CHEF'S BLOG - SOUTH SEATTLE

by Gabe Cabrera,
Executive Chef for Salty's at Redondo Beach [ Email ]

November 2008

To me fall is the most beautiful season of the year! Majestic colored leaves of orange, gold and red, paint the landscape and I cannot help myself but to reflect on my most favorite family gathering of the year, Thanksgiving. For me it is a very special celebration, I get to recreate all the food that has been a family tradition for many years. This time around I am going all the way and sharing my family with yours!!!! I am hard at work looking for the best local ingredients available so we can make this wonderful celebration one for you to remember.

New this year – if you like to stay home but wish to stay out of the kitchen – I am pleased to announce we are offering Thanksgiving dinners to go with all trimmings – orders must be placed by November 20.

Here are some classic ingredients and food preparations that my chefs and I get to prepare for you!

Free range turkey roasted with fall herbs
Maple glazed bone in ham
Creamy Yukon Gold mashed potatoes
Turkey gravy
Classic country sage stuffing
Hazelnut, herbs and mushroom stuffing
Bacon and apple stuffing
Yams with caramelized marshmallows and brown sugar
Acorn squash roasted with molasses brown sugar and butter
Roasted beef
Pumpkin pie

And a lot more side dishes, like our classic blackened salmon, seafood paella, seafood Neptune, roasted vegetables, wild rice pilaf, ginger-jasmine rice, Dungeness crab, oysters, Waldorf salad, tortellini and artichoke salad, Greek orzo salad, pea salad, chocolate fountain, cakes, pies, fruit, cookies, are you salivating yet, because I am!

I like to wish you the best for you and your family this Thanksgiving and invite you to come and celebrate life with us at Salty's Redondo, see you soon!!! Call asap 253-946-0636 to make reservations as we are filling up fast!

October 2008

We have had a great summer at Redondo Beach just south of Seattle and just north of Tacoma. The sunsets alone are worth a visit, but when you include wonderfully fresh Northwest produce and seafood, it adds up to a memorable time for our guests. It makes us very happy to hear them rave. It also sets the bar high, but we're not afraid! We're tackling the fall season with amazing late harvest produce and the Northwest's freshest seafood. This festival of fall delights will get kicked off with San Juan Dungeness crab and Arctic cod. .
Along with seasonal menu changes (don't even get me started on our steak menu!), we're also bringing you our annual “3 Courses for $30 Dinner” – a three-course dinner for $30 that will have you eating the best for less! You get to choose from three appetizers, three entrées and three desserts to create an individual three-course meal that suits your tastes perfectly. Your biggest problem will be how to finalize your choices: Caesar Salad, Seafood Chowder Or Coconut Flaked Prawns? Blackened Copper River Coho Salmon, Asiago Arctic Ling Cod Or Flat Iron Steak? White Chocolate Mousse Cake, Crème Brûlée Or Vanilla Ice Cream With Fresh Cookies? The good news is that you can come back again and again to rework your strategy until you've tried it all! Our “3 Courses for $30 Dinner” will run throughout October 2008, every day during dinner hours. Drop in, enjoy the great food, fantastic service and breathtaking view!

We're also working to fulfill the Redondo Beach community's unmet need: Espresso and pastries! Starting late October, Salty's Espresso Beach Buzz opens in the window where we serve you fish and chips all summer long. It will feature great coffee and espresso drinks and fresh pastries hot from our bakery. We want your early morning commute, weekend getaways and walks on the boardwalk to be perfect. We'll be buzzin' with you!

September 2008

The winner of the Redondo Beach Salmon Recipe Contest is Vickie Chynoweth of Enumclaw, Washington. Her wonderful salmon dish was a great marriage of fresh summer ingredients and offered a wonderful mouth feel with different textures. On top of that, Redondo Beach guests loved it – it out sold all the other entries on our market sheets. Thanks, Vickie! Visit Panko-Crusted Salmon with Blueberry Vinaigrette for the recipe.

With the Puyallup Fair right around the corner –– Salty's at Redondo Beach is proud to announce that we are now serving the original Fisher Scones – a beloved Northwest tradition. They're now available every Sunday during the Redondo Beach world-famous award-winning Sunday Brunch. Come on down and “Do the Brunch!” If you are new to the area or need a brief history of this Northwest tradition visit http://www.conifer-inc.com/about_us.html and scroll down to the section on Fisher Scones. These yummy triangular shaped biscuits are baked fresh for our Sunday Brunch and, yes, you can smother them in butter and jam. Visit http://www.thefair.com/ for more on the Puyallup Fair which runs September 5 to the 21.

