Tasty Travels: San Francisco Ferry Building + A Santa Cruz Secret Spot

As much as I love my idyllic, small beach town lifestyle and wouldn't trade it for anything in the world, I must admit- I left my heart in San Francisco. Born and raised just a stone's throw away, I love that my family still resides there so that I can pop over for a weekend visit anytime. 

By far a must on my SF to-do list is the Ferry Building. A virtual mecca for food lovers, I always discover a new treasure each time I go, whether it's a basket of locally foraged wild mushrooms, a jar of blood orange-infused olive oil, the best cappuccino you'll ever have or a vegan gourmet doughnut. So clearly, no Bay Area trip is complete for me without a visit to the Ferry Building!

On our way to brunch al fresco (more on that in a bit), we made the requisite pit stop at Miette, a charming little bakery with a retro vibe and simply adorable confections. 

 

Every time, without fail, we hone in on the macarons- they're just too tempting to resist, and it's practically tradition for us at this point.

Rose Geranium and Chocolate Lavender macarons from Miette.

 Gorgeous, aren't they? We promptly ordered one of each flavor, plus a few more just to be safe. And then we happily devoured them on the way to our brunch destination, Boulettes Larder. In fact, we were still snacking on these cookies when our first course arrived (that's how good they are).

Boulette Larder's signature beignets (and macaron remnants)

Piping hot, light, airy, bite-sized and generously coated in a layer of cinnamon sugar that begs to be licked off your fingers...what could be better?

 But it did get better. Much better. Our waiter happened to be a very good friend and fellow food enthusiast, and let's just say that he did not steer us wrong with his menu recommendations. Not that he had to grasp at straws or anything. The daily changing menu at Boulettes Larder is a shining beacon of farm-fresh ingredients and complex, layered flavors. After the beignets arrived we were spoiled with a delicate fruit compote with orange blossom water as well as toasted Acme bread with organic apricot jam and sweet butter. And then came the entrees: 

A Spring salad if there ever was one.

Spiced beer-braised pork belly, so impressive I adapted this to one of my own menus shortly afterwards.

Squab. The season's first cherries. Dandelion greens. And that incredibly rich looking sauce is a squab emulsion. Mind: Blown.

Tim, my go-to foodie in the city :)

As if that wasn't enough, Tim kindly surprised us with a heavenly lemon meringue tart to celebrate my sister's upcoming birthday. And thank goodness it was small enough to allow only two bites each, because we were stuffed!

Time to walk it off and explore the rest of the market, naturally. My new favorite stand is Biscuit Bender, specializing in handmade biscuits and inventive jams and butters. With jam flavors like watermelon-sweet tea and bacon-bourbon, I was instantly enamored. And how cute is the decor?!?

My dad was stopped in his tracks by these cookies called Alfajores, South American butter cookies sandwiched with a layer of dulce de leche in the middle and usually coated in confectioner's sugar. He grew up eating them as a child, and so did my sister and I, but never dipped in chocolate, never with raspberry filling! Way to take a good thing and make it better. He bought two boxed assortments, and I am slightly ashamed to say that one of those boxes went the way of the dinosaur later that day, even after that ginormous brunch! 

And then we all swore off sugar for a week.

To balance out all the consumption of our Ferry Building trip, something active was in order, so we skipped on over to Santa Cruz in search of a certain river bank that my sister's fiancé had frequented in his youth.  

A nice little hike along the train tracks opened to reveal this serene spot, and although the weather was overcast, we braved the chilly water to wade in the river...

...except for my mom, who, upon finding a melting chocolate in her purse, quickly salvaged it by spreading it on a strawberry. 

I don't think I could have loved her any more in that moment. 

What are your favorite stands/shops/restaurants in the Ferry Building? Do you have any favorite little known nature spots? Let me know in the comments!

Sweet Potato Plantain Cakes with Cucumber Pineapple Salsa

I created this recipe as an entry to Louisiana Cookin's 2013 Sweet Rewards Contest. The guidelines are to create a recipe using fresh, canned or frozen sweet potatoes in one of five different categories. I opted to use fresh for my recipe...it's always the way to go if you ask me!

