Traditional potato waffles — gaufrettes — are topped with pink smoked salmon fillets and garnished with caviar. They rest on a bed of tangy cream — crème fraiche seasoned with lemon juice, salt, and pepper — and grated eggs with minced chives. The combination is classic. Have everything ready; once you grate the potatoes the waffles must be cooked or the potatoes will discolor.

Serves 4

Tangy Cream
1 cup thick creme fraiche
Juice of 1 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 hard-boiled egg
1/2 bunch chives, minced

Gaufrettes
2 large potatoes
1/2 cup cream
2 egg yolks
2 eggs
1/4 cup clarified butter

4 thin smoked salmon fillets
1/4 cup caviar

8 whole chives
4 leek leaf sections (optional)

To prepare the tangy cream: Mix the creme fraiche and lemon juice in a small non-aluminum bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Shell the hard-boiled egg. Grate the white and yolk separately. Toss together with the chives and set aside.

To prepare the gaufrettes: Peel the potatoes and finely julienne them with a mandoline. Put the potato pieces into a large bowl; squeeze out the excess water and drain. Add the cream, egg yolks, and egg and mix well. Brush a hot waffle iron with clarified butter. Put a one fourth of the mixture in the waffle iron and close. Cook until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove and keep warm. Repeat to make all four gaufrettes. Alternatively, the potatoes may be shaped into cakes and fried until browned in clarified butter in a saute pan or skillet.

To serve: Fill a 5-inch ring mold with a thin layer of tangy cream. Spread a thin layer of grated egg and chives in the mold. Lift the mold. Repeat on all the plates. Place a potato waffle on each circle. Ruffle a smoked salmon fillet on top of each waffle. Make a quenelle of caviar and place on the salmon. Place two whole chives on each.

Hamachi, a farm-raised yellowfin tuna, is perfect for searing the exterior while leaving the center virtually raw. Gilmore presses herbs on the hamachi, sears them quickly, then chills the fish. She serves the sliced fish on a bed of leeks and truffles with truffle vinaigrette. The chef notes that this dish may also be made with ahi tuna.

Serves 2

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup fresh chervil leaves
2 bunches chives
8 ounces hamachi (farm-raised yellowfin tuna)
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoons clarified butter

2 cups oil
2 thinly-sliced shallots
1/2 cup flour
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 leek, blanched
1 truffle

Truffle Vinaigrette (recipe follows)

Chop the parsley, chervil, and chives together, reserving a few pieces for garnish. Season the hamachi with the salt and pepper. Press the combined chopped herbs onto the hamachi. In a medium saute pan or skillet, heat the clarified butter and sear the hamachi on all sides for about 2 minutes. Remove the hamachi and chill.

Heat the oil to 350 F in a medium saucepan. Dredge the shallots in the flour. Cook the shallots for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden. Remove the shallots with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

Chop the leek and truffle and combine. Season with salt and pepper and toss with the Truffle Vinaigrette.

To serve: Mound the leek and truffle mixture on two plates. Slice the chilled hamachi into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange 3 slices on each plate. Garnish with chervil, parsley, chives, and fried shallots. Sprinkle the plate with Truffle Vinaigrette.

Truffle Vinaigrette
1 tablespoon white truffle oil
Dash of sherry vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil

Whisk ingredients together in a medium bowl.

A lobster salad based on French techniques and exquisite ingredients makes a showstopper first course.

Serves 4

Truffle Vinaigrette
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup truffle oil
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons truffle juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 red potatoes
1/4 teaspoon saffron
1 tablespoon diced shallot
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives

Two 1-pound chicken (female) lobsters

1 large leek, white part only
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon truffle shavings

Garnish
Truffle oil
Lobster or salmon roe
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
4 fresh chervil sprigs

To make the truffle vinaigrette: In a large non-aluminum bowl, combine the oils, vinegar, and truffle juice and whisk until blended. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

To prepare the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and carve them into 1-inch diameter cylinders. Place a medium saucepan of lightly salted water over high heat and bring to a low boil. Add the saffron and stir until dissolved. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Slice the potatoes into 1/4-inch-thick medallions and place them into a small bowl with the shallots, chives, and 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.

