Textural Influences from Otium Los Angeles

On a recent trip to Los Angeles, I had the transformational experience of dining with a friend at Otium, newly opened Fall 2015. Chef Timothy Hollingsworth—the longtime chef de cuisine at Thomas Keller’s French Laundry in Napa Valley in which role he earned the 2010 James Beard Rising Star Chef award—takes cues at Otium from cold and heat, those extremes represented in raw bar and wood fired offerings.

Like an exquisite wooden box, the restaurant’s structure itself rises from a mini grove of olive trees which glow with uplighting, rooted in a grassy park shared with one of the hottest tickets in LA—the Broad Museum. Otium opened September 2015, and dinner hours began in December.

Consistent with the indoor/outdoor connection impressed by the restaurant’s mixed woods and metals and vine mural décor on a massive wall adjoining the bar, the idea of a seamless continuation extends to the format of the menu, which follows from beginning to end with none of the defining course barriers one typically expects. Yet it makes sense and didn't feel overly designed or heavy-handed.  

Cocktails

Among options like Sencha Tea (Campari, Blended Scotch, Fennel) and Unfiltered Sake (Yuzu, Green Chile, Ginger, Japanese Cucumber, Vodka), I eventually settled on the Crabapple (Chamomile Verjus, Honey, VSOP). It was a lovely little work of art displaying a paper slice of apple held aloft by a single circular glacier of ice. And most importantly, it tasted good. I like this approach to ice, as it seemed to melt more slowly and didn't dilute the drink. 

As we enjoyed cocktails on the patio, a staff member circled from the other side of the planter barrier between our seat and the grassy park, and, with small shears, decisively clipped petite herbs from the planter and took them inside. I’d read somewhere that some of the herbs and plant-based ingredients are grown onsite. We were seeing it in action!

First Course

My friend and I shared two plates (she is a pescatarian and keeps kosher, and these options worked well for both of us). 

One taste of the first course, and I realized that this was not intended as just a meal, but as a fully integrated sensory experience. While I perhaps always associate taste, followed by aroma, as defining characteristics of my food, texture took a lead role on these plates, reminding me what a key element texture is in our culinary experience. 

Hamachi/Nori, Avocado, Sweet & Sour Tomatoes

Hamachi/Nori, Avocado, Sweet & Sour Tomatoes

The hamachi tasted fresh-caught and was butter on the tongue. That the sour tomatoes were skinless continued the soft, buttery, melting experience. The avocado paste at the right was swiped onto the plate and dashed with some spices. Their ever-so-slight crunch mimicked the minimal grill crust on the fish. I'd eat this every day. 

Fluke/Black Rice, Salmon Roe, Buddha’s Hand

Fluke/Black Rice, Salmon Roe, Buddha’s Hand

I had to ask my friend about Buddha's Hand, and in case you aren't already touched by Buddha, turns out its a very dramatic citrus fruit with a stunning, deep yellow color and lots of octopus-like tentacles. I felt captivated by the movement of this dish . . . it was as if the painted nori paste gestured waves, the black rice "cup" a miniature  tidepool into which the fluke, sliced citron, salmon roe, and herbs had drifted, being captured there as the tide retreated. The crunch of the black rice chip, the pop of the salty salmon roe in the mouth, the zing of the thinly sliced Budda's hand, and the buttery fluke transported me to somewhere exotic and undefinable. I hope to go there again. 

Second Course

Duck, Leeks, Tangerine, Black Sesame Cashew

Duck, Leeks, Tangerine, Black Sesame Cashew

This is where the textural magic reached its crescendo. I'm not sure where the leeks were, but I didn't miss them too much. What made this dish remarkable was the crushed "Black Sesame Cashew." It enhanced the perfectly cooked duck with subtle cashew and black sesame flavors, and added a crunch that made me feel like I was having lots of fun on a Saturday night! The tangerine added a bright flash, and the reduction was not overly sweet as one too often finds with duck. I hope to repeat this crunchy enhancement at home with meat dishes; it would go nicely with pork or chicken too. 

Dessert

I did not photograph the dessert, unfortunately, but we chose to share the day's ice cream: vanilla with orange granita. Again, the texture dynamic punctuated this dish. I'd never before thought of pairing two frozen deserts that normally stand on their own, but the creamy ice cream and the crunchy granita were just right. 

I left feeling not only that I'd eaten a top notch meal, but that I'd been invited to consider something new. And perhaps most importantly, the food and the surroundings Invited conversation that refreshed and enriched a decades-old friendship. If you're in LA, go to Otium, and I think Chef Timothy Hollingsworth's textures, innovation, and attention will shine through for you, too. 

