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Halibut Habanero

Local Halibut
Santa Barbara Channel Halibut

Easy to make. Mild, white fish. Both Pepper Jellies go very well with this dish. Use either one-
Serves 4-6
Preheat oven to 325ยบ
Cooking time; about 35-40 minutes

4-6 fresh Halibut steaks- boned
about 2 Large Yellow Onions- sliced in 1/2โ€ณ thick rings- centers popped out
1 t. – 1 T. of Ojai Habanero Jelly in the center of each onion
1 T. dill- fresh or dried
2-3 Fresh Lemons- 1 sliced in discs & seeded (cook with), 1 or 2 cut in wedges (serve with)
1/2 c. Asiago or Parmesan Cheese- grated
1/2 c. Sharp White Cheddar Cheese- grated
1/4 C. Safflower Mayonnaise
Salt & Pepper to taste
splash of soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, or caper brine
Garnish: sprig of fresh rosemary & lemon wedges

Place enough foil on a 2โ€ณ deep (or larger) baking dish to enclose the finished product
(about 10โ€ณx12โ€ณ).
Drizzle foil with a little olive oil.
Place the sliced onion on the foil- enough to cover the bottom of the dish.
Add a dollop of Ojai Habanero Jelly in each onion center.
Lay the halibut steaks on top of the onion.
Mix the grated cheeses, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, dill, & soy (or sauce of choice).
Cover halibut with cheese mixture.
Place a few thin lemon slices on top of cheese mixture.
Bring together sides of the foil & seal into a tent, leaving a small air space on top.
Bake until the fish is white throughout- about 35 minutes.
Unwrap. While it rests a moment, freshen it up by removing the baked lemon slices.
Garnish each individual plate with a fresh sprig of dill or rosemary & a fresh lemon wedge.
Serve immediately.

Delicious with Brown Rice or a White Wine Risotto, fresh vegetable & light green salad~

enjoy!

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June Gloom Fest

June Gloom FestStop by Porch for tastings and demos by the following local vendors:

10am โ€“ 4pm FARM CARTโ€ฆ locally grown organic produce for sale
10am-4pm Maurice Connelly โ€“ Artist in Residence
10am-4pm Tower Gardens by Montecito Urban Gardens
11am-4pm Chef Todd Payden โ€“ Artisian Foods.ย  Samples + Sales
12-4pmย ย  Simply Pies โ€“ Organic locally baked (vegan + gluten free!) PIES!
12-4pmย ย  Ojai Pepper Jelly tasting

P I N Gย ย  P O N Gย ย  P L A Y I N Gย  10am โ€“ 5pm!

There will be additional parking at the empty lot on Via Real at Padero Laneโ€ฆ.shuttle service will run between Santa Claus Lane & the parking lot to alleviate parking congestion.

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Chicken Rodrigo!

Chicken-Rodrigo

Rodrigo Gimenez Cocinero aka Rodrigo orย RGC, & his lovely wife invited a friend and I to their home for dinner-
He proudly made chicken 3 different ways!

My favorite was his seared chicken breast along side potato towers, with a simmered Ojai Jalapeรฑo Jelly drizzle atop both.
It was delicious!

Rodrigo also makes & sells fantastic Empenadas– Chicken, Pork, & Vegetarian. He discovered that the flavors are enhanced with the addition of Ojai Pepper Jelly!
The chicken Empenadas pair particularly well with Ojai Jalapeรฑo Jelly!
Rodrigo also caters large & small functions & parties.
His Argentinean roots bring a very special flavor & flair to his foods-

 

 

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Blood Orange Tequila Sunset Cocktail

Ojai Blood Oranges

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What youโ€™ll need;
ice
1 1/2 oz GOOD tequila (per person)
4 oz Tangerine Juice (per person)
1/2 oz blood orange syrup (per person)

The syrup is easy to make. You’ll have extra for the next time youโ€™re craving this cocktail.
It stores well in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

Blood Orange Syrup

4 c. fresh squeezed Blood Orange juice
2c. sugar

Combine ingredients in a saucepan, then simmer for about 15 minutes, reducing liquid to half. Set aside & let cool.

