Drain potato slices and add to hot oil, stirring to prevent sticking. Fry until lightly crisp. Drain on paper towels and season with salt. Let chips cool and crush into 1/4-inch pieces; set aside.

For the corn mashed potatoes: In a large pot, cover potatoes with cold water and add salt to taste. Over medium-high heat, simmer potatoes for 30 minutes until tender. In a medium saute pan over medium-low heat, saute corn in butter until tender; season with salt and pepper. Add cream; bring to a simmer and remove from heat. Transfer corn mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain corn puree through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside, keeping warm. Drain potatoes and return to pot; stir over medium-high heat for one minute to dry. Using a food mill, puree potatoes. Incorporate creamed corn and season with salt and pepper to taste, mixing well. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the red wine sauce: In a pot over medium-high heat, add canola oil. Add shallots and saute until deeply caramelized. Deglaze with red wine and reduce to almost dry. Add demi-glace, thyme and peppercorns; bring to a simmer over low heat. Reduce by half, skimming as needed. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and season with salt and pepper. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the wild mushrooms: In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add canola oil. Add mushrooms and stir to coat. Add shallots and thyme; cook until mushrooms are brown. Add white wine; reduce to almost dry. Season with salt and pepper and set aside, keeping warm.

For the glazed red onion: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a hot grill. Cut onion into wedges leaving root end attached. Brush wedges with canola oil and mark each side on a hot grill. Place in baking dish and add balsamic vinegar. Cover with foil and bake for 15 to 20 minutes until tender. Remove onions from vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

To finish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add cup of canola oil. Season steaks with salt and pepper; dip into Wondra[R], eggs and coat with crushed chips. Lay two breaded steaks at a time into oil and cook on each side until golden brown. Remove from oil and place on a rack-lined sheet pan; bake in oven to desired doneness.

To serve: Spoon corn mashed potatoes in center of plate and place chicken-fried kobe beef on top. Add wild mushrooms and onion wedge. Ladle sauce onto plate and garnish with watercress sprigs.

ingredients

For the steak:

4 large Russet potatoes, peeled Wondra[R] flour, seasoned, as needed
4 eggs, beaten and seasoned
4 6-ounce Kobe New York strip steaks, pounded to 1-inch thick
1 cup canola oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the corn mashed potatoes:

1 pound Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup yellow corn kernels
3/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

For the red wine sauce:

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound shallots, peeled and sliced
3 cups red wine
3 cups demi-glace
1/2 bunch thyme
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
Salt and pepper to taste

For the wild mushrooms:

1 tablespoon canola oil
12 ounces assorted wild mushrooms, cleaned
1 large shallot, peeled and sliced
2 sprigs thyme
3/4 cup white wine
Salt and pepper to taste

For the glazed red onion:

1 red onion, peeled
Canola oil as needed
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Watercress sprigs

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

RELATED ARTICLE: "Pork Chops and Apple Sauce" (Serves 4)

ANDREW BUDNYJ

Syrah

Garys' Vineyard, Antiquv's

Santa Lucia Highlands, CA 2002

directions

For the pork belly: In a shallow pan, combine pork belly, onions, garlic cloves, apples and apple juice; marinate overnight in refrigerator. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove belly from marinade and pat dry. Season well with salt and pepper. Strain marinade through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving vegetables and marinade liquid separately. In a deep saute pan over medium heat, add canola oil and heat until just smoking. Add belly and sear well on both sides. Add vegetables; cook until caramelized. Add vinegar and marinade liquid; cook until reduced by half. Add demi-glace. Braise in oven, about 45 minutes. Remove belly from sauce and set aside to cool. Strain sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into saute pan. Remove cartilage and excess fat from belly and cut into large chunks; return to sauce. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the pork rack: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a roasting pan over medium-high heat, add canola oil. Season rack well with salt and pepper. Add to hot pan and sear on all sides. Lower heat to medium and add butter. Baste pork rack with butter and place in oven; roast to desired doneness. Remove pork rack from oven and rest for at least 20 minutes.

For the sweet potato puree: In a pot, cover sweet potatoes with cold salted water. Simmer until tender. In a small pot over low heat, add cream, butter and vanilla bean; heat to a low simmer. Drain water from sweet potatoes and return to same pot. Stir over medium-high heat for one minute to dry. Puree sweet potatoes using a potato ricer. Incorporate cream mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste, mixing well. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the apple sauce: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a baking dish combine apples, jalapeno, apple juice, cinnamon stick and cloves. Cover tightly with foil and place in oven; bake until apples are tender. Peel apples and discard cinnamon stick and cloves. Transfer apples and liquid to a blender. Add butter, and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the pork loin medallions: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a saute pan over medium heat, add canola oil. Season medallions with salt and pepper. Add medallions to pan; sear on all sides. Top each piece with butter and roast in oven to desired doneness. Remove from pan and set aside, keeping warm.

For the haricots vert: Poach apple rings in water with lemon juice. Fill apple rings with haricots vert. Set aside, keeping warm.

To finish: Slice pork rack into four chops. Roll loin medallions in chopped herbs.

To serve: Spoon sweet potato puree onto plate. Place pork chop on top. Garnish chop with red and green apple balls. Spoon portion of apple sauce on plate next to pork chop. Place loin on top. Garnish with walnuts, julienned apple and lemon zest. Place braised pork belly onto plate. Spoon sauce over top of pork belly pieces. Lean bundle of haricots vert against pork belly.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the pork belly:

1 pound pork belly
2 yellow onions, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup garlic cloves
2 apples, roughly chopped
2 cups apple juice
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
3 cups demi-glace
Salt and pepper to taste

For the pork rack:

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 pork loin rack with four bones
3 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste

For the sweet potato puree:

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
Salt and pepper to taste

For the apple sauce:

2 Granny Smith apples, cored
1/2 jalapeno pepper, stemmed and seeded
2/3 cup apple juice
1-inch piece cinnamon stick
2 cloves
2 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste

For the pork loin medallions:

1 tablespoon canola oil
4 3-ounce pork loin medallions
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon finely chopped chives
1 teaspoon stemmed and finely chopped thyme
1 teaspoon stemmed and finely chopped parsley

For the haricots vert:

Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into 2-inch rings
2 cups haricots vert, trimmed and blanched

For the garnish:

Red and green apple balls, 1/4-inch diameter
Toasted walnut pieces
Granny Smith apple, julienned
Lemon zest, julienned

RELATED ARTICLE: Whole Fried Chicken with Truffled Macaroni and Cheese (Serves 4)

ANDREW BUDNYJ

Gevrey-Chambertin Champs-Chenys

Domaine Joseph Roty

Burgundy, France 1999

directions

For the chicken: In a large heavy-bottom pot over medium-high heat, bring peanut oil and duck fat to 300 degrees. Separate skin from meat on breast and back of chicken. Slide truffle slices under loosened skin. Season interior and exterior of chicken with salt and pepper. Carefully place chicken into hot oil. (It will take 20 to 22 minutes for a two to 2 1/2-pound bird to cook through.) Blend truffle butter with parsley, chives and thyme. Set aside at room temperature. Remove chicken from oil, allowing oil in cavity to drain, and place on a racklined sheet pan. Brush chicken exterior well with herbed truffle butter and season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the macaroni and cheese: In a pot over medium heat, add canola oil. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper to taste and dredge in flour. Sear thighs until browned on all sides. Remove from pot and reserve for later use. Add onions, garlic and thyme; saute until the onions are translucent. Add chicken stock and stir scraping bottom of pot; bring to a simmer and return thighs to pot. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes until thighs are cooked. Remove thighs and reserve for later use. Add cream and whisk to incorporate. Simmer for five minutes. Strain sauce through fine-mesh sieve into a pot. Add cheese to sauce and stir until incorporated. Pull chicken meat from bones and stir into sauce. Combine cheese sauce with cooked macaroni; stirring over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the caramelized onion sauce: In a pot over medium heat, add canola oil. Add onions and saute until deeply caramelized. Deglaze with white wine and reduce to almost dry. Add thyme and chicken stock; bring to a simmer over low heat. Reduce to two cups of liquid, skimming as needed. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the peas and carrots: In a saute pan over medium-low heat, add butter. Add peas and carrots; saute until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

To finish: Stir truffle oil into macaroni and cheese. Cut fried chicken as desired.

