Citrus Olive Oil Cake

You can make this cake with any flavored or un-flavored olive oil that you like. Instead of poppy seeds try adding some dried cranberries or cherries. For serving dust with powdered sugar or make a citrus glaze with orange or lemon juice mixed with some powdered sugar and drizzle over the top of the cake, I like serving this with fresh raspberries on the side and a dollop of freshly whipped cream wouldn’t hurt either!
I’ve used cake pans, bundt cake pans and small Mason jars for this cake, just be aware of your baking time, test by inserting a clean toothpick into the center of the cake and it comes out dry.

2 cups flour
1 ¼ cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large eggs, beaten
1 ½ cups whole milk
½ cup Orange olive oil, or any flavored olive oil
1 orange, zested
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds, optional

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Sift together the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and whisk in the eggs, milk, olive oil, zest and vanilla.  

Add the almonds and poppyseeds to the batter, and mix with a spatula or wooden spoon.  

Pour the batter into a greased Bundt cake pan. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the cake is golden on top. Cool the cake, invert on a plate and dust with confectioners sugar if you like.

If using Mason jars, spray the inside of the jar with oil spray and fill only 2/3 of the jar with batter. Place jar on a baking sheet and when all jars are done place the sheetpan into the oven and bake accordingly. Check the cakes at 30 minutes and then every 5 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.

Mushroom and Gruyere Puff Pastries

12 / 14 / 14

Mushroom and Gruyere Puff Triangles

A wonderful easy appetizer to make ahead and freeze individually, pull out cook as many as you need.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups finely chopped Cremini mushrooms
1 onion, chopped finely
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs, crushed
Sea salt & fresh ground pepper to taste
2 tablespoon flour
½ cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1/3 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
2 sheets of puff pastry, thawed (12x12 inches)
1 egg + 1 tablespoon water, whisked together

Serves: 32

Preheat your oven to 400°.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.

Heat a medium sauté pan over medium high heat, add butter and olive oil, and add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the mushrooms, herbs, sea salt and pepper and cook until the mushrooms are lightly browned and no liquid remains in the pan.

Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute, add the wine and cream.

Remove from the heat, and stir in the Gruyere cheese. Chill.

Place a rolling mat on your counter, or a large piece of parchment paper. Add a little flour and lightly roll out the puff pasty, cut into 16 pieces using a pizza cutter or knife.

You should keep the puff pastry as cold as possible, if it starts to stick or becomes doughy, return it to the refrigerator for about 10 min. Keep the second piece of puff pastry in the refrigerator while you work on the first one.

Scoop about 1 t tablespoon of the cold mushroom mixture into the center of the dough (do not overfill or they will leak). Fold the over in a triangle and, using a fork, press the edges together to seal them.

Place the mini turnovers onto your prepared baking sheet, at least 1 inch apart. Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes and prepare the second batch. Refrigerate the second batch for 20 minutes for best results.

Brush the sealed edges and tops of the turnovers with the egg mixture.

Bake each tray for about 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

Adapted from Jo-Anna, A Pretty Life in the Suburbs, courtesy of Kendall Jackson

Minestrone Soup

12 / 6 / 142 / 4 / 15

This is my favorite cold weather soup, I love it with a little squeeze of lemon juice, it brightens up all the flavors in the soup. Served with a big chunk of homemade bread, it’s a meal all of it’s own. Make a big pot, the flavors get better the second day as it all marries together.

2 tablespoons olive oil, approximately
1/4 pound diced pancetta*
1 medium onion, diced
2 carrots, minced
2 stalks celery, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Italian parsley, minced
1 can roma tomatoes, crushed, 15 oz.
2 quarts chicken stock
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, crushed or ground, or as needed
2 salt and pepper, to taste
2 cups cooked mixed beans, red kidney, cannelini, black and borlotti
¼ pound small pasta, cooked and cooled
1 cup Swiss chard or spinach, chopped
1 lemon, juiced, to taste
½ cup pesto sauce or
2 tablespoons Chef Debbi's Romano Herb Seasoning Mix**
Parmigianno-Reggiano, for garnish

Serves 6

Heat a Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of oil; when hot add pancetta and sauté until lightly browned. If needed, add another tablespoons of oil and onions, carrots, celery; sauté until the vegetables are translucent, approximately 3 - 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and parsley and then add the tomatoes and chicken stock. Season to taste with Italian seasoning, salt and pepper; bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes.

If using canned beans, rinse and drain them before adding to the soup. Add Swiss chard or spinach to the soup and cook until slightly wilted. Add pasta and lemon juice, stir to mix well, adjust the seasoning and ladle into bowls.

Swirl a little pesto on top or Debbi's Romano herb mix and garnish with Parmigianno-Reggiano.

