• preparation

Soak the salted cod fish in cold water for 12 hours.
Cook in simmering water for 5 to 6 minutes. Let cool and clean, debone and flake the fish.

In a mixing bowl , mix the flour and water to from a paste.
add the fish, scallions, Scotch Bonnet chile, garlic, onion and seasoning.
add the egg yolks and vinegar
just before cooking, add baking soda and beaten egg whites.
Meanwhile, heat 2 inches of corn oil to 350 to 375 degrees in a heavy cast-iron pot or deep fryer. Drop the acras into it by the teaspoonful. Fry until they are light brown, turning once. When done, remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
Serve the accras as soon as they are ready with lemon wedges and curried mayonnaise sauce.

• preparation

In a pot, cover the cod with water and bring to boil.
Remove the cod and drain immediately.
Cut avocado in half, remove the flesh and cut into large pieces.
Drizzle the avocado flesh with lime juice to prevent from blackening.
Place parsley in the bowl of a food processor and chop finely.
Then add the avocado, cod, garlic, a small piece of chili and chives. Mix.
Add cassava flour and oil while mixing until mixture is homogeneous.
Add salt and pepper
Refrigerate for one hour before serving

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Roll puff pastry sheet on a floured work surface to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut into 4-inch squares.
Cut cheese into fingers about the size of asparagus spears.
Spread each pastry dough evenly with mustard.
Lay an asparagus spear and a strip of cheese on each pastry square. Roll them up, seal and place seam side down on a buttered baking sheet. Brush rolls with beaten egg.
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until pastry is brown and cheese is melted

• preparation

In a medium bowl, combine the apple, blue cheese, celery, mayonnaise, and lemon juice. Stir gently to combine. Season to taste with salt.
To assemble, mound a small spoonful of the apple mixture onto the core end of each endive leaf. Sprinkle with the hazelnuts and serve.

• preparation

Make the hollandaise.
To assemble the eggs benedict, place the sliced smoked salmon on each English muffin. Top with poached egg, drizzling the tops with hollandaise sauce. Serve immediately.

The controversy surrounding the "Perfect Poached Egg" is endless. The "add vinegar to water", "add salt to water" or " putting the raw egg in a sieve to strain the liquid part" before poaching are methods that do not compare to the "always perfect poached eggs" when using this egg poacher.

Egg poacher

• preparation

In a medium saucepan, melt butter, stir in flour. Add milk and cream and whisk until sauce is thick and bubbly. Mix in the cheese. Blend well. Stir in egg yolks. Season to taste.
Spread mixture over a greased square dish to a thickness of 1 inch. Cool 1/2 hour.
Cut into 2-inch by 1-inch pieces. Dust in flour, dip in egg white, and roll in fresh bread crumbs.
Deep fry until brown. Serve with tomato sauce and fried parsley.

• preparation

Beat eggs, 2 tablespoons parsley, 2 teaspoons water, dried herbs, salt and pepper in small bowl to blend.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of egg mixture (about 1/2 cup) to skillet. Cook until eggs are just set in center, tilting pan and lifting edge of omelet with spatula to let uncooked portion flow underneath, about 2 minutes.
Top half of omelet with 1/4 cup cheese.
Using spatula, fold other half of omelet over cheese; slide out onto plate. Repeat with remaining butter, egg mixture and cheese. Sprinkle omelets with remaining 1 tablespoon parsley.

• preparation

Cook and drain spinach, pressing dry. Mix spinach with cream sauce. Spoon cream spinach over toasted muffins.
Place steamed artichoke bottoms on top of spinach. Top with the hot poached eggs. Spoon the warm hollandaise sauce over eggs.

• preparation

Scrub mussels under cold running water. Heat wine in a large pot. Add mussels. Cover pot and steam for about 5 minutes, or until mussels are opened.
Strain cooking liquid through cheese cloth. Save. Remove mussels from shells. Reserve for garnish.
In a medium saucepan, add mussel broth, shallots, onion, saffron, parsley and chicken broth. Simmer for 10 minutes. Combine butter and flour to a paste.
Whip in the cooking liquid to thicken. Add cream and seasoning. Add mussels.
Saute scallops in butter and lemon juice until transparent. Dice the scallops and cooking liquid to soup together with mussels.
Heat soup and serve hot.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the red pepper in half, remove seeds, and cut across into fine julienne.
Peel the tomatoes by dipping in boiling water for about 30 seconds. Transfer to cold water. Peel the pulp off the tomatoes, leaving the seeds and inside for other use.
Peel the fresh ginger. Slice into fine julienne strips.
Peel the papaya. Cut in half, remove seeds, and cut into julienne.
Peel the plantain banana. Cut across in 2-inch sections. Slice sections into julienne strips.
Remove outer skin of pineapple. Slice lengthwise, and cut into 2-inch long julienne strips.
Peel the mango. Cut into slices, and julienne strips.
In a heavy bottom medium saucepan, combine the honey and vinegar. Add the red pepper, tomatoes, ginger, papaya, banana, pineapple, and mango. Bring to boil over medium heat. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cinnamon, curry, and lime. Simmer for 5 more minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a medium frying pan. Season the salmon fillets with salt and pepper. Sauté over high heat for 30 seconds on each side. Transfer to a warm plate.
Cut each parchment sheet into large heart shapes. Place salmon in center of each parchment sheet. Top salmon with 2 heaping tablespoons of the sauce mixture. Seal the paper, and bake for about 8 minutes.
Pack the hot steaming rice in 6-oz individual round molds.
PRESENTATION
Arrange each salmon papillotte on warm plates.
Unmold rice molds on plates.

