Recipe report: Dishes from the CIA's Worlds of Flavor

Notable chefs from Europe and the Americas gathered last week in California’s Napa Valley for the 2016 Worlds of Flavor conference. Through recipe demos, slide presentations and workshops, they shared their culinary traditions and innovations. These are some of the recipe highlights.

Coconut Seafood Soup

Chef Adolfo Garcia
RioMar
New Orleans 

Panamanian chef Adolfo Garcia nicknames this recipe “rundown soup.” In his family, the cook would ask the kids to run down and grab any root vegetables they could find to throw into the pot. He uses yucca, taro and sweet potato here, but potatoes, carrots, parsnips and other roots can be substituted.

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Pork Belly Tacos with Roasted Pineapple and Habanero Salsa

Chef Diego Galicia

Mixtli
San Antonio

Chef Galicia serves these tacos at the bar of his San Antonio restaurant. Pairing a roasted pineapple salsa with pork is inspired by a Mexican street-food classic—Tacos al Pastor.

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Buckwheat Pesto Risotto with Goat Cheese and Trout Caviar

Chef Stefano Masanti
Il Cantinone
Madesimo, Italy

In this twist on a classic dish, Chef Masanti substitutes the ancient grain buckwheat for rice in the risotto, which adds nutrients as well as a deeper, nuttier flavor.

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Ecuadorean Fish Ceviche 

Chef Norman Brandt
Pikaia Lodge
Galapagos Islands

Chef Brandt uses local fish here, but any firm, white-fleshed fish can be substituted in this ceviche. The plantain chips provide crisp textural contrast to the cold soup.

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Polenta with Brown Butter and Oyster Mushrooms

Chef Chris Jaeckle
All’onda
New York City

Instead of cornmeal, Chef Jaeckle uses local grits for his polenta to give it a more rustic texture and appearance. If oyster mushrooms are not available, shiitakes, maitakes or portobellos can be substituted.

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