Organics By Cooks Confab

All photography courtesy of Nine-Ten and The Lodge at Torrey Pines

Julia Child first published Mastering the Art of French Cooking in 1961, forever changing the way cooking and dining were mutually experienced. And in similar fashion, Alice Waters – having founding Chez Panisse in Northern California 10 years later, pioneered the modern concept of “California Cuisine.” But more important than the list of notable chefs that inspired her daily menu, is what revolutionized the dining scene from that point forward; the concept not only challenged the source of ingredients employed, but placed a focus on produce freshness and local crops made available at farmer’s markets as well.

Lubach’s, Mister A’s and the Star of the Sea were the go-to dining destinations in San Diego in 1971 – when more butter was better. Over ensuing years, the local dining scene changed remarkably. Today, we embrace a more natural philosophy, including farm-to-table, slow food, sustainable and organic; but whatever term utilized or described, our food is fresh, tasty and healthy as a result.

Evolving California Cuisine at Nine-Ten

The opportunity to savor freshness is epitomized by what Jason Knibb delivers day-after-day at Nine-Ten in La Jolla. He refers to it as “Evolving California Cuisine,” which involves using the local harvest to determine his menu. It is created daily and reflects fresh products found at artisan providers such as Chino Farms and Crow’s Pass. Fresh fish from the local sea as well as those flown in from Hawaii and the Atlantic provide added flavor to the menu.

“[Farm-to-table] is the only way to do it,” responds Chef Knibb. “We’re always looking for the best and the freshest products, from produce to proteins.  Showcasing the freshness of that product and letting it speak for itself has always been my philosophy.” 
And when it comes to the local fare available, he comments, “We’ve got some of the best farmers around. But Chino Farms is still the best for me and the one I frequent most often! They have the freshest and best quality product. It’s got to be fresh and high quality for the dish to translate into something amazing and memorable.”

Chef Knibb is among a group of like-minded colleagues that created ‘Cooks Confablieri,’ or simply Cooks Confab. On a mission to promote local, sustainable and responsible menus, the team actively pursues opportunities and quarterly events feeding their passion for freshness, as well as local awareness for Slow Food Urban San Diego – a grassroots movement committed to community and the environment.

Prior to joining Nine-Ten in 2003, Chef Knibb was executive chef at Robert Redford’s Sundance Village; having also trained with Wolfgang Puck, Roy Yamaguchi and Hans Rockenwagner among others. Not only is he a ‘Rising Star’ Chef Winner for 2010 – one of only two chefs in San Diego to be recognized for this coveted honor, but was also recently inducted into the San Diego Chef Hall of Fame.
“Each of my mentors has a simple common philosophy about cooking,” states Knibb. “They create regional cuisine using the freshest local products available. This is perfectly in-sync with Nine-Ten’s ‘earth-to-table’ approach.”

A.R. Valentien – Taking Advantage of the Local Landscape

Chef Jeff Jackson of A.R. Valentien, of The Lodge at Torrey Pines, is also a member of Cooks Confab – likewise sharing a passion for the freshest of ingredients prepared in his kitchen. When he joined The Lodge at Torrey Pines prior to its opening, he created the menu around this concept, with a simple intent for enjoying the bounty of local producers. Since then, both the chef and the restaurant have been recognized nationally by Zagat, along with ranking as one of the top 10 farm-to-table establishments by Conde Nast Traveler.

The seasonality of produce and available product affect the daily menu. Start with appetizers like carrot soup with lobster and blood orange reduction, braised veal cheek cannelloni with Bloomsdale spinach, or even roasted beets with pistachio butter. The grilled hanger steak with wilted Bloomsdale spinach, rissolé potatoes and salmoriglio is terrific, as is the speck wrapped baguette grouper with roasted cauliflower gribiche. Other recent menu highlights have included roasted organic chicken with young broccoli with green garlic and rissolé potatoes, braised white sea bass with roasted Miatake mushrooms, baby escarole and grain mustard, lobster risotto with fava beans, wild spinach, mint and oregano.

“A carrot, is not a carrot, is not a carrot,” states Chef Jackson, emphasizing his focus on local quality produce. “All vegetables and fruits have different qualities that make them unique. The tomatoes from farmer A may have certain qualities one week and change slightly the following week. A good cook needs to recognize this and adjust his/her preparations and seasonings to take advantage of these subtle differences.  We’re fortunate to live in a climate that avails a yearlong growing season. The farm-to-table approach enables us to change and adjust menus daily to take advantage of foodstuffs at their peak.”

Chef Jackson – the 1988 winner of the esteemed USA Bocus d’Or Culinary Gold Cup Competition and 30-year industry veteran – has shown his talent and inventiveness time and again. From his early days as a chef, to the wonderful food for which he is responsible, A.R. Valentien is worth a visit. During summer and fall, think about lunch or dinner alfresco on the terrace adjacent to the dining room – a view of golfers on the fairway or a Pacific sunset perfectly compliment the dining experience.

Reservations are a must for evening dining at both restaurants and are suggested for lunch during peak periods.

North County Luxury Outdoor Rooms

Seven top outdoor room designers spill their secrets for splurging on luxurious outdoor retreats. Check out their favorite A-list accent pieces, outdoor fabrics and entertainment features to design the outdoor space of your dreams.

Outdoor Lighting
Forget typical ceiling fans and create different levels of lighting with gas sconces, chandeliers and table lamps. “Nothing flickers like real flame in a gas lantern,” says interior designer Shelly Riehl David of Riehl Designs Inc. If you’d rather stick with the convenience of a ceiling fan, consider adding misters for warm climates and radiant floor heaters for cold climates.

