Crustless Mini-Quiche

• egg: 1
• egg white: 1
• milk, skim: 1/8 cup
  
• cheddar cheese, shredded: 1/8 cup
• mozzarella cheese, shredded: 1/8 cup
• broccoli, chopped: 1/4 cup
• tomato, plum sliced: 1
• Parmesan cheese, grated: garnish

8th of a cup is odd, but this is scaled down to a single serving. Whisk together the egg, egg white, and milk. Add both cheeses and the broccoli and whisk to form a consistent mixture. Pour the mixture into a buttered 8 oz. ramekin and gently top with plum tomato slices. Sprinkle the whole mess with some Parmesan cheese. Toss into a toaster oven for 40-50 minutes at 350º or until everything's firm, brown, and fluffy.

Peruvian Ceviche

• red pepper: 1
  
• tomatoes: 3
  
• red onion, large: 1
  
• white fish , 1 kg
  
• garlic: 2 cloves
• coriander, fresh: 1 bunch
• lettuce, romaine: 1 head
  
• limes: 5-6
• lemon: 1

1. Cut the fish into small pieces, chop the garlic very finely.
2. Leave the fish to marinate in the lemon, lime, and garlic about 40 mins.
3. Meanwhile, finely chop the coriander and cut the onion and red pepper into thin strips.
4. After the initial 40 mins, add the coriander, etc. to the marinade and leave for another 40 mins.
5. Plate over lettuce
   

Creme Brulee

• heavy cream: 1 quart
  
• vanilla bean: 1
• vanilla sugar: 1 cup
  
• egg yolks, large: 6
  
• hot water: 2 quarts

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Place the cream, vanilla bean and its pulp into a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, cover and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Remove the vanilla bean and reserve for another use.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup sugar and the egg yolks until well blended and it just starts to lighten in color. Add the cream a little at a time, stirring continually. Pour the liquid into 6 (7 to 8-ounce) ramekins. Place the ramekins into a large cake pan or roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake just until the creme brulee is set, but still trembling in the center, approximately 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the ramekins from the roasting pan and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

Remove the creme brulee from the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes prior to browning the sugar on top. Divide the remaining 1/2 cup vanilla sugar equally among the 6 dishes and spread evenly on top. Using a torch, melt the sugar and form a crispy top. Allow the creme brulee to sit for at least 5 minutes before serving.

Asparagus Morel Risotto

• chicken stock: 5 cups
• asparagus stalks: 3/4 lb
• morels: 1/2 lb
• olive oil: 2 tbsp
• butter: 1 tbsp
• onion, diced: 1/4 cup
• Arborio rice: 2 cups
• Parmesan cheese, grated: 3/4 cup
• parsley: 1 tbsp
• salt & pepper

1. In a heavy saucepan, bring the stock to a slow, steady simmer over moderate heat. Lower the heat and maintain the simmer.
2. Cut the asparagus tips to 1-inch and set aside. Cut the remaining asparagus into 1/2-inch pieces.
3. Trim the stems from the morels and reserve them for another use (in stocks or soups). Brush any debris from the morels and, if they are very large, cut them in half.
4. Heat the oil and butter in a heavy-bottomed, broad, medium saucepan over moderately-high heat. Stir in the onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until translucent. Add the asparagus stalks and the morels and sauté for about 1 minute, or until they are well-coated with the fat. Add the rice and sauté for a few
   minutes to thoroughly coat the grains with the fat.
5. Add 1 cup of the simmering stock and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until all of the liquid has been absorbed by the rice, about 5 minutes. As each addition is absorbed, continue stirring and adding stock, 1/2 cup at a time, until the rice is tender but still al dente. You should begin tasting the rice after it has cooked for about 20 minutes. Just before the rice is ready, stir in the reserved asparagus tips, 1/2 cup of the cheese and the parsley. Season with salt and pepper.

Tom Kha Soup

• chicken stock: 16 oz.
• lemongrass: 4 two inch pieces
• ginger, galangal: 1 inch sliced thin
• fish sauce: 2 tbsp
• lime juice: 2 tbsp
• chicken breast: 4 oz
• coconut milk: 5 oz
• cilantro: garnish
• mushrooms: 8 oz
  

Heat the stock, add the lemongrass, ginger, fish sauce, and lime juice. Stir thoroughly.
Bring to a boil and add the chicken, mushrooms, and coconut milk. Bring back to the boil.
Lower the heat to keep it simmering and cook for about 2 minutes (until the chicken is cooked through).
Enjoy!

