S2E11 Birthday on the Bay

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S2E11 recipes

Ricotta Hotcakes with Caramelized Green Apples

Fluffy ricotta cakes stacked with burnished tart apples and a splash of cream.
At a glance
Yield: Serves 4 (8–10 small hotcakes)
Prep / Cook / Total: 10 min / 15–18 min / 25–28 min
Skill level: Easy
Equipment: 2 nonstick pans or griddle, whisk, ladle
Ingredients

Hotcakes

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (130 ml) milk
  • 5 1/2 tbsp (80 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
  • 1 2/3 cups (200 g) self-rising flour
  • 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
  • Pinch fine salt
  • 1 tsp (4 g) caster/granulated sugar
  • 3 1/2 oz (100 g) ricotta, crumbled

Apples & serve

  • 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
  • 6 green apples, peeled, cored, quartered
  • 2 tbsp (25 g) caster/granulated sugar
  • 3 1/2 tbsp (50 g) butter
  • Pouring cream, to serve (or lightly whipped cream)
Method
  1. Batter: Whisk eggs, milk, and melted butter. In another bowl, sieve flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Whisk wet into dry until just smooth. Fold in ricotta; rest 5 minutes.
  2. Apples: Heat a hot pan with olive oil. Dust apples with sugar; sear 1–2 minutes until caramelized. Finish with butter; toss to glaze. Keep warm.
  3. Hotcakes: Heat a clean pan on medium with a light film of oil. Ladle batter; cook 1–2 minutes per side until golden. Add a small knob of butter toward the end for flavor.
  4. Serve: Layer hotcakes with apples and a little cream.
Tips & substitutions
Add lemon zest to batter for lift. If using AP flour, add 1 3/4 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp salt per cup.
Dietary tags: vegetarian
Allergens: egg, dairy, gluten
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Hold hotcakes at 200°F (95°C) up to 20 minutes; reheat gently in a toaster.
Chef’s note: Don’t overmix; a few lumps keep them tender.
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Confit Sea Trout with Tempura Cauliflower, Pickled Stems & Curry Mousseline

Silky, low-temp trout with crackly tempura, quick-pickled stems, and a jammy egg–curry emulsion.
At a glance
Yield: Serves 6
Prep / Cook / Total: 35–40 min active + pickling / 30–35 min / ~1 hr 10 min
Skill level: Advanced (temperature control + frying)
Equipment: probe thermometer, mandoline, deep pot for frying, squeeze bottle, slotted spoon
Ingredients

Confit trout

  • 1 lb 5 oz (600 g) skinless sea trout fillet(s)
  • 6 garlic cloves, peeled
  • 3 oz (80 g) fresh thyme
  • Neutral olive oil to cover (about 3–4 cups/700–950 ml)
  • Fine salt, to finish

Pickled stems

  • Reserved cauliflower stems, finely sliced
  • 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) water
  • 1 tbsp (7 g) coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp (6 g) star anise
  • 2 tbsp (24 g) sugar
  • 1 tbsp (12 g) fine salt

Tempura cauliflower

  • 2 heads cauliflower, cut into florets and blanched; reserve stems for pickles
  • 4 cups (500 g) tempura flour, plus extra for dusting
  • 4 1/4 cups (1 L) very cold sparkling water
  • Fine salt
  • Sunflower or canola oil, for deep-frying

Curry mousseline

  • 2 shallots, sliced
  • 2 tsp curry powder
  • 4 eggs, boiled 5 minutes, peeled
  • 1 1/2 cups (350 ml) olive oil, plus a little for frying
  • Salt and lemon juice, to taste
Method
  1. Pickled stems: Bring water, spices, sugar, and salt to a boil. Remove from heat, cover 5 minutes. Place sliced stems on a metal tray; strain hot pickling liquid over. Cover and set aside.
  2. Mousseline: Soften shallots in a little oil; add curry powder 30 seconds. Blend on low; add jammy eggs and blend medium. With motor running, drizzle in olive oil to emulsify. Season with salt and lemon. Bottle.
  3. Confit trout: Warm oil with garlic and thyme to 144°F (62°C). Submerge trout; confit 25 minutes, holding temp. Lift out, flake onto a tray, and season lightly with salt.
  4. Tempura: Heat fryer to 355°F (180°C). Whisk sparkling water into tempura flour just to combine; season lightly. Dust florets in dry tempura flour, dip in batter, and fry until crisp and pale gold. Drain on paper towel; salt.
  5. Plate: Flake trout on plates. Add a tangle of pickled stems, a few tempura florets, and swirls of curry mousseline.
Tips & substitutions
Salmon works if trout unavailable. Keep batter cold and lumpy for best crunch.
Dietary tags: pescatarian
Allergens: egg, fish, gluten (tempura), possible sesame if oil used
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Pickles and mousseline keep 2–3 days. Fry to order.
Chef’s note: Temperature discipline matters; above 144°F (62°C) the trout firms up quickly.
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Braised Pork Cheeks with Kohlrabi–Apple Salad, Crispy Leeks & Smoked Pork Fillet

