With its spicy filling, delicate corn pasta, and creamy sauce, this dish — a Southwestern version of pasta Alfredo — will wow guests. If you’ve ever made ravioli, the recipe will be a new twist on an old procedure. If you haven’t tried it before, this is a good place to start, as there is no substitute for the corn ravioli that you can purchase. You will need a pasta-rolling machine. The ravioli can be prepared up to a day in advance and kept refrigerated before cooking. The sauce can be made ahead, but it should be reheated very slowly in the top of a double boiler; you do not want the butter to “break” from the sauce. The chili puree will last up to a week if kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator.

Serves 6

Chorizo Filling
1/2 pound lean pork, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1/4 pound lean beef, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 small garlic clove, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons ground ancho or New Mexican chili (substitute: commercial chili powder, deleting the cumin from the recipe)
1/8 teaspoon ground arbol chili or cayenne
Pinch of ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sea salt ) or 1/2 teaspoon table salt)
2 to 3 cups water

Pasta
1/2 cup masa harina, or 1/2 to 2/3 cup finely ground corn flour (not cornmeal)
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons water
Semolina

Sauce
1-1/2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
3 ounces fresh goat cheese
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

Chili Puree
16 dried ancho chilies

To prepare the chorizo filling: Finely chop the meats in separate batches in a meat grinder or food processor, pulsing so that the meat is chopped, not pureed. This can be done most easily if the cubes of meat are chilled for 30 minutes in the freezer.

Heat the oil in a saute pan or skillet over medium heat and add the chopped meats. Break up with a wooden spoon; do not brown the meat. Add the garlic, dried spices, and salt and stir well. Then add 1 cup of the water and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer gently 1-1/2 to 2 hours, adding water as needed. At the end of the cooking time, the mixture should not be wet, and it should be simmering in its own fat. Scrape the mixture into a blender or food processor and puree to a smooth paste. You should have about 1-3/4 cups. Set aside to cool.

To prepare the pasta: Combine the corn flour, all-purpose flour, and the pinch of salt on a work surface and mix well. Form into a mount and make a wide crater in the top. Break the eggs into the crater, add the olive oil and water, and mix together with one hand, keeping the other hand clean. When the dough pulls together, sprinkle the work surface with a little semolina flour using your clean hand. Now put both hands to work: knead the dough for several minutes, until it is smooth and elastic. Form into a mound, wrap in plastic wrap, and let rest in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before rolling.

Unwrap the dough and divide into four parts. Roll each through a pasta machine, ending with the lowest (thinnest) setting. Once the pasta sheets have been rolled, dust them with semolina so they will not stick together. Place half the sheets on a work surface. Place small mounds of filling, one inch apart, along each sheet. Moisten the dough with water and top with the remaining sheets. Seal well by pressing down all around each mound of filling, then cut out in circles with a crinkle cutter. Set aside.

To make the sauce: Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the goat cheese in small lumps until melted, and remove from the heat. Whisk until smooth, then whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time. Set aside; keep warm.

To make the chili puree: Scrub the chilies under running water and place in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the chilies with a slotted spoon, reserving the liquid. Puree the chilies, adding about 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid to make a smooth, thin paste. Put in a squeeze bottle and set aside.

To finish the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the ravioli and cook 1-1/2 to 2 minutes, or until the ravioli float to the surface. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on towels.

To serve: Pool sauce in the plates. Divide the ravioli among the plates, arranging them attractively. Scribble chili puree over the pasta in an attractive design.

The combination of colors and flavors is tantalizing, and the dish is so easy to do. In place of live lobsters, you could use lobster tails or even jumbo shrimp or lump crab meat. Note that the lobsters may be cooked and the relishes made up to a day in advance and kept refrigerated. While this recipe serves 6 as an appetizer, you could use it as an entree by making only four, larger tacos.

Serves 6

Lobster
Court bouillon or salted water
Four live 1-pound lobsters

Yellow Tomato Salsa
2 pints yellow cherry tomatoes (red may be substituted)
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 serrano chilies, seeded and minced
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

Jicama Salad
1 small jicama, peeled
1 small red bell pepper, seeded
1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded
1 carrot, peeled
1 small zucchini
6 tablespoons peanut oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Salt and cayenne to taste

To finish the dish
3 tablespoons oil
6 flour tortillas
1 cup grated jalapeno jack cheese
1 cup shredded spinach leaves

12 small cilantro sprigs

Bring the court bouillon or salted water to a boil in a large stockpot. Add the lobsters, cover the pot, and bring the liquid back to a boil over high heat. When it returns to a boil, cook the lobsters for 7 minutes. Remove from the water and, when cool enough to handle, remove all the meat from the lobsters, cutting the tail sections into medallions and the claw meat into large dice. Set aside.

