The week before Christmas I received an advertising brochure in the mail from my local Ralph’s Market with coupons and appetizer recipes. The photograph that accompanied this Bacon Wrapped Date recipe was taken really close-up, and if you didn’t know what it was, you never could have guessed. But the bacon was shiny with oil and the primitive part of my brain recognized meat with fat, compelling me to read the recipe. I already had the goat cheese from an appetizer I didn’t get around to making for my Christmas feast, and I had the Mulay’s Chorizo frozen from when I made the Chorizo and White Bean Soup. All I had to get was the dates and bacon. No problem.

I imagined how the four ingredients, Medjool dates, goat cheese, chorizo and bacon, would taste together and decided I had to make it. Sweet, spicy, salty, creamy, smoky. Oh yes.

The Medjool dates were slit open and the pits removed. Very sticky. But meaty and luxurious. I halved the bacon lengthwise, but next time I may cut it crosswise. I know I will be making these again because they disappeared really fast. I had them on the serving plate covered with plastic wrap and first it was, “What are those bacon wrapped things in the fridge?” Then, “When can I have one?” Then, “Are you done photographing those bacon wrapped things yet?” When I finally released them for consumption, there were two left for me. Sheesh.

Each date is filled with about ½ tablespoon each of chorizo and goat cheese. It is an awkward job to fill them… the stuff falls out… but persevere, because it is so worth it.

The best way I found to wrap the bacon is to place a strip of bacon flat, then set a date in the middle. Pick up one end of the bacon and wrap it around and under the date, then pick up the other end of the bacon, wrap it around and under. Set the bundle with the ends of the bacon on the bottom, so it holds them in place.

I taste tested them as soon as they came out of the oven and had cooled a little, but they were pretty soft and and too hot to really taste the ingredients. I also burned my tongue in my gluttonous haste. They were refrigerated over night and I next tried them cold. Whoa. So much better. But at room temperature they really sang. A veritable jazz trio of flavors and textures. Soft and crunchy. Caramelized sugar from the dates. Sweet tangy goat cheese. Chewy smoky salty bacon. Spicy chorizo. You get the idea. You must make these!

So what was I talking about Christmas bokeh? What is bokeh anyway? Well, I knew what it looked like, but I didn’t know it had a special name. Bokeh is the appearance of the out of focus points of light in the background of a photo. Actually, anything out of focus in the background is called bokeh, but points of light are the most beautiful. I learned the term bokeh when I was reading a post about photography on Pioneer Woman. Then I googled and got Wikipedia and Ken Rockwell with detailed information and examples. Christmas trees and lights give great bokeh and I was very excited to see if I could create this effect. I think my photo turned out pretty cool.

The day after Thanksgiving I was perusing the leftovers in my refrigerator, when, gasping with horror, I realized I had three hard-cooked eggs that I had been planning to use in an appetizer, but hadn’t had time to make. Now I had three eggs that I had to use within a day or they would be wasted. Oh no!

Well, I’m not really an egg salad sandwich kinda gal and I didn’t feel up to a big project like a Nicoise salad. I could have put them on toast with goat cheese and a mint pesto, but that just didn’t sound appealing at the time. So what to make. Then I remembered a simple supper dish my Mom used to make in the 1950’s when I was a kid – hard-cooked eggs on toast covered with a white sauce. Well, what are the holidays about but tradition and the comfort food of our childhood. So I decided to recreate that humble dish for a trip down memory lane.

Béchamel is one of the mother sauces of French cuisine and is also used in Macaroni & Cheese, Italian lasagna, Greek moussaka, and on an English Parmo, which is a breaded fried chicken fillet topped with béchamel and cheddar cheese, which is then grilled or baked to melt the cheese. It is also the base for sweet and savory soufflés.

This sauce is named after the Marquis Louis Bechameil, who was a financier and chief steward to French King Louis XIV. It first appeared in a cookbook by LaVarenne in 1651.

