Growing their own: every summer, Maria Helm Sinskey finds herself in the midst of an eggplant crisis.

"When I'm deciding what to put in, I always say, just one more, just one more," she says of the extensive garden she maintains at Robert Sinskey Vineyards in Napa, California. "Then suddenly you have eight varieties of eggplant, and it all starts to come in at once, and you've got way too much. I mean, how many batches of baba ghanoush and eggplant terrines can you make?"

The threat of overabundance is a legitimate, if enviable, concern for chefs who grow their own vegetables, herbs and fruits, but it's a risk that more and more of them seem willing to take, if it means they'll reap the rewards of becoming their own favorite produce purveyors. From Sinskey's wine country garden to Arrows restaurant in Ogunquit, Maine, American chefs are emulating their European counterparts, tending kitchen gardens to ensure that their produce is being sustainably (and often organically) grown. Drawn together under the auspices of Chef's Collaborative, a 1,000 member-strong network of food professionals concerned with sustainability, these chefs trade seeds, share advice and create a national forum for discussion and education. According to the Chefs Collaborative mission statement, "If chefs' habits change, consumers' habits will change, too."

"People are in love with the fact that we can say 'all of the vegetables and herbs used in this dish were grown right outside that door," says Sinskey, the chef for special events at the vineyard, which is certified organic. "It reattaches them emotionally to the earth."

CLAIRE CRISCUOLO, OWNER OF CLAIRE'S CORNER COPIA and Basta Trattoria in New Haven, Connecticut, adds, "The benefits of growing are enormous to both your physical and mental health. We've always loved the 'surprises' that arrive each day and have had a garden to help support our restaurants since 1980. I consider my time in the garden an act of love." Criscuolo says that hand-weeding her crops is great, efficient exercise, and points out the obvious health benefits of consuming produce that hasn't been treated with pesticides, herbicides or fungicides.

Growing one's own produce can positively impact on a chef's food cost, although it is far from a given. "I wish I could say that there is a huge cost savings, but we have not experienced this," says Criscuolo, adding, however, that she takes the small amount of money she saves by growing her own produce and uses it to buy what items she doesn't grow herself, thereby supporting sustainable farming in her area. "We're not in southern California, Texas or Florida, so we do what we can to keep our farmers in business."

Chef Ryan Hardy of The Coach House at the Harbor View Hotel, on Martha's Vineyard, says that finding more uses for a particular item creates cost-effectiveness, whether growing your own or buying from local farmers.

"I'm in a unique situation, being in a hotel, so I can take in large quantities of something and not worry that I won't sell it," he says. "Local farmers will call me and say 'I've got 150 pounds of green beans, can you use them?' And we'll pickle them, we'll can them, work them into a salad. We'll have a party for 150 to 200 people, and there's 40 pounds of beans right there. Pound for pound, we get them for pennies. We're helping the local economy, and it's something that might rot otherwise." Hardy mentions that herbs can be particularly cost-effective, as they take a relatively small amount of a chef's growing space, and if purchased can cost more per pound than most meats or fish.

"Everyone uses parsley or chives, right? So if you plant 20 or 25 chive plants, then you never have to buy chives again. That's $20 or $30 a week that you're saving, and when you multiply that by the number of different herbs you use, it adds up," explains Hardy, who also happens to have a degree in accounting.

Melissa Kelly grows enough produce that her restaurant, Primo, is nearly self-sustaining during the summer months. In addition to a plot that yields hundreds of pounds of garlic, shallots, peppers, squashes, berries, greens and more, she harvests from an on-premises tea garden, an herb garden, and two greenhouses, one of them solar-powered. Kelly, whose restaurant is based in Rockland, Maine, says that being a chef/gardener means that she has a more dynamic opportunity to educate her staff, and that her kitchen garden functions as great marketing tool, a sentiment echoed by many green-thumbed chefs.

