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By Debra C. Argen
Cooking - New York Style:
Appealing Dishes to Tempt your Senses
This month we have exciting dishes from some of the top chefs in New York who share their innovative and creative recipes, including David Burke of davidburke & donatella, Jordy Lavanderos of Secretes, Julian Medina of Zócalo, Suvir Saran of Dévi, Ari Nieminen of Water’ Edge and Florian Bellanger of Fauchon Paris.
 David Burke, a New Jersey native, and the chef and co-owner of davidburke & donatella, 133 East 61st Street, between Park and Lexington, graciously shares his creative Modern American recipe. David is a multi-award winning chef, including his most recent award from The American Academy of Hospitality Sciences Five Star Diamond Award in March 2005, where he was “Selected as one of the finest chefs worldwide.” He also has a cookbook, Cooking with David Burke of the Park Avenue Café, Published by Alfred A. Knopf, 1995, and has another cookbook due out in 2006.
Parfait of Salmon and Tuna Tartars with Crème Fraiche
Yield: ten servings
Ingredients:
1 cup crème fraiche 2 shallots, peeled and minced 4 tablespoons olive oil 2 tablespoons chopped capers 2 teaspoons lemon zest 4 teaspoons soy sauce 2 teaspoons ground horseradish 2 teaspoons coriander, chopped 2 tablespoon chervil, chopped 10 ounces yellowfin tuna, diced 10 ounces salmon, ground 2 teaspoons kosher salt 2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper olive oil for rings 10 ounces Osetra or other caviar (optional)
Whip crème fraiche until thick and stiff peaks are formed. Reserve in refrigerator. Combine shallots and olive oil in a small saucepan and sauté until shallots are translucent. Place shallots in a bowl and add capers, lemon zest, soy sauce, horseradish, coriander, and chervil; mix until combined. Divide shallot mixture into two equal parts. Combine one half with diced tuna, combine the other half with ground salmon. Add 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper to the tuna mixture and mix until all ingredients are combined. Lightly brush the inside of 10 rings or molds with olive oil. Place waxed paper on a cookie sheet. Place molds on the cookie sheet.
To assemble: Place 2 tablespoons of crème fraiche in each mold, smooth, then add 2 tablespoons of tuna mixture, smooth with the back of a spoon. Add 2 tablespoons of crème fraiche. Smooth with blade of flat knife, making sure that crème fraiche is level with top of mold. You should have 3 equal layers. Chill in refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours. Place each ring or mold on a plate and gently remove  mold, leaving parfait on plate. Serve with toast.
Jordy Lavenderos, originally from Mexico City and Tuscany, is the chef and owner of Secretes, reservations@secretescorp.com, a new tapas restaurant that opened in May 2005 located at 513 East 6th Street between Avenues A & B, in the hip East Village of New York. Jordy is a chef that likes to break the rules and create his own, and he is doing just that by putting his own creative spin on Spanish tapas.
Lobster Gazpacho with Sweet Chile Serrano Nuage
Gazpacho
500 grams plum tomatoes cut it in ¼ 1 red pepper cut it in a dice 1 green pepper cut it in a dice 1 onion cut it in a dice ½ cucumber, peeled and sliced 1 garlic clove, smashed ⅓ cups olive oil 2 cups lobster stock (see recipe) ½ cups apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon cumin salt and pepper, to taste
Blend garlic, onions and the olive oil to make a nice puree, and then add the rest of the ingredients one by one, the consistency will be kind of thick. Add the lobster stock by drops, apple cider, and cumin, and finish by adjusting seasoning.
Lobster Stock
4 lobster carcasses 2 cups shallots, chopped 3 cups celery cut in a dice 1 cup white wine 1 sachet of: 1 bay leaf, 1 bunch parsley, 1 bunch thyme, 2 slices of ginger, and 1 coriander olive oil
Sweat the shallots with the olive oil and the carcass, and then add the white wine and demi-glaze for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients; fill the pot with enough water just to cover the lobster carcass. Bring it to boil, and then keep it on medium heat for at least 4 hours.
Important: Make the Gazpacho one day ahead to let it chill overnight.
Sweet Chile Serrano Nuage
The chiles must be cleaned and blanched with sugar until they reach a nice soft consistency. Blend the chilies with the mirin oil for at least 1 minute, and then add the water and finish by blending until the consistency is smooth and emulsified enough to hold when the mixture is heated. (You will need to get 2 cups of liquid.) Heat the mixture and add agar-agar, stirring constantly until the agar-agar is dissolved completely. Let cool for a couple of minutes in the refrigerator and pour it in a siphon.
