Flash-Cooked Curried Salmon

From: Episode 13 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Mark Bittman

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 10 minutes

Faster than a fried egg: Thinly slice salmon, throw it in a hot, non-stick pan no fat is necessary then flip it almost the second it hits the heat. I added the curry powder to make the salmon akin to Kerry's Salmon Tandoori, but you could just as easily omit the curry powder and finish it with lemon to serve it alongside any kind of traditional American or European side dish.

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets
2 tablespoons curry powder or Garam Masala
Salt to taste
Chickpea Raita (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F. Cut the salmon fillets in half horizontally to make 8 thinner pieces: Hold your knife parallel to the cutting board and use your other hand to apply pressure on the salmon so the knife glides through evenly. Dust each piece with the curry powder and salt on both sides. Put 4 plates in the oven to warm.

2. Preheat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat for 1 minute the salmon should sizzle when it hits the pan?then add the fillet halves. Cook for 45 seconds to 1 minute on each side. You'll see the opaque pink color salmon turns as it cooks climbing up the sides of the fillets almost as soon as it hits the pan, and the idea is to serve it just a touch rare in the middle. You'll need to cook the fish in batches, but as each will take only 1 to 2 minutes, that shouldn't be much of a problem.

3. Put the salmon on the warmed plates as it finishes. Serve immediately, with Chickpea Raita.

Chickpea Raita

Makes: 2 1/2 Cups
Time: 10 minutes

It's worth your while to seek out a yogurt that's not overly processed for this raita (and, for that matter, any other use); national brands often add thickeners to their yogurts, which significantly change the yogurt's natural consistency. If they're all that's available to you, just whisk the yogurt with a little water to thin it out.

1 1/2 cups plain yogurt, preferably full fat
1 cup cooked chickpeas, drained (canned are fine)
1/4 cup minced cucumber (leave the skin on if it's unwaxed)
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or to taste
Salt and black pepper

1. Combine the yogurt, chickpeas, cucumber, onion, sugar, cumin, and mustard in a bowl.

2. Add red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Grilled Tuna with Soy, Wasabi, and Pickled Ginger

From: Episode 2 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Chris Schlesinger

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 20 minutes, plus time to preheat the grill

This signature East Coast Grill dish is nearly raw tuna, seared on the grill for extra flavor. The tuna Chris uses here is sold as "#1" or "sashimi" quality?safe and flavorful enough to be eaten raw. (In his dish, the tuna is cooked, but only just until rare.) It's a deep, rich red, with a sweet, slightly briny odor and a high price. Though it isn't seen everywhere, almost any fish market can order it for you, because it is sold (to the highest bidder) on the open market. But if you're not itching to spend $20 plus per pound for tuna, or the fish markets near you aren't outbidding the buyers at Tokyo's world-famous Tsukiji market, you'll probably want to cook your tuna beyond the near-raw stage; check out my recipe for Tuna Teriyaki.

4 (8-ounce) sashimi-grade tuna steaks, each about 2 inches thick
1/4 cup sesame oil
Salt and white pepper
3/4 cup Pickled Ginger (Gari, page 242)
6 tablespoons wasabi powder mixed with water to a paste or 6 tablespoons real wasabi paste (see sidebar)
1/2 cup top-quality soy sauce

1. Start a charcoal or gas grill; the fire should be quite hot (you should barely be able to hold your hand over it) and place the rack about 4 inches from the heat source. Brush the tuna steaks lightly with the sesame oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Put the tuna on the grill and cook 4 to 5 minutes on each side, or until a dark-brown crispy skin forms. Now cook the steaks for 2 to 3 minutes on each edge (holding it on its side with tongs, if necessary), until they are cooked on the outside and very rare inside.

3. Transfer the steaks from the grill to a platter, and serve with the pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce for dipping.

Thai-Style Shrimp and Beef Salad

From: Episode 11 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Mark Bittman

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 20 minutes

I think this dish went from conception to consumption in about nine minutes, but it fared well-even James deemed it "simple but elegant." Part of what made it so easy is that I was able to take advantage of the bounty available to me in his kitchen, which explains the presence of three fresh herbs, enoki mushrooms, and tenderloin instead of a fattier cut of meat. And while I stand by this recipe, you could simplify it a little by skipping one of the herbs or omitting the mushrooms, and you could certainly replace the tenderloin with sirloin or rib-eye.

