In this month’s edition of Keeping It Fresh on Public Radio, KCBX, chef/ host Charles Myers discusses the upcoming weekend of events centering around the Sustainability Center at the Cal Poly Agriculture School. On Friday the 22nd of Oct. there is an afternoon symposium on obesity with three national recognized figures covering different aspects of this problem. This is followed by a Friday night reception. Also Saturday night the 23rd at the Hearst Ranch Dairy Farm, is “A Taste of the Future” – a localvore extravaganza – led by chef Megan Loring of the Neon Carrot. More information at www.cfs.calpoly.edu. Listen to the audio file below, link to the podcast or visit the KCBX website Keeping It Fresh Oct 2010
“Keeping It Fresh” on KCBX Public Radio with chef/host Charles Myers
Sep 1 2010In this month’s edition of Keeping It Fresh on Public Radio, KCBX, chef/ host Charles Myers chats with Christine Hance, organizer of Savor the Central Coast- a celebration of the culinary & agricultural bounty of the central coast sponsored by Sunset Magazine. Hear about the various dinners, tastings and events throughout the county as well as the exhibition “kitchen garden” installed at Santa Margarita Ranch. The event lasts from Thursday Sept 30th through Sunday October 3rd. Listen to the audio file below, link to the podcast or visit the KCBX website
“Keeping It Fresh” August 2010 with chef/host Charles Myers on KCBX radio
Aug 4 2010In this month’s edition of Keeping It Fresh on Public Radio, KCBX, chef/ host Charles Myers visits with Jean Pierre Wolff from Wolff vineyards, a leader in sustainable vineyard and winemaking practices. Jean Pierre fills us in on the status of labeling certification for sustainability throughout the wine industry. He addresses state, national and international certifications as well as our own local program called “SIP Certification” (sustainability in practice) spearheaded by the Vineyard Team and Central Coast Grown. You’ll find “SIP” certification prominently displayed on some local wine labels. Listen to the audio file below, link to the podcast or visit the KCBX website
“Keeping It Fresh” July edition with chef/host Charles Myers
Jul 7 2010In this month’s edition of Keeping It Fresh on Public Radio, KCBX, chef/ host Charles Myers visits with Neal Maloney of the Morro Bay Oyster Company. Neal farms 134 acres in the middle of Estero Bay in Morro Bay and delivers his fresh, local oysters to area restaurants and farmers markets. He has 5 years experience raising oysters out in the bay, but has only owned the Morro Bay Oyster Company for the last year and a half. Neal shares his daily experiences of aquaculture and gives insight into the local seafood industry. Listen to the audio file below, link to the podcast or visit the KCBX website
Morro Bay Oyster Recipes from “Keeping It Fresh”
Jul 6 2010The following recipes were all inspired by my conversations on “Keeping It Fresh” with Neal Maloney of the Morro Bay Oyster Company. You can find him selling his local oysters at the Thursday night SLO Farmers Market or daily on the dock at the embarcadero, across the street from the kite store in Morro Bay.
To Barbecue Oysters
Heat the grill. Scrub the oysters in clear, cold water. Place on the grill and close the lid. When the oysters pop open (10 – 15 minutes) they are done. Carefully remove the top shell with an oyster knife or bottle opener at the hinged end. Season in any manner you like, salt & pepper, garlic butter, hot sauce, etc.
Macho Beer Roasted Indoor Oysters
Preheat oven to 450 degrees with a roasting pan inside.
Scrub oysters in clean, cold water.
Saturate two clean kitchen towels with dark beer by soaking in a bowl.
When the pan is hot, add a bottle of dark beer, 2 dozen unopened oysters, salt & pepper and cover with the beer soaked towels.
Roast for about 10 minutes until the oysters open.
Serve with home made hot sauce
Hot sauce
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp whole grain mustard
1 Tbsp honey
salt
1 Tbsp chipotle chile pepper puree (chipotles in adobo, pureed) or harissa or other chile pepper puree
Mix together thoroughly
Warm Buttered Oysters on Young Greens
5 Tbsp butter
1/2 a loaf French Bread (for crostini)
Enough mixed young salad greens for 4 salads
1 minced shallot
3 Tbsp sherry vinegar
2 dozen fresh oysters – scrubbed & shucked
Make crostini in any manner you like (brush with seasoned olive oil and toast, broil, bbq or bake.
Melt some of the butter in a skillet and sauté the shallot until it begins to brown. Add the vinegar and reduce by half. Add the remaining butter and the oysters, stirring and tossing until the oysters are plump and firmed and the butter is incorporated into the beurre blanc.
Serve by creating a salad with the greens and crostini and top the greens with the oysters and the butter “dressing”. Season with fresh ground pepper and salt. The salad will be enhanced with interesting greens, like perslane or arrugula. This recipe is a side salad for 4 with 6 oysters per person.
Spinach Fennel Baked Oysters “Rockefeller”
2 dozen fresh oysters
1 lb fresh spinach
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 cup finely chopped fennel bulb
3 Tbsp butter
Coarse salt to hold the oysters
Wash spinach and place in a glass microwaveable bowl with the fennel seeds. Microwave on high for 3 minutes covered and let sit to finish wilting. Squeeze dry. Puree in a food processor with 1 Tbsp of the butter.
Sauté the fennel with the remaining butter until softened. Stir into the spinach mixture and season with salt and white pepper.
Shuck the oysters and arrange on a baking pan nestled in the coarse salt so they don’t tip. Spoon spinach-fennel mixture onto each one. Bake at a preheated 400 degrees for about 10 minutes until the oysters are plumped and cooked through.
Variations: top with hollandaise before baking. Add a whipped egg or a little mayonnaise to the spinach mix so that it sets up firmer – broil at the end if necessary. Garnish with caramelized shallots or another crispy-oniony garnish.
“Keeping It Fresh” on KCBX with chef/host Charles Myers
Jun 2 2010In this month’s edition of Keeping It Fresh on Public Radio, KCBX, Chef/ host Charles Myers tours the Templeton Saturday Morning Farmers’ Market with chef Greg Winnogard of Mirosal Restaurant at the Lido Resort. They survey the June arrivals and talk about some of the menu items inspired by these seasonal items. Then he continues on to several other market vendors to discuss the real beginning of the farmers’ market season. Listen to the audio file below, link to the podcast or visit the KCBX website
