Donna Hay is one of my favorite celebrity chefs. Her food presentation is a work of art. Best of all, this recipe looks scrumptious enough that a caterer could have created these delictable appetizers.

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS  

PREPARATION

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

The Four Seasons boasts incredibly talented chefs, and this Lobster Salad is an example of what can be done with fabulous ingredients and a drop dead artistic presentation.

One morning, Sous Chef Angela of the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai saw that a box of fresh lobsters had been mistakenly delivered to the kitchen at Beach Tree Restaurant. In a nanosecond, she saw an opportunity to create a fabulous new salad.

I’m not sure any of us can plate the salad quite so beautifully, but I’m going to give it  a try this summer. It is so fresh and you can keep the photo in front of you to recreate. Ready for a challenge? Give this a try.

SERVES: 1

INGREDIENTS

Half of 1 pound lobster

2 ripe tomatoes (use yellow and red if you can find)

juice from 1/2 lemon

Extra Virgin Olive Oil – enough to drizzle over lobster

Avocado, ripe and halved and cut into 4 wedges

2 tbsp fresh sweet corn

5 each baby romaine leaves

10 each corn shoots (I’m still researching this ingredient!)

Black sea salt (or substitute course sea salt)

PREPARATION

Steam the body and tail of the lobster for 6 minutes and the claws and knuckles of the lobster for 9 minutes.

Cool immediately in an ice bath.

Cut the tail in half and remove from the shell.

Crack claw and remove from shell. 

Remove knuckles from the shell and enjoy as a snack!

Toss the lobster in olive oil, salt and pepper.

Grill approximately 3 minutes on each side to heat briefly.

Once removed from grill, squeeze juice from half of one  lemon onto lobster, as well as extra virgin olive oil, so lobster will absorb te citrus flavor as it cools.

Cut fresh corn off the cobb and  toss in extra virgin olive oil and salt and pepper.

Pinch of black salt, any sea salt will do

2 oz Lemon Caper Dill Vinaigrette

PRESENTATION

Arrange the tomatoes, avocado, corn and lobster on the plate to your liking. Chef Angela says that this dish is like a piece of art – no two will look the same.

Drizzle with the Caper Dill Vinaigrette and garnish lightly with sea salt.

Toss the baby romaine in the vinaigrette and tuck the pieces in between the other ingredients as desired.

Finish by tucking in the corn shoots between the lobster tail and claw.

Drizzle the Lemon Basil Dill Coulis around the plate and serve. Enjoy!

LEMON CAPER VINAIGRETTE

1 tbls capers
2 tbls fresh chopped dill
2 tbls fresh lemon juice
8 tbls extra virgin olive oil
No salt because the capers already add the saltiness

Combine all ingredients and serve.

LEMON BASIL DILL COULIS

1/2 cup of fresh dill
1/2 cup of fresh basil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup of olive oil

Blend all ingredients together with a few ice cubes to keep it green

- The Gourmet Review

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Leave it to Four Seasons Resort Hualalai to outdo itself. Honestly, this was one of the most extraordinary experiences of my life.  My family was included in  the initial test run for one of the greatest Hawaiian adventures ever!

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

We were picked up at the hotel and driven to Paradise Helicopters, just a  short jaunt from the hotel. I must admit, I’ve always been a bit nervous about taking a helicopter ride, but this concern was quickly eliminated. Our pilot, Danny, was an ex Marine pilot, who also just happened to be the ultimate tour guide. As we flew over the Big Island of Hawaii, we learned that ll of the 13 world climate zones are on the Big Island. Imagine!

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

We viewed the most active volcano in the world, along with endless black lava fields.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

We watched, in awe, as billowing steam rose as lava met the Pacific Ocean at 2500 degrees Fahrenheit. The Big Island  in Hawaii is the only island with active volcanoes and there are five of them. We were actually close enough to smell the sulfur.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Next, we flew over the rainiest city in the US. The small town of Hilo averages 360 inches of rain a year. That’s 5 to 6 times the amount of rain you find in Seattle! The lush green foliage and forests attest to this, where the canopy of green tree tops are every bit as beautiful as the magnificent ocean coastline.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

We dipped into valleys studded with spectacular waterfalls. Countless Macadamian farms, as well as fields of Kona coffee bean were scattered throughout the island.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Danny also made sure we saw green as well as black beaches. We swooped through magnificent valleys and flew past seemingly endless banks of waterfalls. What a ride!