Bacon Wrapped Scallops with Fried Sage and Brie Cream Sauce

• heavy cream: 1 quart
  
• bacon: 12
  
• olive oil: 2 tbs
• scallops: 12
  
• Brie cheese: 8 oz
  
• salt 1 1/2 tsp
• white pepper: 3/4 tsp
  
• nutmeg: 1/2 tsp
  
• peanut oil: 1 cup
  
• sage leaves: 1 cup

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a 2-quart saucepan reduce the cream by 1/2, skimming the foam off the top. Be careful not to let the cream bubble over the sides.

Meanwhile, lay the bacon on a cookie sheet and place in the oven for 3 to 5 minutes just to slightly render some of the fat. Remove the bacon from the oven and let cool. Once the bacon is cool, wrap each scallop with 1 piece of bacon, using toothpicks to fasten the bacon to the scallops. Season the scallops with 1 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the white pepper. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch saute pan until hot, then add half of the scallops to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove them from the pan and place them on a baking sheet. Repeat this process with the remaining scallops, then transfer the baking sheet to the oven until the scallops are just cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove the rind from the brie and cut into small pieces. Add the brie to the hot cream and whisk until melted. Season the sauce with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper and the nutmeg. If necessary, strain the sauce through a fine mesh sieve.

In a small saucepan, heat the peanut oil to fry the sage leaves. Gently drop the leaves into the hot oil removing them to paper towel once they look slightly translucent, about 30 to 45 seconds. Drain briefly on paper towels before serving.

Serve the scallops on small appetizer plates with the Brie cream drizzled around the edges and garnished with the crispy sage leaves.

Whole Wheat Rolls with Chive Butter

Rolls

• warm low-fat milk: 1 1/2 cups
• sugar: 1/4 cup
• melted unsalted butter: 1/4 cup
  
• canola oil: 1/4 cup
• large eggs, divided: 3
  
• quick-rising yeast: about 2 1/4 teaspoons
• whole-wheat flour: 3 cups
• cake flour: 2 cups
  
• salt: 1 1/4 tsp
• wheat germ: 2 tbsp

Butter

• butter, softened: 2 tbsp
  
• chives, fresh / minced: 1 tbsp
  
• black pepper: pinch

Whisk milk, sugar, butter, oil and 2 eggs in a large bowl. Whisk yeast, whole-wheat flour, 1 1/2 cups cake flour and salt in a medium bowl. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a wooden spoon. The dough will be very sticky.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup cake flour on a work surface. Turn out the dough onto it and knead until all the flour is incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Coat a large bowl with cooking spray. Transfer the dough to the bowl, coat the top with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature (about 70°F) until doubled in volume, 1 1/4-2 hours.

Coat a 9-by-13-inch metal baking pan with cooking spray. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface; pat into a rough 7-by-10-inch rectangle. Cut lengthwise into 4 equal strips using a bench knife or butter knife. Then cut each strip crosswise into 6 equal portions. (Each portion will weigh 1 1/4-1 1/2 ounces.)

Working with one portion of dough at a time, gather and pinch the edges together, shaping the dough into a rough ball. The spot where the edges come together is the bottom of the ball. Place each ball, bottom down, on a clean work surface. With a slightly cupped hand, move the ball around in a circular motion, keeping the bottom in place while tucking the loose edges into it and stretching the surface of the dough tight. (If the outer skin breaks, set the roll aside and let it rest while rounding the remaining rolls. Reroll once the dough relaxes.) Arrange the rolls in the prepared pan. Cover with plastic wrap. (If following make-ahead instructions, refrigerate the rolls now.)

Let the rolls rise at room temperature until almost doubled in size, about 1 1/4 hours.

Preheat oven to 400°F. Whisk the remaining egg in a small bowl, and brush the tops of the rolls with it (you'll have some left over); sprinkle with wheat germ. Bake the rolls until light brown on top, about 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine butter, chives, and black pepper. Mix well to combine. Serve with rolls.