Author: Chef Debbi Dubbs

Zucchini Blossom Quesadilla

 

 I first tasted these at The Santa Monica Farmers Market about 15 years ago when The Two Hot Tamale girls were doing a demo for their restaurant, Border Grill (now closed, sadly). It’s a perfect little snack for an early summer day, zucchini plants are going wild with flowers and are daring to be picked & stuffed. Make sure you pick all male blossoms rather than female blossoms or you won’t have any fruit. To tell the difference look at the bottom of the flower, you’ll see a round little nub or small zucchini attached, this is a female blossom….move on. The male blossoms are attached just by them stem with no nub at the bottom, you’ll be able to tell. Open the flowers gently as there may be a bee inside collecting pollen, he will fly away when you open the petals, be gentle. If you want to wash them use cool water and dry well but do this just before you’re ready to prepare the dish. Or you can buy them at your local farmers market, the blossoms are delicate and will last no more than a day so pick right before you’re going to make the quesadillas.

Squash Blossom Quesadilla

Print
  • 4-6 squash blossoms, stems and stamens removed, chopped
  • 4 roasted red peppers, drained and chopped
  • 2 ears of corn, roasted, cut off the cob
  • 4 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
  • 1-2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
  • 8 flour tortillas
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Tomatillo Salsa
  • 1/2 pound tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered

  • 1/2 - 1 jalapeño pepper, chopped
(depending on how much heat you want)
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped

  • 1/2 cup packed cilantro leaves

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt,
or more to taste,
  • squeeze of fresh lime juice

Mix together all ingredients together seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste.

Heat a grill pan or griddle, add 1 Tb. butter. Add a tortilla and cook it on one side until it puffs (about 30 seconds).

Flip tortilla over and sprinkle over entire surface 1/4 cup of squash blossom filling.

Top with another tortilla, and after cheese has melted and the two tortillas stick together (a couple of minutes), flip quesadilla and cook for a couple of minutes more.

Repeat for the remainder of the filling and tortillas.

For the Tomatillo Salsa

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor and pulse to combine. Blend on low speed until a coarse puree is formed.

Pour into a bowl, taste and add more salt or lime if desired. Salsa can be thinned with a bit of water if desired.

Lemon Roasted Chicken

This is by far my favorite dish with hints of Meyer lemon and sea salt and I like to add some roasted baby potatoes to the pan to soak up some of the juices. I use ‘Mary’s Organic Chicken‘ always for the best meat, always tender & juicy, it costs a little more but I think it’s worth the extra few bucks. (And they didn’t pay me to say that). And I love to tuck into the pan the ‘Baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes’ from Melissa’s Produce!

You can dress this up by making the ‘pan’ sauce listed in the recipe of you can by pass it. I’ve also made brioche dressing for the side and it makes a great holiday dish without the hassle of cooking a whole turkey dinner. Add a beautiful green vegetable and you’ll find an easy weeknight dinner. It pairs well with my Spring Asparagus recipe. Prep all the ingredients the night before & you can walk in the door, pop the chicken in a preheated oven and within the hour you’ll have the best meal in town, no drive through chicken can EVER take the place of a chicken roasted at home.

Lemon Roasted Chicken

Print
  • Serves 4
  • 1 whole chicken -- rinsed, drained and dried
  • 1 medium onion -- peeled and chopped
  • 3 baby carrots -- peeled and chopped
  • 3 celery stalks -- cut into chunks
  • 1 lemon -- zested and juiced; preferably Meyer lemon
  • 1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley -- minced
  • 1 bunch fresh sage -- minced
  • 1/2 bunch fresh thyme -- minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter -- room temperature
  • 1 tablespoon lemon olive oil, butter or regular olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tablespoons chicken demi glace -- optional for sauce

Preheat oven to 400°.

Wash and dry chicken inside and out then dry well. Fit chicken into a roasting pan (you want no more than 1" of space on any side of the chicken otherwise the juices will burn).

