When I moved into my new house in June 2011, I was very happy to have all the mature trees, rose garden and an established lawn. The back yard had two big palm trees and two smaller green leafed trees which provided really nice shade. Well, I was busy moving in and unpacking, then working and blogging and I didn’t go in the back yard at all, until a couple of months later. And lo and behold, one of the small trees had little green citrus fruits of some kind all over it. A couple of months after that it was covered with hundreds of huge oranges. So many, we didn’t know what to do with them. You guys with all the zucchini have nothing on us, believe me.

I have never had any kind of fruit tree in my yard anywhere I’ve lived, so this is such a revelation. If I want an orange, I walk 20 feet and pick one. We even found an orange picker on a pole in the garage, so we could get the ones on the top. So we have been eating a lot of oranges and I have had to get creative to use them up. That is where this recipe came from. Desperation. To use up the oranges. And now that there are only a few oranges left on the tree, there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of new little ones about the size of a walnut busily growing bigger. And bigger. It’s a good thing they are seedless, brightly sweet-tart, juicy and really delicious.

While I was shooting this salad, my 24-year old son, Brian, came in and asked what smelled so good. Orange salad, I answered. He came over and inspected my photo setup. Oh, that’s really beautiful, he said. He wandered into the kitchen and discovered the bowl with the remainder of the salsa. He grabbed a spoon and took a big bite. Oh my god, this is delicious!!, he exclaimed. Can I have the rest of this? I’m eating this, he proclaimed, whether you like it or not. And waltzed off with the bowl.

Well, maybe it won’t be so hard to use up all those oranges after all.

The full title of this post should be “Cumin, Garlic, Chile de Arbol, Thyme Roasted Carrots and Avocado Salad with Sour Dough Croutons, Roasted Orange and Lemon Dressing sprinkled with Sesame, Poppy and Sunflower Seeds.” Ok, so it’s a little long. It could have been even longer because I left out the Mesclun and Watercress. Also the olive oil and red wine vinegar.

The carrots are par-boiled, coated with a paste made from cumin, garlic, arbol, fresh thyme, olive oil and red wind vinegar, and roasted with the oranges and lemons.

I didn’t have anything, really, to say about this salad, except that it tastes fabulous and you should make it as soon as possible. So when there is no cute story and no fancy technique photos, what do you do? Well, I was going to tell you that the carrot is a root vegetable, usually orange, but it can also be white, yellow, red or purple. Its wild ancestors originated in Iran and Afghanistan and a few of its nearest relatives are parsley, fennel, dill and cumin. Only 3% of carrot’s beta-carotene is released when you eat it raw, but that is improved to 39% by pulping, cooking and adding cooking oil. And, very important, massive over-consumption of carrots can cause a benign condition called carotenosis in which the skin turns orange.

However, I decided not to do that. Instead, I took all of my leftover salad ingredients that I had used the previous day for my beauty shots and dumped them all in a bowl. I sat down at my computer to write this post and realized how delicious my salad looked, so I decided to shoot my bowl at various locations around my house. Much more interesting than those dry carrot facts.

The problem was that it was cloudy and rainy outside, and dim and sunless inside. Well, what the heck, I cranked my ISO up to 3200 and put my white balance on florescent, and let the pics fall as they may. Just pretend these photos look like they were taken in beautiful natural light falling blissfully through a south-facing window. Oh, and if, the next time I see you, your skin is orange, I will know what you have been doing.

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In September of last year I visited Baleen and photographed beautiful dishes from Executive Chef Jesse Souza’s dinner menu. I had so much fun and the food was absolutely beautiful and delicious. So when I was recently invited to a Blogger Luncheon to sample and photograph the Summer Breakfast and Lunch menu items, wild horses couldn’t have kept me away. We sat outside on the covered patio, looking out at the marina through gauzy curtains that were moving in the breeze, the sounds of the rigging on the boats and the little chop of the ocean in the background.