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Our destination was a privately owned farm, where our hosts graciously invited us for lunch. As we stepped out of the helicopter, we knew we were in for a treat when we were greeted with cocktails served by the Four Seasons Hualalai’s award winning Executive Sous Chef Nick Mastrascusa and Tehani, who assisted Chef  on our culinary adventure. Every detail was exquisite. Who could resist? 

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Our hosts, June and Mike, gave us a guided tour that started with viewing rows and rows of fresh pineapples. Above, you see Chef Nick and Tehani picking pineapples to garnish the top of Chef Nick’s fabulous creme brûlée. Then we walked by rows and rows of fresh lemons, limes, grapefruits, sugar cane and just about every fruit  and herb you could imagine.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

After touring the gardens, we strolled into a beautiful, grassy oasis for a sit down lunch. Our hostess had picked flowers from the garden for the centerpiece. The Four Seasons thought of everything else.  I mean this quite literally.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Chef Nick and Tehani brought every last piece of the table setting, including the table itself, chairs, plates, flatware and wine glasses. I must share that  this part of the island is a  1 1/2 hour drive each way from the resort. So, bringing EVERYTHING, from food to table, was no mean feat. Above, you see the portable kitchen that was transported from the hotel. Location movie sets have nothing on the Four Seasons. This was an elaborate production!

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Our first course began with a delicious salad, served on a fresh hearts of palm base. Chef Nick utilized fresh herbs and ingredients from the nearby garden. Champagne with the salad, anyone?

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Next course was spaghetti with a fresh tomato and basil pasta. With a flair for the dramatic, Chef Nick made sure this was not just a normal spaghetti dish. He pulled a hand made pasta press from nearby bushes and before we knew it, one of our group was cranking out home made spaghetti from pasta dough made minutes earlier.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Of course, an ordinary plate is never dramatic enough for Chef Nick, who always adds his special flair to every part of a meal. The pasta itself was presented in an individual bowl made from homemade pizza dough baked in the Four Season’s wood burning pizza oven earlier that morning.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

OK, surely this wonderful meal is over. No? Another course? And we smell it before we see the grass fed beef grown on the island searing on a hot grill. Wandering over to see what could possibly still be cooking, we see Chef Nick slicing and placing delicious slices of beef on individual, locally made wooden platters. He covered the steaks with sauteed local mushrooms and fresh herbs picked just steps away. Anyone want a glass of cabernet?

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

As we all look around in hopes of finding a hammock, so we don’t ever have to move again, we see yet another culinary masterpiece. Yes, that’s Chef Nick flaming the creme brulee AND doing the same on the fresh pineapple that we picked upon arrival. Beautifully presented, we decide that we might never eat again! 

Time for Danny to fly us back to the luxury of the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. We take one last look at the Hawaiian coastline and know that our afternoon is about to end. This was an experience of a lifetime and one that every guest should try on their next visit to the Four Seasons.

Be brave. Leave fear behind and have an unforgettable day. This extraordinary outing belongs on everyone’s ultimate bucket list!

NOTE 

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Many thanks to Damon Stirling, Guest Experience Manager,  who created this experience and whose imagination knows no limits, Chef Nick, whose creative culinary inspiration is endless, and Tehani, who represents the very best of the Four Seasons. Wendle and James, we got some great photos, didn’t we? Thank you all for making this an unforgettable day. Our entire group had an incredible day!

(Photo from right to left, Wendle Lesher (General Manager of Hualalai’s U’LU restaurant), Danny Sarner (our pilot from Paradise Helicopters), Damon Stirling (Guest Experience Manager) and James, who trains all the wonderful staff at Four Seasons Hualalai).

Enjoy this Asian inspired Cornish Game Hen from Four Seasons Resort Hualalai‘s new Ulu Restaurant. Healthy, easy to prepare, but sure to delight friends and family, you will love this secret restaurant recipe.

SERVES:  1

INGREDIENTS:

1 cornish game hen (you can substitute chicken)

1 cup low sodium soy sauce

1/2 cup sake

2 ounces sugar

1 ounce sesame oil

2 ounces dark soy

Plating: Fresh pea pods and pea tendrils

PREPARATION

Place all ingredients (minus hen) in a small sauce pot.

Bring to a boil and turn off the heat.

