This recipe was written by Koré Wilbert, former head chef at St. Louis's Copper Pig. Koré has twice competed on the winning team at Taste of St. Louis’ Chef Battle Royale!

Asparagus Purée

Ingredients

• 5 oz Asparagus
• 1 oz small diced onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 2 oz vegetable stock
• 1/4 oz blended oil
• 3 oz baby spinach
• salt to taste
• white pepper to taste

 Steps:

1. In a small pan over medium high heat add in oil and onions and garlic and sauté quickly for 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium and add in vegetable stock. Simmer until asparagus is tender. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to VitaMix blender, including liquid.
2. On medium speed blend asparagus until smooth. Continuing to blend, slowly add in raw spinach and season with salt and pepper to taste. Strain through chinois or cheese cloth. Purée is ready to serve.

Risotto

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup arborio rice
• 1/4 cup small diced onion
• vegetable stock or chicken stock as needed (hot)
• 4 oz white cooking wine
• 3 oz olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 TBSP mascarpone

Steps:

1. In a large flat bottom shallow pot (a sauteuse) over medium low heat, pour in olive oil. Once oil is hot, add onions and cook until onions are translucent. Add in arborio rice and lightly cook until the edges of the rice become translucent, stirring frequently.
2. Add in the white cooking wine and stir. Reduce the wine by half.
3. Pour in hot vegetable stock, just enough to just cover the rice. At this point, reduce your heat to low and only stir once stock has reduced by half. Once the stock has reduced, add in more hot stock just to cover the rice. Continue this step until rice is tender. Stirring only on occasion.
4. Once the rice is tender, cook down the remaining stock, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat and add in mascarpone and mix well. Once mixed risotto is now ready to serve.

Pistachio Roasted Salmon

Ingredients:

• 6 oz salmon
• 2 oz whipped feta
• 1 oz chopped pistachio
• salt
• white pepper
• 1 oz blended oil

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 
2. In a rosti pan or cast iron skillet over medium high heat, heat oil. Season salmon portion with salt and pepper on both sides. Place salmon in pan searing presentation side first. Once golden brown flip and turn off flame. 
3. Cover the now seared presentation side with feta, evenly. Lightly dust with pistachios and place in oven.  
4. Cook for 6 minutes and remove from oven. Let rest in pan for 2 minutes before serving.