• preparation

Dice and freeze fatback. Dice the veal and pork. Heat oil in skillet. Sauté the onions. Combine meat, onion, and seasonings in a bowl. Mix cream and egg whites. Pour over meat. Refrigerate for a few hours.
Marinate artichokes in wine, brandy. Season with salt and pepper. Puree the meat with fatback. Add the pistachios and ham.
Grease a 5 cup mold and line top and bottom with pastry dough. Alternate forcemeat and artichokes ending with forcemeat.
Cover pâté with pastry. Brush with egg yolk.
Cut an opening in the center.
Bake at 350 degree for about an hour. When cold, fill the pate with sherry wine aspic.

• preparation

Cut each apricot into 8 slices.
In a mixing bowl, combine the unpeeled apricots, lemon juice and sugar. Cover and set aside for 12 hours.
Transfer apricot mixture to a pot, and bring to a boil. Simmer for 25 minutes.
Remove the foamy top while cooking. Remove the fruit from the syrup with a skimmer and transfer to a bowl. Set aside.
Boil the syrup until thickened. Add reserved apricots and almonds to syrup. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes while gently stirring the preserves.
Allow to cool before transfering to jars

• preparation

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese, lemon rind, lemon juice, capers, dill, mustard, and pepper until smooth. On a large sheet of wax paper, spread out the slices of salmon to form a rectangle. Spread the cream cheese mixture over the surface of the salmon.
Roll up the salmon tightly from one end, jelly roll style. Enclose in plastic wrap and refrigerate. Wash cucumber, dry and slice across into 1/4-inch slices.
Just before serving, slice the smoked salmon roll into -inch slices. Top each cucumber slice with a slice of salmon roll. Serve at once.

PRESENTATION
Serve this hors d'oeuvre on a tray. Arrange the cucumber and salmon rolls on the tray into two circles. Garnish center of tray with parsley or dill sprigs.

• preparation

In a medium saucepan, heat water and butter to a simmer. Add flour all at once and stir vigorously with a wooden spoon over low heat until mixture no longer sticks to pan and forms into a ball. Remove from heat.
Beat eggs in thoroughly, one by one until mixture is smooth. Mix in the cheese and seasonings.
Transfer cheese mixture to a mixing bowl.
Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees. Carefully fry half of the dry parsley sprigs for about 10 to 12 seconds.
Transfer to a plate on a paper towel. Repeat with remaining parsley. Season with salt.
Spoon about 5 or 6 tablespoons of the cheese mixture into the oil. Do not crowd as they double in size and self rotate while cooking. Fry for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper.
Keep beignets in a warm oven while frying the remaining. Arrange the warm cheese beignets on a platter with the fried parsley.
Serve with hot tomato basil.
Note: If served as hors d'oeuvres, fry teaspoonfuls of the cheese mixture.

• preparation

Snap off the woody ends of asparagus where they naturally break when you bend them or cut them off with a knife.

Boil water in a large pot or saucepan with steamer then reduce to simmer, add asparagus, cover with lid and steam asparagus until tender (about 8-10 minutes) *This will depend on your preference.

Use tongs to remove asparagus

In a small bowl, whisk balsamic vinegar, oil, red wine, dijon mustard, salt and pepper together.

Cover and set aside until ready to use.

Arrange cooked asparagus tomatoes on a large platter.

Sprinkle with feta cheese and parsley.


Drizzle with ½ the dressing and serve the remainder on the side *Can be served warm, room temperature or chilled.