Mix together onion, carrot, celery, lemon zest, and 1/2 of the minced herbs. Loosely stuff cavity with some of the ingredients, place the remainder on the bottom of the roasting pan and place chicken on top of the aromatic vegetables.

Mix remaining minced herbs with butter. Gently separate the chicken skin from the breast meat and carefully rub herb butter on breast under the skin.

Rub the chicken with lemon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze lemon over chicken and place rind into cavity. Insert probe thermometer into thigh and set for 165 degrees. Pour half of the wine and chicken stock in the bottom of the pan and place, uncovered in hot oven.

Baste after 1/2 hour, if you don't have enough juice in pan use some chicken stock. Do not cover bird until browned and then loosely place foil over breast. If wings start to brown to early wrap with foil.

Remove chicken to a warm plate and loosely cover with foil. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Remove some of the fat in the pan by using a paper towel or ice cubes. (Dredge the paper towel through the juices to pull out some of the fat or pour off the juices into a heat proof measuring cup. Add a few ice cubes; the fat will stick to the cold cube, discard cube. You may have to do this several times).

Put the roasting pan on top of the stove over medium-high heat and bring a boil, add remaining wine and stock scraping the fond (the yummy pieces stuck to the pan) from the bottom of the pan. Reduce by half, add demi-glace if using and serve with chicken.

Asparagus Gratin

I love sweet California asparagus, especially the small early stalks simply sautéed in butter and seasoned with a little lemon zest, sea salt and freshly ground pepper. But for serving to guests I also enjoy this quick and easy gratin, it pairs well with Lemon Roasted Chicken and a cold glass of Viognier.

 

Asparagus Gratin

Print
  • 2 pounds thin asparagus
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons flour
  • pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1 cup milk
  • ¾ cup Parmesan cheese, grated and divided
  • ½ cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat broiler.

Prepare an ice bath (cold water and ice) large enough to hold the asparagus.

Cut ends off the asparagus and set aside.

Fill a large skillet ¾ full of hot water, bring to a boil. Add asparagus and a heaping tablespoon of salt. Cook for about 2-4 minutes or until lightly cooked. Immediately plunge asparagus into ice bath to stop the cooking.

Melt butter in now empty skillet over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly until golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until thickened, 3-5 minutes., whisk in ½ cup Parmesan and Monterey jack until smooth, season with salt and pepper. Turn off heat. Cover and let stand for 5 minuets.

Place asparagus into an oven proof serving dish and drizzle sauce over center of asparagus and top with remaining Parmesan. Broil until cheese is golden and asparagus is tender, 4-8 minutes. Serve.

 

Photo: LA Times

Seafood Grill Packets

 

Seafood Grill Packets

12        littlenecks or cherrystones clams

12        uncooked medium shrimp in shells

12        sea scallops

4          ears fresh sweet corn, husks removed, cleaned, cut into fourths

2          medium lobster tails

8          small red or Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in half

            Sea Salt and fresh ground pepper

            Old Bay seasoning

4          lemons cut in half

4          tablespoons butter

 

Preheat your grill, gas or coals.

Cut 4 large sheets of heavy-duty foil into about 12”.

Place 3 clams, 3 shrimp, 3 scallops, 2 pieces of corn, ½ lobster tail and 4 pieces of potato into the center of the foil and sprinkle with a little salt, a grind of pepper and a pinch or two of Old Bay Seasoning. Squeeze ½ lemon over the seafood and add 1 tablespoon of butter to the top.

Fold all edges together tightly leaving a little room inside the foil for expansion.

Place on grill over medium heat, cover and cook about 10 minutes, check to see if the clams are open and the shrimp and lobster are cooked. If not cook another 5 minutes and serve with extra lemon wedges and melted butter.

 

4th of July Cooking Demo

Join us at Temecula Olive Oil, Seal Beach for a tasty cooking demo!

 

Get Ready for Holiday 4th!

