Restaurants

Winter Recipe: Moules et Frites at Bell’s

February 10, 2020 By calicoastblog Leave a Comment

Fall’s Don’t-Miss-Dish in Edible Santa Barbara magazine

A cozy spot that feels like home is exactly what Bell’s owners, Daisy and Greg Ryan, wanted in their first restaurant. And for Chef Daisy, who is from the Santa Ynez Valley, it was also about family, community, and coming home. It was great timing, as the building that used to house Bell Street Farm in Los Alamos was up for sale, with a kitchen, dining room and back patio that was perfect for a French bistro.

Why French cuisine in this new home? Looking around the valley, Chef Daisy realized there were plenty of Italian restaurants—her favorite food to eat—but not many French ones. Also, French cooking is the basis of all culinary training, as well as that of Per Se, the Michelin-starred Thomas Keller restaurant where she worked, and met her husband Greg, in New York.

The duo’s vision was an all-day cafe where you can hang out and read or work on your laptop. A place where you come back again and again…you know the other patrons. This means the food isn’t fancy, but simple and delicious, and it goes well with a good glass of wine.

“This area is a lot like wine regions in France, where the farmers and winemakers drive from their fields and wineries into small local towns to have a simple, delicious lunch,” said Chef Daisy. “It’s the food of the people: local, familiar and interesting.” This means fresh soups, salads, and sandwiches (the egg salad is her favorite) plus classic French dishes like escargot, steak tartare and moules frites (mussels with fries).

Sourcing locally is a must for the Ryans. Chef Daisy estimates that 95% of everything they cook is from Santa Barbara County. The mussels come from Hope Ranch in Santa Barbara, which means they have a 50-minute ride from the sea to the restaurant. For Chef Daisy, seafood is always better when it’s fresh, not frozen or transported long distances, and Hope Ranch mussels are small and flavorful. She says mussels are great for celebrating, as they are always impressive, and also pretty easy to make.

The first step is sourcing good mussels. If you can go to a fish market, that is the best, but high-end organic grocery stores also have great shellfish. Look for ones that are closed tight and smell fresh, like the ocean. You’ll need 1 pound of mussels per person. Clean them by pulling the beard away and scrub with a hard brush. For two servings, set a large sauce pan on medium heat and bring to a simmer: 1 cup dry white wine, 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard, 1 clove of garlic, 4 tablespoons butter, small pinch of saffron, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper. Add 2 lbs of cold, live mussels, increase heat and cover tightly with lid. Steam for 5 minutes, just until all mussels are open. Remove from heat and discard any mussels that didn’t open. Divide mussels and broth into 2 bowls, top with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately with double-fried potatoes, crusty bread or your favorite potato chips

Fall Recipe: Braised Short Rib with Oyster Mushrooms at First & Oak

November 11, 2019 By calicoastblog Leave a Comment

Fall’s Don’t-Miss-Dish in Edible Santa Barbara magazine

Earlier this summer, the respected Michelin Guide to high-quality restaurants around the world announced its first-ever dining awards for California’s Central Coast. The coveted Michelin stars proved elusive, but 11 Santa Barbara spots earned the “Plate” designation, one of which is First & Oak at the Mirabelle Inn in Solvang, making it the first and only Michelin named restaurant in the Santa Ynez Valley.

Executive Chef JJ Guerrero heads the kitchen, where he first experimented with haute cuisine and hyper-local, creative dishes with previous Michelin-starred Chef Steven Snook for several years before taking over the kitchen in 2018.

Dining Room at First & Oak in Solvang, CA

Guerrero loved the collaborative environment of that early kitchen, and has kept that freedom to create firmly planted. Every member of the kitchen staff is encouraged to create new dishes; it’s a total team effort. Guerrero remembers his first dish that made it on the menu when he was new, a melon and basil gazpacho, which was actually mentioned in the Michelin review.