The trick to making this beautiful Blood Orange Tequila Sunrise Cocktail is to add the ingredients in a specific order, creating striations of color. First in the glass goes the ice, then the tequila, the tangerine juice, and lastly the blood orange syrup. Slowly drizzle the syrup over the back of a spoon to allow the syrup to make itโ€™s way to the bottom of the glass. Give it a slight stir, and youโ€™re finished-
Garnish with a curl of zest & make a toast!

Serves well with a gaggle of giggling friends, telling stories, creating new ones & watching the Ojai “Pink Moment” “Sunset” disappear together-

enjoy!

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Lime-Orange Cupcakes with White Chocolate & Peppercorn Frosting!?!

 

Cupcake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

makes 14-16 cupcakes
Preheat oven to 350โ€ข

These cupcakes are unique, delicious & light- This recipe was inspired by the amazing Amalfi white chocolate bar
I recently discovered @ Paradise Pantry in Ventura, CA.

In a bowl mix the dry ingredients then set aside;
1 1/2 c. Swan’s Down Cake Flour
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
pinch of salt

In a different bowl cream;
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. butter (@ almost room temperature)

To the sugar & butter add;
1 egg yolk (save the egg white)
1/2 c. milk + 1/4 c. sourcream or 3/4 c. buttermilk
about 11 drops of Orange Oil
1-5 ounce jar “E. Waldo Ward & Son” Lime Marmalade- chopped up

In another bowl;
Beat 3 egg whites until light & fluffy, not dry or stiff

Add the dry ingredients to the wet, then fold in the egg whites gingerly.

Line & fill your cupcake tins.
Bake for about 20-25 minutes.ย  Ready when toothpick comes out clean.

Cool on rack for about 10 minutes, then take cupcakes from tins & allow to fully cool on rack before frosting.

My favorite new kitchen tool is a “Batter Pen“- it makes filling cupcake tins fast, clean & easy.
I also recommend using cupcake paper liners that are made of special parchment paper, they don’t allow the cupcakes to stick.

White Chocolate-Lime Zest & Pink Peppercorn Frosting

With an electric mixer, cream;
6 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)
1/4 c. butter (room temperature)
1 heaping T. sourcream

Then add & mix well;
pinch of salt
about 10 drops “Orange Oil”

Mix in;
3/4 c. powdered sugar
6 ounces +/- white chocolate bar- finely grated
1 t. lime zest
3-7 pink peppercorns- ground

Pipe;
frosting onto cupcakes & decorate with a slight dash of lime zest + a pinch of white chocolate & simply a hint
of pink peppercorn-

enjoy!

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Epicurean Knights

ย Winter Shades of Greyย 

Please join us for an afternoon of fine food & wine-

The “Epicurean Cowboy” has put together an amazing menu-
& I’m proud to announce that I’ll be conjuring up a few savory sauces for the event!

When:
Sunday March 24, 2013ย  1-4 p.m.

Where:
Santa Barbara Carriage & Western Museum
129 Castillo Street
Santa Barbara, CA (near the Harbor)

Cost:
$60 per person
$100 per couple

Click here for more information.

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Chronic Cellars, Paso Robles

What a fun place to taste GREAT wines- They even have a pool table in the middle of their tasting room!
Chronic Cellars is on the outskirts of Paso Robles, CA. -on the way to Lake Nacimiento
Their general theme; FUN! Zany! & Dia de los Muertos characters throughout- All wine names are a play-on-words My favorite; “Sofa King Bueno“

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Turkey Chili with White Beans

Serves 10-12 hungry adults (or about 5 teenage boys- just kidding!)
This is easy to prepare ahead of time- the flavors get better & it’s a crowd-pleaser!