Salty's Chefs at Redondo Beach bring the whole kitchen out for Sunday brunch. It is like an “Iron Chef” competition in the kitchen. With the great talent my crew possesses, I unleash their creative energy by giving them the green light, with no limitations. I encourage them to go beyond my expectation, and they take this seriously! Come and experience our 120+ items which are sure to satiate any and every epicurean desire. It is as beautiful as it is satisfying. Here are just a few of our offerings:

Classic Blackened Salmon
Alaskan True Cod
Seafood Paella Style
Seafood Neptune
Chicken Caprese
Roast Beef Carved To Order
Salty's World-Famous Seafood Chowder
Omelets, Crepes, Pasta Dishes And Waffles
Eggs Benedict, Kielbasa, Bacon, Potatoes O'Brian
Dungeness Crab Meat, Peel and Eat Shrimp, Fresh Oysters
Cold Salads, Smoked Salmon
Chocolate Fountain, Fruits, Pies, Cookies, Petit Fours
Puyallup Fair Fisher Scones
Apple Turnovers, Cinnamon Rolls
Pastries & Desserts Galore

See our menu at http://www.saltys.com/seattle_south/menus/Seattle_South_Sunday_Brunch.pdf
What are all the lights at Redonod Beach? It isn't a UFO or a low flying plane and isn't a strange futuristic submersible. It's the new spotlights surrounding the decks at Salty's to illuminate our amazing water view – after the sun sets. You must come in to Redondo Beach and experience this breathtaking look into the mysterious night time waters of Puget Sound. Divers love it and you will too. Watch sea life pass under our restaurant resting on piers in Puget Sound.

July 28, 2008

Salty's at Redondo Chef's Nirvana

It's a Chef's Nirvana out there. It's my favorite time of the year!!! We have the opportunity to harvest and prepare locally grown fruits and vegetables for our guests – some of it comes to us from as close as the Kent valley and Fife, and as far away as Bellingham, Sultan and Yakima – just to mention a few.

And as if that's not enough to get any chef excited there's more!! We're in the midst of fresh wild salmon and Alaskan halibut season so we have and endless supply of fresh seafood coupled with our local farm produce to prepare wonderful dishes for your enjoyment!

Here are some examples of the local fruits and vegetables that I am featuring. I will be visiting more of our local farms looking for the best and freshest organically grown produce in town!!

Please come and experience Redondo Beach, our friendly service, our spectacular Puget Sound views just south of Seattle and north of Tacoma, and a large array of tantalizing selections prepared with all the wonderful local produce and seafood available to us!!! It's a Chef's Nirvana!

Make reservations at SALTY'S AT REDONDO BEACH

OR you may call Redondo at (253) 946-0636

June 5, 2008

The Redondo Beach outdoor Fish Bar is open and ready to make your visit to the beach a memorable one. It's a staple of summer for locals and weary travelers alike. There is nothing more relaxing than a walk along the Puget Sound (Poverty Bay) waterfront and Northwest seafood brought to you fresh and hot right on the beach. Enjoy our pristine surroundings and a great beach menu all summer long. The Fish Bar is open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. peruse the menu at http://www.saltys.com/seattle_south/menus/Seattle_South_Seafood_Bar.pdf and then call 253.945.1363 if you want to order in advance so it's ready when you arrive.

Inside the restaurant and out on our funshine decks we feature a collection of the Northwest's finest including Copper River Salmon (yes, it's in!). King and Sockeye are priced daily (please call for availability).

Here's the market sheet:

WILD SALMON AND HALIBUT BROCHETTE
The brochette is grilled with herb oil and served over pico de gallo and corn grits cooked with fresh corn kernel, heavy cream, butter, white cheddar cheese, basil, chives, and Italian parsley. The pico de gallo is made with marinated tricolor sweet peppers and jalapenos, grilled tomatillos, coriander and parsley. The corn grits are surrounded with celery leaf, sweet onions, Andouille sausage tossed with lemon vinaigrette.

WASHINGTON NATURAL BEEF
8 oz top sirloin, creamy mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables and merlot demi-glaze. Natural beef is not certified organic beef, natural beef comes from animals that have been pasture fed throughout their lives. Grass-finish beef has a distinctively different taste, sometimes described as a taste like game meat. Research conducted at the University of Nebraska concluded that grass-finished cattle produce beef that is less tender than beef from grain-finish cattle, therefore we do not recommend this steak cooked above medium-rare.

SEARED HALIBUT
The halibut is lightly breaded with macadamia nuts and panko, seared to a golden brown and served over coconut rice made with red jasmine rice cooked with coconut milk, chicken stock, bacon, garlic and onions, the rice is surrounded with scallion coulee and the halibut is garnished with tangy papaya salsa with some heat from Habanero peppers.

SALMON FLORENTINE
The salmon is grilled with herb-infused olive oil and laced with hollandaise sauce, served over braised Washington spinach and saffron rice made with free-range chicken and lobster broth, garlic, onions and celery. We garnish the dish with grilled red sweet peppers.

