1 navel orange 1 blood orange 1 ruby red grapefruit 1 tangerine 1 lime 1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature 3 vanilla beans, preferably Tahitian, split lengthwise Leaves from 2 sprigs thyme

Two 6-ounce lobster tails, in shell 1 /8 teaspoon minced habanero or Scotch bonnet chile 4 tablespoons canola or olive oil, plus more for drizzling Sea salt, preferably fleur de sel, pepper, and sugar (optional) for seasoning 4 cups stemmed watercress 4 grape tomatoes, sliced into thin rounds 1 kumquat, sliced into thin rounds

1. Supreme the citrus fruits With a sharp knife, cut off the tops and bottoms of the citrus fruits. Slicing downward from top to bottom, cut off the peels and white pith. Working over a bowl, cut between the membranes to dislodge the segments of fruit. Reserve the citrus juice.
2. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the vanilla beans and thyme and heat for 1 minute. Add the lobster tails and cook until the flesh is opaque, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove the lobster and set aside to cool.
3. For the vinaigrette, in a small bowl, combine the reserved citrus juice and the chile. Whisk in the 4 tablespoons canola oil in a thin stream. Whisking constantly, add 2 tablespoons of the vanilla-lobster butter. Season to taste with sea salt, pepper, and sugar if using.
4. Gently combine the watercress and half of the citrus supremes in a bowl. (Save the remaining supremes for another use.) Toss with a few tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
5. To assemble, crack open the lobster tails and carefully remove the meat. Toss with a couple tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
6. Divide the salad between 2 plates. Top with lobster. Garnish with tomatoes, kumquat, sea salt, and a drizzle of canola oil.

Recipe taken from Top Chef: The Cookbook (or Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook), Copyright Bravo Media LLC/Published by Chronicle Books LLC.

 

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and chopped 1 cup chopped fennel (fronds reserved for garnish) 2 large shallots, minced 2 cloves garlic 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 cups chicken stock

1 cup heavy cream Leaves from 3 sprigs thyme Leaves from 3 sprigs sage 3 fresh mint leaves 1/4 small baguette, cut into 1/2-inch slices 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese 5 figs, chopped

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F.
2. In a large saucepan over medium-low heat, sweat the apples, fennel, shallots, and garlic, reserving a few tablespoons of the apples. When the vegetables are softened, add the wine and cook to reduce by half. Add the chicken stock, reduce heat to low, and cook to reduce the liquid by half. Add the cream and herbs and simmer until bubbles form on the surface. Transfer to a blender or food processor and purée until smooth.
3. Meanwhile, place the baguette slices on a baking sheet and toast until golden, about 10 minutes. Spread each toast with a bit of blue cheese and top with a few slices of fig.
4. To serve, fill each soup bowl three-fourths full. Float several toasts in the soup and sprinkle with the reserved chopped apple and a few chopped fennel fronds.

Recipe taken from Top Chef: The Cookbook (or Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook), Copyright Bravo Media LLC/Published by Chronicle Books LLC.

1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces 2 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch dice 2 cups heavy cream, plus more as needed 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley 1 clove garlic, chopped

3 sprigs thyme Salt and white pepper Black pepper 4 petite filet mignons (about 11/2 pounds total) 2 tablespoons butter 1 lemon, cut into wedges

1. Combine the cauliflower, potatoes, 2 cups cream, parsley, garlic, thyme, and salt and white pepper to taste in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low to simmer. Simmer until the cauliflower is fork-tender, about 20 minutes. Remove the thyme and discard.
2. With a slotted spoon, transfer the solids to a food processor. Blend until smooth. With the machine running, add more cream as needed to smooth the mixture. Season with salt and white pepper, then return to the pot and keep warm.
3. Preheat a broiler.
4. Season the beef generously with salt and black pepper. Place in a broiler pan and broil to the desired doneness, 8 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove from the broiler and transfer to a separate plate. Top each filet with 1/2 tablespoon butter and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.
5. To serve, place a large spoonful of cauliflower purée in the center of each plate. Top with a filet. Squeeze lemon juice over the meat and serve with lemon wedges.


Recipe taken from Top Chef: The Cookbook (or Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook), Copyright Bravo Media LLC/Published by Chronicle Books LLC.

1 pineapple, peeled, cored, and diced 1 bunch radishes, cut into thin rounds 1 cucumber, cut into thin rounds 1 bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped, a few sprigs reserved for garnish Leaves from 5 sprigs mint, a few leaves reserved for garnish Salt and pepper 1 cup Sprite

1 /2 cup fish sauce 1 cup fresh lime juice 4 jalapeño chiles, sliced into thin rounds 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar One 1 1/2-pound skirt, flap, or hanger steak 1 tablespoon olive oil Pinch of red pepper flakes

1. Combine the pineapple, radishes, and cucumber in a large bowl. Toss with the chopped cilantro and mint leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. For the lime dressing, combine the Sprite, fish sauce, lime juice, and chiles in a large saucepan over high heat and bring to a boil. Cook to reduce to 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes, then add the vinegar.
3. Season the steak with olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Grill or broil to the desired degree of doneness, 3 to 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. When cool, cut into thin strips, slicing against the grain of the meat.
4. Toss together the fruit salad and three-quarters of the dressing. Arrange the salad on 4 plates, topping each with one-quarter of the sliced steak. Drizzle each plate with dressing and garnish with cilantro and mint.

Recipe taken from Top Chef: The Cookbook (or Top Chef: The Quickfire Cookbook), Copyright Bravo Media LLC/Published by Chronicle Books LLC.