Cooking with Zac

1. Peel the apples, remove the core, slice into eighths and place in a pot with a 1/4 cup of water. Cook them on low flame until soft and let the apples sit.

2. Sear the foie gras in a hot frying pan (iron is best!) for about 3 minutes on each side until seared.

3. I serve the foie gras with the soft apples. You can also add a dollop of Sea Buckthorn jam.

1. These prawns are delicious with a sweet taste.

2. Season with salt and pepper and heat up the grill. Grill for 2-1/2 minutes on each side with a heavy weight of a pan on top of them.

3. Add a sprinkling of the olive oil after cooking.

4. After eating, reserve the heads and tails for the risotto recipe!

1. Take the heads and tails of the prawns and put them in a pot with the water.

2. Add onion, carrot, celery, salt, pepper, dulse seaweed, coriander seeds, cinnamon and tarragon.

3. Low simmer for about four hours and let sit overnight and then strain for use in the risotto.

1. Saute the chopped shallots in 2 tablespoons of butter along with thyme and a pinch of salt until translucent.

2. Add the rice for about 2 to 3 minutes stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the grains turn white. Then add dry white wine and let it cook down for about 3 minutes. Then add 2 to 3 healthy pinches of saffron.

3. Start adding the prawn broth in small amounts until it is absorbed by the rice for about 40 minutes until the rice is ready and still al dente. Keep stirring, especially towards the end. With the final addition of prawn broth, I add 2 tablespoons of butter and sprinkle in the Parmesan cheese.

4. I serve this with simple seared local Montauk scallops which I just salt and pepper and sear in a hot pan for about a minute on each side. They are a wonderful accompaniment to the risotto and I love the idea of two meals in one.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Whip the egg whites. Add the salt and cream of tartar until the whites achieve soft peaks, then slowly add the fine sugar until the mixture achieves a light meringue with stiff peaks.

3. Add the orange zest and vanilla (extract or beans) and then fold in the flour and fennel pollen, spoon the mixture into an ungreased tube pan.

4. Bake for 35 minutes at 350 degrees (having turned the oven down from 375 degrees). Check for doneness with a wooden skewer.

5. Cool upside down on a bottle for at least an hour before removing very carefully from pan.

6. Let cool for at least 1 hour.

1. Carefully wash and dry the fresh violet flowers.

2. Brush the flowers with the egg white.

3. Then use two forks to delicately coat the flowers with fine sugar.

4. I let the candied violets sit overnight, until hard and candied.

5. I use the candied violets (and also pansies/orange blossoms/ or fragrant geranium leaves) to decorate on top of the cake.