4 tablespoons olive oil
11/2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons soy sauce, or to taste
1 shallot, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons neutral oil, like corn, canola, or grapeseed
1 (8-ounce) piece beef tenderloin
Salt
1 pound medium (31/35) shrimp, peeled and deveined, if you like
1 bunch watercress, washed, thickest stems removed
1/2 cup peeled and diced papaya (optional)
2 ounces enoki mushrooms, rinsed (or use thinly sliced white mushrooms)
Leaves from 4 or 5 fresh mint sprigs, washed and roughly chopped
Leaves from 2 or 3 stems fresh cilantro, washed and roughly chopped
Leaves from 2 or 3 stems fresh basil, washed and roughly chopped

1. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and shallot. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more soy, vinegar, or oil to taste.

2. Put the neutral oil in an 8- to 10-inch sauté pan and turn the heat to high. Season the meat liberally with salt and, after 1 or 2 minutes-when you can't hold your hand above the pan for more than a few seconds- add the beef. Sear the tenderloin on each side for 3 to 4 minutes, until browned on the outside and rare but not raw inside (you can, of course, cook it a minute or 2 longer if you like). Transfer the beef from the pan to a cutting board and let rest while you cook the shrimp.

3. Return the same pan to the stove, add the shrimp and lower the heat to medium. Cook until the shrimp are nicely browned on the bottoms, about 2 minutes, then turn and brown the second sides, 1 to 2 minutes more, for a total of 4 or 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, toss the watercress with the papaya, enoki, and herbs in a large bowl. Pour the vinaigrette over the salad and toss until the greens are evenly dressed. When the shrimp are ready, add them to the salad and toss again.

5. Slice the meat as thinly as possible. Divide the salad among 4 plates, top with the sliced rare tenderloin, and serve.

Frozen Persimmons

From: Episode 6 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Mark Bittman

Makes: 4 servings
Time: about 2 hours, unattended

This dessert is literally a persimmon, frozen. But it's amazingly delicious-much like a sorbet, but with zero work. Getting your hands on ripe persimmons is actually the hardest part, but they make a wonderful, rare dessert. I wish I could take credit for the recipe, but it was actually Gary Danko's idea. It wouldn't work too well in a restaurant, because it is just too simple, but it's perfect for the home cook.

If you overfreeze the persimmons, just temper them in the refrigerator or at room temperature for a few minutes before serving.

4 very ripe Hachiya persimmons

1. Wash the persimmons carefully, then place on a tray or individual plates, stem sides down. Freeze for about 2 hours, until very firm but not rock-hard.

2. Serve, using a spoon to scoop out the stem and dive into the contents.

Persimmon Pudding

From: Episode 6 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Gary Danko

Makes: 8 individual servings or 1 large pudding cake
Time: 1 1/2 hours, largely unattended

Persimmon trees are a little like zucchini plants: One day your comment is, "Oh, look honey, the persimmons are finally ripe enough to eat!" Then the moment passes, and there's a quick and loveless transition to, "What the heck are we going to do with all these persimmons?"

Gary's Persimmon Pudding is a terrific answer (but don't discount my dead-easy recipe for Frozen Persimmons. If you don't feel like making Crème Anglaise, use the home cook's venerable shortcut: softened vanilla ice cream.

1 1/2 pounds very soft Hachiya persimmons
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon, preferably freshly ground
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup light cream or half-and-half
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Creme Anglaise (recipe follows)
Pomegranate seeds, for garnish (optional)

1. Peel the persimmons and transfer their flesh to the container of a food processor (a blender will also work). Process until pureed, then transfer to a large bowl. (Or put in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months.)

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9 x 3-inch springform cake pan or 8 (6-ounce) ramekins and set aside. Sift the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg together into a medium bowl. Beat the eggs, sugar, cream, butter, and vanilla into the persimmon puree. Stir the flour mixture in and whisk well to combine.

3. Pour the batter into the springform pan or ramekins, and cover tightly with foil, shiny side down. Create a water bath for the pudding(s) by setting the pan or ramekins into a large casserole or baking dish and filling it up with hot water about halfway up the height of the cake pan or ramekins.

4. Bake for 30 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the pudding comes out clean. Let cool. Invert ramekins to release the individual puddings (loosen them by running a knife around their sides if necessary), and serve the puddings (or slices from the larger pudding cake) on plates with a little Crème Anglaise and a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds.

Crème Anglaise

Makes: about 1 1/2 cups, enough for 8 servings
Time: 20 minutes

Crème Anglaise, the sauce that accompanies Persimmon Pudding at Restaurant Gary Danko, is a thin custard, easy to make and a valuable addition to your repertoire because it pairs nicely with so many desserts. If you're in the mood, flavor it with a tablespoon or so of cognac or rum, stirred into the eggs along with the hot cream.

