Dean Fearing Such notable personages as Her Majesty The Queen of England and Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton have expressed delight upon tasting the Southwest Cuisine prepared by The Mansion on Turtle Creek in Dallas. Its creator, Chef Dean Fearing, was at the forefront of developing the new Southwest cuisine genre when he became The Mansion's executive chef in 1985. Unrelentingly creative, the exuberant Chef Fearing, winner of the 1994 James Beard Perrier-Jouet Restaurant Award for Best Chef: Southwest and Mobil Five-Star award 1995 - 97, creates new dishes each week. Most begin with seasonal native ingredients complemented by an intriguing array of flavors from around the world. The result is both exotic and harmonious. Drawing inspiration from the backyard barbecues he knew as a child, he recently presented a plate composed of Carne Asado of Ostrich Filet and Papaya Mole Glazed Quail with Smoked Corn Enchilada and a Basket of Condiments. These adventurous specials are offered on The Mansion's menu along with Chef Fearing's now-classic signature dishes such as Warm Lobster Tacos with Yellow Tomato Salsa and Tortilla Soup. Classically trained at the Culinary Institute of America, Fearing began his career at Maisonette in Cincinnati, followed by The Pyramid Room at The Fairmont Hotel in Dallas. When The Mansion on Turtle Creek opened in 1980, Fearing came to the restaurant as executive sous chef, a position he resigned to become chef and part owner of the wildly successful Agnew's restaurant, in Dallas, the home of Southwest Cuisine. There, his daring experiments with products and ideas indigenous to the Southwest drew the attention of Craig Claiborne, then food editor at the New York Times, sparking the beginning of his rise to international prominence. Shortly thereafter, Dean Fearing "returned home" to The Mansion on Turtle Creek, this time in the position of executive chef. A decade and countless culinary awards later, including the recent Mobil Five-Star award, Dean buzzes around both kitchen and dining room in chef's whites and brightly hued Lucchese cowboy boots. Dean Fearing is clearly in his element. He continues to develop Southwest cuisine, using all varieties of Texas-grown chili peppers, jicama, cilantro and other native herbs, tomatillos and avocado. The Texas Hill Country supplies wild game, birds and venison. Influenced by extensive worldwide travel, Fearing infuses his culinary creations with concepts and techniques from Italian, Thai, Southern, Cajun, and Mexican cuisines. Presentation is sophisticated and colorful. "It's visually stimulating," says Fearing, who subscribes to the Oriental tenet of pleasing the eye as well as the palate. Fearing, who plays "progressive Texas country on my guitar with my group of musical Texas chefs, The Barbwires, when I'm not stirring pots," was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of an innkeeper. As all-American as he is, his life is modeled after that of the Master Chefs of France. "It's typical for a Master Chef to work at the same restaurant for 30 years, where their fortunes are intertwined with those of the restaurant. I expect to be at The Mansion for at least 20 more years." Fearing has one national television program, "Entertaining at Home with Dean Fearing," airing nationally on the TV Food Network and "Dean's Cuisine," airing regionally each week on Dallas' FOX affiliate. The author of two cookbooks, "The Mansion on Turtle Creek Cookbook" and "Dean Fearing's Southwest Cuisine: Blending Asia and the Americas," he freely dispenses the much-requested recipes from his Mansion kitchen. Says Dean Fearing, "I can always create another one." PARMESAN FRIED OYSTERS WITH A ROASTED GARLIC DIP 2 dozen oysters, single selects in the shell preferred 12 cups peanut oil (2 48-ounce containers) 1 cup flour 2 eggs 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup fresh dried bread crumbs 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon chopped parsley Bread the oysters through this 3-step breading process. Shuck and drain the liquor from the oysters. Rinse the oysters quickly under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Toss the oysters in the flour. Coat the oysters entirely, leaving no wet spots. Beat the eggs with the mustard and salt to combine well. Dip the oysters in this mixture. Coat them entirely, leaving no dry spots. Combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan, black pepper and parsley. Roll the oysters in the bread crumb mixture. Coat entirely, leaving no wet spots. Put the peanut oil in a deep fat fryer or a deep frying pan. If you are using something smaller, only use enough oil to fill the fryer about three quarters of the way up the sides. Gradually heat the oil to 340 degrees by starting to heat it on medium and slowly increasing the heat to medium-high. Never put oil in any frying container and turn the heat on to high. Put a dozen or so oysters into the hot oil at a time. Too many oysters will bring down the temperature of their. Try to keep the temperature as close to 340 degrees as possible. Fry the oysters, turning them frequently, until they are golden brown and float to the top. If the oil is too hot, the crust will brown before the oysters cook inside. Remove the oysters from the oil and place towels to absorb any excess oil. Serve at once with homemade Roasted Garlic Dip. Roasted Garlic Dip 1/2 cup whole peeled garlic cloves 1 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons roasted garlic 3 tablespoons finely chopped "bread and butter" pickles 1 tablespoon minced shallot 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Take 1/2 cup of whole, peeled garlic cloves and place them in a small oven-proof skillet or saucepan. Add enough water to bring the water halfway up the sides of the garlic cloves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then place the whole pan in the 475 degree oven for about 20 minutes. The water will evaporate and the garlic will take on a light golden color and develop a starchy texture inside. To be able to measure tablespoons or teaspoons of roasted garlic, lightly chop the roasted cloves, mash them and then measure. Half a cup of peeled cloves yields approximately 6 tablespoons of roasted garlic. To Make the Dip: Mix the mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons of roasted garlic, pickles, shallot, parsley, salt and pepper together. Place in a storage container and refrigerate for at least an hour to let the flavors meld. Nominate your favorite chef for a profile "Chef Profiles" email: jwdineline@aol.com