We started out with this Amuse Bouche, which to me initially looked pretty unassuming. But I was really hungry, so I took a bite. I was stopped in my tracks by the most amazing cheese that was on this crostini. I closed my eyes as it melted in my mouth. I asked someone if they knew what kind of cheese it was. I had my eyes shut, savoring, so I don’t know who answered, but someone said “Boursin, I think.” Probably everyone on the planet has tasted Boursin, but I must be culturally deprived. I confirmed with Chef Jesse that it was the Boursin with Garlic and Fine Herbs, and I went to Ralphs the next day and bought some. I had to have it. So Good. Also on the crostini was smoked salmon, avocado, capers and arugula. What a great start.

While we were being served this Chinese Chicken Salad, Chef Jesse stopped by our table and announced he had ten dishes he was preparing for us to taste. My fellow bloggers and I looked at each other, grinning in anticipation, and groaning because we knew we were going to be stuffed to the gills by the end. Actually, we were given one serving of each dish, which we split four ways, so we could each have a small portion. This poached chicken salad with cabbage and udon noodles, with orange segments, wonton crisps and almonds had a perfect Soy Honey Viniagrette with miso, Dijon and rice vinegar. It was so good, but I had to stop myself from eating too much, because I knew there were eight more dishes to come. What sweet torture.

Next came this Grilled Shrimp Panzanella Salad. The shrimp were perfectly grilled, soft and sweet. No rubbery shrimp for this bread salad, which also had the interesting flavors of arugula and feta cheese, with a white balsamic vinaigrette. I had to make my table-mates wait to divide up the dish so I could get some good photographs. I’m sure they wanted to slap me on the knuckles with their forks. Sorry.

The third salad placed before us was a Grilled Hangar Steak & Crispy Potato Salad with Blue Cheese Buttermilk Dressing. When I was showing my photographs to my husband, this was the one that elicited the big “Ooooh! That looks really good!” You know… men, carnivores, chunks of meat. (I’m rolling my eyeballs.) I have to admit it looks pretty darn good to me, too, actually. The nuggets of blue cheese sprinkled over the top were really good.

Next, the sandwiches, beginning with the BALEEN Burger. The presentation, with the cup of fries and bun hat tilted on the side, was so photogenic, I wanted to take tons of photos. This may have been the best burger I have ever eaten. I distinctly remember the soft toasted buttery sesame brioche bun and the wonderful bacon flavor along with the definite umami of the beef patty. And then, of course, there was the cheddar, guacamole, chile mayo and crispy fried onions. They may have had something to do with it. My mouth is watering right now.

And then they came out with the BBQ Pork Sandwich with slow roasted 8-hour pork shoulder, the sesame brioche bun and burnt sugar BBQ sauce. That was it. I was in love. This sauce, which Chef Jesse makes, is the most amazing stuff. Just listen to the ingredients: carmelized sugar, tamarind, ancho chiles, roasted tomatoes, onion brulee, beer, orange juice and soy sauce. See what I mean? Then add the coleslaw and crispy fried onions and you’re in BBQ heaven.

We were getting pretty stuffed by this time, so when they brought out the Huevos Redondos from the Eggcetera section of the Breakfast menu, I took a small portion. Just enough to sample the black bean quesadilla, fried egg and avocado surrounded with romesco sauce and topped with feta and cilantro. Such an artistic presentation with the perfect circles of color.

The last entrée before the desserts was Steak Frites, a beautiful grilled hanger steak with arugula salad, french fries and housemade steak sauce (aka burnt sugar bbq sauce, see above). When you go to BALEEN, make sure you order something with this sauce. Even if you get a little side to dip your French fries. You will be so glad you did.

To make this Pain Perdu, the original french toast, long slices of La Brea Bakery baguette are dipped in a royale mixture (egg, milk, cream, sugar and vanilla) and griddled with butter until golden. It’s served with brown sugar mascarpone, sliced strawberries and warm maple syrup. You can eat this for your breakfast, or as we did, for dessert. The texture of the custardy bread was so delicious.

And finally, the coup de grace, Lemon Meringue Pie with Raspberry / Passionfruit Sauce. If you hadn’t eaten nine previous courses, you could easily eat the whole pie by yourself. Or cut it in half and share it. I love the torched swirls on the meringue. Almost makes you not want to cut into it. Almost.

Take a look at the first post I did about BALEEN to see the inside of the restaurant and the marina outside. And the photos of the dishes from the dinner menu. Mouthwatering.