1 cup light cream or half-and-half
1/2 vanilla bean
4 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch salt

1. Put the cream in a small saucepan and heat just until steam rises. Cut the vanilla bean in half the long way and scrape the seeds into the cream; stir and let sit off the heat for a few minutes. Meanwhile, in a heavy, medium saucepan, combine and whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and salt.

2. Whisk the hot cream into the egg mixture. Place over medium heat and cook without boiling, stirring constantly, thoroughly, but gently, until the custard coats the back of a spoon (when you drag your finger over the back of the spoon it will leave a distinct trail).

3. Remove from the heat, stir gently once or twice to smooth, and strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Let cool, then serve or refrigerate until needed (bring to room temperature before serving).

Pickled Shrimp

From: Episode 7 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Gabrielle Hamilton

Makes: 6 servings
Time: 30 minutes plus marinating time

Despite the diminutive size of the bar at Prune, in New York-there are only four seats-it has its own menu, including a great collection of cocktail food like deviled eggs, sardines with Triscuits, and fried burrata (a super-creamy fresh cow or buffalo milk cheese) masquerading as mozzarella sticks. These classic shrimp, made with Gabrielle's own spice mix, may be cooked the day before serving, so they're perfect for entertaining. Just make sure to let the dish come to room temperature first, otherwise the oil may be cloudy and the flavor muted. Gabrielle puts the pickled shrimp on her menu only when Ruby Red shrimp from Maine are around-usually in summer. Unlike most shrimp, these come to New York unfrozen, so they are quite special. (They're good because they're fresh, tender, and very tasty-mostly that's the freshness. But also because they're from cold water.) But the technique and the Ruby Boil Spice Mix can be used with any shrimp.

Salt
1 recipe Ruby Boil Spice Mix (recipe follows) or 1/4 cup Old Bay
1 1/2 pounds large (21/30) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 lemons, washed and sliced paper thin
1 red onion, sliced paper thin
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
6 crushed cloves garlic
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 tablespoon coriander seed

1. Bring a pot of heavily salted water to a boil (use about 2 cups salt for 8 quarts water) with the Ruby Boil Spice Mix or Old Bay. Have a large bowl of ice near the stove. When the water reaches a rolling boil, drop in the shrimp and poach them just until they are firm, not more than 45 seconds (the water probably won't even return to a boil). Using a finemeshed strainer, transfer the shrimp (and whatever of the Ruby Boil Spice Mix comes with them) into the bowl of ice. Toss them with the ice to stop them from cooking further.

2. Combine the oil, lemon slices, onion, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, peppercorns, coriander, and 1 tablespoon salt in a large bowl. When the shrimp have cooled, remove them from the (now) ice water, shaking or brushing off any of the spices clinging to them from the boil, and transfer them to the bowl. Toss and taste, adding more salt or vinegar as necessary. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or preferably overnight. Serve at room temperature.

Ruby Boil Spice Mix

Makes: enough for a 6- to 10-quart boil
Time: 5 minutes

The quintessential spice mix for a seafood boil. Feel free to double or triple the recipe and use in place of Old Bay or the like whenever you're boiling seafood.

1 large bunch fresh thyme
15 to 20 bay leaves
1/4 cup paprika
1 head garlic, unpeeled
2 tablespoons mustard seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons cardamom seeds
1 tablespoon allspice berries
1 tablespoon celery seed
1 cinnamon stick

Combine the ingredients in a medium bowl, then transfer the mixture to a sealable container. This keeps, sealed, more or less indefinitely.

Turkey (Tonnato) Sandwiches

From: Episode 8 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Mark Bittman

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 30 minutes with precooked turkey

Neither Michel Richard nor I made a true vitello tonnato on the days we cooked together, but my version is more closely related to the classic Italian appetizer than his-it remains true to the idea of a strong mayonnaise moistening and flavoring slices of meat that, well, might need it, because they've become dried out from overcooking or relatively long storage, or because they were not super moist to start out.

But instead of calling for slices of roast veal-which would take some work-I went for whitemeat turkey, an easily found option (I bought mine at a deli), and one that doesn't differ all that much in taste and texture from cold veal.

