Pierre Touitou

Steaks this thick need a two-step cooking process. Give them a good sear on the stove-top, then transfer them to a the oven to allow the inside to finish cooking without burning the outside. Ask your butcher to french the bones by removing excess fat and muscle, if desired.

No cream is necessary in this asparagus soup recipe, just vegetables and broth puréed to velvety perfection.

Béarnaise and steak are a match made in heaven, but this sauce has a few other divine uses. Try it spooned over poached eggs or spread over roast fish.

Ras-el-hanout, meaning "head of the shop," is a complex North African spice mixture that imparts a blend of aromatic, spicy, and earthy flavors.