"Being growers really sets us apart," says Stu Stein, culinary director of King Estate Winery in Eugene, Oregon. "Our customers know that we're going to have produce that tastes better, because it was grown correctly, and locally, on land used as a sustainable resource." Stein cautions that, having realized the marketing power of homegrown produce, some restaurants make misleading claims about their products and philosophies. "I hate it when chefs on the West Coast say they use only sustainable, local products, and then they'll put Maine lobster on their menus," says Stein, who is also the co-author, with Mary Hinds and Judith H. Dern, of The Sustainable Kitchen (New Society Publishers, 2004). He takes a hard line on local products, completely eschewing the soft shelled crabs he loved as a chef in Maryland because, as he says, "They don't belong in Oregon. By the time they get to me, they're leathery."

Where to draw the line on the use of local products is a matter of personal preference, and is greatly dependent on geography. What the Chefs Collaborative members seem to agree on is that all it takes is a couple of herbs in a pot to get hooked on growing your own. For those looking to get started, Hardy recommends investing in a good organic fertilizer. Sinskey suggests approaching the project with an open mind, saying, "The more you read, the longer it takes. Sometimes if you're completely naive, like I was when I first started, it works better." And Kelly counsels future chef/gardeners to "get ready to invest time, effort, money and a lot of love."

HEART OF GLASS

MICHAEL AYOUB

FORNINO, BROOKLYN, NY

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

WHEN MICHAEL AYOUB SAYS, "I'M A GUY WHO LIKES TO DO A LOT OF THINGS," HE'S NOT KIDDING. A professional chef since the age of 17, Ayoub is also an accomplished glass blower who has studied in the school of Dale Chihuly, and whose creations adorn the walls of his Brooklyn restaurant. He holds a degree in plant propagation, and maintains an extensive greenhouse garden at Fornino, as well as a massive outdoor plot at his home in Southampton, NY, both of which provide herbs and vegetables for the restaurant. Ayoub also manages to fit in a good deal of youth-oriented volunteer work because, as the Brooklyn native says, "I myself was not a model kid, and I believe every kid deserves a second chance."

As a teenager, Ayoub had designs on becoming a veterinarian, and his work in neighborhood delis was little more than a way to make pocket change. In the late 1970's, while working as a radiologist to better his chances of vet school acceptance, he was also picking up shifts at Skaffles, a French restaurant in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Ayoub recalls, "One night, the two owners were fighting, and one of them said that he wanted out, so I told him that I'd buy out his half of the business, and I did it. I was 20 years old. I had to wait until my 21st birthday to get my liquor license!" he says with a deep laugh. "At that point I realized that I was now in the business, and I loved cooking." Not content to merely co-own a restaurant and be its executive chef, Ayoub began an apprenticeship in Manhattan with Claude Bailles, then of Claude's, that would last three years of mornings and days off from Skaffles. Having beefed up his culinary skills, Ayoub then apprenticed in the pastry department at La Cote Basque, of which he says, "I had to be in the city by 4 am to glaze the cakes, and I'd leave by noon to go to my own restaurant and try out some of the stuff I'd learned that day."

Ayoub sold Skaffles in 1985 and turned to the world of institutional catering, creating food service programs for Brooklyn Union Gas and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden ("They didn't have so much as a hotdog before we got there!"). After four years, he launched himself back into the restaurant world, opening Cucina on a once-desolate block of Brooklyn's Park Slope neighborhood. The restaurant, which earned two stars from the New York Times' Bryan Miller, helped make the borough the dining destination it is today. Once Cucina was running smoothly, Ayoub and a partner acquired a space across the street and opened a steakhouse called Mike & Tony's.

The father of three says, "I like to start something up. For me, the most fun part is the creation, the excitement of having an idea and seeing it blossom. But restaurants are like children. When they're young, you have to watch them make their first steps, hold them tight as they flop around a little bit. Then, it's a joy to see them run on their own." Ayoub found himself walking away from his "children" sooner than he might have liked when his partner retired at the age of 80, leaving his share of the business to his daughter, with whom the chef admits he "didn't get along." In the years between leaving his pair of Brooklyn restaurants and opening Fornino, Ayoub developed and implemented dining programs for the Lutheran Medical Center, the BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) Cafe and Brooklyn's Xaverian High School, all the while preparing to make near-perfect pizza.