Place the small sauce pan in the refrigerator to cool.

Once liquid is cold, combine half of the soy sake mixture with the chicken.

Marinade for at leaset 6 hours or more and reserve.

After 6 or more hours, remove the game hen from marinade.

Roast in a preheated 345 degree oven for 40 minutes or until bird reaches an internal temperature of 155 derees.

Once cooked, cut cornish game hen in 1/2 and serve with pea tendrils.

Drizzle leftover soy sake mixture over the hen.

YOu can add fresh pea pods and pea tendrils for plate decoration. Enjoy!

- The Gourmet Review

Courtesy Four Seasons Resort Hualalai

Back by popular request is the fabulous Mango Mai Tai cocktail recipe. This is defiinitely my favorite Mai Tai drink, especially while enjoying at Beach Tree Sunset Bar at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. The Mango Mai Tai is  simple to make and slightly less lethal than a regular Mai Tai, but I dare you to stop after just one. I asked Frank, the head bartender, who introduced me to this magnificent creation,  about it’s origins. First, the recipe.

SERVES:  1

INGREDIENTS

1.5 oz        (1 shot)           Cruzan Mango rum

1.5    oz     (1 shot)           pog juice* (you can substitute any commercial pot)

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai uses Pass-O-Guava, aka pog juice, but you can find pog sold in most grocery stores.

PREPARATION

Combine ingredients and pour over ice. Garnish with pineapple.

NOTES

THE ORIGINS

The story behind the Mango Mai Tai is a humble one.  Hualalai’s assistant room’s division manager, Lanikai Lindsey, was in search of a new tropical cocktail amenity to welcome our tired guests to the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai that had a little taste of “Aloha”.  Lanikai needed the drink to be both tasty and refreshing, but simple enough for the front desk to make.

FRANK’S CREATION

“I love this type of challenge. It gets my creative juices flowing (sorry about the pun). I recommend using a shot of Cruzan mango rum (1.5 oz.) and Pass-O-Guava juice aka POG juice.  POG is the juice every keiki in Hawaii grows up drinking. It’s as “Hawaiian” as it gets. The Cruzan mango rum is for the “kick”. I once served this cocktail at a banquet function at the resort, and it got rave reviews from all the guests. The POG juice comes pre-made by the gallon. We add Cruzan mango rum. Simple.  That’s why I gave Lanikai that recipe and then didn’t give the drink a second thought.

Shortly thereafter, guests started sending back the regular Mai Tai we make at Beach Tree.  They wanted the “Mango Mai  Tai” they got at check in. All the bartenders were confused. What “Mango Mai Tai?” You see, I never actually named the drink.  Lanikai must have come up with the name Mango Mai Tai. It took the bartenders awhile to figure out what was going on. What was going on was my humble drink was a hit!”

-Frank Weiser

 ABOUT FRANK

Frank Weiser has been a bartender at the Beach Tree Sunset Bar, since the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai opened on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1996. He’s a great guy and makes everyone feel welcome, as guests gather for nightly sunset on the beach.

- The Gourmet Review

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Fresh and healthy, this recipe will inspire a visit to your local farmer’s market. Chef Guillaume, from the Portola Kitchen just outside of San Francisco,  calls this his Spring Vegetable Salad with Burrata Cheese Crostini Salad.

This salad is so much more than your traditional green salad! Fresh asparagus, shucked English peas, shucked lava beans, radish and lots of fresh herbs with a light lemon vinaigrette make this a beautiful as well as healthy salad.

SERVES: 1 large salad

INGREDIENTS

1 bag mixed greens

1 head romaine chopped use only inner leaves

1 bunch asparagus cut into 2″ long pieces and blanched

2 lbs English peas, shucked and blanched

2 lbs fava beans, shucked, blanched and peeled

4 radishes thinly sliced

3 sprigs tarragon minced

1 bunch chives minced

Handful of parsley minced

SALAD PREPARATION

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Season with creamy lemon vinaigrette to lightly coat. Salt and pepper to taste.

Pile on a plate.

Top with Burrata Cheese Crostini.

LEMON VINAIGRETTE

INGREDIENTS

3 Meyer (if available) lemons

2 tablespoons water

1 fresh egg yolk

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Kosher salt

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 bunch Italian parsley, leaves picked from stem

3 – 4 radishes, trimmed and sliced thinly

PREPARATION

Peel strips of zest from one of the lemons with a vegetable peeler.