1 cup mayonnaise
1 (6-ounce) can tuna packed in olive oil (preferably imported from Italy)
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 tablespoons minced shallots
6 anchovy fillets, minced
About 1/4 cup olive oil or hot water
Salt and black pepper
8 slices sandwich bread, toasted if desired (or use French bread)
8 (1/4- to 3/8-inch-thick) slices whitemeat turkey

1. Combine the Mayonnaise with the tuna, parsley, capers, shallots, and anchovies. Whisk in enough olive oil (or water), a little at a time, to achieve a creamy consistency. Taste, and add salt and black pepper as necessary.

2. Lay out 4 slices bread. Top each with a thin layer of sauce; cover with a slice of turkey, then more sauce, then another slice of turkey, then finally more sauce and top layers of bread. Slice the sandwiches in half to display the interior layers, and serve.

Layered Vitello Tonnato

From: Episode 8 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Michel Richard

Makes: 8 servings
Time: 4 hours, somewhat unattended

There is more than a little work involved here, both in shopping and in preparation, but you cannot find a more impressive starter. When completed, these perfect appetizers look like gorgeous little napoleons in layers of red and white. And the work is manageable as long as you're patient. Not coincidentally, Michel's accompanying Caesar Salad Dressing is the paradigm.

2 pounds center-cut veal loin
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/2 bottle (about 1 1/2 cups) white wine
2 quarts chicken broth, preferably homemade, or more as needed
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 shallots, peeled and chopped
2 pounds sashimi-grade tuna loin

SAUCE
1 recipe Caesar Salad Dressing (see below)
2 ounces capers, drained
1 head frisee, dark green tips and hard white roots removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1. Preheat the oven to 225°F. Split the veal loin in half horizontally and season both cut sides with salt and black pepper. Place pieces back on top of one another and tie the loin with butcher?' twine, forcing it into as cylindrical a shape as possible.

2. Nestle the tied veal loin in a pan just large enough to hold it and cover it with the wine and chicken broth (add water if you don't have enough broth). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and add the thyme, rosemary, shallots, and salt and black pepper to taste; transfer the pan to the oven. Cook the loin at a slow simmer until the internal temperature reaches 140°F (use an instant-read thermometer), about 2 1/2 hours.

3. When the veal is ready, remove it from the broth and let it rest on a cutting board until cool enough to handle. Wrap tightly with plastic, using the plastic to help shape it into a cylinder. Put in the refrigerator to chill.

4. Prepare the tuna: Trim the loin into a cylindrical shape, removing the dark bloodline and the skin with a paring knife, then wrap in plastic the same way you did the veal, using the plastic wrap to help form the loin into a cylindrical shape. Place the tuna roll in the freezer for 20 to 30 minutes, until very firm.

5. Make the sauce: Put the Caesar Salad Dressing and capers in a blender or food processor and puree; add salt and black pepper as needed and set aside.

6. When ready to serve, remove the tuna roulade from the freezer and, with a very sharp serrated slicing knife, cut the tuna as thinly as possible into 32 slices (reserve ends and scraps for another use). Repeat with the veal roulade, cutting it as thinly as possible into 24 slices (use any leftovers as a substitute for turkey in my turkey tonnato). This is probably easiest if you first cut the rolls in half, then cut each half into half again, then proceed to slice.

7. Now build 8 little towers: Start each with a slice of tuna, season with salt and black pepper, top with a slice of veal, and repeat-each portion will comprise 4 slices of tuna and 3 slices of veal. Transfer the towers to a non-stick baking sheet and put in the freezer, so they have a chance to firm up, about 20 minutes. Once set, use a serrated knife to cut each stack into quarters. Allow them to sit at room temperature until they lose the chill from the freezer.

8. Lay out 8 plates and spoon 2 tablespoons of the caper-Caesar sauce onto their centers. Using a spatula and your opposite hand, transfer each tuna and veal tower to a plate on top of the sauce. Garnish with pieces of frisée and serve.

Caesar Salad Dressing

Makes: about 1 cup or 8 servings
Time: 20 minutes

1 clove garlic, halved
3 eggs
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup minced anchovies, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
salt and black pepper to taste

1. Rub the inside of a salad bowl with the garlic clove; discard it.

2. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Pierce a tiny hole in the broad end of each of the eggs with a pin or a needle and boil them for 60 to 90 seconds; they will just begin to firm up. Crack them into the salad bowl, making sure to scoop out the white that clings to the shell.

3. Beat the eggs with a fork, gradually adding the lemon juice and then the olive oil, beating all the white.

4. Stir in the anchovies and the Worcestershire. Taste and add salt, if needed, and plenty of black pepper. Cover and refrigerate until needed.