"I did years of research," he says. "I have read every book about pizza. The more I studied, the more I realized that it's a big black abyss. The choices become exponential. What kind of flour do you use? How is it milled? One pastry flour has a different protein content than another. And the cheese. What kind of curd? How do we pull it? How hot is the water? How much salt? How hot is the oven? What kind of yeast? How cold is the fridge? There's a lot of chemistry involved. Choosing tomatoes was probably the easiest, because I went with DOP San Marzano tomatoes, the best and lightest puree that Italy packs."

Fornino's three-deck oven, which cooks pizzas at 950 to 1100 degrees and burns through two cords of Pennsylvania ash per week, is co-captained by Nicola Bertolotti and Salvatore Matozzo, native Italians that Ayoub met on his culinary pilgrimages to Calabria and Naples, respectively. "They clash all the time," he laughs, "but they're the best."

WAITING FOR THIS MOMENT TO ARRIVE

PAUL KAHAN

Avec and Blackbird

Restaurants, Chicago

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

PAUL KAHAN IS READY TO STEP back from the limelight, if only the fans of his two Chicago restaurants would let him. "People go nuts over these places, but my ego left this business a long time ago," explains Kahan. "I'm just trying to do good food, make people happy, and that's it. This is a vocation for me, and a passion and a craft, but the more press you get, the less time you get to do your craft."

Besides, Kahan, a 2004 winner of the James Beard Foundation's Best Chef: Midwest award, has a number of other passions currently vying for his attention. "Number one is my wife," he says, "and number two, I'm a music freak. I have a huge record collection and I dump a ton of money into my hi-fi. My wife calls it 'the sinkhole' ... It's like the ultimate foie gras preparation. I'm perfecting the ultimate hi-fi system. I love to bike, too. I get on my bike year-round, ride about nine miles each day to and from work, the whole year."

And then there's his garden. "I have a really big garden in my yard at home. It's a double lot. Right now I could harvest 30 pounds of Tuscan kale and 10 pounds of Brussels sprouts," he says, his face lighting up. "I still have a lot to harvest--kohlrabi, Tokyo turnips, little white turnips ..." He smiles and trails off, momentarily lost in a garden reverie. Avec and Blackbird benefit greatly from Kahan's green thumb, as he supplements the restaurants' produce inventories with his own homegrown bounty.

"It's great for the food cost, and you can really handpick every single thing," he says. What he can't get from his garden, he orders from a network of organic growers with whom he's cultivated relationships over the years. Whether in his garden or at a farmer's market, Kahan finds inspiration in the mere sight of what he calls "imperfect" produce.

"The organic stuff, it's less perfect, more real looking. I'm drawn to that," he explains, and adds, "Sometimes I feel like I have a lot of great ideas and sometimes I just have nothing, you know? Like a brick wall, done. So I go to the market, and I'm inspired every single time. You see things together, cherries and little heads of cabbage and you think, wow, this could be great with lamb, and you start building the dish around something that is not classic or not common but really tasty and delicious together."

Kahan's been known to shun the "chef" title, considering himself a perpetual student of the game. At the time of our meeting, he has just sent pastry chefTara Lane of Blackbird to a 3-day pastry class taught by Alberto Adria of El Bulli; he agreed to underwrite the cost of the class so that he could also benefit from Lane's experience.

"If there's one thing I can learn from that class, that would be great," he says. "I learn something new every day, but mostly these days my lessons are about management and people and financial stuff ... Blackbird has been open for about seven years now, and it seems like we're really running the business well."

His father owned a delicatessen and a smokehouse in Chicago, and as a kid, Kahan would occasionally help out, taking the chubs from their brine bath and into the smokehouse. After earning a bachelor's degree in applied math and computer science from Northern Illinois University, he worked with computer graphics for an uninspired few months before approaching Erwin Dreschler, then owner of Metropolis Cafe in Chicago. When a spot opened up in the kitchen, Kahan, who was already a skilled amateur, stepped in and began the career he felt he was meant for. He eventually became sous chef at Frontera Grill and Topolobampo, under Rick Bayless, before meeting partners Donnie Madia and Rick Diarmit, with whom he opened Blackbird in 1997. Six years later, the partners opened Avec and installed a team of just three cooks, led by chef de cuisine Koren Greiveson. Situated just next door to Blackbird, Avec is a wine bar that serves "wine cuisine" from Southern France, Northern Italy and Spain's Mediterranean coast.

