FOR THE CAPPUCCINO SEMIFREDDO

Place the egg yolks and ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add vanilla bean. Whip for 12 minutes at medium speed, or until the mixture has lightened and tripled in volume. Beat in the espresso extract. Transfer to a bowl and place in an ice water bath. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the heavy cream with 3 tablespoons of the sugar until stiff peaks. Fold the whipped cream into the yolk mixture and return the bowl to the ice water bath. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip egg whites until frothy. Add remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, continuing to whip, just until egg whites hold soft peaks. Fold the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture until completely combined. Spoon the semifreddo into six 8- to 10-ounce coffee cups, leaving ½ inch at the top for the steamed milk. Gently tap cups to level the mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to freezer, at least 6 to 8 hours, or overnight.

FOR THE CINNAMON-SUGAR DOUGHNUTS

In the bowl of an electric mixer, add water and stir in ¼ ounce yeast, mixing to dissolve. Attach the dough hook, add the ½ cup flour, and mix slowly until the ingredients are thoroughly incorporated. Transfer sponge to a bowl, cover, and let proof at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours, until it has doubled. In a small bowl, crumble the remaining ¼ ounce yeast into the milk, stirring to dissolve. In the bowl of a mixer fitted with the dough hook, add ¾ cup of the flour, the sugar, and salt. Mix on low speed, adding the milk, yeast mixture, egg yolks, and butter, mixing to combine. Add the proofed sponge and the remaining ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons flour. Continue to mix at low speed until combined. Increase the speed slightly, kneading dough for 4 to 5 minutes, or until it has formed a ball. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and let dough proof overnight in the refrigerator. Place the chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to a ½-inch thick rectangle. Cut into rounds using a 2-inch doughnut cutter. Place the doughnuts and doughnut holes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap that has been lightly coated with cooking spray. Proof in a warm place for about 15 minutes.

TO SERVE

Heat oil to 325 degrees. Fry doughnuts and doughnut holes until deep golden brown. Transfer to a paper towel-lined sheet pan to drain. Toss in a bowl with cinnamonsugar. Remove the semifreddo from the freezer to soften slightly. Steam the milk using a cappuccino or frothing machine. Place a cup of semifreddo and a doughnut on a plate. Top each doughnut with a doughnut hole. Spoon the steamed milk over the semifreddo. Garnish with two cinnamon sticks.

Excerpted from The French Laundry by Thomas Keller (Artisan Books). Copyright © 1999

FOR THE LOBSTER

Remove claws and tail from lobster body and seal meat in a vacuum bag. Chill until ready to serve. Reserve body for lobster stock.

FOR THE EGG

Fill large saucepan with five inches of water and bring to boil. Add vinegar. Crack one egg into small bowl. Reduce heat to simmer, moving saucepan halfway off heat. Into simmering side of water, carefully add egg. After five seconds, use a slotted spoon to gather egg white around egg yolk. Carefully move egg to non-simmering side of pan. Cook until the white is set but the yolk is still runny, about two minutes. Remove egg and chill in ice-water bath. Repeat with remaining eggs. Poached eggs can be held in an ice-water bath in the refrigerator for several hours.

FOR THE PORCINI OIL

In the bowl of a blender add porcini mushroom, grapeseed, and canola oils. Pulse until mushrooms are pulverized and oil is emulsified. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Transfer oil to a squeeze bottle and set aside.

FOR THE PUMPERNICKEL BREADCRUMBS

Heat oil to 350 degrees. In a food processor fitted with a metal blade, add pumpernickel pieces and blend until smooth. Spoon pumpernickel into oil and fry until crispy. Drain on paper towels, season with salt and cool to room temperature. Pulverize in a spice grinder and store breadcrumbs in an airtight container until needed.

FOR THE BEURRE BLANC

In a saucepan add the shallots and white wine and bring to a simmer. Cook until nearly all the liquid is absorbed. Add coriander seeds and white peppercorns. Reduce heat to low and add the cream in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly. Add butter, one cube at a time, while whisking constantly. Add lemon juice. Reduce by half. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and season with salt.eded

FOR THE LOBSTER FOAM

In a saucepan, heat lobster stock. Add all other ingredients and blend using a hand-held immersion blender.