To make the salsa: Grind the yellow tomatoes in a meat grinder, or pulse in a food processor or blender, leaving a little texture. Mix all ingredients except the maple syrup into the tomatoes, then add the syrup if the mixture needs a little sweetening. Allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving to blend the flavors.

To make the jicama salad: Cut the jicama, peppers, and carrot into fine julienne. Peel the zucchini and cut the peel into fine julienne, reserving the flesh for another use. Mix the oil, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne and toss with the salad. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To finish the dish: Preheat the oven to 350 F. Place the tortillas, wrapped in aluminum foil, in the oven for 10 minutes, until hot. Heat the oil in a small skillet and briefly saute the lobster meat to heat it, about 3 minutes over medium heat.

Spoon lobster meat into the middle of a heated tortilla. Divide the cheese and spinach between the tortillas and wrap each into a tight cylinder.

To serve: Place a taco on each warmed plate. Spoon tomato salsa on either side of each taco. Arrange a small bundle of jicama salad on either side of each taco, positioning them diagonally opposite one another. Garnish with sprigs of cilantro.

Andrea Apuzzo’s Stuffed Capon is authentically Italian — just like Andrea (that’s pronounced An-DRAY-ah) himself. He serves it with his tortellini; recipes for the capon, stuffing, sauce, tortellini, and tortellini stuffing follow. This dish can turn any day into a holiday.

Serves 8

1 capon, approximately 5 pounds

Stuffing
1/2 pound chicken livers
1/2 pound pork loin, cubed
10 ounces bulk Italian sausage
2 ounces Pancetta (Italian bacon), roughly chopped (substitute: bacon)
1/2 pound boneless chicken breast, skinned and roughly chopped
1 bunch Italian parsley, roughly chopped
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 clove garlic
3 slices white bread, crusts removed
1 teaspoon chopped marjoram
Pinch of fresh rosemary
1 egg
2 ounces Vecchia Romagna (Italian brandy)
1 ounce Marsala wine
3 ounces dry vermouth
2 ounces olive oil

Sauce
1 carrot
1 garlic clove
1 small onion
2 celery stalks, strings removed
1 fresh sage leaf
1 rosemary sprig, stemmed
2 bay leaves
2 ounces vegetable oil
Capon bones (reserved from above)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 ounces dry white wine
1 tablespoon flour
2 cups chicken stock
1 quart water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Tortellini
1 pound semolina or all-purpose flour
4 eggs
1/4 teaspoon olive oil
Pinch of salt
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground beef
2 carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 small onion, finely diced
2 stalks celery, strings removed, finely diced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon Ricotta cheese
1/2 pound Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Pinch of ground nutmeg
Pinch of oregano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh basil (or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil)
Egg wash: 1 egg, mixed slightly with 1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces unsalted butter
2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or 1/2 teaspoon dried sage)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

To debone the capon: Boning the capon is tricky and must be done while leaving the bird whole for stuffing. Begin by chopping off the wing tips, leaving only the drummettes. Next, working inside the tail cavity of the capon, run a knife between the backbone and the flesh, peeling the meat back as you cut. Follow close to the bone and be careful not to pierce the skin. Small tears can be patched with pork fat during roasting. Turn the capon over and bone the breast in the same manner, scraping and slicing the meat away from the bone. Working inside the neck cavity, bone the wishbone-wing structure. Pull out the carcass, then bone the thighs. Leave in the drumstick bones. Set the bones, giblets, and neck aside for the sauce.

To make the stuffing: Combine the chicken liver, pork loin, sausage, Pancetta, chicken breast, parsley, Parmesan, onion, garlic, bread, marjoram, and rosemary. Run the mixture through a food grinder with a coarse blade, then add the egg, brandy, Marsala, and vermouth. Season with salt and pepper.

To roast the capon: Preheat the oven to 400 F. Fill the cavity of the capon with the stuffing and sew the opening closed. Truss the wings together. To hold the shape of the bird during roasting, secure crosswise with string three times. Heat 2 ounces of olive oil in the roasting pan. Set the stuffed capon in the pan, breast side up, and cover the wing tips with foil. Roast at 400 F for 30 minutes, then lower the temperature to 325 F and roast for 2 hours, or to an internal temperature of 180 F. Baste with pan drippings every 15 minutes.

