Mikk's Messages Post 8 - Hibiscus Tea (A GREAT source of Electrolytes)

Recipe of the Week – Hibiscus Tea

½ lb Hibiscus Flower (dried)
5 qt. plus 1 c. Filtered Water
2 ½ lbs. Granulated Sugar

Simple Syrup:
In a pot heat 1 qt. and 1 c. of water plus the sugar to a boil. Once boiling remove from heat and set aside.
Tea:
In another pot bring remaining water and flowers to a boil and continue to cook for 20 minutes. Strain tea and add simple syrup until tea is sweetened to your liking. Then chill with ice and serve.
Save rest of simple syrup for next use.

Makes 1 gallon of tea.

In Season Fruits

Apples, Blood Oranges, Pineapple, Tangerines, Oranges, Pears, Kumquats and Clementine are great choices for fruit this week. Cantaloupe quality is fair at the moment with prices have eased. Honeydew stocks have leveled off despite harvesting transition. Strawberries supplies are steady out of California but quality will be affected with all the recent rains. Raspberry supplies are beginning to become more adequate, but blackberries and blueberries are struggling. Transition into Florida has begun but supplies are limited. Oranges are still doing great out of California, Florida and Texas. Color is deep orange and flavor is sweet. Apple market is rising even with steady supplies in storage.

In Season Vegetables

Squash, Rosso Bruno Tomatoes, Kale, Mixed Baby Mustard, Wild Spring Onions, Spring Garlic, Celery Root, Fava Bean, English Peas, Lettuce (Baby Greens), Rutabagas and Parsnips are just some of the great choices this week. All peppers are holding well right now with sufficient stocks in all areas. Tomato supplies are still tight in Florida and Mexico with Rosso Brunno being the best alternative. Supplies should increase over the next week or so. Lettuce supplies out of AZ and California are still holding steady. Quality is good with prices staying low. Broccoli and Cauliflower are starting to climb with the Yuma season winding down. Growers will transition pretty soon back to Salinas, California. Quality still remains good. Romanesco supplies show a strong improvement over the last few weeks.

Happy Spring!

Chef Kevin Mikkelson in the El Tour de Tucson.

I’m an avid bike rider and particpate in different long distance bike races around Arizona as well as the El Tour de Tucson every year. I know the importance of staying healthy and hydrated in our Arizona heat.
Many people do not know that Hibiscus is a natural source of electrolytes. Hibiscus Tea is a drink we often make here at JW Marriott Starr Pass Resort & Spa particularly during the hot summer months.
If you are looking for a natural source of electrolyte replacement, consider drinking Hibiscus tea. Enjoy it sweetened or unsweetened.
As the weather warms up, remember to stay cool and stay hydrated.
Chef Kevin.

10 Food Facts

Jerry Bob's Family Restaurant Review

The reviews in this blog are strictly our opinions and ours only. We were not paid nor given any special treatment or compensated in any way for our review.  

Jerry Bob's Family Restaurant on Speedway and Pantano was a delight. Although we did have to wait about 15 minutes to be seated it was well worth it.

The portions were large and full of flavor. Myself and my mother in law prefer our bacon on the crispy side (hoping that it actually arrives crispy). To our surprise it did. I also prefer my hashbrowns on the crispy side and they also arrived exactly how they were ordered. Bonus!

If you are looking for a hometown family restaurant with decent prices and good food.....we recommend tring Jerry Bob's.

Jethro's Cafe Review

The reviews in this blog are strickly our opinions and we were not approached, paid nor given any free meals or special service for our opinions.

Jethro's Cafe at Broadway and Camino Seco-Breakfast Review
We arrived at Jethro's at prime time on a Sunday. Although the restaurant was full and there was a line for seating, the wait did not take long. We sat outside on their patio and was quick to be approached for service.
The portions are large and very filling. In fact, I don't think anyone in our party was able to clear their plate. The pancakes were fluffy, light and their sausage and bacon were cooked deliciously.

What caught my eye was two dogs at the restaurant. They were not allowed inside but were allowed outside in the patio area. They sat and enjoyed the fresh air with their owners while their owners enjoyed a delicious breakfast. Overall I would rate this experience at Jethro's at an 8 on a scale of 1-10. Enjoy!

