SHRIMP WITH FRESH COCONUT MILK, CALABAZA, AND AVOCADO Serves 6 THE BROTH 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 2 shallots, thinly sliced 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 1 lemongrass stalk, thinly sliced One 1-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced 1 kaffir lime leaf 3 cups chicken stock 3/4 cup coconut milk, fresh or canned 4 cilantro sprigs Fine sea salt and freshly ground white pepper THE SHRIMP 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons chopped scallion 2 tablespoons chopped ginger 2 tablespoons canola oil 36 large shrimp, peeled and deveined 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 medium calabaza squash (found in Latino markets; you can substitute butternut squash) 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 avocado 1 lime, halved Prep: 35 minutes - Cook: 35 minutes To make the broth, melt the butter in a small sautT pan over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, and kaffir lime leaf and cook until tender; do not allow them to color. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the coconut milk and cilantro and simmer for 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and set aside. For the shrimp, combine the cilantro, scallion, ginger, and oil in a large bowl.

Season the shrimp generously with salt, pepper, and the cayenne pepper and add to the bowl, tossing to coat the shrimp with the cilantro mixture. Place the shrimp on a baking sheet, making sure they are not touching one another, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate. Peel the squash with a chef's knife. Cut the squash into 1/2-inch cubes; you will need at least 60 cubes. Combine the butter and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and place over medium heat. When the butter has melted, add the squash dice, season with salt and pepper, and cook at a simmer until the squash is tender, about 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. Divide the squash cubes among six ovenproof soup bowls, leaving space to alternate with the avocado dice (which you will prepare just before serving).

Set aside. (You can cover the bowls with plastic wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to serve the shrimp, up to 3 hours.) Preheat your oven to 350?F. Remove the bowls from the refrigerator. Shortly before serving (to prevent the avocado from browning), pit and peel the avocado. Cut into 1/2-inch cubes and place 10 pieces in each of the prepared soup plates, alternating with the squash. Place the shrimp in the oven for 4 minutes, or until just barely cooked. During the last minute of cooking, put the prepared soup bowls in the oven to heat.

Meanwhile, reheat the reserved sauce over medium heat. To serve, place 6 shrimp in each bowl, to form a pinwheel. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the sauce over the shrimp and squeeze the lime juice over all the bowls. Serve immediately.POACHED PEARS WITH POIRE WILLIAM CARAMEL SAUCE Serves 6 THE PEARS 3 cups sugar 6 cups water 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise 12 small or 6 large pears THE SAUCE 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup poire William (pear brandy) THE GARNISH 1 pint good-quality store-bought vanilla ice cream, slightly softened 3 tablespoons chopped pistachios Prep: 25 minutes - Cook: 30 minutes This is a delicious and easy dessert, especially if you have beautiful pears. At fancy ice cream cafTs in France, poached pears, a quenelle of vanilla ice cream, and hot chocolate sauce is a common dessert. But Eric has put a caramel sauce with it, one flavored appropriately, even obviously, with pear brandy, and mixed pistachio nuts into the ice cream. Everything can be prepared as much as a day in advance.

For the pears, place the sugar, water, and vanilla bean in a large pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar, then lower the heat.