Christopher J. Grubb of ARCH-INTERIORS Design Group Inc. suggests a gorgeous chandelier made of iron, crystal or blown glass as a sophisticated accent piece for covered outdoor rooms.

Melted glass countertops fed with fiber optics are a signature of artist/landscaper Scott Cohen of The Green Scene in Canoga Park, Calif. At night, they illuminate cocktail glasses with color and guests with ambient light.

Fireplaces and Trellises
Outdoor fireplaces and heavy timber trellis structures turn an outdoor space into an outdoor room, says landscape architect Richard Krumwiede of Architerra Design Group in Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. Both elements also make the area usuable year-round, with the fireplace offering warmth in winter and the trellis offering shade in summer. Plus, two-sided fireplaces create a natural separation for living and dining areas.

Nothing does a better job of defining the outdoor living room than a large structure like a pergola. Designer Joan Grabel of Park Slope Design in Studio City, Calif., uses pergolas to define space and give an outdoor room a more intimate feeling. Don’t forget the art. “Any interesting art that can be outdoors is a great accent, like a wall hanging or a Balinese stone statue,” she says.

Outdoor Fabric and Accessories
Comfortable seating with luxurious fabrics and pillows blurs the lines between the indoors and outdoors. “I like the idea of creating an outdoor living room complete with treasured carpets and layered with cushions, candlesticks, chandeliers and a fireplace for ambience,” says David.

Draperies add softness and create privacy, Christopher says. Use vibrant colors and high-quality fabrics like Sunbrella or those from companies like Robert Allen or Kravet.

Outdoor Furniture
Never cut corners when buying furniture. “Cheap furniture can really destroy the look of a carefully planned room,” says designer Heather Hardcastle of Breaking Ground Landscape Designs in San Rafael, Calif.

Joan adores Brown Jordan furniture. “It’s expensive, but the designs are wonderful.” Richard uses high-quality, comfortable teak furniture with Sunbrella’s colored cushions.

Outdoor Kitchens
As one of the most common big-ticket items, outdoor kitchens are now built with a variety of features, like side burners, warming drawers, refrigerators, beer taps and beverage/cocktail centers designed for entertaining. Designer Mitch Kalamian of The Garden Design Group in Huntington Beach, Calif., says he has even designed outdoor kitchens with surround sound and drop-down plasma TV screens.

Pots and Planters
Pots can set the room’s theme and can make or break a good design, Richard says. Use only high-quality, frost-proof terra cotta from a reputable company such as Seibert & Rice because mismatched old pots will destroy the look, he says.

Joan recommends placing three large pots on an outdoor room patio or behind a chair or love seat to help define outdoor spaces.

Water Features
“My favorite pieces to splurge on in a garden room are accent pieces like water features and pottery,” says Heather. An artistic water feature or beautiful pottery placed carefully in the landscape can bring the surrounding plants and hardscape to life. “Depending on the color scheme and style of the garden, picking up one accent color used elsewhere in the design is a great way to tie in the decorative elements with the rest of the space,” she says.

Entertainment
Surround-sound rock speakers throughout the garden are a favorite of Scott. Always use multiple speakers so that sound volume can be kept lower and more ambient. The biggest mistake people make is putting speakers at the back of the house over the main patio. People can’t hear themselves talk, he says.

For movie watchers, Sunbrite makes an outdoor plasma screen TV. It looks great and works with the outdoor sound system, Scott says.

Mitch installs other must-haves for the budget-free client like custom-made fountains at all levels of grandeur and sports courts.

Southwestern Burgers

 

• YIELD: Makes 4 servings
• COOK TIME:9 MINUTES
• PREP TIME:10 MINUTES
• COURSE: Sandwiches

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 3/4 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1 1/2 pounds ground sirloin
• 4 slices Monterey Jack or pepper Jack cheese
• 4 Kaiser or other sandwich rolls, split
• 4 tomato slices
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 8 slices center-cut bacon, cooked
• Pickled jalapeño chile slices (optional)

Preparation

• 1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl; mix well. Shape into 4 patties.
• 2. Grill patties, covered, over high heat (450° to 600°) for 5 minutes. Turn patties over; grill 2 to 3 minutes or until cooked to desired degree of doneness. Place 1 cheese slice on each patty; grill 1 more minute or until cheese melts.
• 3. Place rolls, cut-sides down, on grill rack; cover and grill 1 minute or until toasted. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each roll; top with tomato, avocado, bacon, jalapeños, if desired, and top halves of rolls.

Grilled Shrimp with Asian Barbecue Sauce

Offer this low-fat dish as an appetizer or an entrée served with hot steamed brown rice—and be sure to use reduced-sodium soy sauce.

• YIELD: Makes 4 servings
• COURSE: Main Dishes

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 jalapeño chile, seeded and minced
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1 pound peeled, large fresh shrimp

Preparation

• Heat canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, jalapeño, and onion; sauté about 3 minutes. Add soy sauce and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat 8 minutes or until onion is tender. Cool mixture slightly.
• Transfer to a blender; add vinegar, tomato paste, and sesame oil, and process until a chunky puree forms.
• Toss shrimp with 1/4 cup of the sauce; cover and refrigerate 15 minutes.
• Place shrimp in a grill basket coated with cooking spray. Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 4 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Serve shrimp with remaining sauce.