Coastal Cooking with Chef Michael Hutchings: February 2018

Seafood Festival - Chef Michael Hutchings and The Inn Crowd

Last fall, we had the fun opportunity to showcase an episode of The Inn Crowd at the Santa Barbara Harbor and Seafood Festival. The event is an annual event that features the bounty of local seafood harvested by a dedicated cadre of Santa Barbar based fishermen. Out local fishery includes a vast assortment of species, see below.

Sablefish Photo Wikipedia

I decided to use the local black codfish which is sablefish. The codfish is a deep-water species that thrive at depths over 3,000 feet deep. Fishermen layout mile-long lines to harvest the black cod. The fish has a high-fat content and cooks up with large, delicate flakes. I did a Basque-style bell pepper ragout as a foil to the codfish. My assistants, Chris Lesant and Patricia Lamas, assisted in serving some 500 portions to members and friends of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. Meanwhile, thousands of attendees enjoyed the seafood bounty from a variety of vendors.

Wikipedia: "The sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria) is one of two members of the fish family Anoplopomatidae and the only species in the Anoplopoma genus. In English, common names for it include sable (USA), butterfish (USA), black cod (USA, UK, Canada), blue cod (UK), bluefish (UK), candlefish (UK), coal cod (UK), coalfish (Canada), beshow, and skil(fish) (Canada), although many of these names also refer to other, unrelated, species. In the USA, the FDA accepts only "sablefish" as the Acceptable Market Name; "black cod" is considered a vernacular (regional) name and should not be used as a Statement of Identity for this species. The sablefish is found in muddy sea beds in the North Pacific at depths of 300 to 2,700 m (980 to 8,860 ft) and is commercially valuable to Japan.

From the Web page CFSB, Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara:

"The Santa Barbara Channel is one of the nation's most productive sources of abundant, sustainable and high-quality seafood. Santa Barbara's harbor has over 100 small-boat fishermen who catch 6-10 million pounds of seafood annually, bringing in $30 million in economic benefit to the local community. Our fishermen bring in wild-caught white sea bass, black cod, ling cod, yellowtail, rockfishes, halibut, swordfish, tuna, king salmon, thresher shark, urchin, crab, shrimp, lobster, whelk, sea cucumber - more than 50species in total!

Santa Barbara is also home to eco-friendly farming of oysters, mussels, and abalone. There is also a fishermen direct market every Saturday morning. A handful of fishermen can participate on the City Pier (opposite Brophy's) every Saturday selling crab, shrimp, rockfish, lingcod, black cod, halibut, urchin, abalone (sustainably farmed), and other catch of the day items - with unbeatable prices and unsurpassed freshness and quality."

One of my signature dishes is the local farm raised abalone from The Cultured Abalone. Dough Bush manages the onshore farm that produces the abalone. The red abalone is the variant that they grow from broodstock. It has proven to be the healthiest and fastest growing variety of the seven varieties that inhabit the Santa Barbara Channel. After about three years they are at the market size of about three inches. They are a unique product raised of local seaweed in a very eco-friendly system. See my previous blogs relating to abalone.

The annual Harbor and Seafood Festival is Santa Barbara’s signature Autumn event. Timed with the opening of lobster season, the festival is presented by the City, Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara, Inc., Santa Barbara Harbor Merchants’ Association, and the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. Festival-goers will meet local fishermen and enjoy fresh lobster, crab, prawns, and other local-caught seafood. Live entertainment and other family-oriented activities round out a full day of fun. Event admission is free. For more festival information, including vendor lists and directions and parking, contact the Harbormaster’s Office at (805) 897-1961 or visit our website atwww.HarborFestival.org.

Date: Saturday, October 13, 2018
Time: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Location: Main Harbor, 132-Harbor Way, Santa Barbara, CA 93109
Admission: Free

View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.

Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your bib apron. I'll provide the recipes, and the rest is up to you. See you at the harbor.

Tastefully,

Chef Michael Hutchings

Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce

Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce

Special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the excellent farm fresh produce for our show!

Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.