To make the sauce: Cut the carrot, garlic, onion, and celery into fine dice. Mince the sage, rosemary leaves, and bay leaves. Combine to form a mirepoix. Chop the bones and carcass. Brown in the vegetable oil in a pot on top of the stove. Add the mirepoix and cook until lightly browned. Stir in the tomato paste and white wine. Bring to a boil and reduce by one-fourth in volume. Sprinkle in the flour. Stir in the chicken stock and 1 quart of water. Season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 1 hour and 15 minutes. Strain and reduce by half.

Make a mound of the flour, then create a well in the top. Break the eggs into the well. Add the olive oil and salt. Gently work the liquid ingredients into the flour, adding a few drops of water as necessary. Knead the dough until it forms a smooth elastic ball, adding more water or flour as necessary. Sprinkle the dough with all-purpose flour, cover with a slightly damp towel, and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

To make the filling for the tortellini, place the veal, beef, carrots, onion, celery, tomato paste, cheeses, nutmeg, oregano, and basil in a food processor. Pulse the machine just until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Set aside while rolling the pasta.

Cut the ball of dough into 4 or 5 small pieces. Feed each piece through a pasta machine, starting at the thickest setting, according to manufacturer’s directions. Dust with flour and re-roll the strip several times, adjusting the machine to form very thin sheets of pasta. Cut into 2-3/4-inch rounds with a cookie cutter or biscuit cutter. Brush the pasta with the egg wash and place a scant teaspoon of filling in the center of each. Fold the circles in half and press along the edge to seal. Form into the traditional shape by folding the pasta around your finger like a ring, overlapping the ends. Press the ends together, flipping up the edges like a hat brim. Place on a tray dusted with flour.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Put the tortellini in the water and cook 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the water. Melt the butter in a large saute pan and add the tortellini, Parmesan cheese, sage, and pasta cooking water. Season with salt and pepper and toss to coat.

To serve: Remove the roast capon from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before slicing. Stir the pan drippings into the sauce. Serve slices of capon on a pool of sauce accompanied by tortellini. Garnish with fresh sage and rosemary.

Arranged on a platter, jade-colored shrimp are surrounded by fluffy egg whites and a circle of tomato slices. Read through the recipe carefully; there are unusual techniques, and it’s better to avoid surprises. Nothing is difficult — but this is probably the first time you have ever used spinach to create a foam to dye shrimp!

Serves 4 to 6

12 ounces medium shrimp, tail flippers on, peeled, deveined, and butterflied
1 pound fresh spinach, stemmed
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 egg white plus 4 well-beaten egg whites
Approximately 3-1/4 cups vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1 tablespoon rice wine (substitute: dry sherry)
2 ounces smoked ham, 1/4 inch thick, cut into small pieces
3 green onions, white part only, cut on the diagonal into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon sesame seed oil
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
1 large tomato, thinly sliced

Arrange the butterflied shrimp in rows on a cloth towel. Roll the towel tightly, jelly-roll style, so that the shrimp are flattened inside. Chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

Place the spinach leaves through the feed tube of a food processor with the machine running. When pureed, transfer to a cloth (not terry) towel. Wring the towel so the juice is extracted from the puree, catching the juice. Reserve the juice and discard the spinach. Bring the juice to a boil in a wok or saucepan. Skim off the foam that floats to the surface and place it in a coffee filter positioned over a strainer. Unwrap the shrimp and place in a small mixing bowl.

When most of the liquid has drained out, add the foam to the shrimp and toss. Cover and refrigerate for about 20 minutes so that the green color permeates the shrimp.

Put the shrimp in 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 egg white, 1 teaspoon of the vegetable oil, and a dash each of salt and white pepper and marinate for at least 30 minutes, covered and refrigerated.

Season the remaining egg whites with a sprinkling of salt and white pepper. Add 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 1 tablespoon water.

Heat 3 cups of the oil to 375 F in a wok. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until three-quarters done. Gently pour the beaten egg whites around the shrimp in the wok and continue to cook, stirring in a swirling motion, until firm and fluffy. Remove the mixture from the pan and drain.

