2015 RECIPE GUIDE - Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day Holiday recipes from some of Santa Monica’s top restaurants

2015

RECIPE

GUIDE

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2015 Thanksgiving Day – RECIPE GUIDE

Mexican Inspired Prime Steak & Seafood

LOS ANGELES | NEWPORT BEACH at FASHION ISLAND | SANTA MONICA

San Diego

OPENING IN 2016

www.redorestaurant.com

2015 Thanksgiving Day – RECIPE GUIDE

TABLE OF CONTENTS

4 eLOVate Chick’n and Mole Tamales

6 The

Lobster

Stuffed California Red Spiny Lobster with Roasted Root Vegetables

About this publication We hope you enjoy this publication written, produced and designed by the Santa Monica Daily Press in cooperation with local restaurants, eLOVate, The Lobster, Huckleberry, The Upper West, Vanilla Bake Shop and True Food Kitchen.

May your holiday season be delicious.

8 Huckleberry Pear Ginger Muffins

9 The

Upper West

Spicy Sausage and Pear Stuffing

10 Vanilla

Bake Shop

Cream Cheese & Butter Pie Crust Apple Pie

11 True

Food Kitchen

Squash Pie

Thursday, 26 November 2015 TONNO, PANCETTA, INSALATA DI CANNELLINI Seared Ahi Tuna, Cannellini Bean Salad, Crispy Pancetta, Caramelized Onion (á la carte 16) WINE: ROSE, MARCHESI DI FRESCOBALDI “ALIE”, TOSCANA ‘14

RAVIOLI DI CERVO, SALSA DI FUNGHI Housemade Venison Ravioli, Wild Mushroom Sauce (á la carte 22) WINE: CHARDONNAY, CHATEAU ST JEAN “ROBERT YOUNG”, ALEXANDER VALLEY ‘14

MERLUZZO DEL PACIFICO ALLE ERBE, BRASATO AL LATTE, CAVOLINI DI BRUXELLES Milk Braised Santa Barbara Red Cod, Herb Crust, Farmers’ Market Brussels Sprouts (á la carte 29) WINE: PINOT NOIR, MACMURRAY, RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY ‘13

O P E N T H A N K S G I V I N G D AY 1 1 : 3 0 A M – 1 0: 0 0 P M

TACCHINO RIPIENO DI CASTAGNE E SALSICCE Roasted Mary’s Farm All-Natural Turkey, Toasted Chestnut-Italian Sausage Stuffing, Cranberry Compote, Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Turkey Gravy, Sautéed Green Beans (á la carte 28) WINE: CABERNET, BUELHER, NAPA VALLEY ‘13

THREE-COURSE…49 (CHOICE OF RED COD OR TURKEY)

FOUR-COURSE…59 WINE-TASTING PROGRAM…18 (NOT INCLUDING TAX OR GRATUITY) We recommend finishing your Thanksgiving feast with our special dessert...

CROSTATA DI ZUCCA Housemade Pumpkin Pie, Cinnamon Gelato, Caramel Sauce…10 WINE: MOSCATO D’ASTI, MICHELE CHIARLO, PIEMONTE ‘13 Locally Sourced Produce from the Santa Monica Farmers’ Market including: Onion from Carpenter, Herbs from Coleman, Brussel Sprout from Thao, Sweet Potato from Weiser, Green Beans from Tamai, Pumpkin from Tutti Frutti. All-Natural proteins include Mary’s Turkey & Santa Barbara Red Cod.

231 Arizona Ave, Santa Monica, CA | 310-451-3525 www.lagosantamonica.com

Lago Santa Monica

@LagoSantaMonica

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2015 Thanksgiving Day – RECIPE GUIDE

Chick’n and Mole Tamales Don’t be discouraged by what you hear, tamales are easy to make and delicious any time of the year. The simplest way to prepare tamales is in three steps. Step 1: Make the filling.

Step 2: Prep the masa.

Step 3: Assemble the tamales and steam them.

Step 1: Make the Filling • 2 bags of Gardein Chick’n Scaloppini, defrosted, diced medium and browned in 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil • Dark red mole as needed • One bag dry Cornhusks (If dry cornhusks are unavailable in your area you can buy them on-line or use parchment paper cut into 6” x 8” rectangles.)

• In a large bowl, add the Gardein and just enough mole to coat.

• Thin out the remaining mole with a cup of broth and set aside to enjoy later with the cooked tamales.

• Place the husks into a large bowl and cover them with hot water.

• Set a heavy item on top of the husks to keep them submerged.

• (As you go through the cornhusks, some will be cracked or too small. Save these unusable husks for the steaming process.)

Step 2: Prep the masa 4 cups masa harina 1 tsp. baking powder 2 tsp. kosher salt 4 cups warm water 1 cup vegan butter, melted 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil • Using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment, combine the ingredients in the order in which they are listed.

• Mix at a low speed until the ingredients are well incorporated.

• Turn the speed up to medium for a few minutes to fluff the masa.

NOTE: This process may be done by hand if necessary.

• Cover and refrigerate the masa until needed.

• Masa can be made up to 3 days in advance.

• Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to assembly.

Step 3: Assembly & Steaming

Assembly: • Have the dry corn husks, masa, and the filling on one table, ready to go.

• Remove a large husk from the water and pat dry.

• Lay the husk on a flat surface with the long end at the top.

• The husk will resemble a rudimentary triangle with the narrow end pointing toward the bottom.

• Place about a 1/4 cup of masa onto the husk.

• Starting from the upper left hand corner, spread the masa about 3.5” across and 3.5” down.

• Try to keep the masa approximately 1/8” thick.

• Spread about 2 tblsp. of mole filling down the center of the masa.

• Fold the husk in half vertically (from left to right), encasing the filling in a pocket of masa.

• Roll any excess husk around the tamale.

• Take the bottom of the excess husk and fold it up towards the top.

• Lay the tamales flat, seam side down until you have enough to steam.

• It depends on the size of your steaming basket, but I usually can fit about 2-dozen tamales in one basket.

eLOVate 1705 Ocean Ave. Ste. 111 | Santa Monica, CA | elovatekitchen.com | (424) 272-8700

Steam the tamales: • Set the tamales upright in a steamer.

• They need to be crowded enough to stand on their own.

• You can buy large steamers made just for this purpose, or you can rig something up with a large pot and a goodsized steamer basket.

• The idea is to have simmering water on the bottom of the pot and a steam basket full of up-right tamales secured above the water.

• Cover the tamales loosely with the wet, unusable cornhusks, then cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid.

• Steam for 1 Hour and 15 minutes over medium-low heat.

• When the tamales are done, carefully remove them from the steamer and allow them to rest at least 15 minutes.

• Remove 2 tamales from the husk and spoon a little excess mole over the top and serve.

• Tamales are good for 5 days in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.

• To maintain freshness, it is best to freeze them the day they are made.

• They can be defrosted and re-steamed until warm if desired, however, I can’t think of any food that can handle being microwaved better than the tamale.

• Microwaves should come with a “Tamale button” right next to the “popcorn button”.

• Makes about 24 tamales.

eLOVate 1705 Ocean Ave. Ste. 111 | Santa Monica, CA elovatekitchen.com | (424) 272-8700

he name of Santa Monica’s newest vegan restaurant is eLOVate and the strange format is actually layered wordplay designed to highlight the restaurants founding principles.

Certainly, the food is made with a great deal of actual love. Chef Roberto Martin loves his job, loves seasonal cuisine and loves creating great food that appeals to everyone. However, the specific letters are more than a reference to Martin’s commitment, the restaurant is actually founded on the principles of Local, Organic and Vegan.

Ingredients at eLOVate are sourced as locally as possible. Many items can be found in the area surrounding Los Angeles and Martin said when he has to go further afield, he makes every effort to stick as close to home as he can. Sometimes his commitment to organic requires more flexibility in the menu, as supplies can be limited. But Martin said seasonal food is always of superior quality so adapting his menu to stick to his principles is worth the trouble.

Regardless of the supply chain, everything at the restaurant is always vegan but Martin came to vegan cuisine later in his career.

Martin graduated from the Culinary Institute of America and began his career as a personal chef.

He developed a reputation among

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celebrity clients eventually landing a job for Ellen DeGeneres who as a vegan, wanted a style of food Martin was previously unfamiliar with.