I love making mashed potato cakes as a side dish for dinners, but I wanted to come up with a more unique version for the contest, so I created this bite-sized version using sweet potatoes for the appetizer category. I added plantains to the mixture for some exotic flair, and topped the cakes with a colorful cucumber pineapple salsa. Wouldn't these be perfect to serve at your next barbecue or summer cocktail party? 

 I hope you'll give these a try soon, and wish me luck on my very first recipe contest, eek! I think I might submit a recipe for the dessert category as well...if so I'll be sure to share it here too!

makes about 2 dozen
Ingredients
for the potato cakes:
1 medium to large sweet potato, peeled and sliced
1 ripe plantain, peeled and sliced
1/3 cup flour
salt and freshly ground pepper
1-2 tbsp coconut oil

for the salsa:
1/4 cup pineapple, diced
1/4 cup cucumber, diced
2 tbsp red onion, diced
1 tbsp jalapeño, diced
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 tsp salt

Instructions
1. Place the sweet potato and plantain in a stockpot with rapidly boiling water and cook until potatoes are easily pierced with a fork, about 10 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.
2. While potatoes are cooling make the salsa by combining all ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Mash cooled potatoes and plantains using a potato ricer (or potato masher). Add flour and stir to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
4. Form mixture into 1 inch patties using a small cookie scooper for uniformity. Transfer to a plate and chill for at least 30 minutes.
5. Heat coconut oil in a skillet over medium heat. When pan is hot, add potato cakes and cook for 2-3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and top with cucumber pineapple salsa.

Tasty travels: Washington D.C.

 I think it's high time I introduce a new series on my blog, something to offer besides just recipes. So without further ado, I give you Tasty Travels! Every now and then I like to poke my head out of the kitchen to see what else is going on out there in this big world of ours. A huge source of my inspiration as a chef comes from the things I see (and taste!) on my trips. So now whenever I travel somewhere new I'll be remembering to put on my blogger cap. That way I'll be able to share my inspirations with you- the activities, the adventures and of course, always my favorite part of the trip- the food! 

First up, our nation's capital. I went for a long (but too short) weekend to visit a good friend of mine from Santa Barbara who now lives there. It was wonderful having a built in tour guide to show me around. And what an amazing time to travel to the East Coast. Even though I just missed the cherry blossoms, I loved seeing the intense green colors and floral abundance as we strolled along the National Mall taking in the monuments. Hello Springtime!

And the tulips. Tulips as far as the eye can see...I just adore tulips.

After a full day of sightseeing, our tired feet dragged us over to a patio table at Circa at Dupont for a large glass of Sauvignon Blanc, some killer people watching and a calamari frito misto that really hit the spot. The fried lemon slices were the best part, I ate them whole! Wouldn't you?

 That night we dined at Cava Mezze in Capitol Hill, a Greek tapas venue that was unfortunately much too dimly lit to snap even one proper photo. Nonetheless there were many standouts on the menu, including a whipped barrel aged feta with jalapeño dubbed "Crazy Feta," and an insanely good shrimp mezze with an Ouzo-dill cream sauce and fresh tomatoes that I am just DYING to recreate. 

Definitely deserving of the Le Petit Chef Stamp of Approval.

Another memorable dining experience was the Sunday Brunch at  Ardeo Bardeo, featuring a Spring-centric menu...

Chilled Asparagus Soup with Goat Cheese Mousse and Pinenut Praline, poured table side 

Asparagus Fettuccine with a Poached Egg

 ...and all you can drink Champagne for only $27. Our kind of place.

Afterwards, we may or may not have taken a tipsy little jaunt to the Smithsonian National Zoo (it's free!).

A good time was had by all.

Let me know what you think of my first Tasty Travels post in the comments! I'll have more posts like this from my recent trips to San Francisco and San Diego coming up soon, and some new recipes too!

Cherimoya Citrus Sorbet

Have you ever had the pleasure of sampling a cherimoya?

If not, you're missing out. This tropical fruit native to the Andes region of South America is commonly referred to as both "the jewel of the Incas,” and the “queen of subtropical fruits.” It is the national fruit of Chile, and underneath its scaled, green, heart-shaped exterior lies a white, creamy flesh with a flavor that Mark Twain described as "deliciousness itself". Also called a custard apple, the cherimoya is a heavenly blend of tropical flavors with notes of pineapple, papaya, banana, apple and strawberry. See? I told you, missing out.

