Eric Ripert | Avec Eric

This shrimp dish is great for a summer meal because it is light but still very flavorful. The simple addition of the flavored butter makes the shrimp juicy, tender and full of delicious flavor. These shrimp are wonderful eaten alone or as part of a larger meal by adding a starch, like rice, and some fresh vegetables or a lightly dressed salad.

For this dish, look for shrimp that are classified as 16-20 count, which usually translates to medium-sized shrimp. The “16-20” refers to the number of shrimp which will make up one pound – with this size of shrimp, there will be 16-20 per pound. When shrimp are this size, you only have to cook them for a few minutes.

Peeling and deveining shrimp is simple to do at home - the shell comes off in little rings, just start at the belly and peel off each piece of shell, keeping the tail in tact. When you devein a shrimp you are removing the intestines, which not only makes the shrimp look nicer but cleans it for a better taste. I also like to butterfly the shrimp because it makes a nice presentation and creates a larger, even surface area. Simply, slice the shrimp almost, but not completely, in half with a small knife. Then spread open the two halves and place it flat on the baking sheet. This method allows the shrimp to cook evenly, more uniformly and also has more area for the flavored butter to saturate

Making flavored butter is a great way to season food because it combines the cooking fat along with flavorful seasonings in one spreadable component. Blend together softened butter, minced garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and lemon juice and generously brush the mixture onto each shrimp.

Cook the shrimp for 3-4 minutes until they are still slightly translucent in the center, while the tail becomes bright pinkish-orange. Cooking the shrimp to this degree means that they will stay moist and tender, and not become rubbery. Keep in mind that the shrimp will also continue to cook when you remove them from the oven because of the residual heat.

The ingredients I use to accompany the shrimp are chosen because they do not smother the sweet, delicate flavor of the shrimp – they compliment it and bring it out. A nice, crusty bread is also a perfect addition to this dish to scoop up the sauce and juices that remain once all the shrimp are gone.

One of my favorite summer fruit desserts is clafouti, a baked custard-like cake which originates from the countryside of central France. It is a rustic dish that is simple to make and tastes so good – like a thick, moist, fruit-filled crepe. It can be made during any season but I like it is best in the summer when you have such a variety of fruits to choose from.

Read More

This delicate canapé is a wonderful twist on a classic comfort food, the one-eyed jack, also known as toad in the hole or egg in a basket. In this dish, I use a small quail egg, cooked inside toasted brioche and garnish it with smoked salmon.

Read More

Salmon can be such a wonderful fish – very rich, flavorful and versatile. Sometimes it is overlooked because it has now become more commonplace. But you will be surprised at how much you can still enjoy salmon in this dish, adorned simply with Dijon mustard, breadcrumbs and lemon-chive crème fraiche.

Read More

One of my strongest food memories is from Provence. When I was young, my family lived in the South of France, very close to the Mediterranean sea. I remember it being sunny all the time and wild herbs growing everywhere. You could even smell lavender in the air.

Read More

Since I started sharing these Get Toasted videos, people keep asking me how I began cooking using this method. The answer is simple…at home, we find it is the easiest way to prepare meals for our 5 year old son. Cooking a smaller amount of food in a toaster oven makes more sense than using the regular big oven. The first dish we ever made was this one for Chicken Tenders, which is really just a smaller version of classic roast chicken.

Read More

This recipe was inspired by bananes flambées, a classic preparation of bananas sautéed in butter and brown sugar and then finished with flaming rum or brandy. The goal here is to add just enough rum to accent the caramel sauce that forms as the sugar and butter melt together and the fruit releases its delicious juices.

Read More

Summer is here in New York and the heat has been very intense recently. But the good thing summer brings to the city is plenty of fresh seasonal vegetables, including beautiful green zucchini, also called summer squash, or courgettes, as I call them in French. Read More

A lot of people are unsure when it comes to seasoning food, but it doesn’t have to be complicated. All you really need is salt and pepper. When I cook a chicken, for example, everything I add is to emphasize and enhance its natural flavor—to make that chicken the star of the plate, with little distractions. By focusing on great ingredients and going back to basics with salt and pepper, you’ll begin to get a real understanding of how to bring out the best in your food, the food’s own great flavor.

Read More

Broiling a fillet of red snapper is a great way to learn how easy it is to cook fish. I chose red snapper here for its simplicity. It’s delicate, flaky and not at all fatty or fishy, a luxury to savor on its own, with as few additions as possible. And if you try out this very basic recipe, you’ll see that to get great results with fish all you have to do is use your senses. And that sensual experience is one of the greatest pleasures of cooking.

Read More