Smoked Salmon Crepe Gateau
By Chef Daniel Pliska CEC AAC
Yield: 24 portions – 3 each crepe gateau
15 each Buckwheat Crepes (recipe to follow)
1 side Cold Smoked Salmon, sliced (more if needed)
3 lbs Butter (Plugra or other high-quality butter)
2 cups Chopped Chives
Optional for garnish Caviar (Sevruga, Osetra, or other suitable caviar)
- Whip the butter with the chives until light and airy
- Layout a crepe and pipe on a small amount of butter
- Spread out to an even layer
- Top with a layer of smoked salmon
- Top with another crepe
- Continue until five layers of crepes are stacked up
- Follow this procedure to build 2 more crepe gateau
- Press between cardboard cake circles and weight down with a number 10# can
- Refrigerate until chilled and butter has hardened
- At service cut each crepe gateau into 8 wedges
- Serve with watercress, endive and radish salad and garnish with crème fraiche, grapefruit Supremes and caviar if desired
Buckwheat Crepes
Yield 15 to 18 – 8” crepes
3 each Eggs (large)
1 Tbl Melted butter (Plugra)
1 cup Buckwheat Flour
½ cup Milk
¼ cup Water (more if needed)
¼ tsp Sea salt (fine ground)
As needed Grapeseed oil (for cooking)
As needed Butter (for cooking)
- Whisk the eggs together in a bowl
- Add the buckwheat flour and mix until smooth
- Mix in melted butter and the salt
- Mix in the milk
- Mix in the water to form a light batter
- Strain and let rest for 10 minutes
- Add a small amount of grapeseed oil to hot non-stick pan
- Add a small amount of butter and pour out any excess
- Ladle in about 1 ½ ounces of batter or just enough to cover the bottom of the pan
- Once brown turn over and cook for a few seconds
- Take out of the pan and cool on parchment paper
- Continue the process until all of the crepe batter is used.
Dressing for salad
1/2 cup Grapefruit juice
4 TBL Champagne vinegar
1/2 cup Minced Shallots
1 tsp Black pepper, fine ground
2 tsp Chopped Tarragon
2 tsp Chiffonade Basil
1/2 tsp Sea salt, fine ground
2 cups Grapeseed oil
Using all of the ingredients prepare a simple vinaigrette. Toss the watercress, endive and radishes with a small amount of the dressing.
Salad mix as needed:
Water Cress leaves, Belgium Endive split core removed and cut on a thin bias, Julianne Radishes
Garnish as needed:
Grapefruit Supremes
Cream Fraiche
Vegan Spicy Lentil Rice Cake with Vegetable Curry
By Chef Daniel Pliska CEC
Yield: 4 portions
Spicy Lentil Rice Cake
1/2 cup Dried Lentils (washed)
1/4 cup Red Onion, minced
3 Tablespoons Celery, fine diced
3 Tablespoons Carrot, fine diced
1 teaspoon Garlic minced,
1 Tablespoon McCormick Mojito lime spice
1/4 Cup White wine
1/4 Cup Tomato Juice
1 1/2 Cups Water
2 Tablespoons Cilantro, coarse chopped
2 Tablespoons Scallions, chopped
Salt to taste if needed
2 Tablespoons Flaxseed meal
6 Tablespoons Water
1 cup Cooked- basmati rice
1/2 cup Bread crumbs
Olive oil for a sautéing
Bread crumbs for coating cakes
- Sautee the Onion, Celery, Carrot, and Garlic in a small amount of olive oil
- Add the Mojito lime spice and stir and cook for 1 more minute
- Add lentils, wine, tomato juice, and water then bring to a boil
- Cover and reduce to a simmer
- Cook until lentils are soft, add more water if needed
- While the lentils are cooking soak the flaxseed meal in six tablespoons water
- Once the lentils are cooked and soft cool slightly then puree half of the lentils and leave rest whole
- Add the cooked rice, cilantro and scallions and stir well
- Add the flaxseed water and the mix well with ½ cup bread crumbs
- Adjust seasoning with salt if needed
- Form into 8 cakes and coat with bread crumbs
- Prepare the vegetable curry and reserve warm
- In a hot pan brown the lentil rice cakes in olive oil on both sides and then put into the oven and bake at 375F until cooked through
- Serve with the Vegetable Curry
Vegetable Curry
