my version -- inspired by chef Thomas Keller, its served with beurre rouge, a red wine butter sauce -- and french sytle, herb infused roasted potatoes, carrots, and zucchini on the side... "Monkfish is known for its huge head and mouth, and its tight, meaty white flesh that is often compared to lobster meat. It's commonly used in French cuisine, but it has only recently become popular in America. They are sometimes called 'the poor man's lobster.' Fishermen tend to remove monkfish tail meat and livers to sell, discarding the rest.” -- Food Netwok "This elegant recipe by Chef Keller marries monkfish with beurre rouge, a red wine butter sauce. If that sounds unusual, that’s because it is: White wine sauces or a squeeze of lemon juice with extra virgin olive oil and black pepper are more common with seafood, but beurre rouge is a beautiful match for the cooking technique used for the monkfish." -- MasterClass

my version -- pan roasted after marinating in soy, lemongrass, ginger, sambal chili, palm sugar, citrus, etc. dashi made from dried black mushroom, kombu, etc. served with chinese red rice and pan roasted bok choy and turnip... "Mahi mahi is a firm, lean whitefish. The mahi-mahi or common dolphinfish (Coryphaena hippurus) is a surface-dwelling ray-finned fish found in off-shore temperate, tropical, and sub-tropical waters worldwide. When done right, mahi mahi is tender, flaky, and deliciously flavorful." -- Wikipedia "Black garlic is a type of aged garlic whose browning is attributable to Maillard reaction rather than caramelization, first used as a food ingredient in Asian cuisine. It is made by heating whole bulbs of garlic (Allium sativum) over the course of several weeks, a process that results in black cloves."-- Wikipedia

my version — shrimp seasoned with za'atar, pink salt, harissa; and sautéed in garlic and rosemary, served with chickpea stew over mint infused couscous. "Israeli couscous—also called ptitim, giant couscous, and pearl couscous—is often thought of as a whole grain, but it's actually a type of pasta made of semolina flour and water, developed in the 1950s by prime minister David Ben-Gurion as a way to feed the influx of immigrants to Israel.” -- MasterClass The word za'atar (pronounced “zah-tahr”) literally translates to “wild thyme” in Arabic. Za'atar Spice is a blend of savory dried herbs like oregano, marjoram or thyme, and earthy spices like cumin and coriander, with sesame seeds.

my version -- finished with avocado, mandarin, cucumber, scallion, cilantro and kefir chili dressing... shrimp is marinated with Kefir (sort of butter milk) and pesto. roasted brussels sprouts dressed with korean chili paste, soy, sesame oil. here is my ‘street tacos’... beef marinated with North African spices finished with red onion, cucumber, cilantro sour cream, and tamarind date chutney; chicken marinated with Sallion kimchi, soy, ginger finished with avocado, fresh scallion, and roasted garlic chili oil…

my version -- with beyond sausage instead of bacon... "The black truffle or black Périgord truffle (Tuber melanosporum), the second-most commercially valuable species, is named after the Périgord region in France. Black truffles associate with oaks, hazelnut, cherry, and other deciduous trees and are harvested in late autumn and winter." -- Truffle - Wikipedia "Carbonara is one of the most famous sauces in Italian cuisine, and it also happens to be one of the quickest to cook! It's a creamy combination of eggs and cured pork that coats the pasta with its perfectly silken texture." -- Taste of Home

my version -- red miso and black sesame glazed chilean sea bass over thai jasmine rice and blanched cabbage snow peas salad with chili roasted garlic sesame oil dressing... "Chilean sea bass isn't actually bass at all, and it's not strictly limited to the waters off the coast of Chile. Mind-blowing, right? This rather ugly-looking fish was relatively unknown to seafood merchants prior to the 1970s and is a member of the cod fish family (via The Daily Meal). It lives primarily in the deep waters off the western South American coast and its range can stretch all the way down to Antarctic waters. The actual name of this fish is Patagonian toothfish, and let's be honest — that name is rather unappetizing. At least that's what a fish wholesaler thought who eventually renamed it "Chilean sea bass" because of its white flaky meat." -- Mashed

