Taste With The Eyes

Palos Verdes Pastoral: A Garden-to-Table Dining Experience at Terranea Resort

Palos Verdes Pastoral
A Garden-to-Table Dining Experience at Terranea Resort

Al fresco dining with magnificent views of Catalina Island, on a warm Autumn evening at sunset – this is Palos Verdes Pastoral…a vibrant fall meal created by Executive Chef Bernard Ibarra, showcasing the best of California-grown food expertly paired with hand-picked wines.

For the fourth year in a row, it was my honor and pleasure to serve as food photographer for the premier garden-to-table dining experience that took place at Terranea Resort in Rancho Palos Verdes, California on Sunday, October 18th.

Palos Verdes Pastoral is a fundraising event to support the Palos Verdes Peninsula Land Conservancy’s mission to preserve and restore habitat for the enjoyment and education of all.

I also happen to be a beneficiary of the Land Conservancy’s work, as we’ve been hiking the local trails and enjoying our open spaces here along the coast for decades. Since its founding in 1988, the Land Conservancy has preserved 1600 acres of open space with nearly 42 miles of public trails.

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Autumn Squash Salad, Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Autumn Squash Salad

Acorn Squash, Korean Pear, Mixed Lettuces
Farro, Smoky Spicy Pumpkin Seeds, Gorgonzola
Pomegranate Vinaigrette

Looking for a salad that just screams Fall? Look no further. Crisp, juicy, sweet Korean pear contrasts the tender roasted acorn squash while farro adds a chewiness and nutty earthy notes. Crumbly, salty bleu-veined gorgonzola and smoky spicy pumpkin seeds add amplitude. It is all harmonized by the dressing, a deep ruby-hued tart vinaigrette. Color, texture, flavor, a feeling of abundance – it’s all right here in this stunning seasonal salad.

How to Choose, Cut, and Cook an Acorn Squash

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Entomophagic Anju: Tasty Insect Snacks To Enjoy While Drinking

ENTOMOPHAGIC ANJU #1

Crickets & Kkwarigochu in a Sweet, Sticky, Garlicky Sauce

I asked my friends if they would like to sample some edible insects as a snack…and all I heard was…crickets.

For most of them, it turns out that eating intact insects was intimidating. Go figure. But add in the effects of an alcoholic beverage or two, inhibitions disappear and these same friends become amenable to giving my bug-centric snacks a try.

In Korean, there is a word for food meant to be consumed with alcohol – Anju. In English, there is a word for consuming insects – Entomophagy. Here I present an Entomophagic Anju: Tasty Insect Snacks To Enjoy While Drinking. Let’s get the party started with some cold beers.

Feeling loosened up and ready to indulge in the first anju, my friends gave rave reviews to Crickets & Kkwarigochu. The recipe was inspired by the popular Korean banchan (side dish) myulchi bokkeum (stir-fried anchovy) and it is positively addicting.

Salted stir-fried crickets are coated with a sweet, sticky, garlicky sauce. Kkwarigochu (aka shishito peppers in Japanese) are blistered in a hot wok with a bit of oil. Kkwarigochu are thin-walled mild peppers with a fresh green vegetal flavor and just a whisper of heat. But beware, every once in a while, there’s a hot one in the bunch! Paired with cold refreshing Hite beer, this entomophagic anju was a big hit!

The crickets (aka house crickets, Acheta domestica) have been raised in California for human consumption on a diet of apples and bananas. They are then cooked and dried to produce a crispy, crunchy snack or ingredient with a wheat-y flavor. The entire cricket is edible & no other ingredients are added. (From Marx Foods here).

Crickets & Kkwarigochu Recipe

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Grilled Eggplant Pizza with Low-Carb Cauliflower Crust

Grilled Eggplant Pizza with Cauliflower Crust
with
Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, Garlic, Basil, Mint, Red Chile Flakes, Mozzarella

OK Low-Carb, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free, Vegetarian friends – this pizza is for you! Smoky grilled eggplant tops a pizza crust made of cauliflower. Grape tomatoes, kalamata olives, garlic, basil, and mint are tossed with a bit of olive oil, salt and red chile flakes then loaded on top of the eggplant. Sprinkled with shredded mozzarella then popped in the oven until everything is nice and hot – this pizza will delight everyone, but especially those who want to replace the dough. Cauliflower naturally has lower carbohydrates, higher fiber, and more nutrients than traditional flour-based pizza dough. This is a true veggie pizza.

How to Make a Cauliflower Pizza Crust

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Gallo Pinto “Rice & Beans” with a Fusilli Twist

Gallo Pinto “Rice & Beans” with a Fusilli Twist
Fried Eggs, Red Chiles, Scallions

A delightful vegetarian dish had fallen off my radar. We very much enjoyed Gallo Pinto years ago when traveling in Costa Rica. It’s a humble combination of white rice and black beans livened up with bell pepper and onion, lots of rough chopped cilantro, and flavored with Salsa Lizano. As Salsa Lizano is not widely available, Worcestershire sauce makes a terrific substitute. The fermented liquid condiment is made from barley malt vinegar, spirit vinegar, molasses, sugar, salt, anchovies, tamarind, onions, and garlic. (Vegetarian versions are available without anchovies). Worcestershire adds a unique and complex flavor to ordinary rice and beans.

For a twist on the usual recipe, I substitute Brown Rice Fusilli Pasta from my friends at Explore Asian for the white rice. The dish is topped with eggs fried in olive oil, spicy red chiles and thinly sliced scallions. It makes a satisfying meal, suitable for breakfast, lunch, or even dinner.

Gallo Pinto Recipe

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