Kahan explains that the name, French for with, is "an analogy for sharing, for communal tables; all the food is small plates or large plates and it is all designed to share. 'With' friends, 'with' wine, 'with' Blackbird," he explains, then adds, "plus, it looks good on paper, and it starts with an 'A', so we're always listed first."

RELATED ARTICLE: Marinara D'Oro Pizza (Yields 1 16-inch pizza)

MICHAEL AYOUB

Nebbiolo d'Alba "Valmaggiore"

Cascina Bruni

Serralunga d'Alba, Italy 2001

directions

For the dough: In bowl, gently stir together water, yeast and 1/4 cup flour. Set aside 15 minutes in warm place and allow to foam. Stir half of remaining flour into yeast mixture. Add salt and olive oil, then add remaining flour. On floured board, knead until dough is smooth and resists when pulled. Set aside to rest for 12 hours.

For the pizza: Preheat wood-fired oven to 950 degrees. Wrap onion, garlic and oregano in cheesecloth and tie to form sachet. Combine sachet, tomatoes and salt and pepper to taste in saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat 10 minutes. Let cool slightly. Roll dough out to 16-inch circle and press onto oiled round pizza pan. Top with tomato puree and bake in oven 4 to 5 minutes.

To finish: Shave truffle over pizza, top with herbs and serve immediately.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the dough:

3/4 cup warm water
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons yeast
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/3 cup olive oil

For the pizza:

1 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and very thinly sliced
4 sprigs fresh oregano
2 pounds yellow tomatoes, peeled, seeded and passed through food mill
Sea salt and white pepper to taste

To finish:

1 large or two small summer truffles
1 sprig fresh oregano, leaves only
1 sprig fresh rosemary, leaves only

RELATED ARTICLE: Eggplant Timballo (Serves 4)

MICHAEL AYOUB

Anthilia

Donne Fugata

Sicily, Italy 2003

directions

For the tomato sauce: In saucepot, heat oil over medium heat and add garlic and onions. Sweat over medium-low heat five minutes, then stir in tomatoes. Cook over high heat 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and pass through food mill. Keep warm.

For the eggplant: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil sheet pan and arrange eggplant in single layer on pan. Season with salt and pepper and roast in oven 10 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool to room temperature.

To finish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil 8-inch stainless steel bowl and line with eggplant, arranging slices in overlapping fashion to cover entire interior. In separate bowl, combine pasta, all cheeses and salt and pepper to taste. Transfer 3/4 of pasta mixture to eggplant bowl, pressing firmly to create 3-inch diameter indentation in center. Fold pesto into remaining pasta mixture and stir well. Add remaining pasta mixture to eggplant bowl and press to smooth surface. Wrap with plastic wrap and aluminum foil, respectively, and transfer to water bath. Cook in oven 25 to 30 minutes or until center is hot. Invert onto serving tray and carefully remove bowl. Serve, surrounded by tomato sauce and topped with tomato rose.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the tomato sauce:

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cups San Marzano tomatoes and their juices
Salt and pepper to taste

For the eggplant:

Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
4 Ichiban eggplants, sliced on bias into 2-inch long, 1/4-inch thick
  slices*
Salt and pepper to taste

To finish:

Extra virgin olive oil, as needed
Cooked eggplant, from above
1 pound maccheroni pasta, cooked al dente and cooled to room temperature
1/2 pound high-quality ricotta cheese
1/4 pound high-quality mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
3 tablespoons basil pesto
Tomato sauce, from above
Yellow cherry tomato, carved to resemble a rose

*Ichiban eggplant is an Asian variety with tender, dark purple-black skin; it is longer and narrower than standard Italian and globe varieties. Available in specialty markets; seeds, plants and information available through www.eggplantseeds.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Wood Oven-Roasted Shrimp with Garden Vegetables (Serves 2)

MICHAEL AYOUB

Pinot Grigio

Rocca Bernarda

Friuli Italy 2003

directions

For the shrimp and vegetables: Preheat wood-fired oven to 450 degrees. Combine shrimp, corn, zucchini, peppers and beans on sheet pan and toss together with oil, oregano and salt and pepper. Arrange in single layer and roast in oven 10 to 12 minutes, until shrimp are firm.