*Omit for vegetarian version

**Romano Herb Seasoning Mix available www.debskitchen.com

Cioppino

12 / 5 / 1412 / 7 / 14

Image: Wikipedia

San Francisco style cioppino will warm you up on a cold day; serve with warm crusty bread and you could even imagine you heard a foghorn. This is my adaptation of a favorite dish, don’t let the long list of ingredients dissuade you; this is quite easy to make.

2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups dry white wine
1 quart chicken stock, or fish stock
1 lg. can whole plum tomatoes with juice
2 tablespoons Italian seasoning, crushed
1 tablespoon cilantro -- chopped
1 lemon, zested and juiced
salt and pepper
1 pound white fish, halibut, sea bass, cut into large pieces
1 pound small clams, washed
½ pound calamari, cleaned and sliced
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 pound Dungeness crab, cut into 3-4” pieces, shell on
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup lemon zest
red pepper flakes, optional
Lemon wedges

Serves 6

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, add oil and butter; when butter has melted, add onion and celery; sauté until translucent. Add garlic and stir briefly, do not brown. Add wine, stock, tomatoes with juice, herbs, lemon zest and salt and pepper; bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

Add fish and clams to simmering broth, cover and cook 5 minutes.

Add calamari and shrimp, cook until shrimp are barely pink; then add crab and press gently to immerse in broth; cover and cook just

until hot, 2 to 3 minutes.

Ladle cioppino into wide bowls and sprinkle with parsley and lemon zest. Serve with lots of crusty bread and lemon wedges.

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

12 / 5 / 1412 / 5 / 14

Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

The secret to great roasted brussels sprouts is to lightly blanch them in salted water for a few minutes before roasting. They can be blanched up to a day ahead of time and roasted at the last minute.

1 pound baby Brussels sprouts – shaved or halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 slices Applewood smoked bacon, cooked crisp
3 Tablespoons sliced almonds, toasted
1 dab unsalted butter, optional

Preheat oven to 400°.

Blanch brussels sprouts in boiling, salted water, drain and plunge into an ice water bath. Drain and dry.

Mix brussels sprouts with olive oil and vinegar, spread on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper. Season with a sprinkling of sea salt and fresh ground pepper.

Roast for 45 minutes, or until fork tender, turning several times during cooking for even browning. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Toss with toasted almonds and bacon pieces and a dab of fresh unsalted butter if desired. Serve hot.

Marinated Olives

12 / 5 / 1412 / 6 / 14

Marinated Olives

There are a million ways to adapt this recipe to your liking. Marinate the
olives for at least 24 hours and serve at room temperature. Try different
herbs, spices, fruit zest and vinegar. Look to see what’s in your pantry.
This is great served with a little Baked Goat Cheese and a baguette.

1 lb. mixed olives, not pitted
1 lemon rind, cut from the lemon without removing the white pith beneath the skin
1 tablespoon mixed dried Italian herbs, crushed
pinch of salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup Zinfandel vinegar
1 cup (or more) lemon flavored olive oil or use an extra virgin olive oil

Place the olives into a jar so they fit snug.

Chop the lemon rind into fine strips, mix with remaining ingredients and pour over the olives to cover. Add a little more oil if it doesn’t quite cover the olives. Place the lid on the jar and refrigerate overnight.

You can store these olives for several days in the refrigerator but serve at room temperature

Paella

11 / 14 / 1412 / 14 / 14

Paella

1 package chicken thighs
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 shallot, minced or ½ onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, reserve some for garnish
½ cup white wine
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
4 cups short grain Spanish rice
6 cups stock, warmed with a generous pinch of saffron thread
1 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1-2 pound mussels
1/2 cup sweet peas, frozen and thawed
Lemon wedges, for serving

Heat oil in a paella or sided sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to the chicken and brown skin-side down both sides. Remove from pan and reserve.

In the same pan, make a sofrito by sautéing the shallot, garlic, and parsley. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes on a medium heat. Add the wine and cook until it reduces some, about 5 minutes, stir in the rice and stir-fry to coat the grains. Add the crushed tomatoes and stock and simmer for 10 minutes, gently moving the pan around so the rice cooks evenly and absorbs the liquid. Add chicken, clams, mussels and shrimp, tucking them into the rice. Let the paella simmer, without stirring, until the rice is al dente, for about 10 minutes. During the last 5 minutes of cooking, when the rice is filling the pan add the peas.

Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

Paella for a Crowd

11 / 14 / 1412 / 14 / 14

PAELLA FOR A CROWD

Having a houseful of people for days at a time can be tough to figure out just what to feed everyone. I love quick and easy dishes that don’t require a lot of my time or attention. Once you get all the ingredients into the pan, it’s an easy go. You don’t even need a paella pan, a regular sauté pan or even a large electric skillet works beautifully.