El Guero Canelo Restaurant Review

I had my first visit to El Guero Canelo last week (22nd location) and I was not impressed. I ordered their "famous" Sonaran Hot Dog and from a 1-10 rating it was a 5 at best. I also ordered 2 Carne Asada Taco's and 2 small quesadilla's, one of them being chicken. The Carne Asada was flavorless and the chicken quesadilla was just a 6" with a small amount of cheese and unseasoned diced chicken meat that was barely warm. Plus you had to pay $1.99 for a tiny bowl chips if you wanted chips and salsa with no refills. The total bill was $26 and just not worth the money. The experinece left something to be desired.

MIkk's Messages Post 7 - Kale

In Season Fruits

Apples, Blood Oranges, Pineapple, Pears, Oranges, Green Gage Plums, Kumquats and Clementine Tangerines are great choices for fruit this week. Cantaloupe quality is fair at the moment with prices have eased. Honeydew stocks have leveled off despite harvesting transition. Strawberries supplies are steady out of California and Florida with flavor mildly sweet. Raspberry supplies are beginning to become more adequate, but blackberries and blueberries are struggling. Transition into Florida has begun but supplies are limited. Oranges are still doing great out of California, Florida and Texas. Color is deep orange and flavor is sweet. Apple market is rising even with steady supplies in storage.

In Season Vegetables

Squash, Rosso Bruno Tomatoes, Kale, Mixed Baby Mustard, Wild Spring Onions, Cucumbers, Celery Root, Onions (Red and Yellow), Lettuce (Baby Greens), Rutabagas and Parsnips are just some of the great choices this week. All peppers are holding well right now with sufficient stocks in all areas. Tomato supplies are tightening in Florida and Mexico. Supplies should increase over the next week or so. Lettuce supplies out of AZ and California are still holding steady. Quality is good with prices staying low. Broccoli and Cauliflower are starting to climb with the Yuma season winding down. Growers will transition pretty soon back to Salinas, California. Quality still remains good.

Vegetable Pick of the Week : Kale

 

Nutritional Facts on Kale

• It is very rich in vitamin A, 100 g leaves provide 512% of RDA. Vitamin A is required for maintaining healthy mucus membranes and skin and is essential for vision. Foods rich in this vitamin offer protection against lung and oral cavity cancers
• This leafy vegetable is notably good in many B-complex group of vitamins such as niacin, vit.B-6 (pyridoxine), thiamin, pantothenic acid, etc. that are essential for substrate metabolism in the body.
• 100 g of fresh leaves contain 120 mg or 200% of daily-recommended levels of vitamin C.

Recipe of the Week : Kale White Bean and Pepper Bacon Soup

1 lb. Kale (stems and veins removed and washed)
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 ea. Yellow Onion (chopped)
½ c. White Beans (uncooked)
8 c. Water
2 c. Chicken Stock
4 ea Country Style Bread or French Roll (cut thick and toasted)
¼ c. Shaved Parmesan
2 slabs Pepper Bacon (chopped into ¼ inch pieces)
Salt, to taste
Black Pepper, from a mill

In a sauce pot add beans and 4 c. water and bring to a boil. Season the beans with a hefty pinch of salt and continue cooking until beans are soft. Remove from water, rinse gently and set aside.

Cut kale into ½ inch pieces or smaller and set aside. In a medium sauce pot over medium heat, add 1 tbsp olive oil and sauté onions until tender, about 4 minutes. Add bacon and cook until most of fat is rendered and pretty crispy. Remove half of the fat and return to heat. Add in half the beans and mash with fork. Then add remaining water and stock and bring to a boil. Stir in kale, remaining beans and partially cover cooking for about 20 minutes until kale is tender. Taste soup and adjust seasoning if needed with salt and pepper.

Pour into bowl drizzle with remaining olive oil and parmesan cheese and serve.