You’ll need;
1 large frying pan
1 large crock pot

In the large frying pan;
brown 2 pounds of fresh ground turkey
-no oil needed

Once cooked place turkey in crock pot.

Using the same frying pan;
4-5 T. olive oil
2 brown onions- diced
4-5 cloves fresh garlic- chopped
a splash of beer or dry white wine

Cook onions until translucent
Add onion mixture to the crock pot.

Also add;
1 Jalapeรฑo Pepper- diced
2-28 ounce cans Fire Roasted Tomato Sauce
2 cans Cannellini (white) Beans
Chicken Broth- about 20 ounces
Add Susie’s Seasoning Salt (or salt & pepper) to taste
1 T. red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1 T. ground cumin
1 T. paprika

Turn crock pot on meduim/high & allow mixture to heat through & cook with the lid on.
Cook for about 40 minutes, then turn down or off & serve.

Set up garnish bowls of;
purple onion- chopped
green onion- chopped
sharp cheddar cheese- grated
Monterey Jack cheese- grated
sourcream
avocado- diced
Jalapeรฑo Pepper- chopped
cilantro-chopped
fresh lime wedges
& red pepper flakes

Guest enjoy garnishing their own chili-
Pairs well with cold beer & conversation-

enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Asparagus Spears wrapped in Prosciutto, drizzled with Habanero-Balsamic Reduction

This is a delicious appetizer- & the first way I tried prosciutto-

One bunch of organic asparagus spears- ends cut off, washed
About 10 thinly shaved pieces of prosciutto-
Cut each strip into 3 long strips, about 1″ wide

Boil a pot of water then turn off the heat.
Add asparagus & let sit for 2-3 minutes.
Drain & immediately cover with ice to preserve color.
Drain & gently pat dry. Set aside.

In a saucepan over low to medium heat add;
3 T. Ojai Habanero Jelly
1/2 c. Balsamic Vinegar
handful of craisins

Whisk together & stir until thickened, then remove from heat.

Wrap towel-dried asparagus with strips of prosciutto by twisting the asparagus as you hold the prosciutto.
For easy clean up, lay wrapped asparagus side by side on foil, in a baking dish.
Drizzle with balsamic Habanero reduction.

Broil for 5-7 minutes-

Served warm or @ room temperature-

Savory, sweet, salty wonderfulness- & you get your vegetable too!

enjoy!

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Valentine’s Day Cake

Valentine's Day Cake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

preheat oven to 350*

Iโ€™ve experimented with this RICH yet surprisingly light cake for many years-
Itโ€™s my favorite & regardless of friends & families dietary restrictions
they LOVE it too-

No flour, oil or leavening is added-
Rich coffee flavors runs throughout the cake & frosting-

Iโ€™ll admit that sometimes I get distracted because I tend to multitask & occasionally forget to add the egg whites-
so itโ€™s less light & moreย  brownie-like.
With or without the egg whites, this cake is hands down the most rich, decadent, delicious cake Iโ€™ve ever had-
It pairs nicely with freshly churned vanilla ice cream & a hot cuppa–

Cake;
1 packet of Starbucks Italian roast โ€œViaโ€ plus 1/3 c. water
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 c. chocolate chips (1- 11 ounce bag semisweet chocolate chips)
1 1/2 t. pure vanilla extract
1/2 c. butter
12 egg yolks (keep egg whites for later)
1 3/4 c. organic walnuts, ground (food processor, ground like coffee grounds)

In a medium size saucepan, over low heat;
Coffee, water & sugar. Mix then add chocolate chips & stir.
Once mixed add vanilla & remove from heat.ย  Let cool 5-10 minutes.

With an electric mixer;
Cream butter, add egg yolks & mix. Add ground walnuts, then chocolate mixture.