“I took it as a challenge, to myself and my creative ability,” he said.

Martin said while the food he created was vegan, being vegan wasn’t his focus.

“I just wanted to make good food that happened to be vegan,” he

said. “I made food I knew for sure people liked.”

Martin said his philosophy is to embrace the comforting memories associated with food, break down what about those dishes is desirable and recreate those sensations with alternate ingredients. His work resulted in multiple television appearances, the new restaurant and two cookbooks (New York Times bestseller “Vegan Cooking for Carnivores” and the newly released “New Vegan Cooking”).

Martin said he’s not trying to force a vegan lifestyle on anyone, but he hopes the kind of food he prepares can give people a reason to think about their options.

“Our food is flavor forward and non-vegan friendly,” he said. “I want to serve food people love, then they can start to consider being that way a little more often.”

For his seasonal dish, he said it’s easy to recreate sensational flavors using tamales as a base. The traditional dish is readily adaptable but more importantly, it harkens back to his youth.

“My mom made tamales every Christmas,” he said. “She still does and she’s 89.”

Martin said his mother has exacting standards for her holiday foods, so much so that she would often make hundreds of tamales for the household.

Martin said he’s not alone in his fondness for a Christmas tamale, joking that a tamale scented candle would be a top seller within Latin communities.

“For me, the scent is ubiquitous with the holidays, as much as pine or tinsel,” he said.

2015 Thanksgiving Day – RECIPE GUIDE

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2015 Thanksgiving Day – RECIPE GUIDE

Stuffed California Red Spiny Lobster with Roasted Root Vegetables

The Lobster 1602 Ocean Ave. | Santa Monica, CA | thelobster.com | (310) 458-9294

Courtesy of Chef Collin Crannell

Stuffed Lobster • 2—1 1/2 lb. Spiny Lobsters or American Lobsters • 8 tbsp. butter, melted • 1 medium yellow onion, diced • 2 oz. Buna Shimeji mushrooms —stems diced, caps whole • 3 tbsp. smoked bacon or pancetta, minced • 1 tsp. thyme • 2 tsp. tarragon, minced • 2 tbsp. parsley, minced • 1/2 tsp. lemon zest • 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice • 2 cups brioche, 1/2” diced & toasted • 1 tsp. kosher salt • 1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Roasted Root Vegetables • 1 lb. red beets • 1 lb. carrots • 1 lb. winter squash • 1 lb. sunchokes • 1 lb. turnips • 1 lb. shallots • 1 oz. sprig of thyme • 1/4 cup olive oil • 4 tsp. kosher salt • 1 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

Directions: Stuffed Lobster Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Fill a large stockpot 3/4 full with salted water and bring to a boil. Plunge the lobster headfirst into the boiling water and cook, covered, until firm and almost cooked through, about 6 minutes. Drain and transfer with tongs to a large bowl filled with ice water. Drain well. When the lobster is cool enough to handle, place it on a cutting board, back side down flat on its back. With a sharp knife, cut down through the middle of the lobster from head to tail, forming 2 identical halves. Lift out the pink coral and any green tomalley. Reserve for another use or discard. Remove the stomach sac from the back of the head, the black vein running from head to tail, and any spongy gray tissue. Discard. Place the 2 lobster halves on a baking sheet and set aside while you prepare the stuffing.

Place a sauté pan over medium heat for 20 seconds. Add 2 tbsp. butter. When the butter begins to foam, add the bacon and sauté 1 minute while stirring frequently. Add the onions and mushrooms and cook until the onions are translucent.

Season with a little salt and pepper. In a mixing bowl combine the brioche onion bacon mushroom mixture, 2 tbsp. of the butter, the parsley, tarragon, thyme, lemon zest and juice and toss to combine. Adjust seasonings with salt and white pepper.

STUFFED LOBSTER

hen the executive chef of The Lobster restaurant talks about holiday food, you kinda have to expect a recipe for cooking lobster.

But for Chef Collin Crannell, his stuffed spiny lobster is about more than just branding. It’s a recipe that hits all the holiday notes, including the importance of family and the celebratory nature of the season.

