Chef Jenn's Culinary Tales

Local Guava and Cream Cheese Tart

2012-01-13T14:23:00.000-08:00

2012 started with a bang for me. My first private party of the year was a local, organic, and sustainable dinner. Shopping for this dinner party was a great chance for me to wish "Happy New Year" to all my farmers market friends, farmers, fishmongers, and more.

This dessert was created when Laurel from Coral Tree Farm, suggested I use some of her guava puree. The farm had such a great guava harvest that they processed the guava into mason jars full of yummy pink puree (thankfully removing all the seeds and doing all the hard work for me).

The dessert has several steps, but if you have made cookies, cheesecake or home-made Jello you will be just fine. Don't let the length of the recipe scare you off.

May I suggest you serve this dessert with a nice cold glass of your favorite Riesling. The flavors of this dessert pair beautifully with it.

Guava and Cream Cheese Tart

Makes 1 (10 inch) Tart

½ lb Unsalted butter, room temperature

½ cup                   Sugar
1/8 tsp                  Salt
1                           Egg
1                           Egg yolk
1 tbsp                   Vanilla
2 cups                  All-purpose Flour
1 tbsp                   Lemon zest

8 oz Cream cheese, cubed and room temp.

1/3 cup       Sugar
1 large        Egg
1                 Egg yolk
¼ tsp          Vanilla
1 tbsp         Lemon juice

1 tsp Agar agar flakes

¼ cup                  Water
2 cups                   Guava Puree
1                           Vanilla Bean, cut in half a seeds scraped
1/3 to ½ cup         Sugar
¼ cup                   Myer lemon juice

In an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter sugar and salt.

On medium speed, mix until smooth.
With the machine running add egg yolk and vanilla; mix until smooth; making sure to scrape down the bowl.
Repeat with whole egg.
Add flour and lemon zest, all at once, and mix on low speed until just incorporated.
Place dough into a 10 inch removable bottom tart pan, cover dough with parchment paper. With the heal of your hand flatten dough and press into the bottom of the pan and refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.
Press dough into a thin layer and into the fluted edges on the tart pan. Trim excess dough.
Freeze shell until firm, about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Dock tart dough piece the flat bottom of the tart with a fork (all over).
Line shell with parchment paper and fill with pie weights.
Place tart pan onto a baking sheet; bake until edge is golden and bottom is set, about 15 minutes, then carefully remove pie weights and parchment (gently prick any bubbles with a fork to release air).
Increase oven temperature to 400°F and bake until bottom is pale golden (and does not have and melted butter liquid), 10 to 15 minutes more.
Let tart shell cool to room temperature.

Place cream cheese, sugar, whole egg, egg yolk, vanilla and lemon juice into an electric mixer and beat with paddle attachment until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Pour filling into tart shell and smooth with rubber spatula. Cover tart shell edges with foil, to keep from burning.
Bake tart for 10 to 15 minutes, or until cream cheese has puffed lightly and looks dull.
Cool tart and filling to room temperature.

Combine water and agar agar flakes in a medium sauce pan; stir let rest for 15 minutes to rehydrate.

Place guava puree, vanilla bean (and scraped seeds), sugar and Myer lemon juice in a double boiler. Cook over medium heat till guava puree is heated through and sugar is completely dissolved.

Cook agar agar and water over medium heat, bring to a boil and reduce heat to low.
Cook till agar agar flakes are dissolved and remove from heat.
Strain agar agar into cooked guave. Whisk to combine.
Remove vanilla bean from guava and pour into tart shell.
Refrigerate overnight to set.

Amazing October Cooking Classes and a sneak peak of December Classes

2011-10-03T11:52:00.000-07:00

Chef Jenn's Upcoming Cooking Classes

Sea Rocket Bistro Pop-up Cooking Class

We have scheduled our next pop-up cooking class at Sea Rocket Bistro…this time it’s all about awesome Vegetarian cooking!!

Menu~ subject to minor
changes

“Farmers Market” Panzanella
Salad (a toasted bread salad with local seasonal vegetables) and a Sherry
Vinaigrette

Roasted Winter Squash and
Carrot Soup Topped with Creamy Goat Cheese and Shaved Carrots

Whole Wheat Lasagna Rolls
with Vegetable Bolognese and Sautéed Mushrooms

“

Natilla” a Spanish Custard
Pudding Flavored with Cinnamon, Vanilla and Citrus

Menu includes a local Pacific
Redwood Organic Pinot Noir pairing with the entree.

Classes are a blast and sell out super quick!

Cost for the class is $65 per person and seats can be reserved by calling Chef Jenn Felmley at 858 212 9054 or e-mailing jlfelm@yahoo.com. The cost is all-inclusive for food, pairing, tax, and culinary instruction. Classes from 3 to 6 pm on Sunday October 16.

And

Urban Farm Cooking Class

Coral Tree Farms, just off of Requeza Ave in the heart of Encinitas, and Chef Jenn Felmley are combining to bring you cooking classes.

This wonderful day on the farm will start with a tour of Coral Tree Farm (including the cute and cuddly animals). Followed by a cooking demonstration and tasting by Chef Jenn Felmley.

Classes will be held SUNDAY October 23 from 1 to 3 pm , $30 Per person, part of the proceeds will go towards Laurels future desires for the farm!

RSVP with Chef Jenn, classes are limited to 20 people and sell out quick!!!!
For more information got to http://chefjenncooks.com/?page_id=43

And

As always my classes through San Dieguito Adult Education in La Costa and Del Mar

10/10~ Farm Fresh Vegetarian Class at La Costa Canyon

11/2~ Updates Thanksgiving Classics at Torrey Pines High School
11/30~Noel French Christmas Dinner at Torrey Pines High School
12/1 Fest of the Seven Fishes at La Costa Canyon High School
12/14 Noche Buena- Mexican Holiday Feast at Torrey Pines High School

Click here to sign up for classes in Del Mar and La Costa

Slow Food vs. Fast Food...take the $5 challenge with me

2011-09-02T14:34:00.000-07:00

The$5 Challenge is a response to the First Lady’s challenge to the nation to end the childhood obesity epidemic in a generation. In addition to Michelle Obama, a handful of other influencers such as celebrity chef Jamie Oliver and author Michael Pollan have increased public concern about the impact the industrial food system has on our health and the environment. The campaign is a way for everyday people to build and to share their own solutions.

In response to a lack of access to fresh fruits and vegetables, people eating more fast food than home-cooked meals, and increasing rates of diet related disease, Slow Food USA had created the $5 Challenge campaign. The organization, a national non-profit working for good, clean and fair food for all.

The $5 challenge encouraging people across the country to cook slow food that costs no more than five dollars per person. Slow food – the opposite of fast food – is food that is good for those who eat it, good for farmers and workers, and good for the planet. Get together with family, friends and neighbors for a slow food meal that costs no more than $5 per person. Cook a meal with family and friends, have a potluck, or find a local event.

The largest obstacle to Organic and healthy eating is the price and time. For many peop

I want to help change those perceptions, here is a meal that can is inexpensive, easy, can be made as easier with a few ready to use products or made from all farm fresh/ farmers market items. Food needs to fit you and your needs.

Seared Local Fish “Sticks” with Herb Tartar Sauce

Local Vegetable Slaw

And

Baked Potato ChipsServes 4

Potato Chips:

½ lb Potatoes, scrubbed

1 tbsp Vegetable (coconut oil or local avocado oil)

Slaw: This slaw is based of of items found year round in my local farmers markets, but you could make this into a salad using what ever vegetables are available in your local area.

Lets be honest, the time to cut and chopp is not always available. If you do not have the time you can buy a bag of "Slaw" mix in your grocery store. I personaly like the "Broccoli Slaw" mix.

1/4 head Cabbage, thinly sliced

1 large Carrot, peeled, grated and pressed to remove excess liquid

4 small Radishes, halved and thinly sliced

1 large Apple, cut into thin matchsticks

2 tbsp Apple cider vinegar

1 tsp Dijon or other mustard

2 tsp Olive oil

1 tsp Honey

Fish sticks: I went with stick; kids love anything in a stick form and it makes the serveing size look alot larger . Check with Catalina Offshore Product for the best prices for fresh local seafood, at the time I put this recipe together they had Yellowtail on sale for $3 a pound.

2 tsp Vegetable oil (coconut oil or local avocado oil)

¾ lb Fish fillet boneless, skinless

1 tsp Ground coriander

Herb Tartar Sauce: This ia a great wat to use the fresh herbs you have growing in your garden!!

¼ cup Mayonnaise

¼ cup Flat leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped

2tbsp Dill or tarragon, stem removed finely chopped

1 tbsp Onion, minced

1 tbsp Lemon, juiced

1 tsp Lemon zest

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Line a baking sheet with a silpat or parchment paper and set aside.

Slice potatoes as thinly as possible using a mandolin. Spread slices out evenly on baking sheet with silpat and drizzle with 1 tbsp vegetable oil.

Bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown. As soon as potatoes come out of oven, sprinkle with salt and lightly toss to combine.

Prepare slaw: In a large bowl, mix cabbage, carrot, radishes and apple. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, 2 tsp olive oil and honey. Toss with cabbage mixture.

For Herb Tartar sauce: Place onions, dill, parsley, lemon zest and lemon juice in a bowl, stir in mayonnaise. Season with salt and pepper.

Prepare fish sticks:. Cut into 8 equal portions, into a rectangular stick about 2 1/2 inches long. Heat 2 tsp oil in a large nonstick skillet for 1 minute on medium high heat. Season fish with salt, pepper and coriander; add fish sticks to pan and cook, for about 4 minutes or until golden brown and just cooked through. Serve with potato chips, herb tartar sauce and slaw.

Looking for a great local event?

You're invited to take back the "value meal" by participating in the $5 challenge

Together We Can Take Back the Value Meal - The $5 Challenge at Amici Park in Little Italy

9AM-1:30 PMJoin Slow Food supporters across the nation on Saturday, Sept. 17th at Amici Park (alongside the Little Italy Mercato) for Slow Food USA's National Day of Action.
At Noon
Bring your own lunch that you prepared, or bought at the Little Italy Mercato, for $5 or less join other community members in a lunchtime convivium of local and accessible food prove that fruit can be cheaper than Froot Loops and happy can be found outside of the Happy Meal box!
Slow Food Urban San Diego leaders will be on hand from 9am - 1:30pm to answer questions and provide information on the current membership drive where your donation -- in any amount -- will make you a member or renew your membership.

Dallmann Fine Chocolates in Del Mar

2011-09-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

Is it heaven or is it a curse that this amazing chocolate shop is just minutes from my house?

On a recent day of gluttony; a friend from San Diego Food and Wine and I spent a day tasting our way through Solana Beach. After a very long lunch we capped of our day with a 25 piece box of Dallmann's fine chocolates. WHAT A WAY TO END THE DAY!!

You may not have heard of Dallmann, as they are new to the San Diego area. But they are not new, Dallmann started in 1954 when Guenther Dallmann opened his pastry shop in St. Gilgen, Austria. Today Guenther's daughter Sylvia, together with her husband Franz, have expanded Dallmann family business into San Diego, California. Keeping with the family tradition of using only the finest ingredients, Isabella hand makes Dallmann gourmet chocolates using the original family recipes.

Dallmann Chocolate Boutique is located next to Pannikin, in the upper level of Flower Hill Promenade.

After trying every flavor in the shop ( I have such a hard job); my favorite flavor is the "Spicy Passion". Fresh Passion Fruit Caramel encased in bittersweet chocolate decorated with togarashi, a Japanese 7-spice blend that typically includes red chile flakes, and dried orange peel.

Dallmann Fine Chocolate Boutique is excited to offer in store chocolate tastings!!
Every Thursday they will be hosting tasting events at the Flower Hill Mall, Del Mar location. Some events will be in partnership with other local artisans such as Venissimo Cheese, Temecula Olive Oil or Ballast Point Brewery to taste some of the best foods San Diego has to offer.
Upcoming classes include Chocolate and Scotch on September 8th, Chocolate and Cheese on September 22 and more.

These tasting events are limited to 14 people and require reservations. Sign up online or call 858-720-1933.

Tons and Tons of Great Hands-on Classes!!!

2011-08-24T21:26:00.000-07:00

Vegan Cooking Class!

Classes are a blast and they include one-on-one instruction from a professional culinary instructor, are totally hands-on, and after dishes are prepared, everyone sits down to enjoy the meal together. You’ll learn all steps of the cooking process from beginning to end, and recipes are provided for you to take home.

Menu~subject to... minor changes
Vegetable and Tofu Tempura with Green Goddess Dipping Sauce

Warm Spinach and Arugula Salad with Cherries and Warm Shiraz Dressing

“Cheesy” Polenta Cakes with Sauteed Tomato and Garlic Sauce Topped with Fresh Basil

Lavender Tea Cookies with Seasonal Fruit Compote

Menu includes a local wine pairing with the entree.

Cost for the class is $65 per person and seats can be reserved by calling Elena at 619-997-8043 or e-mailing elena@searocketbistro.com. The cost is all-inclusive for food, beer pairing, tax, and culinary instruction, and will run from 6pm-9pm, August 29.

Farm Fresh Cooking Classes

Come take a fun cooking class and help supprt your local farmer!

These classes are 2 weeks (or 2 nights of classes) with an opptional farm tour day

$88 for Vegetarian and $92 for Non-Vegetarian

Fresh, seasonal, cooking class; combined with a tour of a local farm (optional). Students may join Chef Jenn on Sunday for a tour of a farm in Encinitas, where they will get to pick and purchase local produce, as well as see how Chef Jenn creates her seasonal menus for class from the fresh produce available.

Classes will showcase an array of seasonal vegetables available locally, with recipes.

Learn how to cook, shop and eat delicious meals.

Each class will showcase cooking, cutting, presentation and various culinary techniques

at Torrey Pines High School Vegetarian

Sept. 12 - 19, Mondays

at Torrey Pines High School Non-vegetarian
Sept. 26 - Oct. 3, Mondays

Click here to sign up online (for both classes)

French Country Cooking Class

This class is 4 weeks long ( 4 classes) $143

Come explore the best of France!

This 4 week series will give you what you need to create fabulous French dishes from simple ingredients in your own home. Each class will showcase recipes from different regions of France. French country cooking is simple flavor combinations and lots of fresh (local) produce. French food is based on seasonality and the beauty of French cuisine lies in the combination of seasonal produce, flavorful fresh herbs and simple ingredients.

at Torrey Pines High School

Sept. 8 - 29

Click here to sign up online

St. Germain and Grapefruit Popsicles

2011-08-15T10:59:00.000-07:00

For this month's farm class at Coral Tree Farm I made some amazing St. Germain and Grapefruit popsicles. Laurel (the amazing farmer) told me of her beatiful grapefruits that had been sitting on the tree getting sweeter by the day and how I had to use them.
My first thought was that I had to make a popsicle. My second thought was "what kind of booze do I want to put in my popsicle?"
I had to go with St. Germain.

This has been the summer of St. Germain cocktails, as just about every grea restaurant in San Diego (from Bankers Hill to Urban Solice) has created some kind of refreshing summer cocktail with St.Germain.
It is hard to describe to the flavor of St. Germain, but I promise it will be love at first sip! I like to say it has the aroma of lychee, the flavor of honey suckle, jasmin and wild flower honey. Even the people at St. Germain have a hard time explaining what their product tastes like;
"Neither passionfruit nor pear, grapefruit nor lemon, the sublime taste of
St-Germain hints at each of these and yet none of them exactly. It is a flavor
as subtle and delicate as it is captivating. A little like asking a hummingbird
to describe the flavor of its favorite nectar. Très curieux indeed, n'est-ce pas?"

St. Germain Grapefruit Popsicles

Makes 10-15, depending on the size

1 cup Sugar

1 cup           Water
3 cups         Grapefruit juice
½ cup          St. Germain (elderflower liqueur)
1/3 cup       Myer lemon juice

2 Grapefruits’, segmented and cut into small pieces

Mix the water and sugar together in a small pan over a low heat, and bring up to boil until the sugar dissolves. Allow the simple syrup to boil for 4 minutes, remove from heat and cool.

Combine the grapefruit juice, St. Germain, myer lemon juice and 1cup of the cooled syrup. Adjust to taste amount of simple syrup, you may want to add a tablespoon or two extra syrup if you prefer them less tart. The mixture will taste slightly sweeter in liquid form than it does when frozen.

Pour into popsicle molds, add grapefruit pieces and freeze at least 8 hours or overnight. To remove, run the molds quickly under hot water, and gently pull out the pops.

Food and Foodie at The San Diego County Fair

2011-06-14T18:57:00.000-07:00

This foodie recently spent the day at the San Diego County Fair (I was lucky enough to get a "Best Pass Ever"..a kind of season pass for the fair as a present) and I plan on spending many more.
As a foodie I was not that interested in the ride or the nick-nack vendors. What I wanted was the food!! And food I got.

My day started with a Cinnamon Roll with Frosting and Nuts, from Old West Cinnamon Rolls. This one was a super easy choice...it was the first booth I hit when I got in the gate. This was good, super sweet and I think I may have developed diabetes after the third bite.

Followed that up with a pulled pork sandwich…looked better than it tasted.

Grilled Artichokes...that is at least what they said it was. But it had no "grill" flavor. As for the sides; there was this stuff they called butter and mayonnaise. The mayonnaise was a good place for me to start; I found the toppings table and add parmesan cheese, garlic salt seasoning and hot sauce. Would not have been able to eat it without making my changes.

Hands down the best new addition to the fair is PINK'S HOT DOG

May I suggest you order the Martha Stewart Dog ...relish, onions, bacon, chopped tomatoes, sauerkraut & sour cream
This was the best thing I ate all day!!!!

We all know that the fair is all about fried food. My adventure started with Fried Fogs Legs, they where ok. The fries where aweful!

For the finally, Fried Girl Scout Cookie (thin mints to be exact). Interesting. I love thinn mints and I think I would still love them any way they where served. Even in crumy batter and fried in dirty oil.

Pictures of Cooking Class with Chef Jenn

2011-06-13T16:23:00.000-07:00

With amazing summer classes about to start I want to share with you some pictures from recent cooking class; to give you a good visual idea of what these classes are all about .... and give you some cooking class inspiration.

Classes start with a demonstration. Where I review the recipes, teaching you all the detailed tips and tricks you will need to create an incredible meal.

Classes are hands-on!

Students are broken into teams and as a team they create the menu for the evening.

As you cook I am just a step away to answer with any questions you might have.

Students learn how to stylishly plate their creations.

As well as eat their creations!!

If you are wondering when you can take a cooking class; this summer’s classes are starting soon!

Mediterranean Cuisine (2 weeks)

July 11 - 18

Summer Backyard Favorites (4 weeks)

July 6-27

Mexican Favorites Made Healthy (2 weeks)

July 7 - 14

For more information or to sign up online click here

Or call (760) 753-7073 ext. 5103

For any other questions about these classes or for information about private classes, please contact Chef Jenn at (858) 212- 9054 or jlfelm@yahoo.com

Vegetarian “Like Water for Chocolate” Chiles with Walnut Sauce, stuffed with Lentils

2011-06-13T00:35:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have taken a vegetarian (or vegan) cooking class from me this recipe will be very familiar. And for those of you who have not been lucky enough to take one of my cooking classes; I thought I would be kind enough to share this recipe with you.

Like Water for Chocolate is an amazing book, and a good movie, about a young Mexican girl (Tia) and her long and heart wrenching story of love and food. How these two mold her life, in both virtuous and ruthless ways.

This dish, Chiles in Walnut Sauce, are served at a wedding feast (and if I told you the whole story you would never read the book or see the movie, and you really need to read the book and see the movie); putting several very special ingredients into the sauce and shares something very special with the wedding party.