To serve: Place fried chicken on plate. Spoon macaroni and cheese into a small heated dish and top with toasted breadcrumbs. Arrange peas and carrots on plate. Ladle with onion sauce and garnish with fresh herbs.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the chicken:

2 quarts peanut oil
2 quarts duck fat
1 whole organic chicken
1 fresh black truffle, sliced
3 tablespoons truffle butter, softened
1 tablespoon stemmed and finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
1/2 tablespoon stemmed and finely chopped thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

For the macaroni and cheese:

2 tablespoons canola oil
4 organic chicken thighs, skinned
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1/2 bunch thyme
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
5 ounces parmesan or asiago cheese, grated
1 pound macaroni, cooked
4 tablespoons white truffle oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the caramelized onion sauce:

2 tablespoons canola oil
10 yellow onions, peeled and sliced
2 cups white wine
1/2 bunch thyme
1 gallon chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

For the peas and carrots:

3 tablespoons butter
2 cups shucked English peas, blanched
12 baby carrots, pecled and blanched
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Toasted breadcrumbs
Fresh herbs

RELATED ARTICLE: "Chips on Fish" (Serves 4)

ANDREW BUDNYJ

Riesling

Nigl Privat

Kremstal, Austria 2001

directions

For the fish: In a pot, cover potatoes with salted cold water. Cook over low heat until potatoes are translucent, about five to eight minutes. Strain and cool completely. Slice into 1/8-inch thick rounds. In a large bowl, mix potato starch and half of melted clarified butter. Add sliced potatoes and stir to coat. Place fish on parchment-lined sheet pan with fillets open and no gap between. Starting at tail-end, lay potato slices in a shingle toward the head, tapering to shape of fish. Chill in refrigerator for at least one hour.

For the onion puree: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat onions in oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Place in a baking dish and cover tightly with foil. Roast in oven for 30 minutes until completely tender. Let onions cool enough to handle. Peel skins and transfer flesh and juice to a blender; add butter and puree until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the tartar sauce: In a bowl, combine egg yolk and lemon juice; whisking to combine. Gradually add canola oil while whisking to form a thick and creamy mayonnaise. Add lemon zest, red onion, capers and parsley; season with salt and pepper to taste and stir. Set aside, keeping cool.

For the malt beurre blanc: In a saucepan over medium-low heat, add canola oil. Add shallots; saute until translucent. Add wine, malt vinegar, peppercorns and thyme; reduce to almost dry. Add cream, stir and simmer for one minute. Remove pan from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Gradually whisk in cubes of butter until combined. Season with salt to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

To finish: In a large saute pan over medium heat, add remaining clarified butter. Test heat with a piece of potato; it should sizzle. Season fish with salt and pepper to taste. Add fish potato-side down. Do not move fish until potato crust starts to brown. Cook until golden brown; turn over and cook other side. Remove fish to a rack to drain.

To serve: Spoon onion puree in center of plate and lay fish on top. Drizzle sauce around fish. Garnish plate with chives and diced vegetables. Top fish with watercress, lemon wedge and tartar sauce. Sprinkle plate with fried capers.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the fish:

4 medium Russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch cylinders
3 cups clarified butter, melted
1/4 cup potato starch
4 1 1/4-pound Tai snappers; skin, gills and bones removed, tail intact*
Salt and pepper to taste

For the onion puree:

3 yellow onions, unpeeled
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 tablespoons butter
Salt and pepper to taste

For the tartar sauce:

1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon lemon zest
3 tablespoons peeled and finely chopped red onion
3 tablespoons roughly chopped capers
2 tablespoons stemmed and finely chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

For the malt beurre blanc:

2 teaspoons canola oil
4 shallots, peeled and sliced
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup malt vinegar
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 sprig thyme
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 pound butter, cubed and chilled
Salt to taste

For the garnish:

Chives, finely chopped
Fine dice of carrots, celery and leeks, blanched
Watercress sprigs
Lemon wedge, flesh removed
Fried capers

* If you cannot find Tai snapper any small snapper will do.

RELATED ARTICLE: Lobster Pot Pie (Serves 4)

ANDREW BUDNYJ

Chassagne-Montrachet Les Caillerets

Domaine Paul Pillot

Burgundy, France 2001

directions

For the pie crust: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, add flour. On low speed, add butter and salt, incorporating until consistency of coarse meal. Add water and continue mixing until dough comes together. Form the dough into a disk; wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour. On a lightly-floured work surface, roll out pie dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into four circles that are 1-inch wider in diameter than baking dishes to be used. Set aside, keeping chilled.

For the lobsters: Remove heads from lobsters and reserve for sauce. Remove claws. Bring a large pot of water to a full boil. Add claws and tails; cook for three minutes and remove claws, shocking in an ice water bath. Continue to cook tails another two minutes. Immediately remove tails and shock in ice water bath until completely cool. Remove lobster from ice water and remove meat from shells. Reserve shells for sauce. Cut each tail into four pieces. Set lobster meat aside, keeping chilled.

For the vegetable filling: Toss vegetables in butter and season with salt and pepper. Set aside, keeping cool.

For the truffle lobster sauce: Over medium-high heat, add oil. Just before the smoking point, add lobster shells; sear until bright red. Remove from heat and add brandy, Return to heat, add onions, fennel, celery and garlic; cook until lightly caramelized. Add tomato paste; cook until brown. Deglaze with white wine, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon. Reduce to almost dry. Add cream, thyme, peppercorns, coriander and bay leaf; simmer for 20 minutes. Strain sauce through a fine-mesh sieve. Press shells and vegetables to extract all sauce. Discard shells and vegetables. Return sauce to a simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Slowly whisk in roux; cook for one minute, whisking constantly. Adjust sauce consistency with roux until sauce coats back of a spoon. Add truffle pieces. Using a hand-held immersion blender, puree until smooth. Set sauce aside in an ice water bath until chilled.

To finish: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide vegetable filling between four 1-quart baking dishes. Top each dish of vegetables with meat of one lobster. Ladle three ounces of sauce into each dish. Sprinkle with fines herbs, truffle oil and truffle slices. Lightly brush egg wash on outer edge of bottom of pie dough circle. Lay dough over baking dish and press edges to seal. Lightly egg wash entire surface of dough and sprinkle with sea salt. Place lobster pot pies in oven; bake until crust is golden brown.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

To serve: Remove from oven and serve.

ingredients

For the pie crust:

1 1/2 pounds all-purpose flour, sifted
1 pound butter, cubed and chilled
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup ice water
Egg wash as needed

For the lobsters:

4 1 1/2-pound Maine lobsters

For the vegetable filling:

8 red pearl onions, peeled and poached
8 cippolini onions, peeled and roasted
2 cups wild mushrooms, sauteed
6 baby fennel bulbs, halved, blanched and sauteed
16 haricots vert, stemmed and blanched
12 asparagus tips, blanched
12 baby carrots, peeled and blanched
1/4 cup butter, melted
Salt and pepper to taste

For the truffle lobster sauce:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Reserved lobster shells and heads, cleaned
1/2 cup brandy
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 fennel bulb, roughly chopped
2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
1/2 bulb garlic
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 cup white wine
1 pint heavy cream
3 sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste
Blonde roux as needed
1/2 cup black truffle pieces

For the garnish:

Fines herbs, stemmed and chopped
Truffle oil
Black truffle slices
Sea salt

RELATED ARTICLE: "Express Lunch" (Serves 4)

ANDREW BUDNYJ

Viognier

Alban Vineyards, Edna Valley

San Luis Obispo, CA 2001

directions

For the bagels and lox terrine: Lightly brush inside of a 12X1 1/2 X2-inch mini terrine mold with vegetable oil. Line inside of mold with plastic wrap and lightly brush with oil. In a small bowl, combine onion juice with mascarpone and chives. Lay a 3X1 1/2-inch piece of salmon in the bottom of the mold. Place two 3X2-inch pieces of salmon along each wall of the mold. With a small spatula, spread a thin layer of mascarpone on bottom salmon and top with another piece of salmon. Repeat alternating layers of salmon and mascarpone until terrine is 2-inches high. Tightly cover with overhanging plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least five hours.

