Gracious hospitality must run in the family. Chef-owner of Café des Artistes in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, Thierry Blouet is the grandson of Max Blouet who, for 30 years, served as general manager of the renowned Hôtel George V in Paris. He is one of just 340 French chefs who can claim membership in the prestigious “Maitres Cuisiniers de France,” a reflection of his status as a culinary master.

“Visual” is the word foodies use to describe Blouet’s style. The term refers to his talent for creating dishes that are as appealing to the eye as to the palate. Under Blouet’s supervision, Clase Premier passengers on flights of 3 1/2 hours or more are treated to dishes highlighting Blouet’s signature blending of contemporary French cuisine with the piquant flavors of Mexico.

Can’t wait for your next flight? Follow these recipes to prepare some of Blouet’s favorite recipes at home.

Sea bass “Cafe des Artistes”cooked in an artichoke stew,tequila and hoja santa served with a ricotta cheese tortita–Serves 4

Sea Bass Ingredients

4 8-ounce pieces Chilean sea bass filet
1 cup miso paste
1 cup water
2 ounces honey
1 teaspoon lime juice

For the sea bass marinade, mix the miso paste with the water.
Add honey and lime juice.
Pour the marinade over the filets.
Refrigerate for 12 hours.
Cook 10 minutes on top of the artichokes (below) in a hot oven.

Cheese Tortita Ingredients

21/2 ounces flour
3 ounces egg yolks
2 ounces butter
Dash of nutmeg
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 ounces fresh ricotta cheese
3 ounces potato purée
3 ounces clarified butter

In a big bowl, mix the potato purée, ricotta cheese, softened butter, egg yolks, nutmeg, salt and pepper.
Slowly add the mixture to the flour.
Use a cookie cutter to cut out small circles of the batter.
Sauté slowly in clarified butter in a nonstick pan.

Artichoke Stew Ingredients

16 pieces clean artichoke hearts
4 medium carrots
10 peeled shallots
2 bay leaves
1 sprout thyme
? ounce white wine
2 ounces water
1 piece hoja santa (Mexican pepperleaf)
1 ounce fresh cream
1 ounce fresh butter
? ounce tequila
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut the artichokes and carrots in thin slices.
Julienne the shallots.
Julienne half of the hoja santa.
Reserve the rest for garnish.
In a big pan coated with olive oil, sauté the artichokes, carrots and shallots.
Add the herbs and hoja santa.
Flambé with tequila.
Add white wine.
Cover with water and simmer slowly while vegetables cook.
Once the fish is cooked, take the juice out of the pan and reduce by half.
Add cream.
Reduce again.
Mix with butter.

Garnish Ingredients

4 dry corn leaves (as used for tamales)
Fried skin from 4 tomatoes
4 pieces baby corn
Deep-fried skin from the sea bass filets, cut in thin rectangles

Presentation

Place stew in the middle of each plate.
Place fish on one side and cheese tortita on the other.
Spoon sauce onto plate.
Garnish by placing fried tomato skin over fried fish skin, followed by corn leaves and the baby corn.

Salmon and tuna tartar with mole vinaigrette –Serves 4

Salmon and Tuna Tartar Ingredients

7 ounces tuna filet, sushi quality
7 ounces fresh salmon
1 leaf of parsley
8 leaves of chives
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons mayonnaise
1 piece avocado
2 teaspoons alcaparras (capers)
1/4 small white onion
Salt and pepper, to taste

Cut salmon, tuna and avocado into cubes.
Add lemon juice.
Chop onion, parsley, chives and alcaparras.
Mix with the mayonnaise.
Add salt and pepper.

Tomato Confit Ingredients

4 6-ounce tomatoes
11/2 teaspoon thyme
1/3 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Steam the tomatoes for one minute.
Then put in cold water with ice.
Cut tomatoes in half.
Remove seeds.
Marinate with thyme, salt, pepper and olive oil.
Bake 40 minutes at 200 degrees.

Mole Vinaigrette Ingredients

21/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons wine vinegar
1 tablespoon shallot
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teasp oon dry tarragon
1/4 cup black mole from Oaxaca
Salt and pepper, to taste

Chop the shallot.
Mix by hand with the other ingredients.
Add olive oil.
Mix.

Presentation

Put the tomato confit in the center of the dish.
Stuff the tomato with the tartar.
Place arugula around the tomato with salt on the plate.
Add mole vinaigrette.