* Agar-Agar is a vegetable gelatin derived from seaweed and is used as a quick-setting base for many sweets and desserts.
Garnish
Remove the core from the granny smith apples, thinly slice them and place them overnight in the dehydrator, at least 24 hours.
Lobster dust: Place the lobster with some salt, in the dehydrator and leave it overnight, for at least 12 hours; make the lobster dust in the grater.
Presentation: Place a little of the diced pear and lobster chunks in the bottom of each glass, then carefully spoon or pour in the lobster gazpacho. Top with the Sweet Chile Serrano Nuage and lobster dust, make a slit in the slice of dehydrated apple, and hang it from the glass.
Cucumber Spaghetti
4 to 6 people
3 cucumbers, shredded on a mandolin 2 mangos cut in a small dice 2 papayas cut in a small dice 2 slices prosciutto cut it in a small dice pickle liquid (See recipe)
For the cucumber spaghetti: Use the mandolin with the small blades in order to get the spaghetti shapes. The mango and papaya need to be cut it in a small dice and marinated at least overnight in the pickle liquid. The slices of prosciutto need to be cut in a tiny dice (brunoise) and baked in the oven at 350 degrees F for at least 5 minutes or until they are getting crispy.
Pickle liquid
Bring all of the ingredients to a boil for at least 5 minutes, and then strain the seeds and let the liquid cool.
Presentation: On a plate, place a tube form (whatever shape you would like), and then add some diced mango and papaya, and then add the cucumber spaghetti and gently press down so that the mixtures will hold their shape, and remove the form before serving.
 Julian Medina, originally from Mexico City, is the Executive Chef at Zócalo, 174 East 82nd Street, in the Upper East Side, where this innovative young chef is updating Mexican cuisine to create Nuevo Mexican favorites.
Rollo de Langosta (crispy lobster, jicama, avocado, pickled red onions rolled into a flour tortilla and black sesame – chile de arbol salsa)
4 servings
Ingredients:
For the chile de arbol salsa:
Procedure: Open the lobsters with scissors, and cut the tail in half lengthwise, remove the meat. Open the claws as well. Flour, egg and bread the lobster meat. Place a skewer in the middle of the tail so it does not curl up. Then season meat with salt and pepper. In a hot oiled pan, fry the lobster until golden brown, remove. Add more salt. Sliced the red onion and cover with white vinegar for 1 hour and drain.
For salsa: Pulse all ingredients together in a blender until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Heat flour tortillas using a grill, remove sides. Place jicama, avocado slices, crispy lobster and picked onion in tortilla. Roll the tortillas and then cut the roll in ½ inch pieces. Serve with salsa on top.
Ceviche de Atun (tuna with bosch pear and chile piquin citrus puree with red onions and cilantro)
4 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound sushi grade tuna 5 lemons, freshly squeezed 4 bosch pears ½ cup canned pear juice 2 chile piquin or cayenne pepper Salt and pepper 1 red onion, chopped ½ bunch cilantro, chopped sea salt
Procedure: Cube the tuna and marinate with the juice of 2 lemons, diced red onions and 1-diced pear for 5 minutes with a pinch of salt. Pulse the peeled pear, the juice of the other 3 lemons, pear juice and the chile piquin in a blender until smooth. Add the pear juice to the tuna, mix well, add a pinch of sea salt on top and serve chilled.
Suvir Saran, originally from New Delhi, India, is the co-executive chef and co-owner of dévi, 8 East 18th Street, which opened in September 2004, and features home-style Indian cooking. When not busy cooking, he found time to write a cookbook, Indian Home Cooking, published by Clarkson Potter/Publishers in September 2004, and has another cookbook due out in 2006.
 Tandoori Lamb Chops (Burrah Kabab
Serves 4
Burrah literally means “big” so this is a recipe for people who like big kebabs. The chops need to marinate overnight to absorb the marinade so if you spend a few minutes to toss together the marinade the night before, the next night’s dinner will take almost no time at all to put together. The papaya paste acts as a tenderizer but if you can’t find it, the chops are tender enough without it. Drain the yogurt for at least 2 hours before using or the lamb will never develop that savory crust during cooking.
