Eighties Chefs

By Food & Wine
Updated January 18, 2017
Prominent chefs from the 1980s share their exquisite creations, from Jeremiah Tower's vegetable ragout to Allen Susser's Japanese spiced eggplant.
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Red Snapper Ceviche

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Allen Susser prefers to use firm white-fleshed fish like red snapper and grouper, as well as conch and rock shrimp, for ceviches, because they keep their shape well. "Dice the fish into uniform pieces, so they cook evenly in the citrus juice," he advises.

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Japanese Spiced Eggplant

Credit: © Lucy Schaeffer
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To enhance eggplant's savoriness, Allen Susser glazes it with soy sauce and mirin and sprinkles it with togarashi, a tangerine-scented Japanese spice blend of chiles, sesame seeds and dried seaweed.

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Grilled Steaks with Sweet-Spicy Hoisin Sauce

Credit: Maura McEvoy
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Wolfgang Puck became adept at preparing accessible Asian-flavored dishes at his restaurant, Chinois on Main, which he opened in Santa Monica, California, in 1983. His sweet-and-savory Asian-inspired sauce, which is flavored with hoisin, ginger and soy sauce, is delicious with the tender grilled beef.

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Corn and Bacon Soup with Jalapeño Crema

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Wolfgang Puck uses both creamy grated corn and sautéed kernels to make this satisfying soup, which he serves with a chile-spiked cream. "My young son Oliver loves the sweetness of the corn soup," Puck continues. "But I don't give him any jalapenño crema."

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Farfalle with Yogurt and Zucchini

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The shredded zucchini cooks along with the farfalle in this tangy pasta from Johanne Killeen and George Germon, who opened the legendary Al Forno restaurant in Providence in 1980.

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Dan Dan Noodles with Pickled Mustard Greens

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For Susanna Foo 's aromatic dan dan noodles in a spicy soy-based sauce, choose noodles that have a firm, chewy texture.

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Gâteau Basque

Credit: Quentin Bacon
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Before creating his culinary empire, Daniel Boulud was chef at New York City's Le Cirque in the 1980s. There are many versions of this exquisite tart from the Pays Basque region of France. Boulud created his with pastry chef Eric Bertoïa: A flaky crust surrounds a pastry cream dotted with brandied cherries.

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Braised Chicken Legs with Green Olives

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In his book Braise, Daniel Boulud braises duck legs for several hours until they are meltingly tender and incredibly flavorful. A shortcut: Braising chicken in a liquid that combines onions, carrots, bacon and olives creates complex flavor relatively quickly.

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Vegetable Ragout with Fresh Herbs

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Jeremiah Tower began his cooking career at Chez Panisse in 1972, and in 1984 opened San Francisco's once-celebrated Stars. By the mid-1980s he had become one of America's first celebrity chefs—posing for a Dewar's ad and pausing for autographs. If you don't have time to prepare all of the vegetables called for in Tower's ragout recipe, select at least three, making sure to use a variety of colors.

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