"Cold-Weather Gratins Better Than Mother's"
November 20, 2002, New York Times

ROASTED PORTOBELLO AND POTATO GRATIN

4 large portobello mushrooms, stems discarded, caps peeled
4 large garlic cloves
4 sprigs thyme
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and ground white pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 large onion, chopped
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup whole milk
4 Idaho potatoes, about 2 pounds
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup dry bread crumbs.

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with sides with a sheet of parchment. Place mushrooms gill side up on parchment. Thinly slice 3 garlic cloves, and scatter over mushrooms. Place a thyme sprig on each mushroom, drizzle caps with olive oil, salt and pepper, and place in oven until soft and releasing liquid, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove, and allow to cool. Keep oven on.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet, add onions, and saute over medium-low heat until soft and beginning to color. Add cream and milk, scald, and remove from heat. Use remaining butter to grease a 9-inch gratin dish about 2 inches deep. Rub dish with remaining garlic clove.

3. Remove and reserve garlic from mushrooms. Discard thyme. Slice mushrooms 1/2 inch thick.

4. Peel and thinly slice potatoes. Place 1/3 of the potatoes in gratin dish, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg, scatter with half the reserved sliced garlic. Arrange half the mushroom slices on top. Repeat layers. Layer last third of potatoes on top. Season with salt and pepper. Pour scalded milk and cream with onions on top. Strew bread crumbs on top.

5. Place gratin dish on a baking sheet, and place in oven. Bake about 1 hour, until potatoes are tender and liquid has thickened. If top browns too fast, tent with foil. Allow to stand 10 minutes, then serve.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

"A Primer on the Half Shell"
December 4, 2002, New York Times

BAKED OYSTERS WITH THYME

Sea salt
24 Kumamoto or other small oysters on the half shell
6 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced parsley
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Freshly ground white pepper
12 thyme sprigs.

1. Heat oven to 500 degrees. Place a bed of sea salt on each of 4 salad-size plates. Place oysters on a baking sheet and refrigerate.

2. Cream the butter with garlic, shallots, parsley, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Place 1 teaspoon of this mixture on each of the oysters and top each with half a sprig of the thyme. Place in the oven and bake about 3 minutes, until the butter bubbles. Transfer the oysters to plates and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

"A Primer on the Half Shell"
December 4, 2002, New York Times

OYSTER CEVICHE

24 bluepoint oysters, shucked, liquor and bottom shells reserved
Sea salt
3 tablespoons red onion in fine slivers 1/2-inch long
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves in fine slivers
Juice of 2 limes
2 tablespoons lemon oil or extra virgin olive oil mixed with 1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon Tabasco, or to taste.

1. Arrange shells on a bed of sea salt on a platter or on 4 plates. Place oyster liquor in a bowl and add red onion, cilantro, lime juice, lemon oil, Tabasco and salt to taste. Add oysters and allow to marinate 5 minutes.

2. Drain oysters and place one on each shell. Spoon marinade on top of each and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

"A Primer on the Half Shell"
December 4, 2002, New York Times

WARM OYSTERS WITH CAVIAR

Sea salt
16 bluepoint oysters, shucked, liquor and bottom shells reserved
4 tablespoons heavy cream
Freshly ground white pepper
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons soft unsalted butter
1 piece smoked salmon, 1 by 3 inches, 1/4-inch thick
3 ounces fresh sturgeon caviar.

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Spread some sea salt on each of 4 salad-size plates and set aside. On an ovenproof platter, arrange shells on another bed of sea salt. Place oyster liquor in a small saucepan. Add oysters and heat gently until oysters are warm but have not started to curl or shrink. Liquor should be hot but not simmering. Drain oysters and place on shells. Cover and place in oven to keep warm.

2. Add cream to saucepan. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper, the lemon juice, butter and smoked salmon. Bring to a simmer and cook about a minute, until slightly thickened. Stir in one-third of the caviar and remove from heat. Spoon caviar cream over oysters and top each with a dollop of remaining caviar. Discard salmon or reserve for another use. Transfer oysters to plates and serve.

Yield: 4 servings.

"An Everyday Dish Puts on the Ritz for the Holidays"
December 18, 2002, New York Times

POT-AU-FEU OF FOIE GRAS

1 whole fresh Grade A duck foie gras, about 1 1/2 pounds
Sea salt
Freshly ground white pepper
6 medium creamer or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
4 stalks celery, trimmed
4 carrots, peeled
6 slender leeks, well rinsed and trimmed
2 medium white turnips, peeled
2 1/2 quarts degreased chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 cup red wine
4 1-inch-thick chunks peeled fresh ginger
1/2 cup black truffle juice (optional)
1 tablespoon minced chives
Fleur de sel.