Looking forward to seeing you and yours!

May 22, 2008

Wow!! The Sun is finally out in force. Make sure you come join us on our wrap around decks and take in our majestic view of the Olympic Mountains and serene island views.

This week we are featuring a collection of the northwest's finest

COPPER RIVER SALMON IS IN! King and Sockeye priced daily. Call for availability

Wild salmon and halibut brochette
The ultimate pairing of the two kings of the northwest. The brochette is grilled with herb oil and served over pico de gallo and corn grits cooked with fresh corn kernel, heavy cream, butter, white cheddar cheese, basil, chives, and Italian parsley. The pico de gallo is made with marinated tricolor sweet peppers and jalapenos, grilled tomatillos, coriander and parsley. The corn grits are surrounded with celery leaf, sweet onions, Andouille sausage tossed with lemon vinaigrette.

Washington natural beef on the market menu until further notice
Due the over-whelming demand to support our local ranchers and make healthier decisions while dining out we have decided to continue the grass finished natural beef. We are featuring an 8 oz top sirloin, creamy mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables and merlot demi-glaze.
Natural beef is not certified organic beef, natural beef comes from animals that have been pasture feed throughout their lives. Grass finish beef has a distinctively different taste, some times described as a taste like game meat. Research conducted at the University of Nebraska concluded that grass finished cattle produce beef that is less tender than beef from grain finish cattle, therefore we do not recommend this steak cooked above medium rare.

Roasted Salmon
The salmon fresh from British Columbia is marinated with allspice and brown sugar, basted with fresh organic honey crusted with tri-colored pepper corns and roasted to perfection. Then the Salmon is garnished with fresh dill and pickled onions, served atop mashed potatoes and seasonal roasted vegetables.

Alaskan Halibut
This freshly caught halibut is filleted and seared with lemon grass-cilantro curry sauce and garnished with pickled cucumbers served over ginger-jasmine rice surrounded with pea pods, then surrounded with buerre blanc and a sweet Thai chili sauce.

April 17, 2008

Hi folks, time for another great market sheet here at Salty's on Redondo Beach. Read away, and get your mouth watering!

Grilled Halibut and Spring Risotto
Tender, flaky, fresh Alaskan halibut is grilled to perfection with shallot-garlic butter sauce, and then laced with beurre blanc. We are then serving the halibut over a wonderful spring risotto containing Portobello mushrooms, garlic, shallots, tomatoes, scallions and Parmesan cheese. Just for a little extra, we are adding some fresh and delicious asparagus to go alongside the risotto. Yum!

Grilled Salmon
Fresh and delicate salmon is grilled with an herb-infused olive oil, then laced with a tasty Béarnaise sauce and served atop creamy, delicious Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and fresh asparagus.

Albacore Tuna with Soy-Miso Vinaigrette and Balsamic Syrup
First, we take a beautiful piece of center-cut Albacore tuna and sear it rare. Then we lay it down on a bed of horseradish mashed potatoes and broccolini with soy-miso vinaigrette. We finish the dish with a quick glaze of balsamic syrup, and a garnish of wasabi and pickled ginger.

I hope that you are as excited for my delicious dishes this week as I am. Come on in and enjoy the offerings! Spring is here just south of Seattle in Des Moines on Portage Bay. Bring on the sun! And get ready for more great dishes to come!

March 27, 2008

Hello everyone, this week I have created some more fun dishes for your enjoyment. Here is what we have to offer on our newest Market Sheet starting this Thursday, the 27th, come on in and try them out!

Thai-style Seared Alaskan Halibut
We start by marinating a fillet of fresh Alaskan halibut in a mixer made with fresh cilantro, lemongrass, garlic and curry. Then the marinated halibut is seared and served over ginger-jasmine rice surrounded with snow peas and laced with beurre blanc and sweet chili sauce. To finish it off, we garnish the dish with pickled English cucumbers, daikon (kawaire) sprouts and toasted sesame seeds.

Grilled Salmon
A generous portion of fresh salmon is grilled and basted with lemon-vermouth butter sauce and crowned with a tasty salsa home-made with red sweet peppers, yellow sweet peppers, red onions, cilantro, balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Served over creamy mashed potatoes and roasted vegetables, this dish is simple yet delectable!

Halibut Festival Dish (featured at all Salty's during April)
This dish is absolutely to die for! My mouth is watering just thinking about it! Starting from the bottom up… purple potato salad made with stoneground mustard, mayonnaise, sour cream, thyme, chives, apple cider vinegar and shallots. Then we top this scrumptious potato salad with pea vines and corn that are sautéed with garlic, shallots, butter and bacon. Now comes the heart of the dish… grilled fresh Alaskan halibut with herb-infused olive oil and laced with piquillo pepper aioli and the icing on the cake… a caper berry wrapped in a delicious Spanish white anchovy.