“Like Water for Chocolate” Chiles with Walnut Sauce, stuffed with Lentils

Serves 8

1 ¼ cups Red lentils

2 Cinnamon sticks
2 ½ cups Water

For filling

¼ cup          Cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp   Sugar
15               Dried apricots, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup       Golden raisins
1 cup           Water

½ tsp Ground allspice

½ tsp          Freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 cup       Raw almonds, coarsely chopped
1cup           Yellow squash, small dice
1 tsp           Orange zest
4 oz            Oaxacan cheese, cut into small cubes

8 large Poblano chiles (approximately 2 lb total), roasted, peeled and seeded

For sauce

½ cup                   Walnuts, roughly chopped
2 tbsp to ¼ cup    Raw almonds, roughly chopped
1 to 1 ½ cup         Half and half
1 tbsp                   Sugar
¼ tsp                    Salt

4 oz Queso fresco, crumbled

½ cup Fresh pomegranate seeds**

In a small saucepot simmer lentils and cinnamon sticks in water until just tender but not falling apart, 20 to 30 minutes, and drain.

Combine cider vinegar, sugar, dried apricots, golden raisins and water in a saucepot. Cook over medium low heat, simmering till fruit is plump and rehydrated, or until liquid is evaporated (about 8 minutes).

In a large bowl stir together ground allspice, nutmeg, almonds, yellow squash, orange zest and cheese. Add to cooked fruit; along with lentils, gently stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Divide filling among chiles, then close, overlapping sides of openings slightly. Transfer, seam sides up, to a foil lined shallow baking dish, then cover with foil Bake until heated through and squash is tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

While the chiles cook, purée walnuts, almonds, 1 cup half and half, salt and sugar in a food processor or blender; until smooth and silky, about 2 minutes.

(Sauce should coat back of a large spoon. If sauce is too thin, add more almonds and puree. If too thick, add more half and half.)

Transfer chiles to plates; pour walnut sauce over each chile, leaving some of chile visible, then sprinkle chiles with pomegranate seeds and Queso fresco.

* To roast the peppers; place the poblano pepper on a low flame on the gas burner or bbq and burn the outside skin. Don't be alarmed if you hear popping from the pepper. Place in a brown paper bag till cool enough to touch. Rub the burnt skin off of the pepper. Cut an opening on the side of the pepper and scrape out the seeds and membranes, leaving the stem intake (if possible).

**If pomegranates are not in season you can substitute finely diced dries cherries, cranberries or pomegranate flavored cranberries.

URBAN FARM PARTY! Coral Tree Farms, an urban farm in the heart of Encinitas

2011-06-03T22:32:00.000-07:00

URBAN FARM PARTY! Coral Tree Farms, an urban farm off of Requeza Ave in the heart of Encinitas. If you have not heard of it you are not alone, but trust me when I tell you there is an amazing farm with a even more amazing farmer right under your nose.

This Saturday they are having an open house and you are invited!
The party and tasting event, with tastings from Stone Brewing Company, Haggo's Organic Taco, and Vignette Cupcakes. As well as cooking demonstrations from yours truely.

This event is a fundraiser to help pay for an unexpected requirement from the water district.
http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/event.php?eid=217918278233343

I am planning on making a couple of fun recipes to showcase some of the wonderful produce from the farm.

Swiss Chard with Leeks and Golden Raisins

Serves 4

2 tbsp Olive oil

2 tbsp Leeks, green removes and whites sliced thin

6 cups Swiss Chard, soaked, tough separated- (stems chopped into small pieces and leaves coarsely chopped)

¼ cup Water

1 tbsp Honey

1 tbsp Golden Raisins

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and add leeks; cook till translucent. Add water and chard stems. Cover and reduce heat to low, cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and add chard leaves and season with salt and pepper ;cook for 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat or until chard just starts to become tender. Add honey and raisin; stir and cover.

Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until chard is tender and raisins plump.

Taste for seasoning and serve.

Pickled Beets and Spring Garlic

Makes 3 Pint Jars

12 small to medium Beets, tops and tips removed

2 tbsp White wine vinegar

2 tbsp Olive oil

Salt and pepper

1/3 cup Spring garlic*, sliced thin

3 cups White wine vinegar

1/3 cup Sugar

1 tsp Kosher salt

1 tbsp Pickling spice, divided

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place beets, vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper onto a large sheet of aluminum foil. Fold into a foil pouch and place onto a cookie sheet; roast in the oven for 40 minutes. Cool completely, rub off skins from the roasted beets and slice thinly.

Sterilize preserving jars and lids.

Arrange, in 1-quart jars, alternating layers of beets and spring garlic. And add ½ teaspoon pickling spice in each jar.

In a small sauce pot combine kosher salt, white wine vinegar, sugar, and remaining pickling spice; bring to a boil and cook till sugar and salt are dissolved. Stirring occasionally.

Divide vinegar mixture into jars and filling to within ½ inch of rim.

Top with covers and twist to seal.

In a large pot cover jars with water and allowing 1 to 2 inches of water to cover jars (you may need to add extra water for this). Bring liquid to a boil and gently boil for 10 to 15 minutes.

After processing, remove jars and set them upright on a towel to cool 12 to 24 hours. Do not retighten bands. Once jars are cool, test each one for a seal by pressing the center of the lid. The lid should not flex up and down (if it does, immediately refrigerate or reprocess with a new lid for the full length of time).

Label, and store jars in a cool (50° - 70° F/10° - 20°C), dry, dark place for up to one year. After opening, refrigerate, and use within 1 month.

For additional information on canning go to eatingwell.com/go/canning

*If you do not have spring garlic substitute with spring onions or leeks sliced and 3 whole cloves garlic

Dates Shakes and Anthony Bourdain

2011-05-31T10:05:00.000-07:00

Not until I watched Season 4 of No Reservations (with Anthony Bourdain) did I have any idea that Palm Dessert was the home of the famous Shields Date Garden and there amazing Date Shake. Oh and an interesting movie about the "Romance and Sex Life of a Date"...that is something you will have to see for yourself.

On a recent trip out to Palm Dessert I had to stop and try one, and I am so happy I did.

Quick note: Shields has recently opened a Cafe in the court yard of the gift shop, it is ok. For the true date shake experience you need to belly up to the old fashioned soda fountain.

For some the thought of a milk shake made with dates may not sound all that good. But I am here to tell you it is delish! I fell in love from the very first sip. So much so I had to buy some of the magic date crystals used to make this shake so I could make shakes at home.

Date Crystals are dates that have been air dried and the natural sugars have crystalized. They are hard as rocks!

The recipe for this tasty treat is pretty simple.

Shields Date Shake

Makes a 16 oz

To make Date Paste:
1/4 cup of Shields Date Crystals
1/3 cup Milk
To make Date Shake:
1/4 cup Date Paste from above
1 cup Vanilla Ice Cream
1/2 cup of very cold Milk

Blend with a drink blender and enjoy.

Battle Crab Cake with Baja Crab from Catalina Offshore Products

2011-05-26T20:28:00.000-07:00

Recently my favorite fish monger (Tommy Gomes at Catalina Offshore Products) introduced me to hiz newest product, Baja Crab. A flaky, sweet, lump pacific stone crab meat.

You can imagine my excitement, I could not wait to get home and play with crab cakes and crab salad (let's be honest, just standing in from of the fridge eating directly from the tub).
I one question to ask myself; "should I make a Maryland style crab cakes or a Southern style crab cakes." That is where battle crab cake began.

Southern Style Crab Cakes (left) and Maryland Crab Cakes (right) with coriander pickled corn and blanched green beans.

The results, they both won. That is we love the flavor of the Southern style crab cake, with its bell peppers and Creole Seasoning. While we agreed that the light texture of the Maryland crab cake was amazing. The next step is to buy another tub of crab meat and perfect a recipe for the marriage of the two.

Perfect Vodka Tonic

2011-05-25T14:43:00.000-07:00

To know me is to know that I love Stoli and Tonics. It is my go to drink. If you have never had this amazing cocktail it is as simple as Vodka and Tonic with a splash of lime. The perfect refreshment for really hot days!
Sounds easy enough to make, but it is surprising how many people do it wrong!
I recently want to take my cocktail to the next level. With only 3 ingredient I did not have to go far to perfect it.
First is good vodka is KEY!! Cheap vodka will add nothing to the drink. I love Stoli (Stolichnaya), but most premium vodkas will do.
Second is tonic water.

My choice is Q Tonic, "the world’s best tonic water ", clean and crisp it really enhances the flavors of the vodka and the lime. This stuff is made by someone who really loves tonic and want to sell you the best product they can make. Made from the finest ingredients like hand-picked quinine from Peruvian Andes and organic agave.
Add a few limes from a back yard tree and some ice! Heaven awaits!!

Ingredients:

2 oz vodka
4 oz tonic water
Lime wedge

Fill highball glass with ice.
Add tonic and vodka, stir gently to incorperate
Squeeze lime over the glass and add into glass.

2 MINUTES W/ TOMMY

2011-05-10T09:21:00.000-07:00

I have said it before and I will say it again "Run Don't Walk To Catalina Offshore". Hands down the best, freshest seafood in San Diego. And of you go, go see this guy (Tommy Gomes). Remeber to be nice. As the price changes based on you additude.

Thomas Keller: A chef for all seasons

2011-04-28T10:49:00.000-07:00

The LA Times new series of monthly "Master Class" colums features some of America's best chefs shareing there tricks of the trade.
The series starts with a bang, Thomas Keller (the chef and owner of the French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., and Per Se in Manhattan, both of which have earned three stars from the Michelin guide, as well as Ad Hoc in Yountville and Bouchon Bistros in Yountville, Las Vegas and Beverly Hills.)
In the months to come; Nacy Silverton of Mozza and founder of La Brea Bakery, Tom Colicchio of Craft and the telveision series "Top Chef", Sang Yoon of Father's Office and Lukshon and so many more.

Flow the link below for the full article, recipes and video.
Thomas Keller: A chef for all seasons

The Perfect Easter Ham!!

2011-04-23T22:29:00.000-07:00

For those of you that missed out on my Easter class, here is my recipe for the perfect glazed ham.
I love my pork products and this ham tops my list. With tons of flavor and a crisp, sweet crust. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!

Glazed Ham

With Maple Dijon Sauce
Serves 6 to 8

1 (5 to 6 lb) Smoked, spiral ham

Glaze:
½ cup Dijon mustard
½ cup Brown Sugar
¼ cup Honey
1/8 tsp Fresh nutmeg
¼ tsp Ground pepper

Sugar Crust:
1 cup Raw sugar

Maple Dijon Sauce:
1/3 cup Maple Syrup
1/3 cup Dijon mustard

Submerge ham in water and soak for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Line a roasting pan with foil.
Place ham, flat side down, into roasting pan and cover the ham completely with foil.
Place in oven and cook for 1 hour.
Remove ham from oven and increase oven temperature to 400°F.
In a bowl stir together glaze ingredients.
Uncover the ham, trim excess fat, score ham in a diamond pattern and coat ham with the glaze mixture; making sure to get into the diamond scores.
Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, basting half way through.
Remove ham from the oven and press the 1 cup of sugar to the outside of the ham; add a thin layer of sugar and melt with a torch. Heat the sugar until a crust forms, and turns a dark caramel color and repeat (adding a thin layer of sugar and torching).

Rest the ham for 10 minutes, before carving*.
In a bowl stir together maple syrup and mustard, till smooth.
Slice ham and serve with sauce.

* I prefer to serve my ham cold. If doing so torch the sugar crust just before serving to ensure a good crust.

Cooking for Lovers with Chef Jenn, Session 124

2011-04-23T09:58:00.000-07:00

Day at The Docks 2011...Pan Seared Corvina with Citrus Butter and Sauted Swiss Chard

2011-04-22T10:09:00.000-07:00

I recently spent the day at H and M landing in Point Loma. I was there for Day at The Docks. A wonderful day to celebrate our local sport fishing community. For me it was a day to help make and sell hundreds of fish taco with my friends from Catalina Offshore Products. The tacos were just a fun way to raise money for the Monarch School (at amazing place that helps to "prepare at-risk children to achieve success through the provision of an accredited education, enrichment programs, social skills training, support services and basic necessities").
But I could never just spend my time "slinging" fish tacos. I had to have some fun teaching. I was invited to do a cooking demonstration on one of the many beautiful sport fishing boats. I did a simple local corvina with a citrus butter and some sauted spinach and swiss chard. Here are the recipes.

Seared Corvina with Cirtus Butter
Serves 4

4 (6 oz) Corvina fish fillets, skinless
2 tbsp Peanut oil
4 tsp Ground coriander
2 tsp Garlic salt
Pepper

Brush fish fillets with peanut oil.
Sprinkle fish with coriander, garlic salt and pepper.
Heat a small non-stick skillet over medium- high heat.
Add fish fillet, flesh side down to the pan.
Cook, without moving, until brown crust forms, about 2 to 3 minutes.
Flip, top fish with citrus butter and cover pan: cook for 5 minutes or until fish is just cooked through

Citrus Butter
Makes 1 cup

1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
2 tsp Lemon zest
2 tsp Lime zest
1 tsp Orange zest
½ lb Unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ tsp Kosher salt

In a bowl stir together lemon juice, zest, butter, and salt. Roll into a log (using parchment paper) and refrigerate till cold and solid.

Sautéed Spinach and Swiss Chard
Serves 4

2 tbsp Olive oil
2 tbsp Shallots, sliced thin
3 cups Fresh spinach, washed tough stems remove
3 cups Swiss Chard, soaked, tough separated- (stems chopped into small pieces and leaves coarsely chopped)
¼ cup Water
1 tbsp Honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat; add shallots and cook about 30 second.
Add water and chard stems. Cover and reduce heat to low, cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and add chard leaves, season with salt and pepper ;cook for 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat or until chard just starts to become tender.
Add spinach and honey, stir and cover. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until spinach is tender.
Taste for seasoning and serve.

Chef Jenn's class in La Costa/Carlsbad and Del Mar

2011-04-18T14:56:00.000-07:00

NEW CLASS~French Country Cooking Part 1~
04/20/2011

Come join Chef Jenn Felmley, Certified Culinary Nutritionist and caterer on a journey to France!

French country cooking is based on seasonality and the beauty of French cuisine, flavorful fresh herbs and simple ingredients. The class will showcase the amazing fresh seasonal produce that San Diego has to offer, cooked in the beatiful style of French Country cooking.This 4 week series will give you what you need to create amazing French dishes in your own home.

At Torrey Pines High School
4 weeks of cooking classes for
$143
Click here to register

~Spa Cuisine Workshop~
04/21/2011

Have you ever wanted to cook like they do at local spa’s like Cal A Vie or Rancho La Puerta? Then here is your chance.

Flavor, satisfying, healthy and good for you food!

Come join Chef Jenn Felmley, culinary nutritionist and caterer, for this hands-on class. She will teach you how to cook (and eat!) 2 delicious meals. Each class will showcase cooking, cutting, presentation and various culinary techniques
Come try some of great new recipes and some with bold new flavors.

At La Costa Canyon High School
2 weeks of Hands-on Classes for $83
Click here to register

and more in the months to come;

Italian Trattoria Cooking 05/05/2011
French Country Cooking Part 2 05/18/2011
Gourmet Vegetarian 06/02/2011

To register online go to www.sdadulted.com

Or call (760) 753-7073 ext. 5103
For any other questions please contact Chef Jenn at (858) 212- 9054

Cultivating Food Justice 2001~ Unlocking Your CSA Bakset

2011-04-09T14:37:00.000-07:00

I spent a wonderful morning participating in Cultivating Food Justice; San Diegan will came together in City Heights to attend workshops, share knowledge, and discuss the sustainability, accessibility, and the health of our food system in San Diego and around the world.

The 2 amazing cooking demonstrations should not be limited to those who could attend! For those out you unable to attend the event here is the recipes and some of the information I discussed int class.
UNLOCKING YOUR CSA
San Diego has a CSA for everyone and there is a CSA right for you, check out these websites to find your perfect match (keys to look for- size of the box, drop off points, contents of the box, organic or non-organic, farm, etc.). Edible San Diego Magazine has an amazing list of CSA's, http://www.ediblecommunities.com/sandiego/markets-and-csas/local-csas.htm.

Suzie’s Farm- http://www.suziesfarm.com/index.php?/site/sanDiegoCSA/

Be Wise Ranch- http://www.bewiseranch.com/csa.htm

Garden of Eden Organics- http://www.goeorganics.com/

Tierra Miguel Foundation Farm- http://www.tierramiguelfarm.org/

Seabreeze Organics- http://www.seabreezed.com/

Beef CSA!! Green-Beef CSA-www.eatgreenbeef.com

Recipes:

Cold Beet Soup

Serves 6

1 ½ lb Whole beets, tops removed boiled or roasted* till soft, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp Olive oil
1/3 cup Shallot, peeled and chopped
1 cup Celery, chopped
1 tbsp Agave syrup
1 cup Water
1 cup Cranberry juice, no sugar added
2 cups Vegetable broth
1 tbsp Red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp Fresh herbs (dill, chives, etc)
¼ cup Crema or sour cream

Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat, add shallots and celery. Sauté till shallots are translucent. Add water and cook until soft, approximately 10 minutes.
Stir in agave syrup.
In a food processor or blender place beets, cranberry juice, vegetable broth, red wine vinegar, shallots, celery and cooking liquid; process till smooth.
Season with salt and pepper. Add water till desired texture is reached.
Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving, for flavors to blend.
Ladle into bowls and garnish with sour cream and herbs.

*To roast beets-

Preheat oven to 400°F. Trim greens from beets. Cut off and discard stems. Coarsely chop leaves and reserve. Wrap each beet in foil. Place beets directly on oven rack and roast until tender when pierced with fork, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Cool. Peel beets, then cut each into 8 wedges. Place beets in medium bowl.

Greens and Swiss Chard

Serves 4

2 tbsp Olive oil
2 cloves Garlic, minced
3 cup Fresh spinach, washed tough stems remove
5 cups Swiss Chard, Monarch Kale, Collard Greens, and Beet Greens; soaked, tough separated- (stems chopped into small pieces and leaves coarsely chopped)
¼ cup Water
1 tbsp Honey
1 tbsp Pine nuts
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and garlic, cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds and add water and chard stems. Cover and reduce heat to low, cook for 5 minutes. Remove cover and add chard and other greens, season with salt and pepper ; cook for 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat or until chard just starts to become tender. Add spinach and honey; stir and cover.
Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until spinach is tender.
Add pine nuts and taste for seasoning and serve.

Strawberry, Arugula, Sprouts, Fennel, and Carrot Salad with Cider Shallot Vinaigrette

Makes 3/4 cup dressing

2 tbsp Cider vinegar
1 tbsp Shallot, minced
2 tsp Honey
½ cup Olive oil

“Shake” together vinegar, honey, and shallots.
Then add oil and until combined well.
Season salad with salt and pepper; toss together salad ingredients and dressing.

Trials and Tribulations of Vegan Coconut, Ginger, Lemon Grass Tapioca Pudding

2011-03-26T13:46:00.000-07:00

I love to play with my food!

Recently I have fallen in love with vegan cooking and have had a ton of fun both converting old recipes and finding new recipes.

This is a recipe I have used for years, but when I converted it to a vegan recipe I turned out to be quite a challenge. I first thought that I could just convert the milk in the recipe to coconut milk, but it could never be that easy. When I did so the color turned gray and very unappealing. Then I tried coconut water, still no good. Finally a trip to my local Asian market (Ranch 99) gave me the answer I was looking for. Creamed Coconut!!

What you might as is creamed coconut, not to be confused with coconut cream, Creamed Coconut or known as Coconut Concentrate is the unsweetened dehydrated fresh meat of a mature fruit of coconut ground to a semi-solid white creamy paste. It is shelf stable! Creamed coconut (or other wise n=known as Coconut Concentrate) is creamy white color and tastes rich, creamy and mildly sweet with the essence of coconut.
Creamed Coconut can be used as ingredient for food and beverages that require coconut flavor. Such as sauces, soups, curries, cake, toppings, desserts, and so much more!

Here are the recipes for my Ginger, Lemon Grass, Coconut Tapioca; both the Vegan and original recipe. The vegan recipe will be featured in my Thai Vegan hands-on cooking class at Sea Rocket Bistro.

Which do you like better?

