Alaskan Halibut Filet with Meyer Lemon Confit, Edamane, and Wild Mushrooms by executive chef Stephen Window at Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar in La Jolla

You Are What You Eat
Big portions — bigger waistline. A healthy philosophy on food is simple — take time to relax and dine with family and friends, savoring "good eats, smaller portions." Believe it or not, it is possible to have zero guilt about indulging in tasty meals and getting full gratification from them. By fine-tuning your awareness to that inner voice that says, "I’m full," you will quickly realize that you can still take pleasure in a wider medley of morsels and be content with less. Opt for sharing a variety of appetizers or tapas, which is fun and gives you a chance to try something new. Optimally, light and healthy fare served up on a smaller plate makes this transition all the easier. Here, some local chefs pave the way.
— Maria Desiderata Montana, photography by Vincent Knakal

JUNE RECIPES

Alaskan Halibut Filet with Meyer Lemon Confit, Edamane, and Wild Mushrooms by executive chef Stephen Window at Roppongi Restaurant & Sushi Bar in La Jolla

Ingredients:

4 7 oz. halibut fillets, thick cut
2 Meyer lemons, cut into 6 slices each
4 oz sugar
7 oz. rice wine vinegar
4 oz water
12 asparagus, trimmed clean
2 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 oz morel mushrooms, sliced
2 oz hon shimeji mushrooms, sliced
4 oz edamame, shelled
4 oz butter
1 each lemon juice
salt and pepper

Preparation: Season halibut with salt and pepper. Sear both sides in hot pan, finish in oven, cook to medium. Add butter to pan, place asparagus in pan. Sauté. Add mushrooms. Continue to cook until butter browns. Add lemon juice. Finish with shelled edamame. To cook Meyer lemon, place sliced lemons in pan with sugar water and rice wine vinegar. Cook over medium heat until lemons are wilted. Serve halibut on bed of lemon and asparagus. Spoon mushrooms and edamame over the top.

Serves 4

Dungeness Crab Timbale with Early Winter Citrus, Hearts of Palm,
and "O" Blood Orange-Infused Olive Oil by executive chef Wade Hageman
at Blanca Restaurant in Solana Beach

Ingredients for the Crab Timbale:
12 oz fresh Alaskan crab
1/2 cup Lemon mayonnaise, recipe to follow
1/2 cup hearts of palm, thinly sliced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup baby fennel, thinly sliced
2 grapefruit
2 oranges
2 blood oranges
2 tbsp candied zest, recipe to follow
juice of 1 lemon
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp minced parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for the Lemon Mayonnaise:
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup Meyer lemon juice
2 cups canola oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a blender, combine whole egg and egg yolk with 2 tbsp Meyer lemon juice and a bit of salt. With blender on low, slowly add canola oil, while intermittingly adding the rest of lemon juice. Once the canola oil has been added to create the desired consistency of a rich, thick mayo, season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients for the Candied Zest:
zest of 2 grapefruit
2 oranges
2 blood oranges
2 limes
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

Combine sugar and water over heat to create a simple syrup. Once simple syrup has come to a boil, add the zest of grapefruit, oranges, blood oranges, and limes. Let simmer for 30 seconds and remove from heat. Strain zest and plunge into an ice bath. Once cooled, lay zest on paper towels and allow to dry. Once dry, roughly chop. Remember to reserve some zest for garnish.

Preparation for the Crab Timbale: Combine first 5 ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add lemon mayonnaise, fruit juices, candied zest, and parsley. Mix thoroughly and season with salt and pepper to taste.
To shape Timbale, use a stainless steel mold (we like the triangle shape) to form your salad. Whichever shape you’re using, remember to pack the salad very tightly, squeezing out most of the liquid. Slowly remove mold by pulling up on the mold and gently pushing down on the salad. Garnish salad with segments of grapefruit, oranges, and blood oranges, as well as any reserved candied zest.

Grape and Tomato Gazpacho with Pomegranate Foam by
executive chef/owner Pascal Vignau at Savory Casual Fare in Encinitas

Ingredients for the Gazpacho:

3 lbs ripe red tomatoes
20 oz seedless grapes
1/2 medium cucumber, peeled and seeded
1/2 medium red bell pepper
1/2 celery
2 garlic cloves
1 cup toasted croutons
2 tbsp red wine vinegar

In a high-speed, upright blender, add all the above ingredients and blend to creamy consistency. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from blender and strain if necessary. Chill for 1 hour.

Ingredients for the Pomegranate Foam:

2 cups whipped cream
2 cups pomegranate juice

Preparation: Pour juice into a saucepot. Reduce over low heat to syrup consistency, about 3/4 of volume. Cool. Whip the cream over ice bath until soft. Pour gazpacho into cappuccino cup and top off with whipped cream. Drizzle pomegranate extract and serve.

Chef’s note: If you want more grape flavor add more grapes. Champagne grapes also can be used.

Serves 6-8

Local Grapefruit and Avocado Salad by chef/proprietor
Carl Schroeder at Market Restaurant + Bar in Del Mar

Ingredients for the Banyuls Vinaigrette:

1/4 cup Banyuls vinegar
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 shallots finely minced
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp each chopped fresh chives, tarragon, and parsley
Maldon’s sea salt and pepper to taste

Ingredients for the salad:

1 Star Ruby grapefruit
1 Oroblanco grapefruit
3 ripe avocados
6 handfuls wild baby arugula
12 ounces good quality goat’s cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped pistachios
honey (for drizzling)
extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)

Preparation: Pit, peel, and slice avocados into 1/2-inch segments. Peel and separate grapefruit segments.

In a medium-sized bowl lightly toss arugula and avocado in dressing. Be sure to gently toss the avocado to keep it from breaking. Arrange salad equally on six plates, alternating avocado and fruits over arugula.

Portion goat’s cheese into approximately 2-ounce portions. Roll in chopped pistachios and plate.

Prior to serving drizzle each salad with honey and extra virgin olive oil.
Sprinkle with Maldon’s sea salt.

Serves 6