The Savory Pantry Helps Bring Texture to Your Table! 

SAVORY

SWEET

Otium was dubbed by Los Angeles Eater as “The biggest opening of 2015,” an opening eagerly awaited for two years. GQ Magazine sites it among “The five coolest places to eat in LA.” The LA Times says, “Your next restaurant has a movie trailer.” (See the trailer here.) We don’t get those in Little Rock. 

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Melt-in-your-mouth Marinated Goat Cheese

It's my favorite time of year at The Savory Pantry . . . the new harvest of Grove 45 Extra Virgin Olive Oil is in! I love experimenting with unique ways to use this exceptional oil. Keeley personally knows the growers, Nena Talcott and Bonnie Storm, who plant, grow, harvest, bottle and even hand-label each bottle of Grove 45 in California. A couple of years ago we developed our Extra Virgin Chocolate Sorbet, which I have made for family and friends to much acclaim! 

This year's recipe was inspired by grilled Halloumi cheese I often order at Zorba's, my favorite Greek restaurant here in Baton Rouge. Halloumi is a sheep's milk cheese traditionally from the Greek island of Cyprus, and has a high melting point that makes it uniquely grillable. The cheese itself is wonderful of course, but the pool of olive oil that it is served with is the real star. Halloumi isn't easy to find in stores, so I decided to substitute it with goat cheese that I did not grill. 

Melt-in-your-mouth Marinated Goat Cheese | SavoryPantryBlog.com

Marinated Goat Cheese

  1. Slice goat cheese into 1/4" thick rounds. I warmed my knife under hot water and dried it with a towel before slicing.  
  2. Start with an empty mason jar or air-tight container of your choice. I put a couple of bay leaves and a spring of rosemary in the bottom, and topped with a thin layer of olive oil and cracked pepper.
  3. Next, add a round of goat cheese, more herbs, more pepper, and drizzle with oil.  Continue layering and top off with an extra "glug" of oil.
  4. Allow to marinate at room temperature for an hour or so, then refrigerate overnight.
  5. Remove from the fridge and pour everything onto a plate for an instant presentation.  
  6. Serve chilled or allow to come to room temperature. Enjoy with crackers, warm crusty bread or pita.
Melt-in-your-mouth Marinated Goat Cheese | SavoryPantryBlog.com

Notes:

  • Some similar recipes online mention issues with the olive oil solidifying in the refrigerator, due to some olive oils being diluted with lesser quality oils. I am happy to report that the Grove 45 oil did not solidify and was just as viscous after refrigerating!  
  • After marinating, the cheese has a more spreadable texture and is less crumbly than a typical goat cheese.  
  • Vary this recipe with your favorite fresh herbs.  I used what I had in my garden and pantry!
Melt-in-your-mouth Marinated Goat Cheese | SavoryPantryBlog.com
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Steak ‘em, Bake ‘em, Refrigerate ‘em: Tell Your Leftover Ham Who’s the Boss!

Is that big hunk of leftover Easter ham challenging you to make it count for something? So often, ham leftovers lurk tauntingly in the fridge until they eventually go uneaten, leaving us disappointed and feeling wasteful. We’ve rounded up some ideas from reliable sources so that this year, you can show those hams that you’re in charge and chalk one up for the happy plate team! 

Hot Pots of Gold 

Hot Pots of Gold 

Slice It and Dice It

Make-Ahead "Ham & Cheese" Breakfast Casserole, Recipe and Image via www.thekitchn.com

Make-Ahead "Ham & Cheese" Breakfast Casserole, Recipe and Image via www.thekitchn.com

Eggselent

Have leftover hard boiled eggs from Easter (that you’re pretty certain are still safe to eat and are only slightly tinged with turquoise and pink dye)? Here are some ideas for pairing ham with those and for the other dozen that are still fresh because you didn’t get around to opening that Paas kit. 