Coconut, Ginger, Lemon Grass, Tapioca ( Vegan)
Serves 6

2 (2 inch piece) Ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp Lime zest
4 stalks Lemongrass, tops removed, smashed and roughly chopped
2 ½ + 1 ½ cups Water
1 (50 gram) package Creamed coconut
½ cup Small pearl tapioca* (not quick-cooking)

1 cup (or as needed) Coconut milk
3 tbsp Sugar

1 Mango, peeled, cut into cubes

Combine ginger, lime zest, and lemongrass in a sauce pot add 2 ½ cups water. Bring to boil, boiling for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let steep uncovered 5 minutes.
Pour mixture into strainer and press on solids to release flavored liquid. Discard solids in strainer.
In a separate sauce pot, bring 1 ½ cups water to a boil and add creamed coconut. Stir to dissolve creamed coconut in water (a few small lumps is ok)
Add flavored liquid into a sauce pan along with tapioca, stir to combine and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until pudding thicken.
Once liquid has been absorbed add additional water as needed (just enough to thin out tapioca to prevent scorching or burning), stirring constantly.
Continue to add additional water and cook till tapioca is cooked through, stirring frequently, about 35 minutes.
Stir in 1 cup coconut milk and sugar. Cook till sugar is dissolved. Transfer to bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Add additional coconut milk to taste, more coconut milk will make for a thinner creamer pudding.
Serve layered with mango cubes.

Ginger and Lemon Grass Tapioca (Original)
Serves 6

2 (2 inch piece) Ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp Lime zest
4 stalks Lemongrass, tops removed, smashed and roughly chopped
2 ½ cups Water

2 cups Whole milk
½ cup Sugar
½ cup Small pearl tapioca* (not quick-cooking)
1 (14-ounce) can Coconut milk

1 Mango, peeled, cut into cubes

Combine ginger, lime zest, and lemongrass in a sauce pot add 2 ½ cups water. Bring to boil, boiling for 5 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let steep uncovered 5 minutes.
Pour mixture into strainer and press on solids to release flavored liquid. Discard solids in strainer.
Add flavored liquid and milk into a sauce pan along with tapioca, stir to combine and bring back to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer uncovered until pudding thicken.
Once liquid has been absorbed add additional water as needed (just enough to thin out tapioca to prevent scorching or burning), stirring constantly.
Continue to add additional water and cook till tapioca is cooked through, stirring frequently, about 35 minutes.
Stir in coconut milk and sugar. Cook till sugar is dissolved. Transfer to bowl, cover and refrigerate overnight.
Serve layered with mango cubes.

Top 20 Foods for the Perfect Pantry, from the Good ol' Gals Oceanside meeting

2011-03-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

As a cooking school teacher I always seem to have more food in my pantry, sometime more than even I know what to with. But there are several ingredients that are great to have on hand at all times to make an ordinary meal into an extraordinary meal. Having these simple items on hand will also make “throwing together” a meal much easier.

My list does not included things like “meat” and “potatoes”, everyone is at a different skill level. Your simple grilled New York strip steak with roasted potatoes is someone else’s baked chicken breast with minute rice. Everyone’s skill level is different but these items can help to add pizazz to anyone’s meal.

For instance, you have chosen to make diner. Where it is chicken, fish, or even steak for dinner tonight you can make it into a full meal.

Let’s start with a simple salad. Start by making a dressing. Combine vinegar, mustard, and honey. Slowly whisk in oil. Depending on your choices you can have any number of different dressings (from a simple vegetable oil and red wine vinegar to an expensive olive oil and aged balsamic). This can be used to top a simple bag of mixed greens or some sliced tomatoes and cucumbers.

For your main course, no matter with if you have chosen to use a meat or tofu. Or if you have chosen to bake broil or grill. Take a can of diced, strain of excess liquid and heat with herbs and spiced (coriander and oregano for a Mexican flavor, Italian seasoning for an Italian flavor, etc.) to make a chunky sauce to top your meat. Or cut up chunks of meat, sausage, shrimp, or tofu and combine with a can of diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and Creole seasoning for a quick Creole stew. Serve with some red beans and rice.

For me a meal is not complete without some kind of dessert. Try poached fruit (pears, apple, peaches, plums, etc.). In a sauté pan combine wine (anything that is not aged in oak..Merlot, Riesling, etc.), cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange zest and some kind of sweetener. Bring to a boil and reduce heat, add fruit and cover and simmer till fruit is fork tender. Remove fruit from wine and reduce poaching liquid to create a sauce. And to add a little extra chop some up some dried fruit and some nuts to create a topping.

I promise you with having the right items on hand will allow you to make a simple meals on a moments notice!

Basics

Sugar, Honey or Agave Nectar- Not just for dessert, add to salad dressing, use as a glaze for pork, pour over goat cheese with some lemon zest for a cheese platter.

Spices (cumin, coriander, nutmeg, curry, and more)- A well-stocked spice cupboards can be your best friend. Spice up your stews or poached pears with cinnamon and cloves.

Wine- Reduce wine to make a quick sauce, poaching liquid, marinade, you name it you can do it with wine

Salt &Fresh Ground Pepper- A good salt (kosher, sea salt, pinks salt ect.) will add tons of flavor to your food. Unlike iodized salt it has a flavor and over time you do not have to use as much. Fresh ground pepper can add great intensity to you food. Already ground pepper starts to loose it’s flavor the instant it is ground and continues to loose it’s flavor as it sit on your shelf.

Canned Foods

Stock or broth (Beef, chicken, fish or vegetable)-Use it to make a soup, sauce or just add to rice to boost flavor.

Canned tomatoes-These can save the day, add strained and mix with fresh herbs for a topping to meats or fish, quick stew, even an emergency salsa.

Tomato paste- Make a quick pasta sauce or use to make marinades. It can also be used to make thicken salad dressings, soups or sauces.

Beans-Canned beans are a quick and easy side dish, salad or dip.

Condiments

Soy sauce- Soup need a little something or can’t think what to marinate that chicken breast in, try soy sauce and honey.

Vinegar (Balsamic, White Wine, and Rice)- Incredible flavor enhancing powers. Make quick salad dressings, mixing together the vinegar or your choice with a small amount of honey and mustard, then slowly whisk in oil.

Mustard (From Dijon to ordinary yellow)- Use to thicken salad dressing, enhance the flavor of marinades, or combine with sour cream and lemon and use as a topping for broiled fish

Hot sauce- If something seems just not quite right with a sauce or the flavors just aren’t there, try some hot sauce.

Olive oil- Not just for salads, a good olive oil or even flavored oil can be great addition to cheese or drizzled over grilled shrimp or steak as a sauce that add richness.

Worcestershire sauce-This is the secret to many great meals. A dash here and a dash there and you will never have known your food could taste so good.

Extras

Lemons- Adds flavor to sauces, soup, dressings, etc. without adding excess calories. Don’t forget the zest, adds life to things like yogurt, fresh fruit, pasta and much more.

Garlic-Fresh garlic adds life to those dull meals. While roasted garlic can thicken a salad dressing.

Nuts- All nuts are good nuts! Toasted, chopped, purred or raw I am nuts for nuts. From pesto to goat cheese rolled in toasted chopped pecans there are so many options.

Capers- The little berry that could, for everything from tuna salad to pasta sauces. You never knew what you were missing.

Dried fruit (currants, cranberries, cherries, ect.)-Great for desserts, to a quick snack, as well as stuffing meats or added to a BBQ sauce.

Scallop and Shrimp Stuffed Halibut with Citrus Buerre Blanc,

2011-03-02T13:51:00.000-08:00

Scallop and Shrimp Stuffed Halibut with Citrus Buerre Blanc
Serves 4

1 ¼ lb Halibut fillets (about 4 medium)
2 tbsp Fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp Shallots, minced
½ cup Shrimp, peeled, deveined and roughly chopped
½ cup Bay scallops, tough hinge removed and roughly chopped
¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
2 Eggs, beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

¼ cup Unsalted butter, melted

2 or 3 Lemons sliced

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Gently fold together parsley, shallots, shrimp, scallops, bread crumbs, eggs and season with salt and pepper.

Lay sole fillets flat (with darker or skin side up) and lightly season with salt and pepper. Divide stuffing among fillets, fold thinner half of fillet over stuffing, tucking end under to form a packet.

Place 2 to 3 slices of lemon onto a parchment lines cookie sheet. Cover with fish rolls, seam side down.
Bake until just cooked through, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Place halibut, with lemon slices, onto a place and top with citrus buerre blanc.

Citrus Buerre Blanc
(Approximately 1 cup)

3 tbsp White wine vinegar
3 tbsp Dry white wine
1 tbsp Shallots, minced
¾ cup Chilled unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
1 tbsp Lemon zest
½ tsp Orange zest
½ tsp Lime zest
Salt and pepper to taste

In a medium saucepan combine white wine vinegar, white wine, and shallots.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook until mixture is reduced to a glaze (that coats the back of a spoon), about 5 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add butter, 1 piece at a time, whisking until just melted before adding more.
Add zest and season with salt and pepper; and serve.

~Chef Jenn's Upcoming Hands on Cooking Classes~

2011-01-19T14:37:00.000-08:00

Wanted to update all my friends and followers of my upcoming classes for Febuary and March!

Hands-on Vegan Valentines Cooking Class at Sea Rocket Bistro
On Sunday Feb 13 from 6 to 9pm, I will be at Sea Rocket Bistro in North Park teaching my Vegan, Vegetarian and any food lovers interesting in learning how to cook some vegan treats.
Menu includes:

Roasted Beet and Caramelized Onion Tart with Creamy Tofu Spread

Quinoa & Asparagus Salad with Blood Orange Vinaigrette

"Like Water for Chocolate" Roasted Chiles Stuffed With Lentils and Wheatberries and Topped with Walnut Sauce

Almond Citrus Olive Oil Cake with Raspberry Coulis and Champagne Pairing

Students will prepare the meal entirely themselves under the expert direction of Chef Jenn, as well as enjoying the meal, including a glass of champagne with dessert! You will learn everything necessary to prepare the vegan feast below from cutting to plating, along all recipes for future use.

Reserve a seat today!

E-mail elena@searocketbistro.com or call 619-997-8043.

For more information click here

Caribbean Delight's

Explore the bold flavors of the Caribbean. This hands-on, 4 week class will present you with all of the amazing flavors the Caribbean has to offer (like Jamaican Beef Patties, Flambéed Bananas, Coconut Pie, Spiced Roasted Chicken with Ham and Almond Stuffing, Jerk Chicken, Stewed Chayote Squash, Black Beans and Rice, Cuban Style Marinated Flank Steak and so much more! Chef Jenn will teach you what it takes to make, and eat, some really tasty dishes. Class will showcase the cuisines of Jamaica, Cuba, Puerto Rico, and more.

Wednesday 6:00 pm-9:00 pm at Torrey Pines High School $138.00(for all 4 weeks)

Cooking for Foodies

Foodies paradise! This hands-on 4 week series will work on intermediate and advanced (this class is not recommended for beginners) cooking techniques; as well as new culinary trends, seasonal cooking and much more. Students will get to explore recipes from all different cuisines (from Pan Asian to Classical French) along with the great seasonal bounties that San Diego has to offer. Recipes include: Seared Beef Steaks with Port Wine Reduction, Roasted Garlic Cream Spinach, Chocolate Framboise Cake, Spinach and Herb Stuffed Pork Loin Roast, and much more!

Thursday 6:00 pm-9:00 pm; at La Costa Canyon High School $143.00(for all 4 weeks)

To sign up online go to www.sdadulted.com

and more to come

Healthy Caribbean Delights 03/02/2011
Cooking For Foodies Part 2 03/03/2011

For any other questions please contact Chef Jenn at (858) 212- 9054
Or follow me on twitter Chef_Jenn

Catalina Offshore Products....and my friend Tommy Gommes

2011-01-02T17:04:00.000-08:00

(Seared Spot Prawns)

The other day I was shopping at Ranch 99 (Asian super market) and saw a line of people waiting for awful looking seafood and all I wanted to do was scream “RUN NOT WALK TO CATALINA OFFSHORE PRODUCTS”!!

I am guessing many of those people had never heard of Catalina Offshore Products, as many who read this blog may not be aware of them either. I have decided to make sure everyone knows about this place and just how amazing it is.

Catalina Offshore Products is a warehouse located just off Morena Blvd. There is no display cases or show rooms but what they do have is high-quality, sushi-grade fish, fresh seafood,lobster,and uni.

(Pank Parmesan Crusted Scallops)

(Grouper Seared in Rendered Lardo)

(New England Style Lobster and Shrimp Roll...from my Collaberation Kitchen event)

Tommy Gommes says it best “ If your not sure about seafood, come see me and we can make it easy for you to understand. While we are NOT a full retail fish shop, we are a seafood wholesale house and prices go up and down with market value. Sometimes swordfish, while fresh is $5 a pound and other times its $11.00 or more. So its best to call in.”

(Bluefun Tuna Carpacio with Wasabi Yuzu Sauce and Radish Sprouts)

You can find more info in a great article from Caron Golden.

Catalina in also extremely eco-friendly (there building is 90% powered by solar power) and sustainable. I really think this is what makes them unique. You get the all the peace of mind and great quality without paying extra for it!

They’ve been around for more than 25 years, beginning when founder Dave Rudie, a professional sea urchin (uni) diver, and his wife Kathy started processing the uni and seaweed he caught.

Even if you have never heard of Catalina Offshore, you may have heard of Tommy Gommes. Tommy is the head of public relations, but I would say it is more like “6 degree of Tommy Gommes”. Everyone on in this city seems to know and love him (especially me)! You can read all about him in recent articles on Sign on San Diego or San Diego Magazines “Top 50 people to Watch”.

Gomes also started a tasting event with local chefs called Collaboration Kitchen at Catalina and partnering with Specialty Produce. The once-a-month program brings together the best chefs in the area for seafood cooking demonstrations and a 5- to 7-course tasting meal that raises money for the Monarch School for homeless and at-risk kids. And I am so proud to say I have been at part of these amazing events, I am already planning my return in 2011.

You can call them at (619) 297-9797, find them online , watch them on Youtube or find them on facebook and twitter.

Become a member!! Creating an account on the Catalina webaite takes a couple minutes and gets you access to discounts up to 20% on seafood, a monthly newsletter with specials, new products, recipes, cooking tips, and free Catalina merchandise with qualifying orders and more!

Catalina Offshore Products is located at 5202 Lovelock St. San Diego, CA 92110. Hours for walk-ins are from

8am to 2pm Monday thru Friday
8am to 12:00 noon on Saturdays
CLOSED SUNDAY

Best to call ahead and ask what is new, place your order for pick up, “YES” you can trust Tommy to pick good fish :)

More picture of some of my amazing meals from Catalina

(Octopus Ceviche)

(Spicy Tuna Roll with Masago)

Rancho Santa Fe Farmers Market

2010-12-28T10:31:00.000-08:00

With the sun finally shining and the holidays over farmers markets are in full swing again! With so many amazing markets to choice from I thought I would profile one of the our wonderful local markets;

Rancho Santa Fe Farmers Market.
Where:

16079 San Dieguito Rd.
Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067

Hours:
9:00 am - 1:00 pm
Every Sunday Morning

The Rancho Santa Fe Farmers Market opened its’ “doors” for the first time on May 2, 2010 in the parking lot of the Del Rayo Village Center in Rancho Santa Fe. The market is sponsored by the Helen Woodward Animal Center who provides volunteers every Sunday to introduce adoptable pets from the center to market customers. As it is Rancho Santa Fe there are a few perks that you would not find at your other markets, like...

VEGGIE VALET – If you’d like to run errands in the center or have brunch after shopping in the marketplace…we can hold on to your market “haul”, keep your package(s) cool, and pass them over to you as you pull right up to the info booth on your way out.

BIKE VALET – Park your bike and our attendants will watch it while you shop… no need to lock it up.

You can also choose from some of your farmers markets staples vegetables, greens, herbs, fruits

farm fresh eggs, artisanal breads

fresh cut flowers, oils, honeys & jams, gourmet tamales, fresh fish, grass fed meats, fresh pasta, cheeses, freshly roasted coffee beans, grass fed pasturized poultry, nuts, artisanal chocolate, amazing local seafood (including oysters on the half shell, ceviche and more)

Still not sure if you will love this market, take a tour with one of my favorite chefs (Paul McCabe from 1540, if you have not been to eat his amazing food you should run not walk to the L' Auberge Hotel in Del Mar).

Jan and Feb Cooking Classes at Torrey Pines High School and La Costa Canyon High School