Note: This size mold makes approximately 48 slices.

For the BBQ pork sandwich: In a bowl, combine egg yolk and vinegar, whisking to combine. Gradually add canola oil while whisking to form a thick and creamy mayonnaise. In a bowl, combine red and green cabbages and carrots; combine with desired amount of mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping cool. Remove pork belly from sauce and shred. Mix shredded meat with two tablespoons of the sauce. Set aside at room temperature.

For the roasted tomato soup: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a roasting pan, combine tomatoes, onions, garlic and olive oil; toss to coat in oil. Roast in oven, stirring often, until tender and slightly brown. Remove from oven and deglaze with red wine, scraping bottom of pan with wooden spoon. Place tomato mixture in a pot; add basil, thyme and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer; cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Using a hand-held immersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Strain soup through a fine-mesh sieve and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the broccoli soup: In a pot over medium heat, add canola oil. Add onions and garlic; saute until onions are translucent. Add stock and bring to a simmer; reduce by one-third. Add cream; bring to a simmer. In a pot of boiling salted water, add broccoli florets; cook until tender. Remove and shock in an ice water bath. Transfer chicken stock mixture to a blender; add broccoli and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the lobster roll: In a bowl, combine egg yolk and lemon juice, whisking to combine. Gradually add canola oil while whisking to form a thick and creamy mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a bowl, mix together lobster meat, tarragon, celery and fennel. Add enough mayonnaise to bind. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping cool.

For the Dagwood Slider: Season patties with salt and pepper to taste. In a very hot saute pan, add oil and sear both sides of patties. Immediately place slices of cheese on top of each patty. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the salad: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. In a bowl, toss together brioche cubes, butter, parsley and thyme; season with salt and pepper to taste. Place cubes on a sheet pan. Bake in oven until crisp and golden brown; set aside to cool. In a small bowl, combine shallots and red wine vinegar. Add olive oil, whisking until incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a bowl, combine mixed greens, roasted pepper, and cucumber; toss with vinaigrette. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with quail eggs, goat cheese, walnuts and brioche croutons. Set aside.

To finish: For bagels and lox, remove terrine from mold and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Slice four 1/4-inch thick slices. Remove plastic wrap from slices. Place slice on top of toasted bagel and garnish with red onion and chives. For BBQ pork, place a pile of shredded pork on toasted bun. Garnish with coleslaw. Ladle tomato soup into soup cup. Ladle broccoli soup into soup cup and garnish with white cheddar. For lobster roll, stuff toasted hotdog bun with lobster salad and garnish with lobster claw and a sprig of tarragon. For Dagwood Slider, place two hamburger patties on bottom hamburger bun, top with caramelized shallots, pickle, condiments and bun.

To serve: On a platter, arrange salad, soups, BBQ pork, lobster roll, Dagwood Slider and bagels and lox.

ingredients

For the bagels and lox terrine:

Vegetable oil as needed
1/2 yellow onion, peeled and juiced
4 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped chives
1/2 pound smoked salmon
4 mini bagels, toasted
Salt and pepper to taste

For the BBQ pork sandwich:

1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup canola oil
1/2 cup shredded red cabbage
1/2 cup shredded green cabbage
1/4 cup shredded carrots
4 mini hamburger buns, toasted
12 ounces braised pork belly*
Salt and pepper to taste

For the roasted tomato soup:

5 Roma tomatoes, quartered
1/4 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine
2 sprigs basil, stemmed
2 sprigs thyme, stemmed
2 cups chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

For the broccoli soup:

1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 yellow onion, peeled and sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 bunch broccoli, florets only
2 ounces white cheddar, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

For the lobster roll:

1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup canola oil
1/2 pound cooked lobster meat, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch tarragon, stemmed and finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped fennel
Salt and pepper to taste
4 mini hotdog buns, toasted

For the Dagwood Slider:

1 tablespoon canola oil
12 ounces ground sirloin, formed into 8 3-inch patties
Salt and pepper to taste
2 shallots, peeled, sliced and caramelized
8 slices white cheddar cheese
4 pickle slices
Ketchup as needed
Mustard as needed
4 mini hamburger buns, toasted

For the salad:

2 brioche, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon stemmed and finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon stemmed and finely chopped thyme
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
12 ounces organic mixed greens, washed and dried
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded and julienned
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
4 quail eggs, hardboiled and halved
4 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup candied walnut pieces Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Red onion, finely diced
Chives, finely chopped
Tarragon sprigs
Lobster claws, cooked

* The recipe for braised pork belly can be found in "Pork Chops and Apple Sauce" on page 33.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

RELATED ARTICLE: Chocolate and Banana Puddings (Serves 4)

ANDREW BUDNYJ

Beerenauslese Cuvee

Alois Kracher

Illmitz, Austria 2000

directions

For the chocolate cookie crumbs: Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Add flour mixture; mix until incorporated. Spread cookie dough thinly onto greased sheet pan; bake until dry. Let cool then grind into crumbs using a food processor.

For the chocolate pudding: In a pot over medium heat, combine cream, milk, sugar and salt; bring to a boil. Temper the yolks, by adding one-third hot cream mixture while whisking constantly. Whisk tempered yolks back into hot cream mixture and place over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Place chopped chocolate and vanilla extract in a bowl; add hot mixture and whisk until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Set over an ice water bath until chilled and set aside in refrigerator.

For the banana pudding: Cut four bananas into 1/2-inch slices. In a pot over medium heat, combine cream, milk and sliced bananas; bring to a boil and then remove from heat. Let cream mixture sit for 20 minutes and discard bananas. In a medium bowl, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. Slowly whisk the cream mixture into sugar mixture. Return to pot and cook, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Temper the yolks, by adding one-third cream mixture while whisking constantly. Whisk tempered yolks back into cream mixture and place over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and mix in butter and vanilla extract. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Set over an ice bath until chilled and set aside in refrigerator. Slice remaining two bananas into thin rounds when ready to serve.

To serve: In two glasses, alternate layers of chocolate cookie crumbs, banana slices, banana pudding and chocolate sauce. Garnish with banana chips and a dollop of whipped cream. In another two glasses, layer chocolate cookie crumbs and chocolate sauce with chocolate pudding. Garnish with graham crackers and a dollop of whipped cream.

ingredients

For the chocolate cookie crumbs:

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon baking soda Pinch of salt
2 1/2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 small egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the chocolate pudding:

3 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 egg yolks, beaten
1 1/2 cups chopped Scharffen Berger 62% chocolate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the banana pudding:

6 ripe bananas, peeled
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
1 cup granulated sugar
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 egg yolks, beaten
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the garnish:

Chocolate sauce
Whipped cream
Banana chips
Graham crackers

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

RELATED ARTICLE: Watermelon Gelee with Vanilla-Poached Lobster (Serves 4)

DANIEL HUMM

Riesling Spatlese

Dr. Weins Prum, Graacher-Himmelreich

Mosel, Germany 2002

directions

For the watermelon gelee: Strain watermelon juice through a coffee filter. In a small pot, heat watermelon juice. Dissolve softened gelatin sheets in watermelon juice. Pour watermelon juice into bottom of each serving dish. Refrigerate to set.