Clean and reheat the wok with 2 tablespoons oil. Add the garlic, ginger, rice wine, ham, green onions, chicken stock, 1 teaspoon cornstarch dissolved in 4 tablespoons water, sesame seed oil, sugar, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and a dash of white pepper. Stir until smooth.

Return the shrimp and egg whites to the pan and toss. Serve on a platter garnished with sliced tomatoes.

This is a delicious mixture of shellfish, flavored with herbs and served with a fresh tomato sauce that carries a kick. By using a Japanese-style mandoline and cutting the zucchini lengthwise into very narrow strips, Chef Morisset creates zucchini “spaghetti” to mix with the seafood. With the exception of the sauce, all the items are sauteed at the last minute and combined. You can vary the seafood depending upon what is fresh locally.

Serves 4

Tomato Sauce
6 to 8 tomatoes, stems removed, quartered
1/2 packet unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
8 drops Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

4 zucchini
8 large shrimp or prawns
8 small langoustines, or rock lobster tails
16 tiny squid
1-1/4 cups olive oil
24 small clams
1 sprig thyme
1 garlic clove, crushed
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
Juice of 2 lemons
4 basil leaves, cut in chiffonade (narrow strips)

Garnish
12 chives
4 parsley sprigs
4 basil sprigs

To make the sauce: Puree the tomatoes in a food processor. Pour through a strainer into a bowl. The juice will be light in color; it will darken as it sits. Dissolve the gelatin in the cold water. Warm the gelatin over low heat until it melts. Add a large spoonful of tomato juice to the gelatin, then stir the gelatin into the bowl of tomato juice. Whisk in the Tabasco, celery salt, and sea salt. Add the vinegar and whisk gently to blend. Let the sauce come to room temperature to prevent separating, then place the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice to chill the sauce.

To prepare the zucchini and seafood: Using a Japanese-style mandoline, cut the zucchini lengthwise into long, spaghetti-like strips. Peel the shrimp and butterfly them, removing the back strip; leave the tails attached. Remove the tails from the langoustines and take the meat out of the shell. Separate the tentacles and bodies of the squid. Pull off the skin; pull out the quill in the body.

Heat 1 cup of the olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add the clams. Cook 1 minute, shaking the pan slightly as they cook. Add the thyme sprig and garlic clove and set aside off the heat for 1 minute. Discard any which do not open. Put the zucchini strips in a large saute pan or skillet. Pour the clam cooking juice over the zucchini and toss. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Put over medium heat and cook until the zucchini begins to soften, about 1 minute, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to keep the zucchini from sticking. Add the basil chiffonade and toss. Set aside off the heat.

Using the remaining olive oil as needed, saute the shrimp and langoustine tails over medium-high heat until opaque throughout, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Put the squid tentacles and cleaned bodies in a dry non-stick saute pan or skillet and place over medium-high heat. Keep shaking the pan so that the pieces move about as they cook. They will very quickly firm up and become opaque; as soon as they do, remove from heat. This takes place within 1 minute.

To serve: Take the clams out of their shells, reserving 4 in the shell. Slice the shrimp diagonally into large pieces, reserving 4 whole. Slice the langoustine tails diagonally into bite-sized pieces. Set aside 4 squid pieces. Toss the remaining squid pieces, zucchini, clams, sliced shrimp, and langoustine pieces together.

Place a 5-inch ring mold in the center of each serving plate. Pack with the zucchini-seafood mixture. Remove the rings. Place a whole shrimp, clam, and piece of squid on top of the zucchini mixture. Stand 3 chives in each, and garnish each with a parsley sprig and a basil sprig. Ring the zucchini mixture with tomato sauce.

This is a delicious mixture of shellfish, flavored with herbs and served with a fresh tomato sauce that carries a kick. By using a Japanese-style mandoline and cutting the zucchini lengthwise into very narrow strips, Chef Morisset creates zucchini “spaghetti” to mix with the seafood. With the exception of the sauce, all the items are sauteed at the last minute and combined. You can vary the seafood depending upon what is fresh locally.