2010-12-26T13:43:00.000-08:00

~~~Chef Jenn's Upcoming Hands on Cooking Classes~~~

COOKING FOR BEGINNERS (click to sign up for class)
Wednesday 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm; 3 sessions starting January 5, 2011, ending January 19, 2011 at Torrey Pines High School

Are you lacking confidence in the kitchen? Do all the choices in the grocery store make yor head spin? This basic series will give you what it takes to make simple and tasty dishes (like a perfect steak, whole roasted chicken, mac and cheese, and more).
Tuition: $126.00

HEALTHY COOKING WORKSHOP (click to sign up for class)
Thursday 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm; 3 sessions starting January 6, 2011, ending January 20, 2011 at La Costa Canyon High School

If you're like me and you love flavorful, satisfying food but want it to be healthy and good for you, then you will love this class. You'll learn what it takes to make creative and tasty meals. Come try some of the great new recipes-some with bold new flavors, just like you would have at a spa.
Tuition: $126.00

To sign up online go to www.sdadulted.com

And more to come

Healthy Caribbean Delights 02/02/2011
Cooking For Foodies Part 1 02/03/2011
Caribbean Delights 03/02/2011
Cooking For Foodies Part 2 03/03/2011

For any other questions please contact Chef Jenn at (858) 212- 9054
or follow me on twitter Chef_Jenn

Classes start soon...San Marcos ROP Part 1 $75 for 11 weeks of cooking classes!!!

2010-11-13T14:54:00.000-08:00

Registration Starts tomorrow!! Sign up first thing to make sure you get a spot in classes.

San Marcos Culinary Beginners Cooking class! These amazing class give you everything you need to get started cooking with style.

Class Starts Monday November 29 and runs to Febuary 14
All San Marcos ROP classes are held in the evenings from 5:30 to 9 p.m. All classes are hands on and designed for all skill levels. This class will teach the essentials; from basic knife skills to various cooking techniques, including basic baking skills; as well as food safety, sanitation and so much more. This class is designed for the home cook and is loads of fun.

Part 1 Culinary Arts- Mon from 5:30 to 9 pm
This class is a repeat of our popular hands on basics class with lessons on the basics of French Cuisine, Italian Cuisine, Asian Cuisine, Regional American Cuisine and more.

Classes are held at Mission Hills High School ~Room 810

Classes are $75 a session to register http://www.quikreg.com/
To use follow the prompts
California
San Diego ROP
San Marcos Unified School District
Enter “Culinary Arts” in the search field
Click on “Culinary Arts”
Scroll down to “Teacher” Felmley
And chose from Mon or Tue classes
or
contact Roberta at (760) 752-1272
Or for questions about classes contact Chef Jenn at jlfelm@yahoo.com

LA TIMES FOOD SECTION; ARE YOU KIDDING ME....The Dry-brined turkey (a.k.a. the 'Judy Bird') OMG!!

2010-11-10T13:50:00.000-08:00

Ok I have a bone to pick with someone at the LA Times Food section! So they posted this recipe on twitter and I am so bothered by it.

1st They suggest you “dry brine” the bird. Or should we say cover in salt and let rest for 3 days (refrigerated of course)! This I just think is a waste of time when you can achieve the same result if you buy a kosher bird. But fine it you must “dry brine”

2nd They suggest you start the bird skin side down and then flip it over half way through cooking.

But don’t you worry “it's easiest to do this by hand, using kitchen towels or oven mitts”.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! It is simple to just flip a large bird with god only knows what else you have going on. And really most people are not cooking 5 to 6 pound birds. Then what about the skin; my guess would be it is stuck to the bottom of the pan.

3rd And my final “Are You Kidding Me” moment comes at the end of the recipe when they suggest you cook the bird to 165 degrees and then rest it for 30 minutes. What!!! It will continue to cook at the least another 15 degree and that is way over cooked.

I had to share my shock and horror. No wonder people are so scared and confused about cooking turkey for Thanksgiving.

The new and improved Green Bean Casserole; so good even your mom will love it

2010-11-07T09:12:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves Green Bean Casserole. It is an American classic. And oh so out dated. My updated version may not be as easy as opening a few cans, but it can be made easier by purchasing sliced mushrooms and doing serval of the steps in advance. The sauted mushrooms can be made days ahead of time or even a month ahead and forzen. The same goes for the creamy sauce.

Try something old made new this Thanksgiving!!

Green Bean and Mixed Mushroom Casserole

Serves 4 to 6

1 lb Haricots Verts or petite green beans, trimmed

5 tbsp Unsalted butter
1 (8oz container) Crimini mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1 Portobello mushroom, cleaned, gilled and cut into small cubes
2 cups Shitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and cut into quarters (or a 5oz container sliced Shitake mushrooms)
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1/3 cup Brandy or cognac

1 tbsp Thyme leaves

¼ cup Unsalted butter
1/3 cup Flour
1 ¼ cup Chicken broth
1 cup Half and Half
Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup Fried onions
¼ cup Panko Breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 375° and butter a 2 quart baking dish.

Green beans and Mushroom:
Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat; add butter, heat till butter is melted.
Add Crimini, Portobello, and shitake mushrooms; stirring until golden brown and all liquid is evaporated.
Add garlic; sauté till fragrant.
Remove pan from heat and add cognac, return to heat and cook till all liquid is evaporated.
Add green beans into the mushrooms, cover and cook approximately 10 minutes; or until green beans are just tender.

Season with salt and pepper and transfer beans to buttered baking dish (RESERVING PAN FOR CHICKEN BROTH).
Sprinkle green beans and mushrooms with thyme leaves.

Add chicken broth to the pan, bring to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes.

Sauce:
In a sauté heat butter over medium heat to melt.
Stir in flour and cook for several minutes, till roux reaches a light brown color.
Add ½ of the warm broth to the roux and whisk till thick and completely incorporated; repeat with remaining broth and half and half (adding one half cut at a time). Season sauce with salt and pepper
Pour sauce over mushrooms and green beans.

Topping:
In a bowl stir together fried onions and Panko bread crumbs. “Crunch” the fried onions with your hands to release oils; till fried onions and panko lightly hold together when squeezed.
Sprinkle topping over green bean casserole.
Place in the oven and baked till golden brown and bubbly, 10 to 15 minutes.

Thanksgiving Check List~ Everything you will need to start preparing for Thanksgiving today

2010-11-02T12:33:00.000-07:00

Don’t put things off till the last minute, several things can be done far in advance.

SEVERAL WEEKS BEFORE THANKSGIVING:

• Make your guest list/Make your menu.

Make sure you have your menu ready so you can coordinate both guest and food at the same time. When you are inviting your guests, have a list of guests and a list of dishes. Then, if someone offers to bring a dish, accept the offer. And if they don't offer, ask them.

• Order your turkey especially.

If you want a fresh one. Plan on 1 1/4 pounds per person. Making sure your eyes aren’t bigger than you oven…measure your oven to make sure your turkey will fit.

• Don’t wait till the last minute to realize you don’t have what you need

Take inventory of your dinnerware and everything else you will need to serve an amazing meal.

Table (one large enough for all your guests)

Chairs

Dishware (Dinner plates, Dessert plates, Coffee cups and saucers

Silverware (Polished forks, knives and spoons)

Glassware (Water glasses and Clean wine glasses)

Linens(Clean napkins and Tablecloth, large enough to fit your table)

Cooking and serving items (Roasting pan: Is it the right size for your turkey? Will it fit into your oven? Don't laugh: It's easier to buy the right pan today than it will be on Thanksgiving morning. Bowls, pots and pans.

Digital thermometer, if you do not own one you, must have one to cook a perfect Turkey!!

WEEKS BEFORE:

• Work on your shopping lists.

Include ingredients for all of your dishes, plus candles, napkins, flowers, etc. Don't forget tonic, seltzer and apple cider or juice for the kids.

Prepare a grocery list by dividing it into two parts ?

(1) items that can be purchased immediately, and

(2) items that need to be bought the day before Thanksgiving.

• Begin cooking. Relish will keep in the fridge for a week; gravy freezes, along with any casseroles (like my super easy Potato Casserole).

• Select a wine. Caterers recommend providing a half bottle for each guest - not counting children, of course.

• Organize your serving platters and more

Serving platters…try labeling with post-it notes. So you, and whomever will be helping you, will know what each platter will be used for.

Trivets

Bread basket

Sauceboat

Gravy pitcher

Sharpened knives, yes you should get them sharpened!!

Coffeepot--Can yours make both regular and decaf for a crowd? Maybe you should get a thermos.

Sugar bowl

Cream pitcher

ONE WEEK BEFORE:

Tidy up the house.

Decorate your home for the holiday.

Make a final shopping list. (Remember ice, cream for the coffee and nuts and other snacks for nibbling in the living room).

Confirm the number of guests who will be attending the holiday dinner.

3 or 4 DAYS TILL:

Defrost your turkey (if it's frozen). Remember that you have to allow 24 hours for every 5 pounds if you're going to defrost a turkey in the refrigerator. That means a 15-pound turkey will take three full days.

If you choose to prepare a fresh turkey, purchase it 2 to 3 days before Thanksgiving and store it in the fridge until time to cook ( just to be safe).

SUGGESTION:

If you miss that deadline, you can defrost the bird faster in a sinkful of cold water, allowing about half an hour for each pound of turkey and changing the water occasionally. (It will still take 7 1/2 hours for that 15-pounder, then refrigerate it.)

3 DAYS TILL:

Do your final food shopping.

Make a cooking schedule for Thanksgiving Day.Writing down the time everything goes into the oven. Don't forget the dishes that will have to be reheated. And to make time for you to shower and clean up before guest arrive.

Thaw any frozen side dishes and desserts.

2 DAYS TILL:

Chop any vegetables that will be used and store in air tight containers.

Make any side dishes (or salad dressings) that can be refrigerated.

1 DAY TILL:

Set the table.

Clean the guest bathroom.

Decide on a table centerpiece. (Flowers or collections of candles work well. Line votive candles down the center so the entire table is aglow. Since it's fall, you could also try an arrangement of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Place pumpkins, gourds and wheat around the house for decorative touches).

Prepare you refrigerator for guests. (Clear out any unneeded food or move to another refrigerator to make space for anything you friends kindly bring to help you for Thanksgiving).

THANKSGIVING DAY

Make the stuffing in the morning and stuff the turkey right before it's ready to go in the oven.

Roast the turkey.

Warm prepared side dishes.

Have a great Thanksgiving!

Chef Jenn's Thanksgiving Party

2010-11-01T11:44:00.000-07:00

Come for the turkey....stay for all the info on how to make your Thanksgiving super easy!!

Join Chef Jenn for an evening of the perfect thanksgiving dinner. Come learn all the tips and tricks to make Thanksgiving easy and fun (as well as yummy).

You'll make an oven roasted Herb Turkey Breast with a Maple Pecan Cranberry Sauce, Turkey Gravy, Cheese Crusted Baked Mashed Potatoes and Apple and Cherry Cake with Caramel Pecan Sauce. Bring an apron, closed toe shoes, chef's knife and containers to carry your creations home.

All classes are completely hands-on and not more than 10 students in a class

Chef Jenn’s Thanksgiving Party $50.00

November 11~ 6 to 9pm ~

at Alchemy of the Hearth (960 Rancheros Drive Ste L, San Marcos, CA)
To register online go to ww.alchemyofthehearth.com

Or call CA (760) 233-CHEF(2433)

Holiday Cooking Classes

2010-10-29T14:26:00.000-07:00

You can count on Chef Jenn to make your holidays fun, tasty and easier. Take a look at all the wonderful holiday classes she has coming up. Sure there is one to suite your needs and tastes!

Chef Jenn's Thanksgiving Party at Alchemy of the Hearth

Join Chef Jenn for an evening of her version of the perfect thanksgiving dinner. You'll make an oven roasted Herb Turkey Breast with a Maple Pecan Cranberry Sauce, Turkey Gravy, Cheese Crusted Baked Mashed Potatoes and Apple and Cherry Cake with Caramel Pecan Sauce. Bring an apron, closed toe shoes, chef's knife and containers to carry your creations home.

Chef Jenn’s Thanksgiving Party November 11 6pm $50.00 at Alchemy of the Hearth
Click here to register online

Holiday Cooking at Torrey Pines High School

Come join Chef Jenn, in a 2 week work shop as she guides you through the tough holiday season with simple and impressive holiday meals. This class will give you all the tips and tricks you need to make holiday cooking easy. Menus include Butternut Squash soup, Roast Boneless Leg of Lamb, Mashed Potato and Leek Casserole, Chocolate Almond Cake with Almond Whipped Cream and so much more.

Wednesday 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm; 2 sessions starting December 1, 2010, ending December 8, 2010
$108.00
Click here to register online
Or call (760) 753-7073 ext. 5103

Italian Holiday Cooking at La Costa Canyon High School

Looking for new ways to cook for the family this holiday season? Try these Italian inspired holiday cooking recipes (Sautéed Red Onion, Roasted Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Bruschetta, Herb Stuffed Pork Loin Roast, Balsamic Glazed Acorn Squash, Tiramisu, and much more). This 2 week series will give you all the tips and tricks you need to make this year's holidays not just fun but super tasty too!!

Thursday 6:00 pm - 9:00 pm; 2 sessions starting December 2, 2010, ending December 9, 2010
$105
Click here to register online
Or call (760) 753-7073 ext. 5103

Hands-on Holiday Cookies at Sea Rocket Bistro

December 12 at 5pm; with Almond Butter Cookies (topped with everything from Toasted Coconut to Candied Cherries), Flourless Nutella Drop Cookies, “All Mixed Up” Oatmeal Cookies, and so much more.

Information to come please stay tuned to www.searocketbistro.com for more details.

Mini New England Style Lobster and Shrimp Roll

2010-10-26T11:24:00.000-07:00

These Mini Lobster Rolls with Shrimp where a big hit at the recent Collaboration Kitchen event (at Catalina Offshore Products) and I know they will be a huge it at your next party. Plus they are supper simple to make.

This recipes serves approximately 10 to 12 appetizers

¼ lb Cooked shrimp, cut into large chunks

To cook the shrimp,combine lemon and water in a stock pot; bring to a boil.

Add shrimp (peel on for best flavor), remove pot from heat and let stand in water until cooked through, about 4 minutes (or until pink and firm).
Strain out shrimp and KEEP THE COOKING LIQUID.

¾ lb Cooked lobster, cut into large chunks

To cook lobster, bring shrimp cooking liquid to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium high and add lobster. Cook for 9 minutes.

½ cup Mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/3 cup Celery, finely diced
1 tbsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Dill, finely chopped
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 to 2 heads Butter lettuce

24 small Mini hot dog buns or soft dinner rolls

Traditional lobster rolls are served in "Split-top" hot dog buns. These are extremely hard to find ( in San Diego, CA). What I recomend is asking a local baker to make you a narrow dinner roll (needs to be a softer style of roll like potato bread).

Whisk together mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and lemon juice; till smooth. Fold in lobster, shrimp, celery, dill and season with salt and pepper.

Chill, covered, until ready to serve.

Cut down into tops of rolls to split them, but do not cut all the way through, add butter lettuce to one side of the roll and fill each roll with 1 heaping tablespoon seafood.

CRAZY HALLOWEEN COCKTAIL RECIPE

2010-10-25T13:17:00.000-07:00

This Halloween, don't limit yourself to a costume and some candy. Treat your friends and family to a hauntingly good cocktail party. With Halloween fast approaching, I thought that there would be no better time than the present to share one of my spooktacualr cocktail recipes with you…..Mwaaa Haha. As well as some fun ideas to amp up the fear factor of your party. Serve up some unearthly cocktails with your candy treats this year and you will have the most popular ghoul gathering in town.

The most important part of a good All Hallows Eve cocktail party is, of course, the drinks! That may just be my opinion but with the right cocktail you can set the mood for a gruesomely good time.

May I suggest the "Monster Mash", a ghoulishly green indulgence. Truly a horrifying concoction that can get any party started.

1 shot Midori

1 shot Vodka

1 shot Coconut rum

2 shots Coconut pineapple juice

3 shots 7 up

Ping Pong Ball Eyes

In a high ball glass, add Midori, make sure the Midori goes in first so it can settle at the bottom and give a great effect. Then add Vodka, Coconut rum and Coconut Pineapple juice. Top with a float of 7 Up, stir. Place several eye balls and serve.

When throwing a party, you want to be able to enjoy the party with your friends. So this dink can be made as individual cocktails or in a large punch bowl. And still being satisfying enough to calm any crazy mob (preferably pitch forks not included).

Get festive with your drinks and let your creativity shine. Add an extras bit of punch to your punch by putting it in a cauldron instead of a silly old punch bowl. Add little something spooky to your ghostly cocktails by topping them off with menacing garnishes. Horrifying your friends and family with surprises like gummy eyes, severed ears, thumbs or other extremities frozen in ice cubes, riming the class in fake blood (made of corn syrup …lick lick), or have a gummy worm crawl out of the glass. One of my new favorite is ping pong ball eye balls.

Nothing like floating eye balls to ensure a fearsome evening. These little extra touches will help to guarantee a frightfully good time for all you guests.

With all you're your new ticks and treats, go out forth and throw a party that will wake the dead!

Butternut Squash Soup from Suzie's Farm Butternut Squash

2010-10-21T15:02:00.000-07:00

I spent this morning unlocking the mysteries of Suzie’s Farms CSA box to a group of wonderful students and I thought with this gloomy weather I would share the recipe with you; as this velvety smooth soup will help to warm you and your soul.

I visited the farm over the weekend pick pumpkins, Pumpkin Palooza (scroll down the link to find information about all the amazing pumpkins they have right now) and also picked up the amazing butternut squash I used in this recipe.

Then I shaved some of the white carrots (they taste kind of like a middle parsnip mixed with a carrots) that came in my CSA box.

Butternut Squash Soup
Serves 6 half cup servings

1 ½ cup Roasted butternut squash*
2 tbsp Olive oil
1 Star anise, whole
1/2 cup Carrot, peeled and chopped
1 Small onion, small dice
2 Bay leaves
2 cups or as needed Low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
To taste Salt and pepper

1 to 1 ½ cup Shaved carrots

In a saucepan heat oil over medium high heat till it is hot (or moves like water in the pan). Remove pan from the heat and add star anise. Let steep off the heat for one minute.
Return the pot to the stove, over medium heat, add onions to the pot and cook till translucent.
Add carrots, half the chicken broth and bay leaves. Cover and let simmer till carrots are soft.
In a food processor (or in a blender) place carrots and broth along with roasted squash, making sure to remove the star anise and bay leaves.
Puree until smooth, add enough broth or water to allow the food processor to puree ingredients. If you prefer your soup thin add more broth accordingly.
Return soup to the stove and simmer for 5 to 6 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and serve.

*To roast the squash,
Preheat an oven to 350° F.
Microwave the squash for 8 to 10 minutes to soften; then cut squash in half, remove seeds and cut into wedges. Season squash with salt, pepper and drizzle with olive oil. Place onto a foil lined cookie sheet and roast for 30 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

Unlocking The Mysteries of The CSA

2010-10-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

What is a CSA?

In short CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and you do just that when your subscribe to one. A CSA consists of a community of individuals who pledge support to local farmers or products directly from the producer; usually consisting of a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of vegetables and fruit, in a vegetable box scheme, and sometimes includes dairy products, coffee, bread and meats.

Local CSA Programs

There is a CSA right for you, check out these websites to find your perfect match (keys to look for- size of the box, drop off points, contents of the box, organic or non-organic, farm, etc.). i f I missed any please comment and I will add them to the list.

Be Wise Ranch

Suzie’s Farm

Garden of Eden Organics

Tierra Miguel Foundation Farm

Seabreeze Organics

Speaciality Produce (not really a CSA but more of a Farmers Market Basket and loads of fun)

More Information

Half the battle of using your CSA produce is know what everything is. I recommend

Fresh Produce Guide: The best-ever guide to 300 varieties of fruit and vegetables; published by Try-Food International in 2009.

Chambord Candy Apple Martini

2010-10-15T11:40:00.000-07:00

I wish I could take credit for this, but I found this on the net today and had to share.
The leaves are beginning to change! That means it's time to relax with friends and sip a sweet Chambord Candy Apple Martini. How are you enjoying the lovely Fall?

Chambord Candy Apple Martini
1 oz. Chambord Liqueur
1 oz Finlandia Vodka
¾ oz apple schnapps
Splash of Tuaca Liqueur
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. Rim the glass with caramel and garnish with an apple slice.

Ingredient of the weekKiwi Berries

2010-09-22T18:54:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to Jimbo's, is search of some high Vitiman C fruits I came across Kiwi Berries.

"KiwiBerries are a nutritional powerhouse, they are the most nutrient dense of all the major fruits, and are an extremely healthy food source. Containing almost 20 vital nutrients, KiwiBerries are considered a super fruit! They're not just good for you...they're delicious.” Containing 5 times the Vitamin C of an orange. If you have a cold, forget about a glass of OJ. Go with Kiwi Berries!!

This smooth-skinned fruit that is the "no fuzz", "no peel" cousin of the traditional kiwifruit.

Kiwi berries can be used anywhere you would use a kiwi, but with much less work. I have seen some great recipes using kiwi berries in a salad with shrimp to a simple fruit tart topped with slices of fresh kiwi berries. Personally I like to pop them in my mouth while vegging out in front of the TV.

October Classes at Alchemy of The Hearth

2010-09-22T14:03:00.000-07:00

These are my October classes at Alchemy of The Hearth in San Marcos (click here for address)

"Cooking with Merlot"~
Cooking with wine is one of the most rewarding flavor enhancers a cook could ever have. Understanding the nature of wine is a whole other conversation. Join Chef Jenn as she explains and teaches you the techniques necessary to cooking with Merlot. How to choose the right bottle, when to add it to your food and how to pair wine with the foods you've created.
~October 2nd, Saturday from 5 to 9pm~ $65 register here

"Celebrating Jewish Foods"~
Join Chef Jenn as she puts a new twist on classic Jewish recipes and introduces you to new recipes that will quickly become your favorites. Learn the tips and tricks to making fabulous foods like poached salmon quenelles with tarragon sauce,Gefilte fish potato and yam pancakes with sour cream and mixed greens with cherry Manischewitz dressing. Bring an apron, closed toe shoes, chefs knife and containers to carry your leftovers home.
~October 8th from 10am to 1pm ~$65 register here

"Vista Market Tour and Cooking Class" ~
Join me on a tour of the Vista Farmers Market where she'll introduce you to local farmers, sample new and interesting food and purchase an array of goodies to bring back to the kitchen where you'll learn how to cook up an amazing meal with your ingredients. This class begins at the Vista Market at 8:30am where you'll meet Chef Jenn. Then you'll be back at Alchemy of the Hearth at 10am through 1pm cooking up a storm. You'll need to wear comfortable, closed toe shoes, bring an apron, a chefs knife and containers to carry your bounty home.
~October 16th, Saturday - at 8:30am for the market tour and from 10 to 1pm for the cooking class~$65 register here

"The Jewish Deli Foods" ~
Looking to have a “deli-licous” day? Come join Chef Jenn for a cooking class inspired by New York delicatessen classics. If you don't have a good delicatessen in your neck of the woods come to class and feed your cravings. On the menu: Stuffed Cabbage Leaves · Potato Pancakes · Matzo Ball Soup · Jumbo Black and White Cookies. Bring an apron, closed toe shoes, chef's knife and containers to carry your leftovers home. ~October 22nd - 10am to 1 pm~ $50 register here

Fish Tacos

2010-09-16T11:47:00.000-07:00

Last night was supposed to be my second night of “Cooking For Foodies” cooking class, but there was a gas leak and class was canceled. I returned as much of the food as I could, but I was stuck with 18 portions of red snapper. What is a girl to do?
Invite all her friends over and make the best fish tacos ever!

As requested here is the recipe.

Baja Fish Tacos
Serves 4

Batter:
¾ cup All-purpose flour
½ tsp Baking powder
½ tsp Dried oregano, crushed by hand
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp Chipotle or chili powder
1/8 tsp Salt
1/8 tsp Ground pepper
1 Egg yolk
4 to 6 oz Beer

1.5 lb Black cod, skinned and cut into ½ inch strips

As needed Vegetable oil

2 cups Cabbage, finely shredded
2 Avocados, sliced
2 cup Salsa fresca
3 Limes, cut into wedges
6-8 Tortillas
1 ½ cup Mayonnaise or Mexican crema sauce*

In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking powder, oregano, garlic powder, chili powder, salt and pepper.
In a separate bowl mix together egg and beer. Stir egg mixture into flour mixture and refrigerate for at least 3 hour (this mixture can rest for up to 24 hours).
Preheat oil to 375°.
Dip cod into batter, one piece at a time, and coat.
Fry for 4- 5 minutes, turning half way through.
Place onto paper towel lined sheet pan.
Serve with warm tortillas, cabbage, avocado slices, salsa, lime wedges, and crema.

*Crema Sauce

1 cup Crema (How to make homemade Mexican crema)
¼ cup Lime juice
¼ cup Cilantro leaves, chopped