For the vinaigrette: Combine champagne vinegar and vanilla seeds. Slowly add almond and olive oils whisking until emulsified. Stir in tomato confit and basil. Season with sea salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping cool. For the vanilla sticks, preheat oven to 200 degrees. Cut scraped vanilla pod into 12 thin sticks. Bake on a Silpat-lined sheet pan for an hour or until dry; set aside to cool.

For the lobster: In a small pot, heat butter to 180 degrees. Add lobster tails, poaching to desired doneness. Remove meat from shells and cut each tail into six medallions. Marinate lobster and melon in vinaigrette for one hour. Set aside, keeping cool.

To serve: Place three marinated lobster medallions in center of dish. Top with cantaloupe round and honeydew ball. Pierce cantaloupe and lobster with vanilla stick. Garnish with tomato confit (from vinaigrette) and dill sprig. Sprinkle with Maldon[R] sea salt.

ingredients

For the watermelon gelee:

1 1/4 cups watermelon juice
4 sheets gelatin, softened

For the vinaigrette:

2 ounces champagne vinegar
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped, pod reserved
4 ounces almond oil
2 ounces extra virgin olive oil
1 ounce tomato confit, roughly chopped
1 tablespoon stemmed and finely chopped basil Sea salt and pepper to
  taste

For the lobster:

1 pound unsalted butter
2 lobster tails
12 1 1/2-inch rounds of cantaloupe
12 honeydew melon balls

For the garnish:

Dill sprigs
Maldon[R] sea salt

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

RELATED ARTICLE: Delicacies of the Ocean (Serves 4)

DANIEL HUMM

Pinot Gris

Ponzi Vineyards

Willamette Valley, Oregon 2002

directions

For the truffle vinaigrette: In a bowl combine balsamic vinegar and truffles. Slowly add oils whisking until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

For the seafood salad: In a pot, heat lobster butter to 180 degrees. Separately poach lobster tail, lobster claws, scallops and prawns to desired doneness. In a medium saute pan, add olive oil. Add shallots and saute until translucent. Add thyme, saffron, mussels and white wine. Cover and cook until shells open and remove from heat. Remove all meat from shells and season with fleur de sel to taste. Slice lobster tail into four equal pieces. Combine poached seafood, mussels, squid, potatoes, chanterelles and haricots vert with truffle vinaigrette. Marinate for at least two hours in refrigerator.

For the lobster consomme: In a pot, add olive oil. Add lobster heads and cook for four minutes. Add carrots, celery and onions; cook until lightly caramelized. Add tomato paste and cook to a rusty-brown color. Deglaze with cognac and white wine; reduce to almost dry. Add water, thyme and peppercorns; bring to a boil. Simmer for 40 minutes, skimming as necessary. Strain lobster stock through a fine-mesh sieve into another pot. Refrigerate lobster stock to chill: In a bowl, combine ground chicken, egg white, tomatoes and lemon juice, whisking until combined. Add chicken mixture to lobster stock and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until a raft forms. Strain consomme through a coffee filter-lined fine-mesh sieve. Allow consomme to drip through the filter and sieve. Season with salt to taste and set aside to cool.

For the truffle-potato chips: In a pan, heat canola oil. Blanch potato slices in oil for 20 seconds. Drain on paper towels. While potato slices are hot, place a piece of truffle on each of four potato slices. Lay remaining four potato slices over top. Using a towel, press potato-truffle chips between two sheets of plastic wrap for 10 minutes to seal. Finish frying in canola oil until golden brown and crisp. Drain on paper towels and season with salt to taste.

To serve: Pour lobster consomme into a glass. Add seafood salad to glass. Garnish with creme fraiche, caviar, herb sprigs, sprouts and potato-truffle chip.

ingredients

For the truffle vinaigrette:

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon finely chopped truffles
2 teaspoons truffle oil
2 teaspoons hazelnut oil
2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the seafood salad:

1 1/2 pounds lobster butter*
1 lobster tail
4 lobster claws
12 bay scallops
4 Hawaiian prawns
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 sprig thyme
1/2 teaspoon saffron
12 mussels, cleaned
1/4 cup white wine
4 small squid tentacles, sauteed
4 baby potatoes, cooked
3 ounces chanterelles, sauteed
2 ounces haricots vert, blanched and cut into 1-inch pieces
Fleur de sel and pepper to taste

For the lobster consomme:

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 small lobster heads, cleaned
1/2 small carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 rib celery, roughly chopped
1/2 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon cognac
2 tablespoons white wine
1 1/2 cups water
1 sprig thyme
1/4 teaspoon crushed black peppercorns
3 ounces ground chicken
1 egg white
2 tablespoons finely chopped tomato
2 drops lemon juice
Salt to taste

For the truffle-potato chips:

1/2 cup canola oil
8 very thin slices of potato
4 very thin slices black truffle, trimmed into rounds
Salt to taste

For the garnish:

Creme fraiche
Osetra caviar
Chervil sprigs
Frisee sprigs
Amaranth sprouts

* The recipe for lobster butter can be found in "Lasagne with Crayfish" on page 42.

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RELATED ARTICLE: Rouget with Provencale Flavors (Serves 4)

DANIEL HUMM

Pouilly-Fuisse les Crays

Domaine Manciat-Poncet

Burgundy, France 2001

directions

For the tomato stock: In a pot over low heat, add olive oil. Add onions and cook for four minutes. Add peppers and cook for 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium-low and add tomatoes, garlic, thyme, peppercorns, salt and sugar. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Add water and bring to a boil. Simmer for five minutes; skimming as necessary. Strain tomato stock through a fine-mesh sieve into another pot, pressing tomato pulp to extract all juices. Place tomato stock in refrigerator to chill.

For the tomato foam: Using a blender, puree tomatoes, basil, tarragon, egg white and lemon juice. Add puree to tomato stock and whisk to combine. Bring to a low boil and simmer for 10 minutes until a raft forms. Strain tomato consomme through a coffee filter-lined fine-mesh sieve. Allow consomme to drip through the filter and sieve. Set aside to cool. Add creme fraiche and cream and season with cayenne, salt and white pepper to taste, whisking to combine. Froth sauce using a hand-held immersion blender.

For the tomato sauce: Using a blender, puree tomatoes, adding sugar and salt to taste. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. In a saucepan, reduce tomato sauce to a thick puree. Slowly add olive oil whisking until incorporated. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the basil oil: In a blender, puree all ingredients until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

For the rouget: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. On a parchment-lined sheet pan, place whole rougets and brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook in oven to desired doneness. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the filling: In a saute pan over low heat, toss taglialini with one tablespoon of tomato foam and remaining ingredients to heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

To serve: Spoon basil oil and tomato sauce on a plate in an alternating circular pattern. Place rouget in center and stuff with filling. Top with tomato confit. Spoon tomato foam over taglialini and rouget, garnishing with herbs.

ingredients

For the tomato stock:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and each cut into 8 pieces
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
1 sprig thyme
Pinch of crushed black peppercorns
Pinch of salt
Pinch of granulated sugar
1 cup water

For the tomato foam:

1/2 cup roughly chopped tomatoes
3 basil leaves
2 tarragon leaves
1 egg white
2 drops of lemon juice
2 tablespoons creme fraiche
3 ounces cream
Cayenne pepper to taste
Salt and white pepper to taste

For the tomato sauce:

1 pound vine-ripe tomatoes, stemmed and seeded
Sugar to taste
Sea salt to taste
2 teaspoons olive oil

For the basil oil:

