
Darah Hubbard
Preston Paine, the executive chef at The Crescent Hotel’s Mediterranean restaurant, Emilia’s, and the more exclusive Blue Room, shares some easy-to-make recipes that will impress your dinner guests. Just act like you knew how to do this stuff all along. We won't tell anyone.
Texas Tomato Salad with Almonds and Herbs

Darah Hubbard
Ingredients:
- ½ cup almonds, coarsely chopped and sifted
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, finely grated
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- Salt
- Pepper
- 2 pounds mixed heirloom tomatoes, some sliced, some halved
- ⅓ cup very thinly sliced red onion, soaked in ice water for 10 minutes
- ½ small jalapeño, minced
- ¼ cup torn mint leaves
Instructions:
In a small skillet, cook the almonds in the oil over low heat until well browned, no more than 6 minutes. Strain the oil from the almonds through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl. Separate and save both the almonds and the oil. Immediately whisk the garlic into the warm oil and sugar and whisk until sugar has dissolved. Let cool slightly, then whisk in the vinegar and lime juice. Season the dressing with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Spread the tomatoes on a large baking sheet. Season with salt and let stand for 5 minutes so that excess moisture is leeched out.
Drain the onions; pat dry.
Scatter half of the almonds on a platter and top them with the tomatoes.
Drizzle with the dressing and top with the onion, jalapeño, mint, basil, and the remaining almonds. Serve.
Corn and Shrimp Chowder

Darah Hubbard
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 scallions, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1 large red onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 3 plum tomatoes
- 6 cups fish stock
- 2 tablespoons cilantro leaves
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Salt
Instructions:
In a large, shallow glass or stainless-steel bowl, toss the shrimp with two-thirds of the minced garlic, the scallions, lime juice, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or for up to 3 hours.
In a blender or food processor, puree the corn with the milk. Pour the puree through a coarse strainer, pressing on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible.
Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the remaining garlic, onion, bell pepper, and cumin and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook for 2 minutes longer. Add the corn milk, stock, cilantro, and cayenne and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until very flavorful, which should be about 20 minutes.
Pour and reserve the soup through a coarse strainer. Working in batches, puree the vegetables in a blender. Return the puree and the strained broth to the saucepan and bring to a simmer. Add the shrimp and its marinade and cook over moderate heat until the shrimp are just opaque throughout, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and serve in warmed soup plates or bowls with a few cilantro leaves and a drizzle of good olive oil. Best served with grilled sourdough.
Fresh Pasta Dough

Darah Hubbard
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ cups (8 ounces) all-purpose flour
- 6 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ teaspoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
Add flour and salt to stand mixer and turn on medium with dough hook attachment.
Whisk together yolks and whole egg, milk, and olive oil.
Once mixed, slowly stream in egg mixture while the stand mixer is spinning.
Mix until incorporated, scraping sides and bottom as needed.
Once fully incorporated, keep on medium speed for 10 minutes to knead.
After it is kneaded, remove the bowl from the mixer, remove dough and form into a ball, place back into the mixing bowl and cover the bowl with a dish towel dampened with warm water, and let sit in a warm dry place for an hour.
After the dough has rested, remove from bowl and roll/shape the dough as you see fit into any shape you’d like. This dough is great for either rolled and cut pastas like linguini, pappardelle, or fettucine as well as filled pastas like tortellini, ravioli, and agnolotti.
Chocolate Chip Cookies

Darah Hubbard
Ingredients:
- 18 ounces butter, softened
- 8 ounces sugar
- 1 pound brown sugar
- 4 ounces egg, whole
- 1 pound, 4 ounces flour, cake
- 10 ounces flour, bread
- 1 pound, 12 ounces chocolate, 55%
- 8 grams salt
- 11 grams baking soda
- 7 grams vanilla extract
- 35 grams honey
Instructions:
Cream together the butter, both sugars, and salt.
Add in the eggs, one at a time, then scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for about 30 seconds.
Add the honey, vanilla, chocolate chips, and mix for 1 minute.
Add in the flours and baking soda, mixing just until combined.
Scoop and transfer to a parchment paper-lined baking tray.
Bake at 325 F for 12 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool.