The Recipe

Source: An American Place by Larry Forgione

12 ears corn (in the husk)
8 cups dark poultry stock or canned beef broth
1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons crushed black peppercorns
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Place the ears of corn directly on an oven rack and roast, turning, for 15 to 20 minutes, until the husks are evenly browned. Let cool.

When the corn is cool enough to handle, remove the husks and silk. Cut the kernels from the cobs with a sharp knife and set aside.

Chop or break the cobs into pieces and put them in a large saucepan. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large heavy saucepan until very hot. Add the beef and sauté over high heat until evenly browned. Add the reserved corn kernels and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the onion, garlic, and crushed peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes, until the onions soften.

Strain the stock and add it to the meat. Simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the meat is tender, skimming off any fat that rises to the surface. Stir in the scallions and serve.

The Recipe

Source: Second Helpings from Union Square Cafe by Danny Meyer

4 cups fresh corn kernels (cut from 4 to 5 ears); corncobs cut into 2-inch pieces and reserved
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup well washed and diced leek, white part only
1 1/2 tablespoons ground cumin
pinch of ground turmeric
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 cup sliced (1/8-inch-thick rounds) fingerling or small new potatoes (about 12 ounces)
1 cup vegetable stock or chicken stock
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

Combine half of the corn kernels, the cut-up corncobs, the cream, and milk in a 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, and use tongs to remove and discard the corncobs. Puree the corn and cream mixture in a blender in as many batches as necessary. Pass the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer and into a large bowl, and set aside.

Melt the butter over low heat in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the onion and leek and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin, turmeric, jalapeño, ginger, salt, and pepper and cook for 3 more minutes. Add the remaining corn and the potatoes and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Add the reserved pureed corn mixture to the saucepan with the vegetables. Pour in the vegetable or chicken stock, bring to a simmer, and cook gently, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Ladle the soup into bowls, sprinkle with chives, and serve.

The Recipe

Source: Second Helpings from Union Square Cafe (The garnish for a roasted lobster dish)

2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1/4 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
1 pound chanterelle mushrooms, stems trimmed, cleaned, and split lengthwise
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups corn kernels (from about 2 ears of corn)
kosher salt
2 tablespoons bourbon
1/4 cup white wine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and Aleppo pepper and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Stir in the chanterelles and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, cook until the chanterelles are softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Add the corn, 1 teaspoon salt, and the bourbon, and reduce until dry. Add the wine and reduce until almost dry. Add the tarragon, and season with salt and black pepper. Serve immediately.

The Recipe

Source: The Red Cat Cookbook by Jimmy Bradley

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
3 medium shallots, minced, plus 2 medium shallots, sliced and separated into rings
2 1/2 cups corn kernels, preferably fresh (from 2 to 3 ears corn)
1/4 cup sherry
2 cups white chicken stock or low-sodium, store-bought chicken broth
salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups sugar snap peas (about 6 ounces)
4 tablespoons canola oil
10 ounces shiitake mushrooms, caps only, thickly sliced
pinch of thyme
4 salmon fillets, 6 ounces each, with the skin on
1/2 cup pea shoots (optional)

Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, approximately 3 minutes. Add 2 cups of the corn kernels and the sherry and cook, scraping up any tasty bits cooked onto the bottom of the pan, until the sherry has reduced by about three quarters, approximately 30 seconds. Add the stock, bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer until slightly thickened, approximately 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Carefully transfer the contents of the pan to a blender, add 1 tablespoon butter, and puree until smooth.

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil over high heat. Fill a medium bowl halfway with ice water. Add the snap peas to the boiling water and blanch for 1 minute. Drain and transfer to the ice water to stop the cooking and set the color. Drain again and set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the shallot rings and sauté until they are golden, approximately 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they begin to soften and crisp up approximately 2 minutes. Add the peas and thyme, cook for approximately 1 minute to warm the peas, then season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the pan from the heat, cover, and set aside.