2 ounces basil, stemmed
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 small clove garlic, peeled
Salt and pepper to taste

For the rouget:

4 whole rouget, scaled; spine, gills, pin bones removed from top
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the filling:

4 ounces tri-color taglialini, cooked
12 haricots vert, blanched
1/4 cup tomato confit, roughly chopped
6 leaves basil, finely chopped
2 sprigs lemon-thyme, stemmed and finely chopped
1 tablespoon blanched and finely chopped preserved lemons*
2 tablespoons nicoise olives, pitted
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Tomato confit
Herb sprigs

* Available through Berber Trading Company at [phone] or www.berberimports.com

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RELATED ARTICLE: Lasagne with Crayfish, Sweetbreads and Tarragon Sauce (Serves 4)

DANIEL HUMM

Chardonnay

Rombauer

Carneros, CA 2002

directions

For the pasta: In a medium bowl, mix flour, salt, egg yolks and water until just combined. Transfer to a lightly-floured work surface and knead dough until smooth, about 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for at least two hours. Divide into four pieces and roll through a pasta machine, starting on the thickest setting and finishing on the second to thinnest setting. Cover with plastic and let rest again for two hours. Place chervil leaves on sheet of pasta dough and place another sheet on top. Roll sheets together through machine on second thinnest setting. Cut dough into eight 4-inch rounds and set aside.

For the crayfish: In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, combine lobster head and butter; puree until smooth. Transfer butter mixture to a small pot. Add onions, carrots and celery; simmer for 30 minutes. Add white wine and cook for three minutes. Strain lobster butter through a fine-mesh sieve and refrigerate until solid. Remove lobster butter from refrigerator and discard water. Set aside until needed. In a pot of boiling water, cook crayfish for one minute. Shock in an ice water bath. Remove tail meat from shells, reserving shells for crayfish sauce. Heat lobster butter to 180 degrees and poach crayfish tails to desired doneness. Remove from butter and drain on paper towels. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the crayfish sauce: In a pot over medium heat, add olive oil. Add reserved crayfish shells and roast until browned. Add onions, carrots, celery and tomato paste; cook until tomato paste is a dark rust color. Add stock and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain through a finemesh sieve into a pot and reduce by one-third. Add cream and season with salt, pepper and cayenne to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the tarragon sauce: Blanch tarragon and parsley. Shock in an ice water bath and drain. In a small saucepan, brown butter. Add herbs and cook for 30 seconds. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Transfer herb mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Return to heat and reduce to a sauce consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside, keeping warm.

For the sweetbreads: In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add canola oil. Lightly coat sweetbreads in flour and sear until golden brown and crisp. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

To finish: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and simmer until cooked. Remove from heat and drain. Set aside, keeping warm. Froth crayfish sauce using a hand-held immersion blender.

To serve: Place one round of pasta in center of plate, add sweetbreads and top with another pasta round. Add crayfish tails and one crayfish head to plate. Top crayfish with foam and spoon tarragon sauce and reduced chicken just onto plate.

ingredients

For the pasta:

11 1/2 ounces all-purpose flour
Salt to taste
9 egg yolks
4 tablespoons water, or as needed
24 chervil leaves

For the crayfish:

1 lobster head, cleaned and roasted
1 pound butter
1/2 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons peeled and roughly chopped carrots
2 tablespoons roughly chopped celery
4 ounces white wine
4 dozen crayfish, cleaned

For the crayfish sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil
Reserved crayfish shells
1 small onion, roughly chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 small rib celery, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 pint lobster stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

For the tarragon sauce:

1 1/2 bunches tarragon, stemmed
1/4 bunch parsley, stemmed
1 ounce butter
2 tablespoons chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

For the sweetbreads:

1 teaspoon canola oil
4 ounces sweetbreads, blanched, outer membrane removed and chopped
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Crayfish heads
Reduced chicken jus

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RELATED ARTICLE: Seafood Fantasy with Lemon and Watercress Sauces (Serves 4)

DANIEL HUMM

Riesling Schlossberg Cuvee Ste-Catherine

Domaine Weinbach

Alsace, France 2002

directions

For the watercress sauce: Blanch watercress in salted water. Shock in an ice water bath and drain. In a saucepan, brown butter. Add watercress and chicken stock; bring to a boil and remove from heat. Transfer watercress mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Return to heat and reduce to a sauce consistency. Chill sauce over an ice water bath and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping cool.

For the potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place potato slices in a baking dish and dot with butter and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast in oven for 30 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and set aside, keeping warm.

For the lemon sauce: In a medium saute pan over medium-low heat, add olive oil. Add shallots; saute until translucent. Add thyme, saffron, mussels and white wine. Cover and cook until shells open. Remove mussels from pan and separate meat from shells; set aside. Reduce cooking liquid by half and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Add extra virgin olive oil and preserved lemon whisking until incorporated. Season with salt and white pepper to taste and set aside, keeping warm.

For the seafood: In a pot, heat butter to 180 degrees. Separately poach lobster tail, lobster claws and prawns to desired doneness. Remove meat from shells and season with fleur de sel to taste. Slice lobster tail into four equal pieces. Set aside, keeping warm. In a medium saute pan, add olive oil. Sear scallops and squid separately to desired doneness. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside, keeping warm.

To serve: Place slices of potato on plate. Top potato slices with lobster tail, lobster claw, prawn, scallop and squid. Place two mussels on plate. Spoon sauces onto plate. Garnish with herbs and micro sprouts.

ingredients

For the watercress sauce:

5 ounces watercress, stemmed
1 1/2 ounces butter
2 tablespoons chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste

For the potatoes:

4 fingerling potatoes, sliced on bias
3 small purple potatoes, sliced on bias
3 ounces unsalted butter, cut in small cubes
2 sprigs thyme
Sea salt and pepper to taste

For the lemon sauce:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 sprig thyme
1/2 teaspoon saffron
8 mussels, cleaned
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons finely chopped preserved lemon, blanched*
Salt and white pepper to taste

For the seafood:

1 1/2 pounds unsalted butter
1 lobster tail
4 lobster claws
4 Hawaiian prawns
Fleur de sel to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 sea scallops, scored
4 small squid, cleaned and sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Herb leaves
Micro sprouts

* Available through Berber Trading Company at [phone] or www.berberimports.com

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RELATED ARTICLE: Ratatouille Stuffed Calamaretti with Bouillabaisse Sauce (Serves 4)

DANIEL HUMM

Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

Chateau de la Gardine

Rhone, France 2000

directions

For the ratatouille stuffing: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Roast yellow and red bell peppers for 30 minutes. Remove skin and seeds; finely chop flesh. In a saute pan over medium heat, add olive oil. Add roasted peppers and zucchini; saute until zucchini is tender. Add thyme, garlic and tomato paste, cooking for five minutes. Remove pan from heat and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the bouillabaisse sauce: Bone, shell and rinse seafood. In a pot over medium heat, add olive oil. Add onions, seafood and salt and pepper to taste; cook for three minutes. Add garlic, cook for one minute and deglaze with wine. Add saffron and stir. Add tomatoes, stock and parsley; simmer for 25 minutes. Add brioche and simmer five minutes. Transfer bouillabaisse to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pot; reduce until it coats the back of a spoon. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the tomato sauce: Using a blender, puree tomatoes, adding sugar and sea salt to taste. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. In a saucepan, reduce tomato sauce to a thick puree. Slowly add olive oil, whisking until incorporated. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the calamaretti: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Separate tentacles from body of squid. Stuff cavity with ratatouille, closing with toothpicks and season with salt and pepper to taste. In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add half of olive oil and squid; place in oven and roast until lightly brown. Remove toothpicks. Set aside, keeping warm. In a saute pan over medium heat, add remaining olive oil. Saute tentacles and zucchini slices until tentacles are lightly browned. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside, keeping warm.