Summer Roll

From: Episode 10 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Charles Phan

Makes: 8 rolls, 4 to 8 servings
Time: about 1 hour

Charles's "super lean, super clean" summer roll is the classic, with one variation: the addition of aioli (a trick his mother learned working with French people in Saigon), which adds both flavor and moisture. You can consider it an optional restaurant fillip, especially since the Peanut Dipping Sauce achieves the same results, and in spades. The basic guidelines: Don't overfill (as Charles says, "This isn't a burrito"), and wrap as tightly as you can really squish the thing as you roll; this is a technique that will come to you quickly.

Use any leftover meat you have for the filling, or omit it entirely.

8 (10-inch) sheets rice paper
2 to 3 cups tender lettuce, like Boston, washed, dried, and torn
8 tablespoons (1/2 recipe) Aioli (page 244)
2 cups cooked rice vermicelli (see sidebar, page 45)
16 to 24 small slices roast pork, or leftover roast chicken
24 small fresh mint sprigs
16 shrimp, peeled, poached, and cut in half the long way
Peanut Dipping Sauce (page 247)

1. Have all the ingredients ready before you start to roll (you can make the peanut sauce after you make the rolls, if you like). Set a large pot of water on the stove and heat it until it is steaming, not boiling. Set a damp towel on a counter; dip a sheet of rice paper about one-third of the way into the water for about 2 seconds. Turn it and dip the remaining section of the rice paper and lay it on the towel.

2. Serve right away, or store the rolls, lightly covered and refrigerated, for up to 2 hours if you like. Cut straight across each roll to make 2 or 3 pieces, then serve with Peanut Dipping Sauce.

"Unrolled" Summer Roll

From: Episode 10 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Mark Bittman

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 20 minutes, with prepared ingredients

Dressing
1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
1 tablespoon sugar, or more to taste
1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon Vietnamese chili-garlic paste, or to taste, or chopped fresh chiles to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste

4 to 6 cups lettuce, washed, dried, and torn or chopped
1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked rice noodles (see sidebar)
1/2 cup shredded peeled carrots
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, left whole or barely torn
1/4 cup fresh Thai (or other) basil leaves, left whole or barely torn
1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, left whole or barely torn
12 small slices cooked pork or 12 poached or grilled shrimp, split lengthwise in half
Scallion Oil (optional, recipe follows)

1. First, make the dressing: In a small bowl, combine the fish sauce, sugar, ginger, and chili-garlic paste with about 1/4 cup water, to produce a thin sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding salt and black pepper if necessary.

2. Divide the lettuce among 4 plates. Top each with a quarter of the noodles, carrots, herbs, and pork or shrimp. Drizzle the dressing over all, and, if you like, top with Scallion Oil.

Scallion Oil

As Charles Phan says, "Vietnamese food can be so lean that sometimes you need a little added fat." This will do just the trick, for Vietnamese food and beyond, adding richness and great flavor to salads and stirfries. It'll keep a day or two, refrigerated, but is best eaten soon after being made.

1/4 cup neutral oil, like corn or canola
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 or 3 scallions, trimmed and minced

1. Put the scallions in a small bowl; stir in the salt and sugar.

2. Heat the oil in a small pan until it is thin and fragrant. Pour the oil over the scallions; they should sizzle (if they do not, the oil wasn't hot enough). Cool and use by the spoonful.

Deconstructed Gazpacho

From: Episode 1 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Jose Andres

Makes: 4 servings
Time: at least 1 hour

An aggressively modern treatment, this is gazpacho pulled apart, re-imagined, and reassembled, with trout roe and mango "ravioli" thrown in for good measure. There is a stunning minimalist sensibility to this dish when it's on the plate in front of you, with each element separate from the other, and each tasted separately, but the execution is about as maximal, effortwise, as you can get.

José is one of the culinary field's mad geniuses, as evidenced by his "discovery" of tomato seeds-the part of the tomato that just about every chef discards-as a precious item, a bundle of glistening pearls. The gelatin of vinegar, the mango-trout roe ravioli, even the bell pepper, each becomes a design as well as a flavor element. When you eat this, delicious at it is, you feel you are wrecking a tableau.


Finally, when I say, "cut into the tiniest, most even dice you can manage," I'm translating what's called a brunoise cut. Brunoise are little cubes of food, about 1/16 of an inch on each side, and usually, when done by a skilled knife technician, quite square. I can't do that to save my life, but if you can, more power to you. Otherwise-as I say-cut the food into the tiniest, most even dice you can manage.

