Blog Posts

Special Bowl Menu

Monday 4/5 & Tuesday 4/6
Available at 12 & 5 pm.

Monday 3/5: Mediterranean Chicken Bowl; Herb Marinated grilled chicken, quinoa salad, mixed greens, hummus, roasted vegetables

Tuesday 3/6: Southwestern Chicken Bowl; Spice Marinated grilled chicken, black bean salad, fajita vegetables, jicama slaw, salsa.

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Special Menu for Sunday 3/28, Monday 3/29, Tuesday 3/30

Special Neighborhood Menu
By Chef Larson
-Sunday, Monday, Tuesday -
Available 4-6 pm
Pick up / local delivery

Sunday 3/28:
Smoked BBQ Prime Brisket, Sweet Tangy Slaw, Toasted Ciabatta Bread

Monday 2/29:
Healthy Chicken Bowl, Quinoa Salad, Hummus, Roasted Veg, Mixed Greens

Tuesday 3/30:
Papa Rellena, Peruvian Beef Stuffed Potatoe, Lettuce, Marinated Onions, Salsa Huancaina

Special -Ginger Elixir -
available all days:

More Photos and Info at:
Instagram: @cheflarson
Published weekly in the Coto de Caza News

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Special Sunday Menu 3/21/21

Empanadas

- Empanadas -
this Sunday 3/21/21
Pick up / local delivery
Available: 12 to 5

•Beef- Gound beef, vegetables, special sauce, salsa

•Veggie- Roasted Veg, potato, eggplant purée, salsa

•Sweet Jamaican- Plantain, beet, cream cheese, honey

Place your order Text (949) 939 0501

More info and photos at:
Instagram: @cheflarson
Featured weekly in the coto de caza news

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Monday 3/15 and Tuesday 3/16 Menu

3/12/2021

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Special Menu for Monday 3/15 and Tuesday 3/16

Special Menu’s:
Available 2-6 pm
Pick up / local drop off

•Menu for Monday 3/15•
-Chicken Teriyaki-
Grilled Organic chicken breast, teriyaki sauce, white or brown rice, wok vegetables -

*Ginger Elixir* - 1 pint-
Good for: immunity,
energy, digestion,
allergies, inflammation.

•Menu for Tuesday 3/16•
-Smoked beef pot roast-
Smoked and Braised,
cauliflower mashed potatoes,Coleslaw and toasted ciabatta bun -

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Menu for Sunday 3/7

3/3/2021

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Hello we have a special menu available for Sunday
Menu for   Sunday 3/7
Pick-up /  local delivery
Ginger Elixer - pint
Great for the immune system, digestion, allergies and increased energy.

Peruvian Empanadas
Beef + vegetables with
Special Salsa              -

Check out the photos and more information below:

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Peruvian Empanadas

3/3/2021

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Peruvian Empanadas

Today we would like to present Empanadas. Although empanadas are very popular in Latin America they are also a regional delicacy in Southern Europe and the Philippines. The filling of sweet raisins with ground beef mixed with salty olive and flavorful vegetables all stuffed in a flaky crust that is easy to eat makes it a perfect lunch or dinner for busy families on the go. They are so delicious you will want to make sure you have a lot extra because they disappear fast.
The stuffing is generally ground beef and we will also be providing a plant based alternative. The stuffing has a nice spice and flavor which is delicious wrapped in a flaky crust. The empanadas are traditional served with red onion salad.
To start the empanadas crust take 2 cups of flour and cut ½ a cup or 1 stick of butter into the flour. Mix 1 large egg with ⅓ cup of milk and 1 tsp of salt. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry, mix to form a tight ball. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes then roll out thin and cut into 7 inch wide circles.
For the filling use ½ a pound of lean ground beef or 1 cup of cooked green lentils for a plant based alternative. Start by browning the meat or sautéing the lentils. With either protein choice next add ½ red onion, ½ red bell pepper, 2 garlic cloves, ¼ cup pecans, ¼ cup black raisins, 6 green olives, everything chopped and sautéed. Season the mixture ½ tsp. smoked paprika, ½ tsp. cumin, salt and pepper. Allow the stuffing too cool.
To form the empanadas take a scoop of your filling and place it in the center of the dough, wrap the dough around the filling by folding in half. Use a fork to firmly press the edges together, you will want all the stuffing completely enclosed. The shape of the stuffed empanada will look like a ½ small football, thick in the middle and pointy on the ends.
Use an egg wash of 1 egg mixed well with 1 tbsp of water and brush over the top of the empanadas for a nice golden brown crust. Place on a large sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
Empanadas can be baked or fried. We have tried both versions and although the fried version comes out crispy it is a little oily, so we prefer to bake them. Place the sheet tray of empanadas into a 375°F oven and bake for 35 minutes, they will be golden brown and flaky.
A traditional red onion salsa pairs nicely with the potato and helps bring out the flavors with its acidity and spice. Slice 1 small red onion thinly the add 1 habanero chile finely diced with the seeds and pith removed. Season the salsa with a touch of salt and the juice of half a lime.
This will be a great south of the border dinner that is delicious and comforting. Enjoy this regional delicacy with its great flavors and spice for a fun dinner that is sure to please the family.

