For the holiday season we’re serving a most thrilling luxury, the world’s most sublime delicacy – the roe of a mature sturgeon!
It’s a connoisseur’s dream – a fresh shucked oyster topped with crème fraîche and a generous dollop of royal ossetra caviar.
Elegant jewel-like eggs with that fabulous, famous burst of the sea sit atop a crisp, firm-textured bivalve with a sweet aftertaste that sparkles with salinity. Crème fraîche adds a nuanced enhancement to the roe with its creamy tang. Pulling out all the stops, this opulence-in-a-shell is paired with Champagne to complement the caviar’s briny zest.
Exquisitely rich, gloriously complex, utterly delectable. Happy Holidays, my friends!
We live in Southern California, where we can walk to the docks and pick up local fresh fish arriving by the hour. Our markets are full of fresh fish that is flown in daily from around the world. So, why buy frozen fish?
Convenience of having protein in the freezer, on hand, ready to thaw.
Value where frozen is typically 20 to 25% less per pound than fresh.
Availability when fresh fish is not in season, frozen is always there.
Taste and texture are not sacrificed, especially in a recipe like this stew.
The frozen farm-raised Atlantic salmon comes from Whole Foods Market where they source from responsibly managed fish farms that aim to help maintain sustainable seafood supplies. Their salmon are raised in carefully monitored, low-density pens and tanks without antibiotics, pesticides or added growth hormones.
This recipe is adapted from Martha Stewart Living. For a cold weather meal, I loved the idea of a smoky fish stew and added another layer of smoky heat with Korean chili threads (shilgochu). They are finely-sliced dried chilis that are reddish brown in color with smoky red pepper and fruity flavors, and a medium degree of heat. Along with fennel fronds, the chili threads add a savory embellishment to the final presentation.
It’s been 5 years since I’ve shared The Stuffing Everyone Loves recipe. So for 2016, it’s back!
What makes this recipe different from the familiar mushroom sage dressing served on dinner tables all over the country at this time of year? Not much, and that is the beauty of it. It’s just like you remember, only better. And everyone loves it.
Rustic ciabatta, with its porous, chewy texture is the perfect bread for this stuffing. A homemade rich-flavored giblet stock, eliminates the need to cook the stuffing inside the turkey, while retaining that classic turkey flavor.
A 50-50 ratio of vegetables (mushroom, celery, onion, and leek) to the volume of ciabatta creates a balanced, not overly bready-y dish. Cooking the stuffing in a shallow baking dish allows for the desirable contrast of buttery toasty bread atop a moist stuffing beneath. Plenty of butter, Italian parsley and butter-fried sage bring the classic flavors of the season.
And with no “surprise” ingredients (oysters, nuts, fruit, chestnuts) it simply appeals to everyone…and exceeds expectations.
Leave it to Chef Tyler Gugliotta of Baran’s 2239 to take the humble carrot and turn it into a root vegetable fantasyland. Visually stunning, the colorful carrot-garden-in-a-bowl has three wildly distinctive sauces: a heady hazelnut truffle aillade, a sweet and earthy carrot caramel, and the rich silky hollandaise made with nutty browned butter.
Baran’s 2239 is arguably the hottest restaurant in the South Bay. The culinary collaboration by owners and brothers, Jonathan and Jason Baran and their friend Chef Tyler Gugliotta, opened earlier this year in Hermosa Beach, California.
“Fantastic pedigree in the kitchen.” -Los Angeles Magazine
“Progressive. Delicious. Unexpected.” -LA WEEKLY
“Best New South Bay Restaurant” -LA WEEKLY
“Atmosphere is casual, food is not.” -Los Angeles Times
#4 restaurant for “Best Overall” restaurants in Los Angeles -OpenTable
Jon Baran and I have been colleagues for several years and enjoy discussing recipes and esoteric ingredients…and it turns out that Tyler’s dad, Chef Greg Gugliotta and I worked together decades ago at Chez Melange. Small. World.
It has been my honor and pleasure to shoot Tyler’s food. His dishes are inspired, innovative, refreshingly original. Baran’s 2239 super-seasonal menu is fun and adventurous, this carrot dish is a perfect example. I loved this dish and asked if he would share…
Thank you for this wonderfully imaginative recipe, Chef!
Chef Tyler Gugliotta
Baby Rainbow Carrot Recipe
By Chef Tyler Gugliotta
H Mart’s seafood department is exceptional. I couldn’t pass up the beautiful striped bass sashimi and if I had more time, I would have waited for the yellowfin tuna that was about to be filleted.
Their produce department is fabulous too, showcasing the best of California fields plus esoteric fruits and vegetables found only in Asian markets. Not sure how the fuyu persimmons would be used, but several ended up in my basket just the same.
Inspiration for this vibrant ceviche comes from both my garden and my new favorite Korean supermarket. In the yard is a tree full of Persian limes while wrinkled passion fruits harvested days earlier are sitting on the counter.
The super-fresh striped bass will become ceviche, with a quick 10 minute lime marinade to preserve its pristine qualities. Paired with sweet-tart passion fruit and honeyed persimmon…a refreshing, clean, snappy recipe takes shape…