Serves 4

Tomato Sauce
6 to 8 tomatoes, stems removed, quartered
1/2 packet unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
8 drops Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce
1 teaspoon celery salt
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar

4 zucchini
8 large shrimp or prawns
8 small langoustines, or rock lobster tails
16 tiny squid
1-1/4 cups olive oil
24 small clams
1 sprig thyme
1 garlic clove, crushed
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
Juice of 2 lemons
4 basil leaves, cut in chiffonade (narrow strips)

Garnish
12 chives
4 parsley sprigs
4 basil sprigs

To make the sauce: Puree the tomatoes in a food processor. Pour through a strainer into a bowl. The juice will be light in color; it will darken as it sits. Dissolve the gelatin in the cold water. Warm the gelatin over low heat until it melts. Add a large spoonful of tomato juice to the gelatin, then stir the gelatin into the bowl of tomato juice. Whisk in the Tabasco, celery salt, and sea salt. Add the vinegar and whisk gently to blend. Let the sauce come to room temperature to prevent separating, then place the bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice to chill the sauce.

To prepare the zucchini and seafood: Using a Japanese-style mandoline, cut the zucchini lengthwise into long, spaghetti-like strips. Peel the shrimp and butterfly them, removing the back strip; leave the tails attached. Remove the tails from the langoustines and take the meat out of the shell. Separate the tentacles and bodies of the squid. Pull off the skin; pull out the quill in the body.

Heat 1 cup of the olive oil in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat and add the clams. Cook 1 minute, shaking the pan slightly as they cook. Add the thyme sprig and garlic clove and set aside off the heat for 1 minute. Discard any which do not open. Put the zucchini strips in a large saute pan or skillet. Pour the clam cooking juice over the zucchini and toss. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Put over medium heat and cook until the zucchini begins to soften, about 1 minute, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon to keep the zucchini from sticking. Add the basil chiffonade and toss. Set aside off the heat.

Using the remaining olive oil as needed, saute the shrimp and langoustine tails over medium-high heat until opaque throughout, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper. Put the squid tentacles and cleaned bodies in a dry non-stick saute pan or skillet and place over medium-high heat. Keep shaking the pan so that the pieces move about as they cook. They will very quickly firm up and become opaque; as soon as they do, remove from heat. This takes place within 1 minute.

To serve: Take the clams out of their shells, reserving 4 in the shell. Slice the shrimp diagonally into large pieces, reserving 4 whole. Slice the langoustine tails diagonally into bite-sized pieces. Set aside 4 squid pieces. Toss the remaining squid pieces, zucchini, clams, sliced shrimp, and langoustine pieces together.

Place a 5-inch ring mold in the center of each serving plate. Pack with the zucchini-seafood mixture. Remove the rings. Place a whole shrimp, clam, and piece of squid on top of the zucchini mixture. Stand 3 chives in each, and garnish each with a parsley sprig and a basil sprig. Ring the zucchini mixture with tomato sauce.

Every ounce of flavor is magnified and brought to the plate in this elegant dinner of pigeon with truffled mashed potatoes and baby vegetables. Even after the sauce is cooked and the pigeon carved, the bones are used to get just a little more flavor in the pigeon jus. Read through the recipe carefully; there are many steps, and keeping everything warm for service will be a challenge.

Serves 2

1 pigeon (squab) from Dartagnan, or other first-quality pigeon
1 thyme sprig
1 bay leaf
1 garlic cloves slightly crushed
2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 small white cabbage
1 strip of bacon
1/2 small onion, minced
1 teaspoon duck fat
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 baked potato, still hot
2 tablespoons white truffle butter
1/2 ounce white truffle oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 ounce white truffle julienne
Freshly grated white truffle

Pigeon Jus
Giblets, wings, and neck (above)
1/2 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, slightly crushed
1/2 carrot, chopped
4 thyme sprigs
1/2 tomato, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
Pigeon bones (above)

Sauteed Mushrooms
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 chanterelles, sliced
1 bunch enoki
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 teaspoon mixed minced fine herbs

Vegetable Accompaniment
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup fresh peas, blanched
1/2 cup fava beans, blanched and peeled
6 baby carrots, peeled and blanched
6 stalks pencil asparagus, blanched
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon mixed minced fine herbs

To prepare the pigeon: Cut off the wings and reserve. Remove the neck and giblet and reserve. Wrap the liver and chill or freeze; use another time to make pate. Wash out the cavity well. Insert the thyme, bay leaf, and garlic into the cavity. Truss the pigeon with white cotton kitchen twine and set aside.

To prepare the cabbage: Cut the cabbage into four quarters. Remove the core and discard. Separate the cabbage into leaves. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil and blanch the leaves just until softened. Drain, then plunge into ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again well.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Saute the bacon in a medium ovenproof saute pan over medium heat to render the fat. Add the onions and cook over medium heat until softened and translucent. Add the cabbage leaves and toss gently to coat. Cut a circle of parchment paper or waxed paper to fit the top of the pan and place it over the vegetables. Place in the oven and braise for 6 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and place the cabbage in a warmed bowl. Cover with the parchment and set aside; keep warm.