To prepare the lobsters: Place a large stockpot of lightly salted water over high heat and bring it to a boil. Kill each lobster by using the point of a large knife to make a small incision in the back of the shell where the chest and tail meet. Place a long flat stick such as a chopstick against the underside of each lobster tail and tie it securely in place; this prohibits the tail from curling while the lobster cooks, and makes it easier to slice. Plunge the lobsters into the boiling water and cook until the shells turn bright red, 2 to 3 minutes.

Drain the lobsters and remove the strings and sticks. Let cool enough to handle. To clean the lobsters, hold the lobster over a medium plate and twist the body from the tail, shaking any roe out of the body cavity and tail section onto the plate (not all lobsters will have any coral-colored roe). Twist off the claws and large knuckles and the legs where they join the body.

Reserve the bodies, large knuckles, legs, and shells for stock. Lightly crush each tail shell with your hands and carefully remove the meat. Pull the black strip out of the tail and discard it. Slice the tail into 1/2-inch medallions. Use the back of the knife to crack the claws and remove the meat from them.

Place the lobster meat in a medium bowl and toss with the remaining vinaigrette. Place the bowl over a pan of warm water and keep warm over low heat for no more than 10 or 15 minutes.

To prepare the leeks: Cut the leek in half lengthwise and plunge into cold water to wash and clean. Drain the leek and pat very dry with paper towels, then cut the leek into very thin lengthwise strips.

In a large heavy saucepan or deep skillet, heat a 2-inch depth of oil until it reaches 360 F, or is fragrant. Drop in the leek and stir with a fork to separate the strands and keep the oil moving. Cook until crisp, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove the leek from the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels, again separating the strands with a fork. Sprinkle the leek with salt.

To serve: Add the truffle shavings to the potatoes and toss. Arrange 4 slices of potato in a circle in the center of each serving plate. Place 1 lobster medallion on each slice of potato and spoon some of the dressing on top. Mound some of the crisp leeks on top of the salad, and add the meat of 1 claw to each plate. Drizzle the plate with truffle oil and scatter some of the lobster roe or salmon roe and snipped chives around the edges. Garnish with fresh chervil.

Risotto has become a popular appetizer. Rick Tramonto spins the idea with roasted garlic mashed potatoes, adding fresh herbs and lobster to create an appetizer which is creamy with bright bits of flavor. In his restaurant he garnishes this dish with one chive and one lobster antenna; however, preparing only one lobster for four people makes that impossible. Here we suggest improvising with two chives instead.

Serves 4

1-1/2 pound lobster

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes
1-1/2 pounds potatoes
4 cloves roasted garlic, peeled
4 ounces unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cilantro-Citrus Vinaigrette
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1/2 orange
1 ounce extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon chopped mixed herbs (dill, basil, chives, tarragon, and/or thyme)
2 tablespoons salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro

2 ounces unsalted butter
1/4 cup heavy (whipping) cream
1 tablespoon chopped mixed herbs (dill, basil, chives, tarragon, and/or thyme)
8 chives
Four narrow, 3-inch-long strips orange peel

To prepare the lobster: Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Drop in the lobster, put a lid on the pot, and cook 5 minutes. Remove the lobster with tongs and plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Let cool, then remove the tail and claw shells. Divide the tail flipper shells into four small segments and reserve. Remove the black strip from the back of the tail meat. Cut the tail meat into 1-inch chunks; cut the claws in half. Keep chilled until ready to use.

To prepare the potatoes: Peel the potatoes and cut into uniform pieces. Bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, 12 to 18 minutes depending on size. Drain. Put the hot potatoes in the bowl of a mixer with the garlic, butter, and cream. Mash on low speed with a paddle attachment. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If necessary, press through a food mill for smooth texture. You should have about two cups. Keep warm.

To prepare the vinaigrette: Whisk the ingredients together in a non-aluminum dish until emulsified.

