Heat the ghee in a large heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, ginger, and garlic and cook slowly until the onions are very soft, about 15 minutes. Add the tomato paste, curry powder, cinnamon stick, and chiles and give it a good stir; season with salt and pepper. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken stock and bring it back to a simmer; cook until the sauce has thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes, chicken, cilantro, and half the lemon juice; continue to simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 10 to 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro and mint leaves.

Ghee:

1 pound unsalted butter

Put the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Melt the butter slowly and make sure it does not sizzle or brown. Increase the heat and bring the butter to a boil. When the surface is covered with foam, stir gently and reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting. Gently simmer, uncovered, and undisturbed for 45 minutes, until the milk solids in the bottom of the pan have turned golden brown and the butter on top is transparent. Strain the ghee through a sieve lined with several layers of cheesecloth. The ghee should be perfectly clear and smell nutty; pour into a glass jar and seal tightly.

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Curry Powder (Garam Masala):

Toast the coriander, cumin, cardamom, peppercorns, fennel, mustard, cloves, and the chiles in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat just until they smell fragrant, about 2 minutes. In a clean coffee grinder or spice mill, grind the toasted spices together to a fine powder. Add the turmeric and give it another quick buzz to combine. Use the curry powder immediately, or store in a sealed jar for up to 1 month.

Yield: about 1/2 cup

Put a large grill pan on two burners over medium-high heat or pre-heat an outdoor gas or charcoal grill to medium. If you’re using an outdoor grill, take a few paper towels and fold them over several times to make a thick square. Blot a small amount of oil on the paper towel, then carefully and quickly wipe the hot grates of the grill to make a non-stick surface.

Put the eggplant halves on a big platter or sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle on both sides with salt and pepper. Put the eggplant slices on the grill and cook until golden, 4-5 minutes. Then turn and continue cooking 4-5 minutes more until nicely browned on both sides and soft and creamy.

Meanwhile, put the yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons olive oil, the cumin, and salt and pepper into a blender and puree until smooth. Taste for salt and pepper.

To serve, spread the yogurt sauce over the bottom of a serving platter. Shingle the eggplant halves on top and garnish with the mint, pomegranate seeds, and sliced chile.

Wrap a strip of speck around the perimeter of each scallop and squeeze gently so that speck sticks to itself and the scallops.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sage leaves and fry until lightly browned and crisp, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently lift the leaves out of the pan and drain flat on paper towels. Season the scallops with salt and pepper. Add the scallops to the hot pan and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side until well browned. Remove scallops from the pan and put them on a platter. Now add the apples to the pan and give them a quick sauté until wilted and caramelized, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with a squeeze of lemon juice and salt and pepper.

To serve, spoon a smear of potato purée on plates and set 3 scallops on top of the potatoes. Spoon the apples around the plate and garnish with sage leaves.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, toss the potatoes with 1/4 cup of oil and season generously with salt and pepper.  Spread the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet or in a roasting pan, cut side down, so the cut layer gets super crispy like a French fry.  Roast for 30 minutes, or until crispy.

Next, start on the dressing.  Put the cheese, buttermilk, and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl and stir together with a fork, mashing a little to break up the cheese.  Season with the lemon juice, salt, pepper, and chives.

When the potatoes have cooked for 20 minutes, season the chops with salt and pepper.  Put a large saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil, and heat until it begins to smoke.  Add the veal and saute until golden brown on the outside and just barely pink inside, 3 to 4 minutes on each side.

To serve, put a chop on each of 4 plates.  Put the potatoes in a bowl and drizzle with the dressing.  Add the arugula and mint and toss.  Set one portion of the potatoes on top of each chop.  Dust with black pepper and serve with lemon wedges.

Remove from the heat, scatter the scallions over the surface and fluff with a fork, remove the herb sprigs and lemon zest before serving. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.

Drain the potatoes and add half of the cream mixture.  Pass through a food mill or ricer then season well with salt and pepper and a drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Set aside.

Drain the sweet potatoes.  Add to a food processor along with bananas, orange zest, cinnamon, honey and the remaining cream mixture.  Process until smooth, working in batches if required, and season with salt and pepper.

To serve, fold the mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes together gently to combine.

Lay a piece of plastic wrap tight on the surface of the guacamole so it doesn’t brown and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Return the skillet you cooked the beans in to the cook top over medium heat. Add the almonds and toast stirring every now and then until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the almonds from the skillet and reserve. Return the skillet to the heat and add the butter and olive oil and heat until the butter has melted. Add the onions, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring frequently until the onions caramelize, about 20–25 minutes. Add the thyme, and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the cooked cooled green beans and almonds, and stir well to combine and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cut the ball of mozzarella in quarters lengthwise. Cut each quarter into 1 1/2 inch chunky cubes. Trim the ends off of the zucchini and then thinly slice into 1/4 inch thick disks. For the breading station, arrange 3 large shallow bowls near the heating oil. Place the flour in one and the panko in another. Crack and beat the eggs in the remaining bowl with a splash of water.

Add the mozzarella cubes to the flour, toss to coat, shake off excess and then transfer to the egg. Coat the mozzarella in the egg then transfer to the panko bread crumbs, coating thoroughly. Carefully drop the coated mozzarella in the hot oil and fry turning at least once until golden brown. Once brown transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain, sprinkle with salt while still piping hot.

For the zucchini and basil, mix them together in a bowl. Repeat the same process as you did with the mozzarella cubes. Fry until golden all over. Drain along side the fried mozzarella.

For the olives, simply repeat the same processes.

Arrange all of the fried items on a platter and serve with lemon wedges

Put the potatoes onto a baking sheet. Roughly tear the rosemary and scatter it over the potatoes; season them with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Toss the potatoes well to mix all the flavors and put them in the oven. Remove them after 30 minutes and toss them again. Continue to roast them until they are browned and cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes more. Serve immediately.