To prepare the potato: Cut the potato in two horizontally. Scoop out the flesh, reserving both the flesh and the skin. Place the flesh in a heatproof bowl and place a disc of parchment paper over the top; place the skin on a heatproof dish and cover with a disc of parchment. Keep the bowl and plate close to a heat source, such as the top of the stove, to keep the potato and skin warm.

To prepare the pigeon jus: Heat a heatproof saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the pigeon giblets, wings, and neck and let them sweat in the bottom of the pan, building a layer of caramelized juices in the bottom. Add the onions, garlic, and carrot and cook until they are softened slightly. Add the thyme sprigs and tomatoes and cook until the tomatoes are soft. Add the wine and stir up the browned glaze from the bottom. Reduce until nearly all liquid is gone. Add water to just cover the bones and cook until reduced by three-fourths in volume. Adjust the seasoning and keep warm.

To cook the pigeon: Preheat the oven to 500 F., or highest setting. Season the pigeon with salt and pepper. Place the pigeon in a baking pan and top each with 2 tablespoons of butter. Cook for 7 to 9 minutes, depending on oven temperature; about half way through the cooking, baste the pigeon with pan juices. Remove from the oven and set aside, keeping the pigeon warm.

To finish the potatoes and cabbage: Place the white truffle butter, truffle oil, and potato flesh in a saucepan over medium heat. Mash together with a fork. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Continue mashing until the potato is smooth and fully buttered. Fold the truffle julienne into the mashed potato. Heat the duck fat in a non-stick saute pan and saute the cabbage to warm it; season to taste with salt and pepper, drain on paper towels, and set aside.

To prepare the mushrooms: Melt the butter in a medium saute pan or skillet. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat. Saute until lightly browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and fine herbs. Set aside.

To finish the vegetables: Melt one tablespoon of the butter in each of four small saute pans over medium heat. Put each vegetable in a separate saute pan and toss to coat with butter. Cook 2 to 3 minutes, tossing occasionally, until hot. Spread on paper towels to drain.

To finish and serve: Carve the pigeon, removing first the legs, then the breasts. Season the inside of the breast meat lightly. Adjust the degree of doneness to individual taste by cooking longer if necessary. Place the legs on a broiler pan and broil briefly to heat through and brown. Slice the breast meat diagonally into thin slices.

Crush the bones of the carcasses and put into the pigeon jus. Bring to a boil, then strain through a fine-meshed sieve, pressing the solids to extract all the flavor.

Cut the potato skin into two 2-inch circles.

Place a circle of cabbage on each warmed serving plate. Arrange the pigeon breasts over the cabbage. Place a pigeon leg at the 4 o´clock position on each plate. Put a disc of potato skin above the pigeon and cabbage on each plate. Sprinkle lightly with salt and top with truffle mashed potatoes. Sprinkle grated truffle on each. Arrange mushrooms and vegetables around the perimeter of the cabbage and sprinkle with fine herbs. Drizzle the pigeon breasts with pigeon jus.

Jambalaya is wonderful party food: it just seems to stretch! You can add seafood to this sausage jambalaya just by tossing in some peeled, uncooked shrimp and crab meat at the last minute; they only need about 2 minutes to cook. Crunchy French bread is a perfect accompaniment to this one-dish meal.

Serves 15 to 20

2 pounds smoked sausage, such as andouille, sliced into coins
1 onion, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped parsley
6 cups water
2 cups red wine
2 pounds turkey or chicken breast, cubed
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (adjust for personal taste)
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon MSG
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon chicken base (chicken stock which has been boiled down until it becomes pasty)
4 cups white rice

4 green onions, green part only, finely chopped

In a large pot, saute the sausage until it begins to brown, then add the onion, celery, green pepper, garlic, and parsley. Cook just until the vegetables are tender. Add the water, wine, turkey or chicken, seasonings, and chicken base. Cover and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then add the rice. Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Stir occasionally during cooking.

To serve: Place in a large serving dish and sprinkle with chopped green onions.

Osso buco, braised veal shanks, is an Italian dish traditionally served with risotto. This is a fine dish to make a day ahead and reheat before serving.