“Defining characteristics of holiday food are traditional, seasonal ingredients that are colorful, rich and have tons of flavor,” he said. “I also think the holidays need that center piece of roast of beef, crown rack of lamb, or stuffed spiny lobster. Something visually impressive that smells so good, you can’t wait to eat it.”

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He said the dish is only possible when the seasons allow for a lobster season and utilizing an ingredient with a finite availability is part of his overarching food philosophy.

“Red Spiny lobsters are only available between October and March making them a perfect main dish for fall and winter, especially for the people who don’t want turkey,” he said. “My style of cuisine is seasonal. I’m inspired by what is in season, what’s at its best.

I’m very European in that matter. I look for the best products available for the current season.”

Throughout his career Crannell has earned a reputation for using fresh ingredients. That

Divide the stuffing evenly among the 2 lobster halves, filling the empty cavity and covering the tail with the remaining stuffing.

Drizzle the 2 halves with the remaining butter, and bake the lobsters until the filling is golden brown on top and the lobsters are heated through and thoroughly cooked, about 10 to 12 minutes. (The temperature on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the lobster meat should register 145 degrees F.)

Directions: Root Vegetables Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Peel each root vegetable, cut into roughly 1” pieces. Place all in a stainless steel bowl add the salt, black pepper, thyme and olive oil. Toss well. Place on a sheet pan, spread out evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until fork tender.

The Lobster 1602 Ocean Ave. | Santa Monica, CA thelobster.com | (310) 458-9294 CHEF COLLIN CRANNELL

commitment was developed through his culinary training, first in Paris then back in America. He worked his way through multiple prestigious restaurants eventually earning a Michelin star before coming to the Lobster.

As a Southern California native, Crannell is used to the perennial warmth that defines local “winters.”

Crannell said Santa Monica’s weather might not have the same seasonal shifts as other parts of the country, but it’s still possible to get the feelings of fall or winter through the changes at the farmers market.

“I tend to feel the seasons changing as the vegetables arrive at different times of year.”

Aside from using fresh foods, Crannell said home cooks can improve their dishes by avoiding a couple of basic mistakes. He said home cooks often under-season and overcook their holiday foods.

“To approach winter cooking, home cooks should use high quality seasonal ingredients and they shouldn’t be afraid of salt and pepper.”

For Crannell, the spiny lobster dish also has a family connection.

“My mother and I would go down to the docks in San Diego and buy a few Spiny lobsters off the fishing boat captains,” he said. “We would bring them home and try a few different versions until we came up with this recipe. It’s a very impressive presentation.”

2015 Thanksgiving Day – RECIPE GUIDE

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2015 Thanksgiving Day – RECIPE GUIDE

Pear Ginger Muffins

Huckleberry 1014 Wilshire Blvd. | Santa Monica, CA | huckleberrycafe.com | (310) 451-1322

MAKES 18 MUFFINS 3 medium pears, peeled and chopped 1 pinch sugar 1 pinch kosher salt, plus 3/4 tsp.

1 pinch ground cinnamon, plus 1 tsp.

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup + 1 tsp brown sugar 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tbsp. + 1 1/2 tsp. ground ginger 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper 1/8 tsp. ground cloves 1/2 cup canola oil 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp. molasses 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. maple syrup 2 eggs Zest of 1 orange 1. Position a rack in the middle of your oven and preheat to 350°F/ 180°C. Line two 12-cup muffin pans with 18 paper liners, spacing them evenly between the two pans.

2. Combine the pears, sugar, the pinch of salt, and pinch of cinnamon in a small saucepan. Cover with 2 cups water and cook over high heat until soft, about 10 minutes. Strain out the fruit and reserve. 3/4 cup of the cooking liquid. Refrigerate both until cool.

3. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, cloves and the remaining salt and cinnamon in a large bowl; whisk to remove lumps.

4. Combine the reserved pear cooking liquid, canola oil, molasses, maple syrup, eggs, and orange zest in a small bowl; whisk to combine. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk together by hand until smooth. Fold in the cooked pears.

5. As this is an incredibly loose batter, pour it into a large liquid measuring cup, and then pour it into the muffin cups, filling them a little more than threequarters full. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the muffins just barely spring back to the touch.

PEAR GINGER MUFFINS

These keep beautifully, wrapped tightly, at room temperature, for up to 4 days.

