Photo by Unicef

As the chef and owner of the highly acclaimed and modern Scandinavian restaurant Aquavit, Marcus Samuelsson could easily entertain his friends in an authentic way with potato rosti, smoked salmon and rye bread at his home in Harlem. But as a man who was born in Ethiopia and raised in Sweden, Samuelsson is much more likely to create a cross-cultural meal that reflects diverse flavors and traditions.

Exploring ethnic and culinary diversity of this vast land called the United States of America has been a fascination for Samuelsson, 39, ever since he came to New York City as a young chef. The celebrity chef drew on his multicultural culinary experiences in late November when he collaborated with White House Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford as a guest chef for the first state dinner honoring Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. The Indian-inspired menu included red lentil soup with fresh cheese, a salad of potato, eggplant and arugula from the White House garden, green curry shrimp and coconut-aged basmati rice.

Samuelsson mixes it up in his latest cookbook, New American Table (Wiley, $39.99), sharing the uniquely ethnic and American dishes he's tasted during his travels. He thinks readers should embrace their own culinary identity.

The book shares recipes for sauces, sandwiches, entrees and drinks along with stories of interesting people he’s met. Dishes range from a spice dusted turkey breast with collard greens inspired by a his friends' Swedish-Filipino style Christmas dinner to Tamarind glazed ham with anchovy potato gratin that reminds him of his Swedish grandmother Helga to a ginger limeade reminiscent of the zesty ginger beer served in shops along 116th Street in Harlem's Little Senegal.

As an apprentice chef in New York City, Samuelsson devoured the new flavors he found in dishes like pastrami on rye at Jewish delis, Indian curries in Jackson Heights, Korean bi bim bop near Herald Square and spanakopita at Greek restaurants in Astoria. He later mixed it with his own flavor and classical training in French cuisine to create a stunning style of cooking at Aquavit that made him the youngest chef ever awarded three stars by the New York Times. The successful chef's Townhouse Restaurant Group manages restaurants including the Japanese fusion spot Riingo in Midtown East and seafood-focused C-House in Chicago.

Despite a hectic schedule, Samuelsson says he and his new wife model Maya Haile love entertaining on the terrace of their home in Harlem. Samuelsson recently cooked an eclectic brunch of dishes from his new book including lentil soup with pork and lamb meatballs, dumplings, yellowtail poke ( a Hawaiian dish like tartar), a farro salad spiked with orange juice and fennel, vegetable-stuffed pitas and chicken skewers.

"We have an outdoor deck and it's almost like a picnic because people can walk around," Samuelsson says. The meatballs and chicken skewers are easy for people to eat while mingling and the vegetable pitas are the sort of fun finger food that appeals to both kids and adults. Most the vegetables were fresh, seasonal ones he bought at a farmer's market in Harlem. "I like to support the farmers market here in Harlem and I try to do that as much as I can with my fish, meat and vegetables," he says. "I try to buy from local sources. If everyone does that it changes our buying power a lot."

"Entertaining is the perfect time to show who you are, your heritage and where you're from," says Samuelsson who spoke to Cuisine Noir via telephone. "We are all immigrants and come from somewhere."

Though entertaining may be easier for a skilled chef, Samuelsson says anyone can master the most important part of being a good host; learning to relax and taking the self-imposed stress out of entertaining.

"People are there to see you and your family," he said. “The fact you are there with your friends is equally important as what you're going to serve."

We asked Samuelsson to share some of his entertaining tips with readers for the upcoming holidays. And as you can see, they are simple and easy.

Marcus Samuelsson's tips for entertaining:

• Plan ahead
• Avoid complicated dishes
• Relax and cook the food you know and like
• Cook dishes ahead if possible - stew or chili will taste even better two days later

For more information about Samuelsson, his restaurants and books, visit www.chefmarcussamuelsson.com.

Recipes from New American Table

Grilled Duck Leg with Tea Poached Bok Choy

Duck confit gets an American twist in this recipe with the tender legs cooked on the grill to make the skin nice and crispy. Poaching the accompanying vegetables in a tea-flavored broth gives a subtly refreshing dose of citrusy flavor that balances beautifully with the richness of the duck.

• 4 medium duck legs
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon chopped lavender
• 1 tablespoon lemon or orange tea
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup red wine
• Zest from 1 lemon
• 1 2-inch piece ginger root, peeled and chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon Tea Spice Blend (recipe follows)
• Tea-Poached Bok Choy

1. Rub the duck legs with the olive oil. Place in a shallow dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Combine the lavender, tea, garlic, chicken stock, red wine, lemon zest, ginger, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and 2 cups water in a large deep pot and bring to a boil. Add the duck legs, reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 hour, flipping the legs occasionally. Remove the duck legs and pat dry. Sprinkle with the tea spice blend. Discard the cooking liquid.
3. Heat a grill pan over high heat.
4. Place the duck legs on the grill, skin side down, and cook until caramelized, about 3 minutes. Turn and cook for another 3 minutes. Serve with tea-poached bok choy.

Makes 4 servings

Tea Spice Blend

• 1-1/2 tablespoons lemon or orange tea
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/8 teaspoon cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon mild chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

Combine the tea, ginger, garlic powder, turmeric, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper in a small bowl.

Makes about 3 tablespoons

Tea-Poached Bok Choy

• Zest and juice from 2 lemons
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, cut in half
• 1 2-inch piece ginger root, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup pearl onions, peeled and cut in half
• 1 tablespoon chopped lavender
• 1/2 cup water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 lemon or orange tea bags
• 2 scallions, white and light green parts, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 baby bok choy, cut into quarters

1. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the lemon zest and boil for 30 seconds. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth discarding the liquid. Bring another 1 cup of water to a boil in the same saucepan. Add the strained zest and boil for another 30 seconds. Strain again, then finely chop the zest. Set aside.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic, ginger, and pearl onions and sauté until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add the lavender, water chestnuts, honey, salt, 2 cups water and tea bags. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Add the scallions, lemon zest, lemon juice, and bok choy and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove and discard the tea bags and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Apple Cake

• 2 tablespoons unseasoned bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 Granny Smith apples
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 large egg
• 1-1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2/3 cup half-and-half
• 2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch spring-form pan and coat with the bread crumbs.
2. Toss together the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Set aside.
3. Peel and core the apples, then slice one apple into 16 wedges. Combine the cinnamon and 1/3 cup of the sugar mixture in a medium bowl. Add the apple wedges and toss to coat. Roughly dice the remaining apple.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the butter and the remaining sugar mixture on medium speed until light, fluffy, and lemon colored, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour and baking powder. Slowly add the half-and-half, and mix until combined. Fold the diced apple into the batter.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Arrange 14 of the apple wedges fanned along the outer edge of the pan and place the 2 remaining wedges in the center. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the center is golden brown.
6. Remove from the oven to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a small offset spatula around the edges to release the cake from the pan and remove the spring form. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, then cut into 12 wedges.

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