Today, everyone in the kitchen has a dish on the menu—some are legacies from Chef Snook—with Guerrero balancing the offerings so that guests can create their own unique, tasting menu from each of the menu’s categories.

Guerrero says, ”We are trying to do something different here. We are very emotional about our cooking, and we are super-motivated and hyped up about it. We’re having fun!”

Braised Short Rib at First & Oak in Solvang, CA

For each dish, Guerrero makes sure every mouthful works. For this dish, yellow oyster mushrooms are the perfect complement to the beef—really meaty, an earthy element—and the onion and sauce bring acid, so that each bite feels complete. And Guerrero thinks the best local mushrooms are from Gold Coast Mushrooms, “These yellow oyster mushrooms are carefully grown in wood chips and controlled temperature, with lots of thought and love put into it. The quality and taste are amazing.”

To make this dish, use your favorite braised short rib recipe the day before, cooking it low and slow for 3-4 hours, and letting it cool in its own liquid (to keep it moist) before pressing it in the fridge overnight (to make its compact shape).

Then, combine water, melted butter, peppercorns, coriander, garlic and thyme in a sauce pan and drop in some pearl onions. Heat the cold pan to a boil, then let it cool.

Boil peeled russet potatoes in salted water until soft. Push potatoes through a tamis or food mill instead of mashing. Heat heavy cream with butter and salt, then whisk into potatoes.

Hand-tear several oyster mushrooms so they keep some of their shape, then heat cooking oil in a non-stick skillet to very hot. Just when the oil starts to smoke, drop mushrooms in and cook for 1-2 minutes. Toss to the other side for 1 minute and remove from heat. Salt the mushrooms now (this helps them not wilt) and toss with a small amount of vinaigrette: 3 parts oil, 1 part vinegar.

Re-heat the short rib and its sauce (Guerrero uses a traditional mirepoix base plus bonito flakes) and place on plate. Squeeze mashed potatoes from an espuma gun or pasty bag onto plate. Top with mushrooms and pearl onions, garnish with fresh parsley.

San Ysidro Ranch Meyer Lemon Tart: Montecito’s Storied Ranch Blossoms Anew

July 18, 2019 By calicoastblog Leave a Comment

San Ysidro Ranch’s rebirth after the Montecito Mudslide and its legendary Meyer lemon tart recipe

Summer |

High in the mountains of Montecito stands a piece of California history. A small citrus grove, planted in the late 1800s, stretches and blooms in the fresh, ocean air. The spring sun shines down on the grove, adjoining kitchen and herb gardens, flowering pathways and old adobe and stone buildings. The grove is bursting forth with bright yellow Meyer lemons; it offers this bounty on over 500 rolling acres between the Pacific Ocean and the Santa Ynez Mountains, known as San Ysidro Ranch.

Fine Dining at The Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito

San Ysidro Ranch has been a mainstay of Montecito since it first welcomed guests in 1893, providing a lush hideaway in the hills for discerning travelers and celebrities too. This is where Vivien Leigh and Sir Laurence Olivier exchanged vows; it’s also the setting of John and Jackie Kennedy’s honeymoon retreat. Other famous guests include Audrey Hepburn, Lucille Ball, Bing Crosby, Groucho Marx, Winston Churchill and Sinclair Lewis.

Full of history and luxury, the ranch encompasses 41 guest cottages, a historic adobe home and ranch house and two full-service restaurants. Plow and Angel—a nod to the namesake of the ranch, Saint Isidore, patron saint of farmers—is a locals’ favorite serving classic, upscale comfort food in a European-pub setting. The Stonehouse, which was built in 1889 as a packing house to handle the ranch’s citrus production, offers a lounge, dining room with fireplace and creek views, as well as patio dining with ocean views.