Posted by Michael Hutchings at 03:40 PM in Food, Drink, Recipes, The Inn Crowd Cooking Show | Permalink | Comments (0)

Chef Michael Hutchings-The Inn Crowd and "Fun with the Force"

Santa Barbara Police Department Foundation

Recognition for Fundraising Chef Michael Hutchings

The Inn Crowd, hosted by Craig Case and Chef Michael Hutchings, is delighted to share an episode at the gala event "Fun with the Force." The event was organized by The Santa Barbara Police Foundation. The foundation is a support group for the local police force. Many of our Inn Crowd veterans were at the event including Police Chief Luhnow, Joyce Farr, Arlene Montesano, Ursula Nesbitt. This is our third year at this event and we are delighted to mention that the special auction-dinner we have donated each year has raised over $150,000 to date for the foundation. On that count, I was delighted and surprised to receive a special recognition for our efforts.

I decided to prepare mini desserts for the evenings offering. More properly called petits fours, we made about 3,000 delicious sweets.The menu included cheesecake, earthquake bites, Linzer torts, mixed nut bars, coconut macarons and raspberry tarts. We prepared some 3,000 pastries for the 600 plus guests and went home empty!

The Foundation supports the Santa Barbara Police Department by raising community awareness and providing needed funds for three primary purposes:

To provide information, resources, and financial support for deceased, injured, disabled or catastrophically ill police officers, or employees, of the Santa Barbara Police Department and their families.

To purchase and donate equipment requested by the officers of the Santa Barbara Police Department to support law enforcement efforts.

To provide financial assistance and access to counseling services for the men and women of the Santa Barbara Police Department, and other first responders of the Tri-County area, as deemed appropriate by the Board of Directors.

Canine Exercise

View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show. Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen. May the Fun with the Force be with you.

Tastefully,

Chef Michael Hutchings

Chef Michael and Christine Dahl

Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce

Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce

A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!

Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.

Posted by Michael Hutchings at 02:13 AM in Food, Drink, Recipes, The Inn Crowd Cooking Show | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Inn Crowd at The Maritime Museum - Chef Michael Hutchings

We were delighted to once again film an episode of The Inn Crowd at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum. I was one of several chefs participating in a promotion of local seafood. I prepared my version of a Miso Glazed Local Cod. Additionally, back in the studio, I have demonstrated two other winning dishes that are great for food events. I did a Crispy Fried Salmon and Thai Style Chili Mussels. I have also included the tasty Billy Bi Mussel Soup that chef James Sly prepared for the event. The featured mussels were from a local source.

Here is a little history of the museum from the web page. "The building that is currently home of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum (SBMM) was built in 1943 as a Works Progress Administration (WPA) project and part of Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal policies to stimulate the economy. As the building neared completion during World War II, the City of Santa Barbara sold the building to the United States Navy for $1. During the war, the building served as a Navy Training Center, and the Navy built the pier out front, commonly known as the Navy Pier or City Pier. After the war, the building housed the Navy Reserve. Many locals remember playing basketball here, in fact, the original herringbone, maple wood court can now be seen around the base of the new Point Conception Lighthouse Fresnel Lens Exhibit.

In the 1990’s the City of Santa Barbara bought the building back from the U.S. Navy for $2.4 million, and then had to invest another $2 million in ADA upgrades. The Founders of the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum opened its doors in July 2000, fulfilling one of the original purposes of the WPA project, to house maritime artifacts. The building overlooks the Santa Barbara harbor, a 1916 Sea Mew David T. Nidever and the museum’s flagship, a 1917 sportfishing yacht Ranger. SBMM rents this 8,000 square feet space from the City of Santa Barbara’s Waterfront Enterprise Zone."

View us on The Inn Crowd Saturdays at 6:30 on ABC affiliate KEY channel 3. Please note that the airtime may vary as late as 9:30 during the football season. You may view the show online at the Santa Barbara News Press. Look to the right side of the web page for a link to the show. YTS Digital Films filmed and directed this show.

Put on your apron, grab your whisk, fire up the oven and get on your apron. I'll provide the recipes, the rest is up to you. See you in the kitchen.

Tastefully,

Chef Michael Hutchings

About The Event

James Sly of Sly’s in Carpinteria: His 40 years of restaurant experience has included formal training in Europe, the Hotel Ritz in Paris, working with Michel Guèrard at Règine’s in Paris and New York, and creating Lucky’s in Montecito.

Michael Hutchings of Michael’s Catering: He started his career in the kitchen of Disneyland at the famous private Club 33. He was taught by the Master Chef Rudolph Stoy and worked his way up to become the club’s Executive Chef. He went on to London to work at Le Gavroche, before coming to Santa Barbara to start Michael's Waterside, which was recognized as a leader in contemporary California-French cuisine.

