This post is a part of our series spotlighting Tender Greens’ Whole Animal Program. To learn about Tender Greens Whole Animal Program, read the introductory blog post here.

Tender Greens chefs have compiled several recipes using parts of a whole lamb. Below are two recipes from our Irvine location’s Chef Craig Mattox using lamb fore and hind legs. Check back for more lamb recipes from chefs at our other locations.

Recipe: Roasted Leg of Lamb, Sugar Snap Peas, Soft Polenta, Kale, Mint Vinaigrette

Cut of Meat: Hind Legs

Chef: Craig Mattox

Lamb Ingredients:

• 2 legs of lamb, deboned and scored
• 1 cup sliced garlic
• 1 cup sliced shallots
• 1/3 cup Thyme, picked and chopped
• Salt and Pepper

Directions:

1. Heavily season the lamb, then add the garlic, shallots and thyme.
2. Roll it up and tie it.
3. Roast at 350 convection to internal temp of 115.  Rest for 20 minutes before slicing.

Mint Vinaigrette Ingredients:

• 1 cup of mint leaves
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup golden balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 shallot
• 1.5 cups olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1 teaspoon dijon

Polenta Ingredients:

• 1/2 gallon milk
• 1/2 gallon water
• salt, pepper, chile flake
• 1 quart polenta
• 1/2 pound butter
• 1 cup parmesan

Snap peas were just blanched, tossed in crouton oil, then picked up on the plancha.

Recipe: Lamb Tagine

Cut of Meat: Lamb fore legs 

Chef: Craig Mattox

Ingredients:

• 2 Lamb fore legs
• All the rest of the bones from the carcass
• 2 cups harissa
• 1 cup crouton oil
• 1 pound (or 4 sticks) butter
• 6 sliced onions
• 1 bug pinch of saffron
• 1 cup chopped garlic
• ½ cup chopped ginger
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, toasted
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted
• 3 tablespoons ground ginger
• 2 cups golden raisins
• 1 gallon chicken stock
• 1 gallon tomato puree
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• Chopped cilantro and scallions

Directions:

1. Marinate the lamb and the bones in the harissa and the crouton oil.  Refrigerate overnight.
2. Lightly roast bones and legs, then place in braising pan.
3. Sautee onions, garlic and ginger.
4. Add dry spices, cook until aroma of saffron is strong.
5. Add chicken stock and Tomato puree.
6. Add golden Raisins.
7. Pour over lamb, cover in foil, braise for 2 hours at 275 degrees.
8. Uncover, and braise an additional 1 hour.
9. Remove bones and legs, shred meat.
10. Skim fat off the braising liquid, then reduce to sauce consistency, season.
11. Return shredded lamb to sauce.  Serve over polenta with toasted almonds, cilantro and scallion garnish.

By Nicole Torres at Tender Greens Pasadena

At our Pasadena location, I have decided to do a Blood Orange Crème Brulee. Our pastry team was inspired to do this dessert because we are known for our bistro-style menu and our use of local farmers’ markets.  We keep our desserts local and fresh by using fruits that are in season to give our guests a great dessert experience.

Blood Orange Crème Brulee

Yield:  6-8 fluted ramekins; 4-6” diameter

Ingredients for the Crème Brulee Batter:

• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 7 egg yolks
• 4 cups of heavy cream
• 1 cup of blood orange juice

Directions:

1. Combine the sugar, heavy cream and blood orange juice in a saucepan. 
2. Heat over low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved and the mixture bubbles slightly around the edges.
3. Beat the egg yolks in a bowl.
4. Remove the cream mixture from the heat and slowly temper in the egg yolks.
5. When the mixture is combined, strain through a chinois or strainer.
6. Pour the batter into a pitcher to make pouring easier.
7. Place the ramekins in a large roasting pan and pour the crème brulee batter into each ramekin; filling them about ¾ full.
8. Fill the pan with the hot water about 2/3 of the way up the sides of the crème brulee dishes.
9. Be careful not to fill with water to high, otherwise water may spill into the brulees.
10. Cover the pan with aluminum foil, making sure to seal it around the edges of the pan so air cannot get in.
11. Bake the crème brulees at 300 degrees for about 40-60 minutes; or until the crème brulees are just set with a firm giggle.
12. Cool to room temperature before refrigerating.

Ingredients for the Candied Blood Orange:

• 1 blood orange
• 2 ¼ cup of granulated sugar
• 1 cup of water

Directions:

1. Thinly slice the blood oranges with a knife or on a mandoline and set aside.
2. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water.
3. Heat over low heat and stir until sugar is dissolved, and the mixture bubbles slightly around the edges.
4. Add blood oranges and let them simmer gently for about 15 minutes.
5. When ready, place blood oranges onto a wire rack to dry out at room temperature; 2-3 hours.

