Using a heavy-bottomed pot, heat half of the olive oil. Add the onions and bacon and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans and stock enough to cover. Season with salt and simmer until tender, 40 minutes to 1 hour. Drain well. Put the beans, onion, and bacon through a meat grinder or food mill to make a paste. Season with Serrano chili, Ancho chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.

Take enough paste to roll into a ball the size of a golf ball between your palms. Flatten the balls between sheets of waxed paper to make a 1/4-inch cake. Heat a seasoned non-stick saute pan or skillet over high heat and add the remaining olive oil. Sear the cakes for about 1 minute per side; the cakes will be crisp on the outside.

To serve: Arrange the cakes on a warmed platter around a cup or small bowl of sour cream. Spoon salsa over the sour cream. Sprinkle cilantro over the platter.

Remove the skin from the fillets. In a saute pan, melt 1 ounce of the butter. Add the fish and cover with the fish stock. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Cut a disc of parchment paper to fit just inside the perimeter of the pan and cover the mixture. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat and simmer for about 2 minutes. Turn the fish and simmer 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, take off the paper, and let stand for 1 minute. Remove the fish from the pan and drain on a towel or napkin.

Strain the pan juices and put in another pan; bring to a boil and reduce by one-third in volume. Add the tomatoes and basil to the pan and cook 1 minute to heat. Whisk in the remaining butter, a tablespoon or two at a time. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

To serve: Place a fillet on each warmed serving plate. Spoon the sauce over and around the fish. Garnish each with a purple basil sprig.

To make the filling: Saute the mushrooms, garlic, and sage in the butter in a large saute pan or skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Reduce heat to medium-low and saute until softened, then increase the heat again and cook until almost no liquid remains. Season with salt and pepper and let cool. Finely chop the mixture. In a large bowl, toss the mushroom mixture with the egg, Parmesan cheese, and bread crumbs. Season again to taste.

To assemble the gratin: Butter a 9-inch-by-12-inch ovenproof gratin dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop each piece of pasta into a different area of the water and cook the pasta to just over the al dente stage. Remove and plunge into a bowl of cold water; remove and drain well.

Sprinkle a work surface with some of the Parmesan cheese. Lay out the pasta separately on the surface. At the bottom of each pasta piece put a large spoonful of filling. Carefully and lightly roll or fold the filling into the pasta, pressing gently to seal. Place each piece into the gratin dish in rows of four. Dot with butter. Ladle the cream over the pasta. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle more Parmesan cheese over each piece. Bake 20 minutes, or until the cheese is golden and the cream is bubbling. Turn on the broiler and brown the top.

To serve: With a large spoon, serve two pieces to each person, along with some of the hot cream. Drizzle lightly with truffle oil. Garnish each with a nasturtium blossom.

Combine all the ingredients for the mirepoix. Place the duck meat in a medium stockpot and add the duck stock. Add 1/3 cup of the wine, then one third of the mirepoix. Cover and cook over low heat for 2 hours, or until the duck is very tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove the duck to a plate and cool in the refrigerator. Reserve the stock.

Repeat the same procedure with the chicken meat, chicken stock, 1/3 cup of the wine, and one third of the mirepoix. Cover and cook over low heat for 1 hour. Using a slotted spoon, remove the chicken; let cool in the refrigerator. Add the chicken stock to the duck stock.

Repeat the same procedure with the veal, using veal stock and the remaining wine and mirepoix. Cover and cook for 1-1/2 hours. Using a slotted spoon, remove the veal; let cool in the refrigerator. Add the veal stock to the combined duck and chicken stock and set aside.

Remove the cabbage leaves from the core. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Place the cabbage leaves, 2 or 3 at a time, in the boiling water and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the leaves have wilted and become flexible. Remove with a slotted spoon and place in ice water until cold. Remove from the water and cut away any thick ribs. Place the leaves on paper towels to drain.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Chop the cooked duck, chicken, and veal meat into 1/2-inch cubes. Combine and season with the tarragon and cardamom. Mix well, adding salt and pepper.

Lay out one or more cabbage leaves, overlapping them to make an 8-inch surface; you may need two or three leaves per roll. Place one sixth of the seasoned meat mixture in the center and add a cube of foie gras. Carefully fold the cabbage leaves over until the filling is wrapped. Turn the packer over, making sure the edges are tucked under, and shape into a ball with your hands. Repeat to make 6 balls. Place the balls in a shallow baking dish, lay the sprigs of tarragon on top, and add 1/2 inch of the mixed stocks. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.

To make the ragout: Place 1/2 cup of the mixed stock in a medium saute pan or skillet. Add the tomatoes and olives and heat over medium heat until just warm. Add the orange zest and tarragon, and season to taste with salt and pepper.

To serve: Place the cabbage balls (ballottines) on a platter and surround with the ragout. Drizzle the ballottines with basil oil and sprinkle with chopped parsley.

Basil Oil – Makes 1 cup

Put the basil in a medium non-aluminum bowl and cover with the canola oil. Cover and let stand for at least 48 hours. Pour through a fine-meshed sieve into a glass jar and cover. The oil will keep for at least 2 weeks.

In a large saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes. Add the strawberries and blueberries and cook 2 minutes. Take the mixture off the stove and stir in the butter and raspberries.

To serve: Spoon warm compote onto flat plates. Place a scoop of ice cream in the center of each and serve immediately.