To finish: Divide among two warm plates and garnish with oregano leaves, oil and salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

ingredients

For the shrimp and vegetables:

16 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 ears corn, shucked and cut into 6 pieces each
8 baby zucchini, cut in half crosswise
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 red bell pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/4 pound haricots vert, ends trimmed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 sprigs fresh oregano, leaves only
Salt and pepper to taste

To finish:

Oregano leaves
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

RELATED ARTICLE: Garden Herb Sherbets (Serves 6)

MICHAEL AYOUB

[for the orange and basil sherbet]

Vin Santo

Querciavalle

Azienda Figli Illi Losi, Italy 1993

[for the spearmint sherbet]

Prosecco

Montesel

Valdobbiadene, Italy NV

directions

For the spearmint sherbet: In medium saucepan, combine sugar and water and stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add 1/2 cup mint. Let stand 30 minutes, then refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Strain to remove mint and stir remaining mint and juice into mixture. Pour into ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions until half-frozen. Whip egg white to soft peak and fold into sherbet. Continue to freeze in machine until firm.

For the orange and basil sherbet: In blender, combine orange pulp, juice and zest, water and sugar. Blend to dissolve sugar and strain mixture through fine mesh sieve, extracting as much liquid as possible. Add basil and refrigerate 3 to 4 hours. Pour into ice cream machine and freeze according to manufacturer's instructions until half-frozen. Whisk egg white to soft peaks and fold into sherbet, Continue to freeze in machine until firm.

To serve: Scoop sherbets into individual cups, garnish with herbs and serve immediately.

ingredients

For the spearmint sherbet:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups spring water
1 cup spearmint leaves, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 egg white

For the orange and basil sherbet:

Pulp and juice of 2 large oranges
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
2 cups spring water
4/2 cup granulated sugar
6 basil leaves, chiffonade
1 egg white

For garnish:

Mint sprigs
Basil sprigs

RELATED ARTICLE: Braised Pork Belly with Turnip Kraut and Plums (Serves 4)

PAUL KAHAN

Syrah "La Serenne"

Betz Family Winery

Columbia Valley, WA 2002

directions

For the pork belly: In a small bowl, combine garlic, rosemary and thyme. Coat pork evenly with mixture, pressing slightly to make it adhere. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. In a Dutch oven, heat oil over high heat until just smoking. Season pork with salt and pepper and sear in oil on all sides. Remove pork and set aside. Add carrots, celery and onions to pan and cook over high heat until browned and softened, about five minutes. Stir in wine and reduce by half, then add stock and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Return pork to pan and reduce heat to simmer. Cover and braise pork until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from heat and let pork cool in broth. Once cool, remove pork, strain braising liquid and reserve. Cut pork into 6-ounce servings and set aside.

For the turnip sauerkraut: In a baking dish, combine juniper berries, peppercorns, salt and turnips. Toss to coat turnips with spices. Press under kitchen weights and let sit overnight at room temperature. Rinse turnips, pat dry and set aside. Prcheat oven to 300 degrees. Heat fat in cast iron pan over medium heat and add onions and garlic. Cook, stirring, until browned, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a baking dish, add half the turnips and scatter pork shoulder and bacon across surface. Add remaining turnips, then add enough water so that mixture is 2/3 submerged. Add wine, cover and braise in oven 2 1/2 hours.

For the plum jam: In a bowl, mash together sugar and plums and let sit one hour. Transfer mixture to a saucepot and cook over medium-high heat 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice. Set aside to cool.

For the sauce: Combine braising liquid, jam and verjus bland in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Set aside.

For the confit turnips: Place turnips in saucepan, season with salt and pepper and let sit 30 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and cook at a simmer 30 to 45 minutes, until turnips are tender.

For the salad: Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add haricots vert. Blanch 1 minute and shock in ice water. Pat dry. In a bowl, whisk together vinegar, honey and oil and season with salt and pepper. Add haricots verts, plums and parsley, toss to coat and adjust seasoning if necessary.