1/8 tsp Garlic salt
1/8 tsp Kosher salt

Place all ingrdients into a bowl, stir to combine.
Refrigerate for 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Sea Rocket Bistro Cooking Class

2010-09-15T11:16:00.000-07:00

For those of you who missed out on my first hand-on cooking class at Sea Rocket Bistro; you are in luck as here is one of the amazing recipes. And yes I will be teaching more class at Sea Rocket Bistro! Come back to Chef Jenn's blog for information on all her upcoming classes.

Warm Melon with Vanilla Infused Agave Syrup and a Honey Cookie Garnished with Fresh Mint

Makes 14 cookie

1 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
1 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Salt
½ cup (or 1 stick) Unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup packed Light brown sugar
1 large Egg
1/3 cup Honey

Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds.
Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and honey until combined. Reduce speed to low, then mix in flour mixture.
Drop 14 heaping tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto 2 parchment lines baking sheets.
Bake, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, 10 to 14 minutes total (cookies will spread flat). Remove from cookie sheet and cool completely.

Melon
1/3 cup Agave syrup
1/3 cup White grape juice
1 Vanilla bean, split lengthwise and seeds scraped

2 1/3 cups Melon (cantaloupe, honeydew, etc) peeled, seeded and cut into small cubes
¼ cup Fresh mint, chopped

Combine Agave syrup, white grape juice, vanilla bean and craped seeds in small saucepan. Cook till syrup is heated through, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep 10 minutes. Remove vanilla bean from syrup.
Pour syrup over fruit, add mint and toss to combine.
Spoon fruit and some syrup into a large goblet, garnish with cookies.

Spotlight on Local Farmers Cooking Class at Sea Rocket Bistro

2010-09-09T17:23:00.000-07:00

Spotlight on Local Farmers Cooking Class

(click here for more information)

This class is $60 and will showcase the amazing produce offered from Suzie’s Farm. Class will be completely hands on and full of great local ingredients.

Menu

Diner Includes Wine Pairing

Garlic and White Balsamic Marinated Tomatoes with Micro Green Salad Topped with Local Aged Gouda Cheese

Fresh Local Fish with Aromatic Herbs, Local Port Wine Reduction and Winter Squash Risotto

Sugar Cookies Topped with Warm Vanilla Infused Agave Syrup, Melon and Fresh Mint

Chef Jenn Presents
Hands-on Cooking Class
at Sea Rocket Bistro, Featuring Seasonal Produce From Suzie’s Farm
Sunday, September 12
From 6 to 9 pm
$60

At Sea Rocket Bistro

P 619 255 7049 or 619 997 8043
E elena@searocketbistro.com
http://www.searocketbistro.com/

For more information about Chef Jenn
Or for private cooking classes

P 858 212 9054
E jlfelm@yahoo.com

www.chefjenncooks.blogspot.com

Menu is subject to change based on availability and seasonality of ingredients
Sea Rocket Bistro
3382 30 th St.
San Diego, CA 92104

Recipes from the San Marcos Farmers Market Orange Walnut Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Plum Sauce

2010-08-20T19:26:00.000-07:00

Wanted to share a recipe from my recent cooking demonstration at the San Marcos Farmers Market. As it contains the oh so seasonal plums; lets call it the ingredient of the month as well.

Orange Walnut Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Plum Sauce

Serves 6 to 8

¼ lb Unsalted butter
½ cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp Vanilla
1 ½ tbsp Fresh orange juice
3/4 cup Flour
¼ tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Orange zest
½ tsp Baking soda
1cup Pecans, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Grease an 8 X 8 inch cake pan or line pan with parchment paper.
Beat together butter and sugar, till creamed (light and incorporated).
Beat in eggs, until well blended. Add vanilla and orange juice.
Add flour, nutmeg, orange juice, baking soda, and beat until just incorporated. Stir in the nuts.
Spread batter into pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean.

Brown Sugar Plum Sauce
Serves 6 to 8

1 ½ cups Plums or Pluots, washed, dried, cut in half, pits removed, and chopped into ½ -inch pieces
3 tbsp Water
¼ to ½ cup Dark brown sugar, packed
1 tbsp Fresh orange juice
1 tsp Unsalted butter

In a sauce pot, combine chopped plums (or Pluots) and water. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to medium heat and cook for 10 minutes or until plums (or Pluots) have softened and mixture is saucy.
Reduce heat to low and add brown sugar; cook till thicken and fruit is mushy, about 10 minutes. Stir in orange juice and butter. Cook for 5 minute to incoperate flavors.

What are you pickling?

2010-08-13T16:41:00.000-07:00

Tis the season for jamming, preserving and pickling. It is not for grandmas any more, you to can find a way to put your own stamp on pickles. This is a recipe for a good starter. The simple Dill Cucumber pickle. But I have gone so far a pickleing green beans, corn relish, and now I am working or a combo of carrots, jalapenos and tomatillos.

What do you pickle?

Dill Pickles

Makes 4 Pint Jars

16 to 20 Small pickling cucumbers (about 3pounds)
4 tbsp Kosher salt
4 cups Ice
1 cup Cider vinegar
2 cups White wine vinegar
1 ½ cup Water
2 ½ cups Sugar
¼ cup Pickling spice*
12 sprigs Fresh dill

In a large bowl combine cucumbers and salt; toss to combine.
Cover cucumber and salt with ice; refrigerate for 3 hours.
Drain melted ice and remove ice from cucumbers.
Sterilize preserving jars and lids.
In a small sauce pot combine kosher salt, white wine vinegar, cider vinegar, water, sugar and pickling spice; bring to a boil and cook till sugar and salt are dissolved. Stirring occasionally.
Add 4 to 5 cucumbers and 2 sprigs dill to sterilized preserving jars.
Divide cider vinegar mixture into jars, by placing a funnel into the jar and filling to within ½ inch of rim.
Top with cover and twist on seals.
In a large pot cover jars with water and allowing 1 to 2 inches of water to cover jars (you may need to add extra water for this). Cover and gently boil for 10 to 15 minutes.
After processing, remove jars and set them upright on a towel to cool 12 to 24 hours. Do not retighten bands. Once jars are cool, test each one for a seal by pressing the center of the lid. The lid should not flex up and down (if it does, immediately refrigerate or reprocess with a new lid for the full length of time).
Label, and store jars in a cool (50° - 70° F/10° - 20°C), dry, dark place for up to one year. After opening, refrigerate, and use within 1 month.

*Pickling Spice can be found at cook ware stores or restraint supply stores (like Smart and Final). I can also be purchased online. My personal favorite is from www.surfasonline.com.
For additional information on canning go to eatingwell.com/go/canning

San Marcos Unified School District ROP Program Culinary Classes Are Back!!

2010-08-12T17:19:00.000-07:00

San Marcos Unified School District ROP Program Culinary Classes Are Back!! The most popular classes I teacher start this month!!

1st session Starts

Mon- Aug. 30 to Nov 8 ~Part 1
Tue- Aug. 31 to Nov 9~ Part 2

Part 1- This class is a repeat of our popular hands on basics class with lessons on the basics of French Cuisine, Italian Cuisine, Asian Cuisine, Regional American Cuisine and more.

Part 2- For those students who have taken Part 1 or are looking for a class to improve upon their already developed culinary skills, this is the class for you. This part of the series will showcase advanced recipes in French Cuisine, Italian Cuisine and Asian Cuisine, as well as Mediterranean Cuisine, Latin Cuisine and a special class on how to make holiday cooking easier.

All San Marcos ROP classes are held in the evenings from 5:30 to 9 p.m. All classes are hands on and designed for all skill levels. This class will teach the essentials; from basic knife skills to various cooking techniques, including basic baking skills, as well as with food safety, sanitation and so much more. This class is designed for the home cook and is loads of fun.
Classes are held at Mission Hills High School ~Room 810

Classes are $75 a session
Registrations begins August 22 to register www.quikreg.com or contact Roberta at (760) 752-1272. Sign up quickly as class sell out very,very,very fast.

Vista Farmers Market Cooking DemonstrationsPickeling

2010-08-12T17:05:00.000-07:00

I look forward to seeing you all this weekend (August 14) at the Vista Farmers Market for cooking demonstrations from 8 am to 12 pm.

I will be pickeling!!!

Come by and tell me what you pickle. Would love to know what fun pickleing and preserving you do.

Cooking Classes for September 2010

2010-08-12T16:52:00.000-07:00

Thank you to everyone for expressing interest in my upcoming classes! Here is a list of what I have starting in September.
Hope to see you there!

"Cooking with Beer" ~September 11th, Saturday from 1:30 to 4 :30pm~ $50

"Vista Market Tour and Cooking Class" ~September 25th, Saturday - at 8:30am for the market tour and from 10 to 1pm for the cooking class~ $65

At Alchemy of the Hearth in San Marcos
To register online for these classes go to http://www.alchemyofthehearth.com

Cooking For Foodies~~9/8/2010 to 9/29/2010 (Wednesdays) from 6 to 9 pm at Torrey Pines High School~~ $141 for all 4 weeks

This 4 week series will work on intermediate and advanced cooking techniques; as well as new culinary trends, seasonal cooking and much more. Students will get to explore recipes from all different cuisines (from Pan Asian to Classical French) along with the great seasonal bounties that San Diego has to offer.

French Cooking For Beginners~~9/9/2010 to 9/30/2010(Thursdays) from 6 to 9 pm at la Costa Canyon High School~~ $138 for all 4 weeks

This 4 week series will give you the basics you need to create amazing French dishes in your own home. Each class will showcase basic recipes from different regions of France.

Registration for these classes begins on 8/20
To register for these classes online go to http://www.sdadulted.com/ or call (760) 753-7073 ext. 5103

Recipe Surveys ~Recipe Testing for My Cook Book~

2010-07-12T17:51:00.000-07:00

I have finally gotten around to starting my surveys for my cook book. Would love to know what else you think I should add to my surveys before I send them out.

My hope is that I will send out various chapters of my cook book to students and friends to have them review and help test recipes. But what they will need to do in return is help me to understand how I can make my recipes better.
I am hoping my survey will help me make the best cook book ever! Let me know what I could add to this survey to make it as detailed, but not to over whelming, as possible.
Thank you,
Jenn

1) How difficult was the recipe to follow?

On a scale of 1(Easy) to 5(Hard)_____Or was the recipe to complicated you won’t ever make it.

Helpful comments___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

2) What did you like best about this recipe?___________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

3) What changes would you make to this recipe?_____________________

_____________________________________________________________________

4) How did it the finished recipe look?

I liked it. It was OK. I did not like it.

Helpful comments ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

5) How did it smell? I liked it. It was OK. I did not like it.

Helpful comments___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

6) How did it taste? I liked it. It was OK. I did not like it.

Helpful comments ___________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________

Additional Comments or Questions:

Ingredient Of The Week~~Fresh Black Eyed Peas

2010-07-12T15:17:00.000-07:00

(PIC COMING AS SOON AS MY PHONE WILL LET ME UP LOAD)
The black-eyed pea (also known as the cow pea) to many are only thought of as those black and white dried beans found in the grocery store. But shockingly there is a whole other world of these amazing little beans; or what they really are PEAS (yes they come in a pod).

These peas have been used in North Africa cooking for centuries, but are surprisingly little known outside of the southern United States. The peas were probably introduced to the Southern cuisine by Spanish explorers and African slaves.

They are available dried, fresh, canned, and frozen. You will find frozen, dried and canned in most grocery store. While fresh are found seasonally at farmers markets (like the Vista Farmers Market).

The flavorful peas are used to make soups, salads, fritters, and casseroles; they can also be puréed; or sprouted. While for many people they are a staple for New Year, for there believed ability to bring good luck.

To cook your fresh black eyed peas~~ Place fresh black-eyed peas in large saucepan. Cover with water; bring to a boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to low. Simmer, covered, until peas are soft when pierced with fork, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain.
Then used in anything (soups, salads, rice, and more).

This step can me skipped by using frozen pea, but I recommend at least once trying the fresh peas. As they are amazing.

My next purchase I am going to try steaming the whole pod (like edamame) and tossing them in a little salt for snacking.

Vista Farmers Market Tour and Cooking Class~~ Clam Pasta Recipe

2010-07-12T13:07:00.000-07:00

For those of you that were unable to attend my recent farmers market cooking class (you really missed out : ) ha ha); I thought you might enjoy a little taste of what we made.

The class was great, we met at the farmers market; where we toured the market, spoke to the farmers and vendors, saw what foods where freshest. When all was said and done we sat down and planned out our menu:

Mixed Greens Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette and Figs with Sheep’s Milk Cheese and Honey 2 Ways (they where broiled and raw, the raw fig with cold cheese and a drizzle of honey was our favorite)

Fresh Lemon Fettuccine with Cherry Tomato Sauce, Steamed Clams, Shaved Parmesan Cheese and Fresh Basil

Blueberry Oatmeal Crumble!!

Don’t worry the market tours will become a monthly class that I will be teaching, so you can catch me at the market on August 7. To registar or for more information go to http://www.alchemyofthehearth.com/cooking-gourmet-the-vista-farmers-market-tour-august-7-2010

( Thank you Lisa for the wonderful pictue)

Pasta with Tomatoes and Clams

Serves 4 to 6

4 to 6 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsp Garlic, minced
¼ to ½ tsp Dried red pepper flakes
1 pint Grape or cherry tomatoes (or 2 cups Tomatoes, diced), cut in half

18 Clams, cleaned

1 lb Fresh pasta

2 oz Parmesan, shaved (or 1 cup shaved cheese)
1/4 cup Fresh basil, chiffonade

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat; stir in garlic and red pepper flakes, cook just until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add tomatoes cook and clams, cover and cook until clams open.
While tomatoes are cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente.
Drain pasta in a colander. Immediately add pasta to tomato mixture.
Garnish with shaved parmesan and basil; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Looking for a healthy alternative to burgers for this 4th of July?

2010-06-29T21:58:00.000-07:00

Try ground Bison (otherwise known to some as buffalo)! This meat is leaner, more flavorful and juicier than ground beef.

My friends and I recently tried out a couple of different toppings on simple grilled (on a non-stick grill pan) burgers. To make them even healthier I went with a “slider” style mini burger. Making sure that the burgers where more portion control friendly.

The first was a play on the traditional burger~ Bison Burger Topped with Dill Pickle Slices, Ketchup, Dijon Mustard, Mayonnaise, Shredded Oxcan and Cheddar Cheese Blend, and Quick Pickled Grilled Red Onions.

The second burger with a healthy option~ Bison Burger Topped with Arugula, Avocado and Quick Pickled Grilled Red Onions.

The final burger was made to really showcase the meat and it’s full flavor~ Bison Burger Topped with BBQ Sauce.

To be honest we loved them all. There was no clear winner. The burgers where all a hit! So whatever you want to top your Bison burger with feel content in knowing that you are eating healthy.

Grilled Stone Fruit Sundae~ From Alchemy of the Hearth "Whats Local and Fresh Cooking Class

2010-06-24T11:59:00.000-07:00

With all of the great stone fruits in season right now I though I would share with you a recipe from my recent cooking class (at Alchemy of the Hearth in San Marcos). This is a super simple way to make use of the summers bounties.

Grilled Stone Fruit Sunday

Serves 4

4 Stone fruits (peaches, plums, nectarines, etc.) cut in half and pit removed
3 tbsp Unsalted butter, melted
4 tbsp Vanilla sugar*
½ pint Vanilla ice cream
1/3 cup Toasted almonds

Pour melted butter over the cut side of the fruit.
Dip fruit into sugar.
Place fruits cut side down onto a non-stick grill pan or a non-stick pan. Cooking for 2 to 3 minute (or until golden brown grill marks develop), then turn fruit 90 degrees and cook an additional 2 o 3 minutes to create a perfect cross hatch pattern.
To serve place fruit onto a plate. Top with ice cream and toasted almonds.

*To make vanilla sugar- cut 1 vanilla bean in half and scrape out seeds. Place seeds and vanilla beans into an air tight container along with 2 cups sugar. Seal container and store for at least 2 days before using.
If you are unable to make vanilla sugar, place 1 tablespoons vanilla into melted butter.

The ingredient of the week Cherries

2010-06-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

The ingredient of the week is Cherries!! The tasty treat used in everything from pies to savory sauce for venison and steaks.

Cherries are said to have been around since the time of the Ancient Greeks.

There are two main groups of cherries; the sweet. Firm, heart-shaped sweet cherries can range in color from dark red to purplish black (as seen in the picture). They're delicious for eating out of hand and can also be cooked. One of example of this cherry is the “Bing”, it is my favorite cherry. With its sweet, slightly tart flavor (and when perfectly ripe) dripping with juice. Then there is the “Rainier” cherries, across between the “Bing” and “Van” cherries. “Rainiers” are sweet cherries with creamy-yellow flesh (the other cherry shown in the picture).I find that these cherries tend to look better than they taste, but can add a great mild cherry flavor to salads, salsas and sauces.

While the sour are smaller, softer and more globular than the sweet varieties. Most are too tart to eat raw, but make excellent pies, preserves. Although I prefer to blend both the sweet and the tart when I cook; finding that you end up with a better balance of sweet and tart flavor in your final product.

Another way to do this is to mix sweet cherries with tart strawberries, blueberries or black berries.

Most fresh cherries are available from May (June for sour cherries) through August. Choose brightly colored, shiny, plump fruit. Sweet cherries should be quite firm, but not hard; sour varieties should be medium-firm. Stemmed cherries are a better buy, but those with stems last longer.

Store unwashed cherries in a plastic bag, with a folded sheet of paper towel (to wick away excess moister), in the refrigerator.

Ingredient of The WeekFresh MasaMasa is a Spanish word meaning "dough".

2010-06-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

Masa traditionally made from a field corn, called maiz blanco or "cacahuazintle" [kaw-kaw-WAH-SEEN-til] which was dried (it can be both sun dried and fire dried), treated with a lime water solution or lye, then cooked and finely ground. The final product can be mixed with other ingredients to make tortilla or tamales. Masa can be purchased fresh or dried (dried finely ground masa that is turned into a flour id referred to as Masa Harina).

There are many tortillarias in San Diego and in the east county that carry fresh masa (as well as fresh masa premixed for making tamales).

Although dried masa can easily be used in its place the results can be a world apart. Dried masa can easily go rancid and develop off flavors. That is not to say that fresh masa does not have its flaws as well. You want to make sure you use your fresh masa the day you use it, as it can sour over time; or you can freeze (but then that kind of defeats the point of using something fresh)

Here is my recipe for homemade tamales, using fresh masa.

Mini Tamales

Serves 6 to 9

1/3 cup Lard, shorting, unsalted butter or bacon fat

1/8 tsp Sugar

1/8 tsp Salt (omit if using bacon fat)

¼ tsp Baking powder

1 cup Fresh masa

¼ cup Chicken broth, warm

Beat lard, sugar, salt and baking powder using an electric mixer at medium speed until combined, till light and fluffy.

Divide masa into 4 equal portions and add 1 portion at a time into the lard. Beat till fully incorporated before adding the next portion. Continue till all the masa in incorporated.

Slowly add broth to the masa. Beat until dough is a smooth

paste.

2 dozen Dried corn husks, cleaned of debris

Soaked husks in warm water until pliable (about 20minutes.) Then pat dry with towels. Rip 2 or 3 husks length wise into thin strips. These will be used to tie tamales shut. You can also use butchers twine.

Scoop masa into a large plastic bag, push into one corner of the bag and cut off the tip.

Squeeze masa onto the husk, pressing the bag against the husk, in 3 or 4 strips. Add about 1/2 tsp of your chosen filling. Fold one edge of corn husk to the center and pull into filling (like making sushi roll). Then roll filling over its self. Repeat with remaining corn husks, masa and filling.

Cook tamales in a tamale steamer or in a pot with a steamer insert.

Steam tamales for about 35 to 40 minutes. They are done when the masa no longer sticks to the corn husks when tamales are unrolled.

San Diego Zoo Does a Farm to Table Dinner...Guess The Lions and Tigers and Bears Are Happy They're in The Zoo!

2010-06-11T13:46:00.000-07:00

The San Diego Zoo is dedicating an evening to local food--and there are still seats left at this amazing dinner! On Saturday, June 12 at 6 pm, Albert's Restaurant at the Zoo will be serving a five-course meal featuring local and artisanal products including Carlsbad mussels, local halibut, Knight Salumi sausage, and produce from Sage Mountain Farms and Smit Orchards. Learn more at the San Diego Zoo website (http://calendar.sandiegozoo.org/events/index.php?com=detail&eID=1947), or check out the flier on Slow Foods Urban San Diego's facebook page!

The cost is $69 per person plus tax and gratuity. To make reservations, call 619-557-3964 and ask for Farm to Table reservations.

Tour the Vista Farmers Market with Chef Jenn

2010-06-10T14:10:00.000-07:00

I will like to invite you all to my first foray into farmers markets. This Saturday from 8 am to 12 pm I will be at the Vista Farmers Market (located at in the parking lot f the Vista Court House off of Melrose).

Vista Farmers Market

Saturday: 8 am - Noon

County Courthouse 325 S. Melrose Drive, Vista

(just South of Highway 78), Vista, California 92081

Phone: (760) 945-7425

Email: mark@vistafarmersmarket.com

Website: vistafarmersmarket.com

My plan is to offer four 20 minute tours of the market for $5 (where we will chat and sample from different farmers) and short cooking demonstrations.

Would love to see all of my students and friends there; for a bit of moral support (and some nice people to talk to).

Thank you very much.

Chef Jenn

End of Year Letter to Students

2010-06-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

Dear All Students,

With the school year ending, you will not able to find me at Mission Hills High School every week. But I promise that I will around. As of right now I have started scheduling classes at Alchemy of the Hearth in San Marcos. My first class will be on June 24 at 6 pm (Explore What’s Fresh and Local- a seasonal cooking class focusing on local ingredients) and I will soon have classes there throughout July and August.

My plans for the summer are to finally get my cook book together! It will take a village to raise this cookbook; I will need your help with testing and reading recipes. That is not to say that I will not be teaching, I will be available for private and small group cooking classes. I am looking into using the kitchen at Alchemy of the Hearth for private group classes. As well as private “Cooking Up Seduction” events with my friend Dr. Jenn.

With my web site under construction (it has been a long time but I hope to have www.chefjenncooks.com up and running by the end of July) keeping students updated is a little more difficult and I would like to keep you all up to date. I will continuously be updating my blog (www.chefjenncooks.blogspo.com) with upcoming classes and other fun stuff I am doing. Otherwise please contact me, as I need to update my mailing list and keep students informed of upcoming classes.
There have been a lot f questions regarding classes for next school year, and as of right now I do not have an answer. I hope to have an answer soon and if I have your contact information I will let you know what the next school years class schedule will be.
I have enjoyed having every single one of you in my various classes and look forward to seeing you all in classes again.
Sincerely,

Chef Jenn

World Cup Soccer at The Linkery and a New Addition to There Family

2010-06-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

The Linkery will be open at 6:55am on most game days for this years (soccer) World Cup, including for Friday's tilt between Mexico and South Africa. Every day, we'll also be featuring sausages from two countries in action -- on Friday we'll have boerewors and longaniza. Saturday is a *huge* game between the USA and England at11:30am -- and also, banger v. American Farmhouse.

For a complete opening schedule go to http://thelinkery.com/blog/world-cup-schedule/

Also the Linkery is celebrating the opening of a new addition to there family! Here is a letter they sent out, inviting you to reserve a table for there "preview dinner".

The second big event for us this week is the rolling out of our new gastro-cantina, El Take It Easy, at 3926 30th Street (about 200 yards north of the Linkery). Max has developed a very innovative, compelling

small-plates menu using the world-class farm-to-table ingredients we pride ourselves on, and Steph and Bobby have assembled a drinks menu that excellently pairs the food and ambience. I think you will find that there is nothing else like El Take It Easy in San Diego, and we hope you will enjoy the breadth it adds to our City's dining scene.

It means a lot to us that you, who have sustained the Linkery for all these years, should have the opportunity to enjoy and experience this new venue before we open it to the general public. For that reason we are beginning with a five-day "preview" period, Thursday through Monday. During this time, we are seating by reservation only, and are only publicizing it by this email, and through our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

