Taste With The Eyes

Calabacitas with Hatch Chiles

Calabacitas with Hatch Chiles

Grilled Yellow Squash, Roasted Hatch New Mexico Chiles
White Corn, Onion, Oregano, Cumin

Growers say that the intense sunlight and cool nights in this valley result in a uniquely flavored chile. They have been roasting up a storm in Hatch, New Mexico. And we are fortunate that our local Bristol Farms carries this fresh crop of Hatch chiles. Unlike other chiles, those grown in Hatch, New Mexico are only available for about 6 weeks each year during the months of August and September, and only as long as the fresh chile supply holds out.

My adaptation of the traditional New Mexico side dish calabacitas comes from my favorite New Mexico blogger, MJ of MJ’s Kitchen. Her Southern and Southwestern dishes are second to none and she is an expert on chiles!

Since we are sadly at the tail end of the Hatch season this year you’ve got to hurry to make calabacitas with fresh Hatch chiles. Luckily Anaheim, New Mexico, poblano chiles or even frozen Hatch chiles can be substituted in this recipe. But try remember to look for Hatch chiles next growing season, their flavor is really extraordinary…

Calabacitas with Hatch Chiles Recipe

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Chèvre Chaud Salad, Limoncello Dressing

Chèvre Chaud over a Salad of Arugula, Grapes, and Marcona Almonds
Limoncello Rosemary Dressing

How did this fall off my radar? Often, I would serve a Salade de Chèvre Chaud at dinner parties. It’s been years – but now, fried goat cheese back. This time with arugula, grapes, marcona almonds, and a zippy limoncello rosemary dressing.

Food Network is featuring grapes this week, so I was thinking about foods that might pair well: goat cheese, almonds, lemon, rosemary, arugula, alcohol… Alcohol? Yes – like wine, cognac, brandy, rum. How about limoncello? The dressing is bold, lemony, and definitely zippy. It adds unexpected character and balances the rich fried cheese. All the ingredients just came together and voilà – this bodacious “adult” salad was born.

Chèvre Chaud Recipe

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A Garden-to-Table Dining Event & A Lovely Melon Salad

Melon Salad
Cantaloupe, Prosciutto, Saint André Cheese, Arugula, Marcona Almonds

The following is an excerpt from a piece I wrote for Harbor Living Magazine to promote the
Palos Verdes Pastoral – A Garden-to-Table Dining Event on October 6, 2013.

Imagine a field of candle-lit tables elegantly dressed in white linen with sparkling glassware arranged under a harvest moon on a hill overlooking the blue Pacific. Imagine a vibrant autumn menu created using farm-fresh, seasonal foods from our local vendors and growers expertly paired with hand-picked regional wines. This is the Palos Verdes Pastoral, the premiere al fresco garden-to-table dining experience of the peninsula, which will take place on Oct. 6 at Terranea Resort.

After a fabulous wine and appetizer reception on the patio, 200 guests will take their seats at sunset to enjoy the artisanal creations by Chef de Cuisine Rebecca Merhej of Terranea’s acclaimed Mar’Sel restaurant. Her sophisticated presentations and strict attention to detail bring innovative imaginative cuisine to the peninsula.

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rosé salad – a summer dish crafted to complement chilled dry rosé

rosé salad
shrimp, beet, raspberry, radicchio, pickled red onion, rose petal salad

Hey summer! Where ya goin’? Not so fast, please! We’re holding on to summer by drinking our favorite pink wines: chilled dry French rosés which are the epitome of summer – light, fresh, and refreshing. This salad is crafted in a way so as to let the integrity of each ingredient shine, taking care not to overdress, but letting the raspberry vinegar and olive oil enhance the flavors. The spectrum of pink colors, fruity and flowery aromas, and range of flavors and textures beautifully complement rosé wines.

rosé salad recipe

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Palate Pleaser: Frozen Fig with Rose, Almond, Rosemary

Palate Pleaser: Frozen Fig with Rose, Almond, Rosemary

Fresh ripe California Black Mission Figs are frozen overnight then run through my trusty vintage Champion Juicer. The result is pure fig, but you would swear it is gelato. The texture is extraordinarily creamy and custardy. I add a whisper of rose water to add to the mystery. Then the frozen fig is topped with salty marcona almonds, fresh piney rosemary, sweet rose crystals and a slice of fresh California Kadota fig. Petite glasses of this palate pleaser are presented on a platter lined with fresh fig leaves and rose petals.

Frozen Fig with Rose, Almond, Rosemary Recipe

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