Fork-tender cheeks glazed in their reduction, bright salad with ponzu-lime, and slices of smoky fillet.
At a glance
Yield: Serves 8–10
Prep / Cook / Total: 45 min active / 5 hr braise + finishing / ~6 hr
Skill level: Advanced (long braise + multi-component)
Equipment: large Dutch oven, fryer, sheet trays, heavy pan
Ingredients

Braise

  • 4 lb 6 oz (2 kg) pork cheeks
  • 3 carrots, peeled and halved
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • 1 head garlic, halved
  • Veal or chicken stock to cover (about 2–2.5 L)

Salad & crispy leeks

  • 1 lb 2 oz (500 g) leeks, shredded
  • 4 tbsp (32 g) cornstarch
  • Neutral oil for frying
  • 1/4 cup (50 ml) ponzu
  • Fine salt
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1/2 cup (100 ml) olive oil
  • 4 kohlrabi, peeled and shaved
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, cut into matchsticks
  • 7 oz (200 g) baby spinach, stems removed

Smoked pork fillets

  • 2 smoked pork tenderloins/fillets
  • 2–3 tbsp butter
Method
  1. Pork cheeks: Heat oven to 355°F (180°C). Brown cheeks; remove. In same pot, color carrots and onion; add garlic. Return cheeks, cover with stock, and braise in oven ~5 hours until very tender. Cool cheeks on a tray under a weighted second tray for clean blocks. Strain braising liquid; reduce by half, skimming.
  2. Crispy leeks: Dust shredded leeks in cornstarch. Deep-fry until crisp; drain on paper towels.
  3. Dressing: Whisk ponzu, a pinch of salt, lime juice, then olive oil to emulsify.
  4. Pork fillets: Roast fillets in a hot pan/oven combo ~6 minutes; add butter and baste 3 minutes. Rest, then slice.
  5. Finish cheeks: Portion cheeks into neat squares. Sear in a hot film of oil to caramelize both sides; glaze with reduced braise.
  6. Salad: Dress kohlrabi and apple with ponzu vinaigrette. Fold in crispy leeks and spinach.
  7. Plate: Cheeks and fillet slices on the plate, salad alongside, hot glaze over cheeks.
Tips & substitutions
Cheeks improve overnight; chill in their liquor and reheat to glaze.
Dietary tags: dairy-free (skip butter on fillet)
Allergens: none inherent (ponzu may contain soy/citrus)
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Braise 2 days ahead; reduce and reheat to lacquer.
Chef’s note: Weighting the cheeks gives tidy cubes that sear like a dream.
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Cardamom Chocolate Truffles with Pistachio & “White Chocolate Snow”

Silky dark ganache rolled in pistachio or cocoa-salt, finished with a playful maltodextrin snow.
At a glance
Yield: About 40 truffles
Prep / Cook / Total: 25 min active + overnight set / 0 cook / ~25 min plus chilling
Skill level: Intermediate
Equipment: double boiler, sieve, melon baller, mixing bowls
Ingredients

Ganache & coatings

  • 2 cups (500 ml) double cream/heavy cream
  • 4 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
  • 17.6 oz (500 g) 72% dark chocolate, finely chopped
  • 1–2 tsp vanilla paste
  • 1 2/3 cups (400 g) pistachios, finely chopped
  • Cocoa powder, for rolling
  • Pinch flaky salt

Snow

  • 3.5 oz (100 g) white chocolate, melted
  • 2–3 cups tapioca maltodextrin (add to texture)
Method
  1. Infuse cream: Bring cream and cardamom to a simmer; rest 5 minutes.
  2. Melt chocolate gently over a double boiler. Rewarm cream; stir in vanilla paste. Strain hot cream over chocolate; whisk until glossy and smooth. Spread into a shallow container; chill several hours or overnight.
  3. Shape: Scoop with a melon baller; roll quickly into balls. Coat half in chopped pistachios; roll the rest in cocoa mixed with a pinch of flaky salt. Hold in a cool place.
  4. Snow: Whisk tapioca maltodextrin into melted white chocolate, a little at a time, until it turns into a powdery “snow.
  5. Serve truffles with a drift of snow on the plate.
Tips & substitutions
For softer centers, add 1–2 tbsp butter to the ganache. Use gloves to avoid melting.
Dietary tags: vegetarian
Allergens: dairy, tree nuts
Make-ahead / storage / reheat: Truffles keep 1 week chilled; serve at cool room temp. Snow holds airtight.
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