Jean-Georges offers three recipes for the holidays

Jean-Georges Vongerichten has just opened his second restaurant in Atlanta — Market, inside the W Buckhead. His first local eatery, Spice Market in the W Midtown, features his interpretation of Asian street food.

While he was here, we asked him to share his recipes and cooking techniques. Here are the recipes for three of his creations that might work well at a holiday gathering.

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Culinary Concepts

Jean-Georges Vongerichten

More about Jean-Georges
• Photos: Watch the chef make his signature Molten Chocolate Cake and his Tuna Spring Roll with Soybean Coulis
• His restaurants: (the newest) Market at the W Buckhead and Spice Market at W Midtown
• Q&A with the chef: 'ABC Cooking' important now, he says
• More Chocolate dessert recipes (with photos)

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Tuna Spring Roll with Soybean Coulis Makes 4 servings

Although these spring rolls are cooked, the tuna remains raw, or essentially so. With the soy and cilantro “pesto” and the double-wrapping, this is a really beautiful presentation, one that has been served at Jean-Georges’ Vong restaurants for years. This makes four spring rolls, enough for four good appetizers. It is not a difficult recipe to double.

1 pound edamame (fresh soybeans), fresh or frozen and thawed

1 big bunch cilantro, thick stems removed, washed and left wet

1 tablespoon nam pla (Thai fish sauce)

1 clove garlic, peeled

2 Thai chiles, stemmed and seeded

1 tablespoon lime juice

4 large leaves of Savoy cabbage

12 ounces tuna, cut into 4 equal rectangles

2 tablespoons pickled ginger

Cracked black pepper

4 spring roll wrappers, each 8 inches square

2 egg yolks, beaten in a bowl

Oil for deep frying

Salt

Soy sauce

1. Shell the soybeans; cook them in boiling salted water to cover for about 2 minutes, or until tender; drain. Set aside about 1/4 cup for garnish and put the rest in the container of a blender with the cilantro, nam pla, garlic, chiles, and lime juice. Puree, adding water as necessary (about 1/4 cup is usually right) to allow the machine to do its work; taste and adjust seasoning as necessary and set aside.

2. Blanch the cabbage leaves in boiling salted water to cover until tender but still a little crunchy, about 3 minutes. Drain and dry on towels; cut out the tough center vein. Lay a rectangle of tuna on each leaf, along with some of the pickled ginger; sprinkle with pepper. Roll up the leaf and dry again.

3. Arrange one of the spring roll wrappers with a point facing you. Put the cabbage-wrapped tuna in the center of the wrapper and fold over the left and right corners so that they meet in the middle and one overlaps the other. Brush a bit of the egg yolk over the top half of the wrapper. Fold the bottom half up, then roll tightly; the yolk will seal the spring roll. (You may prepare the spring rolls in advance up to this point; refrigerate, well-wrapped or in a covered container, for up to two hours before proceeding).

4. Heat the oil to 375 degrees. Deep fry the spring rolls, for a minute or two, just until they are pale gold; the outside will become crisp but the tuna will remain raw. Use a serrated knife to cut each roll into three pieces, and sprinkle the open face of each piece with a tiny bit of salt and soy sauce (it also looks nice if you drizzle a little soy sauce on the plate). Serve with the soy coulis, garnished with a few soybeans.

Jean-Georges’ Molten Chocolate Cake

Hands on: 10 minutes, Total time: 20 minutes

8.75 ounces Valrhona 66 % or good quality bittersweet chocolate
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
5 Yolks
5 Whole Eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 scant tablespoons all-purpose flour

Butter and flour 6 4-inch nonstick brioche molds. Set aside on cookie sheet, refrigerate to keep cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt the butter and chocolate together over a double boiler on a heatproof bowl set over simmering water. Using a mixer, whip the yolks, eggs and sugar until fluffy. Slowly add the flour and then the melted chocolate mixture; mix for 1 minute. Scrape down sides of bowl, making sure everything is well incorporated. Fill prepared molds 7/8 full then bake at 350 degrees for 5 to 6 minutes.

Note: Batter may be refrigerated until ready to use. Let batter come to room temperature, then bake.

Salted Caramel Ice Cream

1 Liter Heavy Cream (33.78 oz)

1 Liter Whole Milk (33.78 oz)

1/2 Vanilla Bean, scraped

2 1/2 Cups Sugar

1/2 Cup Water

16 Yolks

2 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

Put yolks into a medium bowl.

In a pot, bring cream, milk & vanilla seeds & pod to a simmer, set aside. In a larger pot, mix sugar & water to the consistency of wet sand, and cook to a dark caramel. Very slowly pour cream mixture into caramel, being careful not to splatter. Cook on low until all caramel is melted; then temper the caramel cream into the yolks, whisking constantly. Return yolks to pot of caramel cream and cook until it coats the back of a wooden spoon. Strain and chill for at least 4 hours. Churn according to manufacturers directions.