Demo Cooking Class

June 15 & 29

6:30 – 8:30 p.m., approximately

By reservation only, see below

Cheesy Pesto Tortellini Skewers

Chicken Parmesan Pinwheels with Roasted Red Bell Pepper Dip

Poached Shrimp Salad Sliders

Watermelon, Feta & Mint Salad

Peach Clafoutis with Berries

For reservations call

Temecula Olive Oil

(562) 296-5421

Sponsored by

Growing Pumpkins

The first couple of weeks in June is the perfect time to get in a crop of any gourd or squash for fall harvest. This will give your heirloom pumpkins and gourds plenty of time to ‘cure’ for Halloween. It’s also a great time to plant another crop of beans, corn and late season tomatoes. The weather has warmed up and so has the soil. It’s not necessary to make a mound to plant squash seeds of any kind unless your soil doesn’t drain well. If that’s the case I recommend a good amount of compost should be dug into the soil before planting.

Plant the seeds about 1 1/2″ – 2″ deep and water well, I like to sprinkle the soil every day until the seeds emerge. As the plant begins to grow you’ll want to water less often, let the soil begin to dry out, and water deeply when you do water. Keeping the leaves dry will help prevent many diseases such as powdery mildew which can have an adverse affect on the production of the plants and fruit.

It’s easy to keep the soil from splashing up on the plants if you mulch around them. I put down a thick layer of newsprint, black and white parts only, and then I cover that with straw. This is a great way to prevent weed seeds from sprouting and to help keep moisture in the soil. The worms love the newsprint and they will help to aerate the soil as well.

A general fertilizer and compost will keep your plants healthy as the gourds start to grow. Small pumpkins, gourds and squashes can be plant on a trellis to save room. The large pumpkins have vines that can run for 30 feet or so; before fruit develops or when it’s very small, wrap the vines around the base of your corn plants or sunflowers.

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If you like to pick the blossoms for cooking, pick the males flowers as there are many more of those than the female ones that produce the fruit. The male flowers will have a straight stem coming from the vine while the female flowers have a little bulge around the base of the flower, which turns into the squash or pumpkin. All squash flowers can be used in cooking, be careful when picking that you don’t accidentally take a bee into the house. Open the flower very gently and the bee should fly out to another plant. I have never been stung in all my gardening years by a bee! In fact I plant lots of flowers throughout my garden to attract them, bees pollinate a whopping 1/3 of our crops so they are essential to the garden. Don’t use any chemical sprays in the garden to avoid killing beneficial insects. Pick off beetles or squash bugs and drop them in a bowl of soapy water. If you do have to spray for any pest use an insecticidal soap such as Safer brand or Dr. Earth. Plant sunflowers along with the squash/gourds and the bugs will have a tendency to stay on the sunflowers rather than the squash. Ladybugs are wonderful for snacking up all of the aphids in the garden too!

While your pumpkins, large squash or gourds are small, place them on the straw to prevent them sitting directly on the soil, this will help to prevent rot on the bottom. Also keep an eye out for critter damage, scratches on the surface or gnaw marks from their teeth. I cover my fruit with floating row cover to keep the critters out but let the sunlight in. If you have children or grandchildren have them scratch their name or a simple design lightly onto the surface of the pumpkin and watch it grow as the pumpkin does.

When the vines start to die it’s a sign the pumpkin or gourd is getting ready to harvest. Let the stem near the gourd dry completely and let the shell start to harden. If you can press the outside and the skin ‘gives’ a little, it’s not quite ready. When it is cut the vine leaving a good amount of the stem attached and pick the pumpkin up from the base, never by the stem.

Store your squash, pumpkins and gourds out of direct sunlight and in a cool area. Many times pumpkins and gourds will last for long periods of time, I had a few that lasted more than a year! Hard shelled squash will store quite a long time, just remember the softer the shell, the less shelf life it will have.

I think the sugar pumpkins have the best flavor for use in recipes but I like to grow a variety for fall displays and of course for All Hallows Eve! The pumpkins I use for decoration I cut up and save the seed when I’m done and place the chopped up squash in the compost pile. Dry the seed on a parchment lined baking sheet until completely dry and then store in a dry, cool place such as your pantry.