Fortunately cherimoya is no longer South America's little secret; its rising popularity has caused production to explode. In addition to a recent growth in exportation, crops are now also grown in Central America, the Mediterranean, Southeast Asia, Australia and, luckily for me, California! They are currently at the peak of their season here in Santa Barbara, so I created a recipe for a refreshing sorbet. A bit of lime juice and zest brightens and enhances the sweet tropical flavors, and a touch of blood orange juice adds a pretty pink tinge. So if you've ever wondered what to do with those exotic-looking green fruits you've eyed at the farmer's market stand recently, this is it! It's just perfect for the warmer days ahead. And if cherimoyas aren't available in your area, keep your eyes peeled at the supermarket because they just might be headed your way soon!

Makes about 1 1/2 quarts
Ingredients
 3 medium to large ripe cherimoyas, peeled and seeded
1/2 cup sugar
2 tsp lime zest
3 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup blood orange or orange juice
2 tbsp vodka

Instructions 
1. Place cherimoya pulp into a food processor and puree until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add lime juice and zest, stirring to combine.
 2. Add sugar, blood orange juice and 1/2 cup of water to a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and cool completely.
3. When blood orange simple syrup has cooled, add to cherimoya mixture along with vodka and stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, then freeze in an ice cream maker.

Spring Pea Veloute with Lemon Thyme Croutons

If this doesn't scream Springtime I don't know what does! I served this wonderful soup at a dinner party last week and just adored the bright sweetness from the English peas I picked up at the farmer's market. I was ecstatic to find freshly shelled peas at the stand, which saved me from a solid thirty minutes of shelling, at least. Not that I mind too much ordinarily, I actually find it somewhat meditative...but for this SIX COURSE dinner party I was more than happy take advantage of the shortcut!

Shelling peas for another dish...

I usually enjoy the process, except for when I have 1,000 other steps to complete!

For a garnish I made a batch of lemon-thyme croutons and added a dollop of crème fraiche mixed with lemon zest just before serving. The tangy crunch of the croutons is a perfect contrast to the soup's velvety smooth texture.

 I served the soup warm but think it would be fabulous chilled as well. Would you serve this soup hot or cold? Let me know in the comments!

 Ingredients 
for the veloute: 
1/4 cup crème fraiche
zest of 1 lemon
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 onion, chopped
6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 1/2 lbs fresh shelled English peas
1 cup heavy cream
Salt

 for the croutons: 
3 slices day old baguette, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp fresh lemon thyme, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper

 Instructions 
1. Stir the crème fraiche and the lemon zest together in a small bowl, and set aside to infuse.
2. Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add the butter. When butter has melted add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Add the stock, season with salt and bring to a boil. Add the peas and cream and return to a boil.
 4. When peas are tender remove from heat, puree with an immersion blender and strain soup through a fine mesh strainer, pressing on solids with the back of a wooden spoon. Season to taste with additional salt if necessary.
5. To make croutons, heat oven to 400 degrees. Combine lemon zest, thyme, olive oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add bread cubes and toss to combine. Spread on a baking tray and bake for about 15 minutes, turning once, until golden brown.
6. Ladle soup into bowls and finish each with a dollop of lemon crème fraiche and a few croutons.

Spinach and Fava Bean Empanadas with Chimichurri Sauce

I love playing around with recipes that allow me to get in touch with my Latin heritage (Peru & Mexico, in case you were wondering). These empanadas were so much fun to make because they are a distinctively Latin dish with a decidedly lighter twist. Instead of a traditional meat or cheese filling, these savory pastries are packed full of fresh green fava beans, spinach, peas and green beans.  These gorgeous fava beans I spotted at the farmer's market earlier in the week had found their place in this perfect Springtime dish!