I hope that you are as excited about this week's menu as I am! Check back next week for another great new market sheet!

March 24, 2008

Hi folks! Sorry for the delay, I’ve been busy in the kitchen the past week getting ready for Easter. We have some fun dishes this week, including one from our “Wild Ones” recipe contest, submitted by Mr. Don Walkup.

Orange-Ginger Salmon (Recipe Contest submittal by Mr. Don Walkup)
First, the salmon fillet is marinated in an orange-ginger sauce made with soy sauce, sugar, ginger, garlic, pineapple juice, orange juice, green onions and Grand Marnier. After the salmon has soaked up the tasty flavors of the marinade, we seasoned the fish with a rub made with dry shiitake mushrooms, thyme, lemon zest and white pepper. The salmon is then grilled to perfection and served atop jasmine rice surrounded by stir-fry vegetables and a zesty orange-ginger glaze.

Alaskan Halibut
Fresh halibut is now available and looking great! We start this dish by grilling a fillet of halibut basted with hot pepper oil made with crushed red peppers, garlic and kosher salt. The fish is then crowned with home-made salsa made with tomatillos, Roma tomatoes, white onions, cilantro, avocados, lime juice and olive oil. We finish off by serving the delicious halibut over a generous bed of creamy mashed potatoes and asparagus.

Oscar Mahi-Mahi
This tasty Hawaiian fish is grilled with herb-infused olive oil, topped with crabmeat and then laced with delicious hollandaise sauce. This tasty treat will be served over steamed red potatoes and asparagus.

Stay tuned for my upcoming market sheet starting this Thursday, March 27 th. See you down here at the beach!

February 6, 2008

Hi folks, it's time to tantalize your taste buds with my new market sheet, running from Thursday, February 7th through Wednesday, February 13th. Come on in and check it out!

Simply Grilled Salmon
The salmon is grilled and basted with a wonderful lemon-vermouth butter sauce and served atop a bed of creamy Yukon Gold mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables. Simple, yet succulent!

Blackened Albacore Tuna
First, we start by dusting the Albacore Tuna with our own Salty's Blackening Seasoning. Next, we sear the Tuna on a burning hot skillet, it is then laced with buerre blanc and served rare… just the way a high-quality Tuna is meant to be eaten. The tasty Tuna lies on top of ginger-jasmine rice, accompanied by a wonderful sauté medley consisting of red cabbage, carrots, tricolor mini sweet peppers and onions. After enjoying your meal, stop by the front desk to purchase your own tin of Salty's Blackening Seasoning to enjoy at home!

Caribbean Mahi-Mahi
We start by using Jamaican sweet and spicy sauce, jerk seasonings, coconut milk and lime juice to make up the delicious marinade for the Mahi Mahi to swim in overnight. Then we grill it, and serve it over mouth-watering Caribbean-style rice, made with Serrano peppers, bacon, coconut milk, onions, garlic and chicken stock. Next, we surround the rice with buerre blanc, mango coulee and black bean sauce and finish it with a beautiful and tasteful garnish of tangy mango salsa, lime and cilantro. If this dish doesn't get your taste buds excited, I'm not sure what will. Enjoy!

Come on in and try these dishes out, you won't be disappointed! Go to www.saltys.com/reservations for reservations.

January 17, 2008

With every new week, comes a new market sheet at Salty's at Redondo. Come in between January 17th and January 23rd to get a taste of what we have to offer this week!

Grilled Salmon
If you are a Salmon lover, you've got to try my Grilled Salmon on this week's Market Sheet. A fillet of Fresh Salmon grilled with fresh herb infused olive oil, then laced with a delicious Spanish Aioli made with anchovies, red pepper, fresh garlic and olive oil. I'd be selling the dish short if I didn't mention that it is served over braised spinach with grilled oyster mushrooms along side fingerling potatoes sautéed with shallots, capers, chives and seasonings, and garnished with crunchy toasted almonds. Yum!

Local Clams and Mussels over Risotto
Fresh local clams and mussels are perfectly sautéed with garlic, shallots and crushed red pepper, then deglazed with white wine and served atop a creamy risotto. Then for the perfect finishing touch… I crown the dish with fresh Arugula, Roma Tomatoes and shredded parmesan cheese.

La Bouillabaisse
Originating from the port of Marseilles, France, this stew is made with clam juice, saffron and a tasty array of fresh produce; onions, tomatoes, leeks, garlic, fennel, orange, lemon, and thyme: This magnificent broth is then used for stewing Dungeness Crab Sections, Fresh Salmon, White Fish, Fresh Local Clams and Mussels, and Calamari. If that doesn't sound appetizing enough, it is all topped off with roasted garlic baguettes, laced with red pepper aioli.

Come on in and give your taste buds what they deserve!

 

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