vintner's festival, santa ynez, ca

 

Last weekends turnout at Firestone Winery in the Santa Ynez Valley was a huge success! Hundreds of food and wine lovers showed to taste and libate with the best of us. Jeanne Bergh, host, co-producer, and her great crew from Cox Media set up shop "center event" and proceeded to produce three of our local chefs doin what they do the best, cookin it up for “Cooking Local.” The talented Budi Kazali, Exec. Chef, Ballard Inn, concocted a stunning not to mention elegant, Asian Style Ceviche Cocktail topped with a crispy tempura California avocado. It was sensational! Chef, Owner, Matt Nichols, Brother's Restaurant at Mattei’s Tavern whipped up a creamy Wild Morel-English Pea Risotto, demystifying the rice dish we all love to eat but are afraid to cook ourselves, right before our very eyes. And bouchons' Josh Brown created a beautiful Scallop & Grilled Asparagus Salad w/Truffled Dijon-Thyme Vinaigrette truly dazzling the crowd of on lookers…..here's a little pictorial of the fun with recipes to go with.....

 

The Ballard Inn and Restaurant

In the heart of the Santa Barbara Wine Country
2436 Baseline Avenue
Ballard, California 93463
805/688-7770 • 800/638-2466
Fax 805/688-9560
www.ballardinn.com
innkeeper@ballardinn.com

The quaint little Inn

Located in the Santa Ynez Valley, about forty minutes from Santa Barbara, the Ballard Inn offers comfortably elegant accommodations in a peaceful and quiet setting. The inn is ideal for your next romantic escape, family reunion, small business meeting, or corporate retreat.

Le Chef

Chef Extraordinaire, Budi Kazali..... After graduating from the California Culinary Academy, Chef Kazali began his career in San Francisco in such renowned restaurants as the Campton Place and La Folie. He then relocated t o Boston for a sous chef position at the acclaimed Amborsia on Huntington. Chef Kazali later helped to open and serve as chef de cusine at the James Beard award winning Blue Ginger, where he worked closely with Chef Ming Tsai. Following recent stints at Gary Danko, MC², and Ozumo in San Fransico, Chef Kazali has returned to his native Santa Barbara County. He looks forward to sharing his unique and globally inspired approach to cooking with the Santa Ynez wine country at The Ballard Inn. He is particularly inspired by the variety of local wines, many of which pair so beautifully with Pacific Rim cuisine.

Festivities

Budi and little rug rat. Looks like daddy!

Zoe Kazali tearin it up and enjoying the festivities..............

 

Asian Style Ceviche w/Crispy, Tempura California Avocado

A mouth watering number!

 

Recipe

Asian Style Ceviche with Santa Barbara Ridgeback Shrimp and Avocado

 

Serves 4

FOR THE CEVICHE:

16 Ridgeback Shrimp

2 Avocado, diced

¼ Red Onion, julienne

8 Grape Tomatoes, halved

½ English Cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1 Belgian Endive, julienne

½ oz Cilantro, chopped

¼ oz Basil, chopped

 

FOR THE DRESSING:

4 oz Lime Juice

1 oz Fish Sauce

1 oz EVOO

1 Stalk Lemongrass, minced, white part only

Sugar, to taste

S+P, to taste

For the Avocado Tempura:

1 Avocado, sliced lengthwise into rings

Tempura Flour

Water

 

METHOD:

Clean and devein the shrimp. Blanch in salted boiling water for 15 seconds. Place into ice water immediately to cool. Drain and set aside.

Toss remaining ceviche ingredients together in a bowl. To prepare dressing, combine lime juice, fish sauce, EVOO, and lemongrass. Add sugar and S&P to taste. Add shrimp to salad and toss with the dressing. Allow to marinade for 30 min.

For tempura, mix tempura batter. Coat avocado with batter and deep fry until golden brown. Remove carefully to retain ring shape.

