SLO Cinco de Mayo

San Luis Obispo County's week-long warm streak concluded with a cloudy, blustery, cooler day—just in time for Cinco de Mayo. I felt that a festive dinner was in order, but wasn't quite sure what dish fit both the occasion and the weather. All I knew was that the stormy skies made me yearn for something hot, innovative and delicious. Of course...Mexican-style pork stew!

Dried prunes, onion and jalapeño merry well together.

This out-of-the-ordinary medley of ingredients, cooked to perfection in a pressure cooker, is one of those meals that is so good it is intoxicating. Onions, jalapeño, dried prunes, cinnamon, cloves and pineapple are just a few of the oh-so-interesting elements that make up this delectable, thick soup.

A few years ago a chef friend introduced me to the world of nutritious, fast cooking with this flavorsome pork stew recipe that was developed by a colleague of food writer Lorna Sass. Known as the "Queen of Pressure Cooking," if you are interested in pursuing this rich, satisfying recipe, you can find it in Sass's book, Cooking Under Pressure.

As the recent Boston tragedy still ways heavily on our minds, I appreciate Sass's recent blog post about pressure cookers and whole-heartedly agree with her sentiment: "Tell everyone you know that the pressure cooker was always intended to help folks get a healthy meal on the table in record time, and nothing more."  

Recently, Sass was interviewed for a piece in The Washington Post, Take back the pressure cooker, and cook. Fixing this stew does just that.

Cubed pork shoulder, onions, chicken broth, cinnamon, oregano, ground cloves, prunes, canned tomatoes and a little salt & pepper cook in unison in the pressure cooker.

Freshly pressed garlic and diced jalapeño stirred into the stew after it finishes cooking adds a bit of zing and crunch.

Pineapple as well as green olives with pimentos get added to the cooked medley, bringing just enough sweet and tart to the palate.

 I paired dinner with Vina Robles WHITE⁴ 2011. A blend of viognier, vermentino, verdelho and sauvignon blanc, the crisp acidity cut through the deep layers of flavor in this tender pork stew.

Words cannot describe how delicious this medley of unusual ingredients plays out. Rich, warm, tasty broth.  Fabulous, fresh flavors.

Spicy Little Leaf

Arugula.

Chock full of anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals...this spicy, peppery salad green hits the mark. When this leafy, fanciful vegetable is available from one of my favorite vendors at a local farmers' market, I snap it up. 

Here is a recipe for a Spanish-inspired salad that is snappy and flavorful, fresh and healthy. It requires some advance planning, but the end result is well worth it. 

Buen provecho!

SLO SPANISH-STYLE SALAD
Serves 2 - 4

1 large bunch arugula, washed, dried and torn (4 large heaping handfuls)
If you don't care for arugula, use the lettuce of your choice.
2 - 3 cups sliced paprika chicken (recipe below)
1 cup marinated red bell peppers (recipe below)

½ - 1 cup chopped Manchego cheese (or other Spanish cheese of your choice)

¼ cups pitted green or black olives, quartered

1 fennel bulb chopped, outer shell and core removed

2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsely leaves, torn

Sherry viniagrette (recipe below)

STEP 1

The day before you plan to serve this salad, marinate the peppers. 

MARINATED RED BELL PEPPERS
2 cups bell peppers, seeded and chopped 
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar

¼ teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

1 tablespoon torn flat-leaf parsley leaves
Salt & pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and cover with a lid (I use a mason jar). Shake all ingredients until peppers are well-covered and place in fridge for 24 hours. 

STEP 2

The chicken can be prepared the day before as well.

Chicken thighs soaking up the marinade.

PAPRIKA CHICKEN
1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breast 
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly grated onion (yes, get out your cheese grater!)
5 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
Zest and juice of one lemon
4 teaspoons sweet paprika
1 teaspoon hot paprika                                   
1 teaspoon smoked paprika 
1 teaspoon oregano
Salt & pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients (except the chicken) in a bowl. The end result is a thick, delicious marinade that you can lather all over your chicken with your hands. Place the chicken in a glass Pyrex baking dish and go for it. Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty, but take special care to wash up carefully afterwards. Cover the dish with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for up to two hours. The acids in the lemon juice can toughen the chicken if left to marinate for too long, so pay attention to the clock. 

When you're ready to cook the chicken, preheat the oven to 350°F, remove the plastic wrap and bake for 20 - 30 minutes. Keep an eye on it; insert a knife into the center of a piece of chicken, and if the meat is no longer pink, it's done. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before covering and placing in the fridge until you're ready to serve the salad.

Chicken straight out of the oven.

STEP 3—READY TO EAT!

Get out all of your ingredients 20 minutes before serving. Chop, tear and slice your integral elements, then whip up this simple, not-too-tangy viniagrette.