  • Country Ham and Breadcrumb Eggs, part of Southern Living’s “Deviled Eggs 20 Ways” roundup.
  • Ham, Challah, and Gruyère Make-Ahead Breakfast Casserole. Substitute your leftover ham for the pancetta called for in the recipe.
  • Quiche is such a versatile way to use whatever cheese and veggies you’ve got awaiting use (cheddar, Swiss, bell peppers, onions, broccoli, etc.). If you aren’t typically a baker, make it very easy on yourself by purchasing the best quality pie crust you can get in your local market or supermarket. Resist the temptation to overfill your pie crust because it may spill over and make a mess of your oven! Here’s one from Epicurious for “Ham, Leek, and Three Cheese Quiche” that looks incredible. 
Wild Mushroom Toasts with Ham and Fried Eggs, Recipe and Image via Food & Wine

Wild Mushroom Toasts with Ham and Fried Eggs, Recipe and Image via Food & Wine

Toasty

Toasts, or open-faced sandwiches, provide versatile ways to use your ham leftovers. If you can dream it up, you can put it on a toast! Toasts are also good options for putting to use other egg, vegetable, and cheese leftovers.

Ham, ham, ham I am. I like, I like, green eggs and ham! 

 

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Favorite Easter Traditions in The Savory Pantry

In the Savory Pantry this month, as we're wrapping Easter Gift Baskets and stocking seasonal treats, we’ve been waxing nostalgic about favorite family Easter traditions and recipes. As you read how our homes and tables will be hopping, we hope you’ll be celebrating all the foods and traditions you most treasure!

ERIN WOOD, STOCKING THE PANTRY FROM LITTLE ROCK, AR

For me as a child, Easter was nearly as magical as Christmas. Part of that magic was delivered in the way that Easter calls upon the imagination: things hidden and found, cuddly bunnies anthropomorphized and primed for delightful interactions, sweet treats in copious amounts within golden wrappers that begged unveiling.

An Easter décor staple in our household was a Victorian Panoramic Sugar Egg. Then, I didn’t realize what it was called, only that I could peer into it endlessly, always with the feeling that the bunnies and chicks were communicating special messages intended just for me. (As an only child, I didn’t have siblings for entertainment, so I did lots of solitary activities like stare into this egg for what could have been hours.) And somehow the scene inside took flight and life—the narrative written in sugar transforming into something so utterly enchanting that I was transported entirely into the tiny world within. Through moves and summer ants and humidity and storage boxes, my mother’s Sugar Egg that had lasted through decades finally crumbled, before my marriage and the birth of our daughter. This year, when my romantic daydreams of Easter began, I decided to see if I could google up any help. Sure enough, just a state away, not too far from Austin, Texas, I found a lady who creates these hearty but ultimately temporary sugar treasures. Over the moon, I immediately ordered one for our family. As I opened the box with my 4-year-old a week ago, and she peered into the egg’s little window, I could see the warmth in her eyes. Within the scene, the bunnies were hopping and the chicks were peeping and the blades of grass were swaying in the breeze. A new story was writing itself just for her. 

Lori Jack, Hot Springs

As children, all ten of my cousins and I would go to my Granny and PawPaw’s house for Easter. We’d line up in age order, dressed in our Easter attire with baskets in hand, to have our annual photo made. After the photo, we were released to run and find the hidden eggs. We’ve carried on this tradition for over 55 years! This year, I get to watch my adorable grandson, Landon (13 mos), and great niece, Emerson (1), begin a new generation at my amazing Mom’s house, and this generation knows her in a whole new way as a grandmother, “GiGi.”

Keeley Ardman DeSalvo, Founder and President of The Savory Pantry

Lamb is the centerpiece of our Easter table, and I have always been a purist when it comes to roasting it: olive oil, garlic, rosemary, salt & pepper . . . and lots of it all to create a heavenly crust. Last year, however, I spotted a slightly different take on my recipe in The New York Times. Julia Moskin, reporter for the Times’ food section, made a paste from some of my favorite ingredients:  butter (unsalted), anchovies (try Ortiz Spanish Anchovies) or, substitute a great dijon like our Edmond Fallot Dijon Mustard—I've used both to rave reviews -  garlic, and rosemary. DO NOT omit the anchovies because you fear it will lend a fishy flavor!  Once cooked, you can't taste them, but they provide great depth of flavor and a nice contrast to the richness of the lamb. The pan drippings, used for the accompanying sauce, were plentiful and stunning in their own rite. Recipe, adapted from one courtesy of Julia Moskin and The New York Times. You can also see a video via the link. 