In a separate (metal) mixing bowl;
Beat egg whites until firm but not dry- ย Fold whites into the chocolate batter-

Place 3 layers of parchment paper on counter top, draw around the cake pan with a pencil then cut out with scissors- Cut some straight pieces to use for the pan sides. Line pans.

Evenly distribute the batter into cake pans. I add 1 or 2 scoops of cake batter to each cake pan until all three
are evenly filled.

They will look a bit empty- but donโ€™t worry-

Bake @ 350 for 25 minutes (a little less time in a convection oven).

Frosting;

2 c. chocolate chips (1 eleven-ounce bag of semisweet chocolate chips)
1 packet of Starbucks Italian roast instant โ€œViaโ€ plus 1/3 c. water
1 c. + 2. T. butter
4 egg yolks
2 c. powdered sugar + a little for dusting the finished cake plate edges.

In a medium size saucepan, over low heat;
Slowly melt the coffee , water & chocolate chips.
Once smooth & blended; remove from heat.
Cool for about 7-10 minutes.

In a separate bowl;
Cream the butter, add egg yolks, then sprinkle in the powdered sugar.
Once smooth & well mixed, add in the chocolate mixture.

note; make sure when adding something hot to eggs that you donโ€™t cook the eggs-
add a little at a time & keep stirring because you donโ€™t want a lumpy cake-

enjoy!

 

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Suze’s Dutch Babies

 

Dutch Babies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dutch Babies2

 

 

 

 

 

 

Serves 2-3 adults

Put a 10″ French skillet in a cold oven & then heat to 450*

In a blender mix;
3 eggs
1/4 c. all purpose flour
3/4 c. milk
1 t. vanilla extract

Blend for 30 seconds or so, until mixed & frothy.
Scrape down sides as needed.

4 T. butter, melted

Toppings;
2 bacon slices, diced
powdered sugar
1/2 c. maple syrup

When oven is preheated, pour melted butter into the hot skillet & return to oven for a minute or two.

Gently pour batter into the hot skillet.
Bake about 15-17 minutes.
The Dutch Baby will bake & grow up the sides of the skillet. Edges will be browned nicely as it climbs
well above the skillet sides.

On the stove top;
In another 10′ skillet, cook bacon. Drain off grease & chop into bits.

Warm maple syrup & pour over hot Dutch Baby-
Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top,
sprinkle with bacon & dust with powdered sugar-
I also add a little lemon zest to each serving.

enjoy!

 

 

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Cowboy Cookies

Get in my BELLY!
Get in my BELLY!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This cookie is a bit like an energy barโ€
The batter is thick & sticky. This recipe makes a big batch of cookiesโ€ I use Glad “Press n’ Seal” & it keeps
them fresh & they freeze well.

Ingredients;

2/3 c. butter, melted
1 1/4 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. crunchy peanut butter
6 c. oats (old fashioned Quaker Oats)
2 t. baking soda
1 c. chocolate chips (dark semi sweet)
1 c. butterscotch chips

Melt butter.
In a BIG bowl;
Blend melted butter in with sugars, eggs & peanut butter until fully mixed.

Mix in remaining ingredientsโ€ & as youโ€™re adding the oats gently sprinkle in the baking
soda & mix well-

Using a teaspoon or a tablespoon, form a ball for each cookie, then place on a parchment paper covered cooking sheet.

Bake at 350*
12โ€15 minutes

Theyโ€™ll cook faster in a convection oven; 10โ€12 minutes.

enjoy!

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Chicken Piccata

Chicken Piccatawith white wine, lemon, caper sauce
4 servings
total time; 20-40 minutes
prep time: 15-20 minutes

cook time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
1 c. all purpose flour
2 large free range eggs
1 T. water
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
olive oil
5 T. butter, room temperature, divided
1/2 c. freshly squeezed lemon juice (2-3 lemons), *reserve skins for sauce
1/2 c. dry white wine
2 T. Capers + caper brine
Thin sliced fresh lemon & rosemary sprig as a garnish

Directions

Preheat oven; 400
Lightly oil a sheet pan.ย  Place each chicken breast between 2 sheets of parchment paper or in a strong plastic bag. Pound out to 1/4โ€ thick. Sprinkle both sides with salt & pepper.