And now that your summer crops are all growing along very well, it’s time to think about planting a fall garden, the best time to grow in Southern California, if you ask me!

Mangia!

Buffet Party Dishes

Demo Cooking Class

May 18th & June 1st

6:30 – 8:30 p.m., approximately

By reservation only, see below

Smoked Salmon Cream Cheese Tart With Fresh Lemon Olives

Marinated Vegetable Salad California

Nicoise Style Sandwich

Candied Bacon Deviled Eggs

Mixed Berry Cheesecake 

For reservations call

Temecula Olive Oil

(562) 296-5421

Sponsored by

Temecula Olive Oil, Seal Beach Cooking Demo for April & May

Seal Beach Store Cooking Demo

April 20th & May 4th

6:30 – 8:30, approximately

 Menu

Rick Bayless Slow Cooker Carnitas

Roasted Tomatillo (Carnitas) Enchilada’s With Mexican Crema and Monterey Jack Cheese

Fresh Tomato Salsa 

Refried (Heirloom) Black Beans

Corn, Cherry Tomato Salad with Hatch Chili Vinaigrette

Hatch Chili Chewy Brownies 

For reservations call

Temecula Olive Oil

(562) 296-5421

Sponsored by

Container Herb Gardens

I know some of you aren’t gardeners but like to have some fresh herbs around for creative cooking. Now you can buy herbs in the market and remove some of the bottom leaves and store them in a vase changing the water every day or you could easily grow some major herbs in pots on your patio or railing. You could choose to grow them in one big pot or give each herb it’s own container (then it’s a little easier to change out the plants). You could plant seeds and tend to them as they grow but if you’re not into gardening start as transplants.

Sun, most herbs like sun, at least 6 hours a day and a well draining potting soil. Use an organic potting soil and a liquid fertilizer like Dr. Earth. You should be able to find most herbs in the nursery right now but basil may be lagging because of the cold winter we had, the growers weren’t able to get the basil going as early as usual.

Here’s a little tip I picked up recently, if you are anywhere near a few pine trees (look in your local park) you could find tons of small pinecones. Place them in the bottom of the pot over the hole and it will help the soil from running out the bottom when you water the plant. The pinecone will slowly degrade into mulch helping to feed the plant. Put some potting soil on top of that and then squeeze the sides of the container the herb is growing in, turn the pot upside down holding the plant gently with your other hand. Squeeze the pot until the plant comes out (don’t pull on the plant or you may damage the stem and kill the poor baby before it evens hits the pot!), place the plant into the pot and fill the surrounding area with more soil. Water well and grow little baby herbs! Fertilize according to the directions on the box or the bottle and never snip off more than 1/3 of the plant. I let my herbs flower as it brings the bees and butterflies to the pots but you may not want that so just pinch back the flowers. The flowers are edible as long as you haven’t sprayed the plant with pesticides or herbicides (no no no). Many herbs are annuals such as basil and need to be planted every spring, but some are biennial (every other year) and many are perennial and will continue to grow. If they out grow the pot just move them up to the next size and plant new babies in the small container. When winter comes be mindful of cold weather, most herbs prefer warm sunny areas so you may have to move them or cover them during cold spells. But if that’s too much for you just toss them into a compost pile or chop them up and plant behind a shrub where they can decompose and plant a new herb baby next spring.

For more tips on growing and using herbs come and see me at The South Coast Plaza Garden Show. The seminars are free!

Thursday April 27th at noon

Friday April 28th at 12:30



 

 

Puff Pastry Tart

This recipe is great as a side dish, an appetizer or a light lunch with a salad. It’s easy to make, most of it can be done ahead of time and assembled just before baking. Be sure to use a quality puff pastry dough such as Dufour’s which is made with 100% butter and no preservatives. It’s a little more expensive but if you want real puff pastry, this is it. Be sure to keep the dough refrigerated and if it warms up a little while you are rolling it out, pop it back in the refrigerator until cold. It won’t puff correctly unless the dough is as cold as possible into a hot oven. Be creative and add some chopped (blanched) asparagus to this, it’s a perfect spring time recipe. Enjoy!