Mikk's Messages Post 6 - Plums

Nutritional Facts - Plums

• Only 30 calories and contain no saturated fats
• With zero Cholesterol and very little Sodium, Plums are a great source of dietary fiber.
• Great source of vitamins A, C, and Beta Carotene.
• Fresh Plums are rich in minerals like Potassium, Fluoride, and Iron. All three of these help with controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

Recipe of the Day - Herb Crusted Pork Tenderloin with Plum Salsa

• 1 Port Tenderloin, cleaned of silver skin
• 1 tbsp. fresh Thyme (chopped)
• 1 tbsp. fresh Italian Parsley (chopped)
• 1 tbsp. fresh Sage (chopped)
• 1 tsp. Coriander (ground)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tbsp. olive oil

In a bowl, combine fresh herbs and set aside. Season with salt, pepper and Coriander. Coat thoroughly with herb mixture. Saute with olive oil over medium heat until all sides are golden brown. Remove from pan and place on a sheet pan. Finish cooking in a 350 degree oven until internal temperature is 140 to 145 degrees. Slice and serve with Plum Salsa.

Plum Salsa -

• 1 tbsp Agave Nectar
• 1/2 red wine Vinegar
• 1 Chile de Arbol (finely minced)
• 4 ripe Plums (seeded and diced into 1/4 inch pieces)
• 1/2 Red Onion (finely chopped)
• 1/4 c. Yellow Tomato  (diced)
• 2 tbsp. Scallions (chopped)
• 1 tbsp. Cilantro (chopped)
• 1/4 c lime juice
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• Salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a small scauce pan, combine the Agave Nectar, red wine vinegar, and Chile de Arbol. Stir over medium heat and allow to reduce for 10 minutes. When the consistency is thick and coats the back of a spoon, remove from heat and set aside to cool.

In a seperate bowl, combine the plums, red onion, yellow tomato, scallion, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil and reserved venegar reduction. Mix well. Season with salt and pepper.

Mikk's Messages Post 5 - Fennel

In Season Fruits

Apples, Blood Oranges, Pineapple, Pears, Oranges, Green Gage Plums, Kumquats and Clementine Tangerines are great choices for fruit this week. Cantaloupe quality is fair at the moment with prices have eased. Honeydew stocks have leveled off despite harvesting transition. Strawberries supplies are steady out of California and Florida with flavor mildly sweet. Raspberry supplies are beginning to become more adequate, but blackberries and blueberries are struggling. Transition into Florida has begun but supplies are limited. Oranges are still doing great out of California, Florida and Texas. Color is deep orange and flavor is sweet. Apple market is rising even with steady supplies in storage.

In Season Vegetables

Squash, Tomatoes, Winter Greens, Cucumbers, Celery Root, Onions (Red and Yellow), Lettuce (Baby Greens), Rutabagas and Parsnips are just some of the great choices this week. All peppers are holding well right now with sufficient stocks in all areas. Tomato supplies are tightening in Florida and Mexico. Supplies should increase over the next week or so. Lettuce supplies out of AZ and California are still holding steady. Quality is good with prices staying low. Broccoli and Cauliflower are starting to climb with the Yuma season winding down. Growers will transition pretty soon back to Salinas, California. Quality still remains good.

Vegetable Pick of the Week-Fennel

Nutritional Facts

• Bulb fennel is one of very low calorie vegetables. 100 g bulb provides just 31 calories. Further, it contains generous amounts of fiber, very little fat and zero cholesterol.
• The bulbs have moderate amounts of minerals and vitamins that are essential for optimum health. Their juicy fronds contain several vital vitamins such as pantothenic acid, pyridoxine (vitamin B-6), folic acid, niacin, riboflavin, and thiamin in small but healthy proportions
• In addition, fennel bulb contain average amount of water-soluble vitamin, vitamin-C

Recipe of the Week-

Pan Seared Gingered Scallops with Orange Fennel Slaw and Lemon Coriander Vinaigrette

