Chocolate Panna Cotta layered with raspberry and passion fruit “jellies.” David Rossi, award-winning executive pastry chef at The Ranch Restaurant in Anaheim, triumphs long before dessert arrives. Served at the start, his puffed-to perfection, piping hot popovers accompanied with house-made jam, show off his skill and attention to detail. The dessert finales reaffirm Rossi’s expertise. Some are classics, his versions…
Cathy Thomas Cooks
Chefs
Kerri Cacciata is the chef in residence at The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano, a non-profit educational center that teaches hands-on environmental solutions for homes, workplaces and communities (TheEcologyCenter.org). Cacciata prepares dishes for events and whips up made-from-scratch jams and products to sell at the Center’s gift shop. Leading workshops on topics such as food preserving and seed saving…
Cha Cha’s Latin Kitchen in Brea is a Mexican cantina with a frisky vibe. At the heart of its allure are the boldly-flavored dishes and handcrafted drinks. The menu showcases unique twists on Latin American cuisine, modern takes on everything from wood-oven roasted Jidori chicken spiked with Yucatan spices, to the decadent caldo with a saffron-tomato broth rich in fresh…
Amar’s Creamy Grits, Four-Minute Egg and Honey-Glazed Smoked Bacon ‘Just can’t put into words how proud I am of super chef Amar Santana. Not only is he a highly successful chef-restaurateur, but he has used his talent and perseverance to work his way to the top on Bravo’s highly-competitive “Top Chef” TV show. Years ago, before he opened his restaurants…
Chef Roman Jimenez knows that using the very best ingredients yields bigger flavors and better textures. As executive chef at Macallans Public House in Brea Downtown, he advocates “from-scratch” cuisine. His irresistible Corned Beef Sliders showcase the best of the best. He corns his own beef in-house, a brine-then-sous vide operation. He makes his own pickles. And his scrumptious slider…
Wonyee Tom, executive baker and co-owner of Tomgirl Baking Co. in Huntington Beach, makes one of my very favorite bar cookies. The bars are rich in contrasting textures and flavors, their buttery crust supporting a treasure-filled topping. Cream- and honey-spiked caramel dances between nuts and dried fruits, most often a generous mix of sliced almonds plus diced cranberries and apricots….
CHOOSING THREE FAVORITES isn’t easy. The prep is easy, but with all my potential favorites whittling down the list wasn’t a cinch. To narrow the field, rather than choosing dishes with long or hard-to-find ingredient lists, or dishes with culinary techniques that require time and dedication … I selected dishes that are very easy to prepare and are superb for…
The kitchen drama of flambéing is hard to beat. The ignited Cognac sends flames from skillet, a spectacle for guests and showoff cooks alike. Steak au Poivre, the classic French dish that teams high-quality steak with loosely cracked peppercorns, is a great example. Once the steaks are cooked to perfection, the peppery coating providing a flavor-amped crust, the meat is…