I'm kind of a sauce nut and a firm believer in using them to punch up the flavor of pretty much anything, so I paired the empanadas with one of my favorite South American sauces: chimichurri. This herb and garlic-based oil which is usually added to meat and fish dishes works just as well as a dipping sauce here. I hope you'll give them a try!

adapted from Food & Wine
makes 16 large empanadas or 32 small empanadas  
Ingredients
for the chimichurri:
1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley
4 large garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves
2 tsp crushed red pepper
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup olive oil

 for the dough:
1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp salt
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tsp sweet smoked paprika (Pimentón de la Vera)
3 3/4 cups flour, plus more for dusting
Milk, for brushing on dough before baking

 for the filling:
10 oz fresh spinach
1/2 cup shelled fava beans (lima beans would also work well)
1/4 pound green beans
2 tbsp unsalted butter
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup shelled peas
2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Instructions 
1. To make the chimichurri, combine the parsley, vinegar, garlic, oregano and crushed red pepper in a food processor until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the sauce to a bowl and pour the olive oil over the mixture. Let stand for at least 20 minutes.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the water, salt, butter and paprika and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Stir in the 3 3/4 cups of flour until the dough comes together. On a lightly floured work surface, gently knead the dough until smooth. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
3. In a saucepan of boiling salted water, cook the spinach for 1 minute. Transfer the spinach to a colander with a slotted spoon. Add the fava beans to the boiling water and cook until bright green, 1 minute. Transfer the fava beans to a plate with a slotted spoon. Add the green beans to the boiling water and cook until tender, 4 minutes. Drain and finely chop the green beans. Peel the tough outer skins from the fava beans. Squeeze the excess water from the spinach, then coarsely chop.
4. In a large skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the spinach, fava beans, green beans and peas and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the mint and thyme and season with salt and pepper.
5. Lightly oil 2 large baking sheets. On a floured work surface, roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter, cut out 32 rounds from the dough (or 16 rounds using a larger biscuit cutter). Moisten the edge of 1 dough round with water. Mound 1 tablespoon of the vegetable filling on half of the round and fold the other side over. Press to seal the dough and pinch at intervals to make pleats. Repeat with the remaining dough rounds and filling.
6. Arrange the empanadas on the prepared baking sheets, brush the tops with milk and bake at 350 degrees in the upper and lower thirds of the oven for about 30 minutes, until browned. Serve the empanadas warm or at room temperature with chimichurri sauce.

Brown Butter Tart with Fresh Fruit

This beauty was inspired by a dessert served at a local restaurant I used to work at called Opal Restaurant & Bar. I highly recommend it if you've never been; the service is impeccable and their menu is full of gems like this Brown Butter Tart with Fresh Fruit! It was by far my favorite item to splurge on after a long shift, so I knew I wanted to offer something similar on my own menu one day.

I recently delivered this tart to some regular clients to serve after an intimate dinner party and it was a massive hit! The soft, cookie-like tart has a wonderful nutty flavor due to the browned butter in the filling, and the shiny rainbow of glazed fruit on top makes for a show-stopping presentation. Although this dessert is absolutely divine on its own, try pairing it with a base of vanilla bean creme anglaise on the plate for an even bigger indulgence!

adapted from Opal Restaurant & Bar
Ingredients
for the crust:
7 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon flour
Pinch of salt

for the filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
Pinch of salt
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, diced

for the glazed fruit topping:
assorted fresh fruit of your choice (I chose strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, kiwi, and mandarin oranges)
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. corn syrup

Instructions 
1. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees. Using a rubber spatula mix melted butter, sugar and vanilla in medium bowl. Add flour and salt and stir until incorporated. Transfer dough to 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Using fingertips or a flat-bottomed cup, press dough evenly onto sides and bottom of pan. Bake crust until golden, about 18 minutes (crust will puff slightly while baking). Transfer crust to rack and cool in pan. Maintain oven temperature.
2. Whisk sugar, eggs, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Add flour and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Cook butter in heavy small saucepan over medium heat until deep nutty brown (do not burn), stirring often. Immediately pour browned butter into a glass measuring cup. Gradually whisk browned butter into the sugar-egg mixture and whisk until well blended.
3. Carefully pour browned butter mixture into cooled crust. Place tart on rimmed baking sheet and bake until filling is puffed and golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool tart completely in the pan on a cooling rack, then remove tart from pan and place on a platter.
4. Neatly arrange fruit on top of tart. To make glaze, Bring sugar to a boil with 1/2 of the water. Dissolve cornstarch in 1/2 water or juice and add to the sugar mixture. Cook, stirring until mixture thickens and clears. Stir in corn syrup. Bring to a boil then remove from heat. Cool completely before brushing over fruit with a pastry brush.
5. Cut into wedges and serve.