This land was originally titled in 1769 by the King of Spain and used by missionaries. After the land passed from Mission Santa Barbara ownership to the Olivera family in the early 1820s, they built an adobe house on the property in 1825 (which still stands today as a state and county landmark and one of the oldest buildings in Montecito). As citrus in California grew in importance, it became a working citrus ranch in the 1800s. The San Ysidro Citrus Ranch, which would later become the Johnston Fruit Company, harvested an average of 300,000 oranges and 100,000 lemons annually.

Meyer Lemon Grove at The Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito

The lemon grove is much smaller today with only 30 trees, and the complete harvest of Meyer lemons goes to feed the diners at the ranch’s two restaurants.

2018’s infamous mudslide in Montecito almost changed all that. The resort was one of the hardest hit by that deadly river of mud, damaging or destroying over half of the ranch’s buildings and depositing mud 4 feet up the historic adobe walls. Fortunately, experts saved the adobe, and the lemon grove was completely spared.

After that day, San Ysidro Ranch, along with much of Montecito, was closed for more than a year. It took 15 months of restoration to bring the buildings and the damaged grounds back to life. With the ranch buildings and cottages now open and historically intact, guests won’t see a clue of what the ranch has overcome in all those months. The SYR restaurants are again turning out a few of the old favorites, but mostly the dishes are new and refurbished, still fed by the lemon grove.

At the helm of the kitchen is Chef Matt Johnson. Johnson has Southern and Central California under his skin; he graduated from Santa Barbara’s School of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management, worked throughout Europe, then returned to Morro Bay, San Luis Obispo, Pebble Beach and finally, Montecito. His philosophy focuses on organic inspiration and culinary artistry, along with pleasing the many regulars as well as guests from afar.

The table-side Steak Diane at The Stonehouse is still a staple, as is his classic Lemon Tart: two guest favorites Johnson is proud to serve. Everything else is new or a twist on the old with a goal of providing a wide variety of flavors and textures, and a warm place for folks to just hang out. Look for the Pan Roasted Scallops with braised oxtail, romanesco, king oyster mushrooms, corn puree and black garlic vinaigrette or the Crispy Veal Sweetbreads with Jerusalem artichoke, Belgium endive, port, sunflower sprouts and kumquat vinaigrette.

The star dessert is always the San Ysidro Ranch Meyer Lemon Tart, served with blackberry compote, crisp meringue and orange blossom honey cream. Johnson says people ask for the recipe all the time (find it below) and that the ranch’s Meyer lemons from the 30-tree grove make the sweetest lemon curd. And Johnson knows Meyer lemons – he once created a 5-course dinner at The James Beard House featuring Myer Lemons from the this historic lemon grove. The blackberries are from a local farm in Oxnard, the orange-blossom honey from Ojai and the edible violas from right here on the ranch.

From the dirt, survivors blossom anew.

Meyer Lemon Tart at The Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito

Meyer Lemon Tart Recipe

With the refurbishing of San Ysidro Ranch in 2019, Johnson also decided to completely refresh the menu, only keeping a few of the ranch’s classic dishes. This San Ysidro Ranch Meyer Lemon Tart made the cut. It has always been a favorite, and the surviving lemon trees are the star of the show. A cross between a lemon and a mandarin orange, the Meyer lemons on the ranch supply all the lemons used at the resort, and are juiced by hand to make the sweetest lemon curd Johnson has ever had. His lemon tart is the celebrity of the menu, being that guests constantly ask for the recipe. Here it is!

For the crust:

Whisk 1 egg, pinch of salt, and some vanilla in small bowl. Set aside. Whisk together 2 cups flour and 1 cup sifted powdered sugar until combined, then cut in half cup cold diced butter until crumbly in texture. Mix with paddle attachment of stand mixer until there are no large lumps, and mixture becomes a little more yellow. Lastly add egg mixture. Mix until it starts to come together and finish by hand until completely smooth. Wrap and place in fridge for at least 2 hours before rolling out. Then, either roll out or press dough into 9-inch tart pan or smaller tart pans. Bake at 350 degrees until light golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.

