Taste With The Eyes

Flatbread Pizza: Potato, Arugula, Sour Cream, Chives, Olive, Truffle, Lemon

Lavash Flatbread Pizza
Potato, Arugula, Sour Cream, Chives,
Kalamata Olive, Truffle Oil, Black Truffle Salt, Lemon

Sometimes this uprooted Chicago girl wants to serve a skinny pizza. We really do still adore our deep dish pizzas – especially Lou Malnati’s. But I also grew up enjoying Candlelite pizza, fondly remembering my parents’ love of the super-thin crust at the hip joint that was walking distance from our home on the Far North Side – a neighborhood tavern where the graphics on the old-fashioned neon sign now read “Cool Served Here.”

Fast forward many decades – while my lavash flatbread pizza recipe isn’t Candlelite-style per se – it is ultra-thin with a cracker-y crust. Still faintly reminiscent of the Chicago thin-crust pizza of yesteryear, even though back then the topping never included potato, arugula, kalamata olives…or truffle salt.

Lavash Flatbread Pizza Recipe

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Beer Braised Bratwurst, Beet Greens, Red Cabbage, Horseradish

Bratwurst Braised in Beer
Beet Greens and Red Cabbage, Fresh Horseradish

Sausage lovers rejoice! The classic combination of red cabbage and sausage takes on a new twist with the addition of beet greens. Here, bratwurst is braised in beer and paired with red cabbage, beet, and onion. Sweet, sour, and spice flavors come from brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and allspice. Sautéed beet greens add a garlicky earthiness while freshly grated horseradish’s hot, sharp notes balance the rich juicy beer-braised brats. Outstanding!

Beer Braised Bratwurst Recipe

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Red Lentil Spaghetti (gluten-free) with Cauliflower Rosa Sauce (vegan)

Red Lentil Spaghetti with Cauliflower Rosa Sauce
Blistered Tomatoes, Arugula
#GlutenFreeVegan

This is THE pasta dish for everyone. Not only is it wholesome and delicious – it is gluten-free, vegan, high protein, high fiber, lower carb, clean, fresh and fabulous. My friends at Explore Cuisine are introducing a spaghetti made of red lentils. This spaghetti has a texture similar to traditional spaghetti. And it pairs wonderfully with my vegan Cauliflower Rosa sauce. Parma Rosa is a pasta sauce typically made with tomatoes, cream, and Parmesan. Here, I substitute cauliflower and olive oil for the cream and cheese, and roast the tomatoes in the oven with garlic for a deeper flavor. The result is a lower-cholesterol sauce that is full of vegetable nutrition and is super-satisfying. For everyone.

Red Lentil Spaghetti with Cauliflower Rosa Sauce and Arugula Recipe

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Sustainable Seafood Expo & Chef’s Table Dinner at CRAFTED

Last weekend I wrote about our fabulous holiday party held at Brouwerij West in Warehouse No. 9 at the Port of Los Angeles. Due to the overwhelming local response and interest in the new brewery and Crafted, I decided to share another event that I attended at Crafted a little while back. Crafted is right next door to Brouwerij West, located in Warehouse No. 10. The event was the 2nd Annual Sustainable Seafood Expo and Chef’s Table Dinner, hosted by the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium and Friends.

The Expo was designed to help consumers choose the right fish for their dish – one that’s healthy and good for the environment as well. Choosing the right fish can have a positive impact on the marine environment and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium leads the way in educating local consumers, chefs, and restaurateurs on this topic.

Chefs, Fishermen, Local Experts, and A Real Mermaid were on hand to explain fisheries, habitats, and species management to promote and sustain wild, diverse, and healthy ocean ecosystems that will last long into the future. Ongoing seafood sampling and educational opportunities were available at booths throughout the Expo. The dinner was a stunning al fresco farm-to-table dining experience, featuring locally sourced seafood and seasonal fare prepared by Chef Paul Buchanan of Primal Alchemy.

BROUWERIJ WEST is a SAN PEDRO BREWERY & TASTING ROOM – Brewing Belgian-inspired craft beers in a restored massive WWII- era Warehouse No. 9 at the Port of Los Angeles.

CRAFTED AT THE PORT OF LOS ANGELES is a large-scale permanent handmade artisan marketplace. The classically restored Warehouse No. 10 is home to more than 100 individual artists, crafters and food makers, each presenting their unique handcrafted goods in a vibrant patchwork of shop spaces.

Sustainable Seafood Expo

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Wintery French Lentil Soup with Beef, Carrots, Sherry Vinegar

Wintery French Lentil Soup with Beef and Carrots
Sherry Vinegar, Parmesan, Cilantro

Chase away those winter blues with a hearty healthy cold-weather soup. Quick and easy preparation plus wholesome ingredients make this soup a shining star. And as a bonus, eating lentils in the new year is said to bring luck and prosperity.

This lentil soup is a bit different from the traditional, as ground beef, French lentils, and carrots share the stage equally. A drizzle of sherry vinegar adds that bright sharp counter-balance to the rich soup and earthy lentils. Cilantro brings fresh herbal notes while cumin and chile powder add warm spice overtones. A generous dusting of grated Parmesan adds the nutty components. This simple, humble soup actually has a complex flavor profile.

Wintery French Lentil Soup Recipe

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