The prices at BALEEN for breakfast items are from $8 to $18 and lunch from $9 to $20. Monday through Friday Breakfast is from 6:30 am to 11:00 am and Lunch is from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Saturday and Sunday Breakfast is from 7:00 am to 11:00 am and Brunch is from 11:00 am to 2:30 pm. Don’t forget that there is free valet parking also.

Thank you Chef Jesse Souza for inviting me to sample your breakfast and lunch menu, and for letting me photograph all your beautiful food. I will be bringing all my friends to eat at BALEEN and I will be telling everyone I know to come and visit. Soon.

BALEEN at The Portofino Hotel & Yacht Club
260 Portofino Way
Redondo Beach, CA 92077
Phone 1-310-372-1202
Hotel 1-310-379-8481

Going to a cooking class at Grace-Marie’s Kitchen at Bristol Farms in Manhattan Beach is like going home to dinner with your family and friends. Most of the people know each other from previous classes and if you are new, Grace-Marie tells everyone around you to talk to you and make you feel at home. Which they do.

This salad, with papaya, avocado and pineapple, was part of the Cinco de Mayo class I attended and photographed. It is sweet and lush, and the poppy seeds give it an extra little dimension. I think you could use mango instead of papaya, and kiwi would work in this salad also. This would also be a great accompaniment to any grilled chicken or seafood on your summer menu.

Some of Grace-Marie’s students have left wonderful comments on my posts about her and I thought they could give you an idea of how they feel about her and her classes. Here are a few:

“I have been going to Grace Marie’s cooking classes for the last 10 years. I have collected so many great recipes from her. We have a group of 6-10 gals who go from Westchester. 4 of us (and husbands) get together every 3 months for a gourmet dinner using mostly GM’s recipes. ~ Alice

Grace Marie you soooooooooooo deserve the recognition for a job ALWAYS well done. I have enjoyed learning with you over the years. You are one of my best go to people for ideas always when it comes to cooking. Thanks and love……..Marti

I’ve been attending Grace-Marie’s “Lunch with Friends” cooking classes faithfully for the past 2 – 3 years, and it’s wonderful!! Can’t tell you how many great recipes I’ve been able to re-create at home with RAVES from my family and friends. Grace-Marie is always entertaining, very knowledgeable, and full of spunk! Bristol Farms is one of my favorite places to shop, and they’re very lucky to have her running their cooking school. ~ Kim”

“I am so pleased to see how much you enjoy attending Grace Marie’s Kitchen cooking classes. They are the best and her ability to create the wonderful meals she does is out of this world. She lives and breathes her passion 7 days a week. I should know as I have done the dishes for her at this school at least 15 years. I am glad she is getting more exposure through sites like yours. Good for you. ~ Pam

Grace-Marie, you outdid yourself with this recipe (Ibarra Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake).  I’ve already made it and shared it with several people I know. Everyone I’ve served this to really loved it and of course, had to have the recipe. Thanks for being you and having such a great cooking school. You share so much with all you know. Love, Fran”

For additional recipes, click on Grace-Marie’s Kitchen under Catagories in the right column.

Grace-Marie Johnston

For more information about the cooking classes visit Grace-Marie online at Bristol Farms or email her at  gmj@bristolfarms.com.

Cook & Be Merry in the May 2010 issue of the Easy Reader Beach magazine was devoted to the California Avocado. Not only is May the beginning of the avocado season, it is kicked off by the Cinco de Mayo festivities, during which the California Avocado Commission estimates 84.1 million pounds of avocados were consumed in the U.S. this year.

My own recipe in the Beach was Exquisite Salad ~ Rice, Chicken, Asparagus, Avocado with Cilantro Vinaigrette. I have been making this recipe since about 1990, and every time I take it to a potluck, people ask me for the recipe. I was also filmed making this dish for the Torrance Cable Network in 1991. I think the recipe is still on their website. That cracks me up.

I also went to a Food Blogger Lunch at Ciudad restaurant with Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken, which was put on by the California Avocado Commission. The Crispy California Avocado Taco recipe in the Beach came from the Ciudad Day, along with Chicken and Avocado Skillet Chilaquiles and the California Avocado and Mango Desert.

