4 Course Menu Recipe

Prepare and cook shrimp

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Season lightly with 0.5 tsp salt and 0.5 tsp pepper. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tbsp butter. When butter is foaming, add minced garlic and cook 15 seconds until fragrant. Add shrimp in a single layer and sear 1.5–2 minutes per side until opaque and just cooked through. Remove shrimp to a plate and let rest.

Make dressing

Whisk together lemon juice, 3 tbsp olive oil, remaining 0.5 tsp salt, remaining 0.5 tsp pepper, and chopped parsley until emulsified.

Assemble salad

Toss mixed salad greens, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber in a large bowl with half the dressing. Divide onto four plates, top evenly with the warm shrimp, spoon remaining dressing over shrimp, and garnish with a sprinkle of parsley. Serve immediately.

Roast vegetables

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Toss cubed butternut squash, carrots, whole garlic cloves, and chopped onion with 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 0.5 tsp black pepper, and 0.5 tsp cinnamon on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast 30–40 minutes, turning once, until squash is caramelized and tender.

Blend and finish

Transfer roasted vegetables and garlic (squeeze roasted garlic from skins) to a blender or use an immersion blender in a pot. Add 4 cups stock and blend until smooth. Return to a saucepan over medium heat, stir in heavy cream, nutmeg, and adjust seasoning with remaining 0.5 tsp salt and 0.25 tsp pepper if needed. Warm through but do not boil. Serve garnished with chopped chives.

Prepare duck breasts

Score the skin of each duck breast in a diamond pattern without cutting into the meat. Season both sides with 2 tsp salt, 2 tsp pepper, and press fresh thyme onto the meat side. Let sit at room temperature 20 minutes while you prepare potatoes and sauce base.

Cook potatoes

Place fingerling potatoes in a pot, cover with cold water, add 1 tsp salt (for potatoes), and bring to a simmer. Cook until fork-tender, about 15–18 minutes. Drain and let steam dry briefly. Toss drained potatoes with 2 tbsp olive oil, rosemary, 0.5 tsp black pepper (for potatoes), and additional pinch of salt. On a baking sheet, gently smash each potato with the bottom of a glass to flatten slightly. Roast in a 425°F (220°C) oven for 15–20 minutes until edges are crispy and potatoes are golden. Keep warm.

Render duck and sear

Place duck breasts skin-side down in a cold skillet (no added fat). Turn heat to medium and cook 8–10 minutes, allowing fat to render and skin to crisp; drain excess fat into a heatproof container halfway through if necessary. Flip and cook 3–5 minutes for medium-rare (internal ~135°F/57°C) or longer to desired doneness. Transfer to a cutting board and rest 6–8 minutes before slicing.

Make cherry-port reduction

In a small saucepan over medium heat, add 1 tbsp butter and sauté the finely chopped shallot until translucent, about 1–2 minutes. Add the port or red wine, cherry preserves, and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a simmer and reduce until slightly syrupy, about 6–8 minutes. Taste and season with a pinch of salt and finish by swirling in remaining 1 tbsp butter off the heat for shine and richness.

Plate

Slice duck breasts thinly on the bias. Arrange portions of smashed fingerling potatoes on plates, fan duck slices beside them, and spoon warm cherry-port reduction over the duck. Serve immediately.

Heat cream and infuse

Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). In a saucepan, combine heavy cream, whole milk, and orange zest. Heat over medium until just simmering (do not boil), then remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes to infuse orange oil into the cream.

Temper and mix

Place chopped dark chocolate in a heatproof bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with granulated sugar and salt until pale. Reheat the cream mixture to steaming and slowly pour about one-third over the yolk mixture while whisking constantly to temper. Then pour tempered yolk mixture back into the saucepan, stir, and return to low heat, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the back of a spoon (do not let it boil). Remove from heat and pour over the chopped chocolate. Let sit 1 minute, then whisk until smooth. Stir in vanilla extract.

Bake custards

Divide the chocolate custard evenly among four 6-oz ramekins or small jars. Place ramekins in a roasting pan and add hot water to the pan until it comes halfway up the sides of the ramekins (bain-marie). Carefully transfer to the oven and bake 25–30 minutes until edges are set but centers still slightly jiggly. Remove ramekins from water bath and cool to room temperature. Chill at least 2 hours (or overnight) to fully set.

Serve

Before serving, top each pot de crème with a bit of orange zest and optional orange segments or a dollop of whipped cream. Serve chilled.