At the Farm

Todd at Urban Acres gave us an inside look to his urban farm where we buy a lot of our local natural produce from. It's not the prettiest set up, but the flavors and the produce speak for themselves. He was so knowledgeable and I learned a ton from him about farming, veggies, and sustainability.

Caprese Salad

I really wanted to call this a hydrocolloid salad, but I don't think that would've gone over too well. Anyways, it's mozzarella foam, tomato gelee, and basil pearls finished with some Noble's EVOO and black pepper. Quite tasty and a bit out there for my restaurant. But the key is that everyone loved it.

Scallop "Stir Fry"

Too happy with how this turned out. The flavors were phenomenal and just perfect. So, sauteed julienned carrots, red bell peppers, shallots, and maitakes underneath the marinated scallop slices. The scallops were marinated ahead of time in orange, lime, and lemon juice sweetened with agave nectar which helped to lightly "cook" them seviche. The fun part of this dish is that the hot oil is poured over the dish in front of the guest, releasing the beautiful aromas and mixing with the citrus juices creating a broken vinaigrette sauce. The oil was a blend of grapeseed, extra virgin olive oil, and sesame oil. It was infused with Szechuan peppercorns, clove, and star anise. The seasoning on the scallops were Szechuan peppercorns, sea salt, citrus zest, and fresh ground ginger dust. Once again, I was very happy with this dish.

Crudo Duo of Halibut and Salmon with Citrus Wine Sauce and Arugula Petals

Salmon Soup with Citrus Ginger Fumet

A new technique to me, just thought of it. I'm sure it's definitely not new and probably a classic technique, but whatever. It's nice though, it's just a raw salmon salad garnish that has the hot citrus ginger fumet poured over it to order. So it comes to the customer just barely poached.

Shrimp Bisque

Simple, soulful, and just plain tasty.

Parmesan and Duck Skin Tuiles with Herbed Creme Fraiche

Formula: Duck skin + X = Delicious

Sweet Beets with Celeriac Foam and Ramp Oil

I threw this one together in a pinch for Saturday night. I knew the flavors would work, but they turned out tastier than I thought they would...

Spiced Rice Pudding with Citrus Pinenuts

Spiced with cloves, rosemary, and peppercorns with citrus notes.

Smoked Salmon Soup with Grilled Ramp Oil and Potato Gaufrette

Ruelle of Wild Salmon with Pickled Spring Salad and Tomato and Ginger Vinaigrette

Poached Halibut and Melon Salad with Citrus Fumet Foam

This combination isn't what I'd call common, but it turned out delicious. The light fresh sweetness of the melons complimented the naturally sweet and delicate flavor of the halibut. The citrus fumet foam helped to add a nice crisp and clean but savory after taste.

Pulled Pork Shoulder with Apple Butter and Wilted Arugula