2 Tablespoons Jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1½ Tablespoons Garlic, minced
¼ cup Red onion, minced
1 Tablespoon Ginger root, minced
2 teaspoons McCormick Ground Turmeric
1/2 teaspoons Ground Black pepper
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1½ teaspoons McCormick Curry Powder
3 cups Water
¼ cup All-purpose flour
2 tablespoons Tomato paste
¾ cup Coconut milk
¼ cup Olive oil
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
½ cup Onions, diced
½ cup Celery, diced
½ cup Carrots, diced
½ cup Red bell peppers, diced
1 cup Butternut squash, diced
1 cup Cauliflower, flowerets
1/4 cup Golden raisins
½ each Lime
2 Tablespoons Cilantro, chopped
- In a 2 quart sauce pot Sautee the jalapeno, garlic, ginger and red onion in the olive oil
- Add the salt, pepper, spices and flour and cook on medium heat to create a roux, cook for 5 minutes stirring frequently
- Add the tomato paste and cook and stir for another minute
- Whisk in the water and the coconut milk and bring to a simmer
- Simmer for 10 minutes and then puree with an emersion blender
- Heat another Sautee pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil and brown the onions, celery, carrots, peppers and butternut squash
- Add to the curry sauce and simmer for 3 minutes, add the cauliflower and golden raisins and simmer until all vegetables are tender and then squeeze in the lime juice and add the chopped cilantro just before serving
- Reserve and serve with the Lentil Rice cakes
- Garnish with Lime wedges, Cilantro leaves and chopped ScallionsOptional- Top with an arugula and julienne apple salad

Mexican 8 Layer Dip
Yield: 12 to 16 portions
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups Grated Cheddar Cheese
1 ½ cups Sour Cream
1 ½ cups Re Fried Beans
1 1/2 cups Diced Tomatoes
1 cup Guacamole
2 cups Roasted Corn (season corn with Mexi spices and roast at 375 until golden brown)
1 ½ cup Black Beans
2 cups Shredded Lettuce
Method:
- Line a cake pan with plastic wrap
- Layer in the ingredients starting with the cheese then pipe in the sour cream, refried beans and continue with the rest of the ingredients finishing the last layer with the shredded lettuce
- Top with a layer of plastic wrap press down and chill
- Take off the top layer of plastic, invert onto a serving platter and remove the cake pan serve with tortilla chips
Mexi spices are chili powder, paprika, cumin, granulated garlic, and cayenne pepper
Additional herbs can also be added such as cilantro and scallions when layering into the pan
Seafood Market Chowder
Yield: 1 ½ gallons
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups diced onions
1 ½ cups diced celery
2 cups quarts diced Yukon gold potatoes skin on
3 cups canned diced tomatoes with juice
1/2 pound butter
1/2 pound flour
3 quarts fish stock
2 quarts half and half
2 cups chopped clams, canned or frozen
½ teaspoon saffron
1 cup white wine (dry)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped basil
1 quart seafood scraps scallops, shrimp, mussels, and firm flesh fish such as sword fish, cooked
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method:
- In heavy bottom stainless steel pot melt the butter and sauté the onions and celery.
- Add the flour to make a roux and cook for 10 minutes.
- Steep the saffron with the wine for 5 minutes in a small pot.
- Add the saffron wine essence to the roux along with the tomatoes and the clam juice (reserve the clams until the end of the cooking).
- Whisk until smooth and add the fish stock and the half & half.
- Simmer for 30 minutes. Then add the potatoes and cook for 10 more minutes or until the potatoes are soft.
- Add seafood scraps, clams and chopped herbs.
- Adjust the consistency with more half and half if too thick, or a cornstarch slurry if too thin; then season with salt and pepper.