Carefully wipe out the pan and melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium heat. Add the remaining 1/2 cup corn kernels and sauté until al dente, approximately 4 minutes. Pour the corn puree into the pan to reheat it. Stir in the remaining tablespoon butter and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat, cover, and keep warm.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons canola oil in a wide, deep sauté pan over high heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper and add the fillets to the pan, skin side down, without crowding, and sear for 4 minutes. Turn the fillets over and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes for medium rare, or a bit longer for more well-done. (To check for doneness, you can use a sharp, thin-bladed knife and apply slight pressure to peek between the fish’s flakes and confirm that the flesh is opaque.)

Spoon some sauce into the center of each of 4 dinner plates or wide, shallow bowls. Top with some vegetables, then a salmon fillet. Garnish with pea shoots, if desired.

The Recipe

Source: Saveur Magazine

(Makes about 2 quarts)

4 cups fresh corn kernels
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small red onion, minced
1 jalapeño, stemmed, seeded, and minced
1/2 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and minced
2 cups apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp. dark brown sugar
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. dried mustard powder
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
juice of 1 lime

Combine corn, garlic, onions, jalapeños, and peppers in a bowl. Divide corn mixture evenly between 2 one-quart glass jars with tight-fitting lids. Combine vinegar, sugar, salt, mustard, turmeric, and 1 cup water in a 4-qt. saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat; stir until sugar and salt dissolve. Remove pan from heat; stir in lime juice. Pour vinegar mixture over corn; seal jars. Let cool. Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

The Recipe

Source: Chanterelle by David Waltuck

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
1 large shallot, minced
four 6-ounce halibut fillets, any pin bones removed
½ cup dry white wine
½ cup fish stock or bottled clam juice
1/8 teaspoon high-quality saffron threads, plus more to taste
about ½ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
pinch of kosher salt, plus more to taste
2 cups leeks (white and very light green parts only) cut into ¼ x 2-inch ribbons (from about 4 leeks)
1 ½ cups heavy cream
2 tablespoons fresh basil cut into chiffonade

Rub 1 tablespoon of the butter over the bottom of a deep, heavy-bottomed 10- or 12-inch saute pan. Sprinkle the shallot over the bottom of the pan and set the fillets on top without crowding them. Gently pour the wine and stock over and around the fish to come about two-thirds up their sides. Cover the pan tightly with a lid or aluminum foil, set over medium-high heat, and bring to a rolling boil, about 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the fish for another minute. Remove the lid, then use a fish spatula or regular spatula to carefully remove the fillets from the pan and transfer them to a large plate or platter. (They will be slightly undercooked, but will continue to cook via carryover heat.) Cover loosely with foil to keep them warm. (If you used foil to cover the pan, you can use the same foil to cover the fish.)

Reserve ½ cup of the poaching liquid and discard the rest. Return the liquid to the saute pan, set over high heat, and bring to a rolling boil. Add the saffron and boil for 1 minute to reduce it and extract some flavor from the saffron. Add the lemon juice, salt, the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and the leeks, and cook, stirring frequently, until the leeks are wilted and the sauce is slightly reduced, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the cream and continue to reduce over high heat until the leeks are softened but still al dente and the sauce just coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes. Adjust the seasoning to taste with salt, more lemon juice if necessary, and a bit of saffron, if desired. Stir in the basil.

To serve, place a halibut fillet on each of 4 dinner plates, taking care to drain any juices that may have accumulated so as not to dilute the sauce. Spoon the leeks and sauce over the fish. Serve immediately.

The Recipe

Source: Workin’ More Kitchen Sessions With Charlie Trotter by Charlie Trotter

For the Watercress Puree:

2 cups loosely packed watercress leaves
1/2 cup firmly packed spinach leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup water
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Monkfish:

2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
1 1/2 pounds bone-in monkfish
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon butter
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 head Belgian endive, julienned
1 red apple, julienned
1/2 cup julienned red onion
2 tablespoons extra virgin
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
2 cups loosely packed watercress, thick stems discarded
salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Garnish:

2 tablespoons micro herbs (or chopped fresh herbs)
freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the Watercress Puree:

Place the watercress, spinach, garlic, walnuts, olive oil, lime juice, and water in a blender and puree until smooth. Pass through a fine-mesh sieve if stringy. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Warm the puree just prior to use, but be careful not to overheat as the color will fade.

