Blinis and Caviar

This recipe is from Martha Stewart.

1 package of active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 eggs separated

1/2 teaspoon salt

Pinch of sugar

6 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

Clarified butter for the griddle

Proof the yeast in warm water with the pinch of sugar for 15 minutes. Put the yeast mixture, milk, flour, egg yolks, salt and melted butter in a blender. Blend at high speed for 40 seconds. Turn the machine off, scrape down the sides of the container, then blend for another few seconds. Pour the batter into a bowl that is large enough to accommodate the rising. Cover loosely and set in a warm place to rise for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Do not let the batter rise much longer or the blini will taste overfermented.

The batter after rising for 2 hours

At cooking time, beat the egg whites until stiff. Fold them into the batter.

Heat a griddle.

Brush with clarified butter.

Drop batter by 1/8 cup measuring cup onto to the griddle.. Turn the blini when the first side is lightly browned and cook briefly on the second side. I serve this to order. Make one blini for each person – serve the blini, let them spoon creme fraiche and caviar on freshly made blini and repeat making blinis just a serving at a time.

Another “batch of blinis”

Caviar ( paddle fish on the right, hackelback on the left) and Creme Fraiche

Wine with blinis and caviar

Merry Chistmas everyone.

Best part – this keeps overnight in the refrigerator and makes blinis with jam for breakfast.

Milo and Olive

We have made Thursday late afternoon our “go to” place. We never order or even look at a menu. We just let Jason cook and we are lucky to have the “best of the best.”

Wonderful Jason

We are very fortunate that Milo and Olive allow us to BYO – we share with everyone – both the front of the house and of course Jason and his wonderful sous – Shahon.

Black Truffle from Piedmont

Jason called this “Bacon and Eggs.” It was an egg custard made with egg yolk, milk, cream, cayenne, nutmeg, salt and pepper made in a bain marie at 275 degrees for 50 minutes on the bottom rack. (I do ask a lot of questions and the best part is that I get exact answers!) The custard was served with Nueske’s bacon, peas and black truffles. What an exquisite dish.

The egg mixed up.

Chestnut Soup – made from fresh chesnuts from Italy, a white mire poix (celery, onion, fennel), plugra butter, roasted chicken stock, heavy cream and finished at the last moment with a touch of dark rum. It was topped with creme fraiche, fried sage and some of the roasted chestnuts that had been roasted in the hot pizza oven. Delicious!

Risotto, parmesan cheese, finished with a bit of Chandon champagne and those wonderful black truffles from Piedmont. A++

Roasted prawns, pea pesto (peas, pine nuts, garlic, mint, parsley, lemon juice), marjoram – what made this dish was the pea pesto – Jason has an extraordinary “feel” for  vegetables.

Slow-roasted Pork belly, whole grain mustard, pickles, brussel sprouts, Persian cucumber, Fuyu Persimmon – another winner

Short Ribs, Muscat de Provence squash, kale, shallots, garlic confit, black truffles, black truffle butter – rich and hearty – a perfect winter dish

What a marvelous meal with superb service. If you just eat pizza at Milo and Olive you are missing out on having a tremendous meal.

Andrea Restaurant – Pelican Hill

Roving Reporter visited Pelican Hill’s deluxe Andrea restaurant.  Executive Chef Jean Pierre Dubray arranged our dinner.  My friend and I brought along superior Italian Barolos with some age.   The chefs went all out as you  can see.  The service from the team of waiters and runners was excellent.   We were seated on a covered outside patio furnished with the most expensive outdoor furniture on the market.  Everything about Pelican HIll is elegant in refined taste and understated elegance.  The meal was a treat in every way.   The Rover is looking forward to going back soon.