For the lemon curd filling:

In stainless steel bowl combine 3/4 cup Meyer lemon juice, 3 eggs, 1 egg yolks, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. Place over double boiler and whisk constantly until thickened and 180F. Remove and strain through mesh strainer. Cool to140F. Add 1/8 cup cold diced butter and blend with hand blender. Pour lemon filling into crust. Bake at 350 degrees until filling is set, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool.

For the orange blossom honey cream:

Whisk together 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 1 tablespoon powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of orange blossom honey and a pinch of salt until medium soft peaks form. Add more honey if desired.

Top tart with honey cream, fresh blackberries and meringue if desired.

Enjoy!

Meyer Lemons at The Stonehouse at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito

Green Huevos at Scarlett Begonia

January 26, 2019 By calicoastblog Leave a Comment

Fall/Winter |

Ask owner Crista Fleming about any dish on the menu at Scarlett Begonia in Santa Barbara, and you’ll get a story. A delicious food story, with characters and influences and reasons for each ingredient, is behind each creation being served at breakfast, lunch or the bakery counter, 7 days a week.

Fleming’s varied background in catering, culinary school, traveling, cooking, and editing a food and lifestyle magazine gives her restaurant a rich background in flavors – and the thoughtful dishes show it. On the menu this winter, “Green Heuvos” was inspired by a trip to Big Sur, where Fleming experienced a new kind of Heuvos Rancheros with grilled shrimp and local garnishes. After collaborating with her culinary team, she decided to make her huevos green, using tomatillos and watermelon radishes from Sunrise Organic Farms in Lompoc, and avocados from AvoGanic in Carpinteria. Santa Barbara’s coastal farms provide ideal growing conditions for these veggies through fall and even into winter. Tomatillos love the area’s warm temperatures, and continue to produce fruit through fall, right up until first frost, which very rarely happens along the coast. Fleming loves the bright, tart flavor of tomatillos, whether in this cooked sauce, or a raw salsa. She balances it with fresh guacamole—made simply with just 5 ingredients: local avocado, onion, tomato, salt, lemon—and a garnish of big, gorgeous watermelon radish slices. It’s almost too pretty to eat.

Fleming is 100% committed to non-GMO produce, sourcing ingredients as local and organic as possible. And with our long growing season here on Santa Barbara’s coastline, her Indian summer-into-Fall inspiration can come from virtually anywhere.

To make Green Huevos, roast tomatillos in the oven until lightly browned, then blend with garlic, onion, water, salt and pepper and set aside. Make guacamole by combining mashed avocado, chopped onion and tomato, salt and lemon juice. Warm a can of organic black beans in a sauce pan with salt and pepper (add garlic, cilantro or any aromatics you like). Next, heat frying oil in a skillet, and lightly fry 2 corn tortillas and set aside. Then sauté shrimp until just pink (1-2 minutes per side), and finally, fry an egg to your liking. To assemble, spread some tomatillo sauce on the plate, then layer the tortillas with beans and sauce. Slide the egg on top and sprinkle queso fresco around the plate. Top with shrimp, fresh guacamole, micro cilantro and big slices of watermelon radish.

House Maltagliati with Fava Beans, Smoked Guanciale & Garlic Soubise at Root 246

November 4, 2018 By calicoastblog Leave a Comment

Spring |

New roots. Spring brings them every year, along with some delicacies that can only be enjoyed during these warming days…like fresh fava beans. Spring is the time these legumes behave, and taste, more like fresh new peas than later in the year after they mature, when they firmly join the bean clan (mostly dried or canned).