Mossin Sugrich of the Santa Barbara Yacht Club: He is a classically trained chef who attended SBCC Culinary School and helped build the kitchen at Elements, before working as Sous Chef at San Ysidro Ranch. He went on to work at Blush, the Four Seasons and the Belmond El Encanto.

Randy Bublitz of SBCC Culinary Arts Program: He has been at SBCC’s Culinary Arts Program since 1993 and oversees 120 students in the two-year program. He directed SBCC’s first study abroad culinary arts program to Paris, France in 2015, and followed up with a similar program in Rome, Italy this summer.

These chefs will show how to prepare locally caught seafood, which guests will enjoy tastings of along with local wines and craft beers. In addition, guests will meet some of the commercial fishermen who bring the Santa Barbara Channel's bounty to our plates. Proceeds from this event help support programming for both FishSB and the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum.

FishSB is a joint program of Commercial Fishermen of Santa Barbara and the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce that provides critical support for local fisheries to help keep our working waterfront thriving.

For Taste of the Sea program information please contact Kim Selkoe of FishSB at (805) 259-7476 or [email protected]

Guy Demangeon, Owner of The Berry Man Produce

Photo Courtesy of The Berry Man Produce

A special thanks to The Berry Man Produce for providing the great produce for our show!

Photo Credits William Conlin YTS Video Productions unless otherwise noted.

Posted by Michael Hutchings at 01:58 PM in Food, Drink, Recipes, The Inn Crowd Cooking Show | Permalink | Comments (0)

La Serre - My Early Career

Chef James Sly at La Serre 1977

In 1977, I received a call from my friend James Sly. At the time I was a banquet sous chef at the Westin South Coast Plaza Hotel in Newport Beach, CA. Typically, my duties were cooking for large groups up to 1,500. Can you imagine 50 prime ribs roasting simultaneously or cooking Beef Stroganoff for 800? The work was more akin to a factory job. I was originally attracted to the hotel based on a food show where the chefs put on quite a display. Little did I realize that that was not the normal output of the kitchen. James proposed in that call that I become his sous chef at his first chef de cuisine position at the La Serre restaurant in Studio City, CA. We had already worked together at the fabled Chez Carey in Orange, CA. James was fresh off apprenticeships in France at illustrious places like the Hotel de Paris in Monaco and the Ritz in Paris. His tour burnished an already impressive resume. My response to the offer was a quick yes as it looked far more interesting that poaching 400 eggs for Eggs Benedict.

Natalie's Nook

La Serre catered to the entertainment industry based in Burbank and Studio City. We had diners like Mohammed Ali, Natalie Wood, and Jonny Carson. Regular guests were flattered with a brass nameplate at their reserved table and in Natalie Wood's case, a gazebo was named after her. The decor mimicked a lush greenhouse festooned with white lattice and lots of greenery.

The attached menus are representative of what we were cooking at the time. It was an exciting era to be cooking as the food revolution was just getting started and chefs were coming out of the kitchen and into the spotlight. French chef luminaries passed through LA to promote the new way of cooking, Nouvelle Cuisine. James was dialed into that new wave and we proffered dishes like Truite Bocuse, Guerard's Nouvelle Cuisine, Gastone Lenotre's desserts and Troisgros creations. It was at La Serre where we first met the great chef Michel Richard. He delivered some petite fours pastries from his Robertson Boulevard pastry shop and it was clear he was a master of the craft. See my previous blog regarding Chef Michel.

After a time, chef James moved on and I then had my first chef position at La Serre. It was a great learning experience and positioned me to launch my career. Thanks, James!

La Serre 1977 b

Posted by Michael Hutchings at 01:06 PM in Food, Drink, Recipes | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Inn Crowd Cooking Show Goes Gourmet

Chef Michael Hutchings and Host Craig Case

This blog is a reprise of an earlier post from a special wine-based dinner I prepared in Avila Beach, Ca and a luncheon in San Louis Obispo. You can view the original posting here. We have filmed the preparation of a part of the dinner menu dishes for an episode of The Inn Crowd and finish up at the Central Coast Wine Classic luncheon. Join Craig Case, host, and that chef, me, Michael Hutchings.

In the course of a culinary career, there are memorable moments such as learning the magic of making a hollandaise sauce or seeing a soufflé rise as expected, watching pommes soufflé puff up and crisp, making feuilletage pastry with its thousand layers as well as constructing a complicated sauce like veal demi-glace. In my formative years working in three-starred Michelin restaurants, I learned that superb ingredients are a vital ally in preparing superior classic cuisine. Chef's like Alain Ducasse claim that sixty percent of a successful dish is influenced by ingredient selection.

