Food For Lovers

Some men are steak and potato guys, but Chef Rick Moonen is a fish guy.

Moonen is well-known for his magic touch when it comes to seafood. Many people were shocked when he left his post at one of New York's best seafood restaurants, Oceana. But he recently opened his own upscale seafood restaurant, rm, and he's already received glowing reviews from critics and diners alike.

We gave him a special Chef on a Shoestring challenge: Create a $30 three-course seafood supper for two in honor of Valentine's Day. Moonen created a romantic menu that started with an appetizer of Roasted Butternut Squash Soup; an entree of Cod on Spinach with Soft-Poached Egg and Sauce Gribiche; and for dessert, Caramel Custard.

Terminology:

Gribiche (gree-BEESH): A cold sauce based on mayonnaise in which the raw egg yolk is replaced by a hard-boiled egg yolk. Capers, herbs and the chopped white of a hard-boiled egg are traditionally added. However, Moonen is incorporating a soft-poached egg instead. Gribiche sauce is generally served with fish.

Custard: A kind of pudding made with a sweetened mixture of milk and eggs. (Custard can also be unsweetened, as it is in a quiche.) You can prepare custard on the stovetop or bake it. Custards require slow cooking and gentle heat in order to prevent separation or curdling. This is why a water bath is important when you bake the custard. If you choose to make it on the stovetop, you should use a double boiler.

Bain Marie: Also known as a water bath, a Bain Marie is a French cooking technique, based on a pan by the same name. You can use any pan larger than the one containing the food to create a water bath. As the food cooks, the pan containing the water surrounds the food with gentle heat. This is important for dishes such as custards, souffles, sauces or savory mousses to prevent separation or curdling from cooking at too high a temperature.

RECIPES

Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 whole butternut squash
3 tablespoons butter
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup vegetable stock or canned broth
1/2 cup heavy cream

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 350-degrees.
2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds with a tablespoon and discard.
3. Rub the squash with softened butter and season with salt and pepper.
4. Place the squash, cut-side up, in a shallow roasting pan.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and roast until the flesh is tender, approximately one hour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
6. Scoop out the cooked squash pulp and place in food processor.
7. Add the vegetable stock and process until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve.
8. Place strained squash in a small saucepot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add the heavy cream and heat thoroughly.
9. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

New England Cod on Spinach with Soft-Poached Egg and Sauce Gribiche
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 7-ounce cod fillets (about 1 inch thick)
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 package (8 ounces) spinach leaves, washed
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 whole eggs
1 small shallot, finely diced
1 tablespoon capers
1 tablespoon cornichon, finely diced
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small bunch of chives, finely chopped

Poaching Liquid Ingredients:
2 cups water
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

Prepare the Sauce Gribiche (several hours in advance):

Method:

1. Combine shallot, capers, cornichon, red wine vinegar, Dijon mustard, and extra virgin olive oil in a stainless steel bowl and mix well.
2. Allow the mixture to sit in the refrigerator overnight so the flavors can set.
3. When ready to use, remove from the refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.

Poach the Eggs:

1. Crack the eggs and drop thrm into the slowly simmering poaching liquid.
   
2. As each egg sets up, remove it to an ice bath with a slotted spoon.
   
3. Reserve the simmering liquid to re-heat the eggs when the cod is cooked.

Cook the Spinach:

1. Wash the spinach and allow the water that clings to the leaves to remain.
2. Over medium heat, sauté the onions in the olive oil for one minute. Add the garlic and continue cooking for an additional 30 seconds.
3. Add the wet spinach leaves, stirring them into the onion-oil mixture.
4. Season with salt and cook the spinach until tender. Hold in the pan until cod is cooked.

Cook the Cod:

1. Season the cod fillets with salt and pepper.
2. Place the butter in a non-stick sauté pan and turn the heat on medium.
3. Add the cod to the pan as soon as the butter melts. Shake the pan a little to make sure the butter coats the pan and the fish.
4. Cook for two minutes, basting the fish continuously with the butter in the pan.

To Serve:

1. On two warm plates, divide the spinach and place in the center of each plate.
2. Place the cooked cod on top of the spinach.
3. Place the re-heated soft poached egg on top of the cod.
4. Mix the sauce gribiche with a tablespoon and baste the egg with the sauce so that the solids remain on the egg and the liquid pours around the spinach.
5. Spinkle with chopped chives.

Caramel Custard
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 cup whole milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
9 tablespoons white granulated sugar (5 for custard and 4 for caramel)
1 whole egg
2 egg yolks
2 custard cups (approx. 4 ounces each)

Method for Caramel:

1. Have two clean oven-proof ramekins or custard cups ready.
2. Place four tablespoons sugar and two tablespoons water in a small pot. Cook on medium heat. You want to make sure the sugar doesn't burn.
3. Cook until the sugar is a medium golden brown color.
4. Pour evenly into the custard cups. Reserve.

Method for Custard:

1. Pre-heat oven to 450-degrees.
2. In a stainless saucepot mix the milk, vanilla extract, and three tablespoons of sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil.
3. Add two tablespoons of sugar to the egg and yolks in a mixing bowl. Beat well with a whisk.
4. Add the boiling milk mixture to the egg mixture gradually, beating well to prevent the hot milk mixture from scrambling the egg mixture.
5. Strain mixture using a fine sieve to remove the foam and skim . Remaining any foam with a spoon.
6. Pour custard into the custard cups over the cooled caramel, and place the cups in a large shallow pan containing cold water that comes about halfway up the cups (a Bain Marie).
7. Place in an oven preheated to 450 degrees and immediately lower the oven temperature to 320 degrees F.
8. Custard will take approximately one hour to set.
9. When done allow to cool and refrigerate so the custard sets.
10. Before serving, press custard gently around the edges to break the crust where it clings to the cup. Invert onto serving plate.
11. Garnish with berries of your choice.