10 ea. 10/20 or U-10 Scallops (foot removed)
2 tbsp. Fresh Ginger (peeled and grated)
½ c. Soy Sauce
2 tbsp. Peanut Oil or Canola Oil
2 tbsp. Fresh Lime Juice
1 Shallot (chopped)
2 Garlic Cloves (chopped)
2 tbsp. Sugar
1 Fennel Bulb (sliced thin so it’s almost translucent looking)
1 ea. Red Onion (julienned really thin)
2 ea. Oranges (peeled and segmented)
1 tsp. Rice Wine Vinegar
1 tbsp. Cilantro (chopped)
½ c. Olive Oil
2 tbsp. Dijon Mustard
1 tsp. Whole Coriander Seeds (ground)
1/8 c. Fresh Lemon Juice
Salt, to taste
Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
In a blender or in a bowl using a hand held mixer add half the garlic, half the shallots, coriander, Dijon, lemon juice and blend on medium for 30 seconds. Slowly add olive oil in a fine stream until dressing becomes emulsified (coats the back of a spoon). Season with salt a pepper and set aside.

In a bowl add soy sauce, ginger, half the peanut or canola oil, lime juice, sugar and remaining garlic and shallot. In a separate bowl add scallops and pour marinade over scallops and let marinade for 20 minutes. In a sauté pan over medium heat add remaining oil and sauté scallops until caramelized and cooked to your liking (4-6 min). At the same time in a separate bowl combine fennel, onion, oranges, vinegar and cilantro and toss together with a small amount of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate for at least an hour.
Set scallops on plate, top with a nice pinch of slaw and drizzle with vinaigrette. Serve

Mikk's Messages Post 4 - Jicama

Vegetable Pick of the Week- Jicama

Nutritional Facts

• Jicama is very low calorie root vegetables; contains only 35 calories per 100 g.
• It also contains small levels of some of valuable B-complex group of vitamins such as folates, riboflavin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid and thiamin.
• Further, it provides healthy amounts of some important minerals like magnesium, copper, iron and manganese.

  Recipe of the Week

Tender Greens and Red Oak Salad with Jicama, Teardrop Tomatoes, Roasted Poblanos, Manchego Crostini Tequila Vinaigrette

2 c. Mixed Greens
1 c. Red Oak (chopped)
1 sm. Jicama (peeled and julienned)
2 ea. Poblano (roasted, seeded and julienned)
5 ea. Yellow and Red Teardrop Tomatoes (cut in half)
¼ c. Manchego Cheese (shredded)
8-10 Baguette slices
1 tsp. Shallot (chopped)
1 ea. Garlic Clove (chopped)
2 tsp. Dijon Mustard
¼ c. Fresh Lime Juice
½ tsp. Crushed Coriander
¼ c. Tequila (preferably gold and a tequila you would drink)
1 ½ c. Canola Oil
Salt, to taste
Cracked Black Pepper, to taste

Dressing:

In a table top blender or in a mixing bowl using a hand held mixer combine shallot, garlic, mustard, lime juice, tequila and coriander and blend thoroughly for 30 seconds. Slowly add oil in until dressing becomes emulsified (coating back of spoon and not separating). Add salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Crostini:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then generously add cheese on top of each crostini piece and place in the oven for 3-4 minutes or until cheese is melted and golden brown. Pull from oven and set aside.

Plating:
Mix greens and red oak together and place on a plate or in a bowl. Sprinkle tomatoes, jicama and poblanos on top of salad mix. Place crostini’s around the outside of salad and serve with vinaigrette on the side.

Mikk's Messages Post 3 - Tree Ripe Peaches

Peaches:

• Only 39 calories and contains no saturated fats.
• Low in Cholesterol and Sodium with a great source of Dietary Fiber.
• Good source of Vitamin A, Niacin and Potassium and a very good source of Vitamin C.
• Consuming delicious, fresh peaches helps the body develop resistance against infectious agents and helps scavenge harmful free radicals.

Recipe of the Week: Grilled Peach and Watercress Salad

• Half of a Peach (seeded, quartered and grilled)
• 1 1/2cups Watercress (washed and trimmed)
• 1 head Purple Belgian Endive (chopped)
• 5 pieces Bocconcini Mozzarella (cut in half)
• 1 tsp. shaved Red Onions
• 2 tbsp. White Balsamic Vinaigrette
• 1 tsp. Olive Oil
• Pinch of Salt
• Pinch of Pepper

White Balsamic Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup White Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp.  Shallot (chopped)
• 1/2 tsp. Garlic (chopped)
• 1 tsp. Dijon Mustard
• 1 cup Olive Oil
• Pinch of Salt
• Pinch of Pepper

Add Shallot, Garlic, Dijon Mustard and White Vinegar in a bowl and blend using a hand mixer. As the mixer is blending, slowly add oil until the mixture is emulsified. Add Salt and Pepper to taste.