Béchamel is the base for other classic sauces to serve over eggs, veal, lamb, fish, vegetables and steak, such as:

Mornay Sauce – add Parmesan or Gruyere and egg (optional)
Cream Sauce – add heavy cream or crème fraiche
Mushroom Sauce – add mushrooms and lemon juice
Soubise Sauce – add cooked onions and put through a fine strainer
Tomato Sauce — add tomato paste
Curry Sauce – add minced onion, curry powder and chopped tomato, strain
Cheddar Cheese Sauce – add cheddar, dry mustard, Worcestershire
Escoffier Sauce – add oyster liquor, egg yolks, poached chopped oysters
Nantua Sauce – add crayfish, butter, cream

I hope this is giving you good ideas for some experimental fun. I know it did for me.

This recipe was inspired by the one tablespoon of Ceviche prepared by Mary Sue Milliken that I had at the Cadillac Culinary Challenge in October. It was served in a little plastic glass, but the taste impact of the Aji Amarillo Pepper Sauce was so profound I had to try to make it myself. I can’t remember the last time I experienced a totally new taste or ingredient, but this was definitely one of those times. I watched her prepare the ceviche and listened carefully as she explained the recipe as she went along. As I prepared my version I wrote down the amount of each ingredient I used and was very satisfied with my end result. More than satisfied, I was ecstatic.

Chef Mary Sue used Red Snapper in her recipe, but I chose to use a less expensive (think cheap) fish called Swai, which is a fresh water Catfish from Vietnam found in the Mekong River Basin. I, however, bought it frozen at Ralph’s Market. Each fillet was individually frozen in cryovac, and thawed quickly in a warm water bath.

Ceviche is fresh raw fish that is “cooked” by marinating in citrus juice, usually lime juice. The proteins in the fish are denatured by the acid in the juice, which means their chemical bonds come apart. It is the same chemical undoing that happens when meat, fish or eggs are exposed to high heat.

I found the jarred Aji Amarillo Peppers and the Aji Amarillo Pepper Paste at El Gaucho Latino Market in Manhattan Beach. They have a whole panoply of South American items, including Peruvian beer. I asked the checkout lady if she cooked with the Aji Amarillo peppers and she said to go on the computer and look up Aji de Gallina. So I did, and it turns out to be one of the Peruvian national dishes, made with chicken, condensed milk and the Aji Amarillo peppers. Peruvian cuisine has been influenced by immigrants from Spain, Africa, China and Japan. Many recipes might be familiar because they are a twist on Japanese dishes. Like ceviche. Raw fish. There is an interesting article in The Wall Street Journal about Peruvian food being “The Next big Thing.” If you live in Los Angeles, have you been to Mo-Chica or Picca, two of our Peruvian restaurants? I see them in my near future.

This is the way my plate looked when I actually ate my Ceviche. I loved the Aji Amarillo Pepper Paste so much that I put some in a little bowl to be spooned onto the tortilla chip before piling on the ceviche. Just a small smear, however, because it does have significant heat and will make your nose run. But the taste is so sublime, it’s worth it.

Fete your Holiday guests with Aji Amarillo Ceviche and some Peruvian Cusquena Malt Lager Beer. They’ll never forget it and they will love you forever.

The last time I was at my book store, I was so delighted to discover Nancy Silverton’s fabulous new creation, The Mozza Cookbook, was now on the shelf.  When I paged through it, I found that there were recipes for each of the dishes my friend Michele and I had eaten at Osteria Mozza a year ago for our birthdays. I wrote an entire post about our fabulous meal with fuzzy photos, because I had just gotten my camera. Grilled Beef Tagliata, Rucola and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Lamb Chops Scottadito with Insalata di Fregola Sarda, Mint and Yogurt. Burrata with Leeks Vinaigrette and Mustard Bread Crumbs. Burricotta with Braised Artichokes, Pine Nuts, Currants and Mint Pesto. I had to buy it, of course.

