What would be a fun way to challenge Claude?  I know… drop a few mystery ingredients on him just before he starts to cook Sunday night scrabble dinner.  Claude is planning ahi tuna and roasted red peppers.  Rachel brings kumquats and green papaya.  What to do?

First off, he juices the kumquats as a base for what will become a sweet tangy dressing over a green papaya slaw.  Add apples,  kohlrabi, red chills, fish sauce and sesame oil.  Fresh and lovely to accompany sesame seed encrusted seared tuna.  All as if it were part of a master plan.

What is interesting to me is the apprehension before the ingredients appear.  “How am I supposed to plan?” he says.  “Can you find out what Rachel is bringing?”.  The unknown feeds the anxiety, but in true style, the fearlessness take over and we dine like royalty.