The Kitchens June Menu - first draft and Chefs Notes (subject to change) please call 916.568.7171 to book soon! First Course Wild Alaskan King Salmon Flavors of the Yucatan, Banana, Nopales Green Coriander Alaskan King Salmon, one of my favorite fish and well-managed wild fisheries. We work with a small network of long line fishermen in Alaska that capture our fish before they get to the mouth of the rivers where most salmon is net caught. This yields a much higher quality fish, free of bruises from the large nets. We rub the fish with a blend of Annato and pasilla chile, then char them under intense heat caramelizing the exterior but leaving the center barely cooked, a superb texture for the fish. We confit bananas in duck fat and then puree them to a rich creamy puree. Tender Paddle Cactus leaves or “Nopales”, are charred in hot embers then scraped to leave a tender flesh that is diced and combined with crushed green coriander pods. Expect a few surprise flavors as we explore this combination. Second Course Salad of Beets and Cherries Moroccan Cured Duck Pistachio, Juniper Beets are an ingredient we see frequently throughout the year, but the early summer ones I enjoy most. We pair these with Brooks cherries, marinated in a little red wine, and pistachios that are simply roasted. Black Walnut miso creates a nice savory, salty base for the sweet and brightly flavored ingredients above. We cure Sonoma County Duck breasts in Moroccan spices and lightly cook. 20 year old juniper barrel aged Balsamic provides a balanced sweet/sour and woody flavor to pull it all together. Intermission Sushi Sashimi Crudo Third Course Raviolo Horseradish Leaves and Jersey Ricotta Walnuts, Morels, Brown butter We generally think of Horseradish as that spicy flavored root that is grated to make any number of condiments. Well, turns out that the leaves of this plant have a nice balance of sweet herbaceousness as well as a milder punch of the root itself. We quickly wilt these greens with soffrito and fresh tarragon then blend fresh jersey ricotta from Bellweather Farms. Morels are easily our favorite spring mushroom because of their intense meaty qualities. Adding them to a brown butter sauce with fresh cracked walnuts is a no brainer and gives us a dish very reminiscent of “Tortelli Maremmani” a classic Tuscan summer pasta. Fourth Course “Confit” of Piedmontese Beef Smoked Polenta Summer Squash “Farcis” Piedmontese Beef, or Chianina is a breed that holds its origins from the Chianina Valley that runs through Umbria and Tuscany. Now successfully raised here in the US, the meat is lean, and incredibly tender. We slow cook our beef “confit” style. We smoke our coarse cracked polenta before cooking. Petite summer squash are stuffed with pork sausage with smoked paprika and mahleb. Dessert Goat’s Milk Semifreddo With Olive Oil Cake Macerated Blueberries, Apricots White Chocolate Semifreddo, which translates to half-frozen is a great dessert for the warmth of the early summer. And goats milk with its lighter fat content is really nice with fresh blueberries and frog hollow apricots that are macerated with sugar, Mexican vanilla beans and white chocolate. Olive oil cake provides a nice light texture and sweetness that plays well as we soak it with the juices of the fresh fruits.
Posted on: Tue, 27 May 2014 21:04:56 +0000
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