French Apple Tart- At home recipe
Yield: 8 servings
4 Each Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored & cut into wedges
3 Each Eggs, extra large
6 ½ Oz (about 1 Cup) Granulated Sugar
1 ½ Oz (or 3/4 stick) Unsalted Butter, room temperature
3 Tbl Apricot Jam
Cinnamon to sprinkle on top
Pate Brisée (Dough)
12 Oz (or 2 ¾ Cups) All-Purpose Flour
6 Oz (or 3 sticks) Unsalted Butter, chilled
½ Tsp Salt
6-7 Oz (or 3/4 Cup) Water, ice cold
To Prepare Dough
- In a large bowl, mix the flour and salt and then cut in the butter with a pastry blender or two forks until the butter is the size of peas.
- With your fingertips, gently work in the ice cold water just enough to form a ball.
- Wrap the ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
To Prepare Custard
- In a bowl, mix the sugar and butter together until smooth.
- Add the eggs one at a time while vigorously mixing until a smooth batter is formed.
To Prepare Tart
- In a 10-inch tart ring with removable bottom, roll out the dough and place into tart ring. Let the excess dough hang over sides.
- Take two forks and then poke holes all around the tart dough.
- Use a piece of foil paper and rub with oil or spray with Pam and push down into dough in order to hold it down into pan.
- Fill pan with dried beans.
- Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees F for approximately 20 minutes.
- Remove from oven. Take out beans and foil (note: you can save the beans and re-use them again).
- Roll over the top of tart ring with rolling pin to cut off excess dough hanging over sides.
- Evenly spread bottom of the tart dough with apricot jam.
- Place the apples wedges in a circular pattern to fill up the tart ring.
- Pour the custard mix over the apples evenly, then lightly sprinkle with cinnamon.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until the custard has set and does not jiggle when the pan is shaken.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Serve with vanilla ice cream or sauce.

Rheinischer Kucken / Cherry Almond Pound Cake
Specialty from the Oberkassel Backhaus
Yield: Six Loaf Pans
Ingredients:
1500 gr Butter
1500 gr Sugar
300 gr Almond paste
1500 gr Eggs
300 gr Water
50 gr Vanilla extract
1000 gr Cake flour
1000 gr Bread flour
45 gr Baking power
50 gr Salt
Method:
1. Cream the butter, sugar and almond paste.
2. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together.
3. Mix the eggs and water together and then mix into the butter, sugar and almond paste alternating with a small amount of the flour mix so as not to curdle.
4. Add the rest of the flour and mix until smooth.
5. Bake in loaf pans lined with puff pastry and push in IQF cherries or fresh plums then top with sliced almonds.
6. Bake at 350 until brown and then reduce the heat to 275 until done.
7. Brush with apricot glaze and fondant if desired.
Wrap in puff pastry, garnish with cherries and sliced almonds, apricot glaze to finish.
Photo by Harry Katz
Braised Short Ribs of Beef
With Wild Mushroom and Sun-dried Tomato Risotto
By Chef Daniel Pliska CEC
Yield 8 Entrée’s
Ingredients:
Braised short ribs
8 pieces (about 10-12 oz each) beef short ribs
1 bottle Norton or other robust red wine
1 Cup large diced onions
½ cup large diced carrots
½ cup large diced celery
2 Tbl chopped garlic
1 cup tomato paste
3 quarts brown veal stock or beef broth
6 bay leaves
12 each fresh thyme sprigs
2 each 4” fresh rosemary sprigs
½ cup olive oil
½ cup butter
2 cups seasoned flour with salt, black pepper, dry thyme, granulated garlic and paprika
Risotto
1 cup Arborio rice
2 tbsp olive oil
3 ½ to 4 cups chicken broth
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup diced Portobello mushrooms
1 cup diced shiitake mushrooms
½ cup diced Re- Hydrated morel mushrooms
1 cup diced Re –Hydrated Sun dried tomatoes
¼ cup minced onion
2 tsp minced garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Ingredients to finish the dish
3 each parsnip peeled and then cut with the peeler into ribbons
2 cups diced root vegetables (can be beets, parsnips, carrots, turnips)
2 cups seasoned flour with salt and pepper for dredging the parsnip ribbons
Approximately 2 tsp white truffle oil
Preparation for the Beef
1. Dredge the short ribs in the seasoned flour.
2. In a braising pan melt the butter and with the olive oil and brown the beef on all sides.
3. Remove the meat from the pan and add the vegetables and the garlic.
4. Then add ½ cup of the seasoned flour and stir while cooking to form a roux.
5. Return the beef then add the red wine and tomato paste and return to a light boil.
6. Add the stock and the herbs and bring back to a light boil cover and cook in a pre-heated oven at 375F for 2 to 3 hours until meat is very tender.