To serve: Place four pieces of lobster meat in hot water to warm them. In a saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the cream. Add the mashed potatoes and remaining lobster meat and gently stir to combine. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper as necessary. Fold in the mixed herbs. Remove the reserved lobster meat from the hot water and blot to dry. Mound the mixture in four stemmed glassed and garnish each with a piece of the warmed lobster meat. Stand two chives and one lobster tail flipper segment in each. Tie each orange peel strip in a loose knot and place one in each glass. Drizzle a little vinaigrette over the top of each.

Fish and mashed potatoes are transformed by Chef Bernard Loiseau. Lemony vinaigrette enlivens tiny scoops of mashed potato beside golden whole sole which in turn are basted with chive vinaigrette. Goose fat adds a luxe touch to the fish; the simple finish is a sprinkle of fleur de sel and a few grindings of pepper.

Serves 4

1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 2 lemons
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup mashed potatoes
1 shallot, minced

4 whole sole fish, about 1 pound each, cleaned
2 tablespoons goose fat
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Flour for dusting
1/2 bunch chives, minced
Fleur de sel
Black pepper

Make a vinaigrette of the olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper by blending them together well. Warm the mashed potatoes and combine with the shallots and one third of the vinaigrette. Set aside; keep warm.

Clean the fish and scale the white side. In two large non-stick skillets, melt the goose fat. Season the fish with salt and pepper and dust lightly with flour. Cook the fish in the hot fat for three minutes per side, until the light side is golden and the fish flakes easily. Remove them from the pan, keeping each in one piece, and remove the skin from the dark side.

To serve: Place a sole on each plate. Add the chives to the reserved vinaigrette and spoon vinaigrette beside the fish on each plate. Place three small scoops of mashed potatoes beside each fish. Baste the fish with more vinaigrette and sprinkle them with crystals of fleur de sel. Grind a little fresh pepper over each sole.

Salmon Carpaccio
Ramiro Rodriguez Pardo
Restaurant Catalinas
Buenos Aires, Argentina

It´s easy to see why this beautiful array of crisp greens topped with salmon and shrimp carpaccio is so popular at Restaurant Catalinas. Healthy, low in calories, and full of fresh sea flavor, it is the perfect beginning for any lovely dinner. The nice thing is that you can prepare and set aside the salad plates ahead of time, and pack the carpaccio in molds and refrigerate them. At the last minute, turn out the molds, add the lemon slices and chives, garnish the tops, and you´re ready to serve.

Serves 4

Greens

• 32 – inner leaves of endive
• 20 arugula leaves
• 28 spinach leaves
• 20 dark red lettuce leaves
• 32 whole chives

1-3/4 pounds fresh salmon fillet, skin and bones removed

• 1 pound fresh shrimp, shelled and cleaned
• Juice of 4 lemons
• 2 – fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 4 sprigs fresh dill, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of grated fresh gingerroot
• 20 to 24 fresh chives, minced
• 1 cup olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 lemon

To prepare the greens: Wash green leaves thoroughly and pat dry. – Set aside on a paper towels.

Cut the shrimp and the salmon fillet into small square pieces, about 1/4-inch. Put them into a chilled bowl with the lemon juice. Add the tomato, dill, freshly grated ginger, and half of the minced chives. Toss to blend. Stir in the half of the olive oil and season with salt, and pepper. Stir in more olive oil, a little at a time, until the mixture holds its shape well. Taste; adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour in the refrigerator.

To serve: Cut the lemon into quarters, then cut each quarter in half. Set aside 8 of the smallest spinach leaves.

Arrange 8 endive leaves in a radial design in the center of each plate. Building up the radial design, arrange 5 arugula, spinach, and red lettuce leaves over the endive on each plate. Pack chilled carpaccio into a 2-1/2-inch mold or small bowl. Turn out the mold in the center of the greens on one plate. Repeat with the other plates. Garnish each salad with 2 slices of the lemon. Top each mold with a sprinkling of the reserved chopped chives and stand two of the reserved small spinach leaves in each. Insert the heavy end of 8 whole chives into the base of the mold on each plate, creating a radial design.

In the words of the chef, voila! Sit and enjoy yourself!