Place the zest with a couple of inches of water in a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil. drain the water, then replace the water with fresh, cold water. Repeat the entire process three times – don’t cheat! Blanching the zest three times removes any traces of bitterness and guarantees a softer, more floral vinaigrette.

Juice the lemons for a total of 1/4 cup.

In a jar or blender, combine the juice with the blanched zest, the water, egg yolk, mustard and a pinch of salt.

Pulse to chop the ingredients. Then add both oils in a slow, steady stream.

Strain the vinaigrette to remove any large pieces of zest. You should end up with about 1 1/2 cups of dressing.

BURRATA CHEESE CROSTINI

INGREDIENTS

One slice baguette

1 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1/3 cup fresh parsley

Buffala Cheese

PREPARATION

Prepare Parsley Oil, by combining Extra Virgin Olive Oil and parsley in a blender and pulse.

Brush one side of sliced baguette or french bread with Parsley Oil.

Place sliced baguette on grill or grill pan, first grilling side with Parsley Oil, and lightly grill on both sides.

Top with spoonful of buffalo cheese.

Drizzle with parsley oil.

This is a wonderful secret restaurant recipe!

- The Gourmet Review

 NOTE

Executive Chef Guillaume has created a rustic, Italian California cuisine menu at the Portola Kitchen. The restaurant is moderately priced and the atmosphere for lunch is casual. This is the perfect stop on your way to wineries in Santa Cruz, and is located in California’s Portola Valley.

We sat at an outdoor table overlooking a miniature farmer’s market of fresh fruits and vegetables. A big thank you to Chef for sharing his recipe on a very busy day.

Chef also shared his adaptation of the fabulous Lemon Vinaegrette recipe from Ethan Stowell’s “New Italian Kitchen” cookbook.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

This elegant Sweet Gem Lettuce Salad with Bufala Mozzarella, Cucumber & Yogurt Dressing is easy, healthy and a fresh spin on your oftentimes boring, traditional green salad. This is absolutely delicious and sure to win raves from family and friends. Try it and save the extra vinaigrette for another meal.

Nancy Silverton was one of the celebrity chefs featured at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai during their Made in America foodie event. A great highlight was watching Nancy and Matt Molina, the Executive Chef of Michelin starred Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza  in LA demonstrate some fabulous salad and pasta recipes.

SERVES:  4 – 5  Salads

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup cucumbers

1/4 cup Yogurt Vinaigrette

1 head sweet gem lettuce

1/2 of a 2 ounce ball of bufala mozzarella

Chive blossoms to garnish

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

PREPARATION

Thinly slice the cucumbers and place in a bowl.

Add a pinch of salt and 1 ounce of the Yogurt Vinaigrette.

Mix thoroughly.

Plate the cucumbers.

Cut sweet gem lettuce into 4′s (trim root off) and place in a bowl.

Add 1 tablespoon of Yogurt Vinaigrette and work into leaves.

Criss cross onto cucumbers.

Slice bufala in 1/2 and place bufala in front of the lettuce.

Garnish with chive flowers

Drizzle with olive oil over the bufala.

YOGURT DRESSING

1/2 cup Lemon Vinaigrette (see recipe)

3/4 cup greek yogurt/plain

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

PREPARATION

In a small bowl, combine the Lemon Vinaigrette with the remaining ingredients and set aside.

LEMON VINAIGRETTE

SERVES:  1 Cup

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup minced shallots

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plulse more to taste.

PREPARATION

Combine the shallots, lemon juice, vinegar and salt in a small bowl.

Set the bowl aside for 5 to 10 minutes to marinate the shallots.

Add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking constantly to combine.

Stir in the pepper.

Taste for seasoning and add more salt or pepper, if desired.

Use the vinaigrette or transfer it to an airtight container and refrigerate it for up to three days.

Bring the vinaigrette to room temperature and whisk to recombine the ingredients before using.

NOTE

Nancy Silverton is the co owner of Osteria Mozza and Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles, along with Mario Batali and Joe Bastianich. Nancy’s real claim to fame for me, though, is that she founded La Brea Bakery. Has anyone ever tasted better breads than La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles?

For more recipes, please check out The Mozza Cookbook.

