One of my all time favorite food is dungeness crab. I love a classic crab cocktail like the kind you get on the wharf in San Francisco. But crab cakes show off the flavor of the crab in a different way. UN-masked from horseradish and other high note flavors in cocktail sauce these crab cakes deliver a great crab flavor which is a bit sweet and briny. Serve with a homemade tartar sauce or remoulade.

Here is my the recipe for the crab cakes

1 lb                Dungeness crab meat picked over for shells
1 cup              Mayonnaise
1/2 cup           Dry plain bread crumbs
1/2 cup           Green onions chopped
1 tsp               Old bay seasoning
1 tsp               Lemon zest    
1 Tbsp            Light olive oil

Pick the crab over with your hands feeling for bits of shell. Put the crab into a piece of cheese cloth and squeeze as much water out as you can. Mix all ingredients except the olive oil. Form into 2 oz cakes and heat the oil in a non stick pan or well seasoned griddle. Cook the crab cakes turning only once, brown each side being careful when turning since this recipe doesn't contain a lot of filler and there is no egg to bind the mixture. These crab cakes are exceptional.  

    

Easy Quick Pickled Vegetables

Quick Pickle Basic Recipe

1 ½ cups white vinegar

1 cup water

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

2 or 3 bay leaves

5 whole allspice berries
1 1 tsp brown mustard seed

3 juniper berries

1 tsp whole black pepper

1 tsp fennel seeds

5 whole cloves
1 large clove of garlic crushed

1 small hot chile such as habanero or scotch bonnet cut in half (optional)

Put the mustard seed, allspice berries, fennel seed, black pepper, whole cloves and juniper berries in a piece of cheese cloth and tie with a piece of string to make a sack.

1 lb of prepared fresh vegetables such as, baby carrots, cauliflower, sweet onion, beets, etc.

Here is a recipe for quick pickled red onion

1 lb of sliced red onion and ingredients above

Heat the vinegar and sugar in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add the spices, garlic and chili, reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes. Add the onions and simmer for 3 min while siring, then let them cool. After they have cooled you can put into jars or other container and keep in the refrigerator. The vegetables improve with time in the fridge, Soft vegetables like onions are ready to eat in a few hours, carrots take a few day. 

Farro Salad Recipe

Farro is an ancient and very nutritious grain.

I love the way farro is so forgiving when it cooks. You can cook it like pasta with lot's of water and salt and when it's done drain it. When drained it cools without a heavy starch so it doesn't get sticky.

It's high in fiber and protein. Almost twice as much as wheat. Per 1/2 cup, raw Farro has 6 gr protein and 5 gr fiber and 170 calories. Pretty impressive. 

Farro originated in the Fertile Crescent, where it has been found in the tombs of Egyptian kings and is said to have fed the Roman Legions. Italians have dined on farro for centuries. Now, with the revival of interest in whole grains, farro's popularity is gaining in the U.S. as well. Here is an easy recipe which is vegan and absolutely fantastic with eye appeal and flavor. Enough to make a vegan out of me. Well maybe not. But it really is that good.   

Farro Salad

Using locally farmed produce from a farmers market whenever possible adds a great value to this recipe.

Ingredients 

5 cups water

1 1/2 cups semi pearled farro

1 lb tomato evenly diced

1 medium shallot fine diced

1/4 cup chopped chives

1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives

6 each chopped green onions

1 bunch fresh asparagus spears separated and stalks cut thin

1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup California olive oil

1 tsp salt 

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Method

 Put the 5 cups water and 1 tbsp of salt into a medium stock pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a medium boil and cook for 25 min. Drain and cool in a big bowl. In the mean time prepare the rest of the ingredients. After the farro is cooked, drained and cooled add the rest of the ingredients. This is what it might look like.

Stir to incorporate all ingredients and serve as desired.    

Good food for good health

  

This was local, farm fresh heaven. I made this vegetarian pasta dish at home last night after a visit to the Paso Robles farmers market Tuesday afternoon.

I purchased baby artichokes. So tender and fast cooking. Fresh tomatoes, snap peas, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, onions, garlic, butter and Parmesan. This could be made vegan by eliminating the butter and Parmesan.

 I was just glad to be eating vegetarian. It doesn't happen often enough and when I do I like to keep it fresh and local. This was a really satisfying meal. Here is the recipe:

1. Brussels sprouts cleaned and quartered  12 ea
2. Asparagus stalks cut into 1" pieces         8 ea
3. Fresh tomato diced                                  2 small ea
4. Yellow onion large diced                        1 small
5. Sugar snap peas prepared cut in half       12 ea
6. Prepared baby artichokes                        6 ea
7. Linguine dry                                             8 oz
8. Olive oil                                                  4 oz
9. Butter                                                       2 Tbsp
10. Garlic chopped                                        3 cloves
11. Parmesan wedge                                      1 piece
12. salt and pepper to taste

Prepare the vegetables and start the linguine in a 4 qt pot of boiling salted water and cook for 9 - 12 minutes then drain.  In the mean time add the olive oil to a 10" saute pan and heat. Add the Brussels sprouts and saute for several minutes till the edges start to brown. Add 1/8 cup of water and cover. Cook for 2 minutes the remove the lid and add the onions and toss, saute for 2 minutes and add the garlic, saute for 1 minute then add the asparagus, snap peas, prepared baby artichokes and tomatoes. Saute till the asparagus is crisp tender about 3 minutes. Drain  the pasta when finished add the butter and sauteed vegetables and toss. Plate the dish then finish with fresh grated black pepper and Parmesan cheese.  

I am really excited about our new lunch menu coming up at the Apple Farm Restaurant. Under the direction of chef Steven Smeets chef de cuisine we have created some new and exciting menu additions and here is one of them

 

 Rosemary Crusted Ruby Trout 

with brown jasmine rice and 

sauteed kale with mushrooms and butter. 

The ruby trout has flesh the same color of light colored salmon but tastes just like trout. It's has a mild delicate taste that is enhanced with the rosemary crust. The Jasmine brown rice is superb in flavor and nutrition and the kale with mushrooms sauteed in butter adds a nice contrast and richness to the mild flavor of the trout.

Stay tuned for more updates and recipes.    

Easy Focaccia Recipe

Easy Focaccia Recipe

Start with 5 cups of flour and 2 teaspoons of salt. 

 

Stir two teaspoons sugar and 2 teaspoons active yeast into 1 1/2 cups of lukewarm water and wait till it gets frothy. 

 

Add a half cup of olive oil to the flour and stir then add the water, sugar and yeast.

Mix in a bowl by hand or in a mixer and knead for six or seven minutes to form a soft dough. 

 

It should look like this and should be soft and elastic.

 

Put a little oil in a bowl and roll around the dough then cover with plastic and let it rise to double. 

 

Punch it down and put 1/4 cup of olive oil in a 12 x 10 baking pan. Put the dough into the pan and spread the dough to the sides and pour a 1/4 cup of olive oil on top.

 

Push it into the edges of the pan and poke holes in it with your fingers aggressively.

 

 

Let it rise again and sprinkle with chopped rosemary.   

 

Bake at high temp 425 degrees for 20 - 22 minutes till internal temperature is 190 - 210 degrees  

Turn out of the pan and place on a cooling rack.

 

 Easy recipe, 20 - 30 minutes hands on time. 

A seafood item from our Sunday brunch

This was on our Saturday brunch today on the cold "all you can eat, gourmet buffet" at the Apple Farm. Baked salmon with fresh dill. There is so much more. Come in and see. Saturday brunch? Call us and find out what's going on
805 544-2040