The foundation of Graycliff's reputation is its restaurant, which enjoys the only five-star rating in the Caribbean.   The wine cellar, with almost 200,000 bottles of exceptional, rare vintages, so far exceeds any other in the Caribbean as to defy comparison.  Its French Classical Bahamian cuisine is equally unrivalled, having set the benchmark for Caribbean culinary accomplishment for more than a decade.  And Graycliff's selection of Cuban cigars is, quite simply, the very best in the entire world.  As one would expect, the service is impeccable, the ambience sublime.

Executive chef Philip Bethell, who brings three decades of experience to the kitchen, is also an honorary member of Vatel, an exclusive club made up of only twenty master chefs from the finest restaurants in Europe.   Chef Bethel's specialty lies in the incorporation of native Bahamian delicacies--such as conch, spiny lobster, and a marvelous variety of fish--into the peerless tradition of classical French cooking.  His cooking has been featured in innumerable international gourmet magazines, and we are happy to offer here three of his recipes.
 

Ingredients

Method

If using a Maine lobster discard the stomach and intestinal vein.  Remove the meat from the lobster tail and cut into four equal parts.  Season with fresh lime juice, salt and pepper and steam for about 4 minutes.  To prepare sauce use a mallet to crush the head of the lobster well.  Saute in butter and oil until reddened.   Add tomato, celery, sweet pepper and onion and cook for five mintues.  Then add tomato paste, thyme, finely chopped hot pepper and cook for an additional five minutes.  Add the two cups of water drawn from the cabbage leaves and simmer the sauce for about ten minutes.

Meanwhile, take the slightly cooked lobster and wrap each piece in a cabbage leaf.  Place on a buttered dish and keep warm in the oven.  Strain the sauce into another skillet using a fine strainer.  Whip in softened butter and heat.  Pour the sauce into four warm plates. Place the lobster parcels in the center of the sauce, garnish accordingly and serve immediately.
 

     Serves 16-20 people (4 quarts)

Ingredients

10 medium-sized conchs 4 carrots 4 strings celery 2 large onions 2 sweet green peppers 2 cups olive oil

Method:

Cut above ingredients in large dice or chop in food processor.  In fairly large skillet add 2 cups cooking oil.  Add conch and vegetables and simmer 10 min.

Meanwhile prepare Darkened Roux:

• 8 oz. flour
• 8 oz. butter

Cook slowly until nut brown color.  This can be done ahead of time and kept warm.

Add 1 cup tomato paste to vegetables and cook 5 minutes.  Add 4 quarts water and bring to a boil for 40 minutes, thickened with darkened roux.  Season with salt, hot pepper, chopped fresh thyme and dry sherry.
 

     Serves 2

Ingredients:

Method

In a saucepan of boiling water blanh the tomato for 10 seconds.  Drain the tomato, peel it and cut it crosswise into 6 thin slices.  Sprinkle the grouper fillets with salt and pepper, dredge them in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.  In an ovenproof stainless steelor enameled skillet saute them in the butter over moderately high heat for 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden.  Remove the skillet from the heat and pour off carefully any remaining butter.   Add the shallot to the skillets, spread each fillet with 1/2 tsp. of the mustard and top it with 3 of the tomato slices.  Add the wine and cook the mixture over moderate heat for 5 minutes or until the wine is almost evaporated.  Add the cream, salt and pepper to taste, swirl in the remaining 1/2 tsp. mustard and bake the fish in a preheated hot oven (425°) for 5 minutes or until the sauce is smooth.  Transfer it with a slotted spatula to a heated platter.  Spoon the sauce over the fish and sprinkle it with the parsley.