These muffins just scream holiday. If you want to channel your inner Martha, bake these, put them in a tin, and give them as a gift. They stay incredibly moist overnight. This recipe can have many different incarnations. They are just as good with apples or cranberries as they are with pears, and honestly sometimes I think they’re even better without any fruit, but if you’re doing them without pears, substitute 3/4 cup apple juice for the pear poaching liquid. If you choose to bake them without any cut fruit, just remember to shorten your baking time slightly, as they’ll bake quicker without the juices from the fruit. I love serving these with fresh whipped cream and a light dusting of powdered sugar. This batter also bakes beautifully as a teacake.

Huckleberry 1014 Wilshire Blvd. | Santa Monica, CA huckleberrycafe.com | (310) 451-1322

uckleberry has earned a reputation as a beloved neighborhood café and bakery so it’s shouldn’t come as a surprise that co-owner and baker Zoe Nathan bakes up a storm during actual stormy weather.

She said a batch of pear & ginger muffins can capitalize on seasonally available ingredients, maximize fall flavors and handle holiday crowd.

“We love having an abundance of food around during the holidays, and these muffins are great because you can bake a batch and they can sit around on your counter for a few days so you can enjoy them for a while,” she said.

“Pears are so great at this time of year, and gingerbread is classic holiday so I love making these muffins, or using the same batter and making a big teacake out of it.”

She said the recipe grew out of a desire to use foods that are at their

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best, and pears excel in the fall/early winter.

“Everything we do at the restaurants and at home is based around the seasons,” she said. “We have so much great produce at our farmers markets that it really dictates the way we cook. “ She said Santa Monica’s mild winters allow for year-round farmers markets and locals should take advantage of the opportunity to get their foods right at the source.

She said winter cooking, whether its for a holiday or just a Thursday, should be about delicious food made with love in abundance.

“Also it should be made to be shared amongst the people you love sitting around big table or just standing around the kitchen talking,” she said.

While Nathan enjoys a slice of pumpkin pie during the holidays she said she grew up on a

traditional apple pie.

“My mom always baking apple pies for Thanksgiving,” she said. “I still make her make that even if I bake a bunch of other stuff.”

The season affords Nathan the opportunity to continue those traditions with her own children.

“The opportunity to introduce my kids to all these foods that are so nostalgic to me. Also, as the weather cools I get much happier and want to bake as much as I can.”

She said home cooks should remember the fun of family when preparing their own holiday meals and not worry too much about what their making.

“The most important thing is to remember that winter cooking is about being with family so don't take yourself too seriously. Just make stuff that you love to eat, and make lots of it so you can invite extra people over last minute.”

2015 Thanksgiving Day – RECIPE GUIDE

The Upper West

Spicy Sausage and Pear Stuffing

3321 Pico Blvd. | Santa Monica, CA | theupperwest.com | (310) 586-1111

8 cups brioche bread (about 1 pound or so) 2 tablespoons olive oil (divided) 2 bosc pears (peeled, medium dice) 2 andouille sausage (medium dice) 1 stick unsalted butter (cut into pieces) 2 medium onions (medium dice) 4 large celery ribs (small dice) 6 fresh garlic cloves (minced) 5 large eggs (lightly beaten) 1 cup heavy cream (divided) 1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano ( about 2 ounces) 1/2 cup fresh cilantro (rough chop) (dry out bread over night) • preheat oven to 350° F with rack in middle.

• generously butter baking dish.

• add bread to mixing bowl THE UPPER WEST

pper West is a restaurant with a reputation for community partnerships. They host local artists, support local charities and routinely contribute to worthy causes throughout the Los Angeles area. While they certainly do good, they also produce good food courtesy of Executive Chef Nicholas Shipp.

Shipp is a native of Fort Worth, Texas who has spent years developing his skills. He stepped into the kitchen at age 15 first working part time a local restaurants and eventually opting for a formal education at the culinary Institute of Dallas. From there, he moved out west and honed his skills in Los Angeles, first

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as part of the Wolfgang Puck franchise and later as executive chef of Pete’s Café.

As executive chef at Upper West he maintains a rotating menu based on the seasonally available ingredients. He said the market decides much of his menu.

