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THE KITCHEN
MAY 2015 MENU

Presented by Executive Chef David Chavez and Chef Owner Randall Selland

first course
English Pea and Nettle Soup
Duck Prosciutto Croquette, Artichoke, English Peas, Nettles, Garlic Chips and Chili Oil

Chef’s Notes: Our first course is a beautifully seasonal English pea soup made with milk and cream, with English peas from Contreras Ranch pureed into the soup as it chills. Blanched and pureed nettles are also folded into soup. It is garnished with artichoke confit pieces (artichokes also coming from Contreras Ranch), fresh English peas, garlic chips, and red chili oil. The fresh soup is then finished with pea tendrils grown for us by West Sac’s Watanabe Farms.

second course
Asparagus and Lobster Salad
Maine Lobster Carpaccio, Asparagus, Radish, Rhubarb, Celery, Ice Plant, Sauce Americaine, and a Truffle Sabayon

Chef’s Notes: For our decadent second course, fresh and flavorful Maine lobster is quickly steamed to remove the shell, then grilled quickly for flavor and sliced thin. Atop the lobster is a salad of blanched green asparagus from Zuckerman Farms topped with a rich truffle sabayon, egg yolks whisked until a peak is formed with melted truffled butter folded in. Then the asparagus is topped with ribbons of white and green asparagus, rhubarb, and celery with sliced radish from Soil Born Farms in the mix. Sauce Americaine is a creamy lobster veloute that is dotted around the composed salad to finish the dish.

third course
Passmore Ranch Black Bass
Braised Endive, Fennel Soubise, Arugula, Fiddlehead Fern, Morel Mushrooms, and a Ramp-Pancetta Vinaigrette

Chef’s Notes: The Black Bass for our fish course is coming to us from our favorite local sustainable aquafarm, Passmore Ranch. It’s pan-seared to a crispy skin and placed atop a bed of braised endive locally grown by Rich Collins at California Endive, which is cooked in a rich chicken stock then caramelized. The fennel (fennel from Capay Organics) soubise is made by cooking down fennel in cream then pureeing it with fennel tops. Also incorporating wild-foraged morel mushrooms, from Connie Green of Wine Forest Mushrooms, into the dish. Finally, the vinaigrette is made by rendering house made pancetta and folding in pickled wild-foraged ramps, sherry vinegar, and chives. The dish is then finally topped with young arugula.

fourth course
Wagyu Culotte de Boeuf
Cheesy Potato Gratin, Young Squash with Blossoms, Sauce Poivarde

Chef’s Notes: Your rich and decadent final savory course features true American Wagyu Beef coming from Snake River Farms, the Culotte cut coming from the top of the sirloin. It is melt-in-your-mouth tender and full of flavor. We cook it sous vide for four hours until optimally tender. The potato gratin accompanying the beef is made of locally sourced Yukon gold potatoes that are peeled and thinly sliced and layered, then cooked with cream and butter and topped with Parmesan cheese. We are cooking the local squash from Del Rio Botanicals in olive oil and maldon salt, and the lovely seasonal squash blossoms are also coming from Del Rio.

dessert course
Baklava Napoleon
Blueberry Walnut Baklava, Bavarian Cream, Candied Walnuts, and Caramelized Honey Ice Cream

Chef’s Notes: We begin by layering the phyllo dough down with melted butter then adding toasted walnuts from Tosso Farms tossed with a mixture of water, honey, and sugar. We do three layers of phyllo and two of walnuts, and we bake it all with the weight of a sheet tray over the top. After removing from the oven we coat it with the honey, sugar, water mix, and let it rest overnight. We are topping it all with a vanilla Bavarian cream, macerated local Glick Farms blueberries, and baked phyllo pieces. Served with a blueberry syrup, candied walnuts, and a caramelized honey ice cream. All our honey is locally sourced from Lienert’s. A seasonally sweet finish to your evening!