Image credit, Melina Hammer for The New York Times

Image credit, Melina Hammer for The New York Times

INGREDIENTS

  •  1 large lamb roast with a cap of fat, 4 to 6 pounds: bone-in leg (these can be as large as 8 pounds), semi-boneless leg, bone-in shoulder, boneless butterflied leg or double loin
  •  2 ounces Ortiz Anchovies packed in olive oil, drained, or 3 tablespoons Edmond Fallot Dijon Mustard
  • Leaves from 6 fresh rosemary sprigs (2 heaping tablespoons leaves), plus extra sprigs and branches for garnish
  • 6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
  • Black pepper (recommend India Tree Tellicherry Black Peppercorns) 
  • 1 lemon, cut in half
  • 1 ¾ cups white wine, plus extra for gravy

PREPARATION

  1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Use a small sharp knife to make about a dozen incisions, each about 2 inches deep, through the fat that covers the top of the meat. Using a mortar and pestle or a blender, blend 2/3 of the anchovies (or 2/3 of the mustard if using), the rosemary leaves and the garlic cloves into a chunky paste. Using your fingers, press paste deeply into incisions.
  2. Mix remaining anchovies (or mustard) and the butter into a paste. Smear this mixture all over the surface of the roast. Season liberally with black pepper. (Do not add salt; the anchovies are salty enough, and so is the mustard.) Place the lamb on a rack in a roasting pan, fat side up, and squeeze the lemon halves over. Pour the wine around the roast into the pan.
  3.  Roast 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350 degrees and roast until internal temperature reaches 130 to 135 degrees (for medium-rare or medium meat), about another 60 to 90 minutes. Baste every 20 minutes or so with the wine and drippings in the pan, adding more wine as needed to keep the liquid from scorching. If possible, for the last 15 minutes of cooking, use convection or a broiler to crisp the fat on the roast.
  4. Remove pan from the oven, remove rack from the pan, and let the roast rest on the rack for at least 15 to 20 minutes in a warm place, tented with foil. The internal temperature will rise to about 140 to 145 degrees.
  5.  To make sauce from the pan drippings, remove a few tablespoons of fat by tipping the pan and spooning off the top layer. Put the pan over medium heat until the liquid simmers. Taste the simmering liquid and whisk in more wine, 1/4 cup at a time, until the consistency and flavor are right. Do not let the mixture become syrupy; it should be a sharp jus, not a thick gravy.
  6. Carve lamb into 1/2-inch-thick slices and arrange on a heated platter, decorated with rosemary sprigs. Serve with piping hot gravy.

A note on my lamb: Last year, for the first time, I ordered my lamb from Jamison Farm in Latrobe, Pennsylvania. Purveyors of lamb to some of the country's finest restaurants, Jamison lambs are fed on grass, not corn or grain, resulting in a mild tasting, tender meat. Jamison uses no pesticides or herbicides, and the animals are antibiotic and hormone free. Their anthem is “A life fed by the bounty of earth and sweetened by the airs of heaven.” I definitely found that to be the case. Jamison Farm, 800-237-5262, www.jamisonfarm.com.

STACY DE GARAY, SARATOGA

My parents live in a gorgeous old farmhouse complete with a barn and apple trees—the idyllic spot for some old fashioned Easter fun. When my teenage daughter was a toddler, mom filled a few dozen plastic eggs with candy, scattered them in the field, and my daughter ran around in her white Mary Janes and straw hat, collecting them in her little basket. Fast forward 16 years and 6 additional grandchildren, and Grandma's Easter egg hunt has taken on Christmasesque proportions! In addition to the 200+ plastic eggs filled with everything from jelly beans to $20 bills, each grandchild is also given a tote bag that is color-coded to match the wrapping paper on their larger gifts. The kids leave with video games, gift cards, radio-controlled cars, and summer outfits complete with accessories! My mom is now known as “Grandma Easter Clause.”

As with all great family traditions, there have been hiccups along the way, like the years when snow-covered fields move the hunt indoors or a 75 degree day leaves 200 plastic eggs filled with puddles of chocolate. One year, metallic eggs attracted the attention of some local crows . . . they should have known better than to come between a 5-year-old and his candy! This year’s hunt promises to be another great one, as my 18-month-old old niece and nephew are finally mobile enough to join in the festivities. It's always so much fun to help the little ones. And of course, I will be available to eat their candy; it’s important to protect those baby teeth!

Stacy's daughter, Maja, at one of the family's first hunts. 

Stacy's daughter, Maja, at one of the family's first hunts. 

MEGAN KING, STOCKING THE PANTRY FROM SAVANNAH, GA

My family (parents and grandparents)  all live near each other and we have the normal Easter egg hunt. We always eat ham and cheesy potatoes. My parents always hid the Easter baskets themselves, too. My husband and I have taken this a step further and started a scavenger hunt tradition for the baskets. In addition to hiding the candy-filled eggs outside, inside the house The Easter Bunny hides eggs with pictures inside. Each picture shows the location of the next egg and the final picture leads to their Easter baskets!

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