LA Harbor College Culinary Arts Program

I had the absolute pleasure of attending a dinner presented by the Students of the Culinary Arts Program 3rd Semester Class at Los Angeles Harbor College last night. 

The menu was seasonal, innovative, ambitious and well-executed. The service was delightful. It was wonderful to tour the kitchen and the new bakery, and to meet the faculty and administration of the College. Above all, it was especially refreshing to witness the passion and commitment of these students.

The Dining Room is a Converted Faculty Lounge

5 Course Menu Gastronomique

Grilled Maui Gold Pineapple, Jicama,

Red Onion & Grapefruit Salad

Timbale of Cured Salmon

Spiced Pumpkin Soup

Broccoli Soup

Apple Sorbet with Sauternes

Braised Wagyu Short Ribs

Chateau Bliss Potatoes

Grilled Asparagus

Creme Brulee & Burgundy Poached D'Anjou Pear

Cinnamon Tuille

Plating the Salad Course

The Colorful Salad

Soup Shooters

Spiced Pumpkin & Cream of Broccoli

Apple Sorbet Palate Cleanser

Main Course

(the sauce, made with veal bones and reduced for many hours, was exceptional)

Myra serves Cheryl the Dessert Course

Tonight Myra was a server, earlier in the day, she was a pastry chef, and was on the team that prepared this dessert. Her specialty was the cinnamon tuilles, which were excellent.

Dessert Course

Kudos and best wishes to the aspiring chefs and restaurateurs for your hard work and dedication. The entire meal was delicious! It was a real pleasure to experience your creativity. Bravo!

Here, Natalie enjoys the apple sorbet. I was a guest of faculty member, Cheryl and her mother, Natalie. Thank you ladies for a fun and very inspiring evening. 

Chef Giovanni Delrosario recognizes the team.

Los Angeles Harbor College offers a 2 year degree in Culinary Arts, as well as 12 and 24 unit certificates in the field. For more information please visit LAHC.edu.

If you are in the Los Angeles area and want to support this valuable local program please call 310-233-4556 for reservations. Dinner starts at 6 PM and concludes at 7:30 PM. The dinners will be held every Thursday evening though December 3rd. Chef Giovanni shared with us that next week's main course is a braised lamb shank. Both Natalie and I think that sounds great! See you there?

Komo Gway Oysters Rockefeller

Oysters Rockefeller

With Komo Gway Oysters

The original Oysters Rockefeller recipe created by Jules Alciatore in 1899 at Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans remains a secret to this day. Since no one outside of Antoine's knows the exact recipe, there are hundreds of variations. Fresh oysters, assorted greens, toasty breadcrumbs...it's hard to go wrong with any combination!

Komo Gway

Komo Gway Oysters are cultured in the clean, clear waters of Baynes Sound, British Columbia, Canada, using sustainable methods. Pentlatch Seafoods Ltd., a company wholly owned by the K’ómoks First Nation, produces Komo Gway Oysters within their traditional territory.

 Komo Gway, “Ruler of the Undersea”

Pentlatch Seafoods Ltd. honors the Legend of Komo Gway by ensuring, above all, the sustainability of the sea and its creatures by seeding, annually, millions of Manila Clams and Pacific Oysters on their beaches. To further ensure the sustainability of the marine resources, they have also implemented an Environmental Stewardship Program that supports the continuation of clean marine waters within their traditional territory. The mission statement is “CLEAN WATER Our Responsibility, Our Legacy” which ensures sustainability of resources and their legacy to future generations.  

I just recently discovered these oysters at the Ports O' Call fish market. They are heavenly! Plump, with a clean, crisp, slight cucumber flavor. And not too difficult to shuck either!

Taste With The Eyes'

Oysters Rockefeller

Blend baby spinach, fresh tarragon leaves, rough chopped scallions, and a small amount of panko bread crumbs in the small bowl of a food processor. (Other recipes include ingredients such as parsley, celery, celery leaves, chervil, watercress, and some omit the spinach).

Sauté the spinach mixture in butter for just a few minutes. Add a splash of Pastis, Paprika Piquant (hot paprika), and salt to taste. Set aside to cool.

Mix equal parts Parmesan and panko breadcrumbs together, add Paprika Piquant to taste. (Some recipes include cheese, others do not).

Fill the bottom of an ovenproof pan with Kosher or rock salt. Nestle fresh shucked oysters into the salt. Top each with the spinach mixture. (Some recipes add crumbled bacon atop the spinach mixture).

Then top with breadcrumb mixture. Bake at 450° for about 12-14 minutes until the breadcrumb mixture is golden brown.

The Rich Theme

For a little extra Rockefeller richness, I top each oyster with a small dollop of creme fraiche. 

 "We trust that you will be pleased with the riches from our lands." 

K’ómoks First Nation

According to legend, it is said that an Antoine's customer exclaimed with delight after eating this dish, "Why, this is as rich as Rockefeller!"

