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hello!
Welcome to feast's March cuisine of the month newsletter.
This is the time of year when we begin to envision the colors and bounty of the upcoming warm season, hoping for good weather that will allow us to enjoy some longer spring days. Luckily we have rainbow chard, spring lamb, and other early springtime crops that are now well established and ready to contribute to our menus. With Passover and Easter coming up, we decided to focus on the Mediterranean region, where the flavors and ingredients seem to lend themselves well to these special holidays, making Greece and the Mediterranean our featured cuisine for March. Capturing the season's best and freshest ingredients, the feast team can create unforgettable spring time occasions with family and friends.
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season's best: fresh rainbow chard
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buy
McGrath Family Farms, located in Camarillo, is known for producing good organic chard varieties. They can be found at the Santa Monica Wednesday market, the Topanga Friday market, the South Pasadena Thursday market, and at Beverly Hills and Hollywood on Sundays. Since chard is a good year round crop in California, you can find it just about any time at organic grocery stores and co-ops. Bunches of what is sold as "rainbow chard" are actually a mix of Swiss chard, red chard, and golden chard. It has the mineral edge of Swiss chard, the earthy sweetness of red chard, and the mild nutty flavor of golden chard.
store
Look for firm stems, fresh green leaves, and no yellowing or wilting anywhere. Fresh chard is best stored in an airtight bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator, and will last this way for a week to ten days.
serve
Pasta with chard and garlic brown butter, Swiss chard omelet, chard and goat cheese tart, sauteed with Meyer lemon, tamale with chard husk, caramelized chard gratin, chard + Gruyere panini, pickled chard stems...
cook
Sauteed Swiss Chard with Manchego Serves 4
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 small red onion, diced
1 bunch Swiss chard, stems and center ribs cut out and chopped together, leaves coarsely chopped separately
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2-4 tablespoons (to taste) freshly grated Manchego cheese
Salt to taste (optional)
Melt butter and olive oil together in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chard stems and the white wine. Simmer until the stems begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Stir in the chard leaves, and cook until wilted. Finally, stir in lemon juice and Manchego cheese; add salt to desired taste.
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what's cooking .
  
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mediterranean style feast
seared tuna carpaccio, preserved lemon pesto
peppadew "dolma" stuffed with rice, currant + pine nut
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roasted vegetable salad, baby greens, garbanzo bean, preserved tomato, artichoke, oregano vinaigrette
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greek lemon garlic chicken + potato
grilled filet of marinated sea bass wrapped in grape leaf
roasted beet + chard leaf with lemon, olive oil, feta + fresh basil
broccolini with meyer lemon
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greek desserts
myzithra cheese pies, custard filled phyllo, almond + walnut kataifi spring garden supper
phyllo tartlet with caramelized rainbow chard
grilled romaine heart, fresh herb + chevre dressing
** fire roasted rosemary leg of lamb with sour orange jam shrimp + spring onion risotto with pancetta + fresh pea
oven roasted new potato salad with fresh artichoke, wilted spinach + feta
moussaka style roasted vegetable timbale cardamom + raisin hot cross buns ** greek cheesecake with honey lavender strawberries
march luncheon
braised shoulder of lamb gyro, cucumber mint tzadziki
orzo with calamari, smoked tomato, shallot + baby spinach
butter lettuce, citrus + olive salad with walnut oil dressing
grilled asparagus with lemon + caper berry dressing
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chocolate dipped baklava
Our menus are created using the best, fresh seasonal ingredients. To ensure premium quality and availability, orders must be placed 24-hours in advance. Contact us for personalized menus reflecting your event theme, culinary tastes or budget. Special dietary requirements can also be creatively accommodated. |
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details... .
  
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our favorite cocktail this month: ouzo cocktail
2� oz good quality botanical gin such as Tanqueray Ten or Citadel
1 oz Ouzo Crushed ice Whole star anise for garnish
Fill 2 double old fashioned glasses with crushed ice. In a martini shaker, mix the gin and the ouzo and shake well. Pour into the crushed ice filled glasses, garnish with a whole star anise, and serve immediately. For extra fragrance and garnish, add a twist of lemon peel.
great ideas
Greek and Mediterranean foods are almost always characterized by the presence feta cheese in one dish or another. Feta marinated in good quality olive oil, infused with slivers of garlic, fresh rosemary and dried chiles not only makes a delicious appetizer with pita or olive bread, but can also be kept in mason jars, refrigerated for several days, developing a more complex flavor with time. At a recent wedding rehearsal dinner, personalized mason jars of homemade marinated feta tied with a simple sprig of flowering rosemary were given as guest favors. It was a great way for guests to take the flavors and memories of their special evening to enjoy at home.
feast loves...
Found Vintage Rentals; an event decor and prop resource supplying brides, event planners, designers and photographers with unique vintage items to give their weddings, photo shoots and events style and originality. They rent one of a kind pieces of furniture and accessories using resources and connections across the country. Owner Jeni has put together an extensive collection of perfect vintage pieces that continues to grow. We love the way the look of their vintage chairs & picnic tables enhance the whimsical feel of an outdoor springtime event. www.foundrentals.com (photo by Lucero Photography)
contact us
We can be contacted at 310-568-8600 or by email. And as always, feel free to visit our website. We look forward to hearing from you for Passover, Easter, a special dinner with family or friends or for your business catering needs.
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bon appetit!
Harvey Slater + your friends at feast
  
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