SHERRY VINIAGRETTE  

2 tablespoons Sherry vinegar
½ cup olive oil

1 peeled garlic clove

2 teaspoons raw honey

Salt & pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in a blender, taste, and adjust for salt & pepper. Be sure to use a good quality olive oil. This recipe yields a viniagrette that isn't too tangy, as you'll get some additional pertness in the salad from the marinated bell peppers. 

Place the arugula in a large festive serving bowl. Spoon out half of the marinated peppers (keep the other half for another salad this week!) and arrange over the salad with the sliced fennel, chicken, cheese, olives and parsley. Serve the viniagrette on the side and drizzle over the top of each individual serving. 

Suggested wine pairings: Albariño, Grenache of Rosé, Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc
 

Enjoy this special occasion salad any day of the week!

Shale Oak Winery

If you're contemplating weekend wine tasting in Paso Robles, here's a tip: seek out the tasting rooms when there's a major festival taking place at a central location—you just might have the wineries all to yourself. Today's Earth Day Food & Wine Festival at Pomar Junction absorbed the crowds and kept the tasters at bay.

I'd heard quite a bit of buzz about Shale Oak Winery on the west side of Paso and wanted to experience this innovative, LEED certified facility for myself. What is LEED, you ask? Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design. 

According to buildingsguide.com, LEED is a set of rating systems that promote, identify, and implement green building design, construction, operations, and maintenance.

So what does that really mean? 

In the case of Shale Oak, the environment wasn't disturbed to incorporate the buildings; rather, the tasting room and winery facility were built around the landscape. Some of their green highlights include capturing rain water to water plants, flush their toilets, and if they have enough in the holding tank...water the 5-acre vineyard growing hillside. Inside the lofty tasting room, planks of 100-year-old reclaimed wood neatly sheath the high walls while recycled glass spans the countertops. Tasting notes are printed on wildflower sheets, and guests can crumple them in their own gardens and watch them grow.

When visiting this winery, the first thing I noticed were the lofty, symmetrical, colorful windows that resembled a stained glass mosaic, comprising the entire front wall of the tasting room. Outside, the windows' reflections capture the surroundings, while inside provide a vivid view of the oak trees and surrounding fields. The winery celebrates the four seasons of California; Aesculus trees are etched in several of the front windows. As I learned from one of Shale Oak's tasting room attendants, these are the only trees that have four distinct seasons.

Most of the wines are made from estate grown varietals, the majority of which come from their east side vineyard in Paso. The current tasting line-up includes a crisp white blend, as well as several of their 2009 vintages: Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petite Sirah, Zinfandel, and Petit Verdot.

Guests can order wines by the glass and sip outside on the patio, or bring a lunch and take advantage of the picnic grounds in these peaceful surroundings. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, the atmosphere is exceptional. 

Whether the tasting room is crowded or not, this is one juncture in Paso you don't want to miss. 

Shale Oak Winery: a building of the future.

 

Future wildflowers.

Spring has Sprung

In my neck of the woods, spring is in the air. Sporty mid-70 degree temperatures and smooth blue skies enveloped San Luis Obispo City today. After a bountiful trip to a local farmers' market and a sandy run along Pismo Beach, my appetite sprang forth.

This is the time of year when I tend to move away from the warm, cooked foods of winter and look forward to throwing together flavorful salads chock full of the earth's creations. Here is a recipe for a divine citrus dressing I made to complement the pesticide-free red leaf lettuce and organic colored carrots I picked up this morning. 

Healthy and delectable during this ideal time of year. 

SLO Citrus Dressing

(This recipe makes quite a bit, so If you end up with any leftover dressing,  keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge to use throughout the week).

1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon (zest & juice)
1 lime (zest & juice)
1 orange (zest & juice)
1 - 3 cloves garlic (peeled)
1/2 - 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon raw honey 
2 - 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender and emulsify until well blended. Taste and adjust for seasonings. Add more salt, pepper, oregano, garlic or vinegar according to what your palate dictates.

Serve with salad greens and freshly chopped veggies of your choice. I also added a few small cooked salmon patties to adorn my salad, which paired nicely with the dressing. Grilled chicken would also work well. If you want to keep it vegetarian, throw on some black beans and an avocado.

Get into the spring of things!

Try pairing this salad with a rosé of pinot noir, sauvignon blanc, or a riesling.

The first sunset of the 2013 spring equinox at Pismo Beach was rife with color.

 

SLO Butternut

Nothing beats a warm pot of soup on a cold rainy day. Especially when you have a few hours to duck out of the wet weather to stay home and relax. 

Although this frenzied time of year doesn't lend itself to much down time—the hustle and bustle of the holiday season has a tendency of taking over our lives—sometimes you just have to batten down the hatches and make some time for yourself. 