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French Style Omelette

4/18/2020

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Study Guide For French Style Omelet Video

Watch the Video and Follow along with this Guide to learn how to make a great omelet

Here is our basic set up For the omelet which include 3 large farmers market organic sprout feed hen eggs at room temperature 1/2 a teaspoon of water a pinch of salt and pepper a bowl to crack the eggs into and a whisk to mix them together. Generally white pepper is used but i have an aversion to the taste so we used black

Here is the filling for the omelet, We used herbed goat cheese from Drake farms, Farmers Market tomatoes and House made Gravlax

This is the home made gravlax and the ingredients used to make it. We will have a follow up with the exact method and recipe so you can make it yourself

There are 4 main styles of Omelet
The American: which has the ingredients cooked into the egg, a browning coloration to the cooked egg and it is folded in half
The Español or Frittata: which has the ingredients cooked in a skillet then the egg is poured over the top then cooked on a low even heat in the oven it is also usually served at room temperature
The Soufflé: Which has the egg yolk and white separated the egg is used in making the sauce for the dish while the whites are whipped to create small bubbles which expand with hot air while baking
The French: This is an elegant omelette that is rolled instead of folded in half, originally it was just egg but now has included a various amount of fillings, the eggs are worked to create no folds in the final product and there is no browning color to the final product and in general are less cooked and softer than the American omelette

Omelettes have a long and rich history originating in ancient Rome and ancient Persia around 550 B.C. the Persian omelette and is similar to a frittata. In ancient Rome around 753 B.C. they had a omelet which was rolled and included the use of milk in the eggs in the 4th century A.D. a recipe was published called Ova Spongia Ex Lacte or honey omelet and it also included black pepper.
The French style omelet gets its notoriety in the 13th century. Napoleon Bonaparte and his army were in Bessieress, France and a inn keeper served him this dish, he enjoyed it so much that he had every egg in the village gathered and turned into a giant omelet which was served to his army the next day which also inspired the giant Easter omelet. The word omelet or omelette is derived from the French word amellette and that word derives from the 13th century word of alemelle which means blade of the knife and this was a thin flattened dish in which the omelet was served to Napoleon on.

Crack the eggs on a hard flat surface and then open over a bowl, add the 1/2 teaspoon of water and whisk to incorporate the yolks with the whites then add a pinch of salt and pepper

Have all of your mise en place, which means putting in place, this is having all the ingredients and items used to make the dish prepared and ready. Preparation is a key to success. We are using a non stick skillet with a wood and high heat rubber spatula, 1/2 a teaspoon of olive oil and butter and chives for garnish along with our filling and eggs

Pour oil in the pan first then add the butter and melt on medium heat until frothy

Add the egg mixture

Stir the eggs with the wooden spoon and move the pan back and forth to create small pieces of cooked egg, once it is almost cooked smooth out the egg and let set, this process creates a smooth surface on the final product