7. Remove the meat strain the sauce and hold until plated up.
Preparation for the Risotto
1. While the beef is cooking in the oven prepare the risotto in a separate sauce pot.
2. Heat the olive oil and then brown the rice.
3. Add the garlic, onions, mushrooms, and sun dried tomatoes stir for 2 minutes until the mushrooms are cooked.
4. Add the white wine and stir frequently until the wine has evaporated.
5. Add the stock in 3 batches stirring each time frequently until absorbed.
6. When the stock is all incorporated and the rice is tender add the cheese and season of needed with salt and pepper then hold warm until plated up.
Plate Up
1. Toss the parsnip ribbons in the seasoned flour and then fry at 350F then remove to a pan lined with napkins while finishing the beef.
2. Sauté the root vegetables in the olive oil until golden brown and tender.
3. On 8 plates scoop out the risotto and surround with the vegetables.
4. Top the risotto with the beef.
5. Ladle a generous portion of sauce over the beef and drizzle with the truffle oil.
6. Garnish with the fried parsnips and serve.

Coconut Rice Pudding with Strawberry Lavender Sauce
Yield: 30 – 3 ounce portions
Ingredients:
2 cups Jasmine rice
1 quart Milk
1 each Star anise
1 each Cinnamon stick
2 cups Coconut flakes unsweetened toasted light brown
3 cups half and half
3 cups coconut milk unsweetened
12 ounces granulated sugar
9 each extra large eggs
6 each yolks
1 each vanilla beans, split lengthwise
½ teaspoon salt
1 quart Whipped Cream, whipped to soft peaks
Sliced strawberries for garnishing
Mint for garnishing
Swiss Meringue
Strawberry lavender syrup
Wafer cookies if desired
METHOD
- Rinse the rice well and drain
- Simmer the rice in the milk with the star anise and the cinnamon stirring frequently so as not to scorch, cover pot when not stirring
- When the rice is cooked and soft drain any leftover milk spread on a sheet pan and cool
- Scald the half and half, coconut milk and sugar and split and scraped vanilla bean
- Whisk into the eggs and yolks one ladle at a time to make custard mix
- Strain out the vanilla bean and add the rice and toasted coconut
- Pour into a baking pan cover with foil and bake in a low heat oven at 250F on a sheet pan filled with water until set about 3 hours
- Refrigerate until chilled, mix to break up the rice custard and fold in the whipped cream by hand
- When it is time to serve scoop the rice pudding into bowls
- Prepare the Swiss meringue and pipe onto the rice pudding
- Lightly brown with a butane torch
- Garnish with sliced strawberries, strawberry lavender syrup, and a crisp wafer cookie (if desired) and a sprig of mint.
Swiss Meringue
Ingredients:
8 each | Egg whites separated from extra-large eggs |
1 cup | Granulated sugar |
Pinch | Cream of tartar (optional) |
Method
- Whip the egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a large bowl over a pot of boiling water until hot and temperature reads 145F.
- Immediately put into the mixing machine and whip on high speed until thick and stiff peaks are formed
Strawberry Lavender Sauce
Ingredients:
1 quart Strawberries washed and sliced
1 tablespoon Dried lavender flowers
2 cups Water
1 cup Granulated sugar
Method
- Bring to a boil the water, lavender, and sugar
- Pour into a stainless steel bowl and add the strawberries
- Let come to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate over night
- Strain the syrup and serve.
January 9, 2015 at 10:10 am
I like the apple tart recipe very much 😃👍
January 9, 2015 at 12:51 pm
Thanks for the comment and I am happy that you enjoyed my post!
January 16, 2017 at 2:10 pm
Braised short ribs is one of my favorite cuts of beef! All your recipes looks great and very inviting to simply tuck in to! 🙂
June 16, 2017 at 1:18 pm
I cannot decide which recipe to try first! Awesome job!
June 17, 2017 at 12:48 pm
It all depends on your skill level, equipment and time. If you have any questions please let me know and thanks for the comment.