“Whatever the farmers are harvesting is predominantly what I use,” he said.

He said his definition of classic holiday food is anything that brings back memories and feelings of comfort. However, when it comes to the actually cooking, he said it’s the perfect time of year to mix sweet and savory hence his recipe for spicy sausage and pear stuffing.

“Stuffing is must at many

EXECUTIVE CHEF NICHOLAS SHIPP

Holiday feasts. Like the food at Upper West, I’ve thrown a curveball into this traditional holiday staple,” he said. “I stuck to the basic base of any stuffing (old bread, eggs & milk) I added the sausage for a bit of spice that’ll make you remember the dish and the pear adds just a enough subtle sweetness to balance things out.”

Shipp is a big fan of seasonal fruit, both for cooking and just as snack.

“I love when all the stone fruit hits the market,” he said. “I could eat peaches, plums & apricots everyday.”

Shipp said his holiday is defined by the smells of cinnamon, maple and sage. For him, the food is part of the deal, but not necessarily the focus.

“More than the food, I enjoy the time to relax with family and reflect on the year past,” he said. “Also being so full you pass out during halftime of the Cowboys’ game!”

Shipp said home cooks shouldn’t overthink their holiday meals.

“Many people get so stressed out on timing everything so perfectly,” he said. “Just relax and cook … the holidays are truly about the company you’re with.”

His one piece of advice for improving a home meal is to always brine the turkey.

“Grab a simple recipe and let it sit in the brine for a couple of days,” he said. “It’ll make all the difference in the world.”

• in a skillet, heat butter over medium heat until foam subsides, then add sausage, onions,pears, celery, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, stirring occasionally until golden, 12 to 15 minutes.

• add cooked vegetable / sausage mix to dried bread

• whisk together eggs, 1/2 cup cream, chicken stock, cheese, and parsley • add cream/cheese mixture to the bread & sausage mixture • stir till all ingredients are mixted well • add to buttered baking dish & cook at 425° F for 20 to 30 minutes • make sure the top of the stuffing is well browned • let sit for 15 to 20 minutes before serving

The Upper West 3321 Pico Blvd. | Santa Monica, CA theupperwest.com | (310) 586-1111

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2015 Thanksgiving Day – RECIPE GUIDE

Procedure

Apple Pie CREAM CHEESE & BUTTER PIE CRUST Ingredients Unsalted butter (chilled) 4 sticks (16 oz.) cut into small pieces 3-9” tart pans Cream cheese (chilled) 12 oz. (cut into small pieces) (1 1/2” tall) All purpose flour 3 cups (save a few tbsp. for dusting) Kosher salt 4 tsp.

Procedure • Use paddle attachment, on med speed cream the butter till smooth. Scrape sides.

• Add cream cheese a little at a time, cream together about 2 minutes till combined.

• On low speed slowly add the flour/salt combo in thirds, scraping the sides.

• Make sure not to over work the dough, otherwise it will toughen.

As soon as it comes together on the paddle stop mixing.

Want it to be a little crumbly.

• Pour dough onto flour dusted table, scrape bowl, and knead dough gently a couple times until it comes together into a ball.

• Shape into a flat circular disc, and wrap with plastic wrap in 2 lb. increments.

• Chill at least 4 hrs before rolling out for pie crust.

• Roll out 2 lb. dough disc until about 1/4” thick.

• Fit dough within tart pan pressing evenly and trimming excess.

• Tip: Try not to roll dough out more than 2x or it will start to loose its flakiness.

• Freeze pie shell before baking.

APPLE CRISP TOPPING Ingredients All purpose flour 1 cup Sugar, granulated 1/2 cup Brown sugar 1/4 cup Cinnamon 1 tsp.

Unsalted butter, cold/frozen 1 1/2 sticks (6 oz.)

Whole oats (non instant) 1/2 cup Salt 1/4 tsp.

Vanilla extract 1/2 tsp.

• Combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt, vanilla.

• Leave in Freezer for 10-20 mins.

Vanilla Bake Shop 512 Wilshire Blvd. | Santa Monica, CA | vanillabakeshop.com | (310) 458-6644

• In food processor, pulse in spurts with cold/frozen butter chunks until butter is the size of a pea.