The Salmon with Avocado and Sweet Chili Sauce recipe in the Beach came from Grace-Marie’s Kitchen, the Cooking School at Bristol Farms in Manhattan Beach. I think of all the new avocado dishes I ate this month, this was my favorite one. Just awesome. Grace-Marie’s Cinco de Mayo class also included a marvelous Fiesta Papaya, Pineapple and Avocado Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing. Oh, and by the way, Grace-Marie’s Salmon recipe and my photo are going to be featured on the California Avocado Commission’s website in the very near future. I’m so excited about that!

Thank you, Easy Reader Beach Magazine and your artists who take my words and photographs and turn them into such a beautiful creation. You’re the best.

• Exquisite Salad
• Food Blogger Lunch at Ciudad with the Two Hot Tamales
• Crispy California Avocado Taco
• Chicken and Avocado Skillet Chilaquiles
• California Avocado and Mango Desert
• Salmon with Avocado and Sweet Chili Sauce
• Fiesta Papaya, Pineapple and Avocado Salad with Poppy Seed Dressing
• Grace-Marie’s Kitchen at Bristol Farms
• Easy Reader Beach Magazine

The first time in my life that I ate Chilaquiles was at the Food Bloggers lunch and cooking demonstration sponsored by the California Avocado Commission at Ciudad Restaurant with the Too Hot Tamales, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. I saw on the menu that they were going to prepare it, but I had no clue what it was. It turned out to be a dish that is easy to make and very tasty, but looks like a blob of brown stuff. But that’s ok, because some really delicious food looks like a blob of brown stuff.

Chilaquiles is a traditional Mexican dish that is usually eaten at breakfast or brunch, served along with scrambled or fried eggs and roasted chiles. Chilaquiles are often recommended as a cure for a hangover, because in Mexico spicy foods are believed to help with this condition. This dish is popular from the U.S. border all throughout Mexico into Guatemala because it’s a popular way to use leftover salsa and stale corn tortillas.

Recipes for chilaquiles have been found in a U.S. cookbook published in 1898 by Encarnacion Pinedo called El Cocerina Espanol (The Spanish Cookbook).

Mary Sue prepares her knife.

Mary Sue and Susan each made a big skillet of the chilaquiles, starting off with chicken broth, salsa and half-and-half. It was brought to a boil and the chicken and tortillas were added, turned over and over to coat. The cheese was added and stirred in, and then the avocado, onion, jalapeno and cilantro. It was cooked for about a minute more, just to heat through. When it was served it got a squeeze of lime and a dollop of sour cream. That’s it. Fast. Easy.

You can read here about the other dishes prepared for Cinco de Mayo by the Too Hot Tamales.

Crispy Avocado Taco with Chipotle Corn Relish
Avocado, Bacon and Tomato Salad
Avocado and Mango with Honey Yogurt and Avocado and Orange Liquado with Lavender Shortbread Cookie

I have never thought of the avocado as a fruit. It’s not sweet. I think of it as one of those in between foods, like the artichoke. So there I was at Ciudad Restaurant for the Food Bloggers lunch and cooking demonstration with Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger, and I was being served a dessert of Avocado and Mango slices with a honey and lime sweetened Yogurt Sauce seasoned with salt and cayenne. The cayenne was so interesting with the sweet sauce. And along with it came a shooter of Avocado Liquado (think smoothie) with a Lavender Shortbread Cookie.

Mary Sue Milliken pours the Avocado Liquado

This was the perfect light dessert after being stuffed with an Avocado Taco, Avocado Bacon Salad and Avocado Chicken Chilaquiles. Plus the bowl of guacamole and chips we’d made during the “Guacamole Challenge,” which we snacked on while we watched the Too Hot Tamales cooking demo.

This event was sponsored by the California Avocado Commission and one of the fun things about it was the Goodie Bag we received. It was filled with avocado related stuff, like an avocado scoop/slicer, a little cutting board, three avocados, CAC refrigerator magnets, coupons to Ciudad/Border Grill and best of all, the book Cooking With the Too Hot Tamales by Mary Sue and Susan.

At the end of the event we each had our photos taken with Mary Sue and Susan and they signed our books. Mary Sue wrote, “Eat your Avocadoes! I loved your guacamole!”

