With Miami dining, you will find enticing flavors, exotic ingredients and mouth watering selections. Alfresco or indoors, casual or extravagant, International or Caribbean, New World or Floribbean — an epicure’s paradise awaits you in Greater Miami and the Beaches.

Miami's dining scene is truly exciting, one of varying tastes that can satisfy the most complete palate or craving. With so many different cultures migrating to Miami, local flavors tend to be much more exotic. The influence of flavors and culture here is almost overwhelming and has many positive effects on menu and recipe design.

Recipes

Lobster & Butternut Squash Ceviche Chef Clay Conley, AZUL at The Mandarin Oriental Ingredients: 1 butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces 2 tbsp. vegetable oil Juice of 3 lemons Juice of 3 limes 1 tsp. chopped ginger 1 tsp. chopped garlic 4 tbsp. chopped cilantro 1/4 red onion, diced small 2 tbsp. sliced scallions 2 oz. maple syrup 1/4 habanero pepper, minced 2 tbsp. olive oil 4 oz. cooked lobster meat, chopped Preparation: In a mixing bowl place diced squash, oil and salt and pepper to taste. Place on a sheet tray and roast in a 400 degree oven until soft and slightly caramelized. Remove squash and mix with remaining ingredients except lobster. Allow mixture to sit for an hour to let flavors set. Approximately 10 minutes prior to serving, add lobster. Yield: Serves 4   Mon Petit Poussin (Cornish Hen) Chef Claude Troisgros, BLUE DOOR at the Delano Hotel Ingredients: 2 Cornish Hens Preparation: Fill the hen with thyme and garlic. Season with salt, pepper and garlic, and marinate for 24 hours in achiote olive oil. Preheat the oven to 450 ºF and roast to medium rare (15 to 20 min.). Cut in half and debone. Sauce: You can buy a brown chicken gravy and add butter, or make your own. Green Beans (Haricots Verts): 1 lb. of Hericot Verts Wash the beans, dry and season with salt. Pan fry in butter and add chopped ginger and garlic to taste. Deglaze with a bit of sauce. To Finish: Mix 3 tbsp. of Dijon mustard with 2 tbsp. of heavy cream and 1 tsp. of chopped fresh thyme. Brush the hen with a mixture of Dijon mustard, heavy cream and chopped thyme. Place in hot oven until mustard gets a bit brown. Place green beans on the plate. Add Cornish hen on top. Finish with pearl onions that have been sautéed in butter until they are caramelized. Add toasted panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) all around. Serve sauce on the side. Yield: Serves 4   Watermelon & Feta Cheese Salad Chef Robert Mignola, Smith & Wollensky Ingredients: 4 cups seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch cubes 2 cups feta cheese, diced into 1/2-inch pieces 1/4 cup Nicoise olives, pitted and chopped 8 red grape tomatoes, halved 8 yellow grape tomatos, halved 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil Fresh ground black pepper and sea salt to taste 20 mint leaves torn by hand 25-year old Balsamic vinegar Preparation: Place the first six ingredients in a bowl, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss gently. Divide evenly on four salad plates, garnish with mint leaves and drizzle with the Balsamic vinegar. Yield: Serves 4 (as an appetizer)