You’ll want to use Spanish rice and Spanish saffron if you can for the best flavor but any short grain rice will do nicely such as an Italian Arborio which can be found in your local supermarket. Sauté a little shallot, preferred, or onion, garlic and infuse some chicken or vegetable stock with the saffron to start. Choose some protein to mix into the rice such as chicken, shrimp, scallops, mussels or chorizo and the dish comes together quickly. Follow the recipe or be creative and enjoy your company for the weekend! Mangia~

Chicken and Shellfish Paella

1 package chicken thighs
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
1 shallot, minced or ½ onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon flat-leaf parsley leaves, chopped, reserve some for garnish
½ cup white wine
1 (15-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained and hand-crushed
4 cups short grain Spanish rice
6 cups stock, warmed with a generous pinch of saffron thread
1 dozen littleneck clams, scrubbed
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1-2 pound mussels
1/2 cup sweet peas, frozen and thawed
Lemon wedges, for serving

Heat oil in a paella or sided sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to the chicken and brown skin-side down both sides. Remove from pan and reserve.

Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes. Garnish with parsley and lemon wedges.

Windrose Farm

8 / 28 / 1411 / 5 / 14

I met Barbara and Bill Spencer sometime around 2004 when I was scouting heirloom tomatoes from Paso Robles farmers market. Barbara invited me out to the farm and so my husband and I trekked out there one morning. We didn’t want to disrupt their farm work but yet they stopped working when we arrived and gave us a thorough tour of their lovely little farm. It is such a peaceful unique farm you just want to lie down in the grass and daydream watching the clouds pass by. But a farmers work is never done and we wanted to get out of their way so they could return to their chores. Absolutely not! They insisted we stay for lunch and Bill pulled a beautiful roasted mutton out of the refrigerator and a loaf of freshly baked bread, yes Bill makes his own bread! Barbara foraged for greens and veggies for a salad and whipped up a delicious little dressing. We ate and chatted about life and the farm for what seemed like all afternoon and with sadness had to depart and leave this magical place.

I host several tours to Cambria and Paso Robles and I always finish the tour on Sunday with a day at Windrose Farm with Bill and Barbara. No-one ever wants to leave! I wish all of you could join us for a weekend discovering food and wine and a central coast lifestyle but if you can’t, I’d like to share a piece of Windrose Farm with you. Following is an excerpt from their website and a glimpse inside the magic of Windrose Farm. Join us Oct 24th – Oct 26th for a trip that includes a visit to Windrose.
Windrose is a small family farm located east of Paso Robles and tucked into a unique valley of 50 acres, 12 are in vegetable rotations, 6 are in apples and stone fruit and 5 are sheep pasture. The rest is habitat – full of animal, bird and insect life.

Owners Bill and Barbara Spencer have been certified organic from August 1999 to 2009, but are currently transitioning to biodynamic! The farm has been “clean” for twenty years; since its purchase in 1990.

In 1993 Windrose began going to the Farmer’s Markets with produce from their first small market garden. Having already discovered the enjoyment of growing many “specialty” varieties of vegetables – most particularly heirloom tomatoes and potatoes, they also found they loved selling to wonderful restaurants as well as to their friends at Farmer’s Markets.
In addition to tomatoes and potatoes, Windrose grows onions, garlic, green and dry beans, peppers, eggplant, winter squash, carrots, turnips, beets, cucumbers, melons and many varieties of greens. They also have apples and stone fruit. Their little valley is a unique micro-climate that is good for the diverse crops of lilacs, apples, super-sweet onions and melons.
Bill & Barbara state that “The longer we farm, the more enthralled we are with the old traditional seeds and plants. We strive as much as possible to use open-pollinated or heirloom varieties and have begun our own seed-saving program. Every day brings us more knowledge and a stronger belief in the principals and practices of sustainable organic farming. It is complex and labor-intensive – but the burst of life in the soil and the habitat of our little valley is astonishing.”

Our Philosophy

Barbara and Bill have often sought to better explain their philosophy about the environment that is Windrose Farm.

In this years Biodynamic calendar we found the following by Patrick Holden, a soils expert, long time organic farmer and advocate of the ‘biodynamic‘ philosophy:

“We subscribe to Rudolph Steiner’s* philosophy that the farm should be seen as an ecosystem in its own right, and that our striving should be to move towards building and maintaining plant and animal communities, which are ecologically suited to its unique combination of soil, climate and place.”

Barbara and Bill cherish their time at the ecosystem that is Windrose and sharing the bounty that it produces.
* Rudolph Steiner founder and creator of the “Biodynamic philosophy and principles.