- The Gourmet Review

Courtesy Wolfgang Puck

What can I say? I love Wolfgang Puck. I love his fabulous food, his innovative restaurants and his commitment to the communities in which he works. How often do you go to two high profile fundraisers in one week and see major donations from Puck’s restaurants raising so much money for local charity events?

Wolfgang Puck was the first celebrity chef  for good reason. With a commitment to the freshest of ingredients and cuisine with an innovative flair, one can count on Puck for  healthy, creative and absolutely delicious food.  This is why Wolfgang Puck continues to be the quintessential celebrity chef!

Who else but Puck would think of transforming a popular Japanese snack into a scrumptious appetizer? This Edamame Guacamole Recipe just happens to be healthy, light and beautiful to the eye. Try it!

SERVES: 10 – 12

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup shelled edamame

3 ounces sour cream

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium-sized ripe Hass-style avocados

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Celebrity Chef Ludo Lefebvre is an award winning culinary artist and chef extraordinaire. Whether appearing on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters show or inside the kitchen for his “pop- up” restaurants in Los Angeles or  the Big Island of Hawaii, you will find magic.

Critics and loyal foodies alike go where Chef Ludo goes and guests are never disappointed. Inspiration comes from seasonal, market fresh, local ingredients.

Below is a sampling of dishes from an incredible meal I enjoyed last March at the fabulous Four Seasons Resort Hualalai. Bet you wish you could savor theses dishes right now!

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

My husband and I started with an appetizer of Smoked Mahi-Mahi Rillette on toasted bread. I’m thinking I really need to ask for this recipe.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Next came the Hirame Ceviche. Just the list of ingredients is daunting. Aji Amarillo, strawberry papaya water, rainbow carrots and salmon roe. This chef is serious about his ingredients.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

I couldn’t resist the Crispy Chicken with chorizo, eggs and hamakua mushrooms. The skin of the chicken was crackling crispy and the meat tender.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Of course, no dinner is complete without a fish course and Chef Ludo presented a culinary masterpiece of Steamed Hapu’upu’u (Hawaiian sea bass) with crispy caramelized skin, miso cream, fennel, navel orange and tonka beans.

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

WAIT! THERE’S MORE?  I simply HAD to taste this beautiful Red Beet Gazpacho soup with goat cheese chantilly and a hint of balsamic. Lightly balanced and visually spectacular, this was delicious (my husband doesn’t even like beets)!

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Again, what strikes Chef Ludo’s guests is the unusual combination of ingredients and the visually artistic plating of each dish. Here, Chef presents Seared Foie Gras Pina Colada with Macadamia nuts. Is that a slice of pineapple to balance the richness of the Foie Gras and provide a local nod to Hawaii?

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Of course,  no meal is complete without desert. I could have eaten Chef’ Ludo’s Lemon Meyer Meringue Tart not only to complete our culinary experience, but for breakfast the next morning. Really, this is a bite size piece of heaven.

NOTE

There’s a reason Chef Ludo has received so many accolades and press. How many chefs are working their first three star Michelin restaurant at the tender age of fourteen?

Having trained with some of the finest chefs and restaurants in the world, Chef Ludo, is now ready to create culinary masterpieces when and where he wants – always on his own terms.

Whether he is single handedly creating another menu for his roving restaurant concept called “LudoBites,” or grilling Hawaiian fish on a beach side grill, this James Beard Rising Chef awarded chef is the man to watch, if you love great food.

In February of this year, the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on the BIg Island of Hawaii, hosted a Chef Fest, billed as the ultimate culinary getaway in paradise.  This  Taste of America event included many famous chefs traveling from the mainland to prepare gourmet dinners, along with daily cooking demonstrations/events and mixology classes.

P.S. On Sunday’s last day of the Made in America food event, the Chef’s Champagne Brunch, Chef Ludo made his famous eggs. Remember Chef Ludo is an impresario and a master at combining unusual ingredients. His creamy, whisked eggs combined sea urchin roe, champagne, shallots caviar, chive flowers and lobes of sea urchin roe (uni). Talk about telling a story through food!

Courtesy The Gourmet Review

Chef’s wife, Krissey, is his business partner, mother of their twins, and a well known LA attorney and former finalist in the Apprentice! What an accomplished team.

Check Chef Ludo out on his website and our blog post on this fabulous chef. Whatever you do, don’t miss the next Taste of America food event at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai next fall.