Release the egg from the pan then Add your filling in the center of the omelet

Move egg to the edge of the pan and using the spatula roll around the ingredients

Using a plate place over the omelet then flip the pan over with the plate transferring the omelet onto the plate

using a small pad of butter glaze the top of the omelet to give a nice sheen

Garnish with chopped chives

Finish the plate up by adding sliced tomatoes seasoned with herb sea salt, gravlax roses, parsley and edible garden flowers

A close up photo of the final product. The omelet will taste delicious with the richness from the eggs, saltiness from the salmon, creaminess from the cheese and acidity from the tomatoes creating a wonderfully balanced and tasty meal

Omelet Demonstration Video

Quiz:
Email me or add your answers to the comment section
1. Why is sanitation important in cooking?
2. A clean kitchen is a :blank?:
3. What are the 4 styles of omelet?
4. Why use fresh, local, seasonal, high end products when cooking?
5. What was special about the eggs we used?
6. What does salt do in our omelet?
7. Why water over milk in eggs when cooking?
8. Where did omelets originate?
9. How did omelets gain popularity inFrance?
10. Why oil before butter in the pan?
11. Why wood spatula over plastic?
12. What does amelle which became the word omelet refer to?
13. Why break the egg up in small pieces before combining together in the pan?
14. How do you get the omelet on the plate?
15. Why are omelets useful in modern food service?
16. What fillings would you like to use when you make an omelet?

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Kobe's Favorite Dish

2/4/2020

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Frog Leg's with Garlic Honey Sauce

also with Chicken substitute

Kobes Favorite Dish
From Your Personal Chef
Larson Warkentin A Coto de Caza News Culinary Adventure

It was a great tragedy when Kobe Bryant passed away with his daughter and 7 others in a helicopter crash late last month. Kobe had relationships with residents in Coto de Caza, the southern California community and was loved around the world. I know residents are still deeply affected by the loss. What is nice about food is it has the ability to heal and bring people together, with this we will be consoled, become stronger and carry on Kobe’s legacy.
I remember meeting Kobe when he was young man at the Byron Scott Basketball camp at the local high school. Kobe loved Coto and wanted it to be his home but was deterred by not being able to get a helicopter landing permit. Like any larger than life legend Kobe has many unique attributes. A few are how he only needed 4 hours of sleep, how his first name is the best type of steak, whose middle name “bean” after jelly bean and how Kobe’s favorite dish was frog legs with honey garlic sauce. This is the dish I would like to prepare for you this week.
Now don’t worry, I am not going to force you to eat frog legs if you don’t want to. So, with this dish, I will also be using chicken tenders and will compare the differences for you. I found the flavor between the two to be similar with the frog legs being lighter in flavor with a slight fish taste and easily flavored with a marinade. I decided to use chicken tenders which are the inner most piece of the chicken breast. It is not only the most tender piece, but also has a lighter flavor which absorbs the marinade well. The texture between the two are similar with the frog legs being slightly more chewy. The frog legs are boney, so remove the bone for easy eating. The chicken tenders have a white tendon running down the center and this also should be removed for the best tasting product.
The legs and tenders are crispy and juicy with a sweet and salty flavor. The sauce is robust with a garlic flavor and the dish is rounded off with a sweet and acidic honey mango salsa.
In this recipe we use 24 pieces, Kobe’s Number, and serve 8 pieces per person, Kobe’s other number. Take the meat and marinade it in 3tbsp. canola oil, 2 tbsp. chili sauce, 6 tbsp. soy sauce, 2 tbsp. honey, 2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar, 2 tbsp. diced garlic, 1 tbsp. diced ginger, 1 tsp. sesame oil and 1 tsp. black pepper. Marinate for 6 hours. After marinating, take the meat and dust with ½ cup flour and then in an egg wash of 2, Kobe’s daughter’s number, eggs. Then coat in 1 cup of panko bread crumbs. In a large pot on medium heat filled with 33 once of oil, Kobe’s high school number. Deep fry until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Take out of oil and pat dry.
For the honey garlic sauce, start by taking 2 cups chicken stock, ⅓ cup brown sugar, ⅔ cup honey, ¼ cup soy sauce, 8 garlic cloves diced, 2 tsp ginger minced, ½ a lemon zested and bring to a simmer. Cook for 12 minutes then mix ¼ cup of water with 1 tbsp. of corn starch and whisk into sauce. Continue cooking until sauce thickens.
A great pairing for this dish is a honey mango salsa which helps balance the palate. Take 1 mango, ⅓ red bell pepper, ½ avocado, 2 green onions, ⅓ jalapeño, 4 sprigs of cilantro, 1 inch of cucumber, dice and toss all ingredients. Season with salt and pepper, the juice of ½ a lemon and 1 tbsp. of honey.
This dish is delicious and when making it you can remember Kobe, when serving to your family you can share the love and Mamba mentality which represents many things, not only dedication and hard work but also compassion and inspiration for others.
Kobe Bryant was a world icon who’s legacy will live on forever through our thoughts, actions and love.
During Kobe’s final game after a historic 20 year career he finished his farewell speech with Mamba Out and this statement was reverberated with LeBron James’ eulogy ending in Mamba Out but Not Forgotten.
Thank you for inviting us into your home and allowing us to share and heal with your family. You can reach me at chefjameslarson.com

