Eric Ripert | Avec Eric

I love this dish. It is so simple but so good and healthier than most hors d'oeuvres. It is light and fresh but flavorful enough to make it a substantial bite of juicy steak wrapped in lettuce.

Recipe: Seared Beef Lettuce Rolls

Serves 8

1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
½ cup soy sauce
2 teaspoon Sriracha chili paste
¼ cup lime juice
1 pound flank steak
fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
½ cup basil leaves, loosely packed
¼ cup mint leaves, loosely packed
8 large iceburg leaves
24-30 pieces chives, blanched

1. Stir together the garlic, ginger, soy sauce, chili paste and lime juice in a small mixing bowl. Reserve half to use as a dipping sauce.
2. Season flank steak on both sides with salt and pepper and pour the remaining marinade over the steak. Let the steak marinate for at least 15 minutes and up to 2 hours.
3. Heat a large pan over high heat add the canola oil and quickly sear the steak in the hot pan, about 2-3 minutes on each side. Transfer to a cutting board and let cool.
4. Slice the seared flank steak crosswise into very thin slices.
5. To make to rolls, lay out a lettuce leaf and trim to about 6 inch square; lay sliced beef in the middle and top with fresh basil and mint leaves. Roll the lettuce leaf around the beef and herbs and tie with three pieces of blanched chives. repeat with the rest of the ingredients.
6. Slice the rolls into 2-inch rolls and serve with reserved dipping sauce.

This is one of my favorite things to put out when guests come over. It is almost effortless to put together but also so full of a variety of flavors. Za'atar spice is a Middle Eastern spice mixture of oregano, thyme, marjoram, sesame seeds and salt, or some variation of that combination. If you can’t find it at your grocery store and do not have a specialty store in your area, making your own mixture is simple.

Recipe: Mediterranean Platter with Hummus, Roasted Pepper-Walnut Spread and Zaatar Pita Chips

Serves 8

The Hummus:
1 can (15 oz) chick peas, drained
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

The Roasted Red Pepper-Walnut Spread:
1 ½ cup toasted walnuts
2 large red bell peppers, roasted, peeled and seeded
¼ cup olive oil
1 cup diced tomato
2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
½ teaspoon ground allspice
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Place all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

The Zaatar Pita Chips:
1 package pita
2 tablespoons olive oil
zaatar spice
fine sea salt

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. Cut pita into bite sized pieces. Toss in a mixing bowl with olive oil and season with zaatar and salt to taste.
3. Bake in a single lay on a baking tray until crisp, about 10-12 minutes.

The simple pairing of shrimp and chorizo is a spicy, easy-to-make little bite of surf and turf. The salt and spice of the chorizo gives the sweet flesh of the shrimp a great kick.

Recipe: Chorizo Stuffed Shrimp

Serves 8

1 ½ pounds 21-25 count shrimp, peeled and de-veined
7 ounces spicy Spanish chorizo
1 tablespoon olive oil
fine sea salt and fresh ground pepper
bamboo skewers

1. Preheat oven to 400° F.
2. Slice the chorizo into ¼ - inch disks.
3. Wrap the shrimp around the chorizo and secure with a skewer.
4. Drizzle the olive oil over the shrimp and season with salt and pepper.
5. Bake for 7-9 minutes, until shrimp becomes opaque.

These are a fun version of French fries. Instead of biting through into potato, you are met with the juicy earthiness of the mushroom. The truffled aioli is an addicting addition.

Recipe: Portobello "Fries" Truffled Aioli

Serves 8

The Fries:
8 portobello mushrooms
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 cups fine bread crumbs
1 cup grated pecorino cheese
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground pepper
½ cup all purpose flour
canola oil for frying

The Truffled Aioli:
2 egg yolks
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup canola oil
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoon white truffle oil
fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Trim the stems, remove the gills and gently wipe the Portobello caps with a damp cloth. Cut the Portobello caps into ½ - inch strips.
2. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, thyme, salt and pepper in shallow dish. Toss the mushroom "fries" in flour to coat evenly, then dip into the egg wash and roll in breadcrumbs.
3. Heat about 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, place the breaded mushroom strips in the hot oil and cook on all sides until golden brown, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a paper lined tray.
4. To make the aioli, combine yolks, lemon juice and garlic in blender, turn the blender on medium and drizzle the canola oil and olive oil into the blender in a steady stream until emulsified into the eggs and is fully incorporated. Season with truffle oil, salt and freshly ground pepper.

These cheese straws look impressive to guests but are easy to make. The cayenne gives the straws an unexpected spiciness that will make your guests' taste buds water. The pistachios are a great, nutty, non-traditional addition.

Recipe: Spicy Parmesan Cheese Straws

Serves 8

1 ½ cups grated parmesan
½ cup chopped pistachios
½ teaspoon coarse sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 package puff pastry dough
1 egg, lightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. Stir together the parmesan, pistachios, salt, pepper and cayenne in a mixing bowl.
3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the puff dough until ⅛-inch thick.
4. Brush the puff dough with the egg and evenly sprinkle with the parmesan-pistachio mix on top.
5. Cut into ½-inch strips and transfer the strips to parchment lined baking trays, spacing 1-inch apart. Working with one at a time, twist each strip to form a spiral.
6. Freeze or refrigerate strips until very cold.
7. Bake the cheese straws, rotating halfway through until golden brown, about 10-12 minutes.

This is a classic hors d'oeuvres with a little bit of a twist. The smoked salmon and the crème fraiche give the deviled egg a silky richness. It is at once familiar and completely new.

Recipe: Deviled Eggs with Smoked Salmon

Serves 8

1 dozen eggs
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ cup creme fraiche
1 small shallot, minced
3 ounces smoked salmon, diced
cayenne pepper, fine sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons sliced chives to garnish (optional)

1. Place the eggs in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring the water to a boil, cover and remove from the heat. Let the eggs sit, covered for 12-15 minutes; drain the hot water and run cold water over the boiled eggs until cool.
2. Peel the eggs and cut each egg in half lengthwise. Gently remove the yolks from the center into a small mixing bowl. Set aside the egg white halves.
3. Add the mustard, creme fraiche, shallot and smoked salmon to the egg yolks and stir to combine. Season to taste with cayenne, salt and pepper.
4. Spoon the mixture back into the egg whites. Garnish with chives.