When I got home, I was absolutely submersed for about four hours. These recipes are so reminiscent of the food I was helping prepare at Campanile when I did my internship there for culinary school. Nancy Silverton would usually wander through the prep area with her toddler son on her hip, talking to the kitchen manager on her way to the pastry kitchen on the second floor. In the early ‘90’s, she was the premier pastry chef in the nation, and I watched and listened to everything she said and did. Her desserts were known for their subtlety and perfection, and for not being too sweet. She was my idol.

These Crostate are so Nancy Silverton. Subtle sweetness; a hidden surprise under the almond hat in the filling with cardamom, cinnamon and nutmeg; and the visual beauty of the sugar dusted almonds and glistening marmalade. Perfect. They are really good with your afternoon or after dinner coffee. These are a cross between a cookie and a crostata, so they are big enough that I could share half with a friend and still be happy. Just saying.

The dough circles are rolled out, cut and the edges turned over to make a rim. A tablespoon of orange marmalade is spread to the rim.

A teaspoon of the spiced almond filling is spread on the marmalade. The dough is rolled out and smaller circles are cut out to top the filling.

The dough hats are brushed with egg white and sprinkled with almonds. I was so pleased with how beautifully they turned out. Good enough to be served at Osteria Mozza.

I recently wrote a post about the book Chicken and Egg by Janice Cole and my fascination with keeping chickens. If I lived in a place where that was possible, I would have a whole flock, I think. So when Kim, of Rustic Garden Bistro, invited me to a little blogger get-together to see her beautiful newly remodeled kitchen, I was thrilled, because guess what, she also keeps chickens. Yes!

Everyone who was invited brought a little dish to share, and I brought Kalamata Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato on Pesto Toasts. It is an easy little appetizer to transport because you can make the toasts ahead of time, and bring the olive and tomato mixture in a container. When you arrive you spread a little extra pesto on the toasts before spooning the olive and tomato mixture on top. I like the saltiness of the olives paired with the sweet punch of the sun-dried tomatoes, with the added herby note of the flat leaf parsley. Add that to the basil pesto and you get a perfect flavor combination. In my opinion. If you can’t tell from the photo, the toasts are about 2 inches square.

Here is a photo of Kim’s new kitchen. And what a beauty it is. My photo really isn’t doing it justice, but you can see better photos on her blog. She designed it herself and it has everything! Nice work, Kim.

These are her beautiful chickens and I spent quite a time watching them. They are so interesting. She also has about twenty new baby chicks that recently were allowed to go into the yard. You can see photos of them here.

I photographed my toasts the next day, as I had extra olive and tomato topping. The close-up photos turned out, well… really close up. Sometimes I think my camera is a wizard, the things it can do. Maybe its mother was an electron microscope. Thank you for your patience.

You wouldn’t think a thing as wonderful as cornbread would be something people would be ready to get in a fight over. But I have heard it said that there is something called Real Cornbread, that has no wheat flour or sugar and is baked in a cast iron pan. That is Southern Cornbread and it is made from cornmeal, egg, milk or buttermilk, and bacon drippings or lard. If it has wheat flour and sugar, these guys call it “light cornbread” or Northern Cornbread, and they scoff. There is no sugar in cornbread below the Mason Dixon Line. Period.

Well, my cornbread has wheat flour and sugar, so I guess it would be considered Northern Cornbread. However, it is baked in a cast iron pan, so maybe it could be called a hybrid. My cornbread also has more butter than any other recipe I have ever seen. It is baked at a higher temperature and for a shorter length of time than any other I’ve seen. It is also, I have to say it, better tasting than any other cornbread I have ever eaten. You can beat me up now.

If you don’t believe me, then let me tell you a true story. I took this cornbread to a potluck and put it out on the table with all the other dishes. A little while later I saw a lady pick up my platter and start going around to all the other guests at the party. She would stop by each one and whisper in their ear, “You have to try this cornbread…”  Ok, enough of my own horn blowing. Moving on.