Present ceviche in martini glass, garnish with avocado tempura and additional copped herbs.

 

NEXT UP

Brothers' Restaurant at Mattei's Tavern

Brothers' Restaurant at Mattei's Tavern

Proprietors/Chefs Jeff and Matt Nichols

2350 Railway Ave., Los Olivos, CA 93441

Tele: 805.688.4820

Fax: 805.688.8965

brothersrestaurant@matteistavern.com

Infused with history and tall tales that may or may not be true, the tavern is one of the area’s most cherished buildings. "Come on in" is the motto! The brilliant white building sits majestically on sprawling lawns and gardens, on the edge of the small town of Los Olivos. Inside, the tavern can only be described as welcoming – lit fireplaces, cozy dining rooms and enticing aromas from the open kitchen. First built in 1886 as a stagecoach stop, the tavern was owned by generations of the Mattei family. As Felix Mattei said in 1888 “We are first a restaurant, only by sideline a hotel. Our menus are more important than our mattresses. If people want a fancy bedroom for the night, Los Olivos Hotel is for them. If they want the finest food and drink in the valley-in the whole state, by garl, they will come to Mattei's."

 

Proprietors/Chefs Jeff and Matt Nichols

Matt working the crowd at the festival!

His scrumptious Spring Pea Risotto with Morel Mushrooms

Risotto, Demystified! Truely Yummy!

 

Recipe

Creamy Sweet Spring Pea Risotto with Morel Mushrooms

 

INGREDIENTS:

¼ CUP OLIVE OIL MEDIUM SAUCEPAN

1 MEDIUM ONION, MINCED MEDIUM SKILLET

1 GARLIC CLOVE, MINCED WOODEN SPOON

2 CUPS ARBORIO RICE

1 CUP DRY WHITE WINE

5 CUPS CHICKEN STOCK, HEATED

3 TBSP. OLIVE OIL

½ LB. MOREL MUSHROOMS

½ CUP ENGLISH PEAS, BLANCHED

4 TBSP. UNSALTED BUTTER, CHILLED, CUT IN SMALL PIECES

2 OZ. PARMESAN CHEESE, GRATED

ITALIAN PARSLEY, CHOPPED

SALT

PEPPER, FRESHLY GROUND

 

METHOD:

IN A MEDIUM SIZE HEAVY SAUCEPAN, HEAT THE ¼ CUP OLIVE OIL.

OVER MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT, SAUTE THE ONION AND GARLIC JUST TO SOFTEN,

STIRRING ALL THE WHILE, 3-4 MINUTES.

ADD THE RICE AND CONTINUE TO STIR, COATING THE RICE WITH THE OIL

AND THE ONION.

DEGLAZE WITH THE WHITE WINE AND COOK UNTIL THE LIQUID IS ABSORBED,

STIRRING OFTEN. POUR IN ENOUGH CHICKEN STOCK, ABOUT 3 CUPS, AND

COOK, STIRRING OFTEN, UNTIL THE LIQUID IS ABSORBED.

MEANWHILE, IN A MEDIUM SKILLET, HEAT THE 3 TBSP. OLIVE OIL.

ADD MUSHROOMS AND SAUTE OVER MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT JUST TO SOFTEN,

3-4 MINUTES.

POUR 1 CUP OF STOCK INTO THE RICE, TURN THE FLAME TO HIGH, ADD A LARGE

PINCH OF SALT. STIR UNTIL ALMOST AL DENTE. STIR IN MUSHROOMS.

(ADD STOCK IF NECESSARY)

RISOTTO SHOULD BE CREAMY, NOT RUNNY

REMOVE FROM HEAT AND VIGOROUSLY BEAT IN THE CHILLED BUTTER AND

HALF OF THE CHEESE UNTIL COMPLETELY DISSOLVED. STIR IN PEAS,

THE PARSLEY, AND SEASON WITH SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE.

 

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bouchon, Santa Barbara, CA