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Dash Home For Dinner

10/5/2019

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Crispy Veal Patties with a Sweet Sausage Tomato Sauce served with Rice Pilaf and Herb Roasted Vegetables

Neighboring Coto de Caza is Dove Canyon. Last Sunday there was the annual Dove Dash and with this recipe you are going to want to Dash home yourself to enjoy this great dinner.
When you walking inside you will smell the sweet aromas of fennel seed and caramelizing onions and sausage all of which is simmering in a lite tomato sauce. This is liberally spooned over a crispy veal patty. The veal is juicy, full of flavor with an almost sweet characteristic and of course tender. To the side, fluffy rice pilaf with small diced mirepoix and depth of flavor with a little acidity from the white wine. Pulling the items together is a generous helping of herb roasted mushrooms, zucchini and cauliflower, with the earthiness from the mushrooms, the slight sweetness of the zucchini and the great texture and crunch from the cauliflower these vegetables pair delightfully with this dish. This is a classic entree yet refined so each flavor comes through and presents itself while melding together to make a great dish.
First let's get started with the veal patties, we enjoy getting all are red meat from El Toro meats butcher shop; I know your saying veal isn’t red, but it is the same family and the quality you can get from there will surpass any other place. We purchase 1 pound of veal top round and send it through a meat grinder on a fine plate, to this ground meat we add 3 tbs. of minced shallots, 1 tsp. of salt, 1/2 tsp. of black pepper and paprika, 1/2 tsp. each of dried marjoram, oregano and parsley. Gently mix the meat mixture and incorporate 1 egg. This is the base of your patties, portion into 5 patties each weighting around 3 oz., Form your patties in an oval shape and press them flat to a quarter inch in height. Place patties in refrigerator for at least 2 hours to firm up, if this isn’t done the fine tender veal has a tendency to break apart in the breading process.
Alright on to breading, use the SBP, standard breading procedure, which consists of first dusting in flour, then dipping in egg wash and finally put in and coated with bread crumbs, for this recipe we use a combination of Italian bread crumbs and fine panko bread crumbs in equal portions with some finely chopped parsley mixed in.
Now your veal is ready to fry, use a large sauce pan on medium heat, add canola oil and a little drizzle of olive oil , you want there to be enough oil to reach the sides of the patties, but not cover, to little oil and the patties won’t brown but burn, to much oil and they come out greasy like you put them in the fryer; so half way works best. Pan fry for about 2 minutes on each side. The patties should be nice and golden brown with an internal temperature of 165 degrees; place on a wire rack and pat dry with a paper towel.
For the meat sauce we use 1/2 pound sweat Italian sausage, brown the sausage and break apart in a cast iron pan, ounce broken apart and fully cooked remove from the pan and caramelize 1 onion thinly sliced then add 2 cloves sliced garlic and cook for 1 more minute; pour off any extra oil in the pan add 3 cups fresh tomato sauce and bring to a simmer, then add your sausage back in with a sprig of thyme, parsley and basil. Check seasoning , at this point you can add 1 tsp. of red chili flakes if you want it spicy.
Pairing nicely with the sauce and veal is a classic rice pilaf; in a medium pot with a little oil begin to sweet 1/3 cp. classic fine diced mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery), you want to sweet so that means no color or caramelization of the vegetables, ounce there translucent about 2 minutes add 1 cup basmati or jasmine rice ( rice is rinsed under cold water until completely clean then placed in a colander until dry), toast the rice in the pan getting each grain covered in oil, cook for 1 minute, add 1/4 cp. white wine and allow the alcohol to cook off then add 1 and a1/2 cups of water plus a little pinch of salt, bring to a simmer, cover and cooker about 20 minutes, until all the moister is absorbed and the rice is soft and fluffy. A reader asked if the can streamline this recipe and just cook the vegetables and add them to rice in a rice cooker; the answer is No, to achieve a pilaf you need to cook the rice in oil so that it doesn’t stick together and adds depth of flavor, so use a pot for the best pilaf.
With the vegetables we like to use a combination of 1cp. mushrooms, stems removed and cut in fourths, 1 cp. zucchini medium diced and 1 and 1/2 cp. small cauliflower florets. Mix all on a baking sheet and generously coat with an herb marinate; an easy herb marinade can be made by blending 2 cp. Italian dressing with 1 small shallot, 2 garlic cloves, a 1/3 cp. parsley, 10 basil leaves, 2 sprigs of thyme - no stems and 3 sprigs of oregano - no stems. Roast in a oven at 400 degrees until brown and tender about 15 to 20 minutes; sometimes the outside perimeter will get a little burnt, that’s just the price you pay for a good roast; discard any burnt pieces.
When ready to serve slice the veal patty and place on the plate, form rice in a small bowl and place along the side of the veal with the roasted vegetables then liberally spoon the sauce over the veal, it is so good you might just want to pour it all over the top; so use some restraint. Garnish and Enjoy
Congratulations to all that participated in the Dove Dash, I am sure you worked up an appetite and this will be a great dish to fill you up.
Thank you for reading, your engagement, and inviting us into your home. For more information please send me a message