While many of you have already made reservations, we still have about half of our bookings available for these nights. If you would like to reserve one of the available tables, please email me (jay@thelinkery.com) with the subject line "preview dinner". I'd particularly recommend Thursday, while space is available, as our friends from So Say We All intend tochristen the place with toasts they have composed for the occasion, which I expect will be quite entertaining.

Starting next week (on the 16th), we will seat on a walk-in basis; on Thursday the 17th we will host the opening of an excellent art installation by Tijuana painter Enrique Ciapara; and on June 30th we will celebrate 30th on 30th with a proper Grand Opening party for El Take It Easy. Some time by then we'll even put a proper website up.

Summer Classes at Alchemy of The Heart~ Menus

2010-06-08T10:48:00.000-07:00

I am putting together menus for my summer classes at Alchemy of The Heart (a small local hands on cooking school). My classes are all about what is fresh and local in the San Marcos, Vista, and all around San Diego areas. Please take a look and let me know if there are any great local places that I might have misses.

Exploring what’s local and fresh

Tamales (masa from San Marcos tortillaria and beer from local brewery)

• BBQ Pulled Pork or Braised Pork Tamales with Tomatillo Salas and Red Chili Sauce

• Spinach, Orange Jicama Salad with Chipotle Orange Dressing

• Pinto Beans with Stone Brewery Beer

• Grilled Stone Fruit Sunday

Grilled Local Fish stuffed with lemon verbena and fresh herb salad (Fish from Catalina offshore and herb salad from local farms like La Milpa Organica)

• Whole Local Fish Stuffed and Grilled with Lemon Verbena and a Citrus Buerre Blanc

• Fresh Herbs Mixed with Local Salad Greens

• Summer Squash, Zucchini, and Tomato Gratin with a Panko Bread Crumb Crust

• Rustic Blueberry Tart with Caramel Sauce

Sausage, Pepper and Onion Sandwich (home-made Sausages from T and H meats and bread from local baker)

• Spicy Italian Sausage Grilled and Serve with Sautéed Onions and Peppers, Served on Crispy Artisanal Bread

• Fresh Ricotta Cheese

• Fresh Ricotta, Heirloom Tomato, and Corn Salad with Pesto Dressing

• The Perfect Cheese Plate

• Summer Berries Parfait with a sampling of local chocolates (berries from local farms and chocolates from Eclipse and other local chocolatier)

If you are interested in my first class (Tamales) "Exploring What is Fresh and Local" ~June 24 from 6 to 9 pm~ $ 50 at Alchemy of the Hearth

To register online go to http://alchemyofthehearth.com/index.html

Ingredient Of The Week ~Lemon Verbena~

2010-06-06T15:44:00.000-07:00

Ingredient Of The Week ~Lemon Verbena~

This wonderful lemon scented herb is a great addition to any garden and a great addition to your culinary repertoire. Not only does it add a beautiful color to your garden, with its bright green leaves and it’s petite white and purple flowers. It is also useful in everything from teas and cocktails to fruit salads and cheesecakes.

This herb can be chopped fine and used as a substitute for lemon or lime zest in any recipes.

It also beautifully flavors oils (this can be done several ways but I love to puree the leaves with oil and then strain through a sieve, releasing both the amazing flavor and a beautiful green color). Use this oil to drizzle over grilled fish, to decorate plates, or make wonderful salad dressings.

Lemon verbena is not just for savory foods, it can be used to satisfy your sweet tooth too. Use it to infuse its flavor into sugar (by placing ¼ cup leaves in a 16 ounce mason jar full of sugar; cover and allow to permeate for 2 weeks). That can be used for anything from sugar cookies to riming cocktail classes. Other sweet to eat uses range from custards to cheesecakes.

For a great lemon verbena cocktail recipe, using lemon verbena infused vodka, go to http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000538.html . I am going to try infusing my own vodka with lemon verbena shortly, pictures and story will be posted at sometime sooner than later.

This versatile and wonderful plant can be a little hard to find, sometimes vendors at your local farmers markets will carry them. I purchased mine at my favorite local garden shop, Cedros Gardens in Solana Beach (http://www.cedrosgardens.com/).

Learning to Cook with Chef Jenn

2010-06-03T00:25:00.000-07:00

Recently a student in my San Marcos (11 week) ROP class entered an essay contest and I loved the kind words that she wrote about the cooking class so much that I wanted to share it with the world.

It warms my heart to know that my classes not only teach students; but gives them inspirations and drive to better themselves.

As a teacher, I do what I do because I love what I do. Knowing that what I do helps other is just a bonus. An amazing bonus, which brings me the greatest joy!

Learning to Cook with Chef Jenn

by Beverly A.

My first and only formal cooking experience started with the San Marcos ROP Culinary Arts class. Wow! I was hooked after the first week. Chef Jenn’s culinary class is extraordinary and full of cooking challenges, yet such a confidence builder! Each week I learn about exotic cuisines, unique foods and where to shop for the freshest vegetables, meats and fruit. These lifetime skills are taught by a world-class professional chef in a state of the art, fully equipped kitchen. How great is that? In addition, my weekly class is introduced to new kitchen aids and fabulous full course menus. At the same time, we work together in small groups, learning to prepare and cook meals while learning team-building skills.

As an elementary teacher and tutor, I think cooking is a fun way to enhance children’s reading and math skills. Now I can add to lessons by demonstrating ounces, gallons, and liters with measuring cups and even ordinary kitchen tools. This cooking class also showed me how everyone learns uniquely. I’m the learner who understands a concept better when there is a “hands–on” demonstration, not only reading from a book. Just like a lot of the kids I teach!

I’ve also found its more rewarding and enjoyable learning about cooking by doing with others in a classroom setting. I enjoy the aroma of bacon cooking (or burning if I’ve become distracted), the sound of chicken pieces crisping with olive oil in a sauté pan or watching whipping crème in the mixer finally turn into nice white, soft peaks. Nothing compares to the self-satisfaction of successfully completing the weekly meals and finally tasting the rewarding, but hard-earned team prepared meal!

Since the class is reasonably priced (which is why I never considered cooking classes in the past) I now have the skills to consider yet another career. With today’s job market in such a fluctuating state, it’s a good feeling to know I have added valuable skills to my resume.

My dream job would be to work for a business that teaches children to cook and have fun experimenting in the kitchen. I would like to introduce students to unique and healthy cuisines, showing them how many foods are surprisingly tasty, good for you and fun to learn about. This class opened up such horizons for me that I don’t think I’m even aware of all the possibilities. I do know that once a week I get the chance to put aside all the worries and weekly stress and play like a kid again. Thanks for such an incredible lifetime opportunity!

Memorial Day Feasting on Surf and Turf

2010-06-02T14:20:00.000-07:00

Memorial Day Feasting on Surf and Turf

By the Memorial Day I had already done the burger thing, the hot dog thing, even the soul food thing. Such a beautiful day called for something special…..

Kumamoto ( a petite oyster with a creamy briney flavor) Oysters on the Half Shell with Lemon Zest Infused Cocktail Sauce as well as Fresh Squeezed Blood Orange Juice

Kobe Beef Steaks topped with Sautéed Shitake and Oyster Mushrooms with a splash of Cognac, Grilled Lemon and Blood Orange Marinated Mexican Shrimp (so large and so meaty they almost reminded me of grilled Mexican lobsters) , Roasted Corn on the Cob (done the classic way with a ton of Fleur De Sel, fresh black pepper and loads of butter), and a simple Mixed Herb Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

That day was a good day!!

Soltan Banoo~ Restraunt Review (it rhymes!)

2010-06-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

When you work with a vegetarian you often find yourself with an interesting challenge; finding places where the menu satisfies you both!

American cuisine tends to be meat centric so when dining with people whose diets differ (vegan, vegetarian, and so many more) from mine, I think the best bet is to try ethnic restaurants as they often offer a variety of selections which appeal to varying tastes and diets.

Soltan Banoo, a charming Persian restaurant in the University Heights area, was my choice for a recent business luncheon. The restaurant has a cozy, inviting atmosphere and offers numerous vegetarian and vegan options on its exotic menu.

Our meal began with the Pomegranate Soup (a hearty lentil style soup with beans, wheat, spinach, and herbs cooked with pomegranate juice, served with pita bread). This wonderful medley of legumes made the soup familiar while the use of pomegranates added a wonderful flavor that was both slightly sweet while being very savory.

Following our soup appetizer, we tried their Potato Pancakes with quinoa and served with a yogurt dipping sauce.

I found the pancakes, though nice and crispy on the outside, lacked a bit of flavor. Luckily their great texture and “light as air” taste were well complimented by the wonderful dipping sauce.

As an entree I had the Koubideh Kabob (seasoned ground beef, marinated with Persian spices, wrapped around skewers and grilled on open-flame) served with Basmati rice. This too was not as flavorful as I would have liked but had great texture and with a little sprinkling of Sumac they turned out very nice.

The restaurant scored highly with my vegetarian friend as she ordered the Veggie Kabob (marinated tofu, mushrooms & veggies) served with brown rice and Shirazi Salad. With a large portion size and full of flavor, she was extremely satisfied.

My vegetarian friend loved the food. She and I both noted that the restaurant had numerous vegetarian and vegan options on the menu. She loved all the vegetarian options on the menu.

I am hoping they just had a bad day when it came to the seasoning on a few dishes, because with such an amazing atmosphere and selection, I’m very eager to go back and try a few of the daily specials.

P.S. Here is a coupon for your visit

Coupon- http://www.soltanbanoo.com/pdfs/lunch-coupon.pdf

A note from student...plus a recipes

2010-06-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

Hi Jenn,

I tripled your fried vegetable dumplings recipe for hors d'oevuers to serve 12 and cooked them 2 hrs. ahead of our guests' arrival as you advised. Not a dumpling was left. I have cooked them for family to be eaten immediately and they were even better that way. I tripled the spicy sweet and sour garlic shrimp for the entree and stir fried it while our guest were here. They loved it. We also followed your advice to have fun so, as I feared,we forgot to take pictures.

Thanks again,

Pam

Well if Pam likes I think you will to; here is the recipes for my vegeteble dumplings.

Fried Vegetable Dumplings

Serves 4 to 6

1 cup Spinach
½ cup Napa Cabbage, finely sliced
1 tsp Ginger, minced
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 tbsp Vegetable oil
1 tbsp Sesame oil
¼ cup Carrots, peeled and small dice
2 tbsp Celery, diced small
2 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tbsp Hoisin sauce
1 tbsp Water chestnuts, finely chopped
1 tbsp Rice vinegar
2 Green onion, finely chopped
1 Egg
12-16 Wonton wrappers
2 cup Vegetable oil

Preeat oil to 350º.
In a sauté pan heat vegetable oil and sesame oil over medium heat, add spinach, cabbage, ginger, and garlic.
Cook till spinach is lightly wilted and garlic is fragrant; add carrots and celery, lightly cook carrots and celery.
Remove spinach mixture from heat, place in a bowl and add soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, water chestnuts, rice vinegar and green onions. Allow to cool completely before stuffing wontons.
Strain spinach liquid into a bowl and add egg, whisk to combine.
Place 1 heaping teaspoon of filling into wonton wrapper. To seal line the edges of the wonton with egg mixture, then press edges together to seal.
Fry until golden brown and serve with dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce

6 tbsp Sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp Rice vinegar

In a bowl stir together rice vinegar and sweet chili sauce.

Wana Try Something New This Memorial Day; Forget The Grilled Hot Dogs

2010-05-28T20:00:00.000-07:00

Recently on Facebook I got into a conversation about the best way to cook a hot dog. As we all know grilled hot dogs are good and they have their place. But I have to tell you about another option, the hot dog seared in butter. I hate to admit it but I got the idea from Paula Deen. Yes the queen of all things butter.

Take about ½ tablespoon unsalted butter and melt over medium high heat. Add your hot dog of choice to the pan and cook till crisp and heated through.

Add the bun to the pan and swirl in butter; toast to a golden brown.

Top with your favorite topping; to me that is a good smear of Creole mustard, a little ketchup, diced onions, and sprinkling of relish

but really it depends on the day of the week what I want on my hot dog!

Happy Memorial Day

My “essential” tools

2010-05-28T19:17:00.000-07:00

In cooking classes I bring several “essential” tools with me, tools that I just could not cook without and I wanted to share them with you.

First is the Messermister serrated vegetable peeler

This peeler allows you to peel the skin off of peach, tomatoes and mango with ease. While at the same time it never dulls, helping you to peel those holiday mash potatoes with ease.

Global Chef Knife

A good quality chef’s knife will change your world. The ease and joy it can add to bring to your life (not to mention your food)

Microplane zest

At first it was just a handy tool for making super fine citrus zest. But as time has gone on it is a tool I never knew I needed but cannot live without. From grating my favorite cheese to making quick work of minced garlic or to create chocolate pieces to dust the top of my Tiramisu. It is my bff!

Ingredient of the week ~ Guanciale~

2010-05-28T12:25:00.000-07:00

Guanciale- unsmoked Italian bacon prepared with pig's jowl or cheeks, from Knights Salumi (http://knightsalumi.foodzie.com/)

Can be used just like bacon, but so much better. Great fennel seeds, herbs and spices give this stuff so much more flavor than generic grocery store bacon.

Personally I like to cut it into small cubes and brown or crisp it in a pan. Then sprinkle it into salads, onto pasta, or just snack on it like crispy little meat potato chips.

Purchase at the Little Italy Mercato in San Diego (http://littleitalysd.com/mercato/home.asp). One of San Diego's best famrers markets. Full of great local products.

A few Pics from Spa Cuisine Cooking Class At Torrey Pines High School

2010-05-27T21:53:00.000-07:00

I recently got luck enough to have a small intimate class of students at Torrey Pines; while the students where lucky enough to have a "private" cooking class!

So nice to take a moment and enjoy a meal with students......as anyone who has take as class with me before will know that is a big deal.

The menu for that night was

Arugula and Spinach Salad with Cherry Tomatoes and Yellow Bell Peppers

Dresses with a Dijon, Sherry Vinegar and Shallot Vinaigrette

Chicken Breast Roulade Stuff with Asparagus

Served with a Spinach and Basil Pesto

Vegetable and Squash Risotto

Almond Phyllo Cups with Rose Water Fruit Salad

If you are interested my next classes start next week (Thai and Vietnamese or Greek and Morocan) go to

http://www.sdadulted.com/

Il Fornaio Coronado Presents a Palmina Winemaker Dinner ~May 20, 2010

2010-05-06T12:35:00.000-07:00

Il Fornaio Coronado Presents a Palmina Winemaker Dinner
With Winery Specialist Chrystal Clifton

Thursday, May 20th at 6:30pm

Il Fornaio General Manager Luca Allieri and Chef-Partner Marco Nocco invite you to a Palmina Wine Dinner. Palmina Winery is situated along the Pacific coastline in Santa Barbara County and solely produces Italian varietals. Palmina Wine Specialist Chrystal Clifton will take you on a tasting tour of her best wines paired with Chef Marco’s five-course menu. Also enjoy a live musical performance by accordionist Lou Fanucchi.

RSVP at (619) 437-4911
$59.99 per person

(excluding tax and gratuity)

Menu della Casa

ASSAGGINI DI BENVENUTO

Tuna tartar, mussels augratin,

eggplant and goat cheese rollatini

Arneis 2008, Honea vineyard, St.Ynez Valley

PER COMINCIARE

Pomodoro e Mozzarella di Bufala

Heirloom tomato and imported

buffalo mozzarella cheese salad

Pinot Grigio 2009, Santa Barbara County

PRIMO PIATTO

Risotto ai Carciofi e Porcini

Carnaroli rice, artichokes, porcini mushrooms,

white wine sauce

Nebbiolo 2005, Santa Barbara County

SECONDO A SCELTA

Choice of

Filetto d’Orata Costa d’Oro

Seared fresh sea-bream filet, baby zucchini,

crispy potatoes, zucchini sauce

ocai Friulano 2009, Honea Vineyard, St.Ynez Valley

Filetto di Vitello

Sautéed veal tenderloin, grilled asparagus,

rosemary potatoes, veal demi-glaze

Barbera 2007, Santa Barbara County

DOLCE

Tortino di Ricotta e Canditi

Housemade ricotta cake with candied fruit

Sangiovese Passito, Osare 2006, Alisos Vineyard, Santa Barbara County

Il Fornaio • 1333 First Street • Coronado • 619.437.4911 • www.ilfornaio.com

The “Super Green” List: the healthiest choices off the Monterey Bay Aquarium sustainable seafood list...with a recipe for Grainy Mustard Crusted Salmon

2010-05-06T11:32:00.000-07:00

The “Super Green“ list highlights products that are currently on the Seafood Watch “Best Choices” (green) list, are low in contaminants and are good sources of long-chain omega-3 fatty acids.

The Best of the Best: January 2010 (from Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch for more information go to http://www.seafoodwatch.org/)

Albacore Tuna (troll-or pole-caught, from the U.S.or British Columbia)
Freshwater Coho Salmon (farmed in tank systems,from the U.S.)
Mussels (farmed)
Oysters (farmed)
Pacific Sardines (wild-caught)
Pink Shrimp (wild-caught, from Oregon)
Rainbow Trout (farmed)
Salmon (wild-caught, from Alaska)
Spot Prawns (wild-caught, from British Columbia)

Eating sustainable and healthy is not nearly as hard as some people might think.
Here is a super simeple recipe for a broiled salmon, make it a meal by serving it with some sauted greens or a grilled asparagus.

Grainy Mustard Crusted Salmon

Serves 4

1 ¼ lb Center-cut salmon fillets, cut into 4 portions
Salt and pepper, to taste

¼ cup Reduced-fat sour cream
2 tbsp Stone-ground mustard
2 tsp Lemon juice
1 tsp Lemon zest
Lemon wedges

Preheat broiler.
Line a broiler pan or baking sheet with foil.
Place salmon pieces, skin-side down, on the prepared pan.
Season with salt and pepper.
Combine sour cream, mustard, lemon juice and lemon zest in a small bowl.
Spread evenly over the salmon.
Broil the salmon 5 inches from the heat source until it is opaque in the center, 10 to 12 minutes.
Serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition
Per serving :
290 Calories;
15 g Fat
89 mg Cholesterol
2 g Carbohydrates
29 g Protein
289 mg Sodium
550 mg Potassium

Happy Cinco de Mayo...Enchiladas with Homemade chiplotle red sauce

2010-05-05T16:18:00.000-07:00

New Mexican chile pepper pods have a pungent, earthy flavor, and slightly sweet flavor…. which you might find quite addicting. These chiles are also known as California or Anaheim peppers, before they are dried. These are the chiles that I prefer for my enchiladas, but to be honest there are millions of different sauces and variations of chiles that can be used to make a red enchilada sauce.

For instance, my friend’s mother swear by Guajillo, the work horse of Mexican chiles, they are slightly spicier then the New Mexico chile and have an almost smoky flavor. Then there are the Passila and the Ancho, the combination of all the various chiles mentioned. You can mix and match till you find the sauce that is just right for you.

I know that many people love their Mexican food spicy, and for that I call upon the Chipotle in Adobo!! This is my favorite way to add a kick to any Mexican and Southwestern flavored dish (and sometimes I just puree them with Mayonnaise and lime juice to put on anything- from shrimp to a turkey sandwich). Just take one of these beauties out if the can, I never recommend using more than one (I also suggest you start small and work your way up- chop off a small piece of the chile and add it to the sauce and keep adding till you get the heat you like), and puree it into the my enchilada sauce. This makes my roommate very happy!!!!

Cheese Enchiladas with Red Sauce
Serves 4 to 6

Sauce
7 New Mexico chilies, whipped clean, seeded, stemmed and torn into small pieces
1 ½ cups Onion, chopped
2 cloves Garlic, smashed
2 ½ cups Chicken broth
1 ½ cups Water
1 tbsp Chipotle in adobo(optional), chopped
2 tsp Coriander
½ tsp Garlic salt
½ tsp Oregano
¼ cup Lime juice

Enchiladas
1/3 cup Vegetable oil
12 Corn tortillas
1 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup Monterrey Jack or Oaxacan, shredded

¼ cup Cotija or Queso Fresco cheese, crumbled
Crema or sour cream

In a sauté pan, over medium heat, add onions, garlic, and chile. Cook till onions and garlic are lightly toasted.
Add chicken broth and water.
Bring to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes.
Remove from heat and place in a blender, add chipotle, coriander, garlic salt, oregano and lime juice. Blend till smooth.
Season with salt and pepper.
In a bowl mix together cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese, reserving ¼ cup of cheese mixture.
Heat 1/3 cup vegetable oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Using tongs, add 1 tortilla and cook until softened, turning once, about 15 to 30 seconds for each side.
Transfer tortilla to paper towel lined plate and drain well. Repeat with remaining tortillas.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Spoon 1/3 enchilada sauce into a baking dish, and spread to coat.
Spoon cheese into slightly off center of the tortilla, roll up tortilla and place seam side down in prepared dish. Repeat with remaining tortillas, making sure they do not touch each other.
Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas. Cover with foil.
Bake enchiladas, covered, until sauce bubbles and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.
Remove foil and add remaining cheese, cook till cheese melts.
Serve hot, drizzled with crema or sour cream.

A day of gluttony

2010-05-03T14:36:00.000-07:00

Over the weekend I went a little foodie crazy (guess that is what happens when your knee hurts and going out and enjoying the beautiful San Diego weather is not an option). Saturday was spent slowly eating a 5 course meal. I wanted to share it with you but don’t want to show just what a glutton I am, so I am only sharing 2 recipes (that made up just one of the courses).

Maybe one day I will be comfortable with my gluttony and will reveal the other 4 courses.

To prep for this day of gluttony I had to do some shopping, one stop was at Chino farms to pick up the start of summer produce. Then grabbed a lovely piece of Swordfish from my local fish marketed, combined it with my Chino farms finds, as well as some fun items I had in my garden; here is what I created with these great treats.

Grilled Swordfish with Avocado, Orange, Habanero, and Dill Salas
Serves 2

Swordfish marinade
¼ cup Olive oil
2 tbsp Lemon verbena
1/2 tsp Ground black pepper
3 dashes Maggie
1 (1-inch-thick) Swordfish steak (8 ounces)

For salsa
1 Orange, segmented
1 Orange, juiced
1 Avocado, diced
½ tbsp Fresh dill leaves
1 tbsp Green onion, finely chopped
1 or 2 dashes Habanero hot sauce
Salt and pepper to taste

Marinate swordfish:
Place olive oil ,lemon verbena,ground black pepper, maggie and swordfish into lagre plastic bag; coat fish in marinade. Marinate for 15 minutes in the refrigerator. (Do not marinate longer.)

Make salsa while swordfish marinates:
Combine orange segments, orange juice, avocado, dill, green onions, Habanero hot sauce and season with salt and pepper. Gently stir together and set aside.

Grill swordfish:
Heat non-stick grill pan over medium high heat. Remove swordfish from marinade and grill until just cooked through, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side. Serve topped with salsa.

Or
Follow the same recipe for marinating and cooking the fish but omit the salsa and serve with this recipe:

Vegetable with Cream
Serves 2

2 tbsp Unsalted butter
7 Petterpan squash, cut in quarters
1/3 cup Carrot, sliced
2 tbsp Green onion, sliced
1 cup Fresh English peas
3 sprigs Thyme
¼ cup Cream
Salt and pepper to taste

In a sauté pan heat butter over medium high heat.
Add squash and carrots, sauté till just tender (about 3 minutes).
Add green onions, peas, and thyme, sauté until peas just begin to become tender.
Add cream and simmer for 2 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Italian Cooking for Beginners (Part 2) Menus

2010-05-02T14:58:00.000-07:00

I had some questions recently on the menus for my upcoming Italian cooking class, as well as a question about if students needed to take the first part to take the second. To be honest, No you don't need to take 1 to take 2. Yes it would give you more information but the second part is really independent of the first. Both classes are amazing and give you a ton of wonderful recipes.

Here is the menu for the class...and please continue to email me or contact me with any questions you might have.

Day 1 –

“Antipasti” Salad with Red wine Vinaigrette
Baked Cannellini Beans with Tomato Ragu
Grilled Strip Steaks
Citrus Rice Pudding

Day 2-

Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
Green Beans with Sautéed Portabella Mushrooms and Prosciutto
Roasted Garlic and Mascarpone Cheese Mashed Potatoes
Pork Chops with Mushroom and White Wine Sauce

Day 3-

Italian Wedding Soup
Sautéed Broccoli with Garlic and White Wine
Chicken Breast Milanese
Tiramisu

Day 4-

Roasted Eggplant Caprese Salad with Basil Vinaigrette
Fresh Egg Pasta with Fried Sage and Garlic Shrimp
Chocolate Hazel Nut Mousse

~Chef Jenn's Upcoming Hands on Cooking Classes~At Torrey Pines High School and La Costa Canyon High School

2010-04-28T12:26:00.000-07:00

Here is a quick list of all of my upcoming classes, if you have any quetions about menus or how the classes work please let me know and I would be happy to answer any questions you might have.

• Spa Cuisine- healthy cuisine (4 weeks)- at Torrey Pines High School
-Wednesdays~ May 5 - 26, 2010 $131 from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Spanish Cuisine- specializing in Mexican & Cuban cuisine(2 weeks)
-at La Costa Canyon High School-Thursdays~ April 22 - 29 2010 $75 from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Italian for Beginners Part 2- a repeat of our popular Italian cooking for beginners series
(4 weeks)- at La Costa Canyon High School-Thursdays~
May 6 - 27, 2010 $131 from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Mediterranean Cooking Class- specializing in Greek & Moroccan cuisine (2 weeks)
-at La Costa Canyon High School-Thursdays~ June 3 - 10 2010 $75 from 6 to 9 p.m.
• Asian Cuisine- specializing in Thai & Vietnamese (2 weeks)
