Melon Coupe With Vanilla Food

MELON AND BLUEBERRY COUPE WITH WHITE WINE, VANILLA AND MINT

Steps:

• Combine 1/2 cup wine and sugar in small saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Stir over low heat until sugar dissolves and syrup is hot, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes. Remove vanilla bean from syrup.
• Combine all fruit in large bowl. Add mint and remaining 1 cup wine to sugar syrup. Pour over fruit. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be prepared 6 hours ahead. Keep refrigerated.)
• Spoon fruit and some syrup into large stemmed goblets.

BRAISED CELERY AND LEEKS WITH VANILLA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Layer the celery and leeks in a baking dish. Add the chicken broth, butter and vanilla extract. Season with 1 teaspoon salt and a couple turns of pepper. Cover with foil and braise in the oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook until tender, about 20 minutes more. Top with the celery leaves.

PRAWNS WITH PINEAPPLE IN ORANGE SAUCE AND SCENTED WITH VANILLA

Steps:

• Bring the orange juice to a simmer in a saucepan. Add the prawns and cook just until the prawns are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Drain the prawns, reserving the orange juice.
• In a saute pan, add 1/4 cup of the sugar and the pineapple and cook over high heat for 30 seconds. Add the reserved orange juice and vanilla bean and cook for 3 minutes, until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and let steep while you prepare the vinaigrette.
• Whisk together the sherry vinegar, vanilla sugar, and Worcestershire sauce. Add in 2 tablespoons of the pineapple liquid. Slowly whisk in the olive oil. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.
• Place the greens on a platter. Remove the pineapple from the liquid and place on the greens. Top with the poached prawns. Drizzle with the vinaigrette.

COUPE ROSSINI

Steps:

• In a mixer using the whisk attachment beat cream and slowly add sugar and mascarpone. Add vanilla and beat until fairly stiff. Set aside.
• Slice the strawberries and use half the amount to make a coulis in the blender with sugar, to taste. Set aside.
• To assemble dessert line up 4 lowball red wine glasses. Break each ladyfinger into 4 pieces and place the pieces into each glass. Next pour 1/4 of the coulis into each glass. Place the remaining sliced strawberries over the lady fingers and coulis. Place the mascarpone cream mixture into a pastry bag and make a solid layer of cream in each glass. Then place the blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, dividing evenly, over the cream. When ready to serve garnish with the sorbet, cigarettes, puff dough pencils, white chocolate ring, and mint tip.