2 pounds rib lamb chops, cut 1-1½ - inches thick 1 tablespoon paprika ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper ¼ teaspoon ground mace ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 garam masala 1 toasted cumin seeds, coarsely ground, using mortar and pestle 8 medium garlic cloves, minced very finely or ground to a paste 3 inches fresh ginger, peeled and minced very finely or ground to paste 2 tablespoons green papaya paste (optional) ¼ cup malt vinegar 1 lemon, juice of 1 teaspoon salt ¾ cup yogurt, drained in a cheesecloth-lined strainer or a coffee filter for 2 hours 2 tablespoons canola oil 3 tablespoons melted butter
Cut 3-4 deep slashes in each of the chops. Mix all of the remaining ingredients except the oil and melted butter in a non-plastic bowl large enough to hold the chops. Add the chops and toss to coat in the marinade. Put the chops with the marinade in a large, resealable plastic bag and refrigerate overnight. Preheat the oven to 550˚ F or preheat the grill.
Add the oil to the bag with the chops, reseal, and massage the bag between your hands to mix the oil. Remove the chops from the marinade. If roasting in the oven, put the chops in a single layer on a rack in a foil-lined baking pan and roast 20 minutes; remove from the oven and let rest 5 minutes; then turn the chops, drizzle with the butter and roast 10 more minutes. If grilling, grill 5 minutes each side; let rest 5 minutes off the grill, then brush with the butter and grill 5 more minutes each side.
Crispy Okra Salad (Kararee Bhindi)
Makes 4 servings
Time: 25 minutes
It isn’t a traditional dish, but something Panditji (my family’s Brahman chef) and I came up with when I was a young boy, maybe 10 or so years old. The recipe that we came up with had the okra slit in half lengthwise. It was then dusted with chickpea flour, lemon, and spices and allowed to marinade for 20 minutes or so and then deep-fried. Since coming to the U.S., becoming a cook in my own right and catering and cooking in restaurant kitchens, I have streamlined the recipe further.
Okra is also called Lady Finger in India and other countries, and is considered best when it is the size of the ring finger of a lady with small hands. At that size okra is not too fibrous, tough or hairy, and it is also easier to stem and slice. The key here is in the way we cut it. The traditional Indian way of cutting it crosswise has been bypassed and a fine julienne or lengthwise cut Okra is selected, not part of the first recipe I came up with years ago. I like to serve it alongside of thinly sliced red onions and julienne tomatoes. They add nice textural and flavor contrasts without taking away from the brilliance of the okra.
Chaat Masala, the spice blend used to dust the quickly fried okra, is a masala (blend of spices) that is used most often in the street food style dishes that come from the subcontinent. Chaat Masala is a blend of mostly sour and some pungent spices. It is available in all Indian groceries and also online. One can make it at home as well, but the quality of the packaged blend makes it unnecessary.
Crispy Okra Salad:
Canola oil, for frying 1 pound okra, stemmed and julienned lengthwise ½ small red onion, thinly sliced 2 small or 1 medium tomatoes, cored, seeded and julienned ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish ½ lemon, juice or more to taste ½ teaspoon salt, or more to taste 1½ teaspoons chaat masala, or more to taste
Heat at least 2 inches oil to 350° F (you can check this with a deep-fry or instant-read thermometer) in a countertop deep fryer or in a pan on the stove. Fry the julienne okra in batches small enough not to crowd your pan or fryer and make sure to let the oil return to temperature (350° F) between batches. Fry it until crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes – the seeds will swell and it will be deeply colored at the edges – then transfer to drain on paper towels.
 Toss the okra together with the onion, tomato and cilantro, squeeze the lemon juice over all, and season to taste with salt and chaat masala.
Ari Nieminen, a Finland native, is the Executive Chef of Waterﾒs Edge Restaurant, 44th Drive at the East River, Long Island City, and interestingly enough, once worked under his mentor David Burke at the River Café in New York, before joining Water’s Edge, which features New American cuisine.
Hot Smoked Salmon
Serves 2
2 six-ounce portions of salmon 4 ounces chardonnay, such as Husch from California 2 tablespoons kosher salt 2 tablespoons sugar 1 sprig tarragon 1 bay leaf
Marinate the salmon: Mix the chardonnay with salt, sugar, tarragon and bay leaf. Marinate the salmon in the wine mixture for 10 minutes; turn over and continue marinating for another 10 minutes. Remove the salmon from the marinade, rinse once and pat dry. Coat the fillets lightly with olive oil.
To smoke: Set the smoker on the burner. Place the wood chips and 2 cubes of sugar on the bottom. Turn heat on high and wait for smoke to develop. Place the salmon on the rack inside the smoker and close lid tightly. Wait 2 minutes and turn heat to medium-low. Continue smoking for another 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and keep the lid closed for 5 minutes, then remove the salmon from the smoker.