When I decided to write about cornbread, I did some research on-line. Did you know if you google cornbread there are over 8 million results? I had to laugh. My recipe will be like a piece of straw in a haystack. I also found that there aren’t really any great photos of cornbread. It just isn’t photogenic. It has no sharp edges, it is a uniform light color and looks like yellow blocks that do not reflect light. My photos fit in perfectly with everyone else’s – fuzzy dull yellow rectangles. Sorry. But I was thinking what else I could do with it, like serve a creamed shrimp sauce over it, or cut it up in cubes and bake it into salad croutons. Or dry it out and crumble it up to make cornbread stuffing for turkey. I have a bunch frozen in my freezer, so stay tuned.

I should never go to a bookstore, because no matter what my original mission was, I invariably end up in the cookbook section. Without fail. I make a stack of all the new ones with beautiful photographs on the cover and find a place to sit where I can look at them page by page, for hours. The world goes away and I am transported to heaven.

Chicken and Egg by Janice Cole is one of those books with the beautiful cover, but it isn’t just a cookbook with 125 recipes. She tells the story of her first year with three little peeps who grow up. I started reading it and became fascinated. She says chickens give you pleasure and entertainment. They are highly intelligent and each has a distinctive personality. They love human companionship and will cuddle on your lap, beg to be petted, jump on your shoulder and follow you around. They will cheer you up or offer a shoulder to cry on. She originally got them so she could have fresh eggs and ended up in a whole new world. I couldn’t finish reading the whole book in the book store, so I had to buy it.

This recipe for the Baked Eggs had a mouthwatering photo that I bookmarked right in the book store. The first time I cooked it, I didn’t have goat cheese, so I used Queso Fresco that I had on hand. It was good, but the second time I made it I used goat cheese and it was outstanding. The ingredients for the Basil-Mint Pesto were small enough that when I tried to make it in my mini processor, it just threw the leaves on the side of the bowl in two seconds. So I ended up transferring the pesto to one of my mortar and pestle, and finishing it that way. Also, it only made enough for two servings, so in the recipe below I have doubled the original pesto ingredient amounts. It is a good herb sauce, so if there is any left over I’m sure you can find a use for it.

There is something so eye catching about a yellow egg yolk. It’s rounded, it’s shiny, it has that brilliant yellow-gold color. It may be solid or runny. Who isn’t fascinated by the picture of egg yolk running languidly out of the cut egg and onto whatever it sits upon. You can taste it, can’t you? And do you ever think about where eggs come from? I didn’t until I read this book.

If you would like to see some photos from a food blogger who keeps chickens, check out Rustic Garden Bistro. Kim brought home her teeny peeps in June 2011 and has kept a photo journal you may want to check out. They were sooo cute.

Last Saturday I made a special point to attend the cooking class at Grace-Marie’s Kitchen because she was making Paella, which I have tried to make a couple of times, but wasn’t happy with the results. Grace-Marie’s recipes are always so well done and delicious, so I was really looking forward to seeing how she made it. And my confidence in her was again rewarded and the Paella was fantastic. Our luncheon also included Valencia Salad with Catalan Tomato Bread and Sangria Glazed Caramelized Pears with Honey Almond Cream. Now, don’t you wish you had been there?

Grace-Marie started off sautéing the cubed chicken thighs and sliced rounds of chorizo until they were lightly caramelized, then set aside on a pan until ready to add to the final paella. We were told not to wash the pan, because all that good chorizo flavor would be cooked in with the Sofrito to be made next.

The Sofrito, which is the flavoring, similar to mirepoix and serving the same function, was now added to the pan. The onions, peppers and garlic were sautéed in oil until tender and then the tomatoes with juice, thyme, oregano, cumin, paprika and bay leaf were added. The mixture was brought to a boil, reduced to a simmer and cooked, uncovered until thickened and slightly caramelized.

When the Sofrito was cooked to the desired consistency, the uncooked rice was added and stirred to completely coat each grain. Dry white wine was added and cooked until absorbed. Simmering chicken stock with saffron and turmeric was poured over and was cooked for about 10 minutes to partially cook the rice.