New roots are also springing up for Chef Crystal DeLongpre (known as Chef Pink for her hair color preference) as she takes over the reins at the Corque Hotel’s root 246 in Solvang. After stints at top kitchens of Los Angeles, the Food Network and running her own restaurant, she knew she could only go where her food philosophy would be shared: hyper-local ingredients, responsible sourcing via close relationships with farmers, stewards of the land. Now, Chef Pink is rejuvenating the kitchen at root 246, with 95% of its produce coming from local farms, as she moves the restaurant firmly towards its own rebirth. The dinner and bar menus have already been refreshed (but check for chef’s specials to appear anytime). In coming months, look for more casual, family-friendly dining, with a love for locals and a re-design focused on comfort.

To make this spring comfort dish at home, remove the large outer pods from the fava beans, then take each bean and remove the thin skin covering the split bean.

Next, hard-boil an egg, cool it down, peel it and set aside (or cure it by cracking an egg in a boil over salt, then cover it with salt and plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 week). Tear lasagna noodles roughly (or use any other “badly cut” pasta) and boil per directions in a pot with enough salt to taste like the sea.

Sauté thinly sliced and diced guanciale or bacon over medium-high heat, until it is crispy. Remove the bacon, then add 1/2 cup cut spring onion to the bacon fat and cook over low heat until translucent. Add 1 cup chicken stock and simmer until reduced by half, than add a handful of fresh fava beans to the pan, season with salt and turn down the heat. Add cooked pasta along with 1 tablespoon of butter and a healthy squeeze of lemon. After simmering for 2-3 minutes, sprinkle with bacon and grate the egg yolk over over the top. Chef Pink also adds locally foraged kombu – the “king of seaweed” used to make Dashi – which adds umami richness to the dish.

Spring Pea Salad at Mesa Verde

October 24, 2018 By calicoastblog Leave a Comment

Spring |

Chef Greg Arnold’s modern plant-based cuisine at Mesa Verde Restaurant in Santa Barbara stimulates more than your appetite. Yes, the dishes’ vegetables come straight from the weekly farmers market. Yes, the menu’s inspiration comes from Mediterranean influences. But it’s the melding of all this plus art – what he calls “synesthesia” – that makes his food exquisite.

A vegetarian himself, Chef Arnold elevates plants to starring roles using a Mediterranean mindset. “This style of cooking goes so well with California produce because of our similar climates,” says Arnold. “My salads come from what I find here at the market, because ingredients in season tend to pair well together.” The Mediterranean’s diverse spices also give Arnold’s dishes power: the menu is threaded with bold notes from the Middle East, North Africa and Southern Europe.

It’s fusion cuisine at its best: street tacos, exotic spices, starring veggies and also art. Growing up painting, playing music and cooking, Arnold realized that with food, our senses mesh. How a dish looks and tastes is intermingled. So, beauty becomes delicious.

To make this simple salad, Chef Arnold roasts carrots in the oven with cumin seeds, thyme and olive oil until soft, then purées them. He also blanches fresh peas in salted water (it should taste like the ocean) for 1 minute, moves them to an ice bath, then purées them with water and lemon. He paints the plate with both, then adds halved peas and okra, torn kale and slices of cucumber, yellow squash, fennel and endive. Topping the salad is a sprinkle of blueberries, wood sorrel leaves and flowers with powdered sumac and chlorella on the side.

The dressing is also simple, yet powerful. Chef Arnold reveals his favorite super-easy vinaigrette based on a classic Levantine salad: fattoush. He blends grapeseed oil (it’s lighter than olive oil), lemon, fresh garlic, fresh thyme, salt and sumac, then lightly drizzles it over the top.

Winter Recipe: Moules et Frites at Bell’s

Fall’s Don’t-Miss-Dish in Edible Santa Barbara magazine

Fall Recipe: Braised Short Rib with Oyster Mushrooms at First & Oak

Fall’s Don’t-Miss-Dish in Edible Santa Barbara magazine

San Ysidro Ranch Meyer Lemon Tart: Montecito’s Storied Ranch Blossoms Anew

San Ysidro Ranch’s rebirth after the Montecito Mudslide and its legendary Meyer lemon tart recipe