John Davison Rockefeller (July 8, 1839 – May 23, 1937) was an American industrialist. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of modern philanthropy. In 1870, he founded the Standard Oil Company and aggressively ran it until he officially retired in 1897. As kerosene and gasoline grew in importance, Rockefeller's wealth soared, and he became the world's richest man and first American billionaire. (from wikipedia)

Oysters Rockefeller Soup

Oysters Rockefeller Soup

Garnished with a Fresh Shucked Oyster,

Butter Lettuce, Creme Fraiche, and Salmon Roe

Oysters Rockefeller consists of oysters on the half-shell that have been topped with various other ingredients (often spinach or parsley, cheese, a rich butter sauce and bread crumbs) and are then baked or broiled.

The dish was created in 1899 at the New Orleans restaurant Antoine's by Jules Alciatore, son of the restaurant's founder. It was named Oysters Rockefeller after John D. Rockefeller, the richest American at the time, for the richness of the sauce.  (from wikipedia)

Sunken City Supper Club

The Soup Course

In the previous post I was so excited to share the debut of our Sunken City Supper Club: A place to mingle with friends and neighbors - to enjoy the camaraderie, great food, wine, and perhaps a little dancing to the awesome intimate jazz standards performed by Barry Anthony and Bill Ryan. Their band is The Swing Of Things.

I hope you have a couple of minutes to enjoy The Swing Of Things as they perform "I've Heard That Song Before." The song, popular in 1942, is just so fun and lovely, it can put anyone in a good mood...

Our Oysters Rockefeller Soup Recipe

Puree a small onion, 1/2 bunch parsley, 3 scallions, and 3 large leaves of butter lettuce in a food processor. Add a pound of fresh spinach and continue to puree to a uniform consistency.

Melt 4 T. butter in a saucepan, add 4 anchovy filets stirring until dissolved. Add the vegetable puree and cook for 10 minutes over medium heat. Add 3 T. lemon juice and 3 T. flour.

Stir in one bottle clam juice, 1 c. chicken stock, 2 T. Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat, add 2 c. heavy cream and grated nutmeg.

Finish with 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving add a splash of Pastis and the liquid from the shucked oysters. 

Garnish with shredded butter lettuce, a fresh shucked oyster, a small dollop of creme fraiche and salmon roe or caviar of your choice. 

The initial idea for this recipe came from Barbara Kafka's excellent soup cookbook, Soup A Way of Life.

Slide the fresh oyster onto the butter lettuce.

A soup inspired by a secret legendary old New Orleans recipe was the perfect one for the first Sunken City Supper Club dinner.

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Pomegranate

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta

Pomegranate Syrup

Pomegranate Seeds

Mint Sprig

Sunken City Supper Club Menu

SUNKEN CITY SUPPER CLUB

October 16th Menu

"THE BEST OF FALL"

Appetizers

Polenta Cakes with Cambozola and Shrimp, Roasted Chile Oil

Date Bacon Bundles

Pea Crostini Two Ways: With Prosciutto or Pears

Soup

Oysters Rockefeller Soup

Salad

Grilled Squash, Wild Baby Arugula

Warm Marcona Almonds

Shaved French Etorki Cheese

Almond Oil Late Harvest Riesling Vinaigrette

Main

Stout-Braised Short Ribs

Reginette Pasta, Gremolata

Horseradish Cream

Dessert

Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Pomegranate

Your SCSC Hosts

Sally, Gail, and Lori Lynn

We hosted a big party this past Friday night outdoors on my patio: 24 people, 5 courses, live music. It was the debut of what we are calling the Sunken City Supper Club. A place to periodically mingle with friends and neighbors - to enjoy the camaraderie, great food, wine, and perhaps a little dancing to the awesome intimate jazz standards performed by Barry Anthony and Bill Ryan. Their band is called The Swing of Things.

Here's a sweet sample of their music when they play at The Sky Room in Long Beach with the entire band. Please click below to enjoy the tunes while reading the rest of the post, you'll immediately get the feel of our supper club event!

My friends Gail and Sally and I held three test kitchen dinners with my Brother Bill and Barry and Al to decide on the menu. Then we shopped and cooked and decorated for 4 days. It was a lot of work and a lot of fun.

Organizing the china, glass, and silver.

Rosemary from Gail's garden with roses from my garden.

Panna Cotta

I thought it might be neat to write about the dessert first.

After trying baked figs, puff pastry, apple crisp, mascarpone sorbet and other ideas in our test kitchen we decided on panna cotta with pomegranate. It was a huge hit!

In addition to trying recipes, we also tried out presentations. We had to be able to execute the dish for 24 guests and be able to get it to the tables in a timely manner, as well as have enough china and silver in my home to serve it uniformly.