The perfect ending to an amazing day.

Click to continue for printable recipes.

The avocado originated in Central and South America where it was cultivated as many as 7,000 years ago. It was grown some 5,000 years ago in Mexico and cultivated by the Mayas, Incas and Aztecs.  Archeologists in Peru have found domesticated avocado seeds buried with Incan mummies dating back to 750 B.C. The word ‘avocado’ comes from the Aztec word “ahuacatl” and “aguacate” is the only word now used in Mexico.

The earliest known written account in Europe of the avocado was by Martin de Encisco in his book in 1518. The first English use of ‘avocado’ was by Hans Sloane in a 1696 index of Jamaican plants. Since the 15^th century, Mexico is the world’s largest producer of avocados.

The avocado was introduced to Santa Barbara, California, from Mexico in 1871. The Hass avocado is the most common and all Hass avocado trees are descended from a single “mother tree” raised by a mail carrier named Rudolph Hass of La Habra Heights, California. The unique taste of its fruit piqued his interest, as it was richer and nuttier than other avocados he had tried. Hass patented the productive tree in 1935.

90% of U.S. avocado production is in southern California by about 6,000 growers from San Luis Obispo through San Diego. California avocados are grown year-round and one tree can produce an average of 60 pounds or 150 pieces of fruit per year. The California Avocado Commission estimates that 84.1 million pounds of avocados are expected to be consumed during Cinco de Mayo festivities in the U.S. this year.

To celebrate the California Avocado and Cinco de Mayo, Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger created this Crispy California Avocado Taco, which I watched them make and then happily ate during my visit to Ciudad Restaurant and the Food Bloggers lunch and cooking demonstration.

I have to admit, this is the most unusual way to use an avocado I have ever experienced. The avocado wedge is dipped in a batter, encrusted with quinoa, poppy and sesame seeds, and then deep fried. It is then served with a chipotle corn relish on warmed corn tortillas.

Here is Susan Feniger preparing part of the recipe.

The avocado was deep-fried until it was a crispy golden brown.

This unusual and delicious avocado dish would be perfect for your Cinco de Mayo celebration!

Click to continue for printable recipe.

Last Saturday the California Avocado Commission hosted a Food Bloggers lunch and cooking demonstration at Ciudad with Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger. Ciudad is located in downtown Los Angeles in the middle of the city-scape, the sky scrapers towering all around it. About 20 of us bloggers and food writers came together with our cameras and appetites to watch the Too Hot Tamales prepare four courses, all containing avocados, which would be perfect for Cinco de Mayo celebrations. 84.1 million pounds of avocados are expected to be consumed in one day during this year’s festivities in the U.S.

Susan Feniger and Mary Sue Milliken

The event kicked off with a “Guacamole Challenge.” We bloggers, in pairs of two, were given a bowl of avocados and a long table-full of bowls of other ingredients to create our own personalized versions of guacamole. Some of the unusual ingredients were soy sauce, kim chee, tamarind, bacon, pomegranate seeds and bananas. My partner was Michael Limbo, a writer for the food section of Los Angeles Magazine. We were given five minutes to make our creation, so it was hilariously hectic, with all the people around the table trying to get their hands on the various items. We made a pretty classic guacamole, although it did have mango in it. We called our creation “Cado-Avo.”

Next came the judging for “Best Name” and “Best Guacamole” which was done by Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger and Jeremy Tummel, the Executive Chef of Ciudad. If Mary Sue and Susan disagreed, Jeremy was to be the tie-breaker. The name of each guacamole had to be explained and each tasted, while the creators described what ingredients they had used. There was a lot of laughing and teasing during this process. It was decided that the Best Name award went to “Pomocado Mole” and the Best Guacamole went to “Spud Not Guac Fully Loaded” which they said tasted like loaded baked potatoes. Awards were given and photos taken of the winners.

Next we were  treated to a cooking demonstration by Mary Sue Miliken and Susan Feniger. They had a large cooking station set up in the back of the restaurant dining room with a grill and six-burner stove in the center. You can tell these two have been working together for years, because they finish each other’s sentences. Mary Sue is the straight man and Susan is the comedienne. They kept us laughing through their whole cooking  demonstration. If you would like to see a video of the Too Hot Tamales in action, you can go to the California Avocado Commission website.