Cut the Peach in half and remove the seeds. Then cut the Peach in quarters and grill to your liking and set aside. In a bowl, place the Watercress, Endive, Onions, and White Balsamic and mix gently. In another bowl, toss theo Boconcini with Olive Oil and salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Place the salad mixture on a plate of your choice, add Bocconcini and Peaches around the plate. Season with Salt and Pepper and serve.

Mikk's Messages Post 2 - Celery Root

In Season Fruits

Apples, Blood Oranges, Pineapple, Pears, Oranges, Pomegranates, Kumquats and Seedless Tangerines are great choices for fruit this week. Offshore Cantaloupe from Honduras into California and Florida are sufficient. Quality is average. Honeydew is still elevated with stocks very limited out of Mexico and offshore. Rambutan and Logan Fruit out of Hawaii are looking really good, with steady supplies over the next few months. Strawberries supplies are steady out of California and Florida with flavor mildly sweet. Blackberry, Raspberry and Strawberry supplies are tightening. Recent rains in Mexico have been the factor. Oranges are doing great out of California, Florida and Texas. Color is deep orange and flavor is sweet. Apple market is stable with plentiful stocks in most varieties. Lemons are holding steady with stocks sufficient. Quality is still very good and color is deep yellow. Limes stocks are tight coming out of Mexico. Quality is fair.

In Season Vegetables
Broccoli, Tomatoes, Rapini, Cucumbers, Onions (Red and Yellow), Lettuce (Baby Greens), Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips are just some of the great choices this week. Red Peppers and Yellow Peppers are at normal levels. Stocks are sufficient and quality is very good. Green Peppers out of Mexico are abundant and quality is good. Tomatoes have bounced back nicely with abundant stocks out of Mexico, California and Texas. Quality is very good. Lettuce supplies out of AZ and California are ample. Quality is average to good and prices remain stable. Broccoli and Cauliflower are sufficient out of Arizona and Mexico due to warmer weather as of recently. Squash supplies are still limited in Florida and Mexico. Prices will ease in the coming weeks Sizing will be off a bit. Celery supplies have eased in Yuma and California. Quality is good in Arizona and even better in California.

Vegetable Pick of the Week

Celery Root

Nutritional Facts

• Every 1/2 cup of celery root contains 20 calories.
• The celery root contains no cholesterol.
• There are 5 g of carbohydrates in each serving of celery root. Dietary fiber contributes 1 g of carbohydrate, while the rest is associated with the starch content of the root.

Recipe of the Week

Crispy Skin Chicken with Parmesan Potatoes and Celery Root Puree

2 ea. Skin on Chicken Breast (ribs, breast plate, wing removed) leaving only the drum bone
1 tsp. Fresh Thyme (chopped)
1 tsp. Fresh Oregano (chopped)
½ tsp. Fresh Rosemary (chopped)
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
1 lbs. Pewee Potatoes or Fingerling Potatoes
½ c. Shredded Parmesan
1 ea. Celery Root (peeled, trimmed and cut into 1 inch cubes)
1 ea. Russet Potato (peeled and cut into 1 in cubes)
½ c. Heavy Cream
2 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
Salt, to taste
Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
White Pepper, to taste

Puree:
Place celery root and potatoes in a sauce pot and cover with cold water. Season with salt and cook until soft, about 15-20 minutes. Drain liquid from pot and add in cream. Cook for 10 minutes more over medium heat stirring occasionally to prevent it from sticking until most of cream is absorbed. Remove from heat and add butter, salt and white pepper. Process in food mill and puree until smooth, then keep warm.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Toss potatoes with salt black pepper and remaining oil and place on cooking sheet pan and cook in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven and re-toss them in a bowl with parmesan and keep warm.
Heat a sauté pan over medium heat and season chicken with salt, black pepper, thyme, oregano and rosemary. Add half the olive oil in the pan and sear the chicken skin side down until skin is crispy but not burned. You may need to adjust the heat accordingly in the process. Remove chicken from pan and place on a cooking sheet pan and finish in the oven until fully cooked.
Pour puree on plate. Pile potatoes in the center and place chicken on top. Serve.