????Variations & Substitutions
Tomatoes- you could use cherry tomatoes instead of grape tomatoes
Asparagus -you could use grilled or oven-roasted asparagus instead of steamed
Tarragon- fresh tarragon is ideal, but you can use dried
Feta cheese - you can use regular, light or fat-free feta or use goat cheese
Add-ins- you could also sprinkle on a little parmesan cheese and/or add red onions or green onion

• preparation

* Peel and cook sliced carrots until soft. Drain, and place carrot slices in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes. Puree in a mixer. The carrot puree should be thick.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Brush the interior of a 6-cup soufflé mold with the softened butter.
In a heavy saucepan heat the olive oil. Add the onions and garlic. Cook briefly while stirring, until onions are wilted. Stir in the flour and cornstarch. Add the milk. Cook while whisking until sauce becomes thick.
Tranfer the bubbly sauce to a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix in chopped basil.
Mix egg yolks, and carrot puree into the thick cream sauce. This mixture can be prepared 2 hours ahead.
Using an electric beater, whip the egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff and glossy. Do not overbeat. Gently fold into cream sauce mixture. Pour and scrape the mixture into the prepared soufflé mold.
Place on a baking sheet. Cook for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve at once.

• preparation

Crack the eggs into a medium bowl and add the milk, cream or water. Whisk until smooth and combined, with no streaks of egg white remaining.
Brush a small nonstick skillet with olive oil, or melt a little butter in a small nonstick skillet. Bring to medium heat.
Pour in the eggs, and let them cook for a few seconds without stirring. Pull a rubber spatula across the bottom of the pan to form large, soft curds of scrambled eggs.
Continue cooking over medium-low heat, folding and stirring the eggs every few seconds. Scrape the spatula along the bottom and sides of the pan often to form more curds and to prevent any part of the eggs from drying out.
Remove the pan from the heat when the eggs are mostly set, but a little liquid egg remains. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped fresh chives, if desired.

• preparation

Heat oil in a saucepan. Do not overheat place herbs in a metal bowl. Pour oil over them. Cool completely and pour oil and herbs in a large jar with a tight-fitting lid. Add garlic and herb sprigs. Add goat cheese. Marinate 3 days in the refrigerator. Remove cheese from oil and drain. Refrigerate herb oil for other uses.

In a small bowl, combine tomatoes, green onions and 2 tablespoons olive oil. Rub one side of toasts with cut garlic.
Preheat broiler. Spoon tomato mixture onto the toast slices. Arrange on a baking sheet. Place one piece of cheese on each toast.
Broil 2 minutes or until cheese starts melting.
Serve immediately. Garnish with parsley sprigs.

• preparation

Clarify butter over medium heat.
Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together in a stainless steel bowl. Place the bowl over top of a double boiler. Do not allow the bowl to touch the water as it will overcook the egg yolks. Slow, progressive heating is best when making hollandaise sauce.
Whip the yolks until they reach a creamy consistency. Remove from heat.
Slowly pour warm butter into the yolks, whipping continuously to blend. Add seasonings to taste.
The sauce will keep, covered, in a warm place for at least 30 minutes.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Butter a baking dish about 6 by 10 inches. Peel potatoes and cut into 1/4-inch slices.
Blanch potatoes in salted boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain well.
In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, garlic, milk, cream and half of the grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon into prepared dish. It should be no more than 3/4 full. Sprinkle evenly with cheese. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and gratin is golden brown.

• preparation

Steam or boil cauliflower and garlic until soft. Drain, add buttermilk, light butter, salt, pepper and purée with a hand blender or regular blender.

• preparation

Trim stalks from spinach and shred leaves finely. Place in a large bowl. Cut smoked salmon and cheese into matchstick strips.
Heat the dressing ingredients in a pot. Bring to boil. Pour hot dressing over spinach and toss well.
PRESENTATION
Divide spinach among cold salad plates. Top with salmon and cheese. Vary the amount of spinach and cheese if desired.

• preparation

Cut asparagus in halves. Discard the woody parts. Cut spears into 1-inch pieces. Cook in salted boiling water until tender, about 6 minutes. Melt butter in a skillet. Add asparagus, scallions, salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Puree mixture in a blender. Put through a strainer. Heat in a saucepan with the cream, and keep warm until needed.

• preparation

Peel and wash potatoes. Slice into 1/4-inch thick slices, then into 1/4-inch sticks. Wash thoroughly in cold water. Drain well.
Deep fry in batches at 350 degrees until potatoes are cooked, but not brown.
At serving time, increase oil temperature to 375 degrees. Fry potatoes in batches, until golden brown.Sprinkle with salt. Serve hot.

