Ingredients
1 1/2 lb. mushrooms (shiitake, oyster and/or crimini)
2 cups calabaza, cooked and diced
1 gallon vegetable, chicken or fish stock
1 large onion, small diced
2 bay leaves
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 lb. Arborio rice
1/2 lb. butter
2 tbsp. lime zest
2 tbsp. truffle oil (white or black)
3 tbsp. olive oil
4 tbsp. butter
2 cups white wine
Salt and white pepper to taste

Directions
To sauté mushrooms:
Preheat large sauté pan over medium heat. Slice mushrooms lengthwise. Add one tbsp. olive oil and one tbsp. butter to sauté pan. When butter melts, add mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring often. Season with salt and white pepper. Reserve.

To cook calabaza:
Remove skin from calabaza and dice into 1/4" cubes. Place in salted boiling water and simmer until tender (about 5 minutes), strain and cool in ice bath and reserve.

To prepare risotto:

Add two tbsp. olive oil and three tbsp. butter in pre-heated rondeau. Melt butter. Add diced onion and sauté on medium heat until onions are tender and translucent. Add rice and bay leaf and stir with wooden spoon until coated with butter. Add white wine and stir. Simmer until wine is absorbed. Add one cup hot stock at a time, stirring until absorbed. Continue adding stock slowly one cup at a time, stirring very often until rice is tender and creamy. Stir in mushrooms, calabaza, cilantro and lime zest. Season with salt and white pepper. Drizzle in truffle oil. Serve immediately.

Key Lime Butter

Ingredients
3 shallots, sliced very thin
1/2 cup fresh key lime juice
1 cup vegetable, chicken or fish stock
4 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. chives, chopped

Directions
In hot sauté pan, add one tbsp. butter and shallots. Sauté quickly (about 15 seconds), then add key lime juice. Reduce by half. Add stock and reduce by half. Add remaining butter and chives. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Yellowtail Snapper

Ingredients
6 to 8 6 oz. filets, skin on

Directions
Cut each portion in half so there are two pieces per portion. In two very hot 10-12" sauté pans (preferably cast iron), put just enough oil to coat the bottoms. Place snapper, skin side down, in pan. Use a metal spatula to lightly push snapper down so it lays flat. The skin tends to make the snapper curl up, so in order to achieve crispy skin the fish needs to lie flat. Turn heat down to medium and cook fish until the edges become golden brown. Finish fish in a 400 degree oven for about 3-5 minutes. Remove delicately.

To plate:
Place a generous scoop of the risotto in the center of a plate. Rest two pieces (one portion) of the snapper against the sides of the risotto, forming a "temple" over it. Drizzle with the key lime butter and serve.

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Caicos Conch Ceviche with Citrus Ginger Marinade, Avocado, Crispy Malanga

Ingredients
12 oz. fresh caicos conch, diced
1 oz. Serrano chile, minced
1/2 oz. ginger root, minced
1 oz. red onion, minced
1/2. cilantro, chopped
1/2 California avocado, ripened and sliced
1 tomato, ripened, peeled and diced
3 oz. ceviche marinade (see below)
Salt and white pepper
4 sprigs cilantro (for garnish)

Directions
Place conch in small bowl with chiles, ginger, red onion, cilantro, tomato and marinade. Season with salt, white pepper and toss together. Marinate just until opaque, about 6 minutes. Place avocado slice on plate and spoon 3 oz. of conch mixture over top. Finally, garnish with fried malanga and a sprig of cilantro.

Ceviche Marinade
Yields 2/3 cup

Ingredients
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp. sugar
1/2 red onion, julienne
4 Serrano chiles, julienne
2 tbsp. ginger, minced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Salt and white pepper

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and incorporate. Refrigerate overnight.

Crispy Malanga Root Chips
Ingredients
1 lb. malanga coco
2 cups frying oil
Salt

Directions
Heat oil to 375º. Peel the malanga, then cut it into thin chips and rinse well. Place in the oil and fry until golden. Remove and place on paper towel, season with salt and serve immediately.

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Grilled Shrimp Tamale Fava Beans, Roasted Poblano Chiles, Tear Drop Tomato Vinaigrette
Yield: 4 appetizer servings

Ingredients
16 to 20 shrimp (marinated in chopped garlic and Italian parsley)
1 ea. poblano chile (roasted, peeled and diced small)
1 cup fresh corn kernels
3/4 cup masa harina
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 1/4 cup heavy cream
Salt & white pepper
4 corn husks

To make tamale:
Season 8 whole shrimp and place on grill on high heat. Cook for 2 minutes on each side. Rough chop remaining 8 shrimp and place in preheated sauté pan with a small amount of butter over medium heat. Add corn and poblano chiles. Sauté until shrimp begin to cook, add cream and chicken stock, reduce slightly, add masa harina and stir over low heat until well cooked- about two minutes. Season well with salt and pepper. Divide cooked tamale into four corn husk "boats" on serving plate. Garnish with 2 grilled shrimp each and 2 tablespoons of sauce. Serve hot.

For the sauce:
2 each shallots (sliced)
1 tsp. white pepper corns
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 white wine
1 bay leaf
1 stick butter (chilled and diced into ½ inch cubes)
1 tsp. tomato paste
2 tbsp. chopped chives
1/2 cup tear drop tomatoes (cut in half)
1/2 cup fava beans (blanched and peeled)

Directions
Place all the ingredients (except tomato paste, chives, teardrop tomatoes and fava beans) in a sauce pot and reduce by 3/4. Whisk in butter cubes over high heat and emulsify. Strain through chinoise. Stir in tomato paste, chopped chives, teardrop tomatoes and fava beans-season with salt and white pepper.

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