To serve: Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Heat pork in oven, presentation side up, until hot. Divide portions among 4 shallow bowls and spoon warmed sauce around. Top with sauerkraut, turnips and salad and serve.

ingredients

For the pork belly:

2 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
2 pounds fresh pork belly
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 rib celery, roughly chopped
1 yellow onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1/2 cup white wine
2 cups veal stock
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper to taste

For the turnip sauerkraut:

3 juniper berries, toasted and finely ground
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, toasted and finely ground
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds turnips, peeled and finely julienned
1/4 cup duck fat
1 onion, peeled and sliced
1 clove garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 pound smoked pork shoulder, finely chopped
3 slices smoked bacon
1/4 cup white wine

For the plum jam:

1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 plums, pitted
Splash of lemon juice

For the sauce:

2 cups pork braising liquid, from above
1/4 cup plum jam, from above
1/4 cup verjus blanc*

For the confit turnips:

12 baby turnips, peeled
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, peeled
2 cups duck fat, melted
Salt and pepper to taste

For the salad:

1/2 pound haricots vert, ends trimmed
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 plums, pitted and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chiffonade
Salt and pepper to taste

*A slightly acidic green grape juice pressed before the fruit is fully ripe, used as an alternative to wine, vinegar or lemon juice. Widely used during Renaissance times. Available at www.chefswarehouse.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Tomato-Glazed Black Cod with Fresh Soy Beans (Serves 4)

PAUL KAHAN

Riesling Kabinett

John Joseph Prum

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany 2000

directions

For the tomato glaze: In a small saucepan, combine tomatoes, honey and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook 12 minutes, until tomatoes are very tender. Puree mixture in blender, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

For the onion broth: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cook 5 minutes. Strain broth through fine-mesh sieve and set aside, keeping warm.

For the olive tapenade: In a bowl, combine all ingredients, mix well and set aside.

For the baby fennel: In a saute pan, heat oil over high heat. Add fennel slices and saute until just tender, about five minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside, keeping warm.

For the black cod: In large saute pan, heat oil until nearly smoking. Season cod with salt and pepper and sear in hot pan, working in batches if necessary. Cook about four minutes per side, then remove from pan and place on baking sheet. Brush fish with tomato glaze and place under broiler to caramelize.

To serve: Deglaze pan with wine over medium heat, then add onion broth and tomatoes. Increase heat and reduce by half. Add shallots, soy beans and tarragon, then whisk in butter and season. Divide mixture among four soup bowls, place one portion of fish in each bowl and garnish with tapenade and fennel fronds.

ingredients

For the tomato glaze:

4 tomatoes, split in half and roasted
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste

For the onion broth:

5 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups water
2 shallots, peeled and sliced
1/2 rib celery
1/2 leek, white only, rinsed

For the olive tapenade:

1/4 cup sliced Lucques olives
1 teaspoon slivered candied orange rind
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
Splash of Champagne vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Pinch of fresh parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

For the baby fennel:

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
4 fennel bulbs, trimmed and thinly sliced, fronds reserved
Salt and pepper to taste

For the black cod:

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
4 5-ounce fillets black cod
Tomato glaze, from above
Salt and pepper to taste

To finish:

1/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup onion broth, from above
1 medium heirloom tomato, peeled, seeded and roughly chopped
3 shallots, peeled, poached in olive oil and separated into segments
1/2 cup fresh say beans
1 teaspoon tarragon leaves, chiffonade
1 teaspoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste

RELATED ARTICLE: Roasted Bobwhite Quail and Foie Gras with Cavolo Nero and Brown Butter (Serves 4)

PAUL KAHAN

Riesling "Le Dragon"

Josmeyer

Alsace, France 2001

directions

For the quail: Remove legs and thighs from quail and reserve for another use. French wings; refrigerate birds. Cut foie gras into two-ounce portions, reserving trimmings.

For the cavolo nero: Gently heat oil in saute pan and add shallots; sweat over low heat five minutes. Add pancetta and cook over low heat until fat is rendered. Add cavolo nero and cook over very low heat for two hours, stirring often. Leaves will still be chewy when done. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat and let cool. Once cool, add foie gras trimmings.

For the farro: Heat butter in saute pan and add onion. Saute onions until translucent and stir in farro. Saute one minute, then add stock. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer and cook until farro is soft, about 15 minutes. Fold in peas, season with salt and pepper and reserve, keeping warm.