To Assemble the Creme Brulees:

1. Sprinkle the crème brulees wth 1 tablespoon of raw sugar onto each one.
2. Shake the crème brulee to disperse all of the sugar over the surface.
3. Lightly torch the sugar with a culinary torch until dark golden brown.
4. Let cool; 2 minutes.
5. Top each crème brulee with a candied blood orange slice before serving.
6. If the crème brulees are being served for the next day, save these assembly steps until just before serving.

The Dude here, taking a little departure from the normal beer review to write a blog that has more to do with making beer as opposed to drinking it. Well, there was some drinking, I mean this is a post about a visit to a brewery after all.

My love of both brewing and drinking craft beer and the summertime beer gardens at Tender Greens have allowed me to get to know more brewers and building relationships with them.  I admire these people not only as brewers but also as people. One such brewer is Rob of El Segundo Brewing. I met Rob and his business partner Tom a couple years ago when I first started selling their beers. They are now a mainstay, not only in several of our locations, but at the Tender Greens beer gardens in Hollywood, as well.

For a while now, Rob has been offering to have me come down and brew, and I finally took him up on it. I make a pretty decent beer at home, and while the principles are the same, using commercial equipment is a whole different animal, so I was excited to get a chance to participate and learn the differences. I met Rob nice and early in the morning, ready to go fueled by coffee and my childlike enthusiasm! 

We wasted no time and got to work mashing a batch of El Segundo’s White Dog IPA. This is a signature brew of Rob’s that utilizes wheat in the grain bill as opposed to all malt. Next thing I know, Rob has me up and standing on railings to hand mix the mash. It wasn’t easy and I have the blisters to show it. I guess I should have worn gloves; live and learn… 

Rob had me involved in every possible way, and that is how I wanted it to be. I have a good work ethic, and if someone takes the time to teach me something that I want to learn, I will work that much harder. Need me to carry kegs? Got it. Can you get the hops from the zero degree walk in freezer? On it. Pull the spent grains out of the mash tin? Hells to the ya! I’m on it. For me, no task is too small when I’m learning.  Also, not every brewer wants some scrub hanging out and getting in their way. That’s where the relationships come in. Rob knows me, I know Rob, and Rob was gracious enough to invite me down. Rob rarely does that, and I don’t blame him, but to me the invite is worth every blister and sore muscle I got.

I met Matt, the brewery’s one full-time employee, Rob’s father Dick, and Randy, Rob’s friend and investor. Everyone was really cool which made the day that much better. They got me involved and explained what was going on all day with all aspects of the brewery. It was very informative and a down right blast. Who knew that a bunch of dudes hanging out and brewing beer would be so much fun? The Dude did… and The Dude abides…

This one-day event is just the start of what I hope will be a prosperous relationship for both parties involved. Not to get to ahead of myself, but don’t be surprised if you see some collaborative brews between El Segundo Brewing and Abide Honest Ales coming out soon. You have been warned!

This post is a part of our series spotlighting Tender Greens’ Whole Animal Program. To learn about Tender Greens Whole Animal Program, read the introductory blog post here.

The Chefs at Tender Greens Point Loma in San Diego have compiled an assortment of recipes using a whole pig from ReRide Ranch. See the second recipe below using pig’s head. The first recipe used pork shoulder and can be found here.

Recipe: ReRide Ranch Pork Headcheese Terrine

Cut of Meat: Pig’s Head

Chef: Andrew

Pig’s Head Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cup chopped onion
• ¼ cup garlic
• 1 ¾ teaspoon peppercorns
• 3 sprigs thyme
• ¼ cup marjoram
• 2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/3 teaspoon pink salt

Directions:

1. First prepare the head for cooking, Rinse well. Scrub the skin until perfectly clean, singe off any hairs, and wash the ears out well.
2. Put the head in a deep pot with the first set of ingredients, cover well with water and bring to a simmer.
3. Cook at a fast simmer until the meat can easily be slipped off the bone, but is not overcooked and limp - about 2.5 hours. 

