Turn up the Heat

with the olive oil and then rub the spice mixture onto the pork, covering the entire loin. Place the pork on a cooking sheet and cook in the oven until the internal temperature of the meat reaches 150°, about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove and let rest until cool enough to handle. Cut the pork into thin slices and then cut those slices into ¼" strips. Set aside until ready to assemble the quesadillas.

    Fuji Apple Salsa

    2 Fuji apples, cored and finely chopped
    ½ small red onion, finely chopped
    1 small bunch cilantro, finely chopped
    1 yellow pepper, seeded and finely chopped
    1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
    1 tbsp. honey
    2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar
    1 tsp. kosher salt

    Combine all ingredients and mix well. Set aside.

    Quesadillas Assembly

    ½ cup good quality shredded Cheddar cheese
    1 ½ cups good quality shredded Monterey Jack cheese
    1 package of 12-inch flour tortillas
    1 thinly sliced red onion
    1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
    Sliced roasted pork
    4 tbsp. melted butter
    Fresh cilantro for garnish

    Spread equal amounts of Cheddar and Jack cheese, thinly and evenly, over one half of a tortilla. Lay a few sliced onion rings on the cheese and then sprinkle with jalapeños. Place a few of the pork strips on top and then fold the tortilla in half. Brush with a bit of the melted butter, and cook in batches. Lay the quesadillas on a preheated griddle or large pan over medium heat, and cook until the cheese has started to melt. Turn the quesadillas over and finish cooking until golden brown. Remove from the pan and cut into quarters. Place a scoop of apple salsa in the center of the plate and arrange the quesadilla quarters on top. Garnish with sprigs of fresh cilantro.

    Justin Lyonnais, Executive Chef, Commercial Street Fisheries,
    Manchester, New Hampshire

    One of the things that makes eating out at a fine-dining restaurant so enjoyable and delicious is that chefs often make three or more components separately, then bring them together to create one dish. Each separate element here is simple to whip up, but the combination makes a restaurantworthy plate. Taking a few extra minutes when arranging the scallops, pancetta, parsnip puree, and pear chutney will give a beautiful presentation.

    Makes 4—6 servings

    Pear Ginger Chutney

    ¼ cup sliced almonds
    4 Bartlett pears, peeled and cut into roughly 1" pieces
    1 cup golden raisins
    ½ cup rice wine vinegar
    ½ cup sugar
    1 tbsp. fresh ginger ; minced

    Preheat oven to 350°.
    Spread the almonds onto a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes until just browned. Keep an eye on them, since they will burn easily. This can be done a day ahead if you like.
    In a small saucepan, add the rest of ingredients. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat for fifteen minutes, or until the pears are tender. Cool the chutney and mix in the toasted almonds.

    Parsnip Puree

    1 lb. of parsnips, peeled and sliced into A-inch-thick slices
    ½ cup honey
    ½ cup water
    Salt and pepper to taste

    Place parsnips in a large pot with just enough water to cover them. Bring to a boil, cook until very tender, and then drain. While still hot, puree the parsnips in a blender with the honey and ½ cup water until smooth. The puree should be the consistency of mayonnaise, so add more water if needed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

    Pancetta

    12 slices of pancetta, about ¼ inch thick (sliced like bacon)

    Simply cook the pancetta slices over a grill or on a stove top skillet until nicely browned on each side. Remove from pan and pat off any grease with paper towels. Set aside.

    Scallops

    4 tbsp. whole coriander seeds
    1 tbsp. salt
    1 ½ lbs. of fresh sea scallops, patted dry with a towel
    1 oz. canola oil

    Preheat oven to 350°.
    Spread the coriander seeds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden brown. Grind the toasted seeds in a clean coffee grinder and mix with the salt. Generously season both sides of the scallops with the coriander and salt mixture. Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the canola oil and sear the scallops for two minutes on each side.

    To Plate

    Arrange three slices of the grilled pancetta in the center of a plate. Top with some pear chutney, and place the scallops around the plate in a circle. Drizzle with the parsnip puree.

    Jessica Park, Manchester, New Hampshire

    This is a very easy way to cook fish fillets. It is nearly impossible to mess up unless you absolutely forget about the