Green Tomato Compote with Lobster and Taggescia Olives on the right and Scallops with White Truffles on the left

The start of the risotto dish

7 Years Aged “Acquerello Risotto, Porcini Mushrooms, White Truffles

Red Beet tagliolini, Homemade Quail, Sausage, Parmesan Cheese

Greg Norman Wagyu Tenderloin Grade 9, Roasted Vegetables, Cipollini Onions, Bone Marrow

“Four Story Hill Farm” Milk Fed Veal Chop, Mixed Pickled Vegetables, Burrata- Thyme sauce

Milo and Olive

Chef Jason Mattick continues to amaze me  - again I urge everyone to just go to Milo and Olive and let Jason do his thing! We never look at the menu and just let Jason devise a tasting menu for us. His ability to combine flavors with the freshest ingredients is just extraordinary.

Jason and behind Jason his equally wonderful sous chef Shahon

We bring a lot of wine with the one caveat that we share with everyone.

Apple-wood smoked bacon wrapped around Medjool dates with a bit of parmesan reggiano inside – a one bite wonder

Salt-roasted beets, blackberries, Jake’s goat cheese, 12 year old balsamic vinegar – this was bursting with flavor

Roasted Chantenay Carrots (Jason explained that he roasted the carrots in tin foil in the pizza oven with jalapeño, ginger slices and shallots), Greek Yogurt, Green Harrissa, Cilantro – the most extraordinary carrots I have ever tasted

Honey-roasted Warren Pear, Walnuts, Gorgonzola, American Proscuitto, Assorted Bitter Greens, Honey Mustard – again a combination of flavors and ingredients that was A+

Cauliflower Soup with Chili Oil

Sweet and Sour Sardines, Capers, Pine Nuts, Pickled Raisins, Onions, Cooked with Saffron – another winner!

Beer to go with the brisket

Brisket braised in beer, horseradish, creme fraiche, shelling beans, salsa verde – I will sound like a broken record but this is just fine dining in a casual setting

Run to Milo and Olive for a great dining experience.

French Laundry

This was our second meal at the French Laundry in July! It has been quite some time since this meal so I will have to let the photos tell most of the story. Enough to say, it was quite a story! (At least I did keep my detailed notes).

Champagne to start

Salmon Cornet

Gougeres

Soup being poured

Sweet Brentwood Corn Veloute, Baby Corn,Truffle Vinaigrette, Lovage and Truffle Relish

First Wine

Oysters and Pearls – Sabayon of Pearl Tapioca with Island Creek Oysters and White Sturgeon Caviar

Seafood Canape – Santa Barbara Uni (in the spoon), Cucumber, Lychee, Yuzu, Garden Blossoms, Ginger Sake Granite

Second Wine

Mediterranean Lubina, Razor Clams, Mussels, Dehydrated Eggplant Chip, Cauliflower, Micro Cilantro, Thinly Sliced Fennel, Lemon Vinaigrette

Hen Egg Custard with a Ragout of Perigord Truffles

First Bread Service – Brioche, Pinwheel Pain de Mie

Butter Service

Summer Salad – Summer Melons, Hearts of Palm, Baby Radish, Garden Cucumbers, Watermelon Sorbet, Yuzu Puree, Black Sesame Nougatine, Mountain Mint and Finger Lime Vinaigrette

Grilled Fillet of Atlantic Halibut, Hobbs’ Bacon, Green Tomato Relish, Demi Sec Tomatoes, Black Strap Molasses

Third Wine

Next bread service

Sweet Butter Poached Lobster Mitts from Stoney Point, Haas Avocado, Romaine Lettuce Spears, “Piperade”, Meyer Lemon Creme Fraiche

Australian Black Truffles Presented

Hand-Cut Tagliatelle, Black Truffle Beurre Monte, Australian Black Truffles (The truffles were shaved table side – no photo)

Fourth Wine

Four Story Hill Farm Poussin Presented

Four Story Hill Farm Poussin, Cracked Bulgar Wheat, Fairytale Eggplant, Moroccan Olives, Cilantro Shoots, Poussin Poularde Reduction

Marcho Farm Nature-Fed Veal (sous vide and roasted), Creamed Morel Mushrooms, Caramelized Cipollini Onions, Nantes Carrots, Chives, Red Wine Vinegar Sauce

Reblochon – French Laundry Garden Pole Beans, Frisee, Fennel, Summer Truffle, Summer Truffle Vinaigrette

We never do a full dessert course at French Laundry so …… for John his favorite “Coffee and Donuts”

donut holes

Cappuccino semifreddo

Macademia Nuts

What a fantastic meal!!!!!!!