TO SERVE

Heat a circulating water bath to 185 degrees. Cook lobster meat in water bath for 2 minutes Reduce heat of water bath to 149 degrees and cook an additional 5 minutes. Remove from bag, slice the tail meat and leave claws whole. Transfer lobster to beurre blanc and cook for 1 minute. Add egg to the middle of a bowl. Arrange lobster claw and tail pieces. Drizzle with porcini oil and spoon with beurre blanc. Cover with lobster foam and pumpernickel breadcrumbs

FOR THE GREEN ONION POWDER

Lay the onions out onto a dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 165 degrees for 6 hours. Once dry, transfer to a spice grinder and pulse to a fine powder.

FOR THE CHICKEN BROTH

In a medium pot over high heat, add the chicken wings, onion, and kombu. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and skim the broth. Continue to cook and after 4 hours, skim broth again. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Cool completely and set aside in the refrigerator.

FOR THE THE PICKLED TURNIPS

Soak turnip slices in apple cider vinegar for 1-2 hours.

FOR THE TURNIP JUICE

Pass the turnips through a juicer. Strain through a fine mesh sieve. Reserve.

FOR THE PORRIDGE

In a pressure cooker combine the wheat berries, chicken broth, reserved turnip juice and the miso. Set the pressure cooker on high for 33 minutes, releasing pressure. Transfer the porridge to a pot, keeping warm.

FOR THE POTATOES

Add potatoes to a food processor fitted with the metal blade and pulse, adding water as needed, until potatoes resemble bread crumbs. Strain through a fine mesh sieve and wash the potatoes several times to remove the starch. In a sauté pan, heat the grapeseed oil and add potatoes, stirring until golden brown. Season with salt. Drain on a paper towel-lined sheet pan.

FOR THE DISH

Tear the mushrooms into small, uniform strips. In a pan over high heat, sauté mushrooms in grapeseed oil to release the juices. Finish with butter and season with salt. Transfer mushrooms to a paper-towel lined sheet pan to drain. Fold butter into the porridge.

TO SERVE

Spoon a large dollop of porridge into the middle of a bowl. Add crispy potatoes. Arrange the mushrooms and pickled turnips on top. Lightly dust with onion powder. Garnish with sorrel leaves.

FOR THE CURE

Blend the salt, star anise and ginger together in a blender to make a cure. Set aside to use for the pineapple purée and quail.Churn the base in an ice-cream maker until frozen.

FOR THE CURED PINEAPPLE PUREE

Peel the pineapple and vacuum seal it on full pressure with 3 ½ ounces of the cure. Cure it for 1 hour. Remove the pineapple from the bag and rinse off the cure. Slice 7 ounces of the cured pineapple into chunks and cook it in clarified butter until golden brown. Cut the remaining cured pineapple into chunks and set aside for plating. Deglaze the pan with hanepoot. Blend the cooked pineapple with the sweet potato in a Thermomix until smooth. Adjust the seasoning with additional salt. Pass the purée through a fine-mesh sieve.

FOR THE QUAIL

Remove the quail legs. Clean the leg bones to make lollipops; use the excess leg skin to cover the meat. Rub the legs with the cure, a pinch of cure per leg. Put the legs in a small pot and fill with vegetable oil until the legs are completely covered. Put the pot over medium-low heat and cook until the meat is tender. Allow the legs to cool in the oil. Debone the quail breasts. Sous vide them with a little oil and salt at 130 degrees (54 degrees Celsius) for 30 minutes. Cool in an ice water bath.

FOR THE LICORICE AND LIVER JUS

Poach the licorice in the sherry over low heat. Cook the onion, thyme and garlic in a pan with oil until the onions are golden in color. Add the livers and continue to brown. Deglaze the pan with the sherry mixture. Add the stock and reduce to a light jus. Cool and strain the jus through a fine-mesh sieve.

FOR THE SWEET CORN FOAM

Remove the kernels from the cobs of corn and juice them.

FOR THE SWEET CORN SALAD

Use a peeler to remove the corn kernels from the cobs. Mix the corn kernels with the chives, a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle of salt.

TO SERVE

Brown the quail legs and breasts in a pan. Sear the chicken livers and green onions in a pan with oil. Deep fry the baby sweet corns, drain on a paper towel and cut each into three pieces. Warm the sweet corn juice in a pot and use an immersion blender to create a foam. Slice the chicken livers into halves. Dot the pineapple purée around the plate and scatter the sweet corn salad. Arrange the quail leg, breast, ½ liver, green onion, cured pineapple piece, and fried baby corn pieces. Drizzle the jus over the liver. Garnish with a pancetta crisp, licorice powder and dollops of corn foam.
*Hanepoot is a South African wine made from a variety of muscat grape.