Seven Classic Starters, Main Courses, And Desserts Recipe

Caramelize onions and prepare soup

Melt 4 tbs unsalted butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the thinly sliced onions and 2 tsp sea salt; cook, stirring frequently, until soft and deeply golden brown, 35–45 minutes. Deglaze the pot with 1 cup dry white wine, scraping up browned bits. Add 6 cups beef or vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer. Adjust seasoning with 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm.

Bread and cheese finish

Preheat broiler. Ladle soup into 7 oven-safe bowls, top each with 2 toasted baguette slices, then mound 1/2 cup grated Gruyère over each bowl. Broil until cheese is golden and bubbling, 2–4 minutes. Serve immediately.

Make honey-Dijon vinaigrette

Whisk together 3 tbs apple cider vinegar, 1 tsp Dijon mustard, 3 tbs honey, 6 tbs extra virgin olive oil, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper in a small bowl until emulsified. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Assemble warm goat cheese salad

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Place goat cheese slices on a parchment-lined sheet and brush lightly with honey (optional). Bake 6–8 minutes until warmed through and slightly softened. In a large bowl, toss 8 cups mixed baby lettuces with enough vinaigrette to coat (about 4–6 tbs). Divide greens among 7 plates, top each with 2 warm goat cheese rounds and sprinkle with toasted chopped walnuts. Drizzle a little extra honey over cheese if desired and serve immediately.

Prepare potatoes

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss 2.5 lbs fingerling potatoes with 3 tbs olive oil, 3 tbs fresh thyme, 6 smashed garlic cloves, 1 tsp kosher salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Spread on a sheet pan and roast 25–30 minutes until golden and tender, shaking the pan halfway through.

Cook steaks and make red wine shallot sauce

Pat 7 beef tenderloin steaks dry and season both sides with 2 tsp kosher salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Heat a large heavy skillet over high heat with 4 tbs clarified butter or vegetable oil. Sear steaks 3–4 minutes per side for medium-rare (internal ~130°F/54°C) depending on thickness; transfer to a warm resting tray and tent with foil. Reduce heat to medium and add 3/4 cup minced shallots to the skillet; sauté until soft, about 2 minutes. Deglaze with 2 cups red wine, scraping up fond, and reduce by half. Add 2 cups beef stock and reduce until sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 8–10 minutes. Off heat, whisk in 4 tbs cold unsalted butter a piece at a time to emulsify and season to taste. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve with roasted fingerling potatoes.

Poach/steam salmon with lemon-dill butter

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C) or prepare a steamer. Place salmon fillets skin-side down on a lightly oiled sheet pan (or in steamer). Season with 1.5 tsp sea salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 2 tsp lemon zest. Dot each fillet with a small pat of butter and sprinkle with chopped dill. If oven-roasting, pour 1/2 cup dry white wine into the pan and roast 8–10 minutes until just cooked through (opaque and flakey). If steaming, steam 6–8 minutes until cooked through. Serve immediately with pan juices spooned over the fish.

Make crème brûlée custards

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). In a saucepan, heat 7 cups heavy cream with the scraped seeds of 2 vanilla beans (or 2 tbs vanilla extract) until just simmering; remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk 14 egg yolks with 1 cup granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened. Slowly stream the hot cream into the yolks while whisking to temper. Strain the custard through a fine sieve into a measuring cup to remove any solids. Divide custard among seven 6–8 oz ramekins. Place ramekins in a roasting pan and add hot water to come halfway up the sides. Bake 30–35 minutes until custards are set but still slightly wobbly in the center. Remove ramekins from water bath and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours (preferably overnight).

Caramelize and finish

Just before serving, evenly sprinkle about 2–3 tsp granulated sugar over each chilled custard (use part of the 1 cup reserved for caramelizing). Using a kitchen torch, melt and brown the sugar until it forms a crisp caramel top, or place under a very hot broiler for 1–2 minutes watching carefully. Allow the sugar to harden for 1–2 minutes, then garnish with fresh berries and serve.

Throughout service, taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Use neutral oil and flour for any light pan-dusting or roasting prep. Time the components so hot dishes (soup, steaks, potatoes, salmon) come out hot and the salad and crème brûlée are finished last to preserve temperature and texture.