Petrossian

It has been quite a while since we have been back to Petrossian. Chef Giselle Wellman was as gracious and welcoming as always.

We started with the Caviar Flight tasting – expensive but quite an education in caviar.

This is presented without accompaniments so that you are truly educated as to each different type of caviar – our server explained in depth the different properties of each caviar. I would only do this once as it is truly just a tasting of caviar.

From left to right:

Trout Roe – Western France – Medium sized grains exude a crisp, briny tang

Pike Roe – France – Small grained, golden in color with a mild delicate taste

Salmon Roe – North Atlantic – Large firm bead with juicy sweetness

Chataluga Prestige – Tennessee River valley – Wild caught, small firm grey beads, strong briny notes

American Hackleback – Tennessee River Valley – Wild caught, small black beads, bright and fresh briny notes

Royal Transmontanus – Northern California – Medium sized bead with lighter tones of warm brown, nutty and buttery in flavor (C grade)

Tsar Imperial Transmontanus – Northern california – Medium sized bead with tones of warm browns to dark grey, botth smooth and robust (B grade)

Shassetra – China- Firm medium sized beads with a flavor that hints of dry fruit and toasted grains

Tsar Imperial Siberian – Florida – Firm, smallish to medium sized black beads, fresh taste of sea

Tsar Imperial Ossetra – Bulgaria – Nutty flavor and firm juicy grains ranging in color from a light to a warm, rich brown

Kaluga – China- Glossy grey grains shimmer with golden highlights, spectacular in size, mellow, rich buttery flavor – the most expensive and my favorite!

Egg Royale – soft scrambled egg, vodka whipped cream, caviar

Inside of the Egg Royale

Smoked Trout, asparagus, lemon, dill, creme fraiche, pickled red onion, rainbow trout roe, rye toast points – This is Chef Wellman’s “take on a Jewish deli” i.e rye bread, creme fraiche for sour cream, pickled red onion, smoked trout

Boulder Valley Bone marrow, rosemary, thyme, garlic, crostini, sweet onion jam

Napoleon Tartare, prime flat iron steak, capers, shallots, chives, caviar

A lovely late lunch!

Milo and Olive

Chef Jason Mattick continues to amaze me by his skill, his passion, his execution and his dedication. I urge everyone to treat this as a “fine dining” restaurant and just let Jason do his thing.

We bring our own wines but share with everyone!

Kumamoto Oysters from Washington State

Served with a champagne mignonette – champagne, shallots, black pepper – perfect

San Diego uni on toast with a jalapeno infused olive oil  - this was ecstasy for those who are uni lovers which I am!

There are no words to express how great this was. On one toast point was Tasmanian trout ceviche style, 2 month old preserved lemons, capers and chives. On the other toast point was confit of sardines (done in house at 170 degrees in the oven for 30 minutes), plugra butter, pickled shallots, rocket arugula, fleur de sel, shaved radish, fennel. Absolutely spectacular.

Smelts served with a tahini and lemon sauce – reminded me of the great smelts at Bistro Jeanty in Yountville

Butternut Squash soup with fried squash seeds, summer chanterelles, pancetta, creme fraiche – delicious

The squash before becoming soup. Jason has developed special relationships with the farmers and goes to the Santa Monica Farmer’s market every Wednesday. His produce is extraordinary.

Orecchiette (made in house), pork sausage ragu, baby kale, bread crumbs – what a difference in house pasta makes and the pork ragu was perfect

Braised Lamb shank (the lamb had been braised for 48 hours and then roasted), fresh shelling beans, arugula, oven dried cherry tomato, garlic confit – we were getting quite full and this was a wonderful dinner the next night.

To go to Milo and Olive for a quick bite or just have a pizza would be missing one of the best restaurants in Los Angeles with a creative and talented chef. I can’t wait to go back.