Coastal Cooking with Chef Michael Hutchings

New Simple Simple Catering Menus

I am delighted to offer our new line of Simple Simple Catering® menus for the spring season. The concept is to take great ingredients and use straight forward classic preparations to create unfussy, delicious cuisine for your entertaining. Add great service, provide your own adult beverages and you have all the ingredients for a terrific evening. Call us today for a complimentary planning session.

Chef Michael Hutchings

Simple Simple Catering® at affordable rates.

We are pleased to offer our new line of delicious-simple menus for all your catering needs. Simply good and simply priced. They feature superb ingredients simply prepared and offer great value for your budget. Please call today to plan your menu & have a complimentary quote.

Simply Delicious and Simply Affordable!

Chef Michael Hutchings

Simple Simple
Fresh Tomato And Basil Soup
Roasted Lemon Chicken Breast
Raspberry Bread Pudding
$26.00

Fennel And Orange With Arugula
Nori Wrapped Salmon 
Blackberry And Almond Cake
$29.00

Artichoke With Young Spinach 
Mushroom Ragout Pappardelle
Berries White Chocolate Mousse
$22.00

Arugula, Blue Cheese & Walnuts
Pork Loin Marmalade- Glaze
Devils Food Cake
$23.00

Green Pea And Mint Soup
Beef Tenderloin Mustard Glaze
Apple Tart Tatin
$35.00

Garden Buffet
Salad Of Petite Greens 
With Dried Cranberries, Spiced Pecans Manchego Cheese & Tarragon Vinaigrette
Bbq Spiced Salmon Oven Roasted, Three Mustard Sauce
Marinated Sirloin Steaks Cabernet Sauce With Rosemary
Wild Mushroom Risotto Fresh Seasonal Vegetables
Variety Of Breads
Nonalcoholic Beverages, Ice, & French Roast Coffee Station
Waters, Bar Ice, & French Roast Coffee Station
$37.00

California Classic
Classic Caesar Salad 
Imported Parmesan Cheese And Caesar Dressing
Grilled Breast Of Chicken With Thyme And Orange
Grilled Tri-Tip Of Beef
Shallot Jus With Black Pepper
Garlic Mashed Potatoes 
Market Vegetables
Variety Of Breads And Butter
Nonalcoholic Beverages, Ice, & French Roast Coffee
$30.00

Montecito
Romaine Hearts With Tomatoes Hot House Cucumbers
Kalamata Olives, Red Onions And Feta Cheese Oregano Vinaigrette
Roasted Rack Of Lamb Au Jus
Fillet Of Sea Bass With An Herb Crust Chardonnay Chive Cream
Roasted Red Potatoes “Lyonnaise”
With Caramelized Onions And Chives
Market Vegetable Medley
Variety Of Breads
Nonalcoholic Beverages, & French Roast Coffee Station
$52.00

Riviera
Endive, Red Leaf And Roquefort Salad Toasted Walnuts, Sweet Cherry Tomatoes Honey Mustard Dressing
Roasted Mahi-Mahi Fillet Fennel Julienne And Lemon Butter Sauce
Roasted Tenderloin Of Beef With A Mushroom Reduction
Gratin Potatoes
Market Vegetable Medley
Variety Of Breads 
Nonalcoholic Beverages, & French Roast Coffee Station
$48.00

Menu prices do not include

Delivery, sales tax, service staff, rentals, event planning, beverages, kitchen staff, event director or field kitchen equipment. Prices are subject to change without notice and are confirmed upon booking services. Prices are based on 25 portions of a given menu item. Prices are confirmed when     booking services.

 

Chef Jean Louis Palladin was a legend in his own time and still casts a shadow over the contemporary kitchens of today. Chef Palladin is best remembered for his restaurant, Jean-Louis at the Watergate Hotel. He was a chef's chef and had over-the-top creativity.

Another great contemporary chef, Chef Michel Richard of Citronelle, is cooking a culinary tribute to his friend at the Latham Hotel in D.C. Chef Michel has crafted a menu from Chef Jean-Louis' cookbook, Cooking with the Seasons.

About Jean-Louis Palladin, from the James Bear Foundation

"Jean-Louis Palladin was born in 1946 in the small southwestern French town of Condom. In 1974, at 28 yrs old, Jean-Louis Palladin won two Michelin stars for his restaurant Tables Des Cordeliers in Gascony, France. At the time he was the youngest chef to have won two stars.
Always seeking a new challenge, Palladin came to America in 1979 to open Jean-Louis at the Watergate, in the Watergate Hotel in Washington, D.C. "

I had the pleasure of being in a 1987 Time Magazine in an article with him about restaurants with European connections. Some years later I dined with him at the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas where he had a restaurant. I was served some 12 lavish courses with selected wine and have rarely eaten so well.

