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: A Taste of Southern Italy by Marlena de Blasi

8 tiny artichokes, preferably the purple-lipped variety, or 4 small, very young artichokes, several inches of their stems still intact
1 1-pound fillet of baccala, skinless and boneless
1 cup whole milk
juice of 1 lemon
1 small head red lettuce, radicchio or red oak leaf, washed, spun dry, and coarsely shredded
4 ounces large green Sicilian or Greek olives, crushed lightly with a mallet, stones removed, the flesh coarsely chopped
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 fat cloves garlic, peeled, crushed, and finely minced
1 small, dried red chile pepper, crushed, or 1/3 to ½ teaspoon dried chile flakes
1 ½ tablespoons good red wine vinegar
fine sea salt

Prepare the artichokes, trimming just a snip from their still-tender leaves and leaving them whole if they are tiny, slicing them in two, or even in fourths, if they are a bit larger, cutting out the choke should it have begun to develop beyond an innocent embryo.

Soften the baccala a bit with a mallet and soak for 24 hours in cold water (change the water three times, adding 1 cup of milk to the final water), rinse the baccala in cold water, cover again with cold water, and poach for 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

In a large bowl, acidulate the artichokes with the juice of a lemon, add the shredded lettuce, the copped olives, and the poached baccala, cut into 1-inch pieces.

Make a simple warm vinaigrette by heating the olive oil, softening the garlic without coloring it for a minute or two, and scent the oil with the crushed chile. Remove from the heat, add the vinegar and a whisper of sea salt. Beat the dressing with a fork and pour it over the elements in the bowl, tossing them about and combining them well.

Present the salad with a young, cooled red wine that will do its best to stand up to both the artichokes and the baccala.

The Recipe

Source: Cucina del Sole: A Celebration of Southern Italian Cooking by Nancy Harmon Jenkins

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons, if necessary
1 ¼ to 1 ½ pounds refreshed salt cod or fresh fish
all-purpose flour for dredging fresh fish
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 tablespoon tomato concentrate, extract, or paste
3 sweet red peppers, roasted and peeled
½ small fresh hot green or red chili, roasted and peeled
2 tablespoons golden raisins, soaked in hot water to plump
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons pine nuts
½ cup minced flat-leaf parsley

In a medium skillet, heat ½ cup of the olive oil over medium heat until it has reached frying temperature (360 F).

While the oil is heating, cut the fish into 1-inch pieces. Pat refreshed salt cod dry with paper towels. If you’re using fresh fish, pat it dry, then dredge it lightly in flour, spread on a plate. (Do the drying and dredging right before you’re ready to fry; otherwise the coating will get gummy.)

When the oil is hot, add the fish pieces to the pan a few at a time and fry briskly until golden on all sides, transferring the finished pieces to a rack spread with paper towels to drain.

When all the fish pieces are done, lower the heat to low. Discard the oil, wipe the pan out, and add 2 tablespoons of fresh olive oil. Add the sliced onions and cook gently over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft. Add the tomatoes, raise the heat slightly, and cook vigorously. As the tomatoes yield their liquid, stir in the tablespoon of concentrate. Continue to cook the tomatoes until they have disintegrated into a chunky sauce.

While the tomatoes are cooking, slice the peeled peppers into long 1/2-inch-thick strips. Chop the chili coarsely. Drain the soaking raisins.

Lower the heat under the tomato sauce again, then taste and add salt and pepper, keeping in mind that the salt cod my be very salty. Stir in the peppers, raisins, and pine nuts. Finally, fold in the pieces of fried fish. Cook the fish in the sauce over low heat for about 10 minutes to meld the flavors together, then serve immediately, garnished with the minced parsley.

The Recipe

Source: La Cucina Italiana Magazine, May, 2010 Issue:

The Pasta

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
coarse sea salt

Artichokes and Shrimp

1/2 lemon
8 baby artichokes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil plus more for drizzling
16 large head-on shrimp, peeled and deveined
coarse sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 large bunch arugula, washed and thoroughly dried

Make the Pasta:

On a clean work surface, mound flour and form a well in the center. Add eggs and egg yolks to the well. Using a fork, gently break up yolks and slowly incorporate flour from inside rim of well. Continue until liquid is absorbed, then knead for 10 minutes. Wrap dough tightly in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes.

Divide dough into 3 pieces. Cover 2 pieces with plastic wrap. Flatten remaining dough piece so that it will fit through the rollers of a pasta machine.

Set rollers of pasta machine at the widest setting, then feed pasta through rollers 3 or 4 times, folding and turning pasta until it is smooth and the width of the machine.

Roll pasta through machine, decreasing the setting, one notch at a time (do not fold or turn pasta), until pasta sheet is scant 1/16 inch thick.

Cut sheet in half crosswise; dust both sides of sheets with flour. Layer sheets between floured pieces of parchment or wax paper. Cover with paper and repeat with remaining dough.