The reserved chicken and chorizo was folded into the rice. Grace-Marie said this was the point where you make a judgment call as to whether you need to add more stock, and she did.

Grace-Marie included some halibut also, but she said any firm white fish, such as Talapia, would be fine. At this point all of the ingredients were in the paella pan and it was put in the oven to bake, uncovered, until the rice was tender, about 20 to 40 minutes. The length of time to finish cooking the rice would depend on what type you are using. The recipe included this advice: If the rice is not done after 20 minutes, drizzle 1-2 cups of stock over the rice, scatter tomatoes and beans (or peas) over the top and bake until the rice is tender and the bottom is crusty (10+ minutes).

To serve, the Paella had sliced green onions scattered over the top and wedges of lemon inserted into the rice around the edges. I gave my plate of beautiful Paella a generous squeeze of lemon juice all over and it was divine. Thank you Grace-Marie for showing me how to make Paella!

For additional recipes from Grace-Marie’s Kitchen, look under Categories in the right-hand column.

Grace-Marie Johnston

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

When I was a kid, my Mom would make grilled cheese sandwiches for my lunch from Wonder Bread and Kraft American Cheese. You know, the one the size of a brick. I remember enjoying them very much, along with tomato or chicken noodle soup. Campbell’s, of course.

However, things have changed since back in the day. When I went to make my grilled cheese sandwich recently, I found, to my surprise, that I had 12 different kinds of cheese in my fridge. Every drawer and shelf was populated. There was:

1. Grated mozzarella
2. Grated sharp cheddar. My kid uses them to make a quick quesadilla.
3. Blue Cheese
4. Queso Fresco from the Chorizo & White Bean Soup I posted about.
5. Monterey Jack
6. Boursin with Garlic & Fine Herbs, thanks to Chef Jesse at Baleen
7. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
8. Whole Milk Ricotta
9. Comté
10. Emmenthaler
11. Gruyere
12. Parmigiano Reggiano

I decided to go with the Gruyere, which is so nutty and umami-ish. I put a layer of cheese on a sour dough slice, then some deli ham I needed to use up and a bit of Dalmatia Fig Spread to balance the salty cheese and ham. I spread the outside of the bread with mayonnaise (instead of butter) and grilled it, covered, over medium low heat.

And the result was really messy and sticky and absolutely fantastic.

The theme for the cooking class at Grace-Marie’s Kitchen last Saturday was Concert in the Park Picnic, featuring dishes that could be make ahead of time and eaten at picnic temperature. The menu included this Chilled Leek and Zucchini Soup, Tuscan Picnic Chicken Wings, Mini-Red Bell Pepper & Pesto Bites, and Limoncello Squares. I hope your mouth is watering, because each of these dishes was fantastic. Better even.

I am writing about the Leek and Zucchini Soup first, because I want to show you an absolutely brilliant technique for prepping the leeks that Grace-Marie showed us. I have never seen this technique in any cookbook, class or cooking show and it is so logical I can’t figure out why I haven’t seen it demonstrated someplace before.

Some of the dark green leaves are cut off the end and discarded. If you look at that end, you will see the light yellow and green core of the new leaves inside. So the tough, dark green leaves are pared away, with knife strokes away from you, until only the light edible interior parts remain. Genius!

Next the pancetta was diced and sautéed. I love these salty crispy little bits. The pan was sitting on the stove and I have to admit a few were surreptitiously tested for poison. They were ok, thank goodness.

The diced leeks, potatoes and zucchini were sautéed in the drippings from the pancetta, adding its salty porky-ness to the soup’s flavor. This smelled so good while it was cooking, especially since there was a bunch of garlic in the mix.

Chicken stock was added and the pot was left to simmer for about 20 minutes until the potatoes began to fall apart. Cream and flat leaf parsley were added and everything was pureed in a blender. It was a beautiful creamy soup bejeweled with little flecks of parsley. And finally garnished with brilliant green flat leafed parsley and crispy knobs of pancetta. Perfect for a picnic. Take it in a thermos and serve in plastic wine glasses. Very fun.