That mantra of ingredient-driven cuisine was my guide in planning a recent wine dinner for the Central Coast Classic Rare Wine Dinner. Archie McLaren, chairman of the Central Coast Wine Classic, requested that I prepare a dinner to compliment the wines provided by Don Schliff. The list featured a who's who of the French wine big guns, see the menu below. My challenge was to create a menu that reflected the nature and character of those wines. Unable to have a wine tasting, I relied on tasting notes researched on the internet. Once that was done, it took less than thirty minutes to plan the menu. It's simple in a way but relies on great ingredients cooked accurately.

The first course was my version of a dish done at Le Gavroche in London circa 1980. That, in turn, was a riff from chef Antoine Carême, the master from the late 1800's. Albert Roux, chef-patron of Le Gavroche at the time, discovered that recipe in one of the books written by Carême during Careme's lifetime. Albert had a private library of first edition cookbooks from the 1800s and I was able to borrow them for research. My version of the recipe changed the design and changed deviled quail eggs from a poached egg. The artichoke's hand turned hearts were cooked a blanc in a court bouillon spiked with lemon. The local Santa Barbara Smokehouse salmon I used is a great product.

The scallop dish featured fresh dry pack scallops weighing in at over two ounces each. In the trade, those are called U-8s. I dusted them with flour and seared both sides with a final cooking on the oven. The sauce was a classic chardonnay cream sauce that was finished with a puree of sea urchin roe. This gives the sauce a briny lobster-like finish and we set them on a nest of julienned leeks, carrots and celery root with a crown of tobiko caviar.

A duck breast course followed. Muscovy duck breast, trimmed and brined twelve hours, was seared, cooked with the sous vide method and then seared again to crisp the skin side. I prepared a standard duck demi-glace from some two dozen duck frames reduced down to an essence of four cups. The sauce was finished with cooked, diced foie gras from Hudson Valley and peeled grapes. Yes, I said peeled grapes. I recall the first week I worked at Le Gavroche I was asked to peel grapes. I thought at the time it was a little extreme and still do but we did peel the grapes.

The canon of lamb is the rack cut off the bone. I did a similar sear and sous vide cooking for the lamb. The sauce again was derived from the bones of the rack, demi-glace style. I nested the lamb on a mix of chanterelles and royal trumpet mushroom, cooked Bordelaise style with shallots, garlic, and parsley. Of note were the chanterelles that I got from my dear chef-friend Kurt Grasing, of Grasing's in Carmel by the Sea, California. The mushrooms were harvested in Slovenia and traveled to Oregon, San Francisco, Carmel, Santa Barbara to end up on a plate in Pismo Beach, California.

The beef course of slow braised short ribs was set on a confit of shallots. The base sauce started as the classic veal demi-glace that I learned from the Troisgros restaurant, Roanne, France, when I did a stage there in 1981. Their method did not involve roasting the veal bones but done as more of a fond blanc, white stock. The garnish of haricot vert fine came via my chef-friend James Sly of Sly's in Carpenteria, California. They are extra small and tender and unusual to find. Fondant potatoes have been a mainstay in my repertoire since Albert Roux introduced me to them in 1978. This version of mine adds a topping of potatoes gratin for an additional flavor layer. Carrots were simply sautéed and braised in chicken stock and butter.

Peaches and Chateau d'Yquem wine were made to go together. I made puff pastry, that magic dough, and cooked the peaches using my pastry-chef wife Christine Dahl's method for tart tatin. Basically, a butter-sugar caramel is prepared and placed in a tin, topped with peeled, sliced peaches, topped with a disk of thin puff pastry and baked. I garnished with a peach brandy-spiked caramel sauce and whipped creme fraîche to finish the dish.

We finished with dinner with mignardise, those sweet little nibbles you thought you had no room for. They included chocolate-dipped candied orange peel, hazelnut tuile, coconut macaroons, chocolate earthquakes and crisp palmiers. A special thanks go to my assistant chef Hugo Alvarado in preparing this dinner.

In closing, this was easily amongst the top five dinners I have prepared in my forty-five years of cooking and I must say, it is as rewarding and compelling as is was in the early days of learning the craft of cooking.

Tastefully,

Chef Michael Hutchings