
When I thought about making a sea urchin taco, I knew that working it into guacamole would magnify the briny sweetness the spiky creature is known for - the fat in an avocado can help stretch and carry flavors just like a knob of butter. This taco was born out of a shared opinion among my cooks and friends that a tortilla is as worthy of precious ingredients as any piece of Raynaud china. as long as it's smeared with truffle mayonnaise and topped with Gruyère and a meticulously prepared celery relish that involves both celery and celery root.

The culinary and creative minds behind Eleven Madison Park (plus legendary mixologist Leo Robitschek) come together once more for The NoMad Cookbook, a collection of recipes from the beloved New York City hotel restaurant. And hey, just because the food's fancy doesn't mean a bacon-wrapped hot dog can't make an appearance. The Humm Dog With Bacon, Black Truffle And Celery Sol's was laced with chilies and spices, and her carrot salad was a mainstay on the table. Her cooking was so different from the food we knew. Sol came to Israel from Morocco in the mid-1950s, and years later, thankfully, she found her way to the Ronnen household. Both of my parents worked full-time, so for the first eight years of my life, my sisters and I were like Sol's adopted children. This recipe has sentimental meaning for me - it is an ode to my childhood nanny, Sol.

With this in mind, I present this highly sacrilegious snack, a tricked-out sushi-bar version of a bagel and lox. Somewhere along the way, I realized that "fun" is just as important as "fine" when it comes to eating and even more so in cooking. While my desire to eat with the utmost authenticity was a great way to learn, it wasn't always very fun. This is the dish that truly serves up the natural fresh taste of pork - except in Sichuan, they just can't help but add a garlic and chile sauce to kick up the taste and heat! Boiled Pork Belly With Spicy Garlic Dressing
