This simple recipe is a wonderful homage to spring and a tease toward Easter with the asparagus and the eggs. It is in the style of an oeuf mollet, but instead of serving toasted bread on the side, the crispy breading is around the egg. The dressing is made fluffy from poached eggs that are blended in, and I incorporate OrlÉans mustard, which is a little milder and sweeter than Dijon, with an old-fashioned, grainy finish.

We make our own jambon de Paris in New York, as part of an amazing charcuterie program we developed with Gilles Verot—the renowned Parisian charcutier. On occasion, you can enjoy this dish at my downtown restaurant DBGB Kitchen and Bar. Duck yolks bring a rich flavor that goes perfectly with the savory ham and the crisp, fresh asparagus. It’s the ultimate New York Sunday brunch dish with a Parisian touch.

...

Cooking is about tradition, and this recipe is one of its symbols. For a gastronome, simply hearing the words “rum baba” makes the mouth water and conjures up an image of something delicious, moist and fragrant, syrupy and soft… in other words, a moment of perfect pleasure. To see a baba wearing its shiny apricot glaze, waiting to receive the anointing of aged rum, and ultimately to be accompanied by a vanilla cream is to witness a small masterwork of good taste. It is my favorite dessert, and you will find it on the menu at Monaco’s Louis XV restaurant. This version was created in memory of the dessert served at the wedding of King Louis XV to Poland’s Princess Marie Leszczyňska.