Excerpted from The Best of the Best by Ricardo Media. Copyright © 2026 Ricardo Media. Photographs by Sophie Carrière, Maude Chauvin, David De Stefano, Dana Dorobantu, Christian Lacroix, Mathieu Lévesque and Jean-Michel Poirier. Published by Appetite by Random House®, a division of Penguin Random House Canada Limited. Reproduced by arrangement with the Publisher. All rights reserved.
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Coquilles St. Jacques
Preparation: 25 minutes
Cooking: 35 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
Mashed Potatoes
- 2 cups (340 g) peeled and cubed russet potatoes
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) 35% cream
Scallop Filling
- 2 shallots, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (125 ml) milk
- ¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine
- 11 oz (300 g) medium scallops
- (15–25), thawed, drained and patted dry
- 1 cup (100 g) grated Gruyère cheese
Directions
Mashed Potatoes
- Place the potatoes in a pot. Cover with cold water. Season with salt. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are very tender. Drain. Return to the pot.
- Using a potato masher, coarsely purée the potatoes with the butter. Purée the mashed potatoes and 35% cream with an electric mixer until smooth. Add more cream as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip.
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Scallop Filling
- In another pot, soften the shallots in the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute while whisking. Add the milk and wine. Bring to a boil while whisking. Cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat.
- Add the scallops and half of the Gruyère (½ cup/50 g) to the pot. Mix well.
- Spoon the scallop filling into four scallop shells or small gratin dishes. Pipe rosettes of mashed potatoes around the edge of the filling. Sprinkle with the remaining Gruyère.
- Freeze at this point, if desired (see note).
- Place the shells or gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Transfer to the oven and bake for 10 minutes.
- Finish cooking under the broiler until the cheese and potatoes are golden.
| NOTE | You can bake the Coquilles St. Jacques from frozen in an oven preheated to 350°F (180°C) by adding 4 to 5 minutes to the cooking time, or until the filling is heated through and the cheese and potatoes are golden, for a total of 14 to 15 minutes
Chili con Carne
Preparation: 45 minutes
Cooking: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients
Chili
- 1/4lb (115g) thick bacon slices, diced
- 1 tbsp (15ml) olive oil
- 2lb (900g) lean ground beef
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 tbsp ancho chili powder or 4 tsp regular chili powder
- 2 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
- 2 1/2 cups (625ml) beef broth
- 2 cans (19oz/540ml each) red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 can (28oz/796ml) diced tomatoes
Corn Salad
- 1 cup (150g) frozen corn kernels
- 1/2 cup (25g) finely chopped cilantro stems and leaves
- 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
- 1 tbsp (15ml) lime juice
Marinated Red Onions
- 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp (30ml) lime juice
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
Directions
Chili
- In a large pot over medium heat, brown the bacon in the oil. Using a slotted spoon, remove the bacon from the pot and drain in a bowl lined with paper towels.
- In the same pot over high heat, cook the beef in the bacon fat, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it starts to brown.
- Add the onions and continue to cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add the garlic, chili powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and pepper. Cook for 1 minute while stirring. Add the broth, beans, tomatoes, and bacon. Mix well. Bring to a boil. Simmer for 50 minutes or until the chili has thickened, stirring regularly. Adjust the seasoning.
Corn Salad
- Meanwhile, in a small pot of boiling salted water, cook the corn kernels for 2 minutes. Drain and let cool.
- In a bowl, combine the corn with the cilantro, bell pepper, and lime juice. Season with salt and pepper. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
Marinated Red Onions
- Meanwhile, in another bowl, combine the onion, lime juice, sugar, and salt. Let marinate for 10 minutes. Drain before serving.
- Divide the chili among eight bowls. Top with the corn salad and marinated red onions. Serve with grated cheddar cheese or sour cream, if desired.
Carrot Cake
Preparation: 50 minutes
Cooking: 50 minutes
Cooling: 3 hours
Servings: 10 to 12
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups (300g) unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3/4 cup (180ml) vegetable oil
- 3/4 cup (160g) sugar
- 3/4 cup (160g) brown sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 cups (330g) grated carrots (about 4 large carrots)
- 1 can (14oz/398ml) crushed pineapple, drained
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 block (8oz/250g) cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp (5ml) vanilla
- 1 cup (130g) icing sugar
Directions
Cake
- With the rack in the middle position, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter the sides of two 8-inch (20cm) springform pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda.
- In another bowl, whisk the oil, sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs and mix until smooth. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the carrots, pineapple, and dry ingredients. Divide the batter between the prepared pans.
- Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack. Unmold and let cool completely, about 3 hours.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a bowl, cream the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually beat in the icing sugar until the frosting is smooth and creamy.
Assembly
- Place one cake on a serving dish. Spread 3/4 cup (180ml) of the frosting over the surface. Top with the second cake. Cover the entire cake with the remaining frosting. The cake will keep for 5 days, covered, in the refrigerator.
- Let sit out at room temperature before serving.