A Return to Cooking - Softcover

Ruhlman, Michael; Ripert, Eric

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1579653936 ISBN 13: 9781579653934

Publisher: Artisan, 2009

Synopsis

The greatest work by one of the world's most renowned chefs―returns in paperback.

Spontaneous meals at home with friends form the foundation of this dazzling collection of recipes that are easy enough for novices yet so inspired they could be restaurant-worthy. The result of a rare sabbatical from this famed chef's 4-star kitchen, A Return to Cooking is "an unprecedented look at the creative process of one of the world’s best chefs" (Anthony Bourdain) as Eric Ripert prepares simple meals for friends in different locations, using ingredients at hand.

Expect to be enchanted by Eric's lack of pretense and his irrepressible joie―a chef who likes American mayonnaise and alphabet pasta, but can also lecture on subjects as diverse as the power of vinaigrette and the merits of Tabasco, shallots, and coconut milk. And every bit as fascinating is the bird's-eye view of the magic that occurs when decades of cooking experience coalesce with the forces of a chef's intuition.

About this title

About the Authors

Michael Ruhlman is the author of The Elements of Cooking, The Soul of a Chef, and The Making of a Chef: Mastering Heat at the Culinary Institute of America, among others.

Eric Ripert is the co-author of the recently published On the Line: Inside the World of Le Bernardin, and chef and part-owner of Le Bernardin, awarded four stars by The New York Times, three stars by the Michelin Guide, and rated best restaurant in New York by Zagat. He is a frequent guest on such national shows as Bravo's Top Chef, Today, Charlie Rose, Martha, and Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. He has opened two new restaurants, 10 Arts in the Philadelphia Ritz-Carlton and Westend Bistro in Washington, D.C. You can watch Eric Ripert in action on his forthcoming television show Avec Eric and on his Web site, www.aveceric.com.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

SHRIMP WITH FRESH COCONUT MILK, CALABAZA, AND AVOCADO
Serves 6

THE BROTH

1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 lemongrass stalk, thinly sliced
One 1-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
1 kaffir lime leaf
3 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup coconut milk, fresh or canned
4 cilantro sprigs
Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

THE SHRIMP

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped scallion
2 tablespoons chopped ginger
2 tablespoons canola oil
36 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 medium calabaza squash (found in Latino markets; you can substitute butternut squash)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 avocado
1 lime, halved

Prep: 35 minutes -- Cook: 35 minutes

To make the broth, melt the butter in a small saute 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 350ªF. 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

Edition details

• Publisher: Artisan
• Publication date: 2009
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1579653936
• ISBN 13: 9781579653934
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 330