Leek and Goat Cheese Puff Pastry Tart

Print
  • 1 cup baby leeks, sliced thin
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
  • 1 box (14 ounces) frozen puff pastry, such as Dufour, thawed
  • 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water
  • 1/4 cup Nicoise olives, pitted
  • 6 ounces goat cheese, room temperature

Rinse leeks well, and drain; set aside.

Melt butter with oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add leeks and sprinkle with salt; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes, cook until translucent and soft, add thyme. Leeks can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 1 day; bring to room temperature before assembling tart.

Cut or roll out pastry to a 6-by-14-inch rectangle; place on a parchment-lined baking sheet (reserve remaining pastry for another use). Score a 3/4-inch border. Brush with egg wash; sprinkle with Parmesan. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°. Bake pastry until light brown; remove from oven, and press center area with spatula. Using an offset spatula or a spoon, smear the pastry with the cheese within the border, add leeks and olives, and bake until crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes. If bottom is soft, bake 3 to 5 minutes more.

Remove tart from oven place tart onto a wire rack; let cool slightly. Cut into pieces; serve warm or at room temperature (tart can stand at room temperature up to 1 hour).

Olive Magazine Photo

Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey’s Cream Cheese Frosting

 

Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey’s Cream Cheese Frosting

Print

Easily made into a Bundt cake as well.

  • 1 bottle Guinness
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 3/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2/3 cup sour cream
  • Baileys Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
  • ½ cup butter, room temperature
  • 2½ cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
  • Green nonpareils for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Bring Guinness and butter to a simmer in large saucepan over medium heat. Add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth. Cool slightly.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat eggs and sour cream. With the mixer running on low slowly add Guinness-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat until just combined. Add flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed until combined.

Divide batter among cupcake liners, filling them 2/3 to 3/4 of the way. Bake cake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, rotating them once front to back if your oven bakes unevenly, about 17 minutes. Cool cupcakes on a rack completely before frosting.

As a Bundt cake, oil the pan well and bake for 40 minutes. Stick a toothpick into the center to make sure the cake is done, cool before taking out of the pan.

In a mixing bowl, add in the cream cheese and butter. Mix until light and fluffy. This will take about 2 minutes.

Add in the powdered sugar and Baileys and mix until incorporated. Turn the mixer on high and beat for another 2 minutes until the frosting is fluffy.

Add the frosting into a piping bag with a straight tip and pipe swirls on the cooled cupcakes.

Add the nonpareils to the frosting.

Photo: Cookie Dough & Oven Mitt

Tips on Growing Tomatoes

How To Grow Great Tomato Plants

 

Buy transplants

Purchase healthy, stocky plants that have no flowers, fruits or buds

Choose a sunny location, rotate planting beds every year

Plant in an area where you may have grown peas or beans the previous year

Add compost to the soil and make sure the soil isn’t compacted.

 

Succession plant

Choose an early variety that can be planted in early spring. I like to plant my main crop in April and then another couple of plants in July for fall harvest. Check Sunset Gardening Guide for the best time in your area to plant.

Depending on how you’re going to stake or cage tomatoes, have all the equipment ready for planting day, stake the plants at the same time you transplant.

 

Planting

When planting remove lower leaves and plant the tomato deep, so that only about 3” are above ground. Tomato plants have the ability to grow roots from the buried stem. Water well after planting. Water well and deep but infrequently, keep your watering consistent, tomatoes need about 1” water a week.

Fertilize

Don’t over fertilize your tomato plants. Use a high phosphorus content fertilizer such as Dr. Earth Organic Tomato/Vegetable Fertilizer, 5-7-3. A high nitrogen content will give you lots of green leaves but little fruit.

Pinch branches out

I always pinch out side shoots in the beginning to help the plant grow tall rather than gangly.

Mulch and Companion Planting

Tomatoes love carrots; basil and marigolds so plant them in the same bed and mulch the rest of the soil to keep the moisture in.

 

 

 

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