Panna Cotta: We began by sprinkling 5 t. powdered gelatin over 6 T. cold water. Then 2/3 c. sugar and 1/8 t. salt are added to 5 c. heavy cream and 1 c. milk in a large pot. Cooked over medium heat to dissolve sugar. When bubbles appear on the edges the gelatin mixture is added, removed from heat, cooled slightly and add vanilla bean seeds from 2 pods. Pour into ramekins, cover, and chill over night. We made 2 batches for 24 servings.

To serve the panna cotta, run a knife around the edge, dip bottom of ramekin in hot water for 5 seconds, then invert onto a plate.

We doubled the usual amount of vanilla bean, which imparted a deep, rich, intense flavor to the "cooked cream." And the tart bright concentrated flavor of the pomegranate syrup was the perfect for our "Best of Fall" menu, the pomegranate seeds were like little jewels.

Sunken City Supper Club

Please stop by Taste With The Eyes in the next few days for more about Sunken City Supper Club event. Thank you to all our guests, it was such a pleasure having you here! Your enthusiasm, excitement, and participation made this event a super success. We hope to see you at the next supper club gathering soon.

Lastly a special thank you to my Brother Bill, and dear friends Gail and Sally, to fabulous musicians Barry and Bill, and extra helpers Al and Troy and Marlene. What a super team!

White Asparagus, Shaved Avocado, Tarragon Mayonnaise

Peruvian White Asparagus

Shaved Californian Avocado

Tarragon Mayonnaise

I was shopping at Whole Foods Market today for meat to make a very Autumn-Style dish for a big party this weekend: Stout Braised Short Ribs, a two-day process which we will be starting tomorrow morning.

Walking into the produce section, I noticed this big display of asparagus, the quintessential Spring vegetable, right? Turns out this asparagus was from Peru. Where Spring has sprung! In solidarity with my Southern Hemisphere Cooking Compadres, I picked up some asparagus to serve along side a Whole Foods pre-cooked smoked chicken tonight. Their smoked chicken is really good.

White Asparagus

Trim off the end of the asparagus, then shave the entire stalk with a vegetable peeler.

Place shaved asparagus stalks in salted simmering water with a bay leaf. Cook until tender, taste for doneness. This was about 8 minutes. When tender, place asparagus in an ice bath to stop the cooking, then dry on paper towels.

Mix mayonnaise with finely chopped fresh tarragon, salt and pepper, and a splash of tarragon vinegar. Tonight's dinner had to be effortless, considering the upcoming party and all the cooking involved. But...

Mayonnaise aficionados might appreciate an "almost effortless" homemade version, compliments of Julia Child, that I paired with fresh swordfish here.

"Mayonnaise is one of the finest and most important sauces in classic cuisine. The shame is that few of us ever taste the kind of fresh handmade mayonnaise that deserves such culinary status - and even dedicated home cooks don't realize that making their own is a simple process that takes only minutes and, if you use a food processor, almost no effort at all."  Julia Child

Shave a slightly under-ripe avocado into strips with the vegetable peeler. Season asparagus with salt and pepper, ladle tarragon mayonnaise over the center, top with shaved avocado ribbons. Add a tarragon sprig for garnish. This side dish was really simple and quite lovely.

Happy Spring to My Blogger Friends in the Southern Hemisphere!

For more information on Peruvian White Asparagus, please visit Gourmet Trading Company here.

Pistachio Crusted Opah, Pomegranate Nectarine Reduction

Pistachio Crusted Fresh Opah from Fijian Waters

Pomegranate Nectarine Reduction

Opah, also called moonfish, weighing up to 200 lbs., is harvested incidentally by long-line boats fishing for tuna and billfish in the Pacific. This fish does not swim in schools, so it is caught by accident. Historically, catching an opah was regarded as good luck and was given away rather than sold. The fishmonger at Bristol Farms poetically told me that the skin of a moonfish resembles moonlight dancing on the ocean. (photo from hawaii-seafood.org)

Opah has a rich, creamy flavor and firm, fatty texture, resulting from a diet of mostly squid. To make this dish: Combine pistachio nutmeat and panko breadcrumbs with rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper in a food processor. Dust the filet with flour, lightly coat with mayonnaise, then crust the filet with the pistachio mixture. Sauté in olive oil in a non-stick ovenproof pan until both sides are browned. Finish cooking the fish for just a few minutes in a 400° oven.

The folks at POM Wonderful sent me a few samples of their pomegranate products, one of which is this awesome POM Nectarine juice. 100% juice. I simply poured it into a pan and reduced it over medium-high heat to a syrup consistency. It needed nothing else, and paired beautifully with the fish! I am looking forward to trying this juice reduction with other dishes. And thank you POM Wonderful.

One of my favorite parts of hosting a dinner party is setting the table in the morning. Sometimes our dinner parties have themes, as in the Jackie Kennedy Dinner, or the Gourmet Retro Dinner Party, the Wolfgang Puck Austrian Dinner, or the All-Salmon Dinner Party. But this night was just about some good food and good friends. The inspiration for the table setting came from my garden, I just picked what was blooming!

A jaunty table setting with colors of the roses: red, purple, and white.