Broth Ingredients:

• ½ cup champagne vinegar
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cup beer (preferably something lighter without the presence of strong hop character)
• ¼ cup garlic
• 3 bay leaves
• ½ tablespoon clove
• ¾ tablespoon peppercorns
• 4 sprigs thyme
• ¼ cup marjoram
• 2 cups reduced stock
• 1 ½ tablespoon Chipotle spice
• Salt to taste

Directions:

1. Remove the head, reserve the stock. Strain the broth back into the saucepan and reduce over medium heat to about 2 cups. Set aside. 
2. When the head is cool enough to handle, carefully remove all the bones, making sure that no little splinters remain. Discard about two thirds of the pure fat, but leave the ear cartilage and the skin in with the rest of the meat.
3. Cut into roughly 1/2 inch squares. There should be about 7 cups of meat. 
4. Put the meat and the rest of the seasoning ingredients into a pot with the 2 cups of reduced stock.
5. Heat over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil, remove from the heat and taste. Adjust seasoning as necessary. (Remember that cold foods need to be highly seasoned.)
6. Transfer to terrine mold, put a weight on top and store in refrigerator overnight. 

Finished product should have a clear aspic gel transparency, showing off the “profile” of the chopped meat.

Slice and serve on charcuterie plate, in a sandwich or smeared on toast with a light frisee salad. 

Orange Shortbread Bar

Yield:  ¼ sheet pan or 8”x8” pan

By:  Tara Johnson - Tender Greens Irvine

This week, I wanted to highlight some of our amazing citrus that we have been getting from VR Green Farms out of San Clemente, CA.  I used some of our minneola tangelos and have created a light and refreshing orange shortbread bar.  If you can’t find minneola tangelos, any other orange variety may be substituted.

Ingredients for Crust:

3 sticks of butter

¾ cup granulated sugar

Zest of 3 minneola tangelos

1 teaspoon salt

3 cups of all-purpose flour

Directions:

1. Cream the butter, sugar and zest together in the mixer with a paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
2. Add the salt to the flour and mix into the butter mixture in 3 additions.
3. Mix until combined.
4. Prepare a ¼ sheet pan or 8”x 8” pan with pan spray and press the shortbread dough into the pan in an even layer.
5. Bake at 325 degrees until the crust is golden brown around the edges; about 15-18 minutes.
6. Set aside and cool completely.

Ingredients for Orange Layer:

2 cups minneola tangelo segments

6 egg yolks

1 1/3 cup granulated sugar

½ cup orange juice

Zest of 2 oranges

Directions:

1. Put the tangelo segments in a blender or food processor with the orange juice and sugar.
2. Blend until the pieces are broken up into a pulp.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and zest together.
4. Add the orange mixture to the egg yolk mixture and whisk until combined.
5. Strain through a strainer and pour the filling over the cooled crust.
6. Very carefully, place the pan in the oven and bake at 325 degrees for about 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is set and the center does not wiggle.
7. Cool the bar to room temperature, then refrigerate until firm.
8. Leave the bar in the cooler overnight for best results.
9. To serve, cut into squares or any desired shape and sprinkle generously with powdered sugar.
10. Chill any extra portions.

This post is a part of our series spotlighting Tender Greens’ Whole Animal Program. To learn about Tender Greens Whole Animal Program, read the introductory blog post here.

The Chefs at Tender Greens Point Loma in San Diego have compiled an assortment of recipes using a whole pig from ReRide Ranch. See the first recipe below using pork shoulder, and check back later for recipes using pig’s head and pork belly.

Recipe: Roman Style Pork Shoulder

Cut of Meat: Pig Shoulder

Chef: Bradley

Yield: 6 portions

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 8 ounce portions

Spice Mixture:

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon clove
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar in the raw
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper

Braising Jus:

• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 cup white wine

Directions:

1. Toss pork pieces with spice mixture and allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
2. Grill over medium heat, turning ad needed until nicely browned. 
3. Transfer into an appropriate sized roasting pan with the braising liquid. 
4. Cook at 350 for about 2 hours or until starting to fall apart.
5. Pour the braising jus into a pot and reduce by 1/2 or until slightly thickened. 

Ingredients for Risotto:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 2 cup arborio rice
• 1 cup white wine
• 6 cups chicken stock
• ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese 
• 1 ounce (or ¼ stick) butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a wide shallow pot. Add the onions and garlic.  Season with salt and pepper and sauté until translucent.
2. Add the rice and continue to stir for another four minutes or until slightly toasted.
3. Deglaze with the white wine and stir until liquid is almost gone.
4. Add the stock 1 cup at a time, constantly stirring with the heat on low.
5. When the rice is properly cooked and all stock is added, remove from heat and finish with Parmesan and butter.
6. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. 

Ingredients for Grilled Asparagus:

• 2 bunches asparagus, pencil or standard sized
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Toss asparagus spears with oil, salt and pepper.
2. Grill over direct heat until slightly charred and just tender.