To serve: Stand three calamaretti in center of plate. Place tentacles and zucchini slices between calamaretti. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and bouillabaisse. Dot with tomato sauce and garnish with fried parsley.

ingredients

For the ratatouille stuffing:

1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 zucchini, finely chopped
1 sprig thyme
1 small clove garlic, peeled
2 teaspoons tomato paste
Salt and pepper to taste

For the bouillabaisse sauce:

1 1/4 pounds assorted seafood (bass, red snapper, cod, halibut,
  turbot, mullet, prawns, scallops, lobster are suggested)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 onion, peeled and chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
3 tablespoons white wine
Pinch of saffron
3 ounces tomatoes, crushed
1 pint lobster stock
1 tablespoon stemmed and roughly chopped parsley
1 1/2 brioche, thickly sliced and toasted

For the tomato sauce:

1 pound vine-ripe tomatoes, stemmed and seeded
Sugar to taste
Sea salt to taste
2 teaspoons olive oil

For the calamaretti:

12 small squid, cleaned
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 small zucchini, thinly sliced lengthwise
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Extra virgin olive oil
Fried parsley leaves

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RELATED ARTICLE: Herb-Roasted Lamb with Salsa Verde and Black Truffles (Serves 4)

DANIEL HUMM

Chateau Lafite-Rothschild

Pauillac

Bordeaux, France 2000

directions

For the salsa verde: Blanch parsley, watercress and tarragon. Shock in an ice water bath and drain. In a saucepan, brown butter. Remove from heat and add garlic and thyme; infuse for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into saucepan and return to heat. Add blanched herbs and chicken stock; bring to a boil and remove from heat. Transfer herb mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Return to heat and reduce to a sauce consistency. Chill over an ice water bath and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

For the truffle sauce: In a medium saute pan over medium-low heat, add butter. Add shallots and black truffle; saute until shallots are translucent. Add Madeira and reduce by half. Add lamb jus and reduce until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and add thyme; infuse for 15 minutes. Strain sauce through a fine-mesh sieve. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the truffles and potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place potato slices in a baking dish and dot with butter and thyme. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Roast in oven for 30 minutes or until tender. Add black truffle slices and roast another five minutes. Remove from oven and set aside, keeping warm.

For the lamb: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Truss lamb loin with butcher's twine. Brush with olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper to taste. In a saute pan over medium-high heat, sear loin until brown on all sides. Place in oven and roast to desired doneness. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Rub loins with butter, thyme and garlic, and cut in half. Sprinkle each piece with fleur de sel to taste.

To serve: Spoon salsa verde on one side of plate and place lamb on top. Alternate four potato slices with three slices of truffle on other side of plate and spoon truffle sauce over top. Garnish with herbs and frisee.

ingredients

For the salsa verde:

1 bunch parsley, stemmed
1/2 bunch watercress, stemmed
1 bunch tarragon, stemmed
3 ounces butter
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons stemmed thyme
1/2 cup chicken stock
Sea salt and pepper to taste

For the truffle sauce:

1 ounce butter
1 small shallot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium fresh black truffle, roughly chopped
1/4 cup Madeira
1 cup lamb jus
1 sprig thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

For the truffles and potatoes:

16 slices Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1 1/2-inch rounds
3 ounces unsalted butter, cut in small cubes
2 sprigs thyme
Sea salt and pepper to taste
12 slices black truffle

For the lamb:

2 racks Colorado lamb, bones and fat removed
Sea salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 ounce butter
4 sprigs thyme
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Fleur de sel to taste

For the garnish:

Dill sprigs
Tarragon leaves
Chervil sprigs
Frisee leaves

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RELATED ARTICLE: Passion Fruit Beignets with Coconut Ice Cream and Chocolate Milk (Makes 36 beignets)

DANIEL HUMM

Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise

Domaine de Durban

Rhone, France 2001

directions

For the beignets: In a small pot over medium heat, bring milk, sugar and salt to a boil. Dissolve yeast in warm water and stir until creamy. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine milk mixture, yeast, flour, oil and eggs; knead until smooth and elastic. Cover and let rise until doubled in volume. Punch dough down. On a lightly-floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness and cut into 1-inch rounds. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

For the coconut ice cream: In a pot over medium heat, bring milk, cream and coconut milk to a boil. In a bowl, whisk sugar, salt and eggs until smooth. Temper the egg mixture, by adding one-third hot milk mixture while whisking constantly. Whisk tempered yolk mixture back into hot milk mixture and place over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside in an ice water bath until chilled. Pour in an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Transfer ice cream to a chilled bowl; fold passion fruit puree into ice cream and freeze.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the chocolate milk: In a pot over low heat, heat milk, water, sugar and vanilla bean. Add melted chocolate, stirring until smooth. Place in refrigerator to chill.

For the coconut foam: In a pot over medium heat, heat all ingredients, stirring until creme fraiche is dissolved. Set aside, keeping warm.

To finish: Preheat deep-fryer to 350 degrees. Deep-fry beignet dough until light golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Fill beignets with passion fruit jam and roll in sugar. Froth coconut foam using a hand-held immersion blender.

To serve: Place beignets in a towel-lined ramekin. Pour chocolate milk into small glass and top with coconut foam. Scoop coconut ice cream in a chilled dish and garnish with mint sprig.

ingredients

For the beignets:

1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon warm water
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 eggs
Passion fruit jam as needed

For the coconut ice cream:

1/3 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
2/3 cup coconut milk
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup passion fruit puree

For the chocolate milk:

1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

For the coconut foam:

1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tablespoon creme fraiche
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup coconut rum

For the garnish:

Granulated sugar
Mint sprigs

RELATED ARTICLE: Quark Souffle with Huckleberries and Basil Granita (Serves 4)

DANIEL HUMM

Jurancon

Clos Uroulat

South-West, France 2001

directions

For the basil granita: In a blender, puree basil, simple syrup and water until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and freeze. Scrape surface into shavings with metal spoon or fork and return to freezer.

For the panna cotta: In a small pot, bring cream, sugar and vanilla bean to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. Bloom gelatin in milk. Combine with cream mixture. Pour panna cotta into four small glasses, leaving enough room for huckleberry gelee and granita. Refrigerate until set.

For the vanilla ice cream: In a pot over medium heat, bring milk, cream and vanilla bean to a boil. In a bowl, combine sugar, salt and egg yolks whisking until smooth. Temper the yolk mixture, by adding one-third hot milk mixture, whisking constantly. Whisk tempered yolk mixture back into hot milk mixture and place over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside in an ice water bath until chilled. Pour in an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Set aside in freezer.

For the huckleberry gelee: In a blender, puree huckleberries, water and simple syrup until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. In a small pan over low heat, warm one-third of huckleberry puree. Remove from heat, add gelatin and stir until dissolved. Combine gelatin mixture with remaining puree and stir. Pour into glasses over set panna cotta. Refrigerate until set.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

For the quark souffle: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter and sugar four 3-inch ramekins. In a medium bowl, combine yolks, quark cheese, cornstarch and vanilla seeds; mix well. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, add egg whites whisking until foamy. Slowly add sugar and salt. Continue whisking until medium peaks form. Fold egg whites into quark mixture. Transfer souffle mixture to a piping bag fitted with a plain tip. Pipe mixture into ramekins. Bake for 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

To serve: Dust souffle with powdered sugar. Top panna cotta and huckleberry gelee with basil granita, garnishing with a basil leaf. Spoon warm huckleberry compote into a small dish and top with vanilla ice cream.

ingredients

For the basil granita:

1/2 bunch basil, stemmed and blanched
1/2 cup simple syrup
1/2 cup water

For the panna cotta:

2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 1/2 teaspoons gelatin powder
1/4 cup milk, chilled

For the vanilla ice cream:

1 1/4 cups milk
1 1/4 cups cream
1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 egg yolks

For the huckleberry gelee:

1 cup huckleberries
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup simple syrup
3 sheets gelatin, softened

For the souffle:

Butter as needed
Granulated sugar as needed
2 egg yolks
3 1/2 ounces quark cheese*
1/2 ounce cornstarch
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
3 egg whites
1 1/2 ounces granulated sugar
Pinch of salt

For the garnish:

Powdered sugar
Basil leaves
Huckleberry compote, warm

* Quark is a fresh cow's milk cheese. Farmer's cheese may be substituted. A vailable through Haram Christensen at [phone].

