Cooking with Nina Compton

1. Sweat the prawn shells in 2 tbsps. olive oil. Add the lemon grass. Cook on medium heat for 3 minutes until shells turn bright pink. Add water to cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Strain and reserve liquid.

2. Zest all the citrus and mix into 2 tbsps. olive oil. Use this to marinate the prawns and reserve.

3. In a medium stock pot sweat the ginger, ramp bottoms, diced squash bodies, and corn with 4 oz butter on medium heat, season with salt. Put the spices except saffron in cheesecloth, add the spices. Add the coconut milk, saffron and shellfish stock reserving 2 oz and simmer until tender. Remove the sachet and puree and pass through a chinois. Saute the summer squash, morels and add the ramp greens, finish with a tablespoon of butter.

4. In a medium saute pan warm 3 tbsps. of butter, add a splash of stock, stirring to emulsify. Add the prawns, season with salt and cook on low heat while basting the prawns until just poached.

5. Plate up: place sauce on plate, scatter the vegetables randomly around and place five shrimp per order and, garnish with finger limes and cilantro on top.

1. Combine the heavy cream and cardamom pods together in a small saucepan and slowly reduce by half.

2. Season with lemon zest, fish sauce and wine reduction.

3. With the hand blender emulsify the butter slowly.

1. Reduce by half on medium heat.

2. Strain pressing all the juices out and cool.

Warm the butter and add the chili, allowing to infuse for 1 hr.

1. Char the lettuces quickly on flat top or open flame and julienne into 1/2 inch pieces.

2. Marinate with sea beans in lime juice and olive oil and reserve.

3. Gently warm the crab in the chili butter. Finish with maldon salt.

4. Fold the finger limes into the beurre blanc.

5. Plate the lettuce randomly on the plate.

6. Plate the crab and top with caviar and chives.

The Preparation

1. Season short ribs all over with salt. Heat 2 tbsps. oil in a small pot over medium-high. Working in 2 batches, cook ribs, turning occasionally and reducing heat if needed to prevent scorching until browned all over, 10–12 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.

2. Add onion, garlic, and ginger to same pot and cook, stirring often, until softened and lightly browned, 6–8 minutes.

3. Add wine; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until liquid is reduced by half, 8–10 minutes.

4. Add mirin, soy sauce, brown sugar, and 2 cups water. Return ribs to pot and bring liquid to a simmer. Partially cover pot and cook, reducing heat to maintain a very gentle simmer and adding splashes of water as needed, until ribs are very tender (they should shred easily) and sauce is thick enough to coat meat, 3–3½ hours.

1. Sweat the onion, ginger, bell pepper and chili on medium heat for 2 minutes, season with salt.

2. Add the rice, stirring to fully incorporate, then add the stock, coconut milk and bay leaf and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.

3. Check rice for doneness, cover with plastic to allow carry over. Place the rice in a bowl, then short ribs.

4. Garnish with scallion rounds, toasted cashews picked cilantro and mint.