Chef Jean-Louis's cook book still has a fresh, contemporary feel to it. It is high art and food forms the palette that paints the picture. The collection of ingredients attests to the cot-be-dammed cooking that the hotel could afford to support. Fresh hearts of palm, truffles in season, caviar, foie gras, cultured abalone, baby eel, caviar..all the stuff dreams are made of.

Salute Chef!

 

 

Local Squab - Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Squab and Porcini

We recently catered a dinner for a family that relocated to Santa Barbara from New England. The first course for dinner was a squab and porcini salad. We serve squab from Carpenter Squab Ranch, located 20 minutes from Santa Barbara. Squab is best when undercooked as it is very lean. We used the sous vide method. The squab was semi boned, seasoned and placed in vacuum bags. Using an immersion cooker, the squab is cooked at 69 degrees C. (155 degrees F) for about 15 minutes then seared in hot oil for 10 seconds to crisp the skin.

The porcini mushrooms were sauteed in olive oil and butter for a couple of minutes. The result was a delicious start to dinner. The recipe is reminiscent of the Salade Gourmande that Chef Michele Guerard created back in the 1970s.Chef Michele is one of the first proponents of Nouvelle Cuisine, along with the Troisgros brothers, Paul Bocuse and others. Guerard's version of the salad sported foie gras, asparagus, haricot vert and truffles, dressed with a sherry vinaigrette and fresh herbs. My budget was somewhat more modest so I prepared my own version. It was served with a Turner Pinot Noir and crusty bread from d'Angelo's Bakery.

 

Chef Michael Hutchings

Michael's Catering

Santa Barbara, CA

 

 

Fresh Porcini Mushrooms From Oregon

Cooking Squab "Sous Vide"

 

 

Wild Mushrooms from a Kit

Oyster Mushroom from a Kit

We received a mushroom growing kit this past year as a Christmas gift. I have never grown mushrooms from a kit before. This one was dead easy; open the box, mist with water, keep out of sunlight and wait. They grew fast. In a matter of 5 days they grew to a harvest-able size. 

Oyster mushroom are usually found on decaying wood but will grow on other media such as coffee grounds. I plan to saute them with a little shallots and garlic and serve them with broiled trout and a couscous pilaf.

From Wikipedia: "Pleurotus ostreatus, the oyster mushroom, is a common edible mushroom. It was first cultivated in Germany as a subsistence measure during World War I and is now grown commercially around the world for food. However, the first documented cultivation was byKaufert. There is some question about the name Pleurotus corticatus, but no question he cultivated an oyster mushroom. It is related to the similarly cultivated "king oyster mushroom". Oyster mushrooms can also be used industrially for mycoremediation purposes. The oyster mushroom may be considered a medicinal mushroom, since it contains statins such as lovastatin which work to reduce cholesterol.^"

Chef Michael Hutchings

 

 

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Fiesta Santa Barbara

 

Sopes with Chicken

 

The city of Santa Barbara has held a fiesta call Old Spanish Days Fiesta since 1924. The fiesta celebrates the Spanish heritage of the city as well as serving as a way to stimulate the local economy. Numerous non-profit organizations have food booths to raise funds for their operating costs. Over the years I have been involved from having kids in one of the parades, eating my way through the food booths at de la Guerra Plaza to offering food at the Mayor's Party held now at the Santa Barbara Zoo.

This year at my wife's prodding, we went to Our Lady of Guadalupe where they have held a Mercado now many years. There are a number of food booths that feature: Gorditas, Ice Cream/Cotton Candy, Flautas, Tacos and Tostadas,Aguas Frescas, Hot Dogs & Nachos, Birria, Carnitas, Churros, Corn on the Cobb & Asados, Snow Cones & Popcorn, Sopes, Tamales, Pozole & Enchiladas Combos, Tacos & Tortas de Carne Asada, Coca - Cola Truck and Wine & Beer. We managed to eat our way through about five of the booths. Everything was delicious. I particularly enjoyed the charcoal-roasted corn and the sopas. The sopas were one of the best Mexican foods I have ever eaten. Frijoles, shredded chicken, lettuce, salsa and queso were heaped in cup-like tortillas. It was all washed down with a cold beer.

I was intrigued with the corn BBQ. The rollers that the corn rested upon rotated with the help of an electric motors and a set of belts and gears. The cook in charge claimed to have made the contraption. The corn was bathed in butter and mayonnaise, dusted with parmesan and spiced with chili powder.

The Guadalupe Mercado is now on the must go list for next year.

Vive La Fiesta

Chef Michael Hutchings

Michael's Catering

Santa Barbara

Rube Goldberg Corn Cokker

 

 

Corn Cooker

 

 

 

Grilling Beef for Carnitas

 

 

 

Carnitas - Tacos with Grilled Beef

 

 

 

The Scene, Several Thousand Folks

 

 

 

Mexican Style Catering - Weddings and Fiestas

 

Beverage Station

 

Santa Barbara is an old colonial town from the Spanish-Mexican days of exploration. The local cuisine still bears that influence and we are always delighted to share that with our catering clients.

Here is a typical menu that we offer for special occasion catering. Be sure and watch the You Tube video below.

Vive la Fiesta

Chef Michael Hutchings

 

Quesadillas -  Epazote, Poblano and Oaxaca Cheese

Santa Barbara Guacamole on Thin Corn Chips

Botana de Camaron - Shrimp fritters 

Market Fish “Marisco” - Grilled with lime 

Carne Asada - marinated steak

Chicken - cumin and citrus marinated thigh meat

Shrimp, chile spice rub

Grilled Vegetables - Squashes, pepper, onions, mushrooms

Ranchera Salsa, Chopped Onion-Cilantro , Tomatillo Salsa

Grilled Pineapple, Shredded Lettuce 

and cheddar cheese, Tapatillo Sauce,  Salsa Roja

Salsa Fresca - Tomatoes, Onions, Chilies, Cilantro

Cactus Salad - corn, black beans and peppers

Mexican Cole Slaw with Lime Dressing

Traditional Pork Tamales

Local Mixed Green Salad - Jicama, Orange with Tropical Dressing

Fresh CornTortillas

Mexican Green Rice with Poblanos, and Herbs

Bates Ranch Guacamole

 

 

 

 

Tortilla Station

Mexican Desserts

 

Taste of the Town 30 Years in Santa Barbara

This is a reposting from my other blog. Enjoy. Now in its 32 year!

The Taste of the Town is the premier food event in Santa Barbara. Since it inception in 1981, the event has showcased food establishments and wineries from the Santa Barbara area. The event benefits the Arthritis Foundation. In its earlier years, three charities participate, Cancer Association, Heart Association and the Arthritis Foundation. It has been my pleasure to participate since its inception in 1981. In fact, I was on the original committee in 1981 that helped organize the event. We have donated over $30,000 in goods and services over the years.

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Over the years, I have offered tasty bites of Abalone "Chez Nous", Local Spot Prawns, Homemade Ice Cream, Risotto with Porcini, Foie Gras on Brioche, Braised Pork with Mole and Masa Cakes, Paella "My Way." One of my most popular has been Potato Crepes with Golden Caviar.

This year in celebration of the 30th year, I am pulling out all the stops and will offer several of my favorite "Tastes."

Chef Michael Hutchings' 2011 Taste of the Town Menu

Potato Crepes with Golden Caviar or Farmer's Market Vegetables

Shrimp Sausage with Saffron Aioli

Cognac Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry

 

ABOUT THE EVENT

Join us for an epicurean adventure! The Taste of the Town is Santa Barbara's original tasting event, featuring savory samples from many of Santa Barbara's finest restaurants and premiere wineries. There are over 45 wineries and 39 food establishements participating. All proceeds benefit the Arthritis Foundation.

Taste of the Town
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Riviera Park Gardens
2030 Alameda Padre Serra
12:00-3:00 PM 

For more information, contact Jeanne David at 805-563-4685

B.R. Diner in Redgranite, WI

 

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B.R. Diner in Redgranite, WI

 

Yes, there are still places in America that never seem to change. This style breakfast place use to be all over the country before the chains and fast food restaurants grabbed that business. Where else can you dine on scrambled eggs crowned withe a spiral drizzle of Heinz ketchup while looking at the bass on the wall? Good food.

Classic Dinner Decor c 1955

Old Quarry at Redgranite

 

 

 

Retro Dining Room

 

 

 

Blueberry Pancake Plate Size

 

 

Scrambled Eggs

 

 

Cooking Class on the Central Coast

The annual dinner at Hearst Castle for the Central Coast Wine Classic was held on July 7. The dinner featured wines of the central coast of California and three outstanding chefs from Hawaii, Roy Yamagouchi, D.K. Kodama and George Mavrothalassitis.  Click here for biographical information.

The following day, chefs Kodama and Mavro did a cooking class and luncheon at the Avila Beach Golf Resort in Avila Beach, California. I had the privilege of being the host chef and taking care of all their needs to do the demonstration and luncheon for 100 guests.

 

The menu started with a wild salmon that was slow poached in olive oil and set on a lomi-lomi salmon sort of sauce. The interesting aspect was that the salmon in the sauce is a Hawaiian version of gravlax. The final garnish of salmon caviar gave the dish a luxurious finish. Smoked salmon would a possible substitute for the salt cured salmon.

Ostrich was the next course. Locating ostrich meat was not easy. Twenty years ago, it was positioned to be the next beef. Breading pairs of ostrich were being sold for $20,000. It never took flight, pun intended. Now production is low and coming mostly from Australia and a few location in the US. Price for the "oyster steak" was $24 per pound wholesale. The ostrich was marinated in a pesto sauce and sauteed then roasted. The ostrich can be substituted with hangar or flank steak.

Dessert was a duo of a sort of Hawaiian beignet and a mango tart that used guava, mango, passion fruit, caramel and raspberries to dress the plate. I made a lemon curd and a meringue nest to decorate the plate and hold a French vanilla ice cream. The luncheon was a great success and brought the tropics to our California shores.

Tastefully

Chef Michael Hutchings

Michael's Catering, Santa Barbara

 

Chef Mavro's Salmon Confit

Chef D.K.'s Seared Ostrich



Dessert Duo from Chef's Mavro and D.K.

Old Menu Print

 

 

 

This is an old print I have in my collection. The date is December 5, 1842. It was from a business called Chez Bauger, R. du Croissant 16. I assume that this was in Paris, France.

It appears to be an old print that was used to make a late night menu for a Parisian restaurant. The menu offerings are what would now be considered a deluxe menu with champagne, wild game and truffles, of the fungus kind.

La Carte .... Passé Minuit

Champagne, 12 fr.

Salmis de bécasses aux truffes, 20 fr.

Sauté de truffe 8 fr.

Truffes au vin, 10 fr.

Perdreau truffé, 15 fr.

Amende, 20 fr.

Text at the bottom reads,

"Comment donc, garçon, nous n'en avons pas mangé, d'amendes! - Non, monsieur, mas il s'agit decelles que la police nous fait avaler après minuit."

Translated:

How, then, boy, we do not eat, fines! - No, sir, but it is those that the police made ​​us eat after midnight.

 

 

Chef Michael Hutchings

Michael's Catering

Leon's Frozen Custard Stand

 

Leon's Frozen Custard Stand

On a recent trip to Oshkosh, WI, we made the mandatory stop at Leon's Custard Stand. This my be the real "Custard's Last Stand." The story of Leon's below is from their web page. We went on December 31 to get a quart of the custard ice cream as well as a cone and a glass of homemade root-beer. Delicious! Here is a link for the menu.

Leon's Frozen Custard

History

The Leon's Tradition...  In the Spring of 1947, Leon's of Oshkosh opened its doors and started serving the public our fresh frozen custard and homemade sandwiches.  Friendly carhops greeted you as you drove into our lot to be served. As we celebrate our 57th anniversary, we are proud to say  that we have preserved that 50's atmosphere.  We strive daily to serve the highest quality products, givesuper service, and keep prices reasonable.  We greatly appreciate you, our loyal customers.  Your patronage is a key to our continued success.  Another key is our employee's.  Their hard work and dedication is evident daily.  We hope we can make your Leon's visit pleasantly memorable.  Please let us know how we are doing, your comments are important to us.   God Bless, Christine & Michael Schraa  Owners

"Oshkosh restaurants making old new again..."  Leon's at 121 W. Murdock is the nostalgic granddaddy at age 57 and is only two years younger than the famous Milwaukee Leon's that inspired the drive-in concept for "Happy Days", a TV series based on 1950's life in Milwaukee. The youngsters who came here 50 years ago are now grandparents bringing their grandchildren - and probably reminiscing with them.  The drive-in, still serving patrons with carhops, has the original menu - joosburgers (a special recipe sloppy joe style sandwich), hot dogs, hot beef and chili dog's.  They're not fried or grilled; they're still steam cooked. "Our menu hasn't changed in 50 years.  We haven't  had to be like a McDonald's or a Hardee's and Burger King."  We believe the carhops are a nice alternative to drive through.  They work well because patrons need only drive up and turn off their engines, and relax.  "People love coming to our place and just sitting and watching people."  "We've even seen families come in groups and bring lawn chairs for sitting and watching."

 

Comfort Food Buffet

We all have our idea of comfort food. Here is a menu I created for a client recently. To often contemporary chefs lean toward technical culinary fireworks that require manipuilating food into wisps of smoke, dessicated foams, freeze droied powders and other "Star Trek" synthasizer foods that the fundimentals are lost. I am happy to do foods that taste great and please people. I guess I am a culinary dinosaur.

 

Chef Michael

 

Comfort Food Menu

Puff Pastry Pinewheels, Prosciuto and Mustard

Water Chestnut Rumaki

Mini Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Sage

Buffet

Wedge of Little Gem Lettuces, Gorganzola Dressing and Pickled Red Onions

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Chicken Hunter’s Style

Maple-Brined Pork Tenderloin

Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese

Green Bean Casserole

 Pastries

Chocolate Velvet Cake - Crême Chantilly

Lemon-Pistachio Cake and Raspberries

 

Parker House and Oatmeal Molasses Rolls