rolling with lobster, California style (and a little French influence)

September 24th, 2012

  

 

rolling with lobster, California style
(and a litle French influence):

lobster “roll” California style

Lobster season. In America, lobster is generally enjoyed two ways: steamed and served with a bath of melted butter; or, if you are on the East Coast, in a “lobster roll”(lobster meat combined with melted butter and mayonnaise served in a roll). However, we cannot forget that it is also the season for apples and Asian pears (and in California, heirloom tomatoes and avocados are delicious right now). 

seasonal fruit 

It is in the nineties in southern California (and will be for some time).  In this heat, hot, heavy food does not sound appealing. Sliced, Asian pears, apples, tomatoes and cucumbers all look like wheels and it seems to me that with these seasonal fruit wheels we can create our own “roll” that uses the West Coast bounty and is compatible with this summer weather. These thoughts inspired this week’s simple pleasure: lobster “roll” California style (mille-feuille de homard à la Californie).

apple wheels sliced 

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lobster “roll” (California style)

September 24th, 2012

 

lobster “roll”  California style
(mille-feuille de homard à la Californie)

serves 4

what you need:

lobster 
4 lobster tails 
1 cup seafood stock
½ cup dry white wine
1 sachet (1 bay leaf, fresh Italian parsley, fresh cilantro, black peppercorns, 1 strip lime peel)

salad
1 ripe avocado, thinly sliced
1-2 apples, thinly sliced, seeds removed
1 Asian pear, thinly sliced, seeds removed
1-2 cucumbers, thinly sliced
1-2 tomatoes (preferably Green Zebra), sliced
1 shallot, thinly sliced

dressing
2 teaspoon gros sel de Guérande (or sea salt)

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ cup avocado
¼ cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon fresh minced Italian parsley
pinch piment d’espelette
freshly ground black pepper (as needed)

lobster apple and avocado ingredients

garnish
pinch piment d’espelette
pinch minced fresh Italian parsley Read the rest of this entry »

going green: (my) steak au poivre vert on a pillow of fresh puréed fennel

September 18th, 2012

 

steak au poivre chef morgan 

going green: (my) steak au poivre vert on a pillow of fresh puréed fennel

To most people, the phrase “going green” conjures up images of electric cars and recycling. Not me. I think of food. Green food. This week in particular the “going green” slogan left me dreamily thinking of green peppercorns and the French bistro classic steak au poivre vert, a pan-seared steak covered with a creamy, brandy-infused reduction sauce loaded with green peppercorns. It was one of the very first dishes I discovered my first time in Paris over twenty-something years ago (sigh). It was divine and I have enjoyed this classic (both eating it and teaching others how to make it) throughout the years. 

thyme by  chef morgan

This week I was inspired to “go green” with this French classic and create a leaner, simple dish that you can duplicate at home in less than 30 minutes, without sacrificing that peppery-brandy flavor and using various green ingredients. The thought resulted in this week’s simple pleasure: (my) steak au poivre vert with puréed fennel. Get ready, this week we are going green in a whole new way and it is delicious. Read the rest of this entry »

(my) steak au poivre vert

September 18th, 2012

 

 

steak au poivre 3

 

(my) steak au poivre vert 

stats:

serves 4
takes 25 minutes (10 minutes inactive)

what you need:

4  steaks (filets or new york cuts), organic and grass-fed beef
1½ tablespoons gros sel de Guérande (or sea salt) 
1½ tablespoons fresh French thyme leaves
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon green (dried) peppercorns, crushed
1 teaspoon olive oil 
1 teaspoon brandy Read the rest of this entry »

creamy fennel purée

September 18th, 2012

 

fennel puree 

creamy fennel purée

stats:

serves 4-6
makes 1 pint (16 ounces)
4 ounce serving is approx. 176 calories 

what you need:

1 ½ pound rough chopped fennel bulbs, core, stalks, and fronds removed
⅛ cup fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
¼ cup olive oil
kosher salt (to taste) Read the rest of this entry »

harmony on your plate

August 13th, 2012

heirloom tomatoes  chef morgan

dischord on the farm; harmony on your plate: 
melange of garden heirloom tomatoes with burrata and whipped tomato purée

Mean girls in the coop and a surprise male in the hutch. This is how we arrived to my home in Los Angeles. Despite the dischord amongst the animals, we also arrived to a hillside of sun-ripened tomatoes in all shapes, sizes and varieties. So while the animals were in a “time-out,” our harmonious plates inspired this week’s simple pleasure: melange of garden heirloom tomatoes with burrata and whipped tomato purée.

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venez avec moi L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue and summer melon gazpacho

August 3rd, 2012

  

 treasures on the river Sorgue 

accidental tourist discovering culinary treasures on the river Sorgue:
venez avec moi L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

summer melon gazpacho

Petit dejeuner (breakfast) in Provence. The Provençal sun is streaming through the window and the local rooster is announcing the day with not-to-be-missed vigor. Our breakfast table looks Matisse-like with fresh fruit, cheeses, yogurt, jams, farm butter, bread and viennoiseries artfully served in porcelain dishes and baskets, all chosen with the same deliberation a poet would use to select words for the page. The smell of the cut melon filled the room. We hungrily ate everything in front of us with our eyes before our mouths even opened. We are in L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue. I was so taken with the people here (and the food) that I was compelled to return within weeks of my first (accidental) discovery and my visits inspired this week’s simple pleasure: summer melon gazpacho. However, before you go to the recipe, venez avec moi (come with me) to L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue; it is not just for antiques any more.

L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue

 

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ceries aux lavande et thym (cherries poached with lavender and thyme)

July 10th, 2012

Chef Morgan ceries aux lavande et thym (cherries poached with lavender and thyme)    

ceries aux lavande et thym
(cherries poached with lavender and thyme)

serves 6-8

what you need:

24-30  firm, ripe red cherries, stems removed (pits reserved)
2 cups water
2 tablespoons of lavender flowers (tied in cheesecloth)
4 tablespoons superfine sugar
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 piece of lemon peel

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pan bagnat au cadeau

July 2nd, 2012

French Sandwich

 pan bagnat au cadeau 

makes 4

what you need:

sandwich
1 loaf quality pain de mie (or sandwich or olive bread)
12 ounces (320 gr) canned tuna packed in olive oil, drained, oil reserved
20 beautiful, ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
¾ cup rough chopped fresh sweet basil
1 small red onion, thinly sliced Read the rest of this entry »

summer peach mousse with crushed almonds and rose biscuits

June 25th, 2012


summer peach mousse with crushed almonds and rose biscuits

summer peach mousse with crushed almonds and rose biscuits

serves 4-6

what you need:

mousse
1 ½ pound fresh diced (yeelow or white) peaches, peeled and pits removed
3 ounces granulated sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 gelatin sheets
1 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
squeeze of fresh lemon juice

garnish

crushed roasted almonds (as needed)
crumbled rose biscuits  (as needed)

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