The first dish was a Crispy California Avocado Taco, which had a wedge of avocado encrusted with quinoa, poppy and sesame seeds, and then deep fried, served with a chipotle corn relish. For a printable recipe and more.

Next was a California Avocado, Bacon and Tomato Salad with frisee, watercress, romaine, red onion, mustard vinaigrette, crispy capers, and homemade croutons.

It was pretty much agreed that the Chilaquiles looked like a brown blob on the plate, but they really tasted good! Chicken and California Avocado Skillet Chilaquiles with corn tortilla chips, salsa roja, panela cheese, red onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime. For a printable recipe and more.

I have never had a dessert with avocado in it so this was a revelation. California Avocado and Mango with yogurt, honey, lime, touch of cayenne. The little shooter glass held a California Avocado and Orange Liquado, sort of like an avocado smoothie. The lavender shortbread cookie was divine. For a printable recipe and more.

And the best moment of all… I got my book autographed and my photo taken with the Too Hot Tamales!! I am their total groupie and not ashamed of it!

When Grace-Marie told me she was cooking something with salmon and avocado today, I immediately volunteered to photograph whatever she came up with. Two of my favorite ingredients that are also photogenic and I’m right there. I arrived when the class was just about over and they all gave me a sitting ovation. They love Grace-Marie and had been reading my blog about her. It was pretty incredible and heart warming. The article I wrote about her in the Easy Reader Beach Magazine is coming out tomorrow. A copy of it was attached to the back of the recipe packet, so they could all see it. I wonder if she told them how we have been jumping up and down so excited for the last month since we found out it was going to be in the magazine.

I had no idea how Grace-Marie had prepared the salmon, so she made me a demo plate. It looked like guacamole and a cooked red salsa sauce. I took my fork and scooped up some of the salmon, avocado and tomato, put it in my mouth, and these A-MAZ-ING flavors exploded. This was no south-of-the-border ordinariness. This was the Pacific Rim exulting with wasabi paste, rice vinegar, freshly grated ginger root, sweet chili sauce, sesame oil and soy sauce. Did I say grated ginger? Grace-Marie told me she really likes it, and she wasn’t kidding. I couldn’t stop eating it. I had to be gently nudged towards my camera.

I was imagining those mashed avocados waiting patiently in the bowl to be joined by their usual companions: onion, diced tomato, lime juice and cilantro, and their astonishment when it was wasabi paste, rice vinegar and soy sauce. Seriously, this avocado mash can easily rival guacamole, plus the jicama makes it crunchy and interesting. I took some home and tried it with corn tortilla chips. It was wonderful.

Grace-Marie Johnston

For more information about the cooking classes visit Grace-Marie online at Bristol Farms or email her at  gmj@bristolfarms.com.

Click to continue for printable recipes.

The weather in Los Angeles in the spring is like an earthquake with aftershocks. One day it is 80 degrees and the next day it is 50 degrees. And it goes up and down like that until the sun comes up on Fourth of July, and then it is 85 degrees everyday until October. So, today was 59 degrees, with rain, and Wednesday it is supposed to be 80. This bumpy weather is telling us to prepare to uncover and clean off the grill, and get out the bamboo skewers and BBQ sauce mop. It is time to start thinking about food to help keep you cool and dishes you can take with you to barbeques, picnics, tailgate parties, potlucks and brunches.

This rice, chicken, asparagus and avocado salad is just such a dish. I took it to a potluck last week and every morsel was eaten. I had to take out a little container of it before I set it out, so I would have some to photograph. The great thing about this salad is I prepared all the ingredients the day before and kept them chilled in a big bowl. The vinaigrette was made separately and put in a little container, so when I got to the potluck, I cut up the avocado and just mixed everything together. Voila!

Actually, the only absolutes about this recipe are the rice, avocado and the cilantro puree vinaigrette. The avocado sort of marries slightly with the vinaigrette, making it lush and and a little creamy.You can use any veggies you have on hand. I always put chicken in it, but you could skip that and make a vegetarian version. Or use any seafood or meat in place of the chicken. Be creative.