• preparation

Cut the passion fruit in halves. Remove pulp. In a large bowl, combine pulp with the boiling water. Set aside for 10 minutes. Strain the juice through a fine strainer. Add the sugar to the juice. Stir to dissolve. Add cinnamon and vanilla.
Chill the mixture before freezing in the ice cream maker. When the sorbet is thick and smooth, spoon in a decorative mold or individual molds.Freeze.
Unmold on plates.
Spoon raspberry coulis on the platter. Decorate with sliced bananas

RASPBERRY COULIS
Puree raspberries with sugar and lemon juice in a blender. Pour mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl.
Coulis keeps 2 to 3 days, covered and chilled.

• preparation

1. Place the milk and eggs in a bowl. Whisk to combine.
2. Add the butter, rum or vanilla and whisk it in.
3. Place the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl.
4. Add about ¾ – 1 cup of the liquid and mix gently to form a smooth paste.
5. Add the rest of the liquid and mix to form a smooth, watery batter. You can put it through a fine meshed strainer, and it will come out lump-free.
6. Cover the batter and let it rest for at least 20 – 30 minutes. The batter can be kept in the refrigerated for a day.
Cooking the Crepes
1. Preheat a 10-inch non-stick pan over medium heat.
2. Brush butter on the heated pan.
3. Always mix the batter first, before you make each crepe.
4. Pour ¼ cup of the batter into the hot pan, and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Swirl and spread the batter along the edge of the pan first and then fill the middle with the remaining crepe batter. Make sure the batter is as evenly spread as possible.
5. Place the pan back on the heat to let the crepe cook.
6. cook the crepes until the edges are starting to brown become a little crisp (about 40 seconds). Flip the crepes over and cook for a further 10 – 15 seconds on the other side until the crepes has turned light brown Repeat until all the batter is used up.
7. Stack the cooked crepes on a plate. Cover with film wrap when cold. When ready to use, you can warm them up gently in a frying pan withor without butter.

• preparation

Melt chocolate over a double boiler. Dissolve gelatin in cold water. If using gelatin sheets, immerse in cold water.
Cream sugar and egg yolks. Slowly pour the boiling milk over egg mixture. Pour in saucepan.
Stir with a wooden spoon over low heat until the mixture coats the back of the spoon.
Do not boil. Stir in the gelatin and melted chocolate. Strain into a bowl. Cool mixture.
Whip the heavy cream to a medium peak. Fold in the cool chocolate custard. Pour in a decorative mold. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
Unmold and serve with chocolate sauce around bavaroise.
Chocolate sauce:
combine cream and chocolate. Stir over low heat to melt. Cool

• preparation

In medium saucepan, combine apricots, sugar, water, orange and lemon juice over high heat. Bring to boil.
Reduce heat to medium; simmer, covered, 15 minutes or until apricots are very soft. Let cool slightly, then spoon into food processor; process until smooth. Cool in a mixing bowl. Freeze in an ice cream maker until firm enough to scoop. Spoon into serving bowl; garnish with mint.

• preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Butter, or spray with a non stick spray, a 9 inch (23 cm) round cake pan and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.

Sift the flour with the salt and cocoa powder.

In a heatproof bowl whisk together the eggs and sugar. Place the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisking constantly, heat the eggs and sugar until lukewarm to the touch (this will take about 5 minutes). Remove from heat and transfer the mixture to the bowl of your electric mixer. Beat on high speed (about 3-5 minutes) until the egg mixture has cooled, tripled in volume, and looks like softly whipped cream (the batter will fall back into the bowl in a ribbon-like pattern). Beat in the vanilla extract.
Then sift about one-third of the flour mixture over the whipped eggs and gently fold in using a large rubber spatula or whisk. Fold in half of the remaining flour, and then fold in the rest. (Do not over mix or the batter will deflate). Take about 1 cup of the batter and fold it into the hot butter mixture.
Then, with a spatula, gently fold the butter mixture completely into the egg batter. Pour into your prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake until the cake shrinks slightly from the edges of the pan and the top springs back when lightly pressed (about 20 - 25 minutes). (A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.) Cool on a metal rack.
When the cake has cooled completely, run a small knife around the edges to release the cake. The genoise will keep two days in the refrigerator or it can be frozen for a couple of months.

• preparation

Preheat oven at 350 degrees.
Mix cocoa in boiling water. Cool. Sift dry ingredients.
Beat soft butter with sugar. Add eggs one at the time. Add cocoa mix and flour mix to butter mixture.
Blend at low speed while alternating cocoa and flour. Mix until batter is smooth, scraping edges and bottom of bowl with a spatula.
Line the bottom of one 12-inch cake pan or 2 9-inch pans with parchment.
Grease and flour. Pour batter in mold. Bake 30 to 40 minutes until center is cooked. Cool 10 minutes. Unmold on a rack. Cut in layers.
Fill with the chocolate mousse filling recipe.