A Return to Cooking

A behind-the-scenes look at the creative process, A Return To Cooking unites cooking and art, as four-star chef Eric Ripert embarks on a four-part pilgrimage to Vermont, Puerto Rico, Napa Valley and Long Island to cook and eat at home with friends. Inspired by the bounty of each region, Ripert concocts spontaneous dishes that are literally and visually captured by acclaimed culinary writer Michael Ruhlman, a photography team and artist Valentino Cortazar in a book that is artistically stunning as well as delicious.

Excerpt

SHRIMP WITH FRESH COCONUT MILK, CALABAZA, AND AVOCADO

Serves 6

THE BROTH

1 tablespoon unsalted butter]BRK2 shallots, thinly sliced]BRK3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced]BRK1 lemongrass stalk, thinly sliced]BRKA 1-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced]BRK1 kaffir lime leaf]BRK3 cups chicken stock]BRK3/4 cup coconut milk, fresh or canned]BRK4 cilantro sprigs]BRKFine sea salt and freshly ground]BRKwhite pepper

THE SHRIMP

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro]BRK2 tablespoons chopped scallion]BRK2 tablespoons chopped ginger]BRK2 tablespoons canola oil]BRK36 large shrimp, peeled and deveined]BRK1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper]BRK1 medium calabaza squash (found in Latino markets; you can substitute butternut squash)]BRK1 tablespoon unsalted butter]BRK1 avocado]BRK1 lime, halved

Prep: 35 minutes - Cook: 35 minutes

To make the broth, melt the butter in a small saut pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and kaffir lime leaf and cook until tender; do not allow them to color. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and cilantro and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside.

For the shrimp, combine the cilantro, scallion, ginger, and oil in a large bowl. Season the shrimp generously with salt, pepper, and the cayenne pepper and add to the bowl, tossing to coat the shrimp with the cilantro mixture. Place the shrimp on a baking sheet, making sure they are not touching one another, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

Peel the squash with a chef's knife. Cut the squash into 1/2-inch cubes; you will need at least 60 cubes.

Combine the butter and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the squash dice, season with salt and pepper, and cook at a simmer until the squash is tender, about 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

Divide the squash cubes among six ovenproof soup bowls, leaving space to alternate with the avocado dice (which you will prepare just before serving). Set aside. (You can cover the bowls with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to serve the shrimp, up to 3 hours.)

Preheat your oven to 350F. (Remove the bowls from the refrigerator.)

Shortly before serving to prevent the avocado from browning), pit and peel the avocado. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes and place 10 pieces in each of the prepared soup plates, alternating with the squash.

Place the shrimp in the oven for 4 minutes, or until just barely cooked. During the last minute of cooking, put the prepared soup bowls in the oven to heat.

Meanwhile, reheat the reserved sauce over medium heat.

To serve, place 6 shrimp in each bowl, to form a pinwheel. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the sauce over the shrimp and squeeze the lime juice over all the bowls. Serve immediately.

POACHED PEARS WITH POIRE WILLIAM CARAMEL SAUCE

Serves 6

THE PEARS

3 cups sugar]BRK6 cups water]BRK1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise]BRK12 small or 6 large pears

THE SAUCE

1 cup sugar]BRK1/2 cup heavy cream]BRK1/4 cup poire William (pear brandy)

THE GARNISH

1 pint good-quality store-bought vanilla ice cream, slightly softened]BRK3 tablespoons chopped pistachios

Prep: 25 minutes - Cook: 30 minutes

This is a delicious and easy dessert, especially if you have beautiful pears. At fancy ice cream cafs in France, poached pears, a quenelle of vanilla ice cream, and hot chocolate sauce is a common dessert. But Eric has put a caramel sauce with it, one flavored appropriately, even obviously, with pear brandy, and mixed pistachio nuts into the ice cream. Everything can be prepared as much as a day in advance.

For the pears, place the sugar, water, and vanilla bean in a large pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then lower the heat to a simmer.

Meanwhile, peel the pears, leaving the stems intact.

Add the pears to the simmering liquid. Cover with a circle of parchment paper to ensure even cooking and cook small pears for 15 minutes, large pears for 25 minutes, or until a small knife inserted in the bottom of a pear goes in with little resistance. Take the pan off the heat and cool the pears in the cooking liquid.

For the caramel sauce, heat the sugar over medium-high heat. Once the sugar melts, allow it to cook until it has a light caramel color. Take the caramel off the heat and add the heavy cream; be careful, the cream may sputter out of the pan. Stir to fully incorporate. Add the poire William and stir to combine.

To serve, place 2 small or 1 large pear, on each dessert plate. Combine the ice cream and pistachios in a mixing bowl, stirring to combine. Place a scoop of ice cream next to the pear(s) on each plate. Drizzle 2 tablespoons of the warm caramel sauce over the pears and ice cream, and serve immediately. (Refrigerate any remaining sauce for another time.)

SMOKED SALMON CROQUE-MONSIEUR

Serves 6

6 ounces Gruyre cheese]BRKTwelve 1/2-inch-thick slices pullman bread (or good-quality white bread)]BRK3/4 pound sliced smoked salmon]BRK1 tablespoon Lemon Confit (page 21), cut into tiny dice]BRK1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives]BRK8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened

Prep: 20 minutes - Cook: 5 minutes

Using a Japanese mandoline or a vegetable peeler, slice the Gruyre very thin. Lay the bread slices out on a work surface. Place the Gruyre on 6 slices and the smoked salmon on the other 6 slices. Sprinkle the salmon with the lemon confit and chives. Close the sandwiches. Cut off the crusts, using a serrated knife. (You can make the sandwiches up to this point 2 hours in advance. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.)

Spread the softened butter on both sides of the sandwiches. Heat two large nonstick saut pans over medium-high heat. Add 3 sandwiches to each pan, Gruyre side down, and cook for 2 minutes. Turn them over and cook for 1 minute longer. To serve, slice the sandwiches in half on the diagonal, then in half on the diagonal again (to make 4 triangles), and arrange the triangles on a plate.

Excerpted from A RETURN TO COOKINGby Eric Ripert Copyright © 2002 by Eric Ripert
Excerpted by permission. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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