To prepare the monkfish:

Heat the grapeseed oil in a saute pan over high heat. Season the monkfish with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Saute the monkfish for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, adding the butter halfway through. Once the monkfish is golden brown, drizzle the 1 teaspoon lemon juice over it. Remove from the pan and let rest for 3 minutes before boning and thinly slicing into 24 slices. Add the endive, apple, onion, and olive oil to the same pan. Saute for 5 minutes; add the 1 tablespoon lemon juice and the orange juice and continue to cook for 2 minutes. Once the vegetables are tender, add the watercress and cook just until the watercress is wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Assembly:

Cover the bottom of each plate with a thin layer of the warmed puree. Arrange some of the apple-vegetable mixture in a mound in the center of the puree. Place 6 slices of the monkfish around the puree and sprinkle with the micro herbs. Top with pepper.

The Recipe

Source: The Red Cat Cookbook by Jimmy Bradley

12 fresh whole sardines, about 5 ounces each, cleaned and gutted by your fishmonger [or by yourself, if you don't mind a little grunt work]
½ cup olive oil
juice of ½ lemon
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon chopped oregano
salt
freshly ground black pepper
salsa cruda (recipe follows)
lemon wedges, for serving

Marinate and Grill the Sardines:

Put the sardines in a baking dish or other shallow vessel. Drizzle with the olive oil and lemon juice and scatter the zest, red pepper flakes, garlic, and oregano over them. Turn them to coat with the marinade and let marinate for 1 hour.

Preheat a gas grill to high, or prepare a charcoal grill for grilling, letting the coals burn until covered with white ash.

Remove the sardines from the marinade and brush off any solids. Season with salt and pepper and grill until cooked through, approximately 3 minutes per side.

Divide the salsa cruda evenly among serving plates. Top with sardines, crossing them over the salsa. Serve right away, with lemon wedges alongside.

Salsa Cruda:

Makes about 4 ½ cups

2 medium ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch dice (2 cups)
1 15 1/2-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup pitted, chopped black olives
½ small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice (¼ cup)
¼ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (¼ cup)
¼ yellow bell pepper, or an additional ¼ red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch dice (¼ cup)
½ small red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice (¼ cup)
1 tablespoon sliced basil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
½ jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Put all of the ingredients in a bowl, gently toss, cover, and let rest at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or refrigerate for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

The Recipe

Source: Workin’ More Kitchen Sessions With Charlie Trotter by Charlie Trotter

For the Arugula Purée:

1 1/2 cups loosely packed arugula leaves
1 cup firmly packed spinach leaves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Rabbit and Arugula Salad:

1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
4 rabbit tenderloins
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup julienned yellow onion
1/8 teaspoon minced garlic
4 fresh figs, cut into sixths
2 cups firmly packed arugula leaves
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

For the Goat Cheese:

1/2 cup soft fresh goat cheese
1 tablespoon minced shallot
1 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Garnish:

4 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped opal basil
freshly ground black pepper

Prepare the Arugula Purée:

Place the arugula, spinach, olive oil, and water in a blender and purée until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Warm slightly just prior to serving.

Prepare the Rabbit and Arugula Salad:

Heat the grapeseed oil in a sauté pan over high heat. Season the rabbit with salt and pepper and add to the pan. Cook for 2 minutes on each side, or until just cooked through. Remove from the pan, let rest 2 minutes, and then slice thinly on the diagonal. Add the olive oil, onion, and garlic to the same pan and sauté over high heat for 2 minutes, or until the onion is translucent. Add the figs and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the arugula, vinegar, and walnuts; cook just until the arugula is wilted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain and reserve any juices that remain in the pan.

Prepare the goat cheese:

Combine the goat cheese, shallot, and cream in a mixing bowl until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Shape into 4 quenelle-shaped pieces.

Assemble the Dish:

Spoon some of the warmed arugula purée in a triangle shape on each plate. Arrange some of the rabbit and the arugula salad in the center of the triangle. Place a quenelle of the goat cheese at the base of the rabbit. Spoon some arugula salad over the rabbit. Drizzle the reserved cooking juices and the olive oil around the plate. Sprinkle with the opal basil and top with pepper.