Serves 4

4 bacon slices, chopped
1 pound onions, cut into large dice
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon flour
4 cups dry red wine
4 cups chicken stock or broth
4 cups beef stock or broth
2 tablespoons brandy
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon oil
4 center-cut veal shanks, 2 inches thick

In a large casserole, cook the bacon until crisp and remove the bacon. Saute the onions, carrots, and garlic in the fat until browned, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Add the red wine and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, or until reduced by half. Stir constantly near the end of the cooking time. Add the stocks or broths and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Mix the brandy and cornstarch together. Add to the sauce, stirring until thickened and smooth. Stir in the butter.

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Season and oil the veal shanks. Place the shanks in an ovenproof casserole and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Add to the sauce and cook over low heat, partially covered, for 2 hours, or until fork-tender.

Serving suggestion: Serve with risotto or fettuccine garnished with basil sprigs.

How does a worldly chef follow an early rush of success? Especially the kind that comes from youthful appointments at such culinary hot spots as Raffles Hotel in Singapore and Britain´s extraordinary Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons?

He heads for the New Orleans, of course, a town where cooking and dining are considered competitive activities. And then to San Francisco, to the Lark Creek Inn, overseen by legendary American chef Bradley Ogden. Now he´s taken the reins as executive chef at The Setai

Wright arrived stateside fresh off the enormously successful launch of his own restaurant, La Gousse d´Ail, which brought food critics and connoisseurs to their knees when it opened in Oxford, in the United Kingdom, in 2000. At La Gousse d´Ail (‚“the garlic clove‚”), Wright routinely turned out a new brand of modern French haute cuisine, which one critic called ‚“thrilling.‚” Another writer summarized Wright´s style as ‚“extravagance and exactitude in equal measure.‚”

Wright prepared for that moment in the spotlight by working at increasingly high levels of responsibility for three world-class restaurants. He consulted to Sir Terence Conran´s Great Eastern Hotel in London and spent years at the legendary Raffles Hotel in Singapore. At Le Manoir Aux Quat’ Saisons, considered by gourmets to be the one the top if not the best restaurant in Britain, he was Chef de Cuisine, and more specifically was trusted colleague of legendary chef patron, Raymond Blanc. Wright´s tenure at Le Manoir is especially significant as the restaurant in one of the only Michelin 2-star restaurants in that country, an accomplishment that Britain´s Harper´s and Queen magazine stated gave the restaurant ‚“almost mythic status,‚” and the Michelin guide defines as ‚“top notch.‚” – Blanc´s confidence in Wright was so high that he entrusted his legacy ‚Äì via his kitchen and menus ‚Äì to Wright.

It was his time at Le Manoir, combined with his success at his own restaurant La Gousse d´Ail, that established the young Wright as a leader in the gourmet renaissance that has made Britain the talk of Europe. – With a sure hand and assured style, he boldly marries his classical training with the influences he´s absorbed in cultures worldwide.

At Le Manoir, Raymond Blanc is the champion of organic and locally grown foods, tending to his own manor gardens. Long a devotee of this sort of focus on freshness, Wright spent his early months in New Orleans touring the region to locate the best purveyors of meats and seafood, and the best growers of herbs and vegetables.

‚“I like to focus on the quality, the seasonality and the flavor of the foods. The flavor must be the focus, it must speak for itself,‚” Wright says. ‚“I like to contrast textures and temperatures. It´s all about the taste and the sensation on the palate. These are my first concerns and then the presentation almost takes care of itself. It just happens.‚”

It is Wright´s combination of desires to engage the palate while amusing the gaze that captivated New Orleans, a city that helped lead Americans and their visitors to a new appreciation of regional cuisine.

The Grill Room, on the second floor of The Windsor Court Hotel, has a reputation of exceptional quality, and a long history of Mobil Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond, and DiRoNA awards. – In addition, the restaurant has been recognized in Wine Spectator, Food & Wine, Gourmet, Travel + Leisure, and Zagat´s publications as one of the best in the country.

And then Hurricane Katrina…

Jonathan Wright has now settled down at The Setai. The South Beach masterpiece – is among the most stylish properties, right in the heart of the area; hotelier Adrian Zecha´s property has an Asian serenity and elegance, and offers authentic Asian cuisine . Wright will oversee several styles for The Resaurant, The Grill, The Pool & Beach Bar, The Bar & Courthard, and, of course, in-room dining and catering of events.