my version -- tako sashimi dressed with soy, chili, and chives; roasted potatoes and beets served over wasabi mayo quinoa, finished with thai basil and jalapeño... "Tako is another typical item in Japanese cuisine; the tentacles are often thinly sliced and served as sashimi. Tako may be eaten raw, but is also commonly poached first which gives the flesh a sweeter flavor and firmer texture." -- Japan Guide Tako accompanied with quail egg over soba... "Quail eggs are considered a delicacy in many parts of the world, including Asia, Europe, and North America. In Japanese cuisine, they are sometimes used raw or cooked as tamago in sushi and often found in bento lunches. In some other countries, quail eggs are considered less exotic." -- Wikipedia

my version -- quinoa with mixed green, jicama, sautéed carrots, chard bok choy dressed with thai basil salsa verde. seared scallops served over pea purée... "Quinoa is a flowering plant in the amaranth family. It is a herbaceous annual plant grown as a crop primarily for its edible seeds; the seeds are rich in protein, dietary fiber, B vitamins, and dietary minerals in amounts greater than in many grains." -- Wikipedia "Pea purée is a great accompaniment to many dishes - and it’s very easy to make. The short season of fresh peas, from the beginning of June to end of July, is an ideal time to whip up some pea purée. However, frozen peas are available to use year-round, and are actually much easier to use. If using fresh peas, buy them just before you make the purée, as the sugars are quickly lost after harvest." -- Great British Chefs

my version -- basmati rice cooked with saffron, raisins, carrots, etc.; lamb shank marinated with a verity of spices then slow roasted for several hours... "kabuli pulao is a variety of pilaf made in Afghanistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, as well as in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It consists of steamed rice mixed with raisins, carrots, and beef or lamb. The crown of Afghan cuisine, Kabuli pulao is often said to have been originally created by the upper-class families of Kabul who could afford to prepare this elaborate meat and rice dish. Over time, pulao had spread across the country and changed its name to qabili pulao, derived from the Dari word qabil, meaning capable or able, as it was considered that only a truly skilled chef could make a good Afghan-style pilaf." -- Tasteatlas

my version --- served on a bed of mixed green; lightly dressed with sesame oil, citrus juice, mirin, pink salt, and cayenne... When the Gold Rush of 1849 hit, there was a huge demand for oranges in the gold country because it was well established that fresh citrus was useful in combating scurvy, a vitamin-C deficiency. The fruit was actually a mutation from an orange tree that grew in a Brazilian monastery. The U.S. Department of Agriculture obtained cuttings from this tree and in 1873 sent two or three starter trees to spiritualist and woman suffrage activist Eliza Tibbets in Riverside to see if they would grow." -- The history of citrus in California salmon cooked with ginger citrus sauce; served with crispy salmon skin, and roasted veg infused with kaffir lime leaves..

my version --- seared and poached with garlic, parsley, capers, white wine, lemon, butter, and thyme; served with smokey bell pepper sauce... "Sea bass are small fish that live in the western Atlantic between Florida and Cape Cod. Unlike other bass, like striped bass and white bass, sea bass is only found in the ocean. Several types of "bass," like Chilean sea bass, are not really bass at all, but fish renamed to enhance marketability. Also called black sea bass and blackfish, the sea bass is a stout-bodied bottom feeder with grayish-black coloring and a white belly. The flesh is white and somewhat firm with tight, small flakes and a delicate flavor.” -- Food Network

my version — tilapia roulade stuffed with sautéed spinach (garlic, ginger, salt, chili, turmeric), yellow bell paper, and dill; served with homemade Japanese yaki onigiri (grilled rice ball) and Thai yellow curry sauce. "The word roulade stems from the French rouler, meaning “to roll.” It describes everything from those humble Ho-Hos you bought at 7-Eleven as a kid to the French Laundry’s Roulade of Pekin Duck Breast. It can be a great technique for transforming meat odds and ends into an attractive, uniform whole, or—as in this versatile fish technique—combining two pieces of meat to create better texture and an elegant presentation.” -- ChefSteps Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Ball) 焼きおにぎり -- "Onigiri go way back in history; people in Japan ate rice balls over a thousand years ago, before chopsticks became common. Samurai carried onigiri wrapped in bamboo leaves to fortify themselves during battle; there's mention of onigiri enjoyed at picnics in an eleventh-century diary." -- epicurious