White Chocolate and Avocado Cheesecake with Jumbo Lump Crab Salad, and Roasted Tomato and Micro Cilantro Salad

Ingredients: White Chocolate and Avocado Cheesecake

• 7 ounces cream cheese, soft
  
• 1 whole egg
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
  
• 5 ounces avocado puree
  
• 2 ounces white chocolate, finely chopped
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon white pepper, freshly ground
  
• 6 (recipe follows) savory pie crust shells, par-baked

• 1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Whip cream cheese in mixing bowl. Add egg and mix well. Add cream and mix well. Add avocado puree, white chocolate, salt and pepper; mix well. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. Carefully ladle avocado filling into pre-baked shells. Lightly tap pans on bottom to equally distribute filling. Place cakes into water bath and bake until lightly browned and inserted toothpick comes out clean (about 35 minutes). Rotate once during baking. Remove cakes from oven and water bath, allow to cool.

Ingredients: Savory Pie Crust

• 1 1/2 cups flour
  
• pinch salt
  
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
  
• cold water

• 2. Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Sift together flour and salt. Cut soft butter into flour until consistency of cornmeal. Sprinkle with cold water one tablespoon at a time, tossing after each addition until all flour is moistened and pastry almost cleans side of bowl. Gather into ball and dived into six equal pieces. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll pastry pieces a little larger than a 4-inch tartlet pan. Transfer dough to buttered and floured 4-inch tartlet pan. Press sides and bottom firmly, then trim overhang. Place parchment over each tart shell and fill with baking weights. Bake until golden brown (about 25 minutes). Remove weights and allow to cool. Hold for assembly.

Ingredients: Jumbo Lump Crab Salad

• 9 ounces jumbo lump crab
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons shallots, peeled and minced
  
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finez herbs, finely chopped
  
• (an equal mix of Italian parsley, chives, chervil and tarragon)
  
• 2 teaspoons salt and freshly cracked white olive oil
• pepper to taste

• 3. Place crab in bowl. Add shallots, herbs and oil. Carefully mix without breaking up crab. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Ingredients: Roasted Tomato

• 6 roma tomatoes, cored and cut in half
  
• 2 tablespoons Finez herbs, finely chopped
  
• (an equal mix of Italian parsley, chives, chervil and tarragon)
  
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
  
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly cracked

• 4. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Carefully mix all ingredients to coat tomatoes. Place tomatoes on sheet pan, skin side down. Bake for 1 hour. Remove tomatoes from oven and allow to cool thoroughly. Set aside until ready to serve.

Micro Cilantro

• 1 ounce micro cilantro
  
• 1 ounce frisse lettuce, yellow leaves only
• 2 tablespoons champagne vinaigrette

• 5. Toss all ingredients lightly.

To Serve

• 6. On six plates (rectangular if available), place chocolate cheesecake on one side. Place 1 1/2 ounce portion of crab salad in middle of plate. On empty end of plate, place two tomato pieces (the first, flat-side down and the second leaning on the first). Evenly divide micro cilantro salad into six portions, place portion over each tomato stack. Drizzle 1/4 teaspoon of remaining vinaigrette around salad. Serve.

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