1 envelope (1 tablespoon) unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
4 medium tomatoes
1/4 cup diced decent white bread (like a Pullman loaf), cut into the tiniest, most even dice you can manage
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
16 thin slices taken from 2 nearripe, peeled mangoes, cut on a mandoline
1 small jar (about 1.2 cup) trout or salmon roe
1/4 cup finely diced cucumber (the tiniest, most even dice you can manage)
4 teaspoons finely diced bell pepper, preferably orange (the tiniest, most even dice you can manage)
2 scallions, white parts only, slivered
Coarse sea salt

1. Dissolve the gelatin into the vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Transfer to a small bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (You can make this vinegar jelly as far in advance as you like.)

2. Cut about 1/8 inch off the top and bottom of each tomato, then assess where you'll make your next cut: There will be 2 or 3 chambers of seeds separated by 1 or 2 walls of tomato flesh. Make a cut through the outside flesh of the tomato where it meets one of the walls, then gently pull the flesh away from the seed packet. Detach the seed packet with a spoon from the center wall it's attached to and reserve. Repeat for remaining seed packets in each tomato. You want at least 2 seed packets per serving.

3. Preheat the toaster oven or oven to 200°F. Cut about 1/4 cup of the resulting tomato flesh into 1/4-inch dice and reserve. Puree the rest in blender or food processor and pass the resulting puree through a fine meshed sieve or strainer; discard the solids.

4. On a toaster oven pan or baking sheet, toss the cubed bread in tablespoon of the olive oil and toast in the oven until evenly browned and crisped. Reserve.

5. Make the "ravioli": Lay 2 slices of mango on a cutting board in front of you, overlapping them slightly in the middle. Put 1 tablespoon roe on the overlap, then fold the mango slices up, one over the roe and the other over it. Fold the sides underneath and reserve; repeat with remaining mango and roe.

6. Per plate, arrange 2 tomato seed packets, 2 trout roe and mango ravioli, two 1/2-tablespoon piles of diced tomato, 1 tablespoon diced cucumber, 1 teaspoon diced bell pepper, and two 1/2-tablespoon piles of jellied sherry vinegar. Scatter each pile with mini-croutons and slivered scallions. Top each tomato seed packet with a pinch of salt and drizzle each plate with 1 tablespoon olive oil (or more, if desired). Serve, saucing each portion lightly with the strained tomato juice at the table.

Traditional Gazpacho

From: Episode 1 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Mark Bittman

Makes: 4 servings
Time: about 20 minutes

This version is quite a bit more traditional than José's Deconstructed Gazpacho. It belies my prejudice for a gazpacho with enough vinegar to make it lively but not so much that you feel like you're drinking it straight from the bottle. The anchovy fillets were José's suggestion, and are absolutely optional, but they make a great addition to the dish.

1 pound tomatoes, roughly chopped, or 1 (14-ounce) can tomatoes (don't bother to drain)
1 medium cucumber, peeled and diced
2 or 3 slices bread, a day or two old, crusts removed, torn into small pieces
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, chopped, or more to taste
Salt and black pepper to taste
8 anchovy fillets (optional)

1. Combine the tomatoes, cucumber, bread, oil, vinegar, and garlic with 1 cup water in the container of a blender; process until smooth. If the gazpacho seems too thick, thin with additional water.

2. Taste and add salt and black pepper as necessary. Serve immediately (or refrigerate and serve within a couple of hours), garnished with the anchovies, if using, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Shrimp with Garlic

From: Episode 7 of Bittman Takes on America's Chefs
Chef: Mark Bittman

Makes: 4 servings
Time: 10 minutes

This classic Spanish tapa isn't as ornate as Gabrielle's pickled shrimp, but it's comparably delicious. And it would be even easier to prepare and serve-and possibly even better tasting -if you cooked the shrimp shell-on and shucked them as you ate. (I like to be kind to my guests, so I shell the shrimp in advance.)

In any case, serve this with crusty bread to sop up the flavorful oil, and plenty of wine, Sangria (page 61), or Mojitos (page 56) to wash it all down.

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, slivered
1 bay leaf
Pinch to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or good paprika, or to taste
1 pound large (21/30) shrimp, peeled
Salt
Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish
Lemon wedges

1. Put the oil in a medium skillet and turn the heat to medium. A minute later, when the oil is warm, add the garlic, bay leaf, and cayenne and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Raise the heat to high and add the shrimp; cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the entire contents to a shallow bowl, season to taste with salt, and garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature.