Turkeys

A Little Thanksgiving Menu Inspiration

It looks like the flock of wild turkey at Post Ranch are just about ready for Thanksgiving! Speaking of Thanksgiving…. Here is a sneak peak at this year’s Thanksgiving Eve menu at Sierra Mar.

Smoked Venison Lomo

Pomegranate, Crispy Yucca Root, Salted Pistachio Puree

Winter Pear Salad

Parsnips, Alliums, Blue Cheese

Morro Bay Oysters

Warm, Watercress, Bacon, Leek, Horseradish

Sunchokes

In a Variety of Textures

Forest Mushroom Soup

Crème Fraiche, Nutmeg, Brioche

Entrees

Pan Roasted Sea Bass

Turmeric, Dill, Pickled Peanuts

Butternut- Truffle Ravioli
Winter Garden Greens, Brown Butter

Free Range Turkey
Coastal Forest Stuffing, Roasted Persimmon, Winter Squash, Giblet Gravy

Piedmontese Beef Filet
Slow Braised Shortrib, Potato Souffle, Mache, Mushrooms

Sierra Mar Winter Green Salad

Salad Ingredients
   1 head radicchio
   1 head black kale
   1 cup small mache leaves
   1 apple
   2 cups fromage blac
   1 cup cooked red quinoa
   1 cup pomegranate seeds
   1 ripe Ruyu Persimmon
   4 tbs Quince-ver jus vinaigrette

   Vinaigrette
   4 tbs finely chopped quince
   1 tsp chopped ginger
   1 tsp chopped shallot
   2 tbs honey
   1 cup white ver jus
   2 ea. cloves
   2 ea. star anise
   1 cup apple juice
   1/2 cup riesling vinegar
   2 cup olive oil




Preparation

• Cook ginger and shallot with olive oil, add diced quince, honey and caramelize
• Add ver jus and cook slowly until soft, cool
• Blend in food processor, add cooled quince mixture, apple juice and vinegar
• Blend until smooth slowly adding olive oil. 
• Season with salt and more Riesling vinegar if needed

Finishing the Salad

• Fine cut the radicchio and Kale 
• Toss the kale and radicchio with mache greens, sliced apple, sliced persimmon, quinoa, pomegranate and vinaigrette
• Season to taste with Salt and pepper

Serves up to 4

Ominous Sunset

Moonrise

Scorpion Fish

Tonight, Elizabeth made a roasted scorpion fish with turnips and local sea snails. We made a roasted bone broth and poured it table side from the shell.

Sicilian Style Octopus

 

A few weeks ago I found myself sitting in Monterey with a table surrounded by old Sicilian fisherman. One of them was lamenting how American chefs don’t know how to cook octopus. He then proceeded to explain, with passionate detail, his process for cooking fresh octopus. The idea was to slowly dip the octopus into simmering stock three times before submerging it, then only cook it long enough to become tender. The resulting texture should be tender- but still have a bite – “al dente!”.

This conversation was the inspiration for this dish. We followed the directions as best as I could recollect and the resulting octopus was delicious! I served it with a white bean puree, black olive-ink sauce and the last of our black onyx tomatoes from the garden. A few spicy mustard greens and fresh pressed olive oil finished the plate.