I am a huge fan of Master Chef and am elated to see the newest edition, Christina Tosi. I met Christina and Graham in Austin in 2013 and they were two of the most passionate, humble and phenomenal chefs at the Food & Wine Fest! It is an honor to share the 3 chefs I admire most and offer readers some truly insatiable dishes to elevate your 4th! Happy Independence Day!

Recipe courtesy of MASTERCHEF Judge Graham Elliot

Ingredients: 
1 cup roughly chopped walnuts
6 clementines
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 sprigs flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 heads Belgian endive, halved lengthwise            

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF. 

Roughly chop the walnuts and spread them on a baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 10 minutes or until they darken a shade and are fragrant. Slide the nuts from the baking sheet onto a plate to cool.

Squeeze the juice from 2 clementines. Divide the remaining 4 into segments. Mix the clementine juice with the olive oil and vinegar. Add the parsley, whisk well and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Arrange 6 endive halves in the center of each serving plate and top each with clementine segments, 1 fruit for each serving. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the endive and top with toasted walnuts. 

Yields: 4 servings 

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BIRTHDAY CAKE BY CHRISTINA TOSI

Recipe courtesy of MASTERCHEF judge Christina Tosi

Ingredients:
4 T butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup vegetable shortening
1 1/4  cups granulated sugar
3 T tightly packed light brown sugar
3 eggs
1/2 buttermilk
1/3 cup grapeseed oil
2 t clear vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
3/4 t kosher salt
1/4 cup rainbow sprinkles
1 cup flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 1/2 t kosher salt
2 T rainbow sprinkles 

Instructions:
Heat the oven to 350°F.

Combine the butter, shortening and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the eggs and mix on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once more.

On low speed, stream in the buttermilk, oil and vanilla. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and paddle for 4 to 6 minutes, until the mixture is practically white, twice the size of your original fluffy butter-and-sugar mixture and completely homogenous. Don’t rush the process. You’re basically forcing too much liquid into an already fatty mixture that doesn’t want to make room for that liquid. There should be no streaks of fat or liquid. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl.

On very low speed, add the cake flour, baking powder, salt and the 50 g (1/4 cup) rainbow sprinkles. Mix for 45 to 60 seconds, just until your batter comes together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

Pam-spray a quarter sheet pan and line it with parchment. Using a spatula, spread the cake batter in an even layer in the pan. Sprinkle the remaining 25 g (2 tablespoons) rainbow sprinkles evenly on top of the batter.  

Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes. The cake will rise and puff, doubling in size, but will remain slightly buttery and dense. At 30 minutes, gently poke the edge of the cake with your finger: the cake should bounce back slightly and the center should no longer be jiggly. Leave the cake in the oven for an extra 3 to 5 minutes if it doesn’t pass these tests.

Take the cake out of the oven and cool on a wire rack or, in a pinch, in the fridge or freezer (don’t worry, it’s not cheating). The cooled cake can be stored in the fridge, wrapped in plastic wrap, for up to 5 days. 

Yield: 1 quarter sheet pan cake

For complete Birthday Cake recipe visit The Milk Bar Store

MUSTARD BBQ and WASABI BBQ SAUCES BY GORDON RAMSAY

Recipe courtesy of MASTERCHEF host and judge Gordon Ramsay

Mustard “BBQ”

Ingredients:
12 oz. Dijon Mustard
2 oz. Honey
1 T Granulated Garlic
1/2 T Smoked Paprika
1/2 T Chili Powder
1 oz. Banyuls Vinegar
1/2 Worcestershire

Instructions:
Combine ingredients, whisk until fully incorporated. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

          Yield: 1 PT            

Wasabi “BBQ”  

Ingredients:
2 Bunch Picked Parsley
1 Bunch Picked Cilantro
2 oz. Chives
8 fl/oz. Water
2 oz. Wasabi Powder
8 oz. Honey
1/2 fl/oz. Yuasa Soy Sauce
1.8 G Xanthan Gum    

Instructions:
Blend water and herbs in the blender until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and allow to settle. Rehydrate the wasabi with the above herb liquid until wasabi is dissolved. Stir in honey and soy. Shear in the xanthan gum.

Yield: 1 PT