To serve: In a small bowl, combine peaches, olive oil and basil and toss to coat. Set aside. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Stuff each quail breast with one tablespoon cavolo nero mixture. Truss with butcher's twine and season with salt and pepper. Heat grapeseed oil in a saute pan and sear breasts, skin side down, over medium-high heat. Flip breasts and transfer to oven until just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove quail and oil from hot pan and add 1 tablespoon butter. Brown over high heat and deglaze with vinegar. Add stock and reduce over high heat to sauce consistency. Transfer sauce to a pitcher or narrow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add remaining butter and froth with immersion blender. Heat a cast iron skillet to smoking, season foie gras and sear on both sides. Divide farro among four plates, top each portion with one quail breast and spoon sauce over each portion. Place foie gras alongside quail. Garnish with peaches and microherbs.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the quail:

4 bobwhite or hybrid quails
1 lobe (about 1 pound) grade-A foie gras, deveined

For the cavolo nero:

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup finely chopped pancetta
1 pound cavolo nero or green kale, tough stems removed, wide chiffonade
Foie gras trimmings, from above
Salt and pepper to taste

For the farro*:

1 teaspoon butter
1/2 small onion, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 cup farro
1 cup quail or chicken stock
1/2 cup tender young English peas, shelled
Salt and pepper to taste

To serve:

1 white peach, pitted and diced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 leaves basil, chiffonade
Quail breast, from above
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon butter
Splash of white balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup quail or chicken stock
Foie gras, from above
Microherbs**
Salt and pepper to taste

*Farro (Triticum dicoccum) is an ancient Mediterranean grain; available through Citarella, [phone] or www.citarella.com.

**Grown in Chef Kahan's garden; also available through Chef's Garden, [phone] or www.chefs-garden.com.

RELATED ARTICLE: Sturgeon with Braised Oxtail and Curried Sweet Corn (Serves 4)

PAUL KAHAN

Chardonnay "Les Narvaux"

Vincent Girardin

Meursault, France 2002

directions

For the curry corn emulsion: In a large saute pan, combine all ingredients, mix well, and sweat over low heat 30 minutes. Cover with water and simmer for an additional hour. Transfer to a blender and puree. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and reserve.

For the roasted garlic marinade: In a blender combine all ingredients and puree until smooth.

For the sturgeon: Place sturgeon in a non-reactive dish pour marinade over and turn to coat completely. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

For the oxtail: Place oxtail in a non-reactive dish and add herbs de Provence, chili sauce and olive oil. Turn oxtails to coat evenly and cover. Refrigerate overnight. Remove from marinade and scrape off excess chile sauce and herbs. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Season with salt and pepper. In Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil over high heat until just smoking. Sear oxtails in oil, working in batches. Set oxtails aside and add onions, carrots, celery, bay leaf, thyme and peppercorns to pan. Saute two minutes, then stir in wine. Reduce until nearly dry, then stir in stock and return tails to pan. Bring mixture to a simmer, cover pan and braise in oven 8 hours. Remove from oven, and when tails are cool enough to handle, remove meat from bones and reserve. Strain braising liquid and reserve.

For the chanterelles: Heat grapeseed oil in a saute pan over high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until tender and slightly browned, about three minutes. Add thyme, wine and butter and cook until dry.

For the radishes: In a small bowl, combine radishes, corn and dill, reserving some dill for garnish. Set aside.

For the vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine the shallots and vinegar. Let sit a few minutes, then slowly add the oil, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

To serve: Preheat the grill or a grill pan. Grill sturgeon on both sides until cooked through. In 10-inch skillet, heat remaining grapeseed oil until smoking and add oxtail. Toss over high heat to crisp meat. Add corn, reserved dill and a splash of reserved braising liquid and heat through. Combine radishes and chanterelles and toss in vinaigrette. Froth corn emulsion with hand blender. Slice sturgeon in half on a bias. Divide oxtail mixture among four bowls, top each serving with two pieces sturgeon, spoon corn emulsion over each serving and top with chanterelles. Arrange radish mixture around base of fish.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

ingredients

For the curry corn emulsion:

