TFQVQPS4SXY6 – Alain Ducasse is on the short list of the world’s most renowned chefs.  His restaurants span the globe from Paris to Tokyo, and from New York to Mauritius.  I recently had the pleasure of dining at Adour, his restaurant in New York City.  The experience was nothing short of pure bliss.  Experience a photo journey of the meal through the photo gallery on the Better Recipes Facebook page.

One of the most fascinating aspects to an Alain Ducasse menu is the cookpot. This signature dish is the link between his restaurants all over the world and has become his universal tool.  Each restaurant offers seasonal vegetables from the local terroir, cooked in the cookpot.  This dish symbolizes the culinary philosophy of Alain Ducasse, creating a “sincere cuisine”– a harmony of flavors– that is both respectful to the environment and to health.  This emblematic dish sums up the very essence of his cooking.

The cookpot is a simple object and can be used from the stove to the table.  The chef wanted the cookpot to be round and somewhat turned in on itself, partly to develop its cooking properties. This allows the food to diffuse its own moisture to fuel the cooking.

This photo shows the “Summer Vegetables Cookpot” I enjoyed at Adour.  Look at those gorgeous, colorful vegetables as as well as the unique design of the cookpot dish.  So often in restaurants vegetables are an afterthought.  I have to say that this dish was hands down the best vegetable preparation I have ever enjoyed in a restaurant!  It was so fresh and just bursting with flavor.

Adour was kind enough to share the recipe for this fantastic dish.  Even though most of us don’t have access to the signature Alain Ducasse Cookpot, the recipe can also be prepared in a covered baking dish.  Bon Appetit!

Stuffed Vegetables Roasted in a Tomato Coulis

4 small tomatoes
4 small zucchini
4 small white onions
4 small artichokes
4 small eggplants

For The Stuffing
½ lb of regular green zucchini, diced
½ lb of small white onions, diced
1 egg
4 ounces of parmesan cheese, grated
4 ounces of fresh ricotta
5 ½ ounces of tomatoes, confit and chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
Chervil, chopped
Basil, chopped
Black olives, chopped
Salt and pepper
Tomato juice

Preparation For The Vegetables: Cut ½-inch-thick slice from tops of onions and tomatoes, reserving tops, and trim just enough from bottoms for vegetable to stand upright. Scoop out all but outer layer (2-3 layers for the onions) using a small ice cream scoop or spoon (don’t worry if you make a hole in the bottom), reserving scooped-out vegetable and its flesh separately.

For the tomatoes, blanch them for a few seconds in hot water to remove the skin.

For the onions, remove the skin. Once cut/prepared/scooped, cook them in hot salted water.

For the artichokes, clean and remove the first leaves. Cook them in a sauté pan with crushed garlic cloves, barigoule-style.

For the eggplant, cut them lengthwise. Roast them for a few minutes in the oven with garlic, thyme. Once roasted, scoop out the flesh and reserve.

Preheat oven to 300° Fahrenheit.

Preparation For The Stuffing:

Dice the onions, the green zucchinis, and the garlic thinly.

In a cocotte, with a drop of good Italian olive oil and when it is hot add the onions and the zucchinis and roast them without any coloration. At the end, add the chopped garlic, salt and pepper, and fresh thyme. Let cool.

Add all the ingredients (eggs, parmesan, ricotta, chopped tomatoes confit, the flesh of the eggplant, chopped black olives, chopped herbs, salt and pepper).

Fill the vegetables with the stuffing, add tops and place them in the Cookpot with some of the tomato juice.

Bake the Cookpot, covered, in the middle of oven for about 30 to 45 minutes.

Serve them at room temperature with a mixed green salad (arugula is recommended) and toasted slices of garlic bread.

Categories: Around the World, Foodie Events, Fresh and Healthy | Tags: Appetizer Recipes, Healthy Recipes, Healthy Side Dishes, Hot Appetizers, Vegetable Appetizers, Vegetarian Recipes
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