Ask a Local Chef: Special Valentine's Day Recipes

Chef David Féau gained the foundation of his cooking knowledge under the loving tutelage of his mother while growing up in Le Mans, France. His father was a farmer, so the family enjoyed fresh produce on a daily basis, allowing him to live the farm to table life with ease. Following culinary studies at L'Ecole Hotelière, Chef Féau worked under Guy Savoy in Paris, moving up the ranks at the Bistrot de L'Etoile. He later earned a Michelin Star as Executive Chef of Le Miravile and was named one of the Six Best Chefs in France Under 30 by Le Chef Magazine. After successful stints in New York and Las Vegas, Féau joined the Patina Restaurant Group as Executive Chef at Café Pinot in 2006. In 2010, he opened The Royce steakhouse at the Langham Hotel, which received accolades from the L.A. Times and L.A. Magazine. Following a series of pop-ups, he landed at Wally's Beverly Hills where he has revitalized the menu at a beloved wine shop.

Wally's Beverly Hills
447 North Canon Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
(310) 475-3540
www.wallysbeverlyhills.com

Purple and Blue Salad
Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 trevisio, trimmed and cored
• 1 heart of escarole, trimmed and leaves removed
• 2 roasted and peeled purple beets, cut into pieces
• 3 fresh figs, halved
• 1 Japanese cucumber, peeled and diced
• 1/4 head red cabbage, shaved
• 2 ounces red or black seedless grapes
• 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (I recommend buffalo milk blue cheese...more nutty and mild)
• 1 ounce toasted pistachios
• 1 dozen edible flowers (from your local farmer)

Dressing

• 1/2 teaspoon aged balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. In a small bowl, toss the trevisio and escarole with the dressing. Divide between two salad bowls. In the same bowl, toss the beets, figs, cucumber, cabbage and grapes in the dressing. Layer in the serving dish.
2. Top each salad with the blue cheese, pistachios and edible flowers.

Curried Cauliflower Gratin
Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 head organic cauliflower, cut into small florets
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1 Meyer lemon, juiced
• 2 teaspoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• Salt & cayenne pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Directions

1. Saute lightly the cauliflower with the butter and olive oil. Add the curry powder and lemon juice, tossing well. Transfer everything to a heat-resistant dish, including the liquid.
2. In the same pan, add the flour. Stir, then pour in the milk. Cook under medium heat. Stir until it begins to boil and the sauce thickens. Remove the sauce from the flame, and season the sauce with salt and cayenne pepper.
3. Top with the sauce, and cover with the cheese. Bake for 12 minutes at 400 degrees.

Lemon Thyme Roasted Chicken
Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 - 2 to 3 pound whole chicken, spatchcocked
• 1 Spanish onion, peeled and sliced
• 2 sprigs of fresh lemon thyme (or 1 teaspoon of dried)
• 1 lemon, cut into quarters
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed oil, divided
• French sea salt and pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup water

Directions

1. Grab a mixing bowl large enough to fit the chicken. Add the onion, lemon thyme, and lemons. Drizzle everything with half of the grapeseed oil, and season with salt and pepper.
2. Transfer the onion, thyme and lemon to a roasting pan. Put the chicken on top, and drizzle the rest of the grapeseed oil over the meat. Add the water. Season with a bit more salt, then roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Cover with a lid, or foil, and roast for another 20 minutes to get a beautiful crispy skin.

Macerated Strawberry and Lychee panna Cotta
Serves 2

Ingredients

2 baskets of farmers market strawberries
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar

v1/2 pound fresh lychee

• 1 ounce white cane sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 packet of gelatine powder
• 1 pint strawberry sorbet
• 1 dozen tiny violet flowers

Directions

1. Wash and trim the strawberries. Place them in the bowl with the brown sugar, and cover with plastic wrap.
2. For the panna cotta, pour the lychees, cane sugar and water into a sauce pan with the gelatin. Whisk and cook until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the fire, and pour into a high-powered blender. Purée, then add the yogurt and finish with the lime juice.
3. Evenly divide the mixture into the wells of a 15-cavity silicone mold. Chill until set, at least 3 hours, although overnight is preferred.
4. Plate the dessert in a bowl with the macerated strawberries on the bottom. Unmold two or three panna cotta and place them nicely on the plate. Top with strawberry sorbet and the violet flowers.

Chrystal Baker is a private cook, recipe developer and freelance food and events contributor for CBS
Los Angeles. She maintains The Duo Dishes, a food blog that features dishes influenced by family tradition, regional fare and worldly flavors. She also shares travel stories and links to published work via a personal blog, Any and Everywhere. You can follow her trail on Instagram and Twitter for more.