Presentation: Serve salmon with a dollop of Sauce Gribiche (recipe follows).
Sauce Gribiche
- 4 hard-boiled egg yolks
- 4 hard-boiled egg whites, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon dry English mustard
- 2 tablespoons capers, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons cornichon, finely chopped
- ¼ cup tarragon, chopped
- 4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1½ cups extra virgin olive oil
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a bowl, crush the egg yolks with the mustard powder. Gradually whisk in the olive oil and lemon juice. Add the egg whites, capers, cornichon and tarragon; season to taste.
Herb-Crusted Rack of Lamb with Cognac Lamb Jus, Roasted Bell Pepper and Cucumber Salads, Jasmine Rice with Dried Fruits and Toasted Almonds
Serves 4
Marinade:
Combine all ingredients and place lamb in the marinade for 6 hours.
Lamb:
1 lamb rack, with fat trimmings reserved (makes four 4-rib portions) 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard to coat the lamb 4 tablespoons mixed chopped herbs (dill, chives, tarragon, chervil)
Preheat oven to 425º F. Season the lamb rack with salt and fresh ground pepper, sear in a hot pan. Finish cooking in the oven, turning occasionally, until internal temperature reaches 115º F. Remove it and allow it to rest in a warm area for ten minutes. Brush the rack with the Dijon mustard, coat with herbs, and return to the hot oven for one minute. Cut into chops.
Sauce:
Trimmings from the lamb rack 2 tablespoons olive oil ¼ cup shallots 4 garlic cloves 4 thyme sprigs 1 bay leaf 1 beefsteak tomato, finely chopped 1 cup dry white wine ½ cup cognac 2 cups prepared veal stock 1 tablespoon butter
Roast lamb trimmings in olive oil until browned. Add shallots, garlic and herbs; then cook 5 minutes; then add tomatoes, cook 5 more minutes. Deglaze with wine and cognac; simmer 5 minutes to cook out the alcohol. Add veal stock; simmer until thickened to sauce consistency, strain through a fine mesh sieve or chinois. Finish with butter.
Rice Pilaf:
¾ cup water 2 tablespoons butter 1 small onion, finely minced ½ cup jasmine rice ½ cup chopped mixed dried apricots and raisins pre-soaked in jasmine tea 3 tablespoons scallions, chopped fine 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped ½ cup toasted sliced almonds
Preheat oven to 350º F. In a small pot, bring water to a boil. Melt butter in large saucepan and sweat the onion in the butter. Add the salt. Add the rice, then boiling water. Bring to a boil, stir and cook on stovetop until the liquid is below the level of the rice. Cover the saucepan and place in the oven for 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and add the fruits, scallions and cilantro, then fluff the rice with a fork. Keep covered. Add the toasted almonds just before serving.
Pepper Salad:
2 red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and diced 2 yellow bell peppers, roasted, peeled and diced 1 small onion, finely minced and sautéed in olive oil 2 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced, sautéed in olive oil 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar ½ teaspoon toasted, ground caraway seed 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and taste for seasoning adjustment of salt and pepper. Set aside. (This can be made up to 2 days in advance.)
Cucumber Salad:
1 cup hot house cucumber, diced, lightly salted and drained 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt or labne kefir yogurt 1 teaspoon lemon juice 1 dill, chopped 1 red onion, diced and soaked in ice water for 15 minutes
Combine all ingredients and taste for seasoning adjustment of salt and pepper. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. (This can be made up to 2 days in advance.)
To Serve: Arrange the chops on each plate with the rice, roasted pepper and cucumber salads, and drizzle lamb with the sauce.
Parisian-born Florian Bellanger is the Executive Pastry Chef at Fauchon, 442 Park Avenue at 56th Street, where he is imparting his own creativity to classic French pastries  that has both the locals and tourists lining up for an authentic taste of Paris in New York. Before joining Fauchon in New York, he was the pastry chef at Le Bernadin in New York, and also worked at Fauchon in Paris.
Fauchon Raspberry Éclairs
Makes 6 éclairs
Prepare the pâte à choux (cream-puff pastry), the raspberry pastry cream and the raspberry fondant icing following the recipes below. Once you have made these 3 components, you can assemble the éclairs.
