Name: Sea Urchin Mousse with Ginger Vinaigrette
Cook time: 1 1/2 hr
Total time: 2 1/2 hr (includes making broth)
Yield: Makes 6 first-course servings
Ingredients: 1/2 teaspoon unflavored gelatin (from 1 envelope); 1/2 cup cooled vegetable broth; 1 (4-oz) tray uni (sea urchin roe); 1 large egg yolk; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice; Pinch of cayenne; 1/3 cup chilled heavy cream; 2 teaspoons finely grated (with a rasp) peeled fresh ginger; 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice; 1/8 teaspoon salt; 3 tablespoons mild extra-virgin olive oil (preferably French); Garnish: chopped chives and thinly sliced cucumber; an instant-read thermometer

Image may contain Food Dish Meal Confectionery Sweets and Plant

Sea Urchin Mousse with Ginger VinaigretteMikkel Vang

Nobody is indifferent to sea urchin roe: You either love it or hate it. Personally, its rich and sexy taste is my favorite flavor on earth. Until I tried the extraordinary mousse invented by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, I preferred it raw. Now I know better. The best sea urchin roe comes from southern California, and is sold in little wooden trays at Japanese markets. It is extremely fragile.

It's important to use very fresh roe with a clean, ripe, rather fruity scent.

Cooks' notes:

• Mousse can be chilled up to 1 day. • Ginger vinaigrette can be made 6 hours ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Recipe notes

Béchamel Sauce

This classic 15-minute sauce is your secret weapon for homemade mac and cheese, chowder, lasagna, and more.

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.

Butternut Squash–Kale Salad With Roasted Garlic Vinaigrette

Round out these autumn greens with tart pomegranate seeds, crunchy pepitas, and a shower of Parmesan.

Crème Anglaise

The silky French vanilla sauce that goes with everything.

Our Favorite French Onion Soup

Caramelized onions, melty Gruyère, and a deeply savory broth deliver the kind of comfort that doesn’t need improving.

Mascarpone Cheesecake

An extra-silky filling (no water bath needed!) and a smooth sour cream topping make this the ultimate cheesecake.

Vodka Gochujang Pasta

This pasta has some really big energy about it. It’s so extra, it’s the type of thing you should be eating in your bikini while drinking a magnum of rosé, not in Hebden Bridge (or wherever you live), but on a beach on Mykonos.

Okonomiyaki Tater Tots

Crispy tots topped with savory-sweet sauce, mayonnaise, furikake, scallion, and katsuobushi.