Mikk's Messages Post 1- Passion Fruit

In Season Fruits

Apples, Blood Oranges, Pineapple, Pears, Oranges, Pomegranates, Kumquats and Seedless Tangerines are great choices for fruit this week. Offshore Cantaloupe from Honduras into California and Florida are sufficient. Quality is average. Honeydew is still elevated with stocks very limited out of Mexico and offshore. Rambutan and Logan Fruit out of Hawaii are looking really good, with steady supplies over the next few months. Strawberries supplies are steady out of California and Florida with flavor mildly sweet. Raspberries will be limited through April. Blackberries, Blueberries and Strawberries are holding well with sufficient stocks in all areas. Flavor is good. Oranges are doing great out of California, Florida and Texas. Color is deep orange and flavor is sweet. Apple market is stable with plentiful stocks in most varieties. Lemons are holding steady with stocks trying to rebound from recent freeze in Florida. Quality is still very good and color is deep yellow. Limes stocks are tight coming out of Mexico. Quality is fair.

In Season Vegetables

Broccoli, Tomatoes, Rapini, Cucumbers, Onions (Red and Yellow), Lettuce (Baby Greens), Sweet Potatoes and Parsnips are just some of the great choices this week. Red Peppers and Yellow Peppers are at normal levels. Stocks are sufficient and quality is very good. Green Peppers out Mexico are abundant and quality is good. Tomatoes have bounced back nicely with abundant stocks out of Mexico, California and Texas. Quality is very good. Lettuce supplies out of AZ and California are ample. Quality is average to good and prices remain stable. Broccoli and Cauliflower are sufficient out of Arizona and Mexico due to warmer weather as of recently. Squash supplies are still limited in Florida and Mexico. Prices will ease in the coming weeks Sizing will be off a bit. Celery supplies have eased in Yuma and California. Quality is good in Arizona and even better in California.

Fruit Pick of the Week

Passion Fruit

Photo by WekWek/istockphoto.com

Nutritional Facts on Passion Fruit

• Delicious, passion fruit is a rich source of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins and fiber. 100 g fruit contains about 97 calories.
• The fruit is a very good source of dietary fiber.
• Passion fruit is good in vitamin C; provides about 30 mg per 100 g.

Recipe of the Week

Apple and Passion Fruit Tart

1 sheet Puff Pastry
6 oz. Pastry Cream
3 Apples (medium in size and preferably Gala or Golden Delicious), cored, peeled and sliced
1/3 c. Castor Sugar (super fine sugar)
3 ea. Passion Fruit
1 ¼ c. Whole Milk
3 Egg Yolks
1 tbsp. Calvados (Apple Liquor)
¼ c. Granulated Sugar
¼ c. All-Purpose Flour
2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. Cornstarch
1 ea. Vanilla Beans (cut length wise and scraped of seeds)

Pastry Cream:
In a small sauce pot, warm the milk over low heat until hot enough to steam. While milk is heating whisk eggs, ¼ c of sugar, flour, vanilla, calvados and cornstarch until mixture is smooth. Once milk is ready add half of the milk to mixture whisking constantly. Then add that mixture back into the hot milk and continue stirring. Heat for another 1-2 minutes until it reaches 170 degrees and is thick, then chill.
Tart:
Lightly flour work surface and begin to roll out puff pastry until 1/16 inch thick. Then cut 6/4 ½ inch rounds. Brush a baking pan with cold water and place the cut out rounds on the sheet pan and refrigerate for 20 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prick rounds with fork and spread pastry cream evenly on the rounds leaving a thin border around the edges. Shingle sliced apples in a circle around the top of the tart and place in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove tarts from oven and sprinkle with a little castor sugar. Return to oven and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and place on a wire rack. Cut passion fruit in half and scrape out pulp and sprinkle on top dividing it equally between each of the tarts and serve.