Not Your Average Crudités Platter

Crudités Platter with Lemony Cauliflower Dip

Crudités Platter with Lemony Cauliflower Dip
Three Oils, Three Seasonings

There are literally hundreds of flavor combinations waiting to be discovered on this one platter. Try a crisp slice of cucumber with lemony cauliflower dip, dunk a sweet cherry tomato into chili oil then crust with sesame seeds, dip a peppery radish into olive oil then coat with za’atar…

Cauliflower makes its appearance as a lemony dip. Three oils (fruity olive oil, fiery chili oil, and toasted sesame oil) plus three seasonings (Maldon sea salt flakes, za’atar, and toasted sesame seeds) complement a vibrant array of fresh vegetables. Castelvetrano olives, basil, and edible flowers add another layer of flavor and interest to this appealing platter where guests can enjoy discussing their favorite combinations over cocktails.

Crudités Platter with Lemony Cauliflower Dip, Three Oils, Three Seasonings

Not Your Average Crudités Platter

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Red Lentil Penne with Gorgonzola Sauce, Walnut, Apple, Mint

Red Lentil Penne with Gorgonzola Sauce, Walnut, Apple, Mint #glutenfree

Red Lentil Penne, Gorgonzola Sauce
Granny Smith Apple, Toasted Walnut, Fresh Mint

Gorgonzola, Granny Smith apples, and toasted walnuts have a particular affinity for each other. Here they are paired with gluten-free penne for a satisfying wholesome meal with higher protein, higher fiber, and lower net carbs. Explore Cuisine penne is made in Italy and comprised of only two ingredients: organic red lentil flour (73%) and organic brown rice flour (27%). Cool mint adds a note of freshness and counterbalance to the rich gorgonzola sauce while apple cut into allumette shape makes for a jaunty presentation.

Gluten-Free Red Lentil Penne Recipe

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Michel Richard’s Asian Bistro Soup

Michel Richard's Asian Bistro Soup with Shrimp

Michel Richard’s Asian Bistro Soup with Shrimp

Last month another world-class chef joined Escoffier in the Grand Kitchen up in Heaven. Legendary Chef Michel Richard was 68 years old. I was introduced to the Chef’s innovative style of cooking over lunch with my old colleagues at his restaurant Citrus in LA back in the late 1980s and have been an ardent fan ever since.

After hearing of his sudden passing last month, I immediately pulled Happy In The Kitchen from my bookshelf and spent a good part of the day re-reading his recipes and perspectives.

Before each recipe the Chef writes a paragraph or two about the dish – from where the inspiration came; what is important for the cook to note; or his keen observations on taste, texture, presentation, what-have-you. Yes, he is a most accomplished chef, but he is also a very effective teacher – employing humor and ingenuity as skillfully as he does the knife.

Thomas Keller wrote, “Michel did something that’s almost unheard of in the pastry world: he crossed over and became a chef, opening one of the best restaurants in the country, Citrus, in 1987. It’s difficult to overemphasize how unusual this is. Pastry chefs and savory chefs rely on a completely different set of skills and use their intellects in different ways. Pastry chefs are mathematicians. Savory chefs, we’re like free-thinkers. Michel, amazingly, has been able to combine the precision of the pastry chef’s mind with the freethinking nature of the savory chef in a way that no other chef in America has done.”

Michel Richard’s Asian Bistro Soup Recipe

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Sustainable Seafood Expo 2016

Braised Cayucos Abalone “Escabeche” Chorizo Pamplona, Our Garden’s Sofrito

Sustainable Seafood Expo 2016

Chefs, Fishermen, Local Experts and Educators will be 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.

The Cabrillo Marine Aquarium’s Sustainable Seafood Expo 2016 is designed to help consumers choose the right fish for their dish – one that’s healthy and has a positive impact on the marine environment.

Sustainable Seafood Expo 2016

On Sunday, Oct. 2 at the Port of Los Angeles, attendees will enjoy cutting-edge seafood samples, chef demonstrations, educational activities, cash bar, wine wall and much more at the 3rd Annual Sustainable Seafood Expo.

Actor Adrian Grenier, co-founder of the Lonely Whale Foundation, advocating ocean health and the wellbeing of marine wildlife, will be the keynote speaker and VIP Dinner host.

Featured Chefs

  • Bernard Ibarra, Terranea Resort
  • Tyler Gugliotta, Baran’s 2239
  • Dustin Trani, J. Trani’s Ristorante
  • Paul Buchanan, Primal Alchemy
  • Pete Lehmar, Gladstone’s Long Beach
  • Roberto Flores, 22nd St. Landing Seafood Grill & Bar
  • Trevor Cook, California Scuba Chef
  • Jim Tate, Parker’s Lighthouse
  • Jimmy Ng, Harbor College Culinary Arts

Sustainable Seafood Expo 2016

Attendees will learn how fish should be caught or farmed and how to lessen the impact on the marine environment by making savvy seafood choices. General admission tickets are $40, use promo code TASTE during checkout here to get an additional $5 discount.

Sustainable Seafood Expo 2016

The chefs will be serving their unique seafood samples throughout the event including scallops, mussels, abalone, sablefish (black cod), rockfish, shrimp, calamari, oysters and much more.

A special alfresco VIP Dinner, featuring locally sourced seafood and seasonal fare prepared by Chef Dustin Trani will follow the Expo at 5 PM. See the fabulous seafood-centric menu and purchase dinner tickets here.

Sustainable Seafood Expo 2016

Serving California Red Abalone at the Sustainable Seafood Expo, Chef Bernard Ibarra of Terranea Resort will delight the guests with his ever-engaging cooking demonstration. Here he shares his beautiful sous-vide recipe for healthy, sustainable, and ocean-friendly Ocean Rose California Red Abalone from The Abalone Farm in Cayucos, California. The Chef recommends sous-vide as an excellent method for cooking abalone.

Chef Bernard’s Cayucos Abalone Recipe

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Black Bean Spaghetti for the Whole Family #meatless #glutenfree

Black Bean Spaghetti for the Whole Family #meatless #glutenfree

Black Bean Spaghetti for the Whole Family

The nutritional facts are hard to believe, until one realizes that this spaghetti really isn’t pasta at all, but black beans masquerading as noodles.

Black Bean Spaghetti is made from 92% black beans and 8% water and has 25 grams of protein and 12 grams of fiber in every serving. Generally, dried pastas have 5 to 7 grams of protein and 2 to 3 grams of fiber per serving. Black bean spaghetti’s taste is mild while the tooth is delightfully chewy.

The whole family will benefit from organic noodles packed with higher protein and fiber, and lower net carbs. Cook the spaghetti about seven minutes then plate two ways: A buttery-cheesy “caterpillar” will appeal to the kids while black bean spaghetti topped with a complementary avocado mash and fresh salsa will be a big hit with the adults.

Black Bean Spaghetti Recipes

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