Ingredients for Salad:

• 1 pound local petite spring greens – mizuna, pea tendrils, arugula, etc.
• ½ cup spring onions, thinly shaved 
• Lemon juice and olive oil to taste
• Kosher salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Start by spooning 1 cup of risotto on to each plate.
2. Then top with a portion of the braised pork.
3. Next arrange the salad onto the plate.
4. Finish the plate with grilled asparagus spears.

By: The Dude

You know how sometimes life unsuspectingly throws you a little nugget of something that makes you just pause, breathe and enjoy the moment? Hof ten Dormaal Dark was my latest of these fun little events. I had seen this bottle around but never bought one. Then, one day I was in Valley Bev and he called to me. This time I didn’t ignore him. I brought him straight from the beer store into my beer fridge, where I had all kinds of new friends for DD (Dormaal Dark), to hang out with… for a short while anyway. In other words, DD was not going to be setting up camp in the fridge. Once I made the decision to take it home, the follow up decision to drink it was made much faster. As I sipped, I became so entranced in its entire essence that I had to find out more about the brewery, right then and there. Go figure, a family run brewery on a family run farm that grows their own barley and hops. AND, they run the majority of the brewery’s energy from rapeseed oil that they grow and process themselves! All the spent barley and rapeseed cake then gets fed back to the farm animals. Talk about the circle of life and beer!

Aroma - 4 - Dark yeasty bread dough, earth, light smoke, and dried dark fruits attack your sense of smell so powerfully that they take over your thoughts. This dark, murky beauty dropped me right on to the farm. Considering that I am drinking it in L.A., and it caused me to go on such a transcendental journey, I can only imagine how good this would be on the farm itself. Hmmm… a new roadtrip ahead?

Body - 4.5 - As already stated, it is very dark and murky. Pours with a beautiful two fingered tannish head that finishes with a luxurious, creamy one finger cloud of heaven on top. Nice streaky lacing down the glass. Smooth and decadent, but also deep and layered.

Taste - 4.5 - Mmmmmmm. This is a beer that makes the world go around. Tastes of dark oven hearth bread, dried dark fruit with hints of smoke and leather, some nice yeasty background notes and the slightest hop ethers really make this a well-rounded, all-encompassing beer. Not one note overrides another, and balance in a beer this murky is hard to pull off.

Finish - 4 - Smooth and creamy. It comes out of the bottle a little strong with alcohol heat, but it is only 7.5%. After about 10 minutes of breathing, the alcohol heat dissipates, and everything comes to life. Currants and toasted barley come through mid-palate, followed by a hint of earth and just a little hop note, very little, in a good way.

Overall - 4.5 - A truly excellent beer discovery. This is the kind of random beer that would make anyone a beer geek - not just because it tastes good, but because of its whole being. From family farm, to family brewery, to running the brewery on farm-grown rapeseed oil, all the way back to feeding it to the animals. A complete full circle of life, passion and self-sustainability, all in a little bottle of delicious beer. As life should be.

By: Haidee Contreras - Tender Greens Santa Monica

Meyer Lemons are in season right now, and they are a great substitute for regular lemons because of the balance between sweet and sour flavors. The cake is really light and not too sweet. The almond flour gives it a unique texture, the creme fraiche icing adds a little bit of sweetness and the zest on top will be a little pop of freshness. Our Meyer lemons come from Polito farms.

Meyer Lemon Almond Cakes

Yield: 12 square molds 4”x4”

Ingredients:

4 ½ sticks of butter

2 ¼ cups granulated sugar

4 Meyer lemons; zested

¼ cup Meyer lemon juice

8 eggs

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups almond flour; blanched or unblanched

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons salt

Directions:

1.    Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; about 3 minutes.

2.    Add eggs, zest and juice; scrape down bowl.

3.    Mix together the dry ingredients and slowly add to the mixture until combined.

4.  Line the molds with foil and spray them with pan spray.

5.  Portion the batter among 12 molds.

6.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, or until the middle comes out clean when tested with a knife or toothpick.

7.  Cool the cakes completely before adding the icing, and garnish them with lemon zest.

Creme Fraiche Icing

Ingredients:

4 ½ cups powdered sugar

4-6 tablespoons creme fraiche; or as needed

Directions:

1.  Whisk the powdered sugar and creme fraiche together until the desired icing consistency is achieved. 

2.  Pour about 1 heaping tablespoon over the top of each cooled cake.

3.  Let the icing run down the sides of the cake or spread on as desired.

4.  Zest 2 Meyer lemons and sprinkle over the icing.

5.  Serve immediately.

This is the first recipe in our blog series spotlighting Tender Greens’ Whole Animal Program. To learn about Tender Greens Whole Animal Program, read the previous blog post here.

