fine dining

Chia Seed Caviar

prep: 10 mins             total: 1 hour 10 mins Oooooeeeee, you fancy huh?  But, uh, chia seed caviar?  Does anyone even want that?  This is something none of us knew we wanted.  Most likely there wasn’t a void that needed to be filled, however, this experiment ended in success and people want to try it!  Personally, I have never tried the real …

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Porcini-and-Pecan Pâté

This is from the Fine Dining chapter in my “Gatherings” book. This recipe proves that vegetables can be as satisfying as meat. Chef Sean Baker serves this mushroom pâté on the vegan “charcuterie” board at his Berkeley restaurant, Gather.  I was pleasantly surprised when I made this for my former meat-eating discerning husband and he absolutely …

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Shallot Tarte Tatin

serves 4 This recipe was an experiment for a fancy dinner party I was hosting.  It turned out better than I even expected!  I’m fascinated by how it comes together and surprised by how good it tastes.  This isn’t typically my kind of dish, but the syrupy balsamic on the warm puff pastry topped with sautéed mushrooms, fresh, …

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