Loosely fold 1 pasta sheet in half so short ends meet. Fold again in half. Cut folded sheet crosswise into scant 1/4-inch-wide tagliatelle. Unfold tagliatelle strips and lightly dust with flour; spread on a lightly floured baking sheet. Repeat with remaining pasta sheets.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, prepare artichokes and shrimp.

Prepare the Artichokes and Shrimp:

Fill a large bowl with cold water. Squeeze juice from lemon half into water in bowl, then add lemon half.

Peel artichoke stems. Cut off top 1/2 inch of 1 artichoke with a serrated knife. Bend outer leaves backward until they snap off close to base, then discard several more layers of leaves in same manner until you reach pale yellow leaves with pale green tips. Cut off green tips. Trim dark green fibrous parts from base and sides of artichoke with a small shard knife, then cut in half lengthwise and thinly slice; put slices in lemon water. Repeat with remaining artichokes.

In a large skillet, heat oil until hot but not smoking. Add shrimp; cook, turning occasionally, until opaque and cooked through, about 3 minutes; season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat.

Drain artichoke slices. Cook pasta in the boiling water until tender, about 3 minutes. Reserving 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, drain pasta and transfer to a bowl. Immediately toss with pasta cooking liquid, arugula and half of the artichoke slices. Divide remaining half of the artichoke slices onto serving plates, and fan out toward rim. Divide pasta among plates, top with shrimp, drizzle with oil, season with salt and serve immediately.

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: The Balthazar Cookbook by Keith McNally

2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
½ teaspoon coriander seeds
½ teaspoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
½ cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
½ pint pearl onions, peeled
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ teaspoons salt
3 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch half-moons
12 baby artichokes, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 cup white wine
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup white beans, optional
6 halibut fillets
¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Prepare the Basil Purée:

Prepare an ice-water bath in a medium bowl and bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the basil and blanch for 1 minute. Strain, plunge the leaves into the ice bath, and reserve ¼ cup of the cooking water. Remove the leaves from the ice water and squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible. Place in the work bowl of a food processor along with the reserved ¼ cup of liquid and process until smooth, green, and bright. Refrigerate until needed.

Cook the Artichokes:

Wrap the coriander seeds, peppercorns, and bay leaf in cheesecloth to make a sachet. Set aside. Heat ¼ cup of olive oil in a large sauté pan over a medium flame. Add the onions and garlic along with 1 teaspoon of salt and sauté until the onions are soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the carrots and herb sachet and cook for 5 minutes.

When the carrots have softened, add the sliced artichokes and the wine. Bring to a simmer and reduce the liquid by half, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the cooked white beans, if using, and keep warm over a low flame while the halibut is cooked.

Cook the Fish

Preheat the oven to 400 F.

Dry the halibut fillets and season with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and the ¼ teaspoon white pepper.

Use 2 large sauté pans to cook the fish or, if using 1 pan, cook the fish in 2 batches. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in the sauté pan until the oil smokes. Place 3 of the fillets in the pan and cook for 2 minutes per side. Transfer the pan to the preheated oven to finish cooking for 5 minutes, or until the fish just begins to flake around the edges.

Just before serving, remove the spice sachet from the broth, add the basil puree, and add the remaining ¼ cup of olive oil. Stir well to combine, and spoon the warm barigoule sauce into 6 shallow bowls, with a halibut fillet in the center.

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: The Balthazar Cookbook by Keith McNally

2 cups of flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 leeks, white parts only, quartered, sliced ½ inch thick, and rinsed well
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 cups white wine
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
¼ cup olive oil
6 cod fillets (about 8 ounces each), skin on if possible
1 pound cockles (about 36 of them)

Preheat the oven to 375 F.

Prepare the Parsley Puree, Potatoes, and Leeks:

Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the parsley and blanch over high heat for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, reserving ½ cup of the cooking water. Place in a blender along with the reserved cooking liquid and puree. Refrigerate until needed.

Bring more salted water to a boil in a large pot. Drop the diced potatoes in and cook until tender, 8 to 10 minutes; try not to overcook as the potatoes will lose their shape. Drain through a colander and set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saute pan (one with a tight-fitting lid) over medium heat. When the foam subsides, add the leeks and cook until soft and translucent but not brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and freshly ground pepper. Set aside.

Steam the Cockles:

Pour the wine into the saute pan, along with the thyme and garlic. The cockles will be steamed in this while the fish cooks in the oven, so hold on the stovetop over low heat until needed.

Cook the Fish:

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large (preferably nonstick) saute pan over a high flame. Dry the cod fillets and season with the salt and pepper. When the oil smokes, add 3 of the cod fillets; shake the pan to distribute the oil. Let the fillets brown, undisturbed, for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate while the other 3 fillets are seared in the same way, replenishing the oil if necessary. Flip the fish and return the first 3 fillets to the pan, seared side up. Sear the other side for 2 minutes, then transfer all the fish to the preheated oven. Cook for 8 minutes, until the flesh is opaque and just starting to flake.

Assemble the Dish:

Gently heat the potatoes and leeks in a saute pan. Raise the heat to high under the white wine, and add the cockles. When the cockles open their shells, about 3 to 4 minutes, add the reserved potatoes and leeks and the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter. Replace the lid and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Season with ¼ teaspoon of salt and 2 to 3 grindings of pepper. A minute before serving, add the parsley puree. Spoon into shallow bowls, top with a cod fillet, and eat with a spoon.

The Recipe

The Lever House Cookbook, by Dan Silverman

First read the main recipe:

2 tablespoons Spice Mix (recipe follows)
4 filleted skate wings (5 to 7 ounces each)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Roasted Mushrooms (recipe follows)
Fingerling Potatoes (recipe follows)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 cup Balsamic-Mushroom Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Watercress, stems trimmed, for garnish

Sprinkle the fragrant spice mix on both sides of the skate wings.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and add the butter. When the butter foams, toss in the roasted mushrooms, along with their liquid, and the fingerling potatoes. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes to combine; season with a generous amount of salt and pepper. Cover to keep warm.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and coat with the oil. When the oil gets hazy, lay the seasoned skate wings in the pan and sear for 2 minutes; do this in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan. Turn over the fish with a spatula and cook the other side for about 2 more minutes.

To serve, lay 1 skate wing on each of 4 plates. In the crescent of the fanned wing, spoon a small pile of the mushrooms and potatoes. Drizzle the skate and vegetables with about 1/4 cup of the balsamic-mushroom vinaigrette and garnish with watercress.

Now the vinaigrette:

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1/4 cup Mushroom Jus (recipe follows)
1/4 cup good-quality balsamic vinegar, such as 12-year-old
6 cloves Roasted Garlic Confit (recipe follows)
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup grapeseed oil

Combine in a blender the mushroom jus, vinegar, roasted garlic, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Puree at high speed until well mixed. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the oil to emulsify; the vinaigrette will be fairly thick. Taste for seasoning, spoon the balsamic-mushroom vinaigrette into a plastic squeeze bottle for serving, and reserve at room temperature. Keep any leftover vinaigrette covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

For the Mushroom Jus:

Makes 2 cups

3 pounds button mushrooms, stems included, wiped of grit
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf

Put the mushrooms, peppercorns, and bay leaf in a large stockpot, pour in enough water to generously cover the mushrooms by 2 inches. Bring the stock to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and gently simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 3 hours. The stock should have a pleasant mushroom flavor and have the color of very weak coffee.

Strain the mushroom jus through a fine strainer into another pot to remove the solids, pressing with the back of a wooden spoon to extract as much flavor as possible from the mushrooms. Bring the stock to a boil, and then simmer; reduce by three-quarters to concentrate and enhance the earthy mushroom aroma. If not using immediately, cover and refrigerate for up to 1 week or store in the freezer for a month.

For the Roasted Garlic Confit:

1 cup peeled garlic cloves, store-bought
canola oil, to cover the garlic (about 2 cups)

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Put the garlic cloves in a single layer in a small baking pan. Pour in enough oil to cover the garlic completely. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes or until the cloves are soft and sort of confit. If they’re not quite done after 30 minutes, continue to cook, checking at 5-minute intervals, until the garlic is creamy and completely tender. Be sure that the garlic does not brown, or worse, burn. Cool the roasted garlic in the oil before straining.

Roasted Mushrooms:

1 1/2 pounds oyster and shiitake mushrooms, wiped of grit
1/2 Spanish onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove
1 fresh thyme sprig
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable stock
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Put the mushrooms in a large mixing bowl and combine with the onion, garlic, thyme, and oil. Toss to evenly distribute the ingredients. Spread the mushroom mixture in a roasting pan and pour in the stock; season well with salt and pepper. Cover the pan with aluminum foil and roast for 30 to 40 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender.

Fingerling Potatoes

2 teaspoons sea salt
1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc
2 bay leaves
1/2 pound fingerling potatoes, washed and sliced into 1/4-inch-thick coins

Bring a large pot of water to a boil; add the salt, wine, and bay leaves. Carefully put in the potatoes and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, until they’re cooked through but still retain their shape. Drain and serve. [Ice bath the potatoes, to avoid overcooking them, since you won't be serving them right away.]

For the Spice Mix:

1 tablespoon juniper berries
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
2 tablespoons pink peppercorns
2 tablespoons coriander seeds

Combine the juniper berries, black and pink peppercorns, and coriander seeds in a spice mill or clean coffee grinder; buzz until the spices are a coarse powder. Keep in an airtight container in the cupboard for up to 1 month.