Mix the flour, 1/2 t. salt, and 1/4 t. fresh ground pepper in a shallow plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs & 1/2 T. of water together. Place the bread crumbs mixed with the Parmesan cheese on a third plate. Dip each chicken breast first in the flour, shaking off excess flour, then into the egg mixture, & onto the bread crumbs & cheese.

Heat 1 T. olive oil in a large sautรฉ pan over medium to medium-low heat. Add the chicken breasts & cook until lightly browned, about 3 minutes on each side. ย Place on sheet pan & bake for about 10 minutes while you prepare the sauce.

Sauce;
In your previously used pan bring the following to a simmer over medium to medium high heat;
1 T. butter, lemon juice, wine, capers, brine, salt, pepper & reserved lemon halves. Cook until the mixture reduces to about 1/2, about 4 – 5 minutes.

Remove from heat & whisk in remaining butter. Discard the lemon halves.
Plate with 1/2 chicken breast per person. Spoon sauce over chicken breasts.
Garnish with a slice of lemon & a sprig of fresh rosemary.
*if you prefer a thicker sauce; whisk in 1 or 2 T. flour with the 1 T. butter at the start, but remember NO lumps allowed!Sauce

 

 

 

I served this dish with;
Fresh Angel hair pasta with my homemade red sauce & burnt sage butter
Fresh garden greens with a light Champagne vinaigrette
Steamed Banana Squash (mashed like potatoes, nothing added)
Garlic-Rosemary Bread with burnt sage butter
Dessert (served in mini ramekins);
1 melon ball scoop of โ€œMcConnellโ€™sโ€ Chocolate-Orange Ice cream
1 melon ball scoop of “‘McConnell’s” Peppermint stick ice cream
Pour a splash of freshly pressed espresso over the top of each dessert & it will melt in your mouth…

enjoy!

 

 

 

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All American Cranberry Sorbet

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WHAT SCREAMS A-M-E-R-I-C-A like anย Oxycoccus? The genusย Vacciniumย aka theย CRANBERRY-

I โ™ฅ experimenting with cranberries! ย In preparation for Thanksgiving I made this today;

Cranberry Sorbet with an Ojai “Pixie” Tangerine Reduction

3-4 c. fresh, organic “Pixie” tangerine juice
In a medium size saucepan,ย over medium heat;
reduce tangerine juice to about one half. Stir often. ย Once reduced, set aside to cool.
In a medium size saucepan over medium heat;
cook the cranberries in water w/ cloves, until cranberries begin to ‘pop’, then set aside to cool.
2-3 c. water
1-12ounce bag of fresh cranberries
5-7 whole cloves
Drain, saving the cooking liquid. Set aside to cool.
Place cranberries & cloves in a blender & puree.
For each step I strain the cranberry mixture- I like smooth sorbet.
In another medium size saucepan, heat & stir until sugar dissolves;
2 c. cranberry liquid reserve
1-2 c. tangerine reduction
1 1/2 c. sugar
Strain the cranberry puree through a sieve, as you don’t want to have seeds or fiber in your sorbet-
Add strained cranberry puree mixture to the liquids & stir to mix.
Cool a few minutes then place all ingredients into your prepared ice-cream maker for about 20-30 minutes.
This can be made ahead of time-ย  Store in an airtight container in the freezer. Remove from freezer about
15 minutes before serving.
Scoop to serve with a mini-mellonball tool.

Serve on top of a fresh basil leaf, or in a delicate dessert cup-

A REFRESHING, flavorful dessert after a Thanksgiving Feast-
I don’t likeย pumpkin pie…
This cranberry dish is also a great between-course palate cleanser –
enjoy!