Green Coconut Ceviche; Photograph by Jessie Preza

Green Coconut Ceviche

Serves 6

Green Coconut Sauce

• 1 (2-inch) knob fresh ginger, peeled
• 1 green apple, peeled and cored
• ½ large cucumber, peeled
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and stem removed
• Juice of 3 limes
• 1 bunch cilantro leaves
• 1 bunch parsley leaves
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk

PREPARATION: Place all sauce ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and chill over ice until cold. Set aside.

Ceviche

• 1 pound highest-quality fresh fish fillets (wahoo, tuna, snapper or corvina), diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
• ¼ medium red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeds and stem removed, sliced thin
• ½ small ripe papaya, peeled and diced
• 1 cup green coconut sauce
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION: Place the fish, cilantro, onion, jalapeño and papaya in a medium bowl with about 1 cup of sauce, and season to taste with salt. Mix the ceviche gently and lightly. Adjust seasoning if necessary with salt and/or more lime juice. Serve immediately, divided into six bowls over ice.

Grilled octopus with chickpea puree and salad; Photograph by Jessie Preza

Grilled Octopus with Chickpea Purée and Salad

Serves 8

Grilled Octopus

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 cup
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 1 garlic bulb, cut in half
• 10 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 3 bay leaves
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 large octopus (4–6 pounds)
• Water
• 1 bunch chopped parsley
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

PREPARATION: In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Add onions, carrots and celery. Stir and cover saucepan for about 5 minutes, until onions are translucent. Add garlic, thyme, coriander and bay leaves and cook 2 more minutes.

Deglaze pot with white wine and add the octopus. Cover with water and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down to a simmer and cook for about 1 hour, until knife-tender. Remove the octopus and discard the liquid. When cool, break down the octopus by cutting off the head and cutting in half, then remove the tough beak from the center of the body and cut down each tentacle separately. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix together parsley, sliced lemons, red pepper and remaining 1 cup oil. Add octopus and toss until well coated. Cover and place in refrigerator to marinate for at least one hour or up to three days.

When ready to serve, heat grill to high. Remove excess oil from octopus and cook tentacles, cooking until charred on all sides.

Chickpea Purée

• 2 cups cooked chickpeas
• (if canned, be sure to rinse and drain)
• ¼ cup tahini
• 3 cloves peeled garlic
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt to taste

PREPARATION: Combine all items in a blender, adding water if necessary, and purée.  Adjust seasoning to taste. Set aside in a medium bowl.

Salad

• 4 heads frisée, yellow part only, washed, rinsed in ice water and dried
• ½ bulb fennel, shaved thin
• ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 1 cup halved baby tomatoes
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces feta cheese, cut into cubes
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• Salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

PREPARATION: Combine all items in a bowl, toss and season to taste. To serve: On each of eight plates, place 2 cups of salad mixture. Top each plate with 1 charred octopus tentacle and 4 tablespoons chickpea purée.

A delightful dessert, Grenier’s mango meringue tart; Photograph by Jessie Preza

Mango Meringue Tart

Serves 8

Tart Shells

• 3 egg whites
• 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

PREPARATION: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Whip egg whites in medium bowl until soft peaks form. Sift the dry ingredients and mix into the egg whites. Add the vanilla. Continue whipping until stiff and glossy. Place into a piping bag (or Ziplock bag) with about a 1-inch hole. Pipe the meringue onto a nonstick baking mat or parchment-lined baking sheet into 4-inch circles with outer rims to create a well in the center. It should make about 8 tart shells. Bake in preheated oven for about 2 1/2 hours, or until completely dry.

Tart Filling

• 1 ½ cups fresh mango purée
• (from about 3 ripe mangoes,
• blended until smooth)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

PREPARATION: Place the mango purée in a large bowl. In another bowl, whip the heavy cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold one-third of the whipped cream into the mango purée, then gently fold in the remaining whipped cream. Chill for two hours in the refrigerator.

Mango Fruit Garnish

• 1 firm, ripe mango, peeled and diced
• 8 strawberries, hulled and diced

PREPARATION: When ready to plate and serve the tarts, spoon the tart filling onto the meringue shells and top with the fresh diced fruit.