RELATED ARTICLE: Spiny Lobster Carpaccio (Serves 2)

RON SIEGEL

Brut Reserve

Paul Bara

Champagne, France NV

directions

For the lobster carpaccio: Cut tail into 1/8-inch slices. On a flat surface, divide lobster slices between two sheets of plastic wrap and arrange in circular shapes with edges of lobster overlapping each other. Lay another sheet of plastic wrap over lobster circles and gently pound as thinly as possible. Set aside, keeping chilled. Slice porcini paper thin.

To finish: Toss julienned radish and cucumber with olive oil; season with salt and white pepper.

To serve: Lay porcini slices on plate in circular shape. Season with salt and white pepper. For lobster carpaccio, remove top layer of plastic wrap and gently flip carpaccio onto porcini slices, removing remaining plastic wrap carefully. Season with salt and white pepper. Pile julienned radish and cucumber in center of carpaccio. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle Meyer lemon zest over top.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the lobster carpaccio:

4 ounces spiny lobster tail, shelled
1 porcini mushroom cap

For the garnish:

Zest of 1 Meyer lemon, finely chopped
Red radish, julienned
Hothouse cucumber, julienned
Olive oil to taste
Salt and white pepper to taste

RELATED ARTICLE: Big Fin Squid (Serves 2)

RON SIEGEL

Tokay-Pinot Gris Vieilles Vignes

Domaine Lucien Albrecht

Alsace, France 2000

directions

For the pickled matsutake mushrooms: Bring sugar, water and rice vinegar to a boil. Place allspice berries, cinnamon, peppercorns, star anise and cloves in a sachet and add to vinegar mixture; simmer for five minutes. Pour over matsutake and marinate overnight in refrigerator. Warm pickled matsutake over low heat, remove from heat; set aside.

For the squid: Prepare a hot grill. Remove squid tentacles from tubes; reserve separately. Toss tentacles with one teaspoon olive oil; grill and chop. In a small bowl, mix lemongrass, yuzu zest, wasabi and salt and pepper to taste. Marinate tentacles in lemongrass mixture until ready to use. Cut squid tubes into five rectangles; score on a bias to create a cross-hatch. Set aside, keeping cool.

For the squid ink pasta: In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients until just combined. Transfer the dough to a lightly-floured work surface and knead until smooth, about 10 minutes. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for at least two hours. Divide dough into four pieces and roll through a pasta machine, starting on the thickest setting and finishing on the second to thinnest setting. Cut pasta sheets into 1/8-inch thick strips; set aside.

For the daikon: Blanch daikon rounds in chicken stock until tender. In a saute pan over medium-high heat, add olive oil. Add blanched daikon; saute both sides until caramelized. Season with salt and pepper; set aside, keeping warm.

For the mirin-lemongrass sauce: In a small pot, reduce mirin to a syrup. Add reduced chicken stock and lemongrass; simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside, keeping warm.

To finish: Prepare a hot grill. Brush scored squid pieces with remaining olive oil and grill to desired doneness. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta and simmer until cooked. Remove from heat and drain.

To serve: Lay two matsutake halves in center of bowl. Place squid ink pasta on top of matsutake. Place two daikon rounds on either side of pasta. Stack squid rectangles on pasta. Garnish with marinated tentacles. Spoon mirin-lemongrass sauce into bowl.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the pickled matsutake mushrooms:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup rice vinegar
4 allspice berries
1/2 cinnamon stick
8 black peppercorns
1 star anise
6 cloves
2 whole matsutake mushrooms, cleaned and halved lengthwise

For the big fin squid:

6 ounces big fin squid, cleaned
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped lemongrass
1 teaspoon yuzu zest
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh wasabi
Salt and pepper to taste

For the squid ink pasta:

2 teaspoons squid ink
6 egg yolks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup all-purpose flour
Salt to taste

For the daikon:

Daikon radish, peeled and cut into 4 1-inch thick rounds
1 cup chicken stock
2 teaspoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the mirin-lemongrass sauce:

1/4 cup mirin
2 cups reduced chicken stock
1 stalk lemongrass, crushed
Salt and pepper to taste

RELATED ARTICLE: Diver Scallop with Black Truffle Tapioca Pudding (Serves 2)

RON SIEGEL

Chassagne-Montrachet En Remilly

Domaine Michel Colin-Deleger et Fils

Burgundy, France 2000

directions

For the tapioca pudding: Soak tapioca pearls in cold water overnight; drain. In a pot, add tapioca, cover with cold water and bring to a simmer. Strain and rinse in cold water every seven minutes while continuing to simmer. Repeat this process three times. Rinse in cold water and soak in a quart of cold water for five minutes. Rinse and soak again then drain. In a small pot, combine black truffles and heavy cream; simmer for three minutes. Transfer truffle cream to a blender; puree until smooth. Combine truffle cream and tapioca pearls. Adjust consistency with additional cream if necessary. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the scallop: In a small saute pan over high heat, add clarified butter. Season scallops with salt and pepper to taste; sear on both sides.

To serve: Spoon black truffle tapioca pudding in center of plate. Top with sauteed spinach and seared scallop. Garnish with julienned black truffle.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the tapioca pudding:

1/4 cup tapioca pearls
1 small black truffle, roughly chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

For the scallop:

2 teaspoons clarified butter
2 Diver scallops
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Baby spinach, sauteed
Black truffle, julienned

RELATED ARTICLE: Apple Tasting (Serves 4)

RON SIEGEL

Chappellet Moelleux

Chappellet Vineyards

Napa Valley, CA 1999

directions

For the apple confit: Preheat oven to 225 degrees. Lightly brush inside of small ceramic terrine mold with butter. Mix sugar, cinnamon and star anise. Place a layer of sliced apples on bottom of terrine; brush with butter, and sprinkle with sugar mixture and zest. Repeat layers until terrine is full. Lay parchment across apples and place a foilwrapped brick on top (or other fitted weight). Bake for eight to 10 hours until liquid is lightly caramelized and height of apples is reduced significantly. Remove terrine from mold and chill in refrigerator overnight. Slice into small squares and set aside, keeping cool.

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For the apple cider: In a non-reactive pot, combine apple juice, ginger and lemongrass. Heat until steam appears. Remove from heat and skim thoroughly. Add orange zest and steep in refrigerator overnight. Strain cider through a coffee filter three to four times until completely clear. Set aside, keeping warm.

For the apple-basil granita: In a blender, puree blanched basil in three tablespoons of simple syrup until smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Reserve a half teaspoon of basil syrup for garnish. Combine remaining simple syrup, basil syrup and apple juice; freeze. Scrape surface into shavings with metal spoon or fork and return to freezer.

For the ginger ice cream: In a small pot over medium heat, bring milk, cream and ginger to a boil. In a bowl, whisk together sugar, salt and egg yolks until smooth. Temper yolk mixture by adding one-third hot milk mixture while whisking constantly. Whisk tempered yolk mixture back into hot milk and place over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside in an ice water bath until chilled. Pour in an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Set aside in freezer.