Visit Windrose Farm at www.windrosefarm.org

Join Chef Debbi and The Debettes for our

Fall Farm, Food and Wine Tour

of California’s Central Coast

for more info click here

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

8 / 19 / 1412 / 3 / 14

Store these tomatoes in a jar covered with olive oil, use a lemon olive oil if desired. For a quick appetizer see below.

1 pound Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon basil, chiffonade

1 teaspoon thyme

1 clove garlic, minced

Preheat the oven to 350∫F. Arrange the tomato halves cut side up and close together on a baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, combine olive oil, garlic, and herb. Drizzle over tomatoes and bake until the tomatoes are soft and shriveled but still retain some moisture, about one hour.

Let cool completely. Tomatoes can be stored in a glass jar, cover tomatoes with olive oil, seal and refrigerate.

For sauce: Process in a food processor and warm in a large saute pan.

For a quick appetizer, stuff roasted tomato halves with the following.

Mix together 1 log of goat cheese, 2 Tb. fresh chopped herbs and 1 -2 Tb. of heavy cream.

Mix until goat cheese is soft but not runny.

Spoon or pipe herbed goat cheese onto dried tomato, serve with a drizzle of aged balsamic vinegar.

Fall Harvest Tour

7 / 2 / 1412 / 3 / 14

Fall Harvest Tour

Central Coast Fall Harvest Adventure

October 24th – 26th, 2014

Join Chef Debbi on another Farm, Food and Wine Adventure

Stay at the lovely Cambria Pines Lodge
Join Chef Debbi & her Debettes for a dinner party/wine tasting Friday evening

Saturday
Be escorted by The Wine Wrangler experts around Paso Robles to visit:
Pasolivo Olive Ranch for a tasting of local olive oils & more
Rangeland Ranch and Winery
Take a hay ride around the sustainable ranch and vineyards with owner Laird Foshay
Wine Tasting and Vineyard lunch with Lisa & Laird on the patio with a panaromic view of the hills

Wine tasting on Vineyard Dr. as we make our way back to Jack Creek Pumpkin Farm where you can pick up holiday pumpkins, gourds and more

Sat. evening explore local cuisine on your own and rest up for Sun!

Sunday we’ll caravan to Windrose Farm for a biodynamic tour of Bill & Barbara Spencers mystical farm
Chef Debbi, Barbara & Debettes will create a farm feast for you with what we’ve found on the farm that day
In season usually we can find luscious heirloom tomatoes, shishito peppers, potatoes, all kinds of greens and it’s apple season!

Don’t miss this limited seating tour. Drive yourself up the coast and meet Chef Debbi & her crew for a Farm, Food and Wine Adventure!

Oct 24-26th
$675.00, per person, double occupancy
I also have a special suite for a party of 5-6 ppl, call for a special rate
All rooms have fireplaces, hot buffet breakfast is included

SAVE!!!
$650.00 total fee if paid in full by Sept 1. Payment plan available, contact Chef Debbi @ info@debskitchen for billing

There will be a 2.9% fee added (listed as a ‘tax’) but it is a credit card fee that goes to Paypal

Holtz Avocado Ranch

6 / 25 / 1412 / 3 / 14

California Avocados

I have a love affair with California avocados, ever since I was a little girl, I could never get enough. My grandmother used to feed us mashed avocado on toast with a little salt and pepper every day during the season and it is still my favorite for breakfast! Or even a little snack.

A couple of weeks ago I went to visit an avocado farm, but not just any farm, Holtz Family Avocado Farm in Escondido. Their forest of avocado trees is just so beautiful; it’s so inspiring just to walk the grove. Growing these avocados is a three-year process from budding the growth to blooming and then a year for the fruit to ripen. You can see the baby avocados, which will be ready for next years harvest, hanging on a tree right next to the avocados that are being picked for this years harvest. Avocados like to grow up in the light and when the trees get too tall it can be dangerous picking but the farm hands are experienced and work with the family year round.

The Holtz family grow mostly Hass avocados but some Reeds as well and they have a unique way of getting great avocados directly to you, they pick them at the perfect time and then ship them to you in their specially designed boxes. All avocados are hand picked and shipped the same day; the ripening comes on your end with easy step by step instructions that are enclosed in your ‘Hand Grown in California’ avocado box. Simple, easy and delicious California avocados can be ordered from their website, California Avocados Direct.
And for inspiration on recipes, stories and life on an avocado ranch visit Mimi’s blog at Mimi Avocado; tell her Chef Debbi sent you!

Use California avocados in Chef Debbi’s Gazpacho recipe! Gazpacho recipe here.