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Written by Ann Shepphird
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Thursday, 05 August 2010 01:11 |
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 When it's mushroom season, you'll know it by the abundance of them at your local farmers market. If you manage to get your hands on some great high-country mushrooms and are wondering how to get the most out of them using items (such as garlic, shallots, basil, lavender and rosemary) from your garden, here’s a great recipe from Chef Michael O’Dowd (pictured right) of the Sheraton Wild Horse Pass – and its acclaimed Kai restaurant, who says these high-country mushrooms are one of his favorite seasonal items to use.
Northern Arizona Mushrooms
4 oz wild local high country mushrooms
1 tbsp roasted & minced garlic cloves
1 tbsp minced shallots
1 tbsp chopped Ms. Burns basil (substitute normal fresh basil)
1 tsp chopped fresh lavender
1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 oz extra virgin olive oil
1/2 aged sherry vinegar
1 pat of plugra butter
Sea salt and cracked black pepper to taste First brush the dirt off all of your mushrooms with a brush (do not rinse or get wet). Take the stems off if they are tough. In a saute pan heat olive oil on high heat. Once the pan is extremely hot add you mushrooms, garlic, shallots and half of your herbs. Sear until you see the mushrooms caramelizing. Add the sherry vineger and toss and then finish with the butter, remaining herbs & s&p to taste. |
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Written by Kathy A. McDonald
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Friday, 02 July 2010 17:29 |
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 Edged by desert and sea, the herb and vegetable garden at Las Ventanas al Paraiso is meticulously tended, as are all the xeriscaped grounds at the picture-perfect resort in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Fabrice Guisset (right), the resort’s classically trained executive chef, makes the most of the Baja peninsula’s produce and exquisite seafood, the on-site kitchen garden, as well as the talents and traditional recipes of his Mexican-born staff. Always within reach of the French chef and his culinary team: a tiered display of herb bunches in water. Among the Provencal herbs at hand: sage, leaf parsley, oregano, rosemary and cilantro.
 The garden at Las Ventanas is set apart in a sunny corner. Once a parking area, small carefully cultivated plots now yield celery, oregano, Epazote leaves, chilies (Serrano and Jalapeño), lemongrass, chayote as well as mint. Guisset plants the mint close to the chilies—infusing the herb with an unexpected kick. An artisan-laid arroyo-weathered stone path separates the parcels. Plants are well labeled—in fact, there is a handy guide to all the native plantings found throughout the scenic property from the giant Prickly Pear cactus (nopal gigante) to the Tequila, New Mexican and Desert Agave species.
Local produce here includes avocados (used in Las Ventanas chunky guacamole), basil (from nearby Miraflores) and ruby red Roma tomatoes. Almost all of the fresh fish served is line-caught and brought in daily by local fisherman. You can often see fishing boats just offshore in the Sea of Cortez. Rainbow-hued red snapper, Wahoo, and striped sea bass are abundant and versatile—the grilled sea bass tacos are unforgettably delicious. (Click "read more" for the rest of the article -- and Guisset's recipe for guacamole.)
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Written by Linda Hayes
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Wednesday, 14 July 2010 00:30 |
At nearly 8,000 feet, Aspen's growing season is short, short, short. So when the farmer's markets kick in mid-June, fresh food-lovers flock to the stands. Last week, one of my favorite purveyors, Borden Farms, showed up with a few varieties of picture-perfect summer squash and zucchini that Guy Borden and his crew hauled up from Delta (farm country on Colorado's Western Slope). Bought some.
Next thing I know, one of my favorite restaurants, six89 in nearby Carbondale, sends out a message on Twitter (my, how word-of-mouth has come a long way!) about the Grilled Borden Farms Squash & Zucchini Bisque they've just added to their menu. Naturally, I had to get the recipe. Cook some up from a crop near you.
 Grilled Borden Farms Squash & Zucchini Bisque
by six89 Chef de Cuisine Bryce Orblom
Serves 6
1T vegetable oil
1 yellow onion, medium dice
1T garlic, minced
2 yellow squash
2 green zucchini
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 cup Arborio rice
2 quarts vegetable stock
1 T lemon juice
salt & pepper to taste
Garnish: roasted tomatoes, fresh herbs, croutons
In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and garlic and cook for 2 minutes, or until they are soft and fragrant. Add the cumin, rice and vegetable stock and bring to a simmer.
In the meantime, slice the squash and zucchini lengthwise, 1-inch thick. Drizzle with oil, salt and pepper, and grill on high heat, turning once until both sides are lightly charred but not cooked completely through. Let cool enough to handle and cut into 1-inch dice.
Add the grilled squash and zucchini to the soup. Bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and, working in small batches, puree. Once pureed, add the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
To Serve: In hot bowls, add finely chopped roasted tomatoes. Ladle the hot soup over the tomatoes and garnish with croutons and fresh herbs of your choice. |
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Written by Ann Shepphird
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Tuesday, 13 July 2010 23:06 |
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The first thing you notice about the new herb gardens at the Spa at La Costa is how beautifully manicured they are – so manicured, in fact, you wonder if they aren’t just for show. But, no, the mint is used in the Spa Café’s mojito (and, yes, you’ve gotta love a spa with a mojito on the menu) and the parsley and lemon thyme are used in the Warm Mediterranean Vegetables with Goat Cheese that Executive Chef Hans Wiegand has created for their new spa menu. The dish is also great for gardeners (or farmers market shoppers) who’ve got a surplus of zucchini, squash, eggplant, bell pepper, shallots and Roma tomatoes – or those looking to make a low-calorie dish filled with healthy vegetables.
 Warm Mediterranean Vegetables with Goat Cheese
1 zucchini diced ½ inch
1 yellow squash diced ½ inch
1 small Italian eggplant diced ½ inch
1 red bell pepper diced ½ inch
2 pc shallots small diced
8 pc vine-ripened Roma tomatoes diced ½ inch
15 lg basil leaves chopped
Salt, pepper, chili flakes to taste
1 tblsp chopped garlic
4 slices goat cheese
½ cup Panko bread crumbs
1.5 oz olive oil
1 tbls chopped parsley
1 tbls chopped lemon thyme
In a saucepan sauté the shallots and garlic for 2 minutes add all other vegetables and seasonings. Cook till vegetables are done for about 15 minutes. Check seasoning. Ladle the vegetables into a baking dish or individual baking dishes, sprinkle the Panko breadcrumbs on top and the goat cheese on top and bake until golden brown. |
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Written by Melissa Pellegrino and Matt Scialabba
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Sunday, 27 June 2010 14:46 |
 The region of Piedmont is not one of the more famous regions of Italy -- certainly not as famous as Tuscany or Sicily -- but in terms of its abundance, it ranks right up there as one of the best. Truffles, Barolo and Barbaresco wines, chestnuts, and fabulous produce in every season, the region is a food lover’s dream. Adding to the beauty and character of the region is the fact that a majority of the farms are family-run and many have become agriturismi: working farms offering lodging and meals to adventurous travelers. We spent four months traveling through Northern Italy and working at the agriturismi. As chefs and cookbook writers, we learned about the close connection to the land and the rhythm of farm life and brought these experiences to our cookbook “The Italian Farmer's Table.”
In September, we will be taking a group to Piedmont to experience the agriturismo culture first hand. For more information on what we think will be a great adventure, check out our website: liveit-italy.com/trips or contact Ashley at
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
or 860-729-1185
To get you in the mood, here is a recipe from the Piedmont region – a great one if you (or your local farmers market) has a yield of peppers coming soon. (Click "read more" for recipe.)
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