For the apple charlotte: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a saute pan, add butter. Add apples and vanilla bean; saute for two minutes. Add Calvados and remove from heat. Butter four 2-inch ring molds. Line molds with brioche sticks and fill with apples. Bake for five to eight minutes. Remove Charlottes from oven and cool; remove molds. Reduce oven to 300 degrees. In a bowl, combine flour and butter, mixing to a coarse meal. Add brown sugar, pecans, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla extract and mix until dough forms. Break dough into small pieces on a sheet pan and bake until just golden brown. Top each Charlotte with crumb topping; set aside.

For the poached apple: Cut one apple into 1/2-inch slices. Using a 1-inch ring-shaped cutter and next size down, cut slices into rings. Scoop pearl-sized balls out of other apple. Bring simple syrup and lime juice to a simmer, add apple rings and pearls; poaching until just tender. Set aside to cool. Remove apples from liquid and drain. Fill rings with apple pearls and set aside.

For the honey tuile: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat butter and powdered sugar. Add honey; mix for four minutes. Add flour and egg whites in alternating batches. On a Silpat-lined sheet pan, spread batter very thinly over wedge-shaped stencil. Bake until dry. Remove from oven and immediately wrap tuile around cone-shaped mold. Make four cones. Set aside to cool.

To serve: Spoon the apricot sauce on plate and place apple confit on top; garnish with creme fraiche topped with apple chip. Pour cider in a shot glass, garnished with the cinnamon stick. Spoon creme anglaise in a circle and dot with raspberry sauce. Place the Charlotte in the middle of sauce and add a scoop of ginger ice cream. Drizzle basil syrup in small circles. Scoop granita in honey-tuile cone and "glue" in place with a dab of caramelized sugar. Dust plate with powdered sugar and cocoa powder and add poached apple.

ingredients

For the apple confit:

2 ounces butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground star anise
2 Gala apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
2 Pippin apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
Zest of 1 tangerine or orange

For the apple cider:

3 cups freshly-pressed Golden Delicious apple juice
1/2-inch piece gingerroot, peeled and sliced
1 stalk lemongrass, crushed
Zest of 1/2 an orange

For the apple-basil granita:

3 sprigs basil, stemmed and blanched
1/4 cup simple syrup
2 cups freshly-pressed Granny
Smith apple juice

For the ginger ice cream:

1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon peeled and chopped gingerroot
1/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
5 egg yolks

For the apple charlott:

1 1/2 tablespoons butter
2 McIntosh apples, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1 tablespoon Calvados
2 brioche, cut into
1/2 X 1/2 X 1-inch sticks
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of fresh ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the poached apple:

2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled and cored
1/2 cup simple syrup
Juice of 1/2 a lime

For the honey tuile:

4 ounces butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup wildflower honey
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup egg whites, room temperature

For the garnish:

Apricot sauce
Whipped creme fraiche
Lady apple chip
Cinnamon stick
Creme anglaise
Raspberry sauce
Basil syrup
Caramelized sugar, hot
Mint sprig
Powdered sugar
Cocoa powder

RELATED ARTICLE: Fuyu Persimmon Salad (Serves 2)

RON SIEGEL

Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese

Heribert Kerpen

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany 2002

directions

For the persimmons: Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

Place two slices of persimmon on Silpat; bake for 30 minutes until crisp. Set aside to cool. Marinate remaining persimmon slices in tarragon, lime juice, lemon zest and olive oil for 20 minutes. Set aside.

For the salad: Preheat deep-fryer to 325 degrees. Mix pecans with powdered sugar. Deep-fry pecans until crisp. Drain on paper towels. Toss mixed greens with olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve: Arrange marinated persimmon slices in a circular pattern on plate. Place mixed greens in center of persimmons and top with persimmon crisp and sugared pecans. Dot plate with balsamic vinegar.

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ingredients

For the persimmons:

1 Fuyu persimmon, peeled and sliced thinly
1 tablespoon stemmed and julienned tarragon
Juice of 1 lime
Zest of 1 lemon
Olive oil to taste

For the salad:

8 pecans, blanched in salted water
1 tablespoon powdered sugar
1 cup mixed greens, washed and dried
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

Balsamic vinegar

RELATED ARTICLE: Meyer Lemon Custard Cake with Hazelnut Panna Cotta (Serves 8)

RON SIEGEL

Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise

Domoine de Coyeux

Rhone, France 2001

directions

For the lemon-lime gelee: In a bowl, combine sparkling water, lemon zest, lemon and lime juices, cilantro juice and simple syrup. In a separate bowl, melt gelatin over a hot water bath; slowly whisk in the juice mixture. Pour into hollowed shells of Meyer lemon. Refrigerate for three to four hours or until set. Slice into wedges using a hot, wet knife.

For the hazelnut panna cotta: In a pot, simmer cream, milk, vanilla bean and sugar. Remove from heat; add gelatin and hazelnut puree, mixing well. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl. Place bowl over an ice water bath and whisk until cool. Add creme fraiche and whisk until incorporated. Pour panna cotta mixture into eight 2-inch molds and chill for three to four hours. To un-mold, quickly dip molds into hot water and invert onto plate.

For the pear sorbet: In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Pour in an ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Set aside in freezer.

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For the Meyer lemon cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub oil in a 2-inch half hotel pan. Spray with oil again and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, cream butter with half of sugar and lemon zest. Add egg yolks, one at a time; mix until incorporated. Add flour and salt, mixing well. Whisk in milk and lemon juice. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk, whisk egg whites until foamy. Add remaining sugar. Whisk egg whites to stiff peaks. Fold egg whites into milk mixture. Pour batter into oiled pan. Place in a boiling hot water bath and bake until set and deep golden brown. Remove from water bath and cool to room temperature. Gently invert cake onto a parchment-lined sheet pan and carefully remove half hotel pan. Refrigerate until chilled. Slice into rectangles.

For the lemon sauce: In a pot, gently simmer lemon juice and sugar. In a bowl, combine egg yolks and egg. Temper eggs, add one-third hot lemon mixture while whisking constantly. Whisk tempered egg mixture back into hot lemon mixture and place over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is thick enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Cool until just set. Whisk until thin and add enough passion fruit puree to achieve a sauce consistency. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve; set aside in refrigerator.

For the honey tuile: Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle, beat butter and powdered sugar. Add honey; mix for four minutes. Add flour and egg whites in alternating batches. Spread batter very thinly over Silpat-lined sheet pan. Bake until dry. Remove from oven and immediately cut and form into desired shape. Set aside to cool.

To serve: Drizzle plate with lemon sauce. Place slice of lemon cake in center of plate. Place a scoop of pear sorbet and a honey tuile on top of cake. Garnish with mint sprig. Place panna cotta next to cake and garnish with nuts. Arrange lemon-lime gelee wedge.

ingredients

For the lemon-lime gelee:

3/4 cup sparkling mineral water
Zest of 1 Meyer lemon
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
4 drops cilantro juice*
3 ounces simple syrup
3 sheets gelatin, softened
2 Meyer lemons, halved, flesh removed

For the hazelnut panna cotta:

2 cups heavy cream
1 cup milk
1 vanilla bean, split
1/4 cup granulated sugar
3 1/2 sheets gelatin, softened
2 tablespoons unsweetened hazelnut puree
1/4 cup creme fraiche

For the pear sorbet:

4 cups fresh pear puree
Juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup corn syrup
3/4 cup simple syrup

For the Meyer lemon cake:

2 ounces butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons Meyer lemon zest
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2/3 cup Meyer lemon juice
8 egg whites

For the lemon sauce:

1 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup granulated sugar
6 egg yolks
1 egg
1/4 cup butter
Passion fruit puree as needed

For the honey tuile:

4 ounces butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup wildflower honey
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup egg whites, room temperature

For the garnish:

Mint sprigs
Toasted hazelnuts, chopped

* Juice of any herb can be extracted by blanching and shocking, then pureeing with a small amount of water and straining through a fine-mesh sieve.