The following recipe, sent to me by mom, is simple to prepare, contains a star ingredient that is seasonal and delicious, and is guaranteed to warm you on a blustery winter day. 

Enjoy the remainder of the holidays...and the winter season. 

 
SLO BUTTERNUT SQUASH/WHITE BEAN SOUP
Adapted from a recipe by Joanne White

Serves: 2 - 4  
Suggested wine pairings: Chardonnay, Riesling, Viognier
 
INGREDIENTS

1 butternut squash (med - large)
1 can white beans
32 oz. vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 - 3 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
Salt & pepper to taste
1 cup half & half or cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°. Cut ends off of the squash and cut in half. Scrape out the seeds and place skin side down in a glass baking dish. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and salt & pepper to taste. Place in the oven and check every 30 minutes by piercing with a fork. Depending on the size of the squash, cooking times will vary and will take between 1 - 2 hours. When the fork easily pierces the squash, remove from the oven. 

The nice thing about this recipe is that you can roast the squash up to 2 days in advance and store in the fridge until you're ready to make the soup.

When you are ready to prepare the soup, scoop out the cooked squash and discard the skin. Chop the onions and garlic. Heat a large soup pan to medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt & pepper to taste, and the onions and garlic. Sauté for 10 - 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture turns translucent and develops a bit of color.

Stir in cumin and chili powder to the onions and stir for about two minutes. Pour in the broth, add squash, and the can of white beans (rinse and drain them first). Reduce heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Let it simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Taste for seasonings along the way and adjust if needed. When the flavors are just right for you, get out your blender or emulsifier. If you are using a blender, purée about half the soup and add it back to the pot. If emulsifying, careful not to blend the entire batch so that some chunks of squash and beans remain for texture. 

If you care to add the cream, stir it in just before serving. This adds an extra creamy texture, although the soup is equally delicious with or without this extra ingredient. 

Serve this warm, gratifying soup topped with freshly-ground pepper.

This winter squash imparts a sweet, nutty taste when roasted and lends itself well to this rich soup. Cream adds an extra depth and texture to this recipe.

Stay warm. 

SLO Wonderland

Gleamin’ pink. I can think of no better way to describe the Madonna Inn during the holidays.

This renowned landmark, which sits pretty and pink on 2,200 acres of land on the outskirts of San Luis Obispo City, is rife with tradition. Each year, they deck the halls with more than just a few boughs of holly.

A friend treated me to a holiday dinner at the inn’s Gold Rush Steak House, where we discovered a feast for the senses.

The everyday interior of the ornate hand-carved marble balustrade, the 28-feet gold tree fixture, and the brazen pink dining booths and chairs lay the perfect backdrop for a dazzling display of Christmas lights and festive decorations.

Kris Kringle, prancing reindeers and gold cherubs surrounded us; the hustle and bustle of this popular eatery never stopped—and we feasted.

The last few months I’ve heard more than a few people—including myself—rumble about this holiday season. Perhaps the long warm Indian Summer left some of us feeling as if this celebratory time of year hadn’t really arrived.

But as I sat amidst the glow of hundreds of lights in this pink Christmas wonderland, I couldn’t think of any place I’d rather be. In the company of a good friend, amidst holiday cheer.

My friend said it best: “When you need an intravenous dose of Christmas and a steak, there’s no better place than the Madonna Inn Steak House.”

The entrance to the steak house is adorned with rocks from the surrounding area and colorful fountains.

Some might consider the embellished interior an overload to the senses, but not me.

Who else does a house appetizer like this? Sliced carrots, celery and green onions covered with cherry peppers, peperoncini and slices of salami and cheese. Fun!

Crisp, ice-cold lettuce smothered in rich, chunky blue cheese dressing. Grape tomatoes and slivers of carrots and cabbage. Topped off with freshly-ground pepper. This classic American salad proved that less is more.

I devoured a nicely-seared, tender 11 oz. filet mignon. This meal, accompanied with sugar snap peas and a baked potato wrapped in gold foil and adorned with butter, sour cream and fresh chives was a throwback to classic Americana.

No matter how much steak you eat, it's almost impossible to leave without imbibing in one (or two) of Madonna Inn bakery's infamous cakes. Their pink champagne and black forest cakes can only be described as...euphoric. 

Photo courtesy of Terence Collins. 

In addition to the steak house, Madonna Inn offers 110 special-themed rooms, a cafe, a day spa, and banquet rooms.

The first twelve rooms were completed at the end of 1958 and construction of the main inn commenced in 1960. This relic of decades past continues to delight locals and travelers alike.

The infamous men's bathroom, complete with a waterfall urinal. Don't ask how I got this picture. 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!