This is my personal twist on the classic mojito, made with good rum, lime, and mint. I use locally caught wild Florida shrimp, but feel free to use any fresh shrimp, then splash it with the mojito fixings. It’s like a tropical vacation on a plate—colorful, sultry, and...
This is my Japanese take on classic American summertime flavors, served at SoBe in 2007. Most of these Asian products can be found at Whole Foods, in specialty stores, or online. If you have trouble finding fresh shiso, substitute a generous pinch of finely chopped...
This was one of the hors d’oeuvres at the Tribute Dinner honoring Emeril Lagasse at the Loews Miami Beach in 2009. We chose this as a vegetarian option, but it’s really the perfect canapé: it’s crunchy and bite-size, and the warm, tangy, salty goat cheese simply...
I could eat guac all day. But aren’t you tired of the same old mushy versions? Whip up this crunchier alternative and watch how your friends and family light up when they bite into the juicy tart pieces of Granny Smith apple. They’ll never guess what genius move you...
I created carrot air in 2003, as a tapas-appetizer to be served at cool room temperature. That was the year I was heavily inspired by nature and the essential elements of our planet, including earth, air, sea, and snow…and that was the year that “airs” were born. As...
Here’s a twist on the classic apple tarte Tatin, using roasted tomatoes in place of apples. Use greenmarket or farm-stand tomatoes if possible; either way, you’ll find that roasting intensifies the flavor. The onion confit can last for weeks in the fridge, so make use...
I have so many happy memories from participating in the festival over the years! I couldn’t be there in 2009, but Thomas Buckley, my executive chef from Nobu Miami Beach, was on hand, serving dishes from Nobu Miami: The Party Cookbook. This dish, one of our...
The beauty of this dish is that it’s colorful and earthy at the same time. Paradise Farms (near Homestead, Florida) supplies us with organic beets—all young and many of them heirloom—but if you don’t have access to farm-fresh beets just use conventional beets and cut...
The long-tailed red snapper is fabulous when consumed raw, but of course that means it has to be exceedingly fresh. Simply sliced, marinated in olive oil, drizzled with a little citrus juice, and perhaps strewn with some fresh lemon thyme leaves…it’s hard to beat a...
I like this recipe because it’s a riff on the classic pairing of blinis with caviar. The caviar conveys a sense of luxury, so it elevates any celebration—the same way a great bottle of Champagne would. SERVES 12 CRÈPES 1¼ cups milk 3 large eggs 2 tablespoons butter,...
This dish was inspired by the Tsuji Cooking Academy in Osaka, Japan, where I have a long relationship as both student and teacher. The professors and I tested more than 800 recipes for the opening of one of my restaurants in New York…and this was one of our favorites....
MINESTRONE IS, LITERALLY, A “BIG SOUP,” a vegetable soup that also contains beans and pasta or rice. The flavor is deep and Mediterranean, and has savory layers of garlic and onion, tomatoes, and Parmesan, along with simmered beans in some soups, lentils in others. In...