Spa Recipes from Cavallo Point

Whipped Ricotta, pistachios

serves 6

for the soup:

2 medium sized butternut squashes

½ gallon chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water

1 medium sized yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

2 tbl unsalted butter

2 tbl olive oil

Heat oven to 375. Cut the squashes in half lengthwise and place, cut side up on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with the olive

oil and season with salt and pepper. Cover loosely with foil and bake in the oven until completely soft, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a heavy bottom stock pot, heat the butter over medium high heat until melted and just beginning to brown slightly.  Add the onions and garlic and cook until very soft, stirring frequently.  Once the squash is done, use a spoon to remove the seeds, discard. Scoop out the flesh of the squashes and add to the stock pot. Add the stock and bring to the boil.  Turn the heat down, cover, and let simmer gently for 10 minutes.  Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender, in batches depending on the size of the blender, and puree until smooth.  Transfer to a clean sauce pot and keep hot, covered, until ready to serve.

For the ricotta:

1 cup fresh sheeps milk ricotta

1 tsp grated lemon zest

Place the ricotta in a large mixing bowl. Whisk vigorously with a strong whisk to break up the curds of the cheese.  Whisk in the lemon zest and reserve until ready to serve.

To finish:

¼ c heavy cream, whipped to stiff peaks

¼ toasted, chopped pistachios

2 Tbl pistachio oil

When ready to serve, bring the soup back to the boil. Whisk in the whipped cream.  Place two spoonfuls of the ricotta mixture in the center of each warm serving bowl.  Ladle the soup around the cheese and garnish with the pistachios and the pistachio oil.

Sweet Corn Vichyssoise

Pickled Gulf Prawns, Cilantro

Serves 4

For the soup:

6 ears fresh yellow corn

1 medium yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced

½ c. dry vermouth

2 qts cold water

Shuck the corn and cut the kernels from the cob. Reserve the corn kernels and cut each cob into 3 or 4 pieces. Place the corn cobs in a medium sized stock pot, along with the reserved corn kernels, onion, celery, garlic, vermouth, and water. Bring to the boil over medium high heat, and then reduce the heat to low, season lightly with salt, and simmer for 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon or a pair of tongs, remove the corn cobs from the pot and discard them. Remove the pot from the heat. Carefully transfer the ingredients of the pot to a blender in batches. Puree until very smooth. Transfer the pureed soup to a clean container set in an ice water bath to cool. Keep cold.

For the prawns:

12 large gulf prawns, peeled and deveined

2 Tbl pickling spice

½ c white distilled vinegar

2 c. cold water

2 Tbl sugar

2 Tbl canola oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the pickling spice, vinegar, water, and sugar in a small saucepot. Bring to the boil over high heat. Once the mixture come to the boil, remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the canola oil in a sauté pan over medium high heat until just beginning to smoke. Season the prawns with salt and pepper, and then carefully add them to the sauté pan. Sautee the prawns until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Transfer the prawns to a small bowl and cover with the pickling liquid. Place in the refrigerator to cool, at least 1 hour.

To finish:

2 small white mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 Tbl coarsely chopped cilantro

2 Tbl olive oil

To serve the soup, divide between 4 chilled shallow soup bowls. Remove the prawns from the pickling liquid and place them in a small mixing bowl. Add the thinly sliced mushroom, cilantro, and olive. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place 3 of the prawns in the center of each bowl of soup and garnish with a sprig of cilantro.