-at Torrey Pines High School-Wednesdays~ June2 - 9, 2010 $75 from 6 to 9 p.m.

To register online go to www.sdadulted.com
Or call (760) 753-7073 ext. 5103
For any other questions please contact Chef Jenn at (858) 212- 9054

2010-04-28T10:22:00.000-07:00

Here is a fun video of Annie Somerville (head chef at San Francisco's famous Greens restaurant) cooking the "perfect artichoke", thanks to the Sierra Club. Check there web site for more videos (http://www.sierraclub.org/greencuisine/)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1gt8F9VfII&feature=player_embedded

Exploring Your CSA Basket: Fun Seasonal Cooking Demonstration~ from the third annual Cultivating Food Justice Conference

2010-04-25T18:24:00.000-07:00

Thank you all so much for taking part in the Cultivating Food Justice Conference. I had a wonderful time sharing (or should I say ranting, at times) my passion for food.

I also want to thank one of my students for takeing such wonderful pictues. Hope you all enjoy them as much as I do.

Please let me know if you have any other questions or if you would just like to chat about food sometimes.

Also, don’t forget that you can get all the produce I used today from Suzie’s Organic Farm. Please go to their website (http://www.suziesfarm.com/) for more information about the CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) basket or what farmers markets you can find them at.

Here are some other websites for local CSA’s-http://www.bewiseranch.com/, http://www.ecovian.com/s/sandiego/csa-food-delivery, and many more

As mentioned in class, Garden of Eden, offers varies sizes of CSA baskets ~http://www.goeorganics.com/pledge_form.php

Here are the recipes for everything I made in class.

P.S. If anyone accidentally took my produce guide I would love to get it back. Thank you!

Kale and Swiss Chard with Pine Nuts and Golden Raisins
Serves 4

2 tbsp Olive oil
2 cloves Garlic, minced
3 cups Kale, washed tough stems separated- (stems chopped into small pieces and leaves coarsely chopped)
3 cups Swiss Chard, soaked, tough separated- (stems chopped into small pieces and leaves coarsely chopped)
¼ cup Water
3 tbsp Golden raisins
1 tbsp Pine nuts, toasted
1 tbsp Honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and garlic, cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds and add water, kale and chard stems.
Cover and reduce heat to medium low, cook for 5 minutes.
Remove cover; add kale and chard leaves and raisins, season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes over medium heat or until chard just starts to become tender.
Taste for seasoning and serve.

Romaine and Strawberry Salad with Toasted Nuts, Fresh Cheese, and a Sherry Shallot Vinaigrette
Serves 4

½ cup Nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.)
2 tbsp Sherry vinegar
1 tbsp Shallot, minced
2 tsp Honey
½ cup Oil
1 head Romaine lettuce, cut into bite sized pieces
½ cup Micro tatsoi
½ lb Strawberries (1 1/2 cups), trimmed and quartered lengthwise
2 oz Mild fresh cheese (queso fresco, goat cheese, sheeps milk feta, etc.), crumbled

Roast nuts in a shallow baking pan in middle of oven until golden, approximately 10 minutes.
Cool nuts and coarsely chop.
Whisk together vinegar, honey, and shallots. Add oil in a slow stream, whisking until combined well.
Toss together romaine and micro tatsoi in dressing and season with salt and pepper. Divide salad among plates.Top with strawberries, nuts, and cheese.

Come find me this Sunday at the Cultivating Food Justice Conference at SDSU

2010-04-21T17:15:00.000-07:00

Cultivating Food Justice Conference at San Diego State University

April 24 -25, 2010

Third annual San Diego Cultivating Food Justice Conference is this weekend, April 24-25, at San Diego State University. The Conference is free to all and I am proud to be a part of it. I will be giving a demonstration on how to cook seasonal with foods from your CSA basket.

Free food and entertainment will be part of this exciting weekend.

The Saturday Keynote speaker, Raj Patel, author of the best-seller Stuffed and Starved, will speak about our global food system and it's inequities.

Sunday's Keynote speaker, Barry Logan, director of Escondido organic farm La Milpa Organica; an amazing local farm that I have been lucky enough to tour with a group of my student (and that I hope to do more with in the future. They also hold potlucks on Saturdays; check out their web site for more information~ http://milpaorganica.com/

Workshop schedule, directions and more details on when and where you can my event can be found or to read more about other speakers go to http://www.sdfoodjustice.org/workshops.php.

A few good books to help you expand your French cooking skills and give you a little of the French Joei de Vivre!

2010-04-20T12:08:00.000-07:00

The Country Cooking of France by Anne Willan; published in 2007 by Chronicle Books--- Wonderfully illustrated, with beautiful pictures of France and the amazing food. Along with the fantastic recipes there are stories about the incredibly unique French ingredients and how they are produced. With wonderful classic like Boeuf bourguignon and Coq au van to a amazing Roasted Salmon with Bacon and Horseradish Cream. Hands down my favorite French cook book!

Bistro Cooking at Home by Gordon Manersley and Joanne McAllister Smart; Published in 2003 by Broadway Books—This book takes a new American twist on classic French bistro foods. Although not entirely classical French cooking, there are some wonderful recipes ( like the Chicken Piperade and the Peach Galette, that I have found works beautifully with apples as well).

Tartine by Elisabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson; published in 2006 by Chronicle Books--- Not entirely French but contains some of the best “baking” recipes I have ever used. Hands down the easiest caramel sauce recipe I have ever used!! If you are looking to impress your friends try any of these recipes.

Mastering the Art of French Cooking (Volume 1 and 2) by Julia Childs, Louisette, Bertholle and Simone Beck; originally published in1961 (with an anniversary edition in 2001 and a box set in 2007)------ A true classic, with recipes from a by gone era. Not a cook book for the faint of heart; this cook book contains recipes that take time, thought and some heart to create. That being said the recipes where written before cook book “format” where standardized, so the recipes can be a bit hard to follow at time. But it is worth it to take your time, slow down and follow them through. Just ask Julie!

Julie and Julia: 365 Days, 524 Recipes, 1 Tiny Apartment Kitchen by Julie Powell --- A wonderful story about a women discontented with her daily grind, to find a way to bring a little extra happiness to her life she decided to start cooking Julia Child recipes from Master the Art of French Cooking. She began a blog telling the world about her trials and tribulations. This book documents her story and was recently turned into an award winning movie. This heartwarming story will give any haphazard cook hope, that there is no mistake big enough to stop you from cooking and finding your passion.

Farmers Market Finds

2010-03-22T11:46:00.000-07:00

On a recent trip to the Mercato (the amazing famers market in Little Italy) I came across an ingredient that I have never use. Not as rare of an occurrence as you might think.

The ingredient~ Stinging Nettle; I know it doesn’t sound very appetizing; more like it instills fear and a look of “are you seriously going to eat that” (at least that was the look my mom gave me when she saw me cleaning the nettles with rubber cloves on).

The nettles (a common shrub) have “venom” in then and if touched in the raw state it makes your skin sting a little. But when cooked, they crisp when fried or braise like collard greens. The nettles have an herbal flavor; almost a cross between spinach, arugula and fennel.

It was love at first bite and I have been play with every idea I can think of for cooking them. From sautéed in a pasta sauce, to cooked and add to my scrambled eggs (these where my two favorites).

If you too are inspired to cook with the stinging nettle, they can be found at “Suzies Farm” booth in either the Little Italy or the Hillcrest farmers markets. But act now; I am not sure how long they will have them for.

Spaghetti with Pancetta, Garlic, and Stinging Nettles
Serves 2

¼ cup Pancetta, cut into small cubes
½ tsp Garlic, minced
½ cup Stinging nettles
1 tbsp Meyer lemon juice
¼ lb Spaghetti
1/3 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large stock pot of water to a boil.
Blanch stinging nettles, place into ice water and strain.
Remove leaves from stems and roughly chop leave in small dice (discarding stems).
Heat a sauté pan over medium low heat, add pancetta. Cook till pancetta pieces are golden and crisp.
Add spaghetti to boiling water with 1 tablespoon of salt. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes.
Strain pasta and reserve 3 tablespoons of cooking liquid.
Heat sauté pan with pancetta over medium high heat; add garlic and cook till fragrant.
Add stinging nettles; stir to combine and cook till leaves begin to crisp.
Add cooking liquid and pasta; stir to coat pasta in sauce.
Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
To serve, twirl pasta around the end of a set of tongs and place onto a plate, garnish with Parmesan.

Bubble Gum Vodka!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2010-03-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

I know, really they stopped letting camel cigarettes use the cartoon camel but they allow bubble gum flavored vodka!?!

I have to admit it is really good. Yes I may be a bit bias, as I was the little kid that always ordered the bubble gum ice cream.

You might be wondering where you might be able to get such a strange and glorious concoction. Well you can find it at your local liquor store (or Bev Mo). A company by the name of “Three Olives” makes a Bubble Gum vodka (and it is not extremely pricey). Or if you wonder the internet you can find quite a few recipes. Yes I said it there are recipes, most of which use Bazooka bubble gum (http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/drink/views/Bazooka-Bubblegum-Cocktail-350146). This is even more awesome, since now I finally have a use for the gum (and I can just sit back and read all the Bazooka Joe comics I want)!

I first came across the wonderful elixir at a local watering hole (called The Office). They serve a beautifully bubble gum pink Bubble Gum Shots (sorry no picture, was having too much fun). But I think I may have been able to copy there recipe, I hope that is some conciliation.

Bubble Gum Shot
2 oz Bubble Gum Vodka
4 oz Lemon lime soda
Splash Pomegranate juice
Superfine sugar

In a shaker with ice, combine Bubble Gum Vodka, lemon lime soda, and pomegranate juice. Shake to incorporate.
Rim half of a rocks glass with superfine sugar.
Strain shaker into glass.

ENJOY!!

Silky Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse

2010-03-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

Hazelnut Chocolate Mousse

Serves 6 to 8

1 3/4 cups Whipping cream
1 tsp Gelatin
1 ½ cups Semisweet chocolate chips
¼ cup + 1 tbsp Frangelico or hazelnut liquor
2 tbsp Nutella
3 tbsp Unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small cubes

Chill 1 ½ cups whipping cream in refrigerator. Chill metal mixing bowl and mixer beaters in freezer.

In a double boiler, combine chocolate chips, ¼ cup Frangelico, Nutella and butter. Melt over barely simmering water, stirring constantly. Remove from heat while a couple of chips are still visible. Cool, stirring occasionally to just above body temperature.

Pour remaining 1/4 cup whipping cream into a small sauté pan and sprinkle in the gelatin. Allow gelatin to "bloom" for 10 minutes. Then carefully heat until gelatin is dissolved, and there are no lumps. Do not boil or gelatin will be damaged! Stir mixture into the cooled chocolate and set aside.

In the chilled mixing bowl, beat cream and 1 tablespoon Frangelico to medium peaks. Stir ¼ of the whipped cream into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Fold in the remaining whipped cream in two batches. There may be streaks of whipped cream in the chocolate and that is fine. Do not over work the mousse.

Spoon into bowls or martini glasses and chill for at least 1 hour (If mousses are to be refrigerated overnight, chill for 1 hour and then cover each with plastic wrap).

Garnish with toasted hazelnuts, fresh berries or a sprig of mint.

Inspiration….

2010-03-19T15:58:00.000-07:00

I received and email today from one of my students and I found it very inspiring and I wanted to share it.
Her limited choices in foods and budget restrictions sounded like a challenge; I thought we might be able help.

I was thinking that the creative minds that read my blog could come up with some amazing ideas. And I would love to know what you all come up with.

Thank you.

"I have been volunteering for Jewish Family Service and took a group of gals to WIC to get their WIC stamps and shop for their WIC foods. Realized that they don’t know how to Cook!! So I am teaching two very basic cooking classes in April.

I am so excited !! I could not be doing it, if I had not taken the classes with you and learned the basic approach to teaching classes.

The kitchen is very small and I will only have 6 girls per class. I am going to do my own prep, and prepare a few simple dishes in the kitchen.

I have been going thru cookbooks, pulling out simple menus using the WIC foods: Milk, bread or tortillas, eggs, beans, pasta, cheese, peanut butter, $10 worth of fruits and vegetables per month and tuna. The first class will not use any meat, but will talk about adding it to some of the foods.

All the girls in the program are either pregnant or have babies. Once they are nursing, they get some additional foods.

Each girl will get a donated re-useable grocery bag, a recipe box with the recipes, a vegetable knife, cooking spoon, and a set measuring cups and spoons.

If it goes well, I will another class in May, using meats.

Maybe in the fall I can arrange a field trip to the Mission High School Kitchen and set up a demonstration of some kind.

I have set up a field trip to Sprouts and they will "play" a scavenger hunt, reading nutrition labels, types of milk, sodium in canned and frozen foods, etc.

I will let you know how it goes!!!!"

Thanks Ele

Who said you have to drink your Whisky and Guinness on St. Patrick's Day?!?

2010-03-15T13:57:00.000-07:00

For St. Patrick’s Day this year try something new. Like my Guinness Beef Pie, a wonderful play on a Sheppard’s Pie. Or try cooking will Bailey’s or Whisking; and drink a little less of it.

When I think about St. Patty’s Day; I think of a good Irish Pub, a clover on top of my Guinness, and a lot of good laughs. I tried my best to incorporate all of those things into a menu for my feast. I did this by playing around with classic pub food like meat pies and mashed potatoes.

Here is my full feast, a display of all the great flavors and booze Ireland has to offer-

Whisky Glazed Carrots and Parsnips, Sweet and Sour Sautéed Cabbage and Swiss Chard with Caraway Seed and Bacon, Turnip Horseradish Mashed Potatoes, Guinness Beef Pie, and Bailey’s Chocolate Pudding

Guinness Beef Pie Recipe
Serves 4

1 ½ lb Ground beef, 80% lean or less ( I don't recomend extra lean for this)
2 tbsp Vegetable oil
To taste Salt and Pepper
2 tbsp Unsalted butter
3 tbsp All-purpose flour
2 tbsp Tomato paste
1 cup Chicken broth
1 1/2 cup Guinness or stout
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup Onion, finely diced
1/2 cup Celery, finely dice
1 tbsp Fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1/2 tbsp Fresh rosemary leaves, chopped
1 tsp Dry mustard powder

Flour or as needed
1 Sheet puff pastry
1 large Egg, lightly beaten
1 tbsp Water
1/4 cup Cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425°F.
In a large sauté pan heat oil over medium heat and brown ground beef, you may need to do this in two batches in order to get beef brown. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Remove from pan and separate meat from pan drippings, set aside.
Whisk together beef drippings, chicken stock and tomato paste, to remove any lumps.
Add butter to the pan and melt over medium heat.
Add flour and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, or until flour begins to turn light brown in color.
Slowly whisk in chicken stock mixture, beer, and Worcestershire sauce.
Bring to a simmer, add onion and celery. Cook till thickened. Return beef to the pan along with thyme, rosemary and dry mustard powder.
Stir to combine and cool completely.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon flour or as needed, onto countertop and roll pastry till doubles in size.
Place baking dish onto the pastry sheet and cut the dough just slightly larger than the dish.
Divide cooled filling amongst the baking dishes.
Stir together egg and water.
Cover each bowl, pressing sides lightly to help adhere. Brush pastry tops with some of egg mixture and sprinkle with cheese. Bake pies until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Cooking Up Seduction DVD Release Party at Tango Wine Bar on April 15!!!

2010-03-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmBQLJUkBJk

Tempeh, the I can’t believe it’s not meat; meat!

2010-03-13T15:53:00.000-08:00

My advanced coking class (Part 3) in San Marcos recently had there “Iron Chef” night; an evening for students to explore their creativity and to challenge themselves.

The theme was Vegetarian (inspired by Dr. Jenn) and students were given a choice of meat substitutes. The students came up with some amazing inspired creations.

One of the options being tempeh, an item that many students (and people in general) are not familiar with. I am here to help you get familiar with it.

Tempeh is made from cooked and slightly fermented soybeans and formed into a patty, or I should say a log and holds together like a firm veggie burger. Many commercially prepared brands add other grains, and also add spices and extra flavors. When you mix grains and tempeh; you get a great texture and nutty flavor. Although tempeh is made from soy, it has a unique texture (think a soy bean and mushroom veggie burger, in a good way) and is nothing like tofu.

If you aren't fond of tofu don’t fear the tempeh!

It is also very high in protein and calcium, as well as beneficial isoflavones and a great vegetarian option other than tofu.

My preference is to steam (or boil) tempeh to soften the and remove any possible off flavors before marinating, cooking and serving. To steam, place the full “log” in a steamer for approximately 10 minutes, flipping half way through. Then add to a stir fry (instead of tofu), or crumble into soups or chili.

Because of its firm texture, you need to slice tempeh into small dices or cubes (so as not to overdo it), not more than 3/4 inch thick.

For class we steamed the log of tempeh, coated it in a BBQ spice rub (allowing 15 minutes to rest and absorb flavors), brushed the entire log in oil and grilled till warmed through. Served on a grilled baguette with cheddar cheese and caramelized onions. SOOOOO YUMMY!

Passover Recipe

2010-03-10T23:09:00.000-08:00

With the upcoming holidays I just thought I would pass on a few recipes that I thought might help to make the day taste a bit better.

Easter recipes to come (glazed ham).

Matzo Ball Soup

Serves 4- 6

1 Egg
1 tbsp Chicken broth
1 ½ tbsp Rendered chicken fat, at room temperature
¼ cup Matzo meal
½ tsp Salt

In a large bowl mix together egg and chicken broth, add matzo meal, chicken fat and salt.
Stir to combine and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
Bring 4 cups of water to water to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer.
With a mini ice cream scoop or 2 small spoons; scoop balls of matzo meal mixture into water.
Cover and cook for 30 minutes.

Soup
4 cups Low sodium chicken broth
15 Baby carrots
Matzo balls
¼ cup Parsley, finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste

In a stockpot bring chicken broth to a boil and reduce heat to medium low.
When stock is simmering; add carrots and matzo balls, cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until carrots are fork tender.
Season with salt and pepper, garnish with parsley.

Quick list of classes for March, April and May

2010-03-09T11:53:00.000-08:00

Chef Jenn's Upcoming Hands on Cooking Classes:

At Torrey Pines High School and La Costa Canyon High School

• Spa Cuisine- healthy cuisine (4 weeks)- at Torrey Pines High School
-Wednesdays~ May 5 - 26, 2010 $131 from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Asian Cuisine- specializing in Chinese & Japanese cuisines (2 weeks)
-at Torrey Pines High School-Wednesdays~ April 21 - 28, 2010 $75 from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Spanish Cuisine- specializing in Mexican & Cuban cuisine(2 weeks)
-at La Costa Canyon High School-Thursdays~ April 22 - 29 2010 $75 from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Italian for Beginners Part 2- a repeat of our popular Italian cooking for beginners series
(4 weeks)- at La Costa Canyon High School-Thursdays~
May 6 - 27, 2010 $131 from 6 to 9 p.m.

• Mediterranean Cooking Class- specializing in Greek & Moroccan cuisine (2 weeks)
-at La Costa Canyon High School-Thursdays~ June 3 - 10 2010 $75 from 6 to 9 p.m.

To register online go to www.sdadulted.com
Or call (760) 753-7073 ext. 5103

Hands on Cooking Classes in San Marcos at Mission Hills High School

Culinary Basics (Italian, French, Asian, Regional American, and more) 11 weeks for $50! All food and supplies are provided for you.

• Part 1 (Tue) March 30 to June 15, 2010
• Part 2 (Mon) March 29 to June 14, 2010

Registration opens March 15

To register contact Roberta at (760) 752-1272

For any other questions please contact Chef Jenn at (858) 212- 9054 www.myspace.com/chefjenncooks

Looking for a place to dine in San Diego....I highly recomend The Linkery

2010-03-07T17:28:00.000-08:00

The Linkery

Don’t be daunted by a menu the size of the constitution; with just a few more words. Every word helps you better understand what you are eating and where that food comes from. With a wine and beer list as long as the menu it’s self.

The menu opens with a list of the Linkery’s “farmers and artisans”. These are the people responsible for harvesting and producing the food which is skillfully transformed into your meal. Eat ingredient in your dish is branded with the initials of its source.

With a menu that encompasses everything from Baja Oysters to Berkshire pork; you know you are in for an amazing journey. My journey began with a glass of the “mixed tape”. That’s right the mixed tape is back. And no, it’s not some sappy combination of love songs for that girl you just can’t stop thinking about- it is a bold blend of grapes (Grenache, Carignan, Mourvedre, and Petit Sirah) that scream for food. Made especially for the Linkery by the wine Garage in Napa Valley.

First course of “Octail”, is the most amazing octopus civiche! Flavors that took me right back to the beaches of Baja.

And a uncomplicated plate of “House cured beef bresaola”, cleanly plated with olive oil, navel oranges, and smoked sea salt. Simple plating but by no means simple flavors.

We split an order of the “Lowcountry boil”. A house specialty indeed! With clams (Sunburst Manilas) that where cooked to perfection and tasted of fresh sea water, shrimp (wild Mexican) that where so sweat and house-made andouille sausage that had the perfect kick of spices and heat. The rest of the food on the plate was just garnish to me.

When it came to dessert, well the sweet-tooth junky that I am could not have just one. Thank God, the “Lardoice cream sandwich with chocolate and hazel nut chunk cookie and candied house cured bacon” was a bit of a letdown (even though you would never know from the picture). Except for the candied bacon; sweat, salty, crispy, sexxxy!

The winner of the night was the “Carrot cake with citrus and goat cheese frosting” This dense cake was full of fall spices and covered in a layer of light-as-air, sweet goat cheese frosting.

I highly recommend dining at the Linkery!

The basics-
Located-3794 30th St
at North Park Way in North Park
San Diego CA USA

No reservations!

Open late –
Mon-Thu: 5:30pm - 11:30pm
Fri-Sat: noon - 11:30pm
Sun: 11am - 11:30pm

Contact-(619) 255 8778 or http://www.thelinkery.com

Staff are very friendly and helpful, knowledgeable of the food and beverages. There when we need them and otherwise they step back and let you enjoy your meal.

A cozy atmosphere of dark wood and booths and bar tables, surrounding a glass cube of a kitchen. If you are a foodie or love to watch cooking shows I recommend asking for a table with a view of the kitchen.

San Diego Restaurant Supply

2010-03-05T22:17:00.000-08:00

Took a trip downtown to visit San Diego Restaurant Supply today; I needed a few things like large plastic cutting boards, wooden reamer, and mini cupcake liners.

As to be expected a quick trip turned into an hour of me trying to decide “what do I really need”.

If you don’t know SDRS is open to the public. Yes, you (the home cook or avid foodie) can shop here to pro’s do!

The store is a cross bread between the classic restaurant supply warehouse and a modern cookware store, with all the tools and equipment you have ever wanted at reasonable prices.

1202 Market St.
San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: 619-239-8107
Fax: 619-239-1200
http://www.sdrs.com/

Quick note from one of my students

2010-03-04T15:15:00.000-08:00

I hate talking myself up, so when ever I can let a student say a few kind words on behalf I am happy to share them.
Here is an email I received today from one of my students-
"Thanks Chef Jenn!

Last night's dinner was great, and Brett and I will make that dinner again! Brett woke up this morning and talked about it at length. haha.

Yes, I would love to have your bread pudding recipe, and sorry to give you a start when I was referring to my horrendous bread pudding (that was not your recipe) disaster that even the ants would not touch! haha.

Best Regards,

p.s. thanks you for being the best and most gifted teacher we have encountered!

g.g. and brett schaumburg"

Chef Jenn's Culinary Tales

Local Guava and Cream Cheese Tart

Amazing October Cooking Classes and a sneak peak of December Classes

Slow Food vs. Fast Food...take the $5 challenge with me

Dallmann Fine Chocolates in Del Mar

Tons and Tons of Great Hands-on Classes!!!

St. Germain and Grapefruit Popsicles

Food and Foodie at The San Diego County Fair

Pictures of Cooking Class with Chef Jenn

Vegetarian “Like Water for Chocolate” Chiles with Walnut Sauce, stuffed with Lentils

URBAN FARM PARTY! Coral Tree Farms, an urban farm in the heart of Encinitas

Dates Shakes and Anthony Bourdain

Battle Crab Cake with Baja Crab from Catalina Offshore Products

Perfect Vodka Tonic

2 MINUTES W/ TOMMY

Thomas Keller: A chef for all seasons

The Perfect Easter Ham!!

Cooking for Lovers with Chef Jenn, Session 124

Day at The Docks 2011...Pan Seared Corvina with Citrus Butter and Sauted Swiss Chard

Chef Jenn's class in La Costa/Carlsbad and Del Mar

Cultivating Food Justice 2001~ Unlocking Your CSA Bakset

Trials and Tribulations of Vegan Coconut, Ginger, Lemon Grass Tapioca Pudding

Top 20 Foods for the Perfect Pantry, from the Good ol' Gals Oceanside meeting

Scallop and Shrimp Stuffed Halibut with Citrus Buerre Blanc,