• In bowl, fold in oats with the flour butter mixture.

• Leave in freezer until ready to use.

APPLE CRISP FILLING Ingredients Unsalted butter 2 sticks (8oz) 3-9” pies Sugar, granulated 3/4 cup Sugar, Brown 3 cup Honey 1/2 cup Heavy cream 1 cup Granny Smith Apple 12 lbs.

Cinnamon 1 tsp.

Nutmeg, ground 1/2 tsp.

All purpose flour 1/2 cup

Procedure • Peel, halve and core apples. Slice into 1/4” slices or cubes.

• In large pot, on low/med heat melt butter.

• Add Sugars, Honey and Heavy Cream. Let all boil together.

• Add cut apple. Mix around to coat apples evenly. Let apples cook together with liquid till apples have a little bit of color.

• Sift Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Flour over mix and turn off heat. Mix together.

• Remove apples from pot with strainer. Pour apples onto parchment sheet pan tocool, and stop the cooking.

• Save the juices from the filling. Add back into the apples when they have cooled.

• Refrigerate apple mixture until cold • Pull frozen tart shells to be filled.

• When filling pies, scoop apples with a slotted spoon, so only a small amount of sauce is added to the pie.

About 1 oz of sauce. (more juice will come from the apples when they bake off) Fill pie with 3-4 pounds of apple mixture.

• Cover entire top of apple pie with streusel topping so you can’t see any apples

APPLE PIE

ost people don’t order a custom cake without a good reason. There’s certainly an argument to be made that a great pie is a good reason in and of itself, but realistically, ordering a princess cake because it’s Tuesday doesn’t happen that often. That means that the folks at Vanilla Bakery are always working on someone’s special occasion, regardless of the season.

In the warmer months, they handle a lot of wedding cakes and owner Amy Berman said they love being a part of someone’s wedding, but she always looks forward to the winter months.

“Once the holiday music comes on, the decorations are up, there is a magic in the air that only happens this time of year,” she said. “I'm inspired by how caring and generous we are with one another.”

She said holiday food should

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always be associated with memories of love and gratitude.

“Holiday food is all about tradition and family to me,” she said. “I love that there are certain dishes you may only have a couple times a year. My family has this secret gravy recipe that takes two days to make. It’s a painstaking process that is worth every delicious drop. We all bond over the gravy and ration it for days.”

She said her apple crisp is a great fit for a winter meal and provides the kind of opportunity for interaction that is so important.

“Its the perfect recipe to spend the afternoon baking with the kids or with friends while playing holiday music,” she said. “The entire house fills with the delicious smells of cinnamon, apples and spices.”

At the bakery, capitalize on seasonal ingredients like Penzey's

Bake 350 /30 min Turn down oven to 325 and bake 15-20 min, until crumb topping is nicely brown.

• Excess sauce from apples can be thinned with a little cream and warmed up.

Serve over apple crisp.

Vanilla Bake Shop 512 Wilshire Blvd. | Santa Monica, CA vanillabakeshop.com | (310) 458-6644 YVETTE CORTEZ PREPARES THE PIE

Tung Hing Cinnamon in their holiday desserts for extra spice and their pumpkin streusel pie has a ginger snap graham crust.

Berman created her apple crisp recipe about five years ago while pregnant with her son Max. She said her quest was to create the ultimate version of the dish that turned out to be part pie, part crisp.

“I like using a 1 1/2" deep fluted tart shell pan for the crust because its so simple to use. I adapted the filling and crust recipe from Nancy Silverton with some changes including adding a crumbly streusel topping made with buttery brown sugar oat crumbles,” she said. “The fluted crust is a cream cheese butter dough that is very easy to work with and holds the tart shape beautifully. When sautéing the apples, save the excess juice and thin it with a little cream to create a sauce to pour over the apple crisp before serving. When all is said and done the pie weighs about 3 lbs.”

She said home cooks can prepare the recipe in stages and recommends making the filling, dough and streusel the day before so all that is necessary the day of is assembly and baking.

“One year I found myself cooking until 2 a.m. the night before our holiday party and vowed to never do it again,” she said. “So I always prep the entire week before so I can have a glass of wine and relax before everyone arrives. It happens about 50 percent of the time depending on how busy I am at the bakery.”