“Grilled Quail Under a Brick”

Chef: Chef Marcus and Chef Bradley from Tender Greens Point Loma

Animal: Quail

Cut of Meat: Whole Quail

Romesco sauce:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup crotons
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Procedure:

1. Combine in blender

White beans:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup white beans soaked overnight
• 3 cups chicken stock
• 1 onion cut in 1/2

Procedure:

1. Combine in pot.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer until tender.
3. Remove the onion and drain the beans.
4. Season to taste with kosher salt. 

Pepperonata

Ingredients:

• 1 cup thin slice onions
• 1 cup thin slice red peppers
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 tablespoon chopped oregano

Procedure:

1. Sauté the onions and peppers in the olive oil over medium high heat until golden brown and very aromatic. 
2. Deglaze with the sugar and vinegar.
3. Add oregano and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Quail:

Ingredients:

• 8 semi boneless quail. Remove backbone section and butterfly
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons butter 
• 1 bunch wild arugula
• 1 bunch lambs quarters (wild greens)
• 2 radishes, shaved
• 1 teaspoon champagne vinegar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• Pepperonata from above
• White beans from above
• Romesco sauce from above 

Procedure:

1. Chop the quail bones and wing tips.
2.  Sauté over high heat in a small amount of olive oil until thoroughly browned.
3. Add the chicken stock and reduce by 2/3. Stir in the butter and strain through a chinois. Reserve the quail jus for plating. 
4. Lightly oil the quails and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 2 minutes on each side over very high heat.  
5. Combine the white beans and pepperonata. Arrange as a base on the plate.   
6. Toss the shaved radishes, arugula, and lambs quarters with the vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. 
7. Spread 1 tablespoon of romesco sauce on the plate and place 2 quails on top. 
8. Playfully arrange the greens and radishes onto the plate around the quail and white beans. 
9. Drizzle with quail jus and serve. 

By: The Dude

My love of Logsdon is well-documented. My love for their Kili Wit, for the moment, has not been documented, though, as the times they are a changin’. Logsdon is quickly becoming a cult favorite, and a testament to that is how hard it is to get some of their limited releases. I’m not just talking about getting them down here in California; I’m talking about how hard they are to get even in the Northwest. When I know they have a new or limited release, I dispatch some of my NW beer geek friends to score me some. Sometimes they are successful and sometimes, not so much. That doesn’t mean I don’t have my own secret ways of scoring such limited releases like Peche ‘n Brett, Oak Aged Seizon Bretta, Far West Vlaming, and the Cerasus. All of these will be reviewed in due time after proper aging. However, the Kili Wit is a drink now kind of beer. As such, it has been drunk (more than once) and is now ready for The Dude’s take.

Aroma - 3.5 - Soft citrus and light notes of hay get you geared up for a traditional style Wit. However, that is where the similarities end. There is a little funkiness floating around in there that isn’t usually found in Wit style beers. The funk brings on essences of wet dog, dank grass and wet, leafy soil. There is some brett in that there beer…

Body - 3.5 - Pours a hazy white-ish yellow color. There is mild carbonation that pours a two finger head and dissipates into a thin layer that clings to the side of the glass. Nice carbonation that blends well with the beer as a whole. This allows for the flavor to come with mild intensity. There is a very nice effervescence on the tongue with real soft bubbles that dance very delicately around the mouth.

Taste - 4 - I really like the flavor on this little, hazy beauty. Logsdon really knows how to tweak a beer just enough to enhance the flavor but still maintain the integrity of the style. The Kili is true to this. Sure, your base Wit flavors are there - hay, clover, hint of light citrus, etc. – but, the additional layering of brett and other ingredients definitely put a modern spin on this beer. Logsdon promotes that it has an African spice, but I have yet to find out what it is despite my best efforts to this point. Whatever that spice is, it sure does bring together all of its parts to achieve a greater sum.

Finish - 4 – Crisp, clean and very lean. A light, easy finish of citrus, honeysuckle, floral tones and a smidge of barnyard funk. Sing the following line - “We got the funk, that yummy barnyard funk”… There’s not much lingering, and it finishes very refreshingly. This is a perfect summer day beer. Fire up the grill and cook up a nice piece of fish and some asparagus and pop a bottle of Kili Wit. A perfect way to wind down a summer day.

Overall - 3.75 - Not the most impactful beer but not every beer needs to be. The Kili is subtle, clean and well balanced. Add that to the fact that proceeds from the purchase of this go to “K2 Adventures Foundation that provides community service, medical and educational enrichment for African Children” (per Logsdon’s website) and you have a winner of a beer. Seeing as summer time is fast approaching, I might suggest getting a few of these and have them ready to go.