Great Summer Meal From Master Chef

Every day this week, The Early Show series "Culinary Inspirations" will feature a top chef sharing secrets.

On Monday, the focus was on fabulous summer foods, as David Myers of Hollywood's "Sona" shared approaches and recipes.

Myers says he seeks three things in his kitchen: perfection, creativity and harmony. His culinary vision and commitment to cultural diversity are why many visitors rank Sona among the best culinary destinations in Los Angeles. It's certainly one of the most popular.

The meal he made on The Early Show Monday was delicious, but easy and perfect for summer, because his recipes use the best ingredients of the season, such as tomatoes, and employ the grill, one of the best summer cooking tools available, and easy to use!

Myers advocates a unique philosophy toward food preparation. "I don't like cooking at a standstill, the same dishes over and over," he says. "At Sona, the emphasis is on movement; energy is the core and is everywhere. To me, cooking should be done in a jazz environment, as improvisation, with chefs adapting and applying their skills to whatever seasonal ingredients are at hand and spontaneously tailoring each dish to suit the character of the particular guest. This way, each dish becomes a new challenge, a puzzle."

Myers designs his modern French menus to reflect the seasonal availability of produce and fish in the L.A. area. From this base of freshness, he improvises each preparation to the specifications of his guests, adding a spontaneity and vitality that guarantee each dish will be a unique creation.

Food terminology:

Miso: David uses miso to marinate and add flavor to the steak. Miso is a fermented soybean paste, essential in Japanese cooking. It has the consistency of creamy peanut butter and will keep indefinitely, refrigerated in a closed container. Color, flavor and texture vary depending on the base used in fermentation (rice, barley, or soy), the amount of salt added, and the amount of time it is aged. In general, the lighter-colored misos are milder in flavor than the darker-colored ones.

Hanger steak: This is actually the muscle that wraps around the bottom of the belly, connecting the two side of the cow. It is a long, thin muscle, very flavorful and very tender.

For Myers' recipes, go to Page 2RECIPES:

All recipes for four people

Tomato Salad with orange, arugula, and mozzarella cheese

3 large Heirloom Tomatoes
1 Orange, peeled, sectioned
6 ounces mozzarella
1/4 pound Arugula, washed
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Good Olive Oil

Section the tomatoes and gently toss with orange segments, and season with salt, pepper and olive oil. Arrange on a plate with chunks of burrata (remember to season burrata with salt and pepper). Dress the Arugula with the remaining liquid from the tomatoes and oranges and finish the plate with the Arugula leaves.

Corn Soup with crispy shallots

Fresh Corn kernels from 12 ears of corn, (cobs reserved for stock)
2 medium onions, diced small
1/4 pound butter
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 large shallots
3 cups canola oil

For the soup:

Place cobs in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for one hour. Strain and reserve liquid for next step. In a pot, sauté onions in butter (remember to season with some salt and pepper) until fully tender, being careful not to color them at all. Add corn and sauté an additional ten minutes. Add corn stock to cover and bring to a simmer. Allow to simmer for forty minutes. Remove from heat and blend in small batches in a high speed blender, adding additional corn stock as needed. Pass through a fine mesh strainer. Adjust seasoning and serve.

For the shallots:

Slice the shallots thinly on a mandoline to form rings. Rinse in cold water and be sure to separate all the rings. Pat dry on paper towels. Place in a small pot in cold (room temp.) oil and slowly bring to a simmer over low heat. Occasionally, stir gently to be sure shallots cook evenly. When the shallots become very light golden, remove from oil and place on paper towels to dry. It is best to hold them in a warm place so they will become fully crisp and dry. If they cool immediately, they will hold too much oil and will be soggy.

Grilled Miso Hanger Steak, marinated summer beans, and crème Fraiche

2 pounds hanger steak
6 ounces miso paste
1 pound assorted fresh beans, such as haricot verts, wax beans, stems removed
1/4 cup crème fraiche

For the steak:

Marinate beef in miso overnight in refrigerator. Then grill over hot flame 2 minutes per side, then remove to cooler part of grill to continue cooking gently for ten minutes. Allow to rest five minutes and slice.

For the beans:

Blanch the beans in well salted water until just tender then shock in ice water until fully cold. Remove from water and allow to drain in paper towels. Season with salt and pepper and Crème Fraiche to taste.

Summer Fruit Granita with fresh berries

2 cups water
2 cups sugar
2 pounds fresh strawberries, stems removed

For the simple syrup:

Combine water and sugar and bring to a boil, then cool.

Puree strawberries and pass through a fine mesh strainer. Add simple syrup to taste (amount will depend on ripeness/sweetness of the berries.

Freeze in a shallow pan. When frozen, scrape with a fork to form granita.