1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 rib celery, roughly chopped
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and roughly chopped
2 cups fresh sweet corn kernels
2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
Granulated sugar to taste
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup water, plus more as needed
Salt and pepper to taste

For the roasted garlic marinade:

1 cup grapeseed oil
5 cloves garlic, roasted
1 tablespoon herbs de Provence
1/2 teaspoon chili flakes
2 teaspoons Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns, crushed
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

For the sturgeon:

4 5-ounce fillets wild sturgeon
Roasted garlic marinade (from above)

For the oxtail:

2 pounds oxtail, cut into 2-inch sections
1/2 tablespoon herbs de Provence
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1/2 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
1 rib celery, roughly chopped
1 bay leaf
Pinch of dried thyme
5 black peppercorns
2 cups red wine
3 cups veal stock

For the chanterelles;

1/2 tablespoon grapeseed oil
1/2 pound chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned
1 sprig thyme
1/2 tablespoon white wine
1/2 teaspoon butter

For the radishes:

2 French breakfast radishes, finely juhenned
1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh dill

For the vinaigrette:

1/2 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
1 teaspoon Champagne vinegar
3 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

For the garnish:

1 cup corn kernels, blanched

RELATED ARTICLE: Squid with Brandade and Sungold Tomatoes (Serves 4)

PAUL KAHAN

Sauvignon Blanc

Fiddlehead Cellars

Santa Ynez Valley, CA 2001

directions

For the court bouillon: In a large pot, bring all ingredients to a boil over high heat. Add salt, tasting with every addition, until mixture tastes like sea water.

For the squid: Bring court bouillon to a boil. Add squid and return to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook 10 to 15 minutes, until squid is tender but not mushy. Remove pot from heat and place in ice bath. Allow squid to cool completely in court bouillon.

For the brandade: Place cod in a non-reactive saucepan and cover with milk. Add thyme, garlic cloves, peppercorns and bay leaf. Simmer until fish begins to break apart, but no longer than 10 minutes. It should still be a touch glossy on the inside of the fish. Drain fish and transfer to food processor fitted with metal blade. Puree until no longer stringy, about five minutes. Transfer to a large bowl; rice potatoes while still warm over fish. Add cream, chopped garlic and oil and stir well. Mixture should be more coarse than standard brandade. Coarsely chop squid tentacles and add three-fourths to cod mixtures, reserving remaining tentacles for garnish. Fold in parsley and season with salt and pepper. Transfer mixture to a pastry bag with medium tip and pipe mixture into squid tubes. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the toasted garlic: Place garlic cloves in pan and add oil to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook over lowest possible heat for two to three hours, until garlic is just slightly brown. Remove from heat, drain and season garlic with salt and pepper. Stir in sugar, zest and juice and set aside.

To serve: Heat oil over medium-high heat and add stuffed squid tubes. Saute until light golden brown on all sides. Remove squid from pan and divide among four plates, placing tubes atop one slice of toast. Add toasted garlic, tomatoes, pine nuts and reserved tentacles to pan and warm through. Spoon mixture over each serving and garnish with arugula.

ingredients

For the court bouillon:

2 cups white wine
2 ribs celery, roughly chopped
1 leek, roughly chopped
1 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 lemons, thinly sliced
1 gallon water
1 teaspoon chili flakes
10 sprigs parsley
Salt to taste

For the squid:

Court bouillon, from above
1 pound medium-sized squid tubes and tentacles, cleaned

For the brandade:

1/2 pound salt cod, soaked in at least three changes of cold water for
    48 hours and drained
Milk to cover
Sprig of thyme
2 whole garlic cloves, peeled
5 black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into quarters and boiled until
  tender
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Squid tentacles and tubes, from above
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

For the toasted garlic:

20 cloves garlic, peeled and coarsely chopped
Olive oil, as needed
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Zest of 1 lemon, finely chopped, plus juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

To serve:

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
Stuffed squid tubes, from above
4 1/2-inch thick slices peasant bread, grilled or toasted
Toasted garlic, from above
20 sungold tomatoes, sliced in half
2 tablespoons pine nuts
Reserved squid tentacles, from above
1/4 pound young wild arugula or micro arugula