Rock shrimp tacos lunch special today

Chef Steve's $9.00 lunch special at the farm restaurant today rock shrimp tacos with shredded cabbage cilantro pico de Gayo and avocado sour cream

BBQ Pork Ribs

This is one of my favorites, barbecue pork ribs. It was a $9 lunch special on Presidents Day. Come see what tomorrow's $9 lunch special is going to be. You can be sure I will make this one again.

Method Recipe for Ribs

St Louis style pork ribs             5 each racks

Liquid smoke                             1 tbsp

Water to cover

Put the ribs in an oven pan that will hold them. Cut them into portions if necessary. Add the water and liquid smoke then cover the pan with foil. Bake at 350 for 1 hour 45 min in a convection oven 1/2 hour more if not convection. Let the ribs cool. When ready to serve heat on a char broiler or BBQ grill. Brush with savory and sweet BBQ sauce and let the grill caramelize some of the sauce. Serve with your favorite sides.   

Valentines Day Winemakers Dinner

At the Apple Farm Restaurant

Featuring Vines on the Marycrest

and the culinary pairings of 

Chef Steven Smeets and Chef Stephen Walls

This was the table setting outside on our heated patio

We started with champagne and butler passed appetizers of Serrano wrapped pear with blue cheese

 First course: Fried oysters with Meyer lemon aioli

Paired with Viognier

Second course: House-made chicken and basil sausage with pork belly, white bean puree and sauteed exotic mushrooms with mustard greens

Paired with Estate Zinfandel

Third course: Baby vegetable salad with beets, carrot and micro greens

Paired with Heart of Glass a classic GSM  59% Grenache, 29% Syrah, 12% Mourvedre

The main entree 

Medallion of filet Mignon with jumbo prawns

Lemon brown butter Haricot verts

Herb roasted potatoes and sauce Bordelaise    

Paired with Petit Syrah

Dessert was chocolate brownie pudding

Paired with Satin Doll 

A red blend of 62%Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 8% Syrah

It was and an amazing experience 

Charbroiled Calamari Sandwich

House-baked sandwich bun
Spicy remoulade
Lettuce, tomato, sweet Maui onion and arugula

I made this sandwich last week for our Saturday 9 dollar lunch special. I baked the sandwich roll that day. I gave it an overnight rise to give it extra flavor and texture. The spicy remoulade and arugula gave it a good kick.

Ingredients:

4 oz calamari steak

Sweet Maui onion sliced

Arugula

Green leaf lettuce

Sliced tomatoes

California olive oil

Spicy remoulade

Sandwich roll

Make the remoulade:

1 cup mayonnaise

3 tbsp creamed horseradish

2 tbsp chopped cornichones   

1 tbsp sweet pickle relich

1 tbsp chopped peppers

1 tbsp chopped scallion

1 tbsp allepo pepper 

1 tbsp cayenne pepper

Mix all ingredients and use as a spread or dip for seafood

Method:

Brush the calamari steak with olive oil and sprinkle on salt and pepper to taste.

Cook on a char broiler or BBQ grill about 3 min per side 

Spread 1 tbsp of remoulade on the sandwich roll, place the grilled calamari steak, then the lettuce, tomato, onion and arugula. 

 

Hearty Beans Recipe

Winter is the perfect time for a pot of hearty beans. Any hearty bean will do. You can cook several beans together. I have made 17 bean soup this way and it's terrific. I like white beans a lot so I'll use them in this recipe. I also use a homemade chicken stock for the cooking liquid, this way I can use fresh produce in the stock. This recipe is so easy to make and hands on involvement time is around 25 min. and cooking time 3 1/2 hours.       

Ingredients

l lb dry white beans
1 medium yellow onion diced
1 smoked ham hock
1 tbsp dry oregano
5 cups chicken stock
2 cups Tuscan kale or spinach chopped 
salt and pepper to taste

Step 1. Soak the beans. Cover the dry beans with water by a few inches and soak over night. (Quick soak method): Add the beans to an 8 qt stock pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil then turn off the heat and let sit for 1 hour.

Step 2.
For both methods, drain the water. Put the beans, onions, ham hock and oregano into an 8 qt stock pot and cover with the stock. Bring to a boil, skim the scum then reduce the heat and let it simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Add more chicken stock if necessary. Do the 5 bean test. Taste 5 beans and if just one of them is under done keep cooking till a test of 5 beans results in all tender beans.

Step 3.
Remove the ham hock then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve in soup bowels with crusty bread and butter.    

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