- The Gourmet Review

Canlis Restaurant boasts one of the best green salad recipes you will ever enjoy. Award winning over the years and located in Seattle, Washington, this is a sure guest pleaser. Do you agree with food critics? Try for yourself and see what you think.

SERVES:  4 to 6

INGREDIENTS

1 large head Romaine hearts, cut into 1″ pieces

8 cherry tomatoes cut in half

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onion

3/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese

1/2 cup very well done chopped bacon

1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh mint*

1 tablespoon thinly sliced oregano leaves

1/2 cup croutons*

kosher salt and fresh ground tellicherry black pepper to taste

Dressing

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon minced garlic

1 coddled egg*

* NOTES BY MARK CANLIS

There are some important preparation steps to make this the perfect salad.

Wash individual leaves in warm water. Drain and dry in colander. Then chill in refrigerator. Don’t ever, ever toss a Canlis Salad with warm or wet leaves!

Mint – you can’t use too much mint (experiment yourself).

Coddled Egg – Pour boiling water into a cup and put a whole egg (in the shell) into the hot water . Let sit for 1 minute. You may substitute with pasteurized egg mixture (found in the dairy section in cartons).

Croutons – Canlis makes their our own croutons. They use butter and Italian seasoning. You can also make your own. Just don’t use packaged crouttons from the store.

DIRECTIONS

To make the dressing, put the salt and pepper, lemon juice, oil, and coddled egg in a bowl and whip vigorously. Reserve.

To a salad bowl, add the prepared romaine, green onion, cheese, bacon, oregano, and mint.

Pour dressing over salad and toss thoroughly.

Split the salad onto four chilled plates and arrange croutons, a sprinkle of Romano cheese and halved cherry tomatoes (you can also use vine fresh tomatoes that have had the skins removed by dipping in boiling water until the skin starts to peel) on the salad to finish the presentation.

MARK CANLIS SHARES SECRETS TO MAKING THE ULTIMATE CANLIS SALAD

Follow these tips from Mark to recreate the Canlis Salad  served in the restaurant.

The Canlis salad recipe was my grandfather’s – a man who learned to cook from his Greek and Lebanese mother. There are a few hints that he insisted on when making the salad, and they always seem to make the difference when we’re making it in the home or at the restaurant.

First, prepare the bowl. If you have one, a wooden bowl is best. You’ll want to take a clove or two of garlic and a bit of olive oil and season the bowl by rubbing the two all over the bowl.

Then, focus on the lettuce. It’s best if you can buy the lettuce whole, and a day before cut off the bottom of the stalk about an inch up from the bottom. You’ll immediately see some white foam. This is very bitter, and draining it out of the lettuce will make it sweeter. Just wash it and prop it up over paper towels in the refrigerator over night. The next day it will be clean, sweet and ready to cut into 1 inch squares. Use a sharp knife. Dull knives bruise the leaves.

Bacon? yes. Bacon bits? NO. The salad needs the fat from real bacon to balance the acidity of the lemon juice. Don’t over cook it (that removes the fat). It should be done, but still tender and soft.

Finally, the dressing. Don’t leave out the egg—it’s essential as an emulsifier for the lemon juice and the olive oil. Only use fresh lemon juice!  (The pre-packaged stuff won’t due.) When making the dressing, ere on the tart side. It’s better to have it too tart than too oily. When you taste it (and you should several times) it should taste pretty tangy and tart.

Oh and lastly, only use Romano cheese – Parmesan, though often used as a substitute in other dishes, will ruin the dish. It’s best to have shredded romano, not grated or crumbled, as this dries out the moisture and the character of the cheese.”

 

Gourmet Review Croutons

By no means does this measure up to Canlis croutons, but here is my personal recipe. I cut up a baguette of a  loaf of french bread into squares for the croutons. I keep a container of olive oil steeped with fresh garlic in my kitchen at all times. For the croutons, I pour a little of the olive oil in a frying pan and lightly cook the croutons until just golden brown. These can be prepared the day before and kept in a ziplock bag if pressed for time. Please do not use store bought croutons. It makes a difference in the salad. Mine don’t measure up to those at Canlis, but it a substitute.

BLOG NOTES

Every once in awhile I simply have to prepare this salad for friends and family. So, I thought since the salad is worth a place of honor in my family, that I would publish the recipe again on the blog. It takes some time for preparation, but it is worth it. Now enjoy!