Pâte à choux:
Preheat oven to 375° F. In a saucepan, bring the milk, water, sugar, salt and butter to a boil. Add the all-purpose flour and stir until combined. Continue to cook the dough over low heat for about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the stove. While stirring continuously, add the eggs one at a time until each egg is combined. The dough should be firm.
Using a piping bag with a #12 round tip (½-inch opening), pipe the pastry into six 6-inch-long tubular shapes on a sheet pan covered with parchment paper. Bake with the oven door left open an inch wide for 25 minutes until the pastry is light brown. It is important to keep the oven door slightly open to let the steam out; otherwise the pâte à choux will not puff enough. After baking, allow the pâte à choux to cool at room temperature.
Raspberry pastry cream:
In a saucepan, bring the milk to a boil. Add the vanilla bean, turn off the heat, and let it infuse into the milk for 10 minutes.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the sugar, egg yolks and cornstarch until combined. Add this mixture to the boiling milk and stir continuously over low heat until the cream becomes thick and shiny. Remove the saucepan from the heat and mix in the butter until combined.
Pour the pastry cream in a clean bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Refrigerate the cream for about 2 hours. When the cream is cold, stir in the raspberry puree and raspberry liqueur. Using a spatula, fold in the whipped cream. Set aside.
Raspberry fondant icing:
Slightly warm the white fondant icing in a microwave oven (100° F). Stir in the raspberry puree and raspberry liqueur. Set aside.
Assembling the éclairs: Cut each éclair in half horizontally (you should have a long top and bottom). Using a piping bag or a teaspoon, fill each bottom with raspberry pastry cream. Cover each éclair with the top. Using a spatula spread some raspberry fondant icing on top of each éclair. Refrigerate until serving.
Note: The fondant icing should be used at “body temperature”(slightly warm). If the fondant is too thick, stir in 1 or 2 teaspoons of water to thin it out.
Fauchon Berry Charlotte Cake
Makes one 8-inch round cake
Ladyfinger Biscuit:
3 egg yolks
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 egg whites
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 baking sheet tray
1 cake ring - 8 inches diameter, 1½ inches high
Raspberry Syrup:
1 cup water
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup raspberry puree
Preheat oven to 350° F. In a mixing bowl, whisk egg yolks and ½ of the granulated sugar, until the mixture is a light yellow color. Set aside.
In an electric mixer, whisk egg whites and the remaining ½ of the granulated sugar, until stiff peaks form. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg yolks/sugar mixture into the egg whites until combined. Then gently fold in all-purpose flour and stir until combined.
Spread this mixture on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper (about ½-inch thick) and bake in 350° F oven for about 12 minutes. After baking, allow the ladyfinger biscuit to cool on a wire rack, and then carefully remove the biscuit from the baking sheet.
In a saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in the raspberry puree, and allow it to cool.
Place the cake ring on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Cut a 1 ½-wide strip lengthwise (equal to the height of the cake ring) and place it around the inside of the ring. Cut out a 7-inch round. When the raspberry syrup is at room temperature, brush the round ladyfinger biscuit with the syrup and place it on the bottom of the ring. Keep the cake ring with the ladyfingers in the refrigerator until you are ready to assemble the cake.
Raspberry Mousse (made with Italian Meringue):
Italian Meringue:
3 tablespoons egg whites
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1½ teaspoons water
Raspberry Mousse:
3 gelatin sheets
¾ cup raspberry puree
2 teaspoons lemon juice
½ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks
In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Using a small saucepan and a candy thermometer, boil the sugar and water until the mixture reaches 250° F. Remove from heat, then while whisking continuously, slowly add the mixture to the whipped egg whites. Continue to whisk until the mixture has cooled down to room temperature. Set aside at room temperature. (Note: You can make this meringue by hand since the quantity is so small.)
Soak the gelatin in cold water for about 3 minutes. Drain and squeeze out the water from the gelatin. In a saucepan, lightly warm raspberry puree and lemon juice, then whisk in the gelatin until combined. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool until it reaches room temperature. Gently fold in the whipped cream, stir until combined; then fold in the Italian meringue and stir until combined.
Assembling the Charlotte Cake:
1 cup fresh raspberries
fresh seasonal berries for garnish
Remove the cake ring with the ladyfingers from the refrigerator. Fill half of this ring with raspberry mousse and then cover the mousse with 1 cup of fresh raspberries spread evenly. Fill up the ring with the remaining mousse, and refrigerate the cake for 2 hours. Transfer the cake ring to a serving plate. Carefully remove the cake ring before decorating the cake with assorted seasonal fresh berries (strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or blackberries).
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