For additional recipes from Grace-Marie’s Kitchen, look under Categories in the right-hand column.

Grace-Marie Johnston

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

Today I received an email from my Food Bloggers Los Angeles group announcing there will be a Holiday Cookie Exchange on Saturday, December 3rd. Do you know what that means? OMG! It’s almost Christmas!! And I haven’t even started my Christmas shopping. I don’t know where my Christmas tree decorations are! I have no idea who is coming over for dinner. I don’t even know what I’m cooking for dinner! Heeeeelllpp!

Ok, seriously, it goaded me into thinking about what cookies I might want to bring to the Cookie Exchange. Chocolate Chips, Gingersnaps and Snickerdoodles won’t do, because they’re everyday treats we make all year. I am seriously considering my Linzer Cookies, though. They’re a Christmas tradition at our house. Oh goodie, I’m looking forward to all the cookies everyone will be bringing to the Exchange, plus the recipes.

When I was making these Chocolate Crackles, I had gone into my office at the other end of the house while the first batch was baking. The timer went off and as I walked into the living room, I was almost knocked over by the smell of chocolate that was undulating out of the kitchen. Thick and resonant. Is there anything that smells like something baked with chocolate? So delicious.

I got this recipe from a friend back in the day. I had gone to her house for a brunch and these Chocolate Crackles were on the buffet table. After one bite I knew I had to have the recipe, which she generously supplied. I have to laugh now when I look at that scrap of paper. It lists the ingredients, the temperature and baking time. That’s it. No method, whatsoever. But that’s what we do sometimes, don’t we? Thank you, LeeAnn.

This week we had a potluck at my work and when it was announced, I knew I wanted to make this quinoa salad. So I made my shopping list and headed off to my local Ralph’s Market. I looked everywhere for the quinoa and couldn’t find it, so I buttonholed the manager and asked him where it was. He replied, “What’s quinoa?” Can you imagine a grocery store manager not knowing what this food item is? I mean, maybe they don’t carry it, but he should know what it is. Just sayin’.

So I traipsed off to Whole Foods where I knew they had it and bought two 16 oz. bags for $3.50. They had about five different kinds and ten different brands. Quinoa is mainstream, guys. Get with it.

Quinoa originated in the Andean region of South America, where it was successfully domesticated 3000 to 4000 years ago. It is now primarily grown in Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador. The Incas held the crop to be sacred and called it the “mother of all grains.” The Spanish colonists forbid the Incas to grow quinoa and forced them to grow wheat instead.

Quinoa is not a member of the grass family; therefore, it is not a true cereal or grain. It is closely related to beets, spinach and tumbleweeds. Quinoa contains a balanced set of essential amino acids, making it a complete protein source, which is unusual among plant foods.

What I like about it, besides its being good for you, is its texture, which is a cross between crunchy and al dente pasta. I ate my leftovers from the potluck the next day and the quinoa had the same bite as it did originally. No sogginess here, people. I love this stuff.

P.S. Every once in a while someone else actually makes one of my recipes and it makes me feel so honored and happy. A big thank you to each and every one of you. If you would like to see an absolutely spectacular photo of my Quinoa Salad, hop on over to Carolines Blog post of August 19th. Bravo, Caroline!

Have you ever gotten up in the morning and said to yourself, today I have got to make me some fried green tomatoes? Yeah, me neither. In fact I never even ate my first fried green tomato until I was about 45 years old, and it was this very recipe with the tomato chutney. I guess if you grew up in the South, where they are part of the fabric of life, you would be eating this traditional side dish frequently. But I made it once, liked it very much, especially with this killer chutney, and then moved on to the next culinary experiment. But I filed it in my mental file of great recipes that I would like to do again some time in the future.

One of the impediments to making fried green tomatoes is that the local grocery markets don’t carry them here in California. I could have made a midnight foray to my neighbor’s tomato plants, I suppose, but opted to try to get my gourmet market, Bristol Farms, to get some for me. That didn’t pan out either.