~~~Chef Jenn's Upcoming Hands on Cooking Classes~~~

Catalina Offshore Products....and my friend Tommy Gommes

Rancho Santa Fe Farmers Market

Jan and Feb Cooking Classes at Torrey Pines High School and La Costa Canyon High School

Classes start soon...San Marcos ROP Part 1 $75 for 11 weeks of cooking classes!!!

LA TIMES FOOD SECTION; ARE YOU KIDDING ME....The Dry-brined turkey (a.k.a. the 'Judy Bird') OMG!!

The new and improved Green Bean Casserole; so good even your mom will love it

Thanksgiving Check List~ Everything you will need to start preparing for Thanksgiving today

Chef Jenn's Thanksgiving Party

Holiday Cooking Classes

Mini New England Style Lobster and Shrimp Roll

CRAZY HALLOWEEN COCKTAIL RECIPE

Butternut Squash Soup from Suzie's Farm Butternut Squash

Unlocking The Mysteries of The CSA

Chambord Candy Apple Martini

Ingredient of the week~~Kiwi Berries~~

October Classes at Alchemy of The Hearth

Fish Tacos

Recipe from Sea Rocket Bistro Cooking Class

Spotlight on Local Farmers Cooking Class at Sea Rocket Bistro

Recipes from the San Marcos Farmers Market Orange Walnut Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Plum Sauce

What are you pickling?

San Marcos Unified School District ROP Program Culinary Classes Are Back!!

Vista Farmers Market Cooking Demonstrations~~Pickeling~~

Cooking Classes for September 2010

Recipe Surveys ~~~Recipe Testing for My Cook Book~~~

Ingredient Of The Week~~Fresh Black Eyed Peas

Vista Farmers Market Tour and Cooking Class~~ Clam Pasta Recipe

Looking for a healthy alternative to burgers for this 4th of July?

Grilled Stone Fruit Sundae~ From Alchemy of the Hearth "Whats Local and Fresh Cooking Class

The ingredient of the week ~~Cherries~~

Ingredient of The Week~~Fresh Masa~~Masa is a Spanish word meaning "dough".

San Diego Zoo Does a Farm to Table Dinner...Guess The Lions and Tigers and Bears Are Happy They're in The Zoo!

Tour the Vista Farmers Market with Chef Jenn

End of Year Letter to Students

World Cup Soccer at The Linkery and a New Addition to There Family

Summer Classes at Alchemy of The Heart~ Menus

Ingredient Of The Week ~Lemon Verbena~

Learning to Cook with Chef Jenn

Memorial Day Feasting on Surf and Turf

Soltan Banoo~ Restraunt Review (it rhymes!)

A note from student...plus a recipes

Wana Try Something New This Memorial Day; Forget The Grilled Hot Dogs

My “essential” tools

Ingredient of the week ~~~ Guanciale~~~

A few Pics from Spa Cuisine Cooking Class At Torrey Pines High School

Il Fornaio Coronado Presents a Palmina Winemaker Dinner ~May 20, 2010

The “Super Green” List: the healthiest choices off the Monterey Bay Aquarium sustainable seafood list...with a recipe for Grainy Mustard Crusted Salmon

Happy Cinco de Mayo...Enchiladas with Homemade chiplotle red sauce

A day of gluttony

Italian Cooking for Beginners (Part 2) Menus

~~~Chef Jenn's Upcoming Hands on Cooking Classes~~~At Torrey Pines High School and La Costa Canyon High School

Exploring Your CSA Basket: Fun Seasonal Cooking Demonstration~ from the third annual Cultivating Food Justice Conference

Come find me this Sunday at the Cultivating Food Justice Conference at SDSU

A few good books to help you expand your French cooking skills and give you a little of the French Joei de Vivre!

Farmers Market Finds

~Chef Jenn's Upcoming Hands on Cooking Classes~

Ingredient of the weekKiwi Berries

Vista Farmers Market Cooking DemonstrationsPickeling

Recipe Surveys ~Recipe Testing for My Cook Book~

The ingredient of the week Cherries

Ingredient of The WeekFresh MasaMasa is a Spanish word meaning "dough".

Ingredient of the week ~ Guanciale~

~Chef Jenn's Upcoming Hands on Cooking Classes~At Torrey Pines High School and La Costa Canyon High School