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Healthy Roasted Mushroom Dinner

10/2/2019

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Balsamic Roasted Mushrooms with Brussel Sprouts and Garlic Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

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Your Local
Personal
Chef
Larson
James
Warkentin
Menus, Recipes, photos, Videos, articles

Bowl Menu

Special Bowl Menu

Menu 3/28 - 3/30

Special Menu for Sunday 3/28, Monday 3/29, Tuesday 3/30

Special Menu

Special Sunday Menu 3/21/21

Empanadas

Monday 3/15 and Tuesday 3/16 Menu

Special Menu for Monday 3/15 and Tuesday 3/16

Menu for Sunday 3/7

Peruvian Empanadas

Peruvian Empanadas

French Style Omelette

Study Guide For French Style Omelet Video

Kobe's Favorite Dish

Frog Leg's with Garlic Honey Sauce

also with Chicken substitute

Dash Home For Dinner

Healthy Roasted Mushroom Dinner

Theres More. Hit Previous and Continue Reading

Author

Your LocalPersonal ChefLarsonJamesWarkentinMenus, Recipes, photos, Videos, articles

Special Bowl Menu

Special Menu for Sunday 3/28, Monday 3/29, Tuesday 3/30​

Special Sunday Menu 3/21/21

Empanadas

Special Menu for Monday 3/15 and Tuesday 3/16

Peruvian Empanadas

Study Guide For French Style Omelet Video

Frog Leg's with Garlic Honey Sauce

also with Chicken substitute

Theres More. Hit Previous and Continue ReadingAuthor

Your Local
Personal
Chef
Larson
James
Warkentin
Menus, Recipes, photos, Videos, articles

Special Menu for Sunday 3/28, Monday 3/29, Tuesday 3/30

Theres More. Hit Previous and Continue Reading

Author