So last Saturday, my friend and fellow blogger Adair, of Lentil Breakdown fame, and I walked over to the Torrance Farmers Market, which is two blocks from my new house. We made an initial scouting tour first to see what was available, and lo and behold, hidden behind the containers of big red ripe tomatoes was one little container of, you guessed it, GREEN TOMATOES. Yes!! I think I started jumping up and down and doing fist pumps. Ok, I’m a weirdo. I bought them immediately to make sure I had them firmly in hand. I could hardly wait to get them home and get started on my Fried Green Tomato Project.

In New Orleans, fried green tomatoes are sometimes served with Shrimp Remoulade, a Creole mayonnaise based sauce, so I decided to include some shrimp in my dish. I sprinkled them with Old Bay Seasoning and sautéed them in butter.

Fried green tomatoes, by themselves, are not pretty or photogenic. They are brown and sort of lumpy and wrinkled, and the beautiful green tomato inside is hidden by the buttermilk and flour coating. However, the Tomato Brown Sugar Chutney is lustrous with the deep colors of caramelized sugar and tomatoes. It looks like jewels spread atop the brown crusty cloak of the fried green tomato. And the flavor of the sweet chutney with the tart tomato is sublime.

I think very soon you are going to wake up one morning and say to yourself, today I have got to make me some fried green tomatoes!

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

The theme for my recent visit to Grace-Marie’s Kitchen Cooking School was Italian Cucina Sunday Supper, which I was looking forward to very much, because Grace-Marie grew up in an Italian American family and has been to Italy five times eating her way through the Northern half of the country, so she knows her Italian food. The Chicken, Sausage, Asparagus and Mushroom Pasta we had was very similar to a dish she had in Italy, but instead of asparagus, the original had fresh artichoke hearts.

“I always try to explain to the students that my dishes may not be 100% authentic,” Grace-Marie said, “but they are my version of what I’ve experienced based on what is fresh and available where we live, thereby, ‘making it my own’ … something I encourage them to do — change the recipe however they like, making it their own version, but most importantly, inspiring them to get in the kitchen and cook!”

Here you can see Grace-Marie using a microplane to zest the lemon to flavor the cheesecake. She gave a demonstration on how she separates the egg yolks from the whites, before mixing the yolks with the ricotta, sugar and zest in the food processor. The heavy cream is beaten with cream cheese and sugar until thick, and a cup folded into the ricotta mixture. Then the egg whites are beaten with sugar until thick and also folded into the ricotta mixture. It is poured into the cookie crumb coated pan and baked until the top is barely browned and the center is a bit “jiggly.” Before serving, the sliced strawberries were mixed with fruit preserves, then spooned over the cheese cake with a dollop of whipped cream. It was divine!

Our starter salad for the luncheon was a Provolone Bruschetta topped with Spring Cucumber & Roasted Red Pepper Salad. The crusty Italian bread was first spread with garlic that had been simmered in olive oil and then mashed into the oil. This was topped with slices of Provolone cheese and baked until melted. Over this bruschetta went the roasted red pepper, cucumber, parsley and caper salad which was dressed with an olive oil and lemon juice vinaigrette. This salad was so beautiful with shards of Parmesan cheese on top for garnish.

An exciting thing that happened in January was that I had one of my photos on the cover of a magazine! You can see that the photo is of Grace-Marie’s Fiesta Papaya, Pineapple and Avocado Salad which I posted about in May 2010 and had also been in the Beach Magazine. The editor liked the photo so much he decided to use it for the South Bay 2011 Menu Guide cover. Grace-Marie and I were very proud of ourselves, let me tell you.

Here are the friends who came to the Italian Cucina Sunday Supper cooking class. Thank you for coming and sharing this wonderful food from Grace-Marie’s Kitchen at Bristol Farms.

For additional recipes from Grace-Marie’s Kitchen, look under Categories in the right-hand column.

Grace-Marie Johnston

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

Click for the Italian Cheesecake Recipe