Bringing it all Together

When I create a recipe, I think about how I will flavor the ingredients at each stage. If I’m sautéing my onions and garlic first, I might temper my spices in the hot oil at the same time. Or I temper them at the end and pour the flavored oil over the dish. Sometimes I like to pair a hot component of a dish with a cool one, and season them separately. For example, in the broiled peaches dessert, the peaches are first caramelized under high heat. They are served warm with a dollop of cool crème fraîche flavored with vanilla beans and are drizzled with a sweet-and-sour maple-vinegar syrup at room temperature, which is infused with toasted spices.