Cooking with Mint
Cooking with Mint
 

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Catering and

 In-Home Cooking Parties

 

Personal Touch Gourmet will design a fabulous menu for any occasion.
 
If you love to entertain and prefer to spend time with your guests instead of in the kitchen, Chef Mary Ellen will create a delicious menu to suit your tastes.
 
Or.....
Invite friends and family over for a personalized cooking class.  You decide what to prepare in your own home. We bring all of the ingredients and when we have finished cooking you and your guests will sit down and enjoy the delicious meal you prepared!
Meet
Mary Ellen  
head shot

Chef Mary Ellen graduated with high honors from the   "Le Cordon Bleu" program of the California School of Culinary Arts. After an internship at the Los Angeles Times  Food Section, Mary Ellen created Personal Touch Gourmet, a boutique catering company and taught cooking classes around the South Bay and Los Angeles.

Several years later a call from the Los Angeles Times beckoned her back into the test kitchen with the position of "Recipe Tester." Over the course of her tenure, Chef Mary Ellen wrote articles and developed  recipes, several winning "Top Ten Recipe of the Year Awards."  

Click Here to learn more about Chef Mary Ellen Rae...  
Graphic Design

Janice Gallardo Walters
 

Janice will love to create something unique for you - a logo, marketing materials or a clever piece to keep in touch with your audience.  Give her a call to craft your most effective message.  

 

Janice created beautiful note cards for me using my food photos on the cover and  the recipe inside.  Love to send these as thank you notes to clients!

 
Janice Gallardo Walters

janice@gallardographics.com  


 

Testimonial from Lori in Redondo Beach...

 

A comment from a recent group class:

 

"It was a great evening for couples, friends or a way to meet new people who enjoy cooking.  Her excitement and enjoyment of cooking comes through in Mary Ellen's enthusiasm.  Such an amazing, fun experience."

I highly recommend this experience!  We all feel like we made a great new friend!

 

Thank you Lori, I feel the same way!!

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If you have had an experience with Personal Touch Gourmet that you'd be willing to share with the world, I would be so grateful if you would take a moment to post it. 

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Many thanks!
--ME
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Love springtime at our local farmer's markets.  The Wednesday Santa Monica market is the largest in all of Southern Cal.  Vendor after vendor of picture-perfect, fragrant fruits, vegetables and herbs, make it hard to choose where to buy. 

I have a habit of over spending...don't we all need a dozen artichokes??  So instead I'll stick 2 twenty dollar bills in my pocket and when it's gone, I am done shopping! 

Right now the asparagus, artichokes and fresh peas look perfect!  

 

Around Easter every year, the Los Angeles Times runs 
a recipe that I developed while I was there as an intern. The writers were putting an Easter buffet article together and asked me to develop several recipes to g
Sun-dried Tomato and Basil Devilled Eggs 
o along with it.

This family favorite ended up winning a "Top  Ten Recipe of the Year Award!"  Each year the paper tests hundreds of recipes before printing.  At the end of the year,  the Food Section staff picks out their ten favorites. I was thrilled to learn that one of my recipes was theirs too!  Check it out:

 
I hope you enjoy this month's news and recipes.  Try one to sit beside your Easter ham!     

Tastefully,

Chef Mary Ellen
Creating Culinary Memories One Meal at a Time

PS:  Want even more more recipes? Click here!

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Spring & Summer Cooking Classes
 
My Favorite Asian Recipes-Part 2
Tuesday April 29th 
 
Join us for Part 2 of my Asian inspired favorite recipes. Perfect for summer entertaining.
 
Here is what we will be making:
  • Yang Chow's Slippery Shrimp
  • Bacon wrapped Ginger and Soy Marinated Scallops 
  • Thai Green Curry Chicken
  • Hoisin Marinated Grilled Flank Steak in Spring Onion Pancakes

 
 
Grilling Class with a French Twist 

Wednesday July 9th

 

 Join our French themed class with recipes from my trip to Paris. Let's make Chocolate Macaroons! 

 

  

  

 

 

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Classes are held in a kitchen in Redondo Beach.  Address given out upon registration.  Start time, 6:30 p.m. and fee is $85. per person.

Wendy Akiyama of Sunflower Farms and I will be collaborating on a "Cooking with Herbs" demonstration-style class on Saturday, July 19th. 

Join us for this fun 1-hour session beginning at 10:00am to learn how to incorporate unusual herbs into your recipes.  The cost of the class is $10 per person.



Get your Greens!
Arugula and Mint Pesto

I learned there are over 70 types of mint when I chatted with a Silver Lake Organic farmer at the Santa Monica Farmer's market.  I had to buy a potted Chocolate Mint to try in my next iced tea!  

Spearmint is the most common plant found in your local grocery store.  Check out the video above with more Cooking with Mint Tips.  Mojitos anyone?

Arugula Mint Pesto 
 
Note: This versatile recipe makes 1 cup of thick pesto. If using for pasta sauce, save a little of the pasta cooking water to thin out the sauce.

Delicious for a dip for raw vegetables or on a toasted french bread crostini with a slice of tomato and goat cheese. My family's favorite is to smear onto grilled baby lamb chops.  I bet your Mom will love this for her Mother's Day Dinner! Hint...Hint!

 

2 cups loosely packed wild arugula leaves

1 cup loosely packed mint leaves

2 teaspoons finely chopped lemon peel

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 small garlic cloves

¼ cup pitted kalamata olives

¼ cup chopped toasted almonds

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

 

Place all of the ingredients in a food processor and process until a coarse paste.  For a smoother version use a blender.   

 

"In Season Now"
Artichokes 

 

Russ Parsons, the food editor at the Times did a great video on peeling artichoke. Check it out!

 

This would be a perfect item to serve along with the baked ham on Easter or for a Mother's Day Buffet.  I like the bacon in this recipe, but you can leave out for a vegetarian version.

 

Braised Herb Stuffed Artichokes (Serves 8)

 

4 large  artichokes

1 lemon, cut in half

1 small fennel bulb

2 slices cooked bacon, crumbled or 1/4 cup small diced cooked pancetta

1 cup dried bread crumbs

3/4 cup grated Pecorino cheese, divided

1/2 cup grated Fontina cheese

1/3 cup chopped Italian parsley leaves

1/4 cup chopped basil leaves

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 cup dry white wine

 

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Using a pairing knife, cut off artichoke stems to create a flat bottom and reserve stems. Cut top third off artichokes, pull off tough outermost leaves, and trim tips of leaves with kitchen shears. Rub cut parts of artichoke with lemon halves. Open artichoke leaves with your thumbs to make room for stuffing; set aside.

 


The end of a fun class with Joanne, Mary and Lori!