2015 Thanksgiving Day – RECIPE GUIDE

True Food Kitchen

Squash Pie

395 Santa Monica Pl., Ste. 172 | truefoodkitchen.com | (310) 593-8300

CRUST (FOR 2, 9-INCH PIES): 2 packages vegan graham crackers, pulverized 4 tbsp. sesame tahini 5 tbsp. maple syrup 1 tbsp. water 1 tbsp. grape seed oil

FILLING: 6 cups pureed squash 1 cup sugar (half light brown, half white) 1-1/8 tsp. salt 3/4 tsp. ground ginger 3/8 tsp. ground cloves 1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon 4 tbsp. brandy 1-1/2 cup coconut milk with 4-1/2 tbsp. arrowroot powder scant dash of nutmeg if desired

For Crust: 1. Blend all ingredients until well combined.

2. Press crust into pan and up sides.

SQUASH PIE

hink of a seasonal food. Was it pumpkin pie? Turkey? Maybe a peppermint latte? If you’re a regular patron of True Food Kitchen you probably went to Brussels sprouts.

“More people come in and ask for just Brussels sprouts than anything else throughout the whole year,” said Chef Scott Caygill. “People are waiting for the Brussels sprouts.”

For Caygill, a deliciously roasted, perfectly seasoned sprout is indicative of the importance of seasonal cooking.

“Seasonality is very important,” he said. “That’s what should, and for us is does, drive our decisions is seasonality. You get fresher produce, more affordable produce and you have a new page. You’re able to create a new feeling in your restaurant just by your menu.”

Catering to that seasonality was part of the development of Caygill’s squash pie. He said the recipe was developed as Scott considered the seasonal expectations of a pumpkin pie and realized he could create a vegan option.

“We try to have a wide range of

T

desserts available,” he said. “We have gluten free options and vegan options and if you don’t have any specifications you can have it all.”

The restaurant doesn’t adhere to any one kind of dietary restriction but rather, prides itself on providing for everyone, regardless of their individual specifications.

“What we are is whatever you need us to be,” said Caygill. “We are somebody that anyone with any type of restriction can come in and we can still serve you a delicious meal.”

Caygill said the restaurant’s willingness to cater to the customer was a reaction to customer concerns.

“People started to take diets and modify them individually,” he said.

“In the late 90’s you saw a huge shift in modifications and dietary restrictions and what it comes down to is the client needs to be able to tell you what they want and you need to be able to cater to the client.”

His job as chef is to feed people and adapt as needed.

“It’s creating satisfaction out of the challenge of serving so many different types of people and making great experiences out of each person’s meal

no matter what. You know, 25 times a day we get someone saying what they can and can’t eat and we take the time 25 times a day to make sure that person’s experience is as good as the person next to them with no restrictions.”

True Food is committed to great food year round but Caygill said there’s something special about helping during the holiday season and providing clients with the ability to eat a family meal in a way they might not have experienced before.

As the father of two young children, Caygill said he’d experienced a shift in his holiday expectations.

“My passion has shifted to watching the joy of my children,” he said. “Family has always been my driving factor in the holidays but now it’s shifted from my siblings to my children.”

Caygill said he’s looking forward to sharing some food traditions with his kids as they get older, in particular his grandma’s rolls.

“They always come out during the holidays because that’s when I was at my grandma’s,” he said.

3. Bake crust for 15 minutes at 325° F until dry and crisp

For Filling: 1. Choose a favorite winter squash (butternut, buttercup, Hubbard, Tahitian, etc.).

2. Bake whole at 375° F until soft enough to pierce easily with a toothpick.

Cool, cut in half, remove seeds, and scoop out flesh.

Mash and measure out 6 cups.

3. Blend filling ingredients well in mixer and pour into crusts. Bake at 400° F for 50-60 minutes until browned and set. Cool.

Chill overnight in refrigerator.

Serve cold or cool.

True Food Kitchen 395 Santa Monica Pl., Ste. 172 truefoodkitchen.com | (310) 593-8300

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2015 Thanksgiving Day – RECIPE GUIDE

SERVED

FRESH

DAILY. Come take a seat at our table.

OPEN BREAKAST | LUNCH | DINNER

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