1. Divide foie gras where it separates into two unequal pieces. Cut a half-inch slice from ends of each piece and discard or reserve for another use. Remove and discard veins or nerves on surface of foie gras. Place foie gras in a bowl. Mix 1 tablespoon sea salt with 3 cups water, pour over foie gras and add enough ice cubes to cover. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 to 12 hours.

2. Remove foie gras from ice water and pat dry. Fill a pitcher with enough boiling water to submerge most of the blade of an 8-inch knife. Slice each section of foie gras crosswise into slabs about 3/4-inch thick, dipping knife in hot water before making each slice. Lay slices on a cutting board. Using tip of a paring knife, pluck out any tiny spots of blood from slices. Season slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Cover loosely with plastic wrap until ready to cook.

3. Halve potatoes, place in a pot of salted water, and cook until just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside, covered.

4. While potatoes cook, cut celery stalks, carrots and leeks into 3-inch lengths. You should have 12 pieces each. Cut each turnip into 6 wedges. Bring stock to a simmer in a 4-quart casserole. Add vegetables and simmer 10 minutes. Remove any that are tender when pierced with a sharp knife. Continue cooking until all are tender. Set vegetables aside to drain on paper towel.

5. Warm 6 large soup plates. Place wine in a small pitcher. Return stock to a fast simmer, add ginger, cook gently for 5 minutes, then slip in slices of foie gras. Remove from heat and allow foie gras to steep 6 minutes. Do not overcook. Place 2 slices of foie gras in each soup plate.

6. Return vegetables to stock. Cook 30 seconds, then remove vegetables with a slotted spoon and divide among plates. Discard ginger. Put two pieces of potato in each plate. Strain stock into a saucepan and add truffle juice, if desired, bring to a simmer, then ladle stock over and around foie gras. Sprinkle chives on top, and serve at once, with fleur de sel on the side. Pass wine so guests can add a little to their plates.

Yield: 6 main course servings.

"Bouillabaisse, Unstrictly Speaking"
January 1, 2003, New York Times

CHICKEN BOUILLABAISSE

1 frying chicken, cut in 10 pieces
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
2 tablespoons plus 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced leeks, white and light green only
1 head garlic, peeled, all but 2 cloves sliced thin
1/2 fennel bulb, sliced thin
3 pinches saffron threads
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
2/3 cup diced ripe tomato or diced well-drained canned tomato
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 tablespoon flour
3 1/2 cups chicken stock
8 small Yukon Gold potatoes
1 6-inch piece baguette
1 egg yolk
1 6-inch strip orange peel
1 ounce Pernod or Ricard
4 branches fresh thyme.

1. Dry chicken, and season with salt and pepper. Pour 2 tablespoons oil in deep saute pan or casserole large enough to hold chicken in a single layer. Place over high heat until starting to smoke, add chicken skin side down, and saute until golden brown, turning to brown both sides. Remove chicken to a platter, lower heat to medium, and add onions, leeks, sliced garlic and fennel. Cook, stirring, until starting to soften.

2. Sprinkle on 2 pinches saffron and the cayenne, cook a few minutes longer, then add tomato and tomato paste. Cook a minute more, sprinkle with flour, stir, then return chicken to pan, along with any juices from the platter. Add stock, bring to a simmer, and cook 20 minutes. Remove 4 breast pieces from the pan. Continue cooking remaining chicken 15 to 20 minutes longer, until done, then remove from pan. Skim any foam from surface of sauce.

3. While chicken cooks, place potatoes in a saucepan, add salted water to cover, and boil until just tender. Drain. Peel when cool enough to handle.

4. Place remaining pinch saffron in a small dish, and pour 1 tablespoon boiling water over it. Slice piece of baguette lengthwise in 4 pieces, and toast. Rub with one garlic clove, and brush with a little oil.

5. Place egg yolk in a mixing bowl. Force remaining garlic clove through a press, and add it to yolk. Beat with a whisk. Strain in water from steeping saffron, and beat. Slowly drizzle in remaining olive oil, beating vigorously, until mixture thickens to mayonnaise consistency. Season with salt and pepper, and refrigerate until serving time.

6. Add orange peel, Pernod and thyme to saute pan, cook 5 minutes, then remove orange peel and thyme. Season sauce with salt and cayenne to taste. Add potatoes and chicken to pan. Reheat.

7. Serve chicken and potatoes in warm soup plates with sauce. Spread some of the